Chapter Fourteen
Caedom returned to the Admiral's cabin having spent the last of his moments aboard Seaview feeding the fish in the laboratory. He entered closing the door behind him.
"Time for the last act," he declared. "I think something rather flamboyant would do. Don't you agree, Admiral?" he jested, then raised a thoughtful hand to his mouth to decide which scene to play. He snapped his fingers in an "I've got it!" fashion and reached for the intercom.
"Mr. Morton, report to my cabin at once."
"Aye, aye, Sir."
Caedom made sure the door was unlocked, then took up his position next to Nelson's frozen form, knowing the shock of two Admirals would provide the build-up to his dramatic exit.
He only had a moment to wait and cleared his throat in preparation. Morton's dress shoes clicked along in the corridor announcing his soon arrival as Caedom winked at Nelson's frozen form, then went completely into character, as a knock on the door signaled Morton's arrival.
"Come in," he invited and waited for the Exec's shock. He held back his smile, knowing he was about to break the unreadable, infamous command face of the XO.
The door opened and so the last curtain was lifted on the stage.
"Reporting as ordered, Sir..." Chip's words were lost in his own shock as he registered the sight of two Harriman Nelson's standing side by side, one frozen in the same sort of light that encased and imprisoned Lee in the Control Room. He started to move for the mic to call the master at arms when he was stopped in his steps by Caedom's strong voice, speaking in full character.
"This above all: To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell," he said with extra vitality, "my blessing season, this in thee!"
And then switched from Hamlet to Troilus and Cressida, taking on the new role with equal vigor.
"Life every man holds dear," he stopped in a dramatic pause, "but the dear man holds honor far more precious dear than life."
Caedom dropped his character, then bowed in an over gratuitous stage bow as Chip moved for the mic.
"Farewell Morton, you've been a fine audience," he said, laughing maniacally and then disappearing before Chip could call for help. Upon his exit the beam of light released the Admiral. His stiff body teetered unsteadily as Chip abandoned the mic and ran forward, just in time to catch Harry. He guided him to the bunk to sit, where Harry rubbed his temple.
"Are you alright, Sir?" Chip asked, realizing that every time he'd silently questioned the Admiral's response earlier had been because they had a second imposter among them. He only hoped the three rods the double allowed Zandar to take wouldn't be the cause of their demise.
"I'm alright," Harry said a bit shakily.
"What happened to you Sir?"
"It's a long story, Chip. I... trust my double didn't cause too much damage," he inquired as Chip assessed Harry, deciding it was truly Admiral Nelson this time.
"He gave Zandar three reactor rods," Chip reported to Harry's wave of the hand as he started to stand.
"We'll worry about that later, but first we need to get to Lee," he said resolutely, taking a shaky first step but finding both his firm footing and his determination at the same time.
Chip followed him out of his cabin as the two made their way down the stairs, just in time for Zandar to make his grand appearance. This time however, Zandar wasn't alone as Caedom stood beside him, still in Harry's form and both bearing the rods taken earlier from Seaview.
"I see you are well, Admiral Nelson," Zandar greeted.
"Yes, and I trust you are here to restore Captain Crane?"
"As we agreed, but first..." he said holding out the rods, still in their cases and presumably never removed since they were never really required by the aliens.
"Chip," Harry ordered in one word as the Exec nodded for Sharkey to accompany him forward. Zandar and Caedom released the rods without incident, as a shocked Sharkey obeyed without question, trying to process the fact that there were two Cranes and two Nelsons.
"Take charge of the rods and reinsert them, Chief," Chip ordered.
"Aye Sir," Sharkey replied, knowing his duty but worried about leaving the Control Room with two aliens aboard.
"And now Crane," Harry replied calmly.
"Of course, Admiral," Zandar replied, but hesitated for just a moment. "I ask for one indulgence," he said as Harry nodded cautiously.
Zandar turned toward his friend of many years to express what he could never possibly feel in his own form.
"You are a dear friend, Caedom; true and honorable," he said extending a hand to his friend. Caedom replied by grasping Zandar's forearm in a gesture of camaraderie.
"Your friend always, Zandar, but honorable...? You do me too much credit, but this I strive to be," he said as the two soaked in the moment that would be lost to only a memory once they returned their borrowed forms. They released the hold and returned their attention back to Harry, their touching scene witnessed by all in the Control Room.
"With your help, Admiral Nelson, and Captain Crane's sacrifice, new hope has been given to two worlds. We return now, what was never ours," Zandar said, referring to the forms that gave them the ability to feel and express themselves with emotions. "We thank you," he added, before disappearing in a brilliant flash of light, this time taking with it the long arm of light that penetrated the hull and had grabbed Captain Crane, encasing him in a frozen prison.
Harry and Chip shielded their eyes from the light, until it dissipated taking with it Crane's captivity.
"Lee!" Harry called, moving to his side as he and Chip caught him before he hit the deck. They lowered him down gently as Lee's eyes opened in momentary confusion and then sharpened in recognition of both his surroundings and his friends.
"Is it over, Sir?" he asked wearily.
"It's over, Lee."
He nodded and then moved to sit up, as Harry and Chip assisted him, helping him to rest his back against the chart table. Suddenly the sounds of a fully operational submarine filled the Control Room as the beeps and hums of previously dead equipment came to life.
"Sir, helm is responding."
"Sonar is operational."
Reports began to flood in from all over the boat as Chip stood to assess Seaview's present condition. Harry remained beside Lee placing a hand on his shoulder and inquiring with his eyes if he was alright, to which Lee shook his head slightly, indicating he couldn't talk about it... not yet...not here. Harry nodded his understanding and helped Lee to his feet.
"Report Mr. Morton," Lee ordered, looking to Seaview's well-being.
"All systems are operational and she's ready to answer bells, Skipper."
"Has our present position been noted in the log book?" he asked.
"Aye Sir."
"Then let's get the hell out of here," Lee replied fervently. "Resume present course and speed, Mr. Morton," he continued, finding strength in his duty to Seaview and his crew.
VTTBOTS
Three months later...
Lee stood on the bridge and took in the blanket of stars across an endless sky. The clear night and dark sea revealed millions of stars at one glance as he gazed appreciatively upwards. He leaned against the tower and dropped his chin to his folded hands, remembering things he wished he could forget. He heard steps on the ladder and smiled, knowing exactly who his visitor was.
"It's a grand view out here," Harry replied, taking up a position beside Lee.
"Aye," Lee replied wistfully.
"Do you still think about her?" Harry asked quietly as Lee nodded his answer. He had buried himself in his work these last three months and had successfully moved on, but in times like this he couldn't help but reflect.
He and Harry had talked; he knew Harry had experienced the depth of his feelings toward Rona, and there was no reason to hide behind stoic machoism. He realized that Zirka had played from Rona's personality and that he had actually fell in love with the real Rona, but Zirka took over in those final moments in the great hall, abandoning Rona's personality in a desperate move of selfishness. He was grateful that Rona had no memories of her hijacked life and wouldn't suffer as he had.
"You know I feel sorry for her," Lee said, staring out into the deep sea as Harry wrinkled a brow in question.
"Rona?"
"No... Zirka," he corrected, speaking without the formalities of their ranks. Down in the Control Room it was always Sir or Admiral, but up here on the bridge they were friends without titles. "I'm afraid I wasn't very gracious when I found out what she did," he admitted with an apologetic smile. "But when I think of living life without passion of any kind, without emotions... good or bad, I think Zandar was right... it's punishment enough," he paused. "And I guess Tennyson was right as well."
"Tis better to love and lost than never to have loved at all?" Harry quoted.
"Yeah," he agreed, before amending his thought. "But I'm not dismissing what Zirka did; it was wrong. She would have stolen Rona's life if I had let her."
"But it must have been quite a temptation for her to finally feel something so powerful and have to give it back," Harry added.
"I've come to that same conclusion," he replied, turning to lean against the conning tower as he stared in the opposite direction.
"And what else have you decided, Lee?" Harry probed, their deep friendship one that could delve deeper than most.
He sighed heavily. "That I've mourned a lost love long enough."
Harry nodded approvingly. Lee had suspended his dating life upon returning home and had subsequently buried himself in Seaview and the Institute to ease the pain of a love he could never have; he was pleased to see that Lee was taking this next step.
"And if you'd had the opportunity to say 'no' to Zandar?"
"Knowing everything I know now; I still would have gone." He smiled and looked sideways at Harry. "Not too many chances to slay a dragon and rescue a maiden in distress here in this world," he jested to Harry's shake of the head, before turning serious once again. "And knowing Rona went back to a better world is consolation for all this mess. I can live with that," he finished, looking up at the night sky once again, and wondering which star the elfin clans of Rona's people resided upon.
Harry stared at the night sky alongside him in silence for a few moments before Lee spoke again.
"Harry... thanks," Lee said quietly.
"For what Lee?"
"For being here... this talk... helping me find my way back home."
Harry swallowed hard, then placed a hand on Lee's shoulder.
"You're welcome, Lad."
VTTBOTS
On a planet with two suns and three moons, a being with a stark white face and no distinctive facial features held his newly born son. Zandar looked down at the beautiful hue of skin color, much different from his own. The child's eyes were blue; the first blue eyes their planet had seen in a thousand years. In the middle of his chin was a dimple and his head was full of vibrantly blue hair, unlike the albino hair of his parents.
Zandar held his child and wished that he had Crane's form to experience this moment, but released the thought and whispered to his child instead.
"All I have done... I did for you, my son."
A fleeting moment of satisfaction raced through him, a shadow perhaps of the time he had spent in Crane's form. But that moment was glorious as Zandar gazed down at the hope a new generation would bring to his people... a hope evidenced in the content smile of the child he held in his arms.
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The End
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A/N - My deepest appreciation to all the Readers who followed this unorthodox adventure; and a special thanks to all who Reviewed, sent PMs, Followed, and Favorited the story. I'm pleased you enjoyed the tale and offer my sincere gratitude for taking another voyage with me.
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A special thanks to my Beta, who encouraged me when I was ready to chuck the story for being too different; and for the title, which was my Beta's awesome suggestion as well. Subjockey