CH29

They were only a couple of days out from their date with their proto-star to pick up fuel that they really didn't need that badly, still it was a good idea. Kate touched a panel in the corridor after leaving the Engineering section on deck eight. "Alexis, sweetie, where are you?" Kate felt like some company. "Deck five Mom," Alexis replied. "Let me shower and I'll join you in a minute," Kate told her.

True to her word Kate walked into the space that she and Rick had learned Alexis loved. She had to admit it was lovely and it had been Alexis's idea. Kate found her sitting on the short wooden platform with her feet dangling in the small pond that actually had small fish in it. It was a beautiful and peaceful spot. They had constructed a waterfall that fell from deck four down into the small pond on deck five. The pond itself was maybe fifteen feet by fifteen feet, mostly round with rocks around the edge. A small platform extended out over the water by a couple of feet. Everywhere around it was real grass that had a watering system, a few bushes, and a couple trees. The space even had a night and day cycle.

The trees were real fruit trees and in this case Kate had decided they were cherry trees. When they came into season she was going to pick the fruit and make cherry pie. She took off her shoes, dropped them, and sat down next to Alexis. Kate put an arm around her. "How are you doing sweetie?"

"Being on this ship kind of reminds me of when I was little and Dad was flying cruise ships. It would take days to get to a planet where you could disembark. Until then all you had was what was onboard the ship. There was a limited number of choices and rooms were tiny; I had to share one with Dad," Alexis explained while kicking her feet in the water and watching the fish scatter. "You make it sound like you're sorry you came," Kate quietly mentioned since Alexis was talking so softly. "No, not sorry, just ...reflective I guess. I was just a kid and the entire place seemed big. Then when we got kicked off Dad and I had an entire planet to get around on. Now here I am back on a ship again. Restricted to where I can go and what I can do." To Alexis it was funny how things had changed and yet she was right back where she was years ago.

Kate didn't know what to say so she simply hugged her and kissed her cheek. "Did you know there's a jogging track on deck seven that's all around the outside edge of the ship? Walls and doors on one side and space on the other." Kate chuckled as she was still trying to get used to being out in space. Real Space! "Not interested?" she questioned since she didn't get a response out of Alexis. "How about we go upstairs? There's an Earth-type pool table up there somewhere. At least it should be an Earth table. I didn't know how long or wide a pool table really was so I had to guess." She hadn't seen it yet; she simply had her list of items she had put in that had been accepted and placed in their ship. "Pool?" Alexis didn't understand. To her the only pool was the one they were now. "It's a game. Come on, I'll teach you then maybe we can gang up on your father and kick his ass." She nudged her with her shoulder. Kicking her dad's ass sounded like fun so Alexis stood up and searched for her shoes.

"Pool?" Alexis looked at the table. It was made of wood; it was elevated off of the floor; it had this wide green surface. It had six holes, one in each corner and one each in the middle of the long side. "Help me pull the balls out of the pockets," Kate asked her as she began reaching into the pockets and rolling the balls she found onto the table.

Alexis watched Kate rack the balls into a triangle, put the tool away, and pull down a pair of wood poles that were really skinny and long. "Here, this is a pool cue. You use it to hit a ball that will propel the other balls into a pocket. This is the cue ball and it's the only ball you can hit with your cue. The object is to hit the cue ball into another ball that will force it into one of the pockets. I'll break and show you how it works." She bent over and slid her pool cue in one hand while holding the fat end with her other hand. Then she launched it hard into the white ball that traveled quickly across the green floor and smacked into the ball at the front.

Alexis and Kate watched as the other balls scattered all over the place, bouncing off the sides as well as other balls. Finally all of the balls stopped. "I don't believe it, not a single ball dropped!" She was staring wide-eyed at the table. "Is that bad?" Alexis asked. "It is for me. Okay, your turn. You want to hit the white ball like I did and angle it to hit a ball that will shoot it into one of the pockets. Select either solid or striped balls. Once you sink one of either of those you want to sink all of the others before I do with the other balls. When you don't sink a ball your turn's over. Look the table over and decide which type of ball's easier for you. You have to think ahead a little. Which side's easier to hit into the pockets, solid or striped?" Kate told her and stood back to watch with the end of her pool cue on the floor.

Alexis walked around the table, looked it all over, and decided on a ball. "Hold the cue like this." Kate adjusted her hand. "Hold the cue in place and yet not so tight that it doesn't slide on your fingers. Look down the pool cue to where your white ball is going to hit the other ball. It's physics. Where should you hit the white ball and where should it hit the other ball to make it go into the pocket," Kate offered as she stood back once again and watched.

'Physics huh?' Alexis thought and lined up her shot. She hit the white ball and watched it hit the other ball. She watched that ball go into the pocket and then watched the white ball follow it into the same pocket. "That, sweetie, is called a scratch shot," Kate informed her. Alexis watched her pull both balls out of the pocket and placed the striped ball on a dot in the middle of the table while Kate kept the white ball in her hand. Then Alexis watched her place the white ball on the table and line up a shot.

Kate slid her pool cue, softly hit her solid ball, and watched it slowly go into the pocket. Alexis watched Kate walk around the table and line up another ball. They both watched that ball bounce from one side to the other just in front of the pocket before stopping. Kate bent over and almost collapsed onto the table. "I'm seriously out of practice. I used to be able to kick boys' butts and win free drinks. Now I can't make a simple shot. We're going to need a lot of practice before we take on your dad and make a fool of him."

"Girls against boys," Alexis commented softly not sure if that was right or not. "I'll teach you Lex, you just stick with me," she assured her and then watched Alexis put her pool cue on the pool table and hug her. Kate hugged her back. "Not that I'm complaining, but where did this come from?" She liked it but was curious. Alexis shrugged but didn't let go. "You're Mom," Alexis said simply.

It had Kate thinking. She was going to be twenty-three in a few months, or so they had finally worked out after missing one of her birthdays. Alexis was nearly fourteen years old, while Rick was twenty-nine. He was older than her but not that much older. Not like he was seventy and she was twenty-six. Still, Alexis felt like she was hers if she ignored the age difference. "I love you too, sweetie." Kate kept hold of her and kissed her head.

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"Kate where are you?" Rick's voice came over the intercom. "Engineering, deck eight. I'm just finishing realigning some coils on one of the generators. It should be back on line in a few minutes," she told him since to her it was general maintenance. "Fifteen minutes till we exit FTL; is that enough time for you?" he responded. "Give me five minutes to run a test and another five to reach the bridge after I wash up," she told him and started her diagnostic test.

Alexis had switched her station to show Engineering and monitored what Kate was doing from the bridge. "Mom has completed her diagnostic. The generator is online," she informed her dad a few minutes later.

Kate actually decided on a shower and showed up with two minutes to spare. "I'm here," she announced and ran a hand across Rick's shoulders and kissed the back of Alexis's head before sitting down and bringing up her Engineering station screens. "Raising shields," Rick announced and she watched the new load on her display as the generator output compensated for the drain. "Shields are at ninety-eight percent; looks like one of the shield emitters is next on my maintenance list," she stated.

"Exiting FTL in three ...two ...one." Everyone felt the pull of changing speeds so abruptly. Rick changed the hull to show real space. "Why is everything a mess?" Kate asked since what she was seeing was rocks, dust, and lord knew what else all swirling around like a tornado.

"Proto-stars are immature stars. They haven't actually condensed themselves into being a star that can possibly support life yet. It's actually this early stage where we can get the best fuel. The debris simply makes things more interesting," Rick explained.

"Setting course. ...We're going to have to go deep inside this time instead of just skimming the surface," Rick informed them. "Activating weapons," he said. Kate watched her screens as the power requirement for this drew still more power from their generators as more of them came online to automatically account for the added load. "Still green," she told them.

Kate and Alexis watched as Rick dodged some of the bigger pieces while the little ones simply smashed against their shields. "Shields are still holding, now down to ninety-six percent," she informed them. She and Alexis kept watching. "Babe? ...RICK!" They watched as he was heading for a rock that was bigger than they were. "Dad?" Now Alexis was worried. "Relax you two." He simply leveled out and skimmed over the surface without reducing speed. Out the other side was a different story. "Oh shit!" This was not what he was hoping for. He powered up the one hundred percent pure antiproton beams and reduced the three rocks that registered on his screen into dust.

He was busy as he zigged and zagged and fired their weapons to clear a path in front of them. Till finally, "Extending scoops, opening valves," he informed them as they each watched their screens. "RICK!?" Kate saw it. It was right on their tail when it suddenly appeared as it continued to gain speed. "Adjusting course," he called out. All at once he maneuvered violently to go through the center of the young sun instead of going deep and then turning around.

"My screens show that it's still behind us," Kate warned and changed part of their view to the rear. "It sort of looks like an asteroid," she commented. "Scanning." Alexis changed her screens. "Vincent?" Rick inquired. "Scans would suggest that it is indeed a simple asteroid. However, its course corrections would indicate otherwise," Vincent responded. "Recommend communication," Vincent added. "I suppose we can..." Rick was interrupted. "Take us out Dad and take us to FTL. Do it now, right now!" Alexis suddenly yelled. He looked at her and what he saw on her face concerned him so he did still another major course correction and increased speed while he dodged debris and shot at what he needed to.

Kate got up to join Alexis and stood behind her while looking over her shoulder at what had Alexis so worried. Rick's sudden course correction brought an equally sudden change from what was behind them. "It's still on our tail babe, and it looks to have matched your speed," she advised. "Lex?" she questioned. However, Rick spoke first. "Exiting the sun and preparing for FTL." Alexis spun around and grabbed hold of Kate. "Just go Dad before it hits us." He was even more confused and yet he trusted his daughter so he set a course and started to enter FTL. Just as they did they saw the object behind them suddenly accelerate and then it was gone when they entered FTL. Kate found herself holding onto Alexis because the force of the change in speed would have sent her into the floor and she would have possibly ended up injured. Alexis let go of Kate and spun back around. "I think we lost it, but it would be best if you changed course again just to be sure," Alexis told him and watched on the globe as her dad set a new course.

"Alexis?" Rick and Kate actually managed to question her at the same time. Alexis took away the blue globe and put up a memory of the scan she did of the asteroid-looking object. "It changed course and speed and just before we went to FTL it did this." Alexis changed the display again. "That burst kind of looks like an expenditure of fuel," he commented. Alexis nodded, agreeing. "Now look at this. I caught it just as it made one of its course changes. Watch." Alexis slowed the replay way down. It only lasted a moment, barely the blink of an eye. "The next course change I got this." Alexis put up her display.

"You got a scan of it!" Kate was impressed, right up until Alexis started breaking down what she scanned and showed the various bits and pieces of it. "I'm not military but that looks like..." Vincent interrupted her. "It is a missile Ms. Castle, armed with what appears to be a man-made quantum singularity inside of a bubble powered by antimatter. The singularity exploding against our shields would likely have brought them down exposing our skin to the touch of the antimatter with which it was being powered. The damage to our hull would have been devastating."

"Someone tried to kill us?" Kate didn't believe it. "Why?" All they did was exit FTL and start scooping up fuel. "Fuel!" She turned to look at Rick. "Our preparations for FTL caused the scoops to retract and the valves to close automatically. We're fine," he assured her which got her to relax. "That still leaves who sent it and why," Kate pointed out. "Vincent?" Rick inquired. "Organizing data along with the ship's function and transmitting to Central Command." Part of Vincent's function was to transmit data back home.

"What do you think Alexis?" Rick wanted her brilliant mind's opinion. "I'm curious, too. Please tell us what you think." Kate moved back over to be behind her and placed her hands on her shoulders. "I could be wrong, but I'm guessing it might be part scout and part weapon. In this case an AI missile that takes out the strongest ship it can find in the system," Alexis suggested. "It hides itself by looking like an asteroid which gives it enough time to scan, identify, and maybe move in close without giving itself away before blowing itself up," Alexis offered. "Taking us with it." Kate was catching on. "Vincent, inform Central Command that they may have a scout headed their way and possibly a fleet of ships right behind it," Rick ordered. It only took a moment. "Message sent," Vincent responded.

"Right, where do we go now?" Rick put the blue globe back up that showed their present course and what was in the area. "We've got four systems in the immediate area unless you want to go right past them to any of these six behind them." He showed a cone roughly based on their present course. "You're the captain, Dad," Alexis grinned at him. "You're the captain...Captain." Kate smirked at him and hugged Alexis from behind. They watched him make his choice which was a distant system with a yellow sun. "Course plotted, ETA...four point six months." His course took them past two closer systems. But if this system had a killer missile, what did the closer systems have?

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Alexis was lying on her bed staring at her screen, smiling and wishing. The bing of her door sounded. "Come in," Alexis yelled and heard the door open but she didn't look up to see who it was.

Kate stepped inside and let the door close. Both she and Rick had long since seen her room, the choices that she had made. Kate had to admit that she was surprised. Her old room had a fair amount of pink in it. The room she'd had for the three years they'd readied themselves for this journey had been much like their room except for hints of pink here and there. This room still had an occasional touch of pink but mostly it felt grown up to her.

Her space was just as big as their room. In her case the main door opened directly onto a very large room that held her bed that was just as large as theirs. While their bed was all white, Alexis had chosen a more earthy color. "Earthy?" Alexis had questioned. "Your planet was mostly water and you called it Earth." Alexis still didn't understand that. Kate had shrugged since it had been called Earth for as long as she knew it. "With the exception of a small, select few, everyone lives on a land mass. Those few live on houseboats. Houses that float on water. While others live on boats both small and large. I'm not even sure anyone has made it to the very deepest part of the planet due to the massive pressure. Plus it's completely dark down there. The light from the sun doesn't make it that deep," Kate tried to explain.

Still Alexis's room was really nice. It had wood floors and wood beams that went from side to side. At the far end of her room was a living room with more modern furniture. Beyond that was a closet much like theirs, except it was made of a cherry-colored wood and had task lighting everywhere. The island in the center was smaller than theirs and it was also filled with drawers. Alexis had more open shelving then they did and her doors also had mostly glass fronts.

The bathroom beyond was equally narrow and long like theirs. It had a floating vanity with two vessel sinks on one wall. The opposite wall had a truly massive tub which wasn't so much as wide as it was long. It had floor to ceiling cabinet storage to either side. At the far end was her huge shower that had two open walk-in areas on either side with a rainfall shower and body jets in the walls between the two openings.

However, it was the enormous wall opposite from her bed that had surprised both Rick and herself. "It has thirty-six different views that I can put up on the wall. This one is right on the beach with the ocean just beyond. Another is deep in a forest where there's nothing but trees. Yet another is a mountain top that actually gets snow and looks cold," Alexis had explained. It was even complete with sound. Right now Alexis was right on the beach just like the first time they had been in her room. Kate had seen one where she was literally out on the water with nothing but a forest in the distance with a short beach. She could hear the waves crashing onto shore.

"Hi sweetie." Kate climbed onto her bed and laid down on her stomach just like Alexis was doing and stared out onto the water. "Hi Mom." Alexis scooted over a little closer till they were touching. "Can we talk Alexis?" Kate had a topic that was bothering her. "Sure." Alexis turned her head to look at her. "You turned fourteen last month and we don't know how long we're going to be out here. We could be out here years especially if we find a planet we can live on," she began and watched Alexis nod. "You'll be sixteen soon and there won't be any boys your age or any age near us. I know what your father thinks, but he's only teasing about you not getting married until you're thirty." Kate wanted to make sure she understood that. "I know Mom. Dad's being protective." Alexis turned back to look at her view.

"There's no one for you to date sweetie. Being out here alone with your father and I means you aren't going to have anyone. You won't go out on dates, find out who you do or don't like..." Alexis turned her head to look at her and interrupted her. "Are you trying to get me married Mom?" Alexis thought she was teasing. "That's sort of my point Alexis. Unless things change all you're going to have around is your father and I. No girlfriends to have fun with, no boyfriends, no social life."

"I'm happy Mom, truly. This is where I want to be. Out in space seeing what's out here. This is what I want." Alexis tried to reassure her. "Today yes, but what about three years from now or even longer. You two said it yourself – no Explorer ship has ever returned. They find a planet and settle there or perhaps they're destroyed and never heard from again." Kate had to agree that the list of possibilities was rather long.

"Thanks, but I'm happy and I'll be happy. I have a dad who loves me and now I have a mom who loves me. Not everyone gets married, and who knows, maybe we'll land on a planet and someone will just touch my heart. I'm fine, honest." Alexis smiled at her and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "I love you Mom," Alexis said and went back to looking at her wall. "I love you, too sweetie. I just worry about you is all," Kate admitted. "It's part of your job description; it's why you're Mom and not just Kate," Alexis told her and that was when it hit her. She was a mother. She was now just like her own mother. 'Wish you could see this Mom, I really do.' Kate pulled Alexis in close as the emotion of being a mother hit her. What would it feel like if Alexis really was hers, biologically hers?