The final instalment...I hope it doesn't disappoint!

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Chapter 4

It was over. Well it was over for the rest of Alpha, John reflected. His pain went on without hope of respite. Alpha was recovering, people were warm again and feeling positive. He thought of Helena, palely beautiful, lying cold and still in the base mortuary and what a terrible waste it was; he'd lost her love, support and companionship, in short, his soul mate…..and Alpha had lost the skills of a superb doctor, a dedicated member of its crew. They'd come so far together, it seemed inconceivable that her life should have been snuffed out in such an abrupt manner and once again he cursed himself for the decision he'd made that day in Main Mission.

He thought also of that time in her quarters when he'd heard Arra speak, telling him what he had to do to save his people and assuring him that Helena hadn't gone, she had just evolved into a different form of existence. If she is still here, why isn't she with me now? "I will come for you," she'd said. What had she meant? Logic told him she couldn't really have been with him then, despite how real it had felt, it had just been a fantasy, a wonderful dream.

He was in his office, doors closed against the buzz of Main Mission. When it all got too much he needed to shut himself away in solitude for a time despite knowing he was guilty of wallowing in self pity. But personal feelings had to be laid aside, he told himself, he had a responsibility to the people under his command...and yet...it was so hard to envisage a long, lonely future without her. Looking out of the viewports at the barren lunar landscape, he felt that the void outside was as great as the one in his heart.

Helena I miss you…

He had to focus, difficult as it was and he blinked away the wetness which once again threatened at his eyes. Deciding to get down to some work he opened a report on his screen regarding a proposed mining project, a geological survey of a nearby crater had picked up evidence of some elements that were running short. He had just started to read when he became aware of a prickling sensation on his skin, like static electricity, making his hair stand on end. Then the room started to darken around him and he hoped that they were not experiencing power issues again.

As his surroundings grew darker, he saw a faint glow developing beside the desk where he was sitting and as he watched, it became more intense and took on a familiar form, just as before…he hardly dared hope but then…..amazingly, she was standing beside him.

"You've come back….." he realised just how inane that sounded.

"I said I'd come back for you, John."

He stood up and reached out to touch her and as he took her in his arms, he was thrilled to find she felt just as real and alive as the last time. Making sense of this was far beyond his capabilities, it defied all rational explanation and he tried not to think too hard or too deeply, just to accept.

"Don't leave me again, I can't take it," he pleaded as they held each other. He felt as though he was drawing strength from her, he imagined it flowing into his tired body, warming and comforting him. Then, after a while, something occurred to him and he leant back to see her face. "Helena, when you were here before, you told me that soon I would understand…..what do I need to understand?

She gently touched his cheek and looked deep into his eyes. "I wasn't meant to die when I did," she said softly. "I moved on into another dimension but it was a mistake. If you had given in to Luke and Anna's demands I would have lived...however, you had acted with the best of intentions - you believed it was for the good of Alpha."

He found himself truly humbled that she didn't appear to bear any resentment.

She went on: "But time cannot be reversed and what has happened, happened. Because of this, a gift has been bestowed on me by far greater forces than you or I could ever comprehend, a gift that I can share with you. John, we have been given the power to be guardians to our people, watching over and protecting them, stepping in when help is required. As intermediaries, if you like, directly channelling those forces which have brought us so far, to ensure that Alpha is able to go safely on its journey into the future."

She gave him a moment to absorb this before continuing.

"You have done what was required of you and corrected the intervention by allowing Luke and Anna to follow their own destiny. Now your time here is done, my love. You and I were always meant to be together, it is our destiny. And although I cannot return to your world, you can come forward into mine. Will you follow me now and share this wonderful opportunity?"

He realised he wanted that, more than anything. He knew would go anywhere to be with her again. "Yes," he replied. "There's nothing left for me here, I don't think I am the man to command Alpha anymore. Please...Helena...take me with you."

She stepped out of his embrace and took his hand and started to lead him away, to where? He couldn't tell but it didn't matter. Everything around them was dark. As they moved they seemed to rise upwards, flying out of Alpha, away, leaving the moon behind them but able to look back and in a strange way still able to see the workings of the base and its people, hearing their voices, feeling their emotions. There was all his staff in Main Mission, the doctors in Medical Centre, technicians in the Eagle hangar…...and Victor working in his lab.

Suddenly distraught at deserting his friend, John called Victor's name and at that moment the scientist frowned and looked up from his work as though he'd heard something, then shrugged and went back to what he had been doing.

John no longer knew where he was but he felt he was up amongst the stars, he was with Helena and he didn't even need to speak to communicate with her. They seemed to share their thoughts and consciousness as though the two of them had melded and their very souls had fused. He seemed to have become one with her and it was wonderful. He wasn't even sure that he had a physical form anymore, he wanted to cry and scream and cheer with joy all at the same time, he felt light and free and loved and peaceful, as though nothing could ever hurt him again.

"This is amazing," was the thought he shared with her. "I love you."

"And I will love you for all eternity," was her reply. He didn't know if he'd heard it or felt it. "Are you ready for this, John?"

"I'm ready, Helena. Ready to go on to whatever comes next…..as long as we're together."

Alone in his laboratory, Victor was deep in thought, wrestling with a scientific conundrum, a theory that didn't seem to be coming together and although it was a really just a hypothesis, he did enjoy being able to work his way through the twists and turns of a problem until he'd reached a satisfactory conclusion. He walked up and down his lab, chewing the end of his pen and muttering to himself, pausing now and again to scribble another mathematical equation on the board, only to scratch his head and tut and start pacing again.

He wasn't, therefore, particularly receptive to being interrupted by the bleep of his commlock. It was Bob Mathias, it was unusual to hear from him. He wondered if he'd missed a check up or something.

"Yes, Bob?"

"Sorry to bother you Professor, but I am a bit concerned about something."

Victor smiled. "Concerned? The old mechanical ticker throwing out some odd readings again is it?" All Alpha personnel had to wear monitors, like wrist watches, which allowed the medical team to respond to any worrying changes in a crew member's state of health.

"Um, actually, no, Professor. The truth is, I'm worried about the Commander."

"John?" Victor was suddenly all attention. "Why, what's up?"

"Well, I hope it's nothing but for some reason, we're not registering his vital signs and I can't seem to contact him. It may be that he's just removed the monitor but Paul says he hasn't been seen for quite some time and he can't contact him either. Paul put a trace on his commlock which is giving his location as his office and to be honest, we're concerned, knowing what he's been going through recently. You're his good friend, Professor. We'd appreciate it if you could join us in Main Mission and we'll check on him together."

Yes, Yes of course. I'll be right there Bob."

Paul met Victor and Bob at the steps to the partition door to the Commander's office, they tried to keep their actions low-key but were only too aware of the numerous pairs of puzzled eyes following them. They slid open a door-sized section and Victor walked into the office first.

"Ah John! There you are!" He exclaimed, seeing his old friend sitting at his desk, his back to the three men. "Bit worried about you, old chap….you've not been answering your calls!" He was approaching the Commander and stopped suddenly as he drew close, the man had appeared to be asleep but he was just utterly still, his head drooping to one side. "John?" He stood back and let Bob go to him first.

Bob glanced at both Victor and Paul before walking right up to John and pressed his fingers to the man's neck, feeling for a pulse. Then he picked up his wrist and checked that and lifted an eyelid before standing back and confirming the worst. "Gentlemen, I'm so, so sorry, the Commander is dead."

Victor gasped with shock, his hand going to his chest. "Oh my lord…"

"I don't believe it," muttered Paul. "How…?"

Bob was now checking John over for any signs of the cause. "I'm afraid I really can't tell at this point. But there's nothing around here to suggest it was deliberate."

"John would never have done anything like that…..I know him." Victor quickly pointed out.

"What, you mean he just sat down in here and – died?" asked Paul.

"My guess is a heart attack or stroke perhaps – but nothing flagged up in his last physical," Bob went on, sadly. "The man has obviously been under a lot of stress since Helena…..I'm going to have to perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death." He shook his head. "It's just tragic….Helena, now the Commander…."

"Oh, John…..what ever happened to you?" said Victor, regarding the Commander with disbelief. "I'd never have expected something like this." He turned to Paul and nodded at the doors to Main Mission. "Paul, I'm afraid you're going to have to go out there and tell them all."

"Of course, Professor. I'll make an announcement to the base shortly."

Paul had a sort of ex-military demeanour about him, a composure and natural authority that Victor felt would serve him well in the days and weeks to come. "Good man," he said patting his shoulder.

He took a deep breath and turned sadly to the doctor. "Ok Bob. I think you'd better get your team in here…."

Paul made a brief base-wide announcement. Though shaken, he was typically stoic, he thought it easier to get it over with, it avoided any awkward questions and there was no reason for people not to be told. It was most difficult for the Main Mission operatives who had all worked so closely with the Commander; Sandra was trying but failing to hold back tears whilst Tanya kept her head down and avoided eye contact with her colleagues. This, so soon after the death of Helena Russell, was a crushing blow to everybody, these two people had given so much of themselves to Moonbase Alpha and now they were gone, leaving a gap that no one else could fill.

Victor stood in the Commander's office with Bob Mathias, glumly watching the medical staff take the body of his friend away on a gurney via the rear door. A huge sense of loss was only just beginning to make itself felt and he knew it was going to get a whole lot worse. As Bob turned to leave, he saw that Victor hadn't moved.

"Professor? Are you coming?" He said, concerned about the shock the aging scientist had just received. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Oh….no, thank you, Bob. I am well. I'd just like to sit here for a little while if that's ok." Bob hesitated and Victor added "I'll be alright."

Bob left and Victor was alone in the big room. With a sigh, he went and fetched that bottle of brandy and sat down on the sofa facing the viewports, glass in hand. He took a good mouthful and welcomed the burning of the spirit in the back of his throat.

This room held so many memories for him. Discussions and conflict with Commander Gorski before John's arrival prior to Breakaway, then after leaving Earth orbit, all those meetings held here to try to fathom out how they were going to cope with situations no one would ever have believed possible.

He saw John and himself sitting here, together, late into the night. John would often use this time to express his private hopes and fears, grateful to Victor for being a non-judgemental sounding board, just two old friends enjoying each other's company. He remembered their rambling philosophical conversations, mulling over the hand that fate had dealt them, over what they had all been through so far on their odyssey through space and what lay ahead and whether there could possibly be some greater force guiding and protecting them. It had been a recurring theme and now Victor suspected he had reason to believe it was true.

Also in this room, Victor had seen John and Helena growing ever closer. He'd been secretly delighted that they'd fallen for each other and had helped encourage it, making it clear to John at the outset that the impression he'd been given about Helena before his arrival on Alpha was completely wrong. To be fair, it hadn't taken John all that long to work it out for himself. Victor had seen, as others did, what was developing between the Commander and his Chief Medical Officer even though they themselves could not. Thankfully, these two people who had both known tragedy in their personal lives eventually came to their senses and found happiness with each other.

He drained his glass and stood up to leave. He was desperately sad to have lost his two incredible friends and knew he was going to miss them terribly, nothing would be the same again. He only hoped - science be damned - that wherever they were now, they were together.

Then he heard something. At first, he thought it was the whisper of the air conditioning or sound carrying through from Main Mission but then he thought he recognised a voice. Distant but all around him at the same time, was it even inside his head? He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing up.

"Don't grieve for us, Victor."

"John?" Victor wondered if the shock was affecting his mind and looked around but he was still alone. "Am I going mad….. Is that you?"

"Yes, Victor, it's really me and I have something to tell you."

"Something to tell me...What is it, John?"

"Please understand...I had to go. I couldn't stay on Alpha without Helena," John continued. "She came back for me and we're together, as we were always meant to be."

"She's with you now?"

Helena's voice replied: "I'm here, Victor."

"Helena! Then where are you both?"

"We are everywhere, we are all around you, you haven't lost us," said Helena.

John continued: "Victor, Helena was taken away too soon, it should not have happened. So, because of this, the forces of the universe have given us this gift, a responsibility, a purpose. We are to watch over Alpha as its guardians, guiding it on its journey and ensuring our people fulfil their destiny, as it was mapped out for them before the beginning of time."

Victor's enquiring mind was already processing this information. "Those mysterious unknown forces, eh?" A reference to their late night conversations about their survival against all the odds. The very idea raised endless possibilities. "And how will you do this?"

"When we are needed, we'll be there. You'll know," replied John. "Just have faith."

"Well...I won't pretend I really understand it, John…but I do know I'm going to miss you both, so very much….and it won't be easy without you."

Helena spoke. "Don't be sad, Victor. Just believe that John and I have found peace and happiness and one day, when the time is right, we'll be with you again."

"So until then, Victor…." John added.

Victor raised his hand in a salute. "Farewell, John, Helena…..farewell my friends."

Then all was quiet again. Victor wondered how science could explain what he had just experienced and decided it probably couldn't, like so many other things they had encountered out in deep space. He truly hoped he hadn't imagined the strange conversation and he knew he wouldn't be relating this story to his colleagues any time soon. If proof of what he'd just been told was needed it would surely come when the Alphans once again found themselves in challenging circumstances.

He turned and looked around once more at the office, so big and quiet, he saw John's empty chair by his desk, the oversized globe of the Earth in the corner. Smiling wistfully, he nodded at the space before heading for the door.

Epilogue

The bodies of Commander John Koenig and Dr Helena Russell were laid to rest together about one mile from Main Mission in a designated burial area, visible from the viewports.

There was a simple but emotional memorial service held for them in Main Mission. Almost all the Alpha personnel attended and several people got up to speak movingly about the couple and their dedication to the base and its inhabitants. Paul Morrow, having now taken on the role of Commander, led the service. He observed that if this was Arkadia's legacy, then the planet had an awful lot to answer for. Bob Mathias, newly created CMO, paid tribute to the late Commander and the doctor and touchingly told of their love for one another.

Bob said that he could not determine the cause of John Koenig's death. He could not find any physiological reason and he'd had to record it as "unexplained" but if he'd been able to, he would have preferred to attribute it to a broken heart. He believed the man had just not wanted to live without the woman he loved by his side.

Victor heard a number of muffled sobs around him and he thought back to that bizarre exchange in the Commander's office, pleased to find comfort in the memory. I wouldn't disagree, he thought, but maybe, just maybe, I know a little more than that now.

THE END

April 2021