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Chapter 43 - Two Beeps

Legate pressed a few buttons and motioned for Samuel to take over flying the ship. "I'd like to see what Genie has gotten off to."

Samuel sat down in the chair. "I've got it, mate."

"I am relieved." Legate announced as he walked out of the control room.

Samuel clicked a few buttons and looked back at Karen. "And what do you think?"

Karen was mesmerized by the view of the planets in front of her. Six planets of various color and size spun where she could see them. The mist of pink clouds seemed to sit among them.

Samuel looked back at her and smiled. "I love seeing this through your eyes."

She smiled back at him. "This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. How far from home are we?"

"Ah, just around the corner." He told her. "The telescopes of Terra, sorry Earth, can't see this. It's blocked by several things."

She shook her head in amazement. "I love this."

He continued to look at her. He was so pleased that she was happy.

He began to sing ' Rocket Man.'

She giggled, "That song?"

"What about it?"

"I dreamt that you sang that. When you were gone."

He pressed a button, "Did you?"

"Oh, Samuel. You're always singing." She smiled. "And you sing beautifully."

He smiled back at her. "Well, thank you. I enjoy it."

"Do you play the guitar?"

He looked surprised at her. "No, why?"

"You told Genie to give you one."

He grinned. "Nah. I can play the piano. Well, a bit. But that's all. I couldn't figure the guitar out. I prefer to sing."

"I would too, if I sang like you. I still can't believe you got up in front of all of those people and sang with Tony."

He laughed. "I felt like I was at home."

"You do that at home?"

He nodded, "Yeah. All of the time."

"Singing at concerts?"

"Well, yeah. Genie or Arles will want to go see something. Even Tony. Tony Tyler. And they usually ask me to get up and sing, too. Uncle Tony was on an album, and brought me along to record with him. I found that I loved it. And the next thing I knew, I was on several albums, with artists that you haven't heard of yet. Singing with them. It's fun."

She covered her mouth in surprise. "You're serious!"

"Arles didn't tell you that?"

"No!" She laughed. "Wow. I had no idea."

He shrugged his shoulders. "We tease one another about it. He plays the drums on several of those albums. He's really good."

"I'm amazed. At you both."

He leaned over and kissed her lips. He felt her smile under his kiss and run her hand across his cheek. "Samuel. You are amazing."

He looked in her eyes. "I'm just trying to keep up with you."

She kissed him again and smiled.

He sat back and put his hands on top of his head. He sighed, "This is lovely. Proper lovely. I never look at it like this."

Karen looked back out at the view. "What is all of this called here?"

He didn't reply.

She looked back at him to see he appeared to listening to something in his head, or thinking. "Samuel, what's wrong?"

He quickly clicked a few buttons and the ship jumped into flight. He stood up and flipped on a computer beside of Karen. "Watch that."

"What is it going to do?"

"Hopefully, it will beep." He insisted as he rushed through buttons and read monitors.

She sat as he flew the ship, and appeared to be looking for something for a bit. He finally spoke. "Karen, it's odd. Something….feels odd."

"Do you hear something?"

"No. I feel something."

"Can you explain it?"

He looked back at her. "Urgency."

"Tell me what you need me to do."

He held up his hand and listened. "It's here." He turned off the engines and the craft stopped. In front of them, drifting downwards, was round container. He pointed at it. "Escape pod."

Karen looked back at the monitor. It hadn't beeped.

Legate and Genie came into the Control Room to see why he had moved the ship.

Samuel pointed at the screen. "Is that from -?"

Legate shook his head. "Escape pods are standardized still. Come on, we'll get them out."

Genie took over where Samuel sat.

Samuel and Legate started to rush out of the control room just as Karen grabbed Samuel's hand to stop him. "Samuel. Stop. Are you rushing off to do something dangerous?"

He shook his head. "No. Keep the door locked in here. No matter what you hear."

She rolled her neck back. "Samuel-!"

"Keep it locked." He insisted and rushed out of the room, sealing the door behind him.

Genie was already moving the ship closer to the escape pod. The monitor started to beep.

Karen sat back down and crossed her arms. It was clear she wasn't pleased.

Genie glanced back at her. "Legate is with him. He's safe."

Karen sighed. "If he gets hurt, I'll kill him."

Genie smiled.

Karen realized the monitor was making noise. "Oh, Genie. It's beeping."

"That's a good sign." She pressed the button. "Lads, we have two life forms onboard. We'll be in position in…." The craft jumped as something attached to the bottom. "Capture."

Karen looked back at Genie. "Who is in the pod?"

Genie pressed a few more buttons. "Not sure. Hope they are friendly."

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Samuel and Legate pulled the panel out of the floor in the center room, and tossed it aside. Samuel jumped into the cavity to twist open the round airlock. Legate helped him pull it back and attached it as whoever was in the pod banged on the door.

Legate looked relieved. "Well, he knows the pattern of the Quauthin. So, he's friendly whoever he is."

Samuel opened the other airlock to the pod and was stunned to see a familiar face looking back up at him. "Logan!"

Logan looked as though he had been in a fight. His face was sweaty. Blood was on his chin, and down his neck. "Samuel! Legate! Thank God it's you!"

Legate jumped into the cavity to help his friend. "What happened-"

Logan held up his hands. "Shen is in here. She's hurt. Legate, help me with her."

Legate jumped into the escape pod.

Samuel shouted, "Gene, send Karen out. We need another pair of hands."

Genie's voice spoke, "She's on her way."

Samuel looked down through the opening of the pod. "Who else is there?"

Legate spoke. "Just Logan and Ashena-"

"Well, don't move her! Hang on."

Karen had joined them and found it surprising the floor was now a doorway to the pod. She knelt down next to Samuel. He pointed at a handle near them. "Hang onto that."

Samuel spoke, "Gene. Turn off the gravity in here."

"Copy that." Genie spoke.

Karen felt herself become weightless and watched Samuel float into the escape pod. Within a few seconds, he had reappeared with Ashena, Logan, and Legate. Ashena was unconscious and the side of her head was bleeding.

Samuel pulled himself up and turned to gently glide Ashena to the floor. "Gene. Turn back on the gravity."

Genie's voice was heard, "And in 3-2-" The gravity came back on and all of them where able to move about normally again. Samuel immediately began to look over Ashena.

Legate asked, "What happened?"

Logan shook his head. "I'm not completely sure. We were on our way back to Andromeda, and there was an explosion. I grabbed her and took her the pod. As we were getting into it, the room came apart where we stood."

Legate grabbed Logan's hand and looked at it. "Compression burns."

Logan pulled his hand away. "I'm fine. She's the worse of us."

Samuel ran his hand across Ashena's head. The injury continued to her hair. Samuel gently pulled off the cloth that covered her hair.

Legate's surprise was what Samuel expected. He sat up and covered his mouth. "Umm. Her hair isn't glowing."

Logan knelt beside of Ashena and took her hand. "No, it's not glowing."

Legate looked up in shock. "What does that mean? Has she perished?"

Samuel continued to run his hand over her head. "No. But, she's hurt. Gene. What is our position?"

Genie rattled off some numbers.

Samuel looked back at Legate and Logan. "What do you think?"

Legate shook his head. "This is a medical emergency. You have to make the decision."

Samuel looked back at Karen.

Karen asked, "Is there a hospital close?"

"Nimiset?" Legate asked.

Samuel shook his head. "No. They can't see her hair. Umm. Okay, this is what we'll do. Gene…"

"I'm here."

"Run a security scan on the pod."

"There is a tracker on it."

Legate spoke. "So, someone knows where she is."

Samuel thought. "Right. Legate. Dump the pod."

Legate nodded and jumped up to do it. "Genie, power up the scrubber."

"Doing it. Weapons are warming up, too."

Legate closed the door to that lead to the escape pod and locked it. "I'll go to the control room and electrify the hull. That will make it appear that all of us exploded."

Samuel continued to hold his hand to Ashena's head. "Good. After you've shot the pod, point us towards Terra and haul ass there. Use your telepathic connection and tell Dad to meet us in his ship as soon as he can. Do not use the radio. Not even to dock. She has swelling that I'm not going to be able to stop. I need him to ready some medicine. He'll know the kind."

Logan asked frantically. "And that will stop it?"

Samuel nodded, "That will stop it."

Legate jumped up and ran to the Control Room. "Got it, Sammy."

Samuel glanced at Karen. "You, keep an eye on him."

Logan looked at her. "Karen, right?"

"Yes."

Ashena started to wake up. All of their attention went to her immediately. Logan lie on the floor and put his lips to her forehead. "Shen. Shhh….You're injured. Stay still. You're safe."

She blinked and looked up at him. "Are you okay?"

He smiled warmly at her. "I'm fine. Best game of football I've ever had."

She closed her eyes and groaned.

Samuel spoke. "Shenny. We're headed to help. I'm doing everything I can."

She smiled with her eyes closed. "Samuel. I know you will do all you can. Don't be sad if I can't."

Tears fell from Logan's eyes as he took her hand. "Shen. You're going to be alright. Don't say that. You have to help Sam."

Karen knelt on the other side of Ashena and grabbed her other hand. "Ashena. Look at me."

Ashena opened her eyes. "Hi, Karen."

Karen smiled at her. "Your advice was so helpful. Thank you."

"It must have been." Ashena smiled. "Samuel told me about the baby."

"A little girl. We're not sure what we're going to call her. Tell me some names that you like."

Ashena closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "My mother's name is lovely."

Samuel grinned and looked at Karen. He mouthed, "You are brilliant. Keep her talking."

Samuel continued to hold his hands to Ashena's head.

Logan hadn't taken his eyes off of Ashena. "Stay with us Shen."

Karen got comfortable on the floor. "What is your mother's name?"

Ashena didn't open her eyes. "Oen."

Karen smiled at her. "Oen. I like that. What about your name? Is it just Ashena?"

Ashena smiled. "Yes. Logan calls me Shen. Is Logan here?"

Logan kissed her face again. "I'm here. You're okay."

Ashena spoke again. "Samuel is going to be a wonderful father."

Karen smiled, "Yes. He is."

Logan wiped his tears and kissed her again. "Shen?"

She began to relax. Samuel kept his hand to her head as she passed out.

Logan's eyes became large. "Shen?"

Samuel quickly moved his hand to her neck to feel for a pulse. "No! No! No! Shenny, we're not doing this!"

Karen couldn't believe it. She covered her mouth, "Samuel?"

Samuel was already doing chest compressions. "Shenny!"

Logan sat up and wiped his eyes. When Samuel nodded to him, and he blew air into her lungs.

Karen sat and looked on in shock. She had never seen someone given CPR before. She had just been speaking to her.

After what seemed like a very long time to Karen. Samuel sat up on his knees and looked sadly back at Logan. He dropped his head, and Karen knew what he was about to say. She began to silently cry.

"Umm. Logan."

Logan wasn't going to allow him to say it. "No! Sam!"

"She's gone."

"She's not!"

Samuel shook his head. "Logan. Let her go-"

"Like hell I will-"

Ashena's body became pale.

Karen took her lifeless hand and continued to sob.

Logan still wasn't having it. "She's not-"

Samuel spoke softly to him, "I'm so sorry, Logan."

Logan looked at Samuel for a few seconds. Tears filled his eyes and he began to shake his head. "She's not!"

Logan lay back down with his head next to hers. "Shen. Shen! Wake up and tell Sam he's wrong."

Samuel looked up at Karen. Instead of sadness, she saw confusion on his face. He mouthed, "This isn't supposed to happen."

Karen and Samuel's attention went back to Logan. He sat up, and seemed to pull himself together. He wiped his eyes and spoke forcefully. "Queen Ashena. You are still needed by the people of Andromeda. You are beloved by them. An entire world, and all of their love combined would never compare to how much love I have for you. This is not the day you leave them. It's not the day you will leave me."

Samuel began to look across her body. Something else may have been wrong. Something he missed.

Karen quietly suggested, "Can you shock her? Like they do in hospitals?"

Samuel continued to look over her. "Soli could. Well, hang on."

He laid his hands on her chest. Her color returned to her face.

Karen asked, "What are you doing?"

"Compressing her heart. Massaging it." He glanced back at Logan. "One more go."

Logan nodded, "Right then. Shen, come on!"

Samuel began to give chest compressions again and Logan leaned down to blow air into her lungs. After the first breath, he stopped and held his hand out to Samuel.

"Hang on!"

Samuel quickly put his fingers on her neck to feel for a pulse just as she took a deep breath.

Logan quickly lay back down and kissed her face. "Shen! Stay here. Stay with us. I know it hurts. You're going to be alright."

Samuel quickly moved to her head and put both of his hands on it. "Shenny. It's Samuel."

She took a deep breath. "Where is Logan?"

Logan glanced up at Samuel. "I'm here, Shen."

Karen covered her mouth.

Ashena didn't open her eyes and smiled. "Logan. I'm here."

Logan kissed her again. "Stay with…."

Logan's eyes rolled in his head and he passed out.

Karen shouted and caught him as he fell across Ashena. "Oh my God!"

Samuel didn't seem surprised and kept his hands on Ashena's head. "Sorry. I should have warned you about that."

Karen stepped across Ashena and helped the unconscious Logan lay down on the floor. "What the hell?"

Samuel still had his attention on Ashena's head. "Difference in pod life support always causes humans to pass out if they have been in there a while."

Karen shook her head. "He was just talking!"

"Adrenaline." Samuel dismissed. "He lasted a lot longer than most do."

Ashena was quiet again. Karen sat back down next to her.

Samuel called, "Legate?"

Legate's voice spoke over the speaker. "John is meeting us. I'll have you there in 32 minutes."

Samuel sighed and repeated quietly. "32 minutes. Damn."

Karen could see the fear in his eyes. She put her hand on his forearm and he looked back up at her. He mouthed, "I don't know if I can save her."

She told him gently. "Believe you can, Samuel. You can do anything."

"Practice, huh?"

"Yes. Think about it. This is really the same thing as you making that purple drink appear."

"Not really, Karen-"

"It is. Absolutely the same-"

"I don't see that."

She nodded. "Explain to me what you're doing."

"I'm keeping her pain blocked. And pushing the swelling into another place."

"Okay. What makes it swell?"

He looked up at her. "Cerebral edema."

"I don't need to know the technical term. Just, explain it to me."

"Umm." He continued to keep his hands on Ashena's head.

"Samuel. Relax. Believe you can do this. Just like you wanted the drink, think about her injury."

He nodded and closed his eyes. "Okay. What we need to happen is…."

Karen sat back and within a few seconds, noticed that a yellow light seemed to come from Samuel's hands. Maybe Legate had turned on some device to help? Samuel had mentioned a yellow light that he had seen before.

Karen covered her mouth and whispered, "That's it, Samuel."

Ashena took a deep breath. "Logan?"

Karen quickly took her hand again, "Logan is here. He passed out."

Ashena smiled, "Life support. It always happens."

The light faded and Samuel opened his eyes. He looked down at Ashena's face and smiled. "Well, hello then!"

She smiled at him. "It doesn't hurt, Sam. Are we there?"

He chuckled in disbelief. "Not yet. But, you are going to be alright."

"Thank you, Sam."

He looked back at Karen and smiled. "It was Karen. That's who you need to thank."

Ashena looked back at Karen and smiled, "Thank you, Karen."

Karen wiped tears from her eyes. "Oh, Samuel."

Samuel took his hands off of Ashena's head and dramatically collapsed on the floor. "Legate! You can slow down. Ashena is fine. Please tell Dad."

"Copy that. Great job." Legate replied.

Karen helped Ashena sit up.

Ashena turned and smiled at the unconscious Logan who lay on the floor. She ran her hand through his hair. "Logan."

Logan slowly opened his eyes. As soon as he focused on her he sprang upright and embraced her. "Shen! You frightened the hell out of me."

She held him tightly and kissed the side of his face.

Karen moved over to where Samuel lay on the floor and pulled his head into her lap. He took both of her hands in his own and kissed them. The familiar tingle grew stronger as it ran through both of them.

Ashena looked at Logan's face. "And will you please agree, now?"

He laughed under his breath and shook his head. "Shen, you are impossible."

Samuel laughed as he lay in Karen's lap, "It makes complete sense, Logan."

Logan groaned. "You, too?"

Karen asked, "What are you guys talking about?"

Samuel grinned. "Shenny wants to marry. It took her a while to talk Logan into it."

"For good reason!" Logan told them.

Ashena grinned, "Ah! Samuel said that you finally agreed!"

Logan looked in her eyes and held the sides of her face in his hands. "You may be Queen, and used to getting your own way. If we do this, it will be with a bit of what I want."

Ashena smiled, "It can be with everything you want."

Logan sat back and tapped his lips. "Then shhh. We're doing it, differently."

Samuel looked up at Karen, who was playing with his hair, and rolled his eyes with a smile.

Karen giggled. "And you know what that's about-"

"Yep!" Samuel popped.

Ashena looked back at Samuel. Logan took her chin and moved her face back to his. "Ah! Shen!"

Ashena laughed. "Okay, I'll be surprised then."

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