Part VII
David Fisher, Captain of the EAS Damocles walked
slowly through the ships medical bay. Dozens of bodies, some dead
some injured to various degrees, lay everywhere. Many of these people
were from the Macedon, some were from the Damocles' own crew.
"Captain," Dr. Fraser the ships medical officer
called out beckoning him over. Fisher walked to over to the doctor
maneuvering through the dead or injured.
"How are we doctor," Fisher asked?
"Well we're doing okay considering," she said.
"We lost a few but that really couldn't have been helped." She looked
down at her patient. "I've got a patient who has been asking for
you," she said nodding toward a bed in the back of the bay.
"Thank you Sarah," Fisher said and walked over to
the bed.
Fisher sat down beside the bed not wanting to wake
its occupant. He starred down at her and took her hand gently.
She looked much the worse from wear. There were bruises and cuts
all over her face, her arm was broken and her leg- stitched back together
now- had been split open.
"What took you so long," Tess asked stirring from
her sleep?
"You know how it is Tess, after action reports,
securing local space and so on," Fisher responded with a smile.
"Oh, I see," she laughed lightly. "How did
we do," she asked more seriously.
"We won," Fisher told her. "The are reports
that the Vyron are pulling back from the front lines. I don't know
what that means exactly, we still don't know where the came from or why
their doing this. For the moment though we appear to be in the clear."
"Good," Tessa said, "How's my ship?"
"A complete wreck Tess," Fisher told her as he leaned
in closer, "They might want to salvage here for scrap because that's all
they left for you."
Dr. Fraser walked over to them. "Well Captain
Fluentes," she said, "You should be good to enough to go by tomorrow, but
I want you to stay of your feet for a while."
"No argument here doctor," Fluentes said.
Fraser walked away and when she was gone Fisher
spoke, "Tess, when you were in trouble all I could think about was helping
you. I couldn't imagine my life without you somewhere in it and I
knew I could not live without you."
"You always were the romantic Dave," Tessa said.
"No I just remembered what I told you back in the
academy," Dave told her, "That I would marry you one day."
With that Fisher bent down on one knee and asked,
"Tessa Marie Fluentes, will you marry me."
Tears began to swell in her eyes almost before he
said it and a smile bloomed on her beautiful features. "No," she answered,
"but I will hold on to that request for when I'm ready. For now let's
work on getting to know each other again."
"Okay," Fisher said realizing it was a bit hasty
for him to ask. "When we get back to Earth though I'm going to take
you out for the best night of your life."
"You promise," she said.
"Absolutely," he replied, "now go back to sleep
Tess, I'll come by later."
"Okay," she said, "Dave, I love you."
This had been the moment he had longed for ever
since the academy but instead of fumbling like a little kid ar losing all
common sense as he had expected, Fisher simply felt a profound sense of
wholeness that he hadn't felt in a long time.
"I love you too," he told her, "now get some rest,
I'll be back soon."
____________________
The briefing room on the Enchantress had been exposed
to vacuum during the recent battle so General Ivanova decided to have this
meeting inside her small but comfortable quarters.
"Admiral Billani," she addressed the Centauri commander,
"may I introduce my task force commanders; Captain Fisher of the Damocles,
Ranger DeVries of Whitestar 17, and Captain T'Dor of the G'Doath."
"A pleasure I'm sure," the Centauri said.
"I would like to congratulate you all on a job well
done," Ivanova said.
It had been a week since the battle here in the
Angedilla system and the Vyron had not been seen anywhere in ISA space
since. Their other forward bases were abandoned and destroyed and
not a single Vyron ship had been spotted.
"But we are done our job here and the Alliance wants
us to go home," Ivanova continued, "A permanent garrison will be stationed
in this system and we will be maintaining a defense group here should the
Vyron return."
"The President and the ISA council asked me to convey
there heartfelt thanks to the Centauri Republic for there assistance in
this matter." Billani nodded and Ivanova continued, "The caretaker
force will be arriving in a few hours but before we all go home I thought
a toast would be in order."
Ivanova began handing out glasses of champagne to
those assembled, "To doing the impossible, and doing it well. Cheers."
They lifted their glasses in salute and drank.
Fisher looked around the room for a moment and noticed
the Centauri seemed very uncomfortable there. As they began to break
off into conversation, Billani seemed to sulk in a corner.
Fisher decided to go over and talk to him.
"Admiral," he began, "I wanted to thank you personally. Some of your
ships saved my crew from certain death out there and I really appreciate
that."
The Centauri drew himself up to eye level with Fisher,
"Captain, I had no concern for you or your ship, you distracted my enemy
long enough for me to kill him. Had you been destroyed I would not
have shed a tear for your foolishness. You simply were in a position
to help me complete my objectives." Billani said sharply and loudly so
that all could hear.
"General, I have had enough of this," Billani said,
"I shall return with my fleet back to Centauri space. Good-bye."
He turned and walked directly for the door.
"What the hell did you say to him Fisher," Ivanova
demanded?
"General, I just thanked him," Fisher said.
"Centauri are always so sensitive," T'Dor said.
"Perhaps," Ivanova said, "But we still need them."
_________________________
Captain Fisher walked into General Raindeck's office.
The General was standing at his window starring out at the city.
"Welcome home Captain," Raindeck said without turning.
"Thank you sir," Fisher said, "It's good to be back."
Raindeck turned from the window to face Fisher,
and looked him straight in the eye, "You have done very well Fisher, both
the ISA vice-president and General Ivanova want to give you a medal."
"I on the other hand want you shot for dereliction
of duty." Raindeck told him.
"Sir?"
"You don't deny moving your ship to rescue the crew
of the Macedon but I know your true reasons Captain," Raindeck said, "You
are in love with Captain Fluentes and risked your ship for her sake."
Raindeck turned back to the window, "Unfortunately
the vp's word carries more weight then mine. Your going to get your
medals Captain. Both the ISA's Star of Valour and the Earth Alliance
Medal of Honour."
Fisher was both shocked and amazed by this.
"Sir," Fisher began.
"Don't speak, just get out of here." Raindeck ordered,
"NOW."
Fisher did not waste any time he turned an left
the office.
____________________
The last few weeks had been a whirlwind for Captain
Fisher. First there was the strange meeting with Raindeck.
Then the medal ceremonies on Earth and on Minbar and all the parties that
go along with them. He sat quietly outside banquet hall in the city
of Tuzanor on Minbar where another party was playing itself out.
Inside people were still toasting his health.
Tess walked out, like him she wearing her full dress
uniform. "Why so glum," she asked? "Everyone is inside celebrating
what you've done, you are a hero."
She sat down beside her and he slipped his arm around
her waist, "I just can't help feeling this is all premature. The
Vyron are still out there Tessa, and we're celebrating like we've won the
war."
"Everybody in there knows that," she told him.
"But a few months ago we couldn't even hurt them, now we have driven them
off. They all want it to be forever but we know it probably will
won't so we celebrate now while we still can."
"Your right," Fisher said, "let's go back in."
__________________
"Hello Dave," Captain Gideon said as Fisher approached,
"Congratulations."
"Thanks Matt," Fisher responded, "Hey, sorry to
have to leave you out of the action."
"It's okay, Dave" Gideon said, "Just don't let it
happen again." Both men smiled at that.
"Where are my manners," Fisher said, "Captain Matthew
Gideon, I'd like you to meet Captain Tessa Fluentes."
"Fluentes?," Gideon said, "Ah right the girl you
kept telling me about at the academy. It is an honour to meet you
Captain." Gideon extended his hand.
"Tessa," she said.
"All right then, Tessa," Gideon responded.
With that the evening began getting better, Fisher
thought. The Vyron may come back but that would be in the future.
For now the war was over and a new life was about to begin.
Let the Vyron come again he thought, will be ready
this time and we will defeat them.
____________________
The battle scarred remnants of the Vyron fleet moved
slowly through the endless expanse of hyperspace. This Interstellar
Alliance had proven tougher then they had imagined. They continued
along until they reached their secret rendezvous.
Soon a jump point opened in hyperspace, a tiny blemish
on a vast tapestry. Several ships moved through that gate form the
other side. Some were large fighters, some were massive cruisers-
over three kilometres long and one was a massive mothership that stretched
for fifty kilometres.
The Drakh warleader signaled the Vyron fleet.
"You have failed," he told them, "Now we shall have to wait until they
have given up their vigilance. Go we shall await the passage of time
and then perhaps strike together."
The End.