Title: Last Call
Series: Crusade
Author: K. Siegfried (sg1flygirl@yahoo.com)
Disclaimer:
i.The characters and stories of The Babylon Project: Crusade are Copyright © Warner Brothers, and are used here without permission or license.
ii.No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.
iii.This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.
iv.This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of The Babylon Project: Crusade characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of The Babylon Project: Crusade as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).
Author's Note: This is my first fiction in the Babylon 5 universe. Thought I would expand my horizons a bit. Enjoy!
The weightlessness of space made him feel as if his body was floating on
the stars themselves. What made it even more peculiar was the fact he
was standing perpendicular to the destroyer's hull, something that would
have been impossible in gravity. Low intensity magnets in the boots of
his EVA suit kept him locked in that position as he surveyed the damage;
a blast from an unknown enemy had breeched the hull. From the darkness
he saw the destroyer's designation and the blue-gold Earth Alliance
symbol emblazoned next to the triple-headed dog of the Cerberus' flash.
Arcs from wielding torches sparked blue-green, attempting to patch the
crater-sized singed hole.
Chatter came though his helmet's com, announcing to the workers that the
repairs were working, slowly allowing the ship to regain pressurization
enough for a course correction and to maintain life support. The
engines flashed in a burst of life as they gently fired, pushing the
wounded destroyer.
Alerting the other workers of his intentions, he flipped off the safety
on the propulsion pack he wore. With a dull jolt, the magnets in his
boots released, the temporary reversal of polarization pushing him from
the hull. No longer attached, he drifted as the destroyer trudged
along. A flick of his thumbs made the propulsion pack begin to fire in
a series of short bursts, directing him away to get a better glimpse of
the overall damage.
Scorch marks marred the flecked gray metal, and he was annoyed at the
sight, mentally calculating the man hours with the maintenance bots and
space walks needed to make the Cerberus code compliant again. With a
few more pulses from the pack, he rose above the ship, getting a glance
down the length, over the engines and hangar bays, to the gravitational
gyro, and finally command.
Something off the port side caught his attention, the stars suddenly
disappearing from sight. Lifting a hand to shield the blue-white glare
from the engines, he stared into the abyss, unsure if grease or his
breath had fogged his visor. But instead, space blurred in a bizarre
mirage, stars and blackness swirling until they formed a shape that gave
his blood a reason to turn to ice. Spindly spines spiked from its
tubular center, like a demonic spider whose color absorbed all light. A
single cry from the earpiece in his helmet released him from the terror
enough to realize he had an entirely new set of problems.
The Cerberus had increased speed in response to the sudden closeness of
this new ship, quickly trying to limp towards a jump point that formed
with a slow swirl of energy. He nearly laughed at the apparent downturn
his life had taken, his mind catching up to the fact he was being left
behind. Ineffectively he cried out into the com, almost begging not to
be left behind. The destroyer lurched forward as the spidery ship came
about, sliding in for a shot. It targeted the Cerberus' aft engines; a
dark purple beam cutting a bisecting path through the ship. The
destroyer shuttered from the further attack before the explosions
engulfed the engines, quickly building into a conflagration that blew
apart the entire ship. Violent colors blinded him in a flash of light,
and he screamed, the blast wave sending him into a tumble the propulsion
pack could hardly control. He screamed for the lost lives, he screamed
at the enemy ship, but his loudest scream came for himself. A hand
reached out as if to draw himself back to the non-existent destroyer;
reaching out in disbelief that he had been discarded without any regard
to his life. His heart lurched in desperation and the strangest desire
to have been killed with his shipmates....
The dreams were generally the same for Matthew Gideon, the type that
forced him awake with a muffled scream and sweat soaked through his
bedclothes. Eyes flashed open in terror, expecting to find himself
still floating through desolate space, awaiting death. This had been
slightly different as they all tended to be, his oxygen supply running
out quicker than expected. He had suffocated, the sensation of gasping
for breath still resonating through his body.
Finally finding the courage to close his eyes, Gideon attempted to slow
the rapid pounding of his heart. The heavy pulse bellowed in his ears
to a deafening level, and he found himself relieved in the fact he could
breathe again. Rolling over onto his back in the small bunk, he took
several deep breaths, slowly feeling his heart return to a normal pace.
He thought perhaps if he remained still for long enough, he would be
able to fall back asleep. It wouldn't work for him this time, the
nightmare stronger than it had been in several weeks. So Matthew opened
his eyes once more, and gingerly sat up, shivering from the shine of
sweat coating his entire body, wanting to put off taking a shower until
he felt majority of the weakness drain from his legs.
Stumbling from the bed, Gideon walked around his meager furniture to the
small kitchenette in his quarters. The illumination from the consoles
on his desk lit the path enough that he didn't need to ask for the
lights to be raised. His hand shook as he reached out to clutch a mug
and he forced himself to ignore it, determined to get a simple drink of
water. Placing the mug beneath the small spigot, he filled it half way
before lifting it to his lips to take a greedy gulp. Liquid dribbled
down his chin and onto his shirt, but he was far from caring, hoping the
water would fill the emptiness inside.
It was always the same. The dreams left a vacancy that ran too deep for
his tastes, taking too much of his time to fill. The death, the
desolation, the abandonment, and the anger all served to hollow him.
With care, he managed to set the mug on the counter without breaking it,
leaning over the sink to catch his breath again.
A sudden gust of air across his body made him shiver, a gasp of surprise
escaping his mouth. Slowly he turned, glaring into the darkness, hardly
believing that the man would have the gall to intrude at the current
hour.
"Galen." It wasn't a question; Gideon knew it was the Technomage's
signature calling card, to appear with a slight breeze, whether wanted
or not.
"Of course." Finally he was able to find Galen among the shadows, a
slight reflection of light glinting off the leather panels on his great
coat. The Technomage stepped forward as he lifted a hand to push back
the hood that kept his face hidden.
"Your timing sucks, as usual." Gideon didn't mean for it to sound as
harsh as it had, but the dream was still too fresh for him to be kind.
He wanted to be alone.
"Forgive me, Matthew." Galen's prim voice was soft, but didn't contain
a hint of an apology. He studied the man standing beside the sink,
ragged and tired, dressed in a shirt and shorts. The Technomage
couldn't help but give a small smile, finding the usually kept Captain
in that state of dishevelment.
"What do you want, Galen?"
"I was in the neighborhood, as you like to say, so I decided to pop in
for a little visit." He took a few silent steps forward, and reached
out to touch a trinket on the counter top, regarding it with idle
curiosity.
"At this time of night?" Gideon's anger was quickly rising with each
minute the Technomage remained in his quarters. Galen now stood close
enough for Matthew to reach out and snatch the trinket from his hand.
He reacted in surprise, pulling back his hand as if it had been slapped,
the smile on his face finally stretching into a toothy grin. He
shrugged off Gideon's reaction and rubbed his fingers together before
his hand disappeared within the sleeve of his coat.
"I was-" The Technomage paused, as if trying to find the appropriate
term.
"You were?" Gideon crossed his arms over his chest and waited for an
answer. For some strange reason, Galen began to look everywhere but at
him.
"Feeling lonely, I suppose." He almost sounded a bit melancholy in his
words. His eyes caught Matthew's for the briefest moment, finding a
glimmer of recognition within the brown depths, disappearing quickly
again as the internal walls lifted.
"Why don't you go haunt Dureena for awhile? I'm sure she'd have a use
for you." Gideon had enough. Turning away from the Technomage, he
walked toward his desk to look at the console. Maybe, if
ignored--Matthew reasoned-- he would go away. He forced himself to act
interested in the screen as it blinked the number of messages he had
waiting.
"You know as well as I do how much you need my haunting." Galen placed
emphasis on the last word, and strangely it seemed to echo throughout
the room between them. Anger flashed behind the Captain's eyes as he
glared again at the Technomage who matched the gaze in intensity with
joviality.
"No. We are so not going down this over-traveled road again." Silently
Gideon wondered if the Technomage would ever let him forget who had
rescued him. It was something Galen seemed to bring up when it was
convenient, or to leave hanging around Gideon's neck like an albatross.
Defiantly, the Captain placed a hand on his hip and sliced the air
angrily with the other. "You always do this to me!"
"Do what to you, Matthew?" Galen knew he was beginning to test the
limits of how far he could press Gideon, but there was a point. There
was always a point.
Gideon could do nothing but gasp in disbelief, totally exasperated.
Occasionally he really wished Galen would take off in that technological
marvel of a ship of his and never return. Digging his fist into his
hip, he buried his face in his other hand, trying desperately not to
fall apart. His jaw clenched tightly, hard enough he could feel his
teeth compress beneath the pressure.
"Feeling all moody because we had a bad dream, are we?" Galen's tone
darkened, laced with sarcasm. "I'm sorry for that, but as you're so
fond of saying, buck up and deal."
Gideon had a blazing retort, rising from the anger that wanted to erupt
within. Making a momentary mental note, he told himself to find a way
to never let the Technomage under his skin again. Just as he was
lifting his head from his hand, he felt another unusual breeze wash over
his body.
"You son of a bitch!" Matthew swore at the air, knowing Galen was
likely to be listening still. He growled through his teeth before
slamming both fists on his desk. The contents rattled, several items
fell over, and the cold mug of coffee sloshed its half-full contents
over the synthetic leather top.
"I'm sure my mother would not appreciate that." The Technomage's voice
filtered in from what seemed a vast distance.
"Somehow, I think she'd agree with me." The Captain seethed beneath his
breath. He found himself really wanting that vibe bath, anxiously
needing to calm himself.
His clothes were tossed haphazardly aside as he stormed to the bathroom,
demanding the computer to raise the lights. The sudden illumination
blinded him temporarily as he stepped into the small stall beneath the
vibe head. With a quick press of fingers, the jets turned on, blasting
him in the face with sonic pressure. Closing his eyes tighter, Gideon
tried to relax, mind returning to a revenge plot against the Technomage.
"One of these days Galen, I am going to smack that smug look off your
face." The ire that had been brewing started to drain from Gideon's
body. "Need your haunting? Like I need a hole in my head."
Matthew turned in the stream, allowing the jets to pulse against the
back of his neck and shoulders. Although he would have preferred
old-fashioned water-so hot it seemed to scorch-the vibes seemed to make
up for it in their ability to massage the external tension from his
body. He only wished they could do the same for the jumble of feelings
inside. His mind had run the gambit of emotions on him that night,
first with the jarring emptiness from the dream and then the impact of
Galen's visit that filled the void with rage.
Gideon opened his eyes in a flash, eyebrows sinking in concentration
before he cursed the Technomage again. Either unintentionally or
not-though Matthew suspected the later-Galen had been able to fill the
emptiness with an emotion that was more pliable and easier to control
for the Captain. He didn't want to admit to himself that Galen had been
right, that his preternatural visits were actually warranted in order to
save Gideon from himself.
"Hell with that. I don't need this. He can take his haunting and shove
it." With an additional coding, the vibe shower increased its strength
to the point it was almost painful. Gritting his teeth against the
stream, Gideon took several deep breaths, slowly releasing them to a
backwards count of four. The more he breathed, and the more he
concentrated on the beating his back was taking, the more the anger he
felt began to dissolve. Finally feeling refreshed, the Captain turned
off the shower and stepped out, catching his reflection in the mirror.
Unfortunately the vibe shower did nothing for the vast dark circles that
seemed to have taken up permanent residence beneath his eyes. Wearily
he reached to touch his chin, smoothing a hand over the beard that had
begun to form across his upper lip and jaw line. A few minutes with a
motorized razor took care of the persistent stubble, leaving him
debating over his dark hair that was beginning to grow longer than
regulations allowed. Passing a comb through the mass was enough to
satisfy him before he moved on to getting dressed. Without much effort
or thought, he removed the black pants and vest from their spot among
his shelves. The vest was the last to be smoothed over his body,
zipping easily half way over the red shirt beneath it. The gold buckle
around his waist was cinched shorter than he remembered it usually did,
and he frowned, attempting to make another mental note to eat more.
Hands reflexively moved to the blue and gold Earth Alliance pin at his
left shoulder, making sure it was straight. When satisfied at his
reflection, Gideon picked up the last remaining object on his dressing
table.
The Earth Alliance graduation ring was deceitfully heavy; a red crystal
was set with in gold and titanium alloy that had the EA symbol and his
graduation class embossed on opposite sides. The tarnish from years of
wear only made the patterns more visible and darkened the jewel to a
near blood hue. He wasn't quite sure why he still wore it-no other
officer he knew apparently did-but oddly it was his good luck charm.
Through all the close encounters with death he had over his lifetime in
the military, it was the only thing he could attribute his survival to.
Gideon slipped it easily onto his left hand ring finger, pushing it back
to the knuckle, and adjusted it.
Picking up a pair of socks and his boots, Matthew padded across the
carpet to his bunk and sat. His silver com bracelet sat on the small
shelf beside the bed and he slipped it onto his wrist. It took him
moments to put on his boots and lace them, glancing up at the
chronometer near his bed to confirm his suspicions with a sigh. As
suspected, Gideon was up several hours before his shift began and it
left him wanting for something to do before the rest of the ship awoken
to relieve the night shift crew.
Often he was the earliest bullet car passenger, riding it along the
three miles of tube that interlaced throughout the ship. He met the
techs and engineers who kept different hours than the command staff,
sharing a ride on their way either on or off duty. After a while they
didn't mind his presence any more, treating him like another member of
their guild.
He had a different plan, something to give him a little variety. Eyes
falling across the clothes he had discarded in his haste, he picked them
up and placed them in the laundry chute before taking one last look at
his reflection. Gideon headed for the door, walking out into the empty
corridor, polished and gleaming from the cleaning crew that worked on
the off-shift. Each footfall on the floor echoed to his satisfaction
and he took his time to get to the bullet car. The doors opened as he
arrived and he crouched over, stepping up into the car as he did. What
he saw in the car would have made him back out if he hadn't already
climbed more than halfway in.
"Matthew!" Galen stated with mock surprise as he watched the Captain
sink into a seat the furthest away he could find. The Technomage smiled
and turned to face Gideon, feeling himself gently lurch as the bullet
car began to move. The Captain was less than amused and tried his best
to ignore the man. He gazed out the back portal, watching as the tunnel
and other cars flashed by.
"Still upset?" Galen's voice barely contained his laughter.
"I'm not talking to you." Gideon wasn't angry anymore, but he wasn't
about to let the Technomage have the satisfaction of knowing it.
"Oh how juvenile, Gideon." The Technomage moved silently in a swirl of
black cloth and leather as he settled himself into the seat across from
Matthew's. Leaning forward, he rested his forearms on his thighs,
intruding into the Captain's space in the small car. Gradually Gideon
took his eyes away from the portal to glance down at the Technomage. A
smile had parted Galen's lips, lighting his pale blue eyes as he gazed
back. The external lights flickered across his features, reflecting
dimly off his bare scalp.
"All right, I'm sorry." The ruse was no longer needed; Matthew could
tell Galen was fully aware that he was no longer angry. "But what do
you expect when you show up like that unannounced?"
"It wasn't unannounced. You knew I was there." Satisfied with the
conversation and Gideon's apology, Galen leaned back slightly. The
Technomage had referred to his unusual trick of passing through in a
breeze, a manifestation that Gideon instantly picked up on.
"One of these days, I would like you to show up around here like
everyone else in the civilized galaxy instead of whenever you prefer to
at the oddest hours."
"Perhaps," the Technomage's hands folded together in the space between
his knees. "But, perhaps I prefer to visit this way. Keeps things
entertaining, wouldn't you say?"
The car came to a stop, the doors sliding open to allow a tech entry.
She glanced at the two men and gave a courteous nod of her had before
sitting in the seat Galen had previously occupied. Covering her mouth
with her hand, she yawned deeply before turning her attention to a
flimsy in her hand.
"Is that what you call it?"
"Its not every day I get to see you half naked." Galen's smile widened,
his voice raised enough to insure the tech had heard it.
"Galen."
"Really Matthew, you should have seen yourself."
"Galen." Gideon's voice was grave with a warning and the tech fidgeted
in her seat, not knowing what she had walked into.
Galen's smile broadened, reaching up to his eyes, taking great delight
in baiting his friend. He was surprised to have seen a blush darken
Gideon's face as he attempted to slouch further into the bullet car's
bench. Paranoid, the Captain glanced at the tech before resuming to
glare at Galen.
"Oh, I think she'd agree with me, wouldn't you, miss?" He had caught
the shift of Matthew's gaze. Galen's eyes never left Gideon's as he
brought the unsuspecting tech into the conversation. The blush that had
risen in Gideon's cheeks quickly began to leach till he was starkly
pale.
"Me?" She asked cautiously, her eyes darting between the two men.
"Ignore everything he says; he's clinically insane." Gideon hazarded a
glance at the woman and she returned a careful smile.
"Yes sir."
Before Galen could continue the embarrassment, the bullet car stopped
again at the command deck. Gideon was at the doors even before they had
opened fully, wanting to quickly escape. Galen took his time in
exiting, glancing down at the tech. The flimsy was nearly slipping out
of her hand, so distracted by the conversation she had unintentionally
been a part of.
"Don't mind us. I was simply reminding our dear Captain not to take
everything so damned seriously. Good day." All she managed was a
slight nod as she watched him leave.
"You can harass me all you want privately, but never do that again in
front of my crew." Gideon was seething again, storming towards C&C.
Galen practically had to run to keep up.
"I admit it was a dirty trick, but like my previous appearance, it was
for your own good. Why won't you trust me on that?" Hatch doors opened
and quickly shut again behind the Technomage as he followed Gideon onto
the bridge. The man occupying the Captain's station stood quickly, mild
confusion crossing his face.
"Captain, I wasn't expecting you until oh-six-hundred." He took an
additional step off the platform, fully expecting Gideon to sit down.
"Of course not, Matheson. I'm two hours early." Finally noticing that
he had vacated his post, Matthew's face softened. "She's still your
ship, Lieutenant. I'm not staying for long."
Matheson nodded his head, but did not sit down, merely looked on with
his hands clasped behind his back. His experience working with Gideon
on the EAS Phoenix had made the Lieutenant used to the Captain's
frequent bouts of insomnia, but that knowledge didn't make him any less
concerned.
"Anything interesting happen while I was attempting sleep?" Gideon
asked; a short harsh stare was directed at Galen before his attention
turned back to his first officer.
"Nothing of particular significance, sir. Running scheduled
maintenance, diagnostics, collecting efficiency reports-the usual grave
yard shift kind of thing, Captain."
"Well, since I know I'll have copies of all that crap--" he made a
general sweeping motion with a hand, "on my desk in the morning, I won't
bother to ask for details."
"Of course, sir." Matheson gave a slight smile, and turned his
attention to Galen as if he had just appeared. He bowed his head
briefly out of respect, and received a matching gesture back from the
Technomage.
"I just wanted to stop by, see how things were going before I left to
space Galen." Gideon said nonchalantly and the smile on Matheson's face
grew.
"I beg your pardon! Space me?" Galen fainted outrage. "Since when do
you harm the messenger?"
"Since you're the messenger." His words caught him off guard and Gideon
suddenly turned to face the Technomage. "Wait, what message?"
"The one I have to give you." Galen smiled, and straightened.
"Why didn't you tell me you had a message?"
"You never asked."
Series: Crusade
Author: K. Siegfried (sg1flygirl@yahoo.com)
Disclaimer:
i.The characters and stories of The Babylon Project: Crusade are Copyright © Warner Brothers, and are used here without permission or license.
ii.No claims to the above copyright are made by the author of this work.
iii.This work is for non-commercial use ONLY, and is produced for the enjoyment of fans only.
iv.This work is the expression of the author and the depiction of The Babylon Project: Crusade characters herein are in no way represented to be a part of The Babylon Project: Crusade as depicted by the original author and copyright holder(s).
Author's Note: This is my first fiction in the Babylon 5 universe. Thought I would expand my horizons a bit. Enjoy!
The weightlessness of space made him feel as if his body was floating on
the stars themselves. What made it even more peculiar was the fact he
was standing perpendicular to the destroyer's hull, something that would
have been impossible in gravity. Low intensity magnets in the boots of
his EVA suit kept him locked in that position as he surveyed the damage;
a blast from an unknown enemy had breeched the hull. From the darkness
he saw the destroyer's designation and the blue-gold Earth Alliance
symbol emblazoned next to the triple-headed dog of the Cerberus' flash.
Arcs from wielding torches sparked blue-green, attempting to patch the
crater-sized singed hole.
Chatter came though his helmet's com, announcing to the workers that the
repairs were working, slowly allowing the ship to regain pressurization
enough for a course correction and to maintain life support. The
engines flashed in a burst of life as they gently fired, pushing the
wounded destroyer.
Alerting the other workers of his intentions, he flipped off the safety
on the propulsion pack he wore. With a dull jolt, the magnets in his
boots released, the temporary reversal of polarization pushing him from
the hull. No longer attached, he drifted as the destroyer trudged
along. A flick of his thumbs made the propulsion pack begin to fire in
a series of short bursts, directing him away to get a better glimpse of
the overall damage.
Scorch marks marred the flecked gray metal, and he was annoyed at the
sight, mentally calculating the man hours with the maintenance bots and
space walks needed to make the Cerberus code compliant again. With a
few more pulses from the pack, he rose above the ship, getting a glance
down the length, over the engines and hangar bays, to the gravitational
gyro, and finally command.
Something off the port side caught his attention, the stars suddenly
disappearing from sight. Lifting a hand to shield the blue-white glare
from the engines, he stared into the abyss, unsure if grease or his
breath had fogged his visor. But instead, space blurred in a bizarre
mirage, stars and blackness swirling until they formed a shape that gave
his blood a reason to turn to ice. Spindly spines spiked from its
tubular center, like a demonic spider whose color absorbed all light. A
single cry from the earpiece in his helmet released him from the terror
enough to realize he had an entirely new set of problems.
The Cerberus had increased speed in response to the sudden closeness of
this new ship, quickly trying to limp towards a jump point that formed
with a slow swirl of energy. He nearly laughed at the apparent downturn
his life had taken, his mind catching up to the fact he was being left
behind. Ineffectively he cried out into the com, almost begging not to
be left behind. The destroyer lurched forward as the spidery ship came
about, sliding in for a shot. It targeted the Cerberus' aft engines; a
dark purple beam cutting a bisecting path through the ship. The
destroyer shuttered from the further attack before the explosions
engulfed the engines, quickly building into a conflagration that blew
apart the entire ship. Violent colors blinded him in a flash of light,
and he screamed, the blast wave sending him into a tumble the propulsion
pack could hardly control. He screamed for the lost lives, he screamed
at the enemy ship, but his loudest scream came for himself. A hand
reached out as if to draw himself back to the non-existent destroyer;
reaching out in disbelief that he had been discarded without any regard
to his life. His heart lurched in desperation and the strangest desire
to have been killed with his shipmates....
The dreams were generally the same for Matthew Gideon, the type that
forced him awake with a muffled scream and sweat soaked through his
bedclothes. Eyes flashed open in terror, expecting to find himself
still floating through desolate space, awaiting death. This had been
slightly different as they all tended to be, his oxygen supply running
out quicker than expected. He had suffocated, the sensation of gasping
for breath still resonating through his body.
Finally finding the courage to close his eyes, Gideon attempted to slow
the rapid pounding of his heart. The heavy pulse bellowed in his ears
to a deafening level, and he found himself relieved in the fact he could
breathe again. Rolling over onto his back in the small bunk, he took
several deep breaths, slowly feeling his heart return to a normal pace.
He thought perhaps if he remained still for long enough, he would be
able to fall back asleep. It wouldn't work for him this time, the
nightmare stronger than it had been in several weeks. So Matthew opened
his eyes once more, and gingerly sat up, shivering from the shine of
sweat coating his entire body, wanting to put off taking a shower until
he felt majority of the weakness drain from his legs.
Stumbling from the bed, Gideon walked around his meager furniture to the
small kitchenette in his quarters. The illumination from the consoles
on his desk lit the path enough that he didn't need to ask for the
lights to be raised. His hand shook as he reached out to clutch a mug
and he forced himself to ignore it, determined to get a simple drink of
water. Placing the mug beneath the small spigot, he filled it half way
before lifting it to his lips to take a greedy gulp. Liquid dribbled
down his chin and onto his shirt, but he was far from caring, hoping the
water would fill the emptiness inside.
It was always the same. The dreams left a vacancy that ran too deep for
his tastes, taking too much of his time to fill. The death, the
desolation, the abandonment, and the anger all served to hollow him.
With care, he managed to set the mug on the counter without breaking it,
leaning over the sink to catch his breath again.
A sudden gust of air across his body made him shiver, a gasp of surprise
escaping his mouth. Slowly he turned, glaring into the darkness, hardly
believing that the man would have the gall to intrude at the current
hour.
"Galen." It wasn't a question; Gideon knew it was the Technomage's
signature calling card, to appear with a slight breeze, whether wanted
or not.
"Of course." Finally he was able to find Galen among the shadows, a
slight reflection of light glinting off the leather panels on his great
coat. The Technomage stepped forward as he lifted a hand to push back
the hood that kept his face hidden.
"Your timing sucks, as usual." Gideon didn't mean for it to sound as
harsh as it had, but the dream was still too fresh for him to be kind.
He wanted to be alone.
"Forgive me, Matthew." Galen's prim voice was soft, but didn't contain
a hint of an apology. He studied the man standing beside the sink,
ragged and tired, dressed in a shirt and shorts. The Technomage
couldn't help but give a small smile, finding the usually kept Captain
in that state of dishevelment.
"What do you want, Galen?"
"I was in the neighborhood, as you like to say, so I decided to pop in
for a little visit." He took a few silent steps forward, and reached
out to touch a trinket on the counter top, regarding it with idle
curiosity.
"At this time of night?" Gideon's anger was quickly rising with each
minute the Technomage remained in his quarters. Galen now stood close
enough for Matthew to reach out and snatch the trinket from his hand.
He reacted in surprise, pulling back his hand as if it had been slapped,
the smile on his face finally stretching into a toothy grin. He
shrugged off Gideon's reaction and rubbed his fingers together before
his hand disappeared within the sleeve of his coat.
"I was-" The Technomage paused, as if trying to find the appropriate
term.
"You were?" Gideon crossed his arms over his chest and waited for an
answer. For some strange reason, Galen began to look everywhere but at
him.
"Feeling lonely, I suppose." He almost sounded a bit melancholy in his
words. His eyes caught Matthew's for the briefest moment, finding a
glimmer of recognition within the brown depths, disappearing quickly
again as the internal walls lifted.
"Why don't you go haunt Dureena for awhile? I'm sure she'd have a use
for you." Gideon had enough. Turning away from the Technomage, he
walked toward his desk to look at the console. Maybe, if
ignored--Matthew reasoned-- he would go away. He forced himself to act
interested in the screen as it blinked the number of messages he had
waiting.
"You know as well as I do how much you need my haunting." Galen placed
emphasis on the last word, and strangely it seemed to echo throughout
the room between them. Anger flashed behind the Captain's eyes as he
glared again at the Technomage who matched the gaze in intensity with
joviality.
"No. We are so not going down this over-traveled road again." Silently
Gideon wondered if the Technomage would ever let him forget who had
rescued him. It was something Galen seemed to bring up when it was
convenient, or to leave hanging around Gideon's neck like an albatross.
Defiantly, the Captain placed a hand on his hip and sliced the air
angrily with the other. "You always do this to me!"
"Do what to you, Matthew?" Galen knew he was beginning to test the
limits of how far he could press Gideon, but there was a point. There
was always a point.
Gideon could do nothing but gasp in disbelief, totally exasperated.
Occasionally he really wished Galen would take off in that technological
marvel of a ship of his and never return. Digging his fist into his
hip, he buried his face in his other hand, trying desperately not to
fall apart. His jaw clenched tightly, hard enough he could feel his
teeth compress beneath the pressure.
"Feeling all moody because we had a bad dream, are we?" Galen's tone
darkened, laced with sarcasm. "I'm sorry for that, but as you're so
fond of saying, buck up and deal."
Gideon had a blazing retort, rising from the anger that wanted to erupt
within. Making a momentary mental note, he told himself to find a way
to never let the Technomage under his skin again. Just as he was
lifting his head from his hand, he felt another unusual breeze wash over
his body.
"You son of a bitch!" Matthew swore at the air, knowing Galen was
likely to be listening still. He growled through his teeth before
slamming both fists on his desk. The contents rattled, several items
fell over, and the cold mug of coffee sloshed its half-full contents
over the synthetic leather top.
"I'm sure my mother would not appreciate that." The Technomage's voice
filtered in from what seemed a vast distance.
"Somehow, I think she'd agree with me." The Captain seethed beneath his
breath. He found himself really wanting that vibe bath, anxiously
needing to calm himself.
His clothes were tossed haphazardly aside as he stormed to the bathroom,
demanding the computer to raise the lights. The sudden illumination
blinded him temporarily as he stepped into the small stall beneath the
vibe head. With a quick press of fingers, the jets turned on, blasting
him in the face with sonic pressure. Closing his eyes tighter, Gideon
tried to relax, mind returning to a revenge plot against the Technomage.
"One of these days Galen, I am going to smack that smug look off your
face." The ire that had been brewing started to drain from Gideon's
body. "Need your haunting? Like I need a hole in my head."
Matthew turned in the stream, allowing the jets to pulse against the
back of his neck and shoulders. Although he would have preferred
old-fashioned water-so hot it seemed to scorch-the vibes seemed to make
up for it in their ability to massage the external tension from his
body. He only wished they could do the same for the jumble of feelings
inside. His mind had run the gambit of emotions on him that night,
first with the jarring emptiness from the dream and then the impact of
Galen's visit that filled the void with rage.
Gideon opened his eyes in a flash, eyebrows sinking in concentration
before he cursed the Technomage again. Either unintentionally or
not-though Matthew suspected the later-Galen had been able to fill the
emptiness with an emotion that was more pliable and easier to control
for the Captain. He didn't want to admit to himself that Galen had been
right, that his preternatural visits were actually warranted in order to
save Gideon from himself.
"Hell with that. I don't need this. He can take his haunting and shove
it." With an additional coding, the vibe shower increased its strength
to the point it was almost painful. Gritting his teeth against the
stream, Gideon took several deep breaths, slowly releasing them to a
backwards count of four. The more he breathed, and the more he
concentrated on the beating his back was taking, the more the anger he
felt began to dissolve. Finally feeling refreshed, the Captain turned
off the shower and stepped out, catching his reflection in the mirror.
Unfortunately the vibe shower did nothing for the vast dark circles that
seemed to have taken up permanent residence beneath his eyes. Wearily
he reached to touch his chin, smoothing a hand over the beard that had
begun to form across his upper lip and jaw line. A few minutes with a
motorized razor took care of the persistent stubble, leaving him
debating over his dark hair that was beginning to grow longer than
regulations allowed. Passing a comb through the mass was enough to
satisfy him before he moved on to getting dressed. Without much effort
or thought, he removed the black pants and vest from their spot among
his shelves. The vest was the last to be smoothed over his body,
zipping easily half way over the red shirt beneath it. The gold buckle
around his waist was cinched shorter than he remembered it usually did,
and he frowned, attempting to make another mental note to eat more.
Hands reflexively moved to the blue and gold Earth Alliance pin at his
left shoulder, making sure it was straight. When satisfied at his
reflection, Gideon picked up the last remaining object on his dressing
table.
The Earth Alliance graduation ring was deceitfully heavy; a red crystal
was set with in gold and titanium alloy that had the EA symbol and his
graduation class embossed on opposite sides. The tarnish from years of
wear only made the patterns more visible and darkened the jewel to a
near blood hue. He wasn't quite sure why he still wore it-no other
officer he knew apparently did-but oddly it was his good luck charm.
Through all the close encounters with death he had over his lifetime in
the military, it was the only thing he could attribute his survival to.
Gideon slipped it easily onto his left hand ring finger, pushing it back
to the knuckle, and adjusted it.
Picking up a pair of socks and his boots, Matthew padded across the
carpet to his bunk and sat. His silver com bracelet sat on the small
shelf beside the bed and he slipped it onto his wrist. It took him
moments to put on his boots and lace them, glancing up at the
chronometer near his bed to confirm his suspicions with a sigh. As
suspected, Gideon was up several hours before his shift began and it
left him wanting for something to do before the rest of the ship awoken
to relieve the night shift crew.
Often he was the earliest bullet car passenger, riding it along the
three miles of tube that interlaced throughout the ship. He met the
techs and engineers who kept different hours than the command staff,
sharing a ride on their way either on or off duty. After a while they
didn't mind his presence any more, treating him like another member of
their guild.
He had a different plan, something to give him a little variety. Eyes
falling across the clothes he had discarded in his haste, he picked them
up and placed them in the laundry chute before taking one last look at
his reflection. Gideon headed for the door, walking out into the empty
corridor, polished and gleaming from the cleaning crew that worked on
the off-shift. Each footfall on the floor echoed to his satisfaction
and he took his time to get to the bullet car. The doors opened as he
arrived and he crouched over, stepping up into the car as he did. What
he saw in the car would have made him back out if he hadn't already
climbed more than halfway in.
"Matthew!" Galen stated with mock surprise as he watched the Captain
sink into a seat the furthest away he could find. The Technomage smiled
and turned to face Gideon, feeling himself gently lurch as the bullet
car began to move. The Captain was less than amused and tried his best
to ignore the man. He gazed out the back portal, watching as the tunnel
and other cars flashed by.
"Still upset?" Galen's voice barely contained his laughter.
"I'm not talking to you." Gideon wasn't angry anymore, but he wasn't
about to let the Technomage have the satisfaction of knowing it.
"Oh how juvenile, Gideon." The Technomage moved silently in a swirl of
black cloth and leather as he settled himself into the seat across from
Matthew's. Leaning forward, he rested his forearms on his thighs,
intruding into the Captain's space in the small car. Gradually Gideon
took his eyes away from the portal to glance down at the Technomage. A
smile had parted Galen's lips, lighting his pale blue eyes as he gazed
back. The external lights flickered across his features, reflecting
dimly off his bare scalp.
"All right, I'm sorry." The ruse was no longer needed; Matthew could
tell Galen was fully aware that he was no longer angry. "But what do
you expect when you show up like that unannounced?"
"It wasn't unannounced. You knew I was there." Satisfied with the
conversation and Gideon's apology, Galen leaned back slightly. The
Technomage had referred to his unusual trick of passing through in a
breeze, a manifestation that Gideon instantly picked up on.
"One of these days, I would like you to show up around here like
everyone else in the civilized galaxy instead of whenever you prefer to
at the oddest hours."
"Perhaps," the Technomage's hands folded together in the space between
his knees. "But, perhaps I prefer to visit this way. Keeps things
entertaining, wouldn't you say?"
The car came to a stop, the doors sliding open to allow a tech entry.
She glanced at the two men and gave a courteous nod of her had before
sitting in the seat Galen had previously occupied. Covering her mouth
with her hand, she yawned deeply before turning her attention to a
flimsy in her hand.
"Is that what you call it?"
"Its not every day I get to see you half naked." Galen's smile widened,
his voice raised enough to insure the tech had heard it.
"Galen."
"Really Matthew, you should have seen yourself."
"Galen." Gideon's voice was grave with a warning and the tech fidgeted
in her seat, not knowing what she had walked into.
Galen's smile broadened, reaching up to his eyes, taking great delight
in baiting his friend. He was surprised to have seen a blush darken
Gideon's face as he attempted to slouch further into the bullet car's
bench. Paranoid, the Captain glanced at the tech before resuming to
glare at Galen.
"Oh, I think she'd agree with me, wouldn't you, miss?" He had caught
the shift of Matthew's gaze. Galen's eyes never left Gideon's as he
brought the unsuspecting tech into the conversation. The blush that had
risen in Gideon's cheeks quickly began to leach till he was starkly
pale.
"Me?" She asked cautiously, her eyes darting between the two men.
"Ignore everything he says; he's clinically insane." Gideon hazarded a
glance at the woman and she returned a careful smile.
"Yes sir."
Before Galen could continue the embarrassment, the bullet car stopped
again at the command deck. Gideon was at the doors even before they had
opened fully, wanting to quickly escape. Galen took his time in
exiting, glancing down at the tech. The flimsy was nearly slipping out
of her hand, so distracted by the conversation she had unintentionally
been a part of.
"Don't mind us. I was simply reminding our dear Captain not to take
everything so damned seriously. Good day." All she managed was a
slight nod as she watched him leave.
"You can harass me all you want privately, but never do that again in
front of my crew." Gideon was seething again, storming towards C&C.
Galen practically had to run to keep up.
"I admit it was a dirty trick, but like my previous appearance, it was
for your own good. Why won't you trust me on that?" Hatch doors opened
and quickly shut again behind the Technomage as he followed Gideon onto
the bridge. The man occupying the Captain's station stood quickly, mild
confusion crossing his face.
"Captain, I wasn't expecting you until oh-six-hundred." He took an
additional step off the platform, fully expecting Gideon to sit down.
"Of course not, Matheson. I'm two hours early." Finally noticing that
he had vacated his post, Matthew's face softened. "She's still your
ship, Lieutenant. I'm not staying for long."
Matheson nodded his head, but did not sit down, merely looked on with
his hands clasped behind his back. His experience working with Gideon
on the EAS Phoenix had made the Lieutenant used to the Captain's
frequent bouts of insomnia, but that knowledge didn't make him any less
concerned.
"Anything interesting happen while I was attempting sleep?" Gideon
asked; a short harsh stare was directed at Galen before his attention
turned back to his first officer.
"Nothing of particular significance, sir. Running scheduled
maintenance, diagnostics, collecting efficiency reports-the usual grave
yard shift kind of thing, Captain."
"Well, since I know I'll have copies of all that crap--" he made a
general sweeping motion with a hand, "on my desk in the morning, I won't
bother to ask for details."
"Of course, sir." Matheson gave a slight smile, and turned his
attention to Galen as if he had just appeared. He bowed his head
briefly out of respect, and received a matching gesture back from the
Technomage.
"I just wanted to stop by, see how things were going before I left to
space Galen." Gideon said nonchalantly and the smile on Matheson's face
grew.
"I beg your pardon! Space me?" Galen fainted outrage. "Since when do
you harm the messenger?"
"Since you're the messenger." His words caught him off guard and Gideon
suddenly turned to face the Technomage. "Wait, what message?"
"The one I have to give you." Galen smiled, and straightened.
"Why didn't you tell me you had a message?"
"You never asked."