Echoes of future past, part 21
Ryan walked from the Maru's mess hall to the cockpit, a mug of coffee in his hand, and blinked when he saw Trance standing at the navigation council, "I take it you're planning on coming with us on this trip then?" Trance nodded, "Yes, and I suggest you don't try and stop me." Ryan raised an eyebrow; "You've mistaken me for someone who gives a shit: I couldn't care less who's on this mission, with the sole exception of my mother, and as long as you don't do anything that endangers what we're trying to do, you can do what you like." Trance looked at him, "You really mean that, don't you?" Ryan nodded, "How many times do I have to say it: YES!" Trance walked up to him, "If it became necessary for the five of us to die to stop the World Ship, would you." She trailed off. Ryan looked at her, his head tilted to the side slightly, "What? Kill you all?" Trance nodded, "Yes." Ryan looked at her, his face set like stone, "In a moment: Stopping the World Ship is more important then anything else in the universe. I will do whatever it takes to for-fill this mission." Trance let out a berth, "Well, that makes two of us."
They where interrupted by the sound of the airlock opening and Dylan and Rommie walking in, arm in arm. Ryan looked at them, "I would have thought that the two of you would have been here sooner." Dylan kept his face straight; "I had to have a last minuet word with the Admiral." Ryan smiled, "So that's why your shirt is on inside out." Dylan turned bright red, making Rommie laugh, "Hay, it was our last chance to spend some time together alone before we go on this mission, can you really blame us?" Ryan smiled, "Considering what Trance and Harper where up to before I got here, no, not really." Trance's jaw dropped, "How did you know about that?" Ryan tapped his nose, "I'm half Nietzschean remember: genetically enhanced sense of smell. And he was grinning like a Cheshire Cat when I passed him in the corridor: he's only like that after he get's lucky."
Dylan shook his head, "I'd say that it was about time the two of you did something about how you feel, but I'm the last person to preach about that." Rommie hugged him, "Well, I'd say you've made up for it this last week." Dylan blushed again, "Do we have to have this discussion in public like this?" Ryan smiled, "Hay, we're all adults. Well, I think Rommie counts as an adult, even if she is only four. And I don't know about Trance, but it would take a lot more than this to embarrass me." Beka and Tyr chose this point in time to walk in, arms around each other. Ryan looked at them and shook his head, "Am I the only one keeping my mind on the mission?" He walked over to the pilots seat and sat down. Beka looked at Trance, who shook her head. Beka put her arms around Tyr and kissed him, "Come back safe and in one peace will you?" He smiled, "I always do." Tires welling up in her eyes, Beka turned and left.
Ryan waited until he was sure she was away and through the airlock before he brought the engines on line. Dylan looked over at Trance, and shrugged: if she felt she was needed on this mission, he knew enough to take her word for it. Rommie stood at the engineering station, "ECM generators are on- line, and engines are at 100%. We are good to go." Ryan nodded and glided the Maru out of the hanger and out into space. Without a word, they took their places as the Maru entered slipstream.
TBC
Ryan walked from the Maru's mess hall to the cockpit, a mug of coffee in his hand, and blinked when he saw Trance standing at the navigation council, "I take it you're planning on coming with us on this trip then?" Trance nodded, "Yes, and I suggest you don't try and stop me." Ryan raised an eyebrow; "You've mistaken me for someone who gives a shit: I couldn't care less who's on this mission, with the sole exception of my mother, and as long as you don't do anything that endangers what we're trying to do, you can do what you like." Trance looked at him, "You really mean that, don't you?" Ryan nodded, "How many times do I have to say it: YES!" Trance walked up to him, "If it became necessary for the five of us to die to stop the World Ship, would you." She trailed off. Ryan looked at her, his head tilted to the side slightly, "What? Kill you all?" Trance nodded, "Yes." Ryan looked at her, his face set like stone, "In a moment: Stopping the World Ship is more important then anything else in the universe. I will do whatever it takes to for-fill this mission." Trance let out a berth, "Well, that makes two of us."
They where interrupted by the sound of the airlock opening and Dylan and Rommie walking in, arm in arm. Ryan looked at them, "I would have thought that the two of you would have been here sooner." Dylan kept his face straight; "I had to have a last minuet word with the Admiral." Ryan smiled, "So that's why your shirt is on inside out." Dylan turned bright red, making Rommie laugh, "Hay, it was our last chance to spend some time together alone before we go on this mission, can you really blame us?" Ryan smiled, "Considering what Trance and Harper where up to before I got here, no, not really." Trance's jaw dropped, "How did you know about that?" Ryan tapped his nose, "I'm half Nietzschean remember: genetically enhanced sense of smell. And he was grinning like a Cheshire Cat when I passed him in the corridor: he's only like that after he get's lucky."
Dylan shook his head, "I'd say that it was about time the two of you did something about how you feel, but I'm the last person to preach about that." Rommie hugged him, "Well, I'd say you've made up for it this last week." Dylan blushed again, "Do we have to have this discussion in public like this?" Ryan smiled, "Hay, we're all adults. Well, I think Rommie counts as an adult, even if she is only four. And I don't know about Trance, but it would take a lot more than this to embarrass me." Beka and Tyr chose this point in time to walk in, arms around each other. Ryan looked at them and shook his head, "Am I the only one keeping my mind on the mission?" He walked over to the pilots seat and sat down. Beka looked at Trance, who shook her head. Beka put her arms around Tyr and kissed him, "Come back safe and in one peace will you?" He smiled, "I always do." Tires welling up in her eyes, Beka turned and left.
Ryan waited until he was sure she was away and through the airlock before he brought the engines on line. Dylan looked over at Trance, and shrugged: if she felt she was needed on this mission, he knew enough to take her word for it. Rommie stood at the engineering station, "ECM generators are on- line, and engines are at 100%. We are good to go." Ryan nodded and glided the Maru out of the hanger and out into space. Without a word, they took their places as the Maru entered slipstream.
TBC
