A NEW BEGINNING

Chapter Six

"The Calling of a Captain"

09:56 - Capital City, Marcadia, Solana Galaxy

Marcadia was entering the first quarter of its winter season. The azure sky lit the snow-covered buildings of the capital city with a frosty glow of white. Water in the canal that would normally flow blue had long been frozen over, forming a continuous trail of ice down the river banks south of the city. Snow had only stopped its gentle downpour a few days ago, so children and adults gathered in the streets and participated in the annual community projects and festivals. A cacophony of laughter and joyous song filled the snowy streets and alleyways.

At the utmost northern part of the city, before the centre where the holiday activities took place, a tall and archaic capitol senesced, showing its great age by the missing pieces of brick, stone, and color. In its highest tower, two prominent Marcadian figures stood tall and proud, gazing over the center of the city: the tallest of the two was the president of the galaxy; and the other, a bit shorter, younger, and slimmer in physique, was his faithful and trustworthy captain who was in charge of the sound Q-Force and the federation of Galactic Rangers. Behind them, they were attending an important meeting of the city's elders and other prominent figures from other planets in the galaxy of Solana, listening mindfully, as different members debated over the news and events of their galaxy with the greatest concern.

"Mr. President, what is your take on the recent, foreign affairs of distant planets, such as Daxx, Rilgar, Aquatos, Zeldrin, Koros, Mylon, and Kerwan?" inquired a council member of Marcadia.

The rather large and stern lion-like president simply gripped the shoulders of his captain in front of him, lowered his head as if to whisper into the ear of the woman and said softly, "Beautiful, isn't she?" He referred to the wintery city.

The captain continued to stare out over the city in wonder, paying little mind to the conversations behind her. The president released her shoulders suddenly, turned around to face his guests, and returned to the table. He slouched to rest his massive hands on the table, clearing his throat before answering the question that had been directed to him.

"To be quite frank, I believe Daxx has always been funded rather generously, and they repay the galaxy with its newest ideas in the technological field. With research labs spanning Solana, it is without a doubt that Daxx is capable in any partnership. As for Rilgar, well, that planet is littered with surf boards, hover boards, electric boards, and all sorts of boards. Its the leading competitor among the galaxy's greatest and most cherished sports. Aquatos, however, has been a bit behind in recent developments, and who can blame them? They're completely submerged!"

A series of laughter went round the table.

"But seriously, there is much reconstruction to be done on that planet. I suggest we offer some of talented architects to 'bring them up' to speed. No offense to any who hail from Aquatos, that's too much water for me."

"Haha," came from a chairman. "You are too much, Mr. President."

The president continued, curling his hands into fist, repeatedly. "Switching over to Zeldrin, that planet is in very much need of reconstruction. With a little persuasion with the surrounding star ports and, not to mention, seeing to an increase in transactions between the planets neighboring Zeldrin, it'll be enough to show that we're committed to maintaining the planet's stability economically and socially. And it's just the stimuli they need to get back on their feet," he said, motioning his head a little over his shoulder to steal a glimpse at his captain. "Koros and Mylon are in dire need of assistance as well. After the stratagem of Dr. Nefarious, we're still mopping up after the pieces. Once things are rebuilt from the ground up, these planets can and will work in tandem, providing support of all sorts of scientific endeavors thereafter. Testing sites, control centers, and everything else related in that area of specialty will be most common, gentlemen."

"Yes, I see what you mean, and I concur with you, Mr. President. Once we establish new colonies, redistribute the populations, provide jobs and health care, things will become tightly bound as things were always before: one planet that becomes successful will help make its neighbors better, stronger. What a fascinating prospect. I suppose what we all need most of all is time--the time to recall, redistribute, and rebuild," said the representative of Koros.

"Excellent, chairman! I'm glad to see someone sees the larger picture as I do. Now...Kerwan. Last I heard, they've been flourishing since the beginning of time."--he cracked a smile--"The city of Metropolis has always been pooling in gigantic--monstrous--revenue with its establishments of city states around the globe. With a little persuasion and the right cause, I believe both Kerwan and Marcadia can be just the impetus the rest of the galaxy needs to get back on its feet."

"Indeed," everyone agreed.

"What say you of our more distant neighbor and sister galaxy, Bogon? Think she will lend a hand in this feat?" asked an elder Marcadian.

The Marcadian captain stole a glimpse of the galactic president behind her, swaying her tail in swift curls. She already had an idea of where the conversation was heading, so she prepared herself with a soft, quiet sigh.

"I have never been to this galaxy--Bogon. But I believe my captain here knows and as most of us all know too that there has been someone from our galaxy who has seen the possibilities of the Bogonians," the President said. "Captain? Care to lend a few words of Bogon from what you've been told?"

The young woman slowly turned around with her arms down at her sides. In a purple and black uniform, a tight-fitting flight jumpsuit, with a small crest of the Q-Force insignia stitched above the breast of the top part, she still wore her hair band that kept her short, ebony hair neat and taut and to fall short on the sides of her head. She threw her hair back for a moment, flexing her ears a bit. She looked over each members around the table with cyan irises, and then at her leader, giving a slight nod as the natural words came to her. Her voice was that of sheer confidence, respect and intelligence.

"Mr. President, Marcadian elders, and respected chairmen of Solana, we all know of whom we speak that had traversed to the ends of this galaxy to the next and back. From him, I've heard many stories of the things he's seen and heard. Bogon is not a galaxy too foreign from our own: both galaxies have their fair share of planets, nebulas, and vastness of space. Our biggest difference lies in technological knowledge."--she began to gesture with a purple-gloved hand--"We have Gadgetron and they have Megacorp. People of Bogon celebrate similar or entirely different religions, but what we do know is that they speak in a similar, if not the same, basic language. Communication is the least of our concerns. What we should be concerned about is how to get and stay connected with each other, and only then will we be able to rebuild our galaxy as we see fit, making it larger, stronger."

"Well said, Captain Sasha," said the President. "Indeed, we must not only push forth in rebuilding our own galaxy but to achieve maturity with the Bogonians. The last thing we need is to have a contravention with them."

"Certainly not that, Mr. President. However, I believe we could use our image, the pride of Solana, to our benefit. The Veldian savior is both a hero in this galaxy and Bogon, so why not elect him to be an official, galactic delegate. Send him on a convoy to Bogon and establish a small part of Solana into their galaxy?" suggested a chairman of Daxx. "What's the worst that could happen? They will either accept our ways or they won't. No harm in asking, right?"

"Certainly not," said another member. "And if we can establish a little bit of Solana piece by piece into that galaxy, we'll soon have a network of trade, and vice versa. The inclination of two galaxies harmoniously working together would be a giant leap in history."

"No, a galactic one!" said another. "The possibilities of improvement are infinite."

The president rubbed his chin in thought, turning to his prized captain who stared back with mutual feelings of the matter.

A Marcadian elder placed his hands together. "Where is this Veldin hero now? We must send for him immediately."

Everyone turned to the captain.

Sasha looked down at the floor for a moment, searching for an answer to appease the elders. "Ratchet is no longer a part of the Q-Force. He is also retired from heroism, as I was told. I suspect him to be where it all began. Veldin."--she gave a polite bow toward the members--"Nonetheless, I will send for him as soon as possible."

"No longer a Q-Force agent? Retired? This can't be so. How can one simply quit what is expected of him?" asked the chairman of Rilgar.

At this, the galactic president raised an eyebrow and beckoned for his captain to be by his side.

"I assure you, chairman, the lombax will return to active duty. I'll see to it. Meanwhile, leave the hero in the capable hands of the captain here. As promised, she'll locate him even if she has to travel to Bogon to do it. Isn't that right?" the president said, taking the woman by the hand. "Captain Sasha is quickly becoming one of the leading authorities of Solana."

A little mortified by the president's suggestive superlative, she managed a smile, showing little, white fangs.

"Very well," one of her elders concurred. "We will task the Captain with this deed."

"Then it is settled," said the President as he gave the captain's gloved hand a soft squeeze. "If there isn't any more business to be addressed, I'd like to adjourn and discuss these matters with the captain."

All members around the table rose from their seats and slowly made their way out of the chamber, continuing their conversations and debates over the topics that had been mentioned during the conference. Once the room was clear of others, the president finally stood upright and looked down at his captain, and then placed a kiss on her forehead. In response, the captain closed her eyes and smiled softly.

"I thought they'd never leave. Business grows tiring, you know?" he said, walking back to the window to survey the city. Behind him, the captain came to his side and placed an arm around his massive back, pulling him close to reassure him.

"Father, you must be mindful of the things you say about me. I may not always be able to make miracles with every task you or the others charge me. I'd like to save a little face, too."

The middle-aged father Marcadian chuckled.

He smiled. "So sorry, I just get a little carried away with how wonderful you are. You couldn't have made me any prouder had you been born a son. And if your mother were still with us, I'm sure she would feel the same way about you, as I do, too."

"Aw, thanks. I miss her;"--she prodded him with a finger, making him giggle--"I have you, though, and I couldn't have asked for a better father."

"You got that right!"

"Heh."

Captain Sasha released her father, grew a little serious, and folded her arms. Many thoughts ran over her mind, but she reminded herself of a matter that has been plaguing her for the longest time. Her unnatural silence caught her father's attention, causing him to perk his ears a little, and then he turned his head to look down at her once more.

"Is something the matter? You seem a little unsatisfied with your new mission."

She bit her nether lip. "No, no. It's not that."

"Then what? Your inability to construct lengthy sentences rouses a concern in me," he said with a big, silly grin.

She gave him a more serious look. "I...I've been contemplating my other options in life."

"Oh? And these options are...?"

"When the chairman asked 'How can one simply quit...' a thought disturbed me."

Her father turned away to conceal a grim look. "I see where this is going..."

"I've been considering my alternatives...I thought about stopping my duties as captain of the Q-Force and leader of the Galactic Rangers. War is no longer a threat--a thing of past. I haven't had many breaks to be with..."

Her old man covered his eyes with a hand, started a chuckle, but averted his gaze, although he peeked between his thick fingers.

"I feared this day would come when you'd be sidetracked by something or someone. It's not that I don't want you to live your own life, it's just I won't have anyone just as capable as you to lead the space force."

Sasha gave him a strange look. "Oh, really? It sounds more like you just don't want me to leave your side. You big baby."

They laughed together.

"Me? A baby? Look at me, I'm the biggest child you'd ever seen in your young life. You're not that old to escape a good o' spanking from your old man."

"Ha! That'll be the day, you old geezer," Sasha said, slapping away her father's hand when he tried to tickle her.

He stared off into the city again just as she had done, watching how little Marcadian children were playing in or building something out of snow. The frozen canal glistened under the bright sun as some daring Marcadians ice skated on it. Suddenly, wave after wave of the planet's common avian creatures flushed past the capital's centre, creating various patterns in the sky, as the many of them fluctuated from the norm of flight. These lively changes occurring across the city helped ease his mind to make a tough decision.

He said without changing in stance, "Sasha, I just want you to be happy with whatever you do. When you find that Veldian..."

Unexpectedly, a young Marcadian courier burst into the room and startled the two. With an urgent message in hand, the messenger briskly walked around the table, holding the letter up above his head. A little incensed about being interrupted in speech, the president shot a little glare in the messenger's direction.

The president bristled. "What's so important that it couldn't have waited a little longer?"

"Sir, an urgent message from Kerwan, Metropolis. It's from the Galactic Rangers stationed there," said the messenger in a hurry, swallowing hard afterward.

"Galactic Rangers, you say?" asked Sasha, stepping forward.

The messenger handed the letter to his Marcadian leader, who promptly put on his reading specs. He read quickly, and then slowly lowered his hand. The messenger gave a salute, then left as fast as he had appeared, closing the door behind him.

Trying to read her father's face, "What's wrong?" she said, as she placed a hand on his arm.

"We've just received some bad news from the planet Kerwan. Earlier yesterday, in Metropolis, it was under attack by some kind of robot."--he gestured as he explained, avoiding eye contact--"This...uh...thing crippled a lot of the rangers there, and then it..."

"Then what, Dad?"

He looked at her with a bit of fright in his eyes. "Then Ratchet came."

"Then how is that bad..." she was about to ask, but then she thought it over for a moment, and frowned, bringing her gloved hands to her mouth.

He clasped her. "He was defeated. Defeated, not killed," he said reassuringly.

"Where is he?" was all she said while looking up at him, into his worried eyes.

"Taken. The rangers don't know where. The only clues as to the whereabouts of the lombax lie in the chips of the robot's armor left behind. It says here, Carbonox and Magnaplate. They called it...Infernox."

She pushed away from him a little bit. "Infernox?"

"Yes, that's what it says. What do you think it could mean?" He folded the message behind her and read his daughter's eyes; they were forming a plan.

"I think it means we'll need to look into what planets are rich with those two elements. Maybe if we find one that is most abundant with one, we'll find Ratchet. I just hope I can track down this Inferno character. If finding these minerals is the case, then I better get going. I must prep Starship Phoenix and the Q-Force for the search and rescue of Ratchet," Sasha said with great conviction, broke away from her father's embrace, and turned to leave the room, but her father latched onto her shoulder.

"Captain, my little girl, be careful. I'm with you on this mission. I'll make the necessary arrangements for the rescue of...your...lombax. I know he means something to you."

Slightly turning her head and nodding, "Thanks, Dad. He means the world to me. I'd appreciate all the help I can get in the search. But if you excuse me, sir, I must go save him now. I'll keep in touch, Father."

He released her. "All right," he said, letting go and watching his only child leave him.