7

Chapter 53

Tev and Johnny took small nibbles of their ration bars; each made a disgusted look as they chewed and swallowed.

"Ughhhh," Tev exclaimed.

She set her bar down…and rested her head on the palm of her hand.

"How can you eat that?"

Johnny continued chewing and stared off thoughtfully.

"Dunno,"

"I'm getting really tired of this crap,"

"Yeah,"

Johnny took another bite; he winced and again...but forced himself to chew.

Tev looked at him as though he just took a bite of a human heart.

"You're going to make me nauseous,"

Tev began thinking of her favorite dish…one that her mother always hand-made for her when she was a child.

She picture in her mind…the image of her and her mother in the kitchen.

She would hand ingredients while her mother would do the baking; she always had an eager and excited smile…and was just as eager with each ingredient.

She felt her eyes get a bit watery…she covered her face with her hand.

"You okay?" Johnny asked between bites…looking slightly concerned.

"I'm fine," she said quietly. "I just wish I could see it one last time."

The ensign who'd asked for David's autograph was curled up into a power conduit; he was tirelessly scanning and adjusting wires and connectors.

A part loosened up and fell down about five feet.

"Crap," he whispered.

He slowly climbed down the shaft…tool between his teeth.

He retrieved the part…and returned to his previous position.

He was about to plunge back in…but was interrupted by one of the other ensigns.

"Hey, Cal,"

Cal stopped and looked down.

"What?"

"Coffee break?"

Cal shook his head.

"Nah…I'm over half done. I just wanna finish up."

The other ensign scratched his head.

"Alright,"

He glanced around. He then leaned into the opening.

"You've been really busting lately…you okay?"

"Yeah,"

The ensign shrugged his shoulders; he paused for a few minutes…then walked away.

"No thanks to him," he thought to himself.

He'd joined Starfleet when he'd heard about David; he'd thought he was a hero.

But now he wasn't so sure.

Now he just wanted to be good at his job. Like anyone else.

Ed cracked open his beer and leaned his legs over the console in front of him.

He laughed and smiled…a feeling of pure joy filling him.

He glanced around at his subordinates; all holding drinks…sipping, chatting and laughing.

A pair was swaying back and forth singing an old academy song of victory.

He watched them for a moment…savoring the raw feeling of success and fraternity.

"You guys," he said quietly…shaking his head lovingly.

He let his anxious feelings fade away…and felt so wept up in the moment.

He felt so good…so whole.

"We earned this," he said…cheering his fellow officers and downing a glug of hops.

"Ahhhhhh," he smacked his lips and savored the taste.

He wanted the moment to last forever…but knew he had to take care of the minute details.

"Excuse me for a moment, guys,"

He got up and walked to a comm panel on the wall.

"David, this is Ed. I have some good news,"

He turned back to the crowd of engineers; they held up their drinks to salute him.

"Ya, boy!"

David slowly rose from his desk; he headed for the door…but paused by the window for a moment.

He took one last long look at his reflection.

He felt his anxiety growing…he started feeling the panic he did before.

He anticipated the voice of his father.

But it didn't come.

He took a nice long deep breath.

He looked into his own eyes.

"I can do this," he whispered.

He headed for the door.

David haphazardly stepped onto the bridge; he moved at a snails pace towards his chair.

As he walked he glanced at each officer.

Theuma was busy with something at his console.

David chuckled a little to himself at his enthusiasm.

Dickie had swiveled around…but his arms were crossed and wore a bitter and stubborn look on his face.

David paused for a second…feeling a wave of a guilt when he saw him.

"No," he thought to himself.

As he sat in his chair…he made direct eye contact with Wong.

The two sat there for a moment…staring each other down.

David felt his guilt increase as he saw the betrayed look in Wong's eyes.

David took one more sweeping glance of his crew.

He slowly pressed a comm button on his chair.

"This is Commander David Moore," he said reluctantly.

"We've been through a lot in the past few weeks,"

"No shit," Tev said bitterly…crossing her arms.

"We've lost a lot of people…and suffered a lot of set-backs,"

The young was just finishing the conduit. He glanced up at the intercom on the wall. He grunted in response.

"And I realize…" David paused for a moment.

He made eye contact with Wong again…the young man listening intently.

"I realize I've lost your confidence…and I even now I don't deserve it."

Wong looked down…overwhelmed with feelings of regret.

"But twenty people…twenty of our friends are out there. They need us…"

A look of sympathy started growing in Tev's eyes.

"I'm not asking you to trust me wholeheartedly…or even like me. All that I ask…is that you will stand with me. So that those people…will have a fighting chance."

The young ensign looked down at his hands covered in filth.

He glanced back up…and silently, gently nodded.

Dickie rolled his eyes.

"This is stupid," he muttered under his breath.

David glanced down at his hands…feeling a bit ashamed.

"I can't make you any promises…and there is a strong possibility that none of us will make it back,"

He raised his head and looked Dickie right in the eyes. Dickie glared at him.

"But I will do my best,"

Dickie looked a bit taken aback by the sincerity in David's eyes.

David slowly sat back in his chair.

"In the words of a great man…"

He made eye contact with each officer…then re-focused on the front of the bridge.

"I have nothing to offer…"

"But blood,"

Tev thought of her mother.

"Toil,"

The young ensign glanced down out at himself...worn down from crawling through conduits.

"Tears,"

Ed paused for a moment from the festivities...to reflect.

"And sweat,"

David ended the call; he glanced at Dickie.

"Take us out,"

Dickie begrudgingly carried out his order…swiveling towards his console.

The young girl laid quietly in her cell…the only sound that could be heard was her soft whimpers.

Her clothes were completely battered; torn to shreds, filthy and covered in blood.

Her hair was a wild mess; it was stringy and chunks of dirt and knots peppered it.

Her eyes were vacant…and her lips hung open carelessly.

She didn't move a muscle; she laid there…broken and hopeless.

"They're coming for you," she heard a voice say.

At first she did not acknowledge it; she wasn't sure if she actually heard it.

"They're coming for you, Esther,"

"Whaaatttt?" she whispered.

"The Republic…they're coming for you,"

A tear rolled down her cheek. A small glint of hope returned to her eyes.

"You're going to be safe,"

"Whooo…are youuu?" she asked…her voice trembling with fear.

"A friend,"