ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE
STAR BLAZERS—ENDGAME
Being the ninth part of THE NEW COMET-- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz
This Act is being completed with the Cooperation and Assistance of Derek A.C. Wakefield (as usual)
Thanks also to Gail Kopetz (Fluffy! My Wife!) and Ami Meitsu for helping to inspire me….
Note: This chapter contains some mature content…just wanted to warn you…
ACT THREE: RESANCTIFICATION
I. INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
Space Battleship Argo
Near Planet Demonranstra
July 30, 2207
In the meantime, up above on the Argo, Nova was scanning the area.
Domon was currently in command of the ship as Officer of the Deck. "What have you found?" he asked.
"I've just picked up three caves near a cove at MB-712 on the grid," Nova responded. "Connect me to the landing party."
"Gotcha…"
A moment later, Derek heard Nova's voice in his headset. "Yes?"
"Derek, I found something! Fix on three caves five klicks away from your current location," said Nova. "There's caves detected with both my MRI sonar and infrared by a cove at MB-711, MB-712 and MB-713 on the grid. I'm now uploading to you what I've got."
"Good work," said Derek as he looked at Nova's data flashing across his screen. "Have you tried calling them?"
"Domon and I have had Ensign Mellon sending signals the past five minutes in code. No response."
"They may not be able to respond," said Derek. "Keep on trying, though."
"Roger that," said Nova.
"So where are we putting her down?" said Sandor.
"Right here, by MB-710. Right by that metal we picked up."
"Good job," said Sandor.
About three minutes later, the landing boat landed in a bleak clearing near the Cosmo Hound's ruins and the parties came out.
"Look at this, sir," reported one of the Marines while Hardy and Sasha (repulsed because of the smell of death) were checking out the ruined Cosmo Hound and the Star Force dead around it. They had been there about a week in the heat, and the smell was horrible.
"What?"" said Sandor.
Wildstar ran over and found the burned and damaged IQ-9 after taking his helmet off for a better look at the robot. He was somewhat charred and he had two holes shot through him, but Sandor looked at him and said, "He can be fixed. He's in auto-sleep mode right now, sir."
"Okay," said Commodore Wildstar. "Privates McCauley and Romo! Get IQ-9 into the ship."
Romo began moving IQ-9, but his dome awoke a moment later, scaring Romo out of his wits. "What day is this?" he said.
"Thursday, the 30th of July," Romo said.
"Well, put me back together!" burbled IQ-9.
Sandor laughed and said, "Good thing you're back with us, tinwit!"
After they reassembled IQ-9, Homer came up. "We found…lots of dead guys…"
"Cometines or ours?"
"Both," said Homer. "Hard to tell for sure because of the decomposition. Uhh…they all look green now! Covered with flies and worms and maggots and…"
"STOP IT!" cried Sasha. "Homer, that's gross! Sir, we have to bury them now!" she said as she looked at Derek.
"We'll do burial details later," Commodore Wildstar said.
"I will assist in that…duty," said IQ-9.
"Good," said Derek. "Let's see if we can get Wakefield and Hardy before we have to bury them, too…"
"Yeah," said Sandor. "We'll split up…"
"Okay," said Homer.
Wildstar took off, carrying his helmet to put back on.
He noticed that Sasha looked very mad…and very mournful, as they walked off towards the caves in the red sunrise.
Which cave are they in? Hardy thought. Hope it doesn't take all day to find 'em?
About ten minutes later….
Wildstar, Hardy and his group found a cave entrance. Derek had dispatched the Marines to begin searching the other entrances.
"This might be it," said IQ-9. "I detect Cometine life signs inside, maybe twenty-five meters from here."
"Homer, you stay out here with Romo and Sasha," said Wildstar. "Everyone else, follow me. We have to deal with the enemy, first."
"Right," said Sandor.
Hardy came up to Sasha and said, "We'll find 'em, one way or the other…are they still alive?"
Sasha nodded. "I'm not sure I want to find them now," she said.
"Why's that?"
"He…betrayed me. He betrayed me. I have to deal with that…"
"You can divorce 'im," said Hardy. "Might wanna divorce Dawn when all this is over…let Mister Psycho High School Wakefield have her."
"I CAN'T DO THAT, WE'RE BONDED!" snapped Sasha through her tears. "How could he do that to me? How?"
Sasha began to cry as IQ-9 tried to comfort her. Derek gave her a hug and a kiss proper for an Uncle as he went in there, halfway determined to kill Wakefield himself if he found him playing games…
There were now eight Cometines in the cave. Some of the others had heard Gertz's call, and they were about to ambush Deke and Sasha when they heard a noise.
"Others are coming and we didn't call anyone, sir," one of them said to Gertz. "I hear footsteps."
"Let's go up to the entrance to investigate. The Earthlings or Gamilons might have sent a rescue party. I just heard word that the Argo is in the area."
Thus it was that when they heard Wildstar, Sandor and Hardy coming, they went up towards the entrance to investigate. Deke and Dawn were left alone for the moment.
As soon as Derek heard them, he and Sandor and Hardy got behind rocks and began firing at the enemy.
Wildstar's Astro-Automatic was smoking as he pumped off, one, two, three shots.
Sandor and Hardy did the same, making sure that they got all of them. Gertz was the last to die, firing right at Hardy.
Hardy kicked him as he lay dead. He fired another shot into his head, wanting to make sure of it.
"Well?" muttered Derek.
"All dead," said Sandor. "We got them."
"I'm seeing bootprints in the dust here," said Hardy. "And…prints from bare feet?"
"Looks to be about Nova's size," said Derek as he looked at the footprint. "That might be Dawn. They might be down there…"
"If the enemy didn't get them," said Sandor grimly.
Derek nodded.
"You heard that?" whispered Deke.
"Its not dripping," said Dawn.
"Footsteps," said Deke. "It's them!"
Deke stood up. He cocked DJ to load the first round. He pointed it at Dawn's head.
Dawn shut her eyes as tears ran down her cheeks. This is what it's like to die, she thought. Deke, hurry up and do it! Dawn thought. Shoot me and get it over with!
Finally, tears ran down Deke's cheeks as he realized he could not do it.
He pointed DJ up and just fired both rounds into the ceiling of the cave and then threw DJ onto the cave floor in disgust.
"Deke?" said Dawn.
"I could not do it," said Deke. "Call me marshmallow boy if you want…I could not kill you! But I'll protect you from them…they won't rape you as long as I live!"
"DEKE!" cried Dawn as she ran up to him and threw her arms around him, sobbing like crazy.
Hardy heard the two bangs at about the same time. He stopped the group and said, "Ya hear that?"
"That was not a laser rifle," said Derek.
"Nor was it an Astro-Automatic," said Sandor. "But who the heck brings an old projectile weapon down here to…?"
"Wakefield," said both Hardy and Wildstar at the same time as a mental image of Wakefield and his old weapon DJ came to their minds at once.
They took off in the direction of the sound…just as Sasha showed up on her own.
"What?" said Derek. "I ordered you to stay back there with Homer!"
"He's alive…or he was," said Sasha.
"Ah hope he didn't do somethin' stupid like killin' her," said Hardy.
"Why would he do that?" said Sandor as Derek remembered. "Survival school. He might keep two bullets behind for the same reason Nova and I keep our dog tags sharpened…in case the enemy shows up…"
"Hardy, watch Sasha," said Wildstar as he handed Sasha off to him. "Steve and I will go first…"
Hardy nodded, his teeth beginning to grit as he thought again of Wakefield being with Dawn. He'd better hope he's alive, he thought. Because I may just kill the boy myself!
Deke and Dawn jumped out of each other's arms when they saw Wildstar and Sandor walking up, followed by Hardy and Sasha!
"Sasha!" cried Deke as he ran up.
Almost out of reflex, she hugged Deke and then stepped back with an utter look of wrath on her face.
"YOU," she said. "You have a LOT of explaining to do, Deekee! First you scare me, and then I see you doing other things! I am very upset!"
"Sasha?" said Deke.
"YOU KNOW WHY!" Sasha barked.
Derek looked at Sandor, shrugged, and muttered, "Let's keep out of this, Steve…"
"Yes…good idea," said Sandor. "Let's go up to another part of the cave. They look all right."
Derek nodded as he left, snapping a "carry-on" gesture to Hardy as he carefully picked up DJ and took it with him. This is so no one else gets shot, he thought.
Sasha smiled and then she snarled at Deke as Hardy, not able to help himself, accepted a hug from Dawn.
"Excuse me," said Sasha a moment later as she pushed Hardy and Dawn apart.
"What?" said Dawn.
Sasha gritted her teeth and slapped Dawn silly. "YOU LITTLE SLUT!" she roared at Dawn. "KEEP YOUR PAWS OFF MY DEEKEE!"
Dawn was utterly shocked and didn't fight back as Sasha slapped the crap out of her one, two, three times.
Hardy then looked at Deke and said, "Wakefield…were yuh…?"
"Yes, I was…"
Then, Hardy snarled and hauled off and belted Deke. He punched him in the mouth hard enough to draw blood.
Both Deke and Dawn fell on their butts on the cave floor. They looked at each other, stunned. Then, they began to laugh.
"What are you two hyenas laughin' at!?" said Hardy.
"Jeff, we deserved that," said Dawn. "I may be friends with Deke again, but we went too far and we admit it. We're sorry."
"Sasha, I can't go home again. But who wants to?" said Deke.
"How are you going to make this up to me?" snapped Sasha.
"Yeah..to us?" said Hardy.
Dawn opened her uniform and pulled out her Star Pendant. She took it off and said to Deke, "It's over now, Deke. I should have realized that long ago, Deke. I'm so sorry."
"Are you giving that back to me?" said Deke.
"No," said Dawn as she walked up to Sasha and put the Star Pendant on her neck. "This is a symbol of Deke's love. Since I am no longer his, and you are, you are the only one with a right to wear it from this moment on. I'm so sorry. Do you want to…hit me more? I deserve it."
Dawn stepped back to take her hit, and Sasha said to Deke. "You thought you might never see me again?"
"I was beginning to think we'd spend the rest of our lives here," said Deke. "What happened to the ship?"
"Hit bad in a battle, delayed," said Hardy. "We almost got marooned ourselves several lightyears away by a star with the climate control going down. It was only thanks to Sandor, Henson, and Nova workin' their butts off that we got to stabilize the temperature and move the ship again; then the Gamilons helped us finish the repairs. You thought we were dead?"
Deke nodded. So did Dawn.
"You really thought that?" said Hardy as he walked up to Dawn.
Dawn replied, "Deke thought he felt Sasha now and then, but he wasn't sure, and…Jeff, if you don't want me anymore…"
"That's not what I want," said Hardy as he grabbed Dawn and kissed her. Then, he slapped her across the face. "NEVER do that crap to me again! NEVER! You do that again, we ARE through! Got that?"
"Right, I won't," said Dawn.
Hardy held her again as he said. "Let that be the first time and the last time I ever hit you, Dawn. Let's go off and let the Wakefields alone…"
Dawn nodded, walking off hand-in-hand with Jeff.
Sasha and Deke were left alone facing each other. Deke stood there with his eyes closed.
"Why are your eyes closed?" said Sasha.
"I'm waiting for you to belt me," said Deke. "I was so stupid. Dawn and I started talking, and then we started arguing, and then there were animal noises, and we found each other kising. I got a headache every time she kissed me, so I stopped, and…"
"That was our bond punishing you," said Sasha with a smile.
"Hmmh?" said Deke.
"I've done some study on this based on crystals Mother gave me," said Sasha. "When people used to bond, the bond would cause great pain if one partner so much as looked at anyone else. If you would have done the deed with her, the retribution could well have been fatal. As of now, our bond is tainted."
"Tainted?"
"Still there, but it doesn't feel the same, does it?" said Sasha sadly. "There's only one way to fix this."
"What is it called?" said Deke.
"Tirana is the word in Iscandarian, Sha'rana is the word in Pellian. Both mean the same thing. 'Resanctification.'"
"How do you accomplish that?" said Deke as he went to kiss Sasha. To his shock, she pushed him away.
"How do you think?" said Sasha with a grin. "You take me somewhere and we do the deed until our brains are coming out of our ears! And it has to be done within the next twenty-four hours."
"Or?"
"We might go mad. Or die. All sorts of unpleasant things can happen," said Sasha. "I'm only holding you off right now because in my current state, if I start kissing you, I will not be able to stop until we re-consumate our marriage. We're saving it for our quarters. Oh. Jeff and Dawn have to do the same thing to each other. Or you have feedback."
"Feedback?" said Deke.
"The feedback from our messed-up bond would kill them, too. I should have told you about this before you went down with her, but I was just reading the crystals the day you went off. We both thought you'd be back in a few hours. I also never thought that there would be any spark of romance ever showing up between you two, what with the way you two were snarling and sniping at each other when you went down there."
"Same here," thought Deke.
"We have a date tonight," said Sasha. "After that, you are fully forgiven. But never let it happen again. Are we clear?"
"Clear as the nose on your face," laughed Deke.
"Are you saying I have a big nose?" said Sasha.
"No," said Deke.
"Good. Don't," said the Princess as she dragged her Consort out of that cave by one hand. Luckily, he would not see the place again for many, many years.
II. BATTLE RENEWED
Planet Demonranstra
Thursday, July 30, 2207: 0612 Hours Earth Space-Time
Strange birds sang and piped as the hot sun was now up on Demonranstra.
Dawn's feet hurt a little as she went barefoot over the rough ground as Hardy helped her walk over a few rocky spots. At one spot, with a sigh, he just picked her up and carried her until they were over the rocks.
Finally, they came out into the clearing in just enough time to find Derek with his helmet on and the visor down nodding grimly as he looked at a dog tag attached to one of the rotten green bits of remains clad in what was left of a yellow and black Star Force Living Group Uniform. "This was Ensign Leyland," he said. "Don't look too closely at his face…animals have been at it."
Dawn turned away as a Marine brought up a body bag and the Marine and Derek stuffed him into the body bag.
IQ-9 and another Marine were helping Homer as they worked on another set of remains. "This used to be Sergeant Timothy Sandoval," said Homer. "Now, he's pretty well dead." They heard Sasha screaming with revulsion as Deke led her away from another body they had just encountered. "Sasha just found Ensign Blaklee from Living Group. Or what is left of him. Half of his body was eaten by animals…"
Sandor came up to Derek a moment later. "We're going to have to destroy what is left of our equipment down here before we leave, sir."
"Yeah….can't have the enemy getting at it," said Commodore Wildstar as he watched some Marines carrying off the bodies of the Cometines to a place near a tree. The plan was for each of their dead EDF comrades and the body of a Gamilon prisoner they found to each have their own separate roughly-marked graves. The Cometines would be thrown into a common burial pit by that tree after their bodies were stripped of any equipment that could be analyzed later. Derek had determined that even the enemy troops would at least get a grave marker. "Make sure we make a marker for those guys, too," he said as he pointed at the Cometines. "Even they deserve a decent burial. I don't think all of them were volunteers for this sick raid. Someday, their families should at least have a place to come back to…from whatever part of the Andromeda Galaxy they came from. I don't like leaving even the enemy here for animals to munch on."
Sandor nodded. "Yeah…"
Then, a tone went off in Derek's headset in his helmet. "Commodore Wildstar here," he said into his lip mike.
"Derek," said Nova's voice. "Domon and I strongly recommend that you get back to the ship ASAP. We just got a reaction on the radar. Cometine destroyers at thirty megameters' distance. They just warped in. They'll be in firing range of us in ten minutes at their current speed!"
"On our way," said Wildstar. Then, he shouted at the officers and Marines. "The enemy's back! They're heading for the ship! Get your butts in the landing boat! NOW! We're leaving everything until later and heading back to the Argo! MOVE IT!" he yelled as he clapped his hands.
Sasha nodded, grabbed Deke's hand, and ran back towards the landing boat with him.
Dawn did likewise for Hardy.
EIGHT MINUTES LATER….
Commodore Wildstar ran onto the first bridge with Sandor and Homer. When Domon saw them, he saluted and said, "Sir, they're closer now!"
"Range to enemy fleet, eighteen megameters. Speed, twenty space knots and approaching fast in battle fornation," said Nova. "They're coming from 45 degrees off the starboard bow."
"Hardy!" barked Wildstar into a mike from his post. "Ready to launch yet?"
"Just about," he said. "I'm letting Wakefield and Sasha start it. The boy has a score to settle with the enemy. She's with him in his plane. Dawn's in Sickbay getting washed up and getting a few nicks treated."
"You mean to say you're letting them….bond in combat?" said Wildstar.
"Right," said Hardy. "Now they're both blamin' the green guys for their current….predicament…"
"Right," said Derek. "Let's just leave it at that."
"What predicament?" said Eager. "Did I miss somethin'?"
"You'll hear about their interesting love life soon enough," Nova chuckled.
"Nova…how did you know?" said Sandor.
"Sasha was screaming into my ear about it two minutes ago and blaming the enemy for it," Nova said. "That's why I pulled off my headset when I saw you and Derek coming. Boy, the Scuttlebutt Express will have a new one to work on now. In the meantime, enemy fleet identified. Ten destroyers, two space battleships, one missile ship, and…"
The Argo shook from yet another hit as Nova finished. "…uh…one spacecraft carrier. They just launched planes."
Derek nodded while Domon snapped, "Black Tigers, Trojans! Engage enemy planes!"
"Wakefield!" said Hardy from his plane. "Engage enemy flghters!"
"You don't need to tell me twice," muttered a rammy Deke Wakefield as he engaged a Scorpion boat in flight. "Sasha! Any of them on my six?"
"Negative!" she said with a crazy grin. "Now get this guy before he turns around!"
"Why, I was just planning on doing that, Mrs. Wakefield," said Deke with an equally maniacal grin as he fired two missiles. "TAKE THAT, ya green son of a bitch! This is for keeping me and my wife apart for a whole week of hell!"
Deke fired, blasting his missiles right into the enemy boat's tail with a spectacular blast. Then, a moment later, a Tiger joined him on his tail as he heard a familiar Scouse accent saying, 'Elloo, sir! Glad to have yer back, mate!"
"Hartcliffe! I never thought I'd be glad to hear your voice! What's up?"
"Got shot over here by dodging fire from one of those battleships. But I found the carrier!!"
"Where?" demanded Deke.
"P-212," said Hartcliffe. "They're keeping it back from the main action and letting the destroyers and planes hit the Argo first!"
"Good. Stick with us! BREW!" demanded Wakefield.
"Glad to hear you're back with us," said Brew. "What's up?"
"Enemy carrier, P-212. Break formation and let's hit that sucker!" yelled Deke.
"Okay, let's!" yelled Brew. "Guys, we're going in!"
A moment later, twenty Cosmo Tigers were roaring in after the enemy carrier thanks to Wakefield and Hartcliffe.
The carrier shot a few shots at them, but the Tigers successfully evaded, firing tons of missiles in at the enemy carrier.
Caught like a bug in a jar, the enemy carrier was unable to evade, and it blew apart a moment later as missile after missile flew in against it.
Deke clapped his hands and yelled "YEEEAH!" as Sasha smiled behind him. He's back, she thought, Not all the way back…I'll deal with that later, but, he's back! That's my Deekee! I never thought I'd be flying with him again after all this, but, he's back!
Wakefield smiled as he sighted an enemy battleship.
"Okay," he said. "Anyone up to playing with a Cometine battleship today?"
"I am," said Hartcliffe, "Then later on I want to play with Angie."
"I thought you two were separated," said Deke.
"We were but now we're not," said Hartcliffe. "We can't room together, but…well…we…"
"I think we can figure you two out," laughed Sasha. "We do not need the gory details…"
"Tell ya sometime over some grape juice. I ain't supposed to drink no more, neither," he said.
"Understood," said Wakefield. "Now, let's go for that battleship."
In the meantime, two Cometine destroyers were busy firing at the Argo from close range.
The Argo took a few hits on one side, but the gunners were finally ready as the destroyers flew about and went after the ship's aft portion.
"Open number three turret," said Nishina. "Guys, this will be your test of the new turret in battle."
"Number three aft main turret ready," said the gunners in the turret. "Locked on target."
"Auxiliary turret ready and locked on target," said the gunnery chief in that turret.
"FIRE!" snapped Wildstar.
"Main guns, FIRE!" repeated Domon.
The aft guns went off, blasting six satisfying streams of fire into the destroyers. The rebuilt aft main turret on the Argo passed its first combat test in admirable fashion.
The enemy destroyers perished a moment later.
Another barrage went off from the Argo, and one of the enemy space battleships disappeared in a blast of energy and gas.
The aft gunners were able to get more target practice as they hit two more destroyers, and then they prepared to join in a broadside as Kitano manuevered the Argo around while a few enemy missiles skipped around her from one of the destroyers.
In space, on the enemy space battleship, the Captain looked at the fleet and said, "How many have we lost now?"
"More than half the fleet, sir!" said an officer. "And the carrier Endrava has stopped answering our hails!"
"Enough for now," said the enemy Captain. "All ships! Prepare to retreat! The Argo is not as badly damaged as our intelligence thought! She could still be a major threat! Retreat and head off to the New Comet! Keep the destroyer Matrasha off her stern at three hundred units' distance to track her!"
And, at that, the enemy fleet broke off and retreated.
0930 HOURS….
The Same Day…
Wakefield and the Tigers and Trojans were kept in flight on patrol after the battle for another three hours, just watching and waiting for the enemy to return. No one caught the Matrasha, which remained on patrol at seven hundred megameters' range, beyond their normal search radius for around a planet.
Deke and Sasha sat in their cockpit, listening as the funeral service for Leyland, Sandoval, Blaklee and the others was transmitted from the surface of Demonranstra, voice-only, as Derek read the service while Nova quietly laid flowers from the ship's garden on each man's fresh grave…and even left flowers on the mass grave for the Cometines in which Cometine Corporal Gertz now lay along with Sergeant Daka and the all of the rest of their men from the raid. Nova wore her space boots, slacks and a helmet, but she looked very tired.
Finally, Nova quietly activated a disk player and speakers for the men on the surface while she looked for a final time at the crude cross grave markers made from some of the remains of their Cosmo Hound; each decorated with their dog tags. The Cometine grave was decorated with a symbol representing the Eritz Gatlantis found on the belt buckle of one of the dead enemy officers they had buried. The strains of Scarlet Scarf sounded in Deke's speakers as he and Sasha saluted while slowly heading down towards Demonranstra one last time with all of the others.
Most of the bridge crew stood in salute by the graves as most of the flights of the Black Tigers and Trojans flew overhead in missing man formations. Then, Commodore Wildstar said, "We will remember you on Heroes' Hill when we return home with this war over. Until then, we will fight on in the cause that you died in. These proceedings are finished."
Deke's flight remained overhead, waiting as the crew party from the Argo got back into the two landing crafts that were waiting. When the landing boats were safely on their way back to the Argo, Wildstar gave Wakefield the order, "Go in there and finish off the equipment. Then, we're out of here."
"Yessir," said Deke. "Sasha?"
"Equipment spotted," she said. "Deke, take care of it…"
Deke and his flight flew in over the now-quiet jungle and strafed the remains of the Cosmo Hound, the abandoned, damaged Jet Recon Boats, and the remnants of the Cometine base until there was nothing left. When there were only a few pyres burning with smoke streaming over the graves, Deke and his pilots dipped their wings at the sad scene and left, with Deke looking for one last time at the cave opening by the ocean.
Then, they returned to the Argo. Deke was the last pilot back in the ship.
After Deke's plane was stowed, Deke helped Sasha out of the ship and said, "Now, I believe we have a job to tend to?"
"After the meeting," she said.
"Right after the meeting?" said Deke.
"We have permission to be off the rest of the day right after the Argo warps," said Sasha. "For now, let's get some real food. I bet you're still hungry from that time down on Demonranstra…"
Later that day, at 1400 Hours, Commodore Wildstar assembled the ship's officers together for a meeting in the Central Strategy Room.
"We will be leaving Demonranstra in a few minutes from now," said Derek. "Now, our next mission is to finish the repairs to the ship and get a bead on where the New Comet is."
"Where do we think they are?" Sandor asked.
Nova made a graphic appear on the deck screen at their feet; she had changed back to her skirt again after the service. "According to the Time Radar, the New Comet was last near the edge of the Rainbow Cluster one hour ago. Since then, she's warped out, and we think it may now be around the Ambercyte Rift."
"The Ambercyte Rift," said Eager. "That's seven thousand lightyears away, ain't it?"
"It'll take us at least five days to catch up with it, unless we warp ahead of it," said Sandor.
"That might be a good idea," mused Derek.
"Yes, when we catch up with it and want to attack it by surprise," said Sandor. "Until then, our job is to somehow get in there and get Desslok."
"But how do we do that with that Comet Field up?" said Commodore Wildstar.
"We could go in through that vortex in the center of the Comet," said Nova as she pointed to a readout of the Comet with her pointer. "The hard part is to get ships or planes in front of that vortex undetected."
"Aliscea might be able to do it," mused Derek.
"Or maybe I could," said Sasha.
"Sasha, you don't have that much power," Derek said.
"We don't know that yet," said Sasha. "Now, if I flew in with Wakefield ahead of all of the others and somehow disrupted their sensors…"
"It might work," said Deke. But I don't like it, he added to himself.
"Sasha, let us know if you think you might be capable of that," said Commodore Wildstar.
"I will," she said.
A while later, the meeting broke up.
THAT EVENING…
After the Argo made its next warp, putting it a thousand lightyears closer to where they thought the Comet was, they had dinner. Deke and Sasha didn't say much, save for smiling at each other slightly.
Not far away, Deke felt like he wanted to slam down a bag of sugar on the table as he saw Dawn and Hardy holding hands and talking quietly. Dawn had on her Medical minidress and sandals, and she had kicked a sandal off and looked like she was playing footsies with Hardy under the table.
"They look happy," said Deke.
"They made a little bargain," said Sasha as she smiled at Dawn. "She told me."
"What is it?"
"I'll tell you later," said Sasha. Then, she looked at Deke and whispered, "She was very open about it. She told me he carried out his part of their bargain earlier, with gusto. Notice she is wearing her open-neck dress? And a new crystal Hardy had made for her?"
"Uh-huh…"
"This isn't there anymore," said Sasha as she played with the Star Prendant, which was now on her neck, showing visibly in the neckline of her Midshipman's uniform. "Look at me in it in my uniform while you can," whispered Sasha.
"You're not taking it off?" snapped Deke.
"Never," said Sasha. "Nova is getting me some new uniforms issued as of next week. Flight Group uniforms. I'm going to asigned to work officially with you again, and my rank goes up to Junior Lieutenant as of next week, as well."
Deke's eyebrows went up a little above his glasses until Sasha said, "I was given the choice between a decoration and increased rank by the Skipper for what I did in helping to save Gamilon from that Hyperon Bomb. I took the rank. When the rank increase hits, I will also no longer be an Ensign Apprentice pending completion of graduation requirements. I got very morose when you were gone, so I studied for the last tests and took them with Nova. I am now considered an Academy Graduate at last."
"Yaay," said Deke in a depressed fashion.
"What's wrong, Deekee?"
"You're still mad, aren't you?"
"Concerned, yes. Mad, no. What's wrong?"
"That resanctification part…I thought you'd be a bit more…uh…anxious…to…"
"Oh, I am," whispered Sasha. "We need a full meal and some rest, first, don't we?"
Deke nodded. He got up.
Then, she ran to his arms.
Sasha then tenderly kissed him.
Deke kissed back.
Then, she took him away.
Off they went…
…to be all alone together….
III. RESANCTIFACTION
Space Battleship Argo
Deep Space
1000 Lightyears away from the Edge of the Great Magellenic Cloud
Thursday, July 30, 2207: 1950 Hours Earth Space-Time
"Sasha," said Deke outside of their cabin as he tapped at the locked hatch. "Sasha! Let me in there."
"Not yet," she purred.
"Why not?" he demanded. "I live there too!"
Sasha said, "Deke, I have to get things ready. Besides, I think you need to wait a little bit longer. Consider that part of your punishment."
"Sasha, I thought you forgave me!" barked Deke.
"Forgiveness is not complete until I make you forget all about her," said Sasha. "I am setting things up to make certain that you forget her and never, ever forget me again!"
"Okay," said Wakefield, thinking, I'll play along with you, you randy little tease. "How much time do you need?"
"Thirty minutes. Come back here at exactly 2020 Hours, Deekee," sang Sasha from inside their cabin. "Got that?"
"Where do I go for thirty minutes?"
"Go take a smoke or something. Talk to Brew. Smoke with Hardy. Play Parcheesi with Auntie Nova or something. Don't start playing drumsticks with Dawn tonight or I'll know about it and this Tigress will hunt you down. Remember, I am watching you!" she teased.
Deke, confused and amused (and maybe getting a bit aroused by Sasha's game) went off to the aft observation deck.
On that repaired deck, he found Hardy there, smoking a cigarette and smiling like the cat that ate the canary.
"You look happy," said Wakefield.
"Dawn took mah bargain hook, line and sinker," said Hardy.
"You're still mad at me," said Deke.
"Was, but not now," said Hardy. "Want a cig?"
Deke took a cigarette from the man whose wife he had almost snatched up in a moment of lust earlier that same day and said, "What's her bargain?"
"I'll tell ya if you tell me what Sasha's bargain was."
"Wait outside until I'm ready for you. She made a friggin' appointment, Jeff! She sent me up here to cool my heels until 2020 Hours."
Jeff laughed. "You deserve it! Just like Dawn deserved the bargain I made her stick with. You note I'm smilin', boy?"
Deke nodded. "Sure you wanna talk about it?"
"Hell yes, especially since you used to date her. How was she about havin' kids when you used to sleep with 'er? C'mon now. 'Fess up."
"She…dreaded the idea. She dreaded the very thought."
""What do you think of havin' kids?"
"Honest answer or bullshit answer?" said Deke.
"Honest," said Hardy as he took a drag on his cigarette.
"I'm surprised Derek and Nova haven't had a few already, unless she lost a baby and she and Wildstar aren't talking about it. Earth needs kids after this war. Sasha has agreed to that…she used to say, '…I'm scared, but I'll get pregnant when it's Destiny's time for me to do so.'"
"Dawn is scared of getting fat…losing her youth," said Hardy. He looked meditatively at Deke and said, "Was she talkin' about high school a lot when you two were marooned down there in that cave?"
"She was," said Deke. "So was I. Memory. I never really got to say a proper goodbye to her because we grew up together. I wanted that. I wanted to close the circle and move on with Sasha…I…"
"Hold that thought," said Jeff. "You wanted to close the circle? She wanted to go back. That pissed me off. She wants to be a teenager again. Part of her was scared of bein' an officer. Part of her was scared of bein' my wife. I had three conditions I set for takin' her back. One: Grow up and be a proper offisuh. Two: Forget high school! It's gone. Three: Be my wife and prove it."
"So you two have already done it?" said Deke.
"Yeah, but that ain't all of it. I told her that when we did it, don't get her contraceptive shot. Did you know she was missin' one? Did she tell ya that?"
"Oh, crap…I…"
"Yew swear to me ya didn't put your plow in my wife's field? Swear on your momma's grave?"
"I swear, Jeff. We were tempted, but…"
"Tempted, hell. Tempted means crap. Makes me upset, but as long as you didn't throw her down, stick up her legs, and put your fuelin' probe where it don't belong, so what? I did. And I made sure she'd forget you for good," Hardy said as he finished his cigarette.
"How?"
"We are havin' a baby togethuh. If she ain't pregnant now, we keep on doin' it until she is. That was mah bargain. Grow up and give me young'uns. I think she liked that," Hardy said as he nudged Deke in a rough, brotherly fashion. "We'll be watchin' her waistline from this point on. When it grows, I'll be damn happy. Got that?"
Deke nodded. "Yeah. Well….you worked out that one."
"Time's 2018," said Hardy. "Go work out things with Missus Sasha. Have a great time. And if you and Dawn ever start talkin' again, hands OFF the crotch area. Especially if she gets all moody and pregnant. Got that?"
"Yessir," said Wakefield with a grin.
2020 Hours….
Deke tapped at the hatch of their cabin. "Sasha!"
"Yes?"
"I'm here."
"The hatch is open," she sang.
Deke stepped forward and the hatch opened.
He stepped in and saw that Sasha had the lights turned down very low, and that a few candles were burning in the cabin.
Sasha was standing there waiting for him on tiptoe on the throw rug before their bunk.
It was easy to see she was on tiptoe; she was barefoot. Her toenails were freshly polished gold.
She had very little on.
Sasha wore the following: a brief T-shirt that showed off her midriff with a gold cat's eye pattern on it….
…and, a pair of black panties, also with a gold cat's eye pattern on it.
She wore that, and her freshly brushed out golden hair, and nothing else….but a winning smile.
"Will this make you forget?" she purred.
"I think I'm forgetting already," Deke said as he came to Sasha's arms. She pulled off his boots and his socks, and made him dance with her for a bit.
Then, she kissed him.
He kissed back, tickling her tummy.
He found her belly button, tickled it, and made her laugh.
While Deke was tickling Sasha, she was playing with his belt buckle.
Before Deke could react, his pants were down.
So were his skivvies.
Sasha found her cat toy a moment later, and she did what any self-respecting kitty cat would do with her prey.
First, she played with her prey.
Then, she pounced on it.
Deke did not mind being pounced upon.
Especially since he saw that his kitten was also making Deke pull her underpants down….
…then….
Deke pounced back.
Like any self-respecting Tiger….
Deke pounced back….
Then, they went to their bunk, and began to roll, play, fight and growl.
The delicate business of Resanctification had begun.
Sasha was going to make sure Deke never forget this night….
NEVER….
Commodore Derek Wildstar came up to his cabin at 2100 Hours to find Nova lying on their bunk, again with her shoes still on, looking very depressed as she looked at an e-mail on the PC terminal near their bunk.
"What's wrong?" Derek asked.
"This e-mail I received," she said.
"From whom?" said Derek as he kicked off his boots.
"My mother," Nova sighed.
"Your mother is somehow forwarding you e-mails? Okay. Every time you talk with her, you get upset. What is it now?"
"Derek, she wants me to leave you."
"WHAT?" said Derek. "She can't be serious!"
"She is, Derek. I do not agree with her, of course, but…"
"What is she saying?"
"Read the e-mail, Derek. And let me answer her, please. I've got to cut these apron strings now…somehow…"
Commodore Wildstar huffed as he read Teri Forrester's latest letter to her daughter.
It was obviously written in a very upset mood.
It read:
To: Novawildstar.
From: Teriforrester.
Subject: What is going on?
24 July 2207
Nova:
I am writing to you, dear, because you are WORRYING YOUR MOTHER AGAIN!
Must I remind you that you are now 8 months along with our grand-children, and you have not either written nor called us in days?
Are you home yet, for God's SAKES?
Derek was supposed to have you home SAFELY on EARTH by the 20th at the very latest. Or so you said in your last e-mail to me.
If you are home, why are you taxing yourself by continuing to work when you are so far along?
What do you want to prove? That you are Little Ms. Invulnerable?
I have left five messages for you at home on your answering machine and you have not bothered to respond.
To your own mother.
Or have you decided to become a rebellious teenager at twenty-nine?
What have I done to offend you?
Is it my offer to provide baby clothing and cribs?
Is it my offer to have my own doula there to help you through the birth? You know how narrow your hips are, honey. Maternal mortality still happens even in this day and age, Nova. Do you want Derek to have to bury you before you know your babies?
Or does Derek care?
Has Derek decided to have you stop writing or calling your own mother?
I had suspicions about that Captain at my worst moments.
Has he decided to prove who he is by keeping you from contacting me?
Is he drinking too much sake?
Is he beating you, Nova? Be honest.
Maybe you should leave him if he has put you into a harem and made you wear the veil.
I hope things are better than I fear. I hope he does not still have you OUT IN SPACE.
Then, if I were you, I WOULD LEAVE HIM.
Please consider it. I have a home for you and the babies if you need it, and your father will take him for every credit possible and ruin his reputation.
Think about it. Please write me.
I love you.
YOUR WORRIED MOTHER!
"Why, that lousy, rotten, ridiculous…" said Derek as he clenched his fists.
"I'll handle it, Derek," said Nova. "I think maybe she was drinking when she wrote this. She told me she has been going through her change of life early and has been acting very weird…"
"Don't defend her!" he snapped. "She has just royally pissed me off!"
"I know," said Nova as she summoned Derek close and motioned for him to sit on the bunk. She laid in his lap and said, "I'd never leave you…unless I found you playing around with your niece Sasha or Diane Henson or something equally improbable and stupid like that. I know that would never happen. I know you. My mother does not. I think she is losing her mind."
"Nova, it is about time you cut those apron strings and told your mother to go to Hell," Derek barked.
"I intend to do that; but I will be a little more ladylike about it. We had fights before, you and I. We will work this out. Want to see what I write to her?"
"You'd never leave me. You're sure?"
"Of course not," chuckled Nova. "Now, sit here with me, and watch as I write Mother something that will make her sit up and take some notice…."
Nova then sat up, kissed Derek, and went to the terminal and hit the "Reply" button.
She began to write this brief note:
To: Teriforrester.
From: Novawildstar.
RE: What is going on?
30 July 2207
Mother:
Thank you for writing to me.
First, I cannot tell you exactly where I am due to Military Censorship. We are still in space.
I am on the Argo, and we are still fighting a war with the Cometines to defend you and Father and my brother and sister. Please keep this in mind from now on, and PLEASE keep in mind I volunteered to be here of my own free will! Derek is not forcing me to be here. In fact, he wants me home just as badly as you do!
I am well, and Derek is being an absolute angel to me. He loves me and I love him.
He does not beat me, make me wear a veil, and he seldom drinks sake.
Your suppositions about my husband and Commanding Officer are ridiculous, out-of-line, and actually obscene.
Were you not about to be the Gradmother of my children, I would tell you never to talk to me again like I told your sister Yvona. Remember HER, Mother?
However, because you are about to be the grandmother of my children, I will bite my tongue because you may still wish to see them.
IF you wish to see them, you will write to Derek when you get this (you have his e-mail address) and apologize.
You will also never try to induce me to leave MY husband again and leave my children without a father. If you ever bring this up again, I am no longer your daughter and you are dead to me.
Oh. Take the cribs and baby clothing and donate them to the Church. Derek makes more than enough money to purchase me what I need. WE do not need them.
Apologize to my husband and myself or you and Father will never see your grandchildren.
And stop treating me like a child, for God's sakes!
NOVA.
Nova then hit the "SEND" button.
"There we go," said Nova. "I think that takes care of her. Doesn't it?"
"Uh-huh," said Derek.
"Now, let me take care of you," purred Nova.
"How?" said an angry Derek.
"Forget about her," said Nova as she kicked her sandals off and lay in her husband's lap again. "You need to relax a bit."
"And how do you propose doing that, Lieutenant Commander?"
Nova smiled and began kissing her husband.
"Now, I like that," Derek said.
Then, Nova succeeded in healing their rift…by letting Derek just have his way with her…
Later on…
Dekee and Sasha had taken care of their problems in a similar fashion.
It was around midnight on August 1, 2207, as Wakefield lay smoking a cigarette in his bunk as a very naked Sasha cuddled up to him and said, "Have you succeeded in forgetting yet?"
"Forgetting what?" said Deke.
"I think it worked," said Sasha as she kissed him. "You told me that Hardy basically made Dawn have his baby…"
"Yeah, not that I agree with that one hundred percent, but…"
"She told me," said Sasha. "She does not seem one hundred percent unhappy about it."
Then, Sasha sat up a little. "This war is going to be over soon. If we live through these next few weeks, we will be just fine."
Deke took another drag of his cigarette. "Want a taste?"
Sasha sleepily shook her head. "You know very well that I do not smoke, Deke."
"Wanna put on anything?" said Deke.
"I'm not cold," said Sasha.
"Why?"
"I have you to keep me warm, Deekee. You and only you."
She kissed him and said. "I could lie here like this forever." She looked at the tattered Tiger poster above their bunk. "When did you get this thing for Tigers?"
"When I was about four, I think," said Deke. "Around the time the very last fossil-fuel pumping stations were going out of business as we went to heavy-water fusion cars, there was one that had a Tiger for its emblem. My father bought me everything possible from that pumping station chain before they went to heavy water sales at a lesser profit margin and retired their Tiger mascot."
"Tigers," said Sasha. "You showed me video of them. They were beautiful animals."
"There's maybe eight of them left on Earth. All in zoos at the moment. Very tame, almost. They might never be wild again, they fear."
"Wild Tigers," said Sasha sleepily. "You were wild before, Deekee…"
"Am I forgiven?" Deke said.
Sasha kissed him and said, "Does this answer that question? Don't go anywhere, Deke. Don't leave this cabin. I love you."
"I love you, too, Sasha," said Deke.
"Good," said Sasha. "In my heart, I always felt you did. Thank Destiny I was right."
She kissed him again.
At the moment, she was unaware of one basic fact.
Dawn Hardy was not the only newly pregnant woman on the Argo that night.
Sasha was also going to be a mother.
Except that she did not know that yet….
IV. A RENEWED RAGE…
The Eritz Gatlantis
Deep Space
The Ambercyte Rift
Heading Towards Planet Balan
Saturday, August 1, 2207: 1000 Hours Earth Space-Time
The New Comet roared through space like a ravening monster.
Invidia was not happy about the most recent loss near Demonranstra.
When the Captain came to her to report, she had sent him off to the torture chambers after condemning him to execution for his mistakes.
Now, as the latest report came in from the destroyer Matrasha, Invidia snarled at the Argo's shape on the deck screen.
"I do not believe it," said Invidia. "I am beginning to repect that cursed ship. We kick at them, we abuse them, we thought we destroyed them, we thought we marooned them! They repair their damage like some living monster and come right back after us!"
"They live on," said Gorse. "They are like some vile force of Nature. I am beginning to think that Desslok of Gamilon was right about them. He was obsessed with their destruction! Now I can see why," said Gorse. "Also, Radnar's forces shadow us, just in the way we shadow the Star Force."
Invidia was truly worried as she slammed her pointer into her hand. "What if they join forces now against us? It is a possibility."
"The Argo and that Fortress of Radnar's. If they do that, we would be lost," said Gorse.
"That is why I am having HIM brought here. I will find out how to defeat the Argo from him."
"Who?" snapped Gorse.
"You know who," snapped Invidia. She walked over to her throne and hit a control. "BRING HIM IN!"
The doors hissed open, and several Cometine guards brought a single tall figure into the room.
He just happened to be blue.
"Invidia, I see you are here," purred the sibilant, smooth voice of their prisoner. "I already know I am wasting my breath."
"Good morning, Desslok," said Invidia with a smile. "Are they treating you well in my prison?"
"Considering that I have been twice stripped of my clothes and subjected to crude, vile tortures, I would say no," purred Desslok. "You are a terrible host this time around, Invidia. Or were you not allowed to go so far with me when your father was alive?"
"What did you think of the Earthling girl I sent to you?" said Invidia.
"Michelle? That poor teenager? We talked the other night. That is all we did. Oh. I wrapped my cape around her. She was cold in my cell in that poor excuse for a nightgown you made her dress in. You are really strange, Invidia. Did you think a married man is interested in sleeping with teenagers?"
"She is my slave. She does whatever I demand of her," snapped Invidia.
"We did nothing," said Desslok with a smile. "I gave the poor child my bunk and slept on the deck."
"Tell me something," said Invidia. "The Star Force is a demon. I am finally convinced of that. They are a force from Hell. How did you fight them? Would you tell me?"
Desslok smiled at Invidia and began to laugh. "Did you ever hear the expression that a good stage magician never reveals his secrets? I had my differences with the Argo and their crew once. We have settled them. Do you think I will help you defeat my friends?"
"I offer you much," said Invidia. "Tell me how to defeat them and Radnar, and I will let you share my throne."
Invidia walked over to her throne. "I give you this. We will have two thrones. Mine and yours."
"How will you propose doing this?" said Desslok. "This sounds amusing."
"Make me your second wife," purred Invidia. "Father was right, giving this throne to you. Share my power and tell me how to bring the Argo down a notch and we have an end to the war and you can have this." Invidia then came up to Desslok and whispered in his ear. "I am warm. I am nice. We do this and you sleep in my suite tonight…"
Desslok rolled up his eyes. "Invidia, my dear. Your father said you were mad. Now you have convinced me of it. I almost feel sorry for you. Don't you think I know that after I sleep with you, you could so easily arrange for me to die in your bed? I've almost thought of doing the same, you see. With you."
"You talk of insane people, Desslok," hissed Invidia. "You are the snake here! I make an offer in good faith!"
"Like at the Melezart conference?" purred Desslok. "You tried to assassinate me before. Were it not for my former enemy, that good-hearted, innocent woman you almost killed in my place, you would have succeeded. And the Earthlings gave of their lives again to deactivate your morbid bomb on Gamilon. What sort of people have you been associating with recently, Invidia? I am almost worried about you."
"You are joking," said Invidia.
"I do not joke," said Desslok. "Surrender to me, and I will make you a deal. Asylum for the rest of your life in peaceful solitude on Iscandar. Immunity from your monstrous acts. Peace and quiet. I make you this offer out of respect to your father, who did help me as best as he understood in his psychopathic mind. Then I take over and begin reforming your so-called House. Do we have an offer?"
"You have nothing!" she screamed after standing there with her head bowed. It was hard because, for a moment, he was actually offering her a way out of her mess! "Guards, take him back to his cell! Keep him there and keep on torturing him until he is ready to break to MY will!"
"You're a fool, Invidia!" said Desslok as the guards marched him away.
"Who is the fool here?" she hissed.
Yes, she thought. Who is the fool here? Is Ekogaru right? Or is Desslok right?
TO BE CONTINUED…