AN: Sorry for the longer than usual wait have been dealing with an ant problem in my room and have been distracted trying to find where they are coming from and killing them. I am hoping that we have found the spots...they are temporarily taped up till we can get to cocking the holes and finding the nest...it appears to be in the wall some where in the house...

I have decided to change the first person prospective at the beginning and end of the chapters to italics so that it is easier for you guys to read.

Chapter 6

A few weeks have passed by, for us here. I have e-mailed home a couple of times since I have been here with no reply. I starting to wonder if they are getting my e-mails, or maybe they are and not caring to e-mail me back. I have put it in the back of my mind for now, it is not as important as other things right now.

I also have been having those same dreams on and off and have not gotten any further learning what I was there for, or what that creature was/is. They have been happening less and less frequent as I have become busier, focused on classes and hanging out with my friends.

We have been going to classes and learning military training like usual, with more and more homework as the days go on.

Myka and I have also started our little bouts in the training room on and off during our free time, showing each other our different styles and helping each other improve. Pete would tag along sometimes too and would also join in with the training. It will be more complicated to try to fit them in as we will now have to work around my new schedule.

I was just informed this morning that I have my first extra class scheduled today with General Caturanga (who is a 'retired' 5 star general and likes to be called simply, Caturanga) by Sergeant Nielsen. It is during my first hour of 'my free time' today and was told that was how it was going to be every time there was free time available. That would mean that I didn't get to go with Pete and Myka right away. I would have to meet up with them later.

I personally think this stupid extra class time is ridiculous. I would rather hang out with Myka, and I suppose that is the colonel's point. Not much I can do about it unfortunately, I suppose I will just have to grin and bear it, as they say.

"Wells!" Artie yelled.

Sergeant Nielsen and the Launchies he was in charge of made their way back from the Battle Room. It was their last class of the day.

Helena had been in an irritated mood all day. Pete and Myka tried to cheer her up some today in the Battle Room, while practicing on their form for their means of travel with no gravity. All the Launchies were all getting the hang of it. Pete and Myka did accomplish to distract her for a while anyway, but as soon as they were on their way back she was silent and appeared to be in a fog.

They were all in platoon formation again and Helena was not really paying attention to anything, she was in her own head thinking about the extra class and what she will be missing with Pete and Myka. As soon as she heard her name being called she snapped out of it as Artie's voice was loud and irritated, then again he never seemed to not be grumpy. H.G. looked up to find that they all stopped and was surprised that she didn't keep going. She gathered her wits about her and immediately replied, "Sir, yes, Sir." in attention.

"I would like to speak with you before you leave for your free time." Sergeant Nielsen said it that way on purpose so that others would not know about Helena's extra classes. He did not need another fight to happen out of jealousy or out of cruelty, it was a private matter anyway. He was informed by Major Frederic that Pete and Myka knew about it and was more or less caught up to speed on as much as H.G. on her situation.

"Sir, Yes, Sir"

"Good. I will be waiting in my office." Artie stated before he addressed the rest of the group. "Alright Launchies, get dressed into your usual attire and go about you business. I do not want to hear about any fights...there better, better not be any or so help me, I will have you thrown out of this program. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!"

"Sir, Yes Sir!" All the Launchies yelled.

"Good. Now get dressed."

That was all it took for all to get moving and quickly to their storage spaces and change clothes.

Once Myka was done she went to check on Helena to make sure that she was ok. When she reached Helena she found that she was done too and was about to close her locker, but stopped and reopened it. She grabbed something and closed the door.

Helena wasn't sure what she needed. She was about to close the door to her locker, but then had a thought, she reopened her halfway closed locker door and grabbed her touch pad thinking she might need it. Helena then closed her locker, she turned around to find Myka right behind her. She was not expecting to see her and it made her jump. H.G. got her heart rate back under control quickly and then tried to avoid Myka as she tried to make her way to Artie's office.

"Helena. Helena wait."

H.G. stopped. She did not turn right away, but when she did she did it slowly and had her head bent looking at the floor.

"Helena... Helena why are you acting this way? Today you have been irritated at almost everything, making overly sarcastic snide comments and jokes at Pete or my expense. I get that you are angry and frustrated at the situation at hand, but all me and Pete have been trying to do was cheer you up."

Helena was not looking at Myka nor did she want to. She was frustrated and disappointed that she will not be able to be with her friends during their free time like everyone else. She became focused on how unfair it was and how Brunsky didn't even get a slap on a hand, he just got away with it. She couldn't fathom how this was just, nor could she except that she could not do anything about it. She wanted to take out that little git, to give him a taste of is own misdeeds.

H.G. knew that she was being a complete ass to her friends right now, but could not help it. She didn't have an outlet for this pent-up anger and frustration. She was bound to promises that she made with her friends that she will follow what Major Frederic has instructed and that she will stay out of trouble. It has been building up for a while now and when she was informed by Sergeant Nielsen today, that she will be having her extra class, which will be during her free time and will continue to be, was the last straw. She could do nothing about her situation and it has made her quite the nasty one.

"Helena look at me." Myka demanded trying to get Helena to explain what exactly was bothering her.

She knows, along with Pete, that H.G. was not deliberately trying to hurt them, or be mean to them all day. Myka knew that she was trying to vent her frustration and anger. She knew Helena did not have many ways of letting it go. During their bouts Myka noticed at times H.G. would get aggressive, but she was careful not to hurt them. She knew that H.G. needed an outlet, and that she did not have any good ones.

H.G. still did not look up when she heard the demand. She was determined not to see Myka's eyes, to see disappointment and anger. She feared Myka's judgment of her actions.

"Helena, please look at me." Myka said softly and ever so kindly. She walked to Helena knowing that Helena will not lift her head willingly. She brought her hand to H.G.'s chin and lifted it upward so that Helena's eyes would meet her own. "Helena look at me. I am not mad at you. I am just concerned. I know that you are in a difficult position. I know that you have not been treated fairly a lot of the time and a lot of pressure is on you. I just want to be there for you anyway I can, ok. So please don't shut me out."

Helena could not look away even if she wanted to after her eyes met Myka's. She heard what Myka had to say and was happy to hear that she was forgiven, but was also a little disappointed to find that Myka didn't fully understand.

"Myka, that is not all of what this is about and I...I am not proud of what I did to you a Pete today and I will try better to restrain myself. I just needed relief from this anger and frustration that has been boiling underneath my skin for weeks now. I have found that it has been getting harder and harder to restrain. I can not go all out in fighting with you, as you and Pete are still learning and I have to hold back a lot. I do not want to hurt you, either of you. I am sorry if I have caused you or Pete any pain, but I didn't mean to cause any-"

"It is ok Helena, we understand. We can deal with cranky Helena as long as she does try to communicate with us. We want to help you in anyway we can. We are friends now, and that is what friends do, they help each other."

"Thank you, Myka. I will try to remember that."

"Good. Now tell me please, what did you mean that this is not all about what I said before?" Helena gave Myka a confused look after she asked that question, so Myka elaborated hoping to get Helena on the same page as her. "You know, about you having a big load and that things aren't always fair to you."

"Oh. Well, what I meant was that I am also mad that I am going to be missing being with you- you and Pete. I am now going to have this bloody, stupid class every time we have free time for an hour. I will have to meet up with you later, and I will be missing out on all that nice fun times we have together. I am also quite disappointed and frustrated that Brunsky gets away with not even a slap on the hand. He is the one that provoked a reaction from Pete, and then the three of us as we walked away. I don't understand why he... I just don't like it." Helena sighed and said finally what was bothering her the most, "I also know why the colonel is doing this to me. And I don't like it, nor do I think it is fair."

"Oh, Helena." Myka said in sadness for H.G. "I understand and I know that it is unjust, and that the colonel is trying to lessen are time together, but it will never happen. You know why?"

"No."

"Because I wont let it. I wont let you go Helena. You are stuck with me now and the same goes for Pete. We are going to survive this place together no matter what. You got that?"

"I do now." Helena said with an honest smile. She was happy to be reminded that she was not alone in this place and that she will never be alone again.

Now that they got that settled, Myka hugged H.G. and told her that Pete and herself will be waiting for her to get done. Then Myka let go and Helena gave a smile, then left to go to Sergeant Nielsen's office.

She made it to the sergeant's office and knocked lightly on the door before entering. Artie was seated at his desk looking over things on his projector that was being projected from his desk. He waved his hand referring to Helena to sit and that he will be with her in a moment.

After a minute or two he looked up to Helena and addressed her, "Wells. I am here to inform you that you will be meeting Caturanga in the same room that you always have with him for your strategy class. He tells me that you are very skilled and that he is looking forward to meeting you on a one to one basis. I also would like too remind you that you are to do as you are told and to not cause any trouble. I am well aware that you have been on edge the last couple of weeks and I would suggest you find an outlet that does not upset anyone. I am not your go to guy for your problems, but if things get to rough for you my door is open, but they better be legitimate things. I do not run any therapy sessions in my office, do you got that?!"

"Sir, yes, Sir."

"Good. Do you have any questions?"

Helena shook her head no.

"Good. Ok then, you can go off to your class. I will be going back to my work."

"Ok. Thank you, Sir." Helena said in a soft tone.

This was the first time that Artie has treated her rather nicely. She is normally yelled at, or just have him being irritated and grouchy at her. She was starting to think he had it in for her, with all the looks and irritated mannerisms. She was pleased to see that he did not fully dislike her. She wondered if maybe he was irritated at her situation as much as herself.

She left the room missing Artie's little smirk and headed towards her extra strategy class.

She was now in a much better mood after the talk with Myka and Artie. She felt like maybe she could be optimistic and see maybe the good in the bad.

Helena made it to the classroom in time it would seem, as she did not see Caturanga in the room yet. She observed the room, quickly becoming bored and decided to boot up one of the huge touch screens that was like a table or a desk, even though she had her small one. Once it was up, she decided to play a game by herself. She had almost forgotten that she used to like doing this all the time. Before she met Myka and Pete, she would play by herself and try beating her records in her game history. Just when she beat the game, she heard someone call her name in a British accent much like her own.

"Ah, Ms. Wells," Caturanga said as he came in to find Helena playing on one of the touch tables. He was an old man in his mid to late 60's, he appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent and was nearly bald with a ring of white hair at his temples with a matching white beard. He walked up to her and asked, "What have you decided to do to amuse yourself in your wait?"

"Sir, I...ah...decided to play a game or two while waiting, sir. I didn't know how long you would be. I will shut this off and we can be on are way, sir," Helena said a bit nervous thinking that she might be in a bit of trouble.

"No need to worry my dear, we are in no rush. I was just curious, Ms. Wells. You have great ideas and some brilliant strategies that you have shown in class. You are probably my best student to date. In fact, I have not met anyone who was as gifted as you have shown to be since myself. Your lovely friend Myka is not that bad either, or your other friend Pete, but they both have a lot to learn. Your friend Myka though is very gifted in learning very quickly. She could be a force to recon with later on. She could be a great adversary for you."

"Thank you sir, and I will be sure to pass along the complements to my friends as well."

"Well thank you, my dear."

Helena succeeded in shutting off the touch table and stood up. "So, you are in charge here, so what will we be doing sir?"

"No, no, no, my job to teach and to solve puzzles, as well show you and all the kids here how to solve puzzles, we shall say.

"Puzzles? What kind of puzzles?" Helena asked in confusion.

"Many sorts, and I design them too. Sometimes to design a game you will be playing, much like the one you were playing just a moment ago, and sometimes to brew the perfect cup of tea."

"Well I can't argue with you there, but with the supplies we get shipped here from all over the world a good cup of tea shouldn't be hard to come by, for one such as yourself."

"Yeeess, but the perfect cup of tea, that's a puzzle."

Helena gave a chuckle and nodded her head in agreement.

"I have seen you play many of my games. You are very gifted."

"I thought my imagination knew no boundaries but to stand here in the midst of all this wonderment, finding out that my teacher has been the maker of a lot of my favorite games to play is astounding."

Caturanga chuckled and stated, "Y-Yeaah, there is always more to learn." He took Helena's arm and wrapped it around his and headed for the door and stated as they were leaving, "I will teach you." He was going to take her to his office quarters were they would be having these classes.

Helena gave a chuckle as they left. She was in high spirits now. She thought she might actually enjoy this extra class of hers.

They made it to Caturanga's office, which was not too far away from the classroom that he taught in.

When Helena came into to the office for the first time she was amazed. There were collections of games and puzzles throughout the room. There were trinkets and collectibles in cabinets. There were bookshelves along the wall inhabited with books. There were so many that they were stacked above, on top of the shelves so they would not be all over the floor.

It looked so much different than all of the other places she has been in on this space station, a place that felt a little like home. It actually was much like her room, without all the collectables and old things. Her room at home had a lot of her inventions here and there. She kept the really good ones in secret hiding places so her brother didn't know what she had made and try to claim it as his own.

Helena let go of his arm and walked slowly in the room examining all of Caturanga's things. She eventually looked at his desk, curious what to find there if his walls were engulfed with so many interesting things. On this desk there of course was a projector that was not turned on and chairs to sit in. There also were books stacked up on the side of his desk and in the middle was a nice marble chess set that was laid out.

The chess set was very nice. It had silver and gold trimming on the sides of the board. The white squares were made of silver and the black was made of granite, the edge of the area of the back had white squares had gold trimming. The pieces were made quite nicely as well. The black matched the black squares and had silver trimming and the white pieces were silver with gold trimming. It was a very nice, beautiful, well crafted chess set. It was very balanced and very cutting edge, it had it's own voice.

Helena was about to pick up a piece to examine it but then was interrupted by Caturanga.

"Do you fancy a game, my dear?"

Helena looked up and stated, "I suppose, if it is not asking too much. It is a lovely set and I can not help but be drawn to it."

"Nonsense my dear, I have actually brought it out so we could have a friendly match. That is if you are sure you are up for it."

"Oh, I think I am more than ready to test my wits against you. It would be an honor, sir."

"The honor is all mine, Ms. H.G. Wells."

Helena giggled at her name as she signed her name as H.G. Wells in her games.

They both sat down in their designated seats, Caturanga behind the desk and Helena in front of it. Caturanga offered her white, as white always moves first. Helena thanked him and moved one of the pawns first and waited for Caturanga to make his move. They both already had strategies and then kept switching to different tactics to take out their opponents pieces and check the king, hoping to make checkmate.

Later when Caturanga and H.G. finished their game she was told that she could be off.

Helena lost the game against him, and rightfully so she thought. It would have been a horrible disappointment if she could beat Caturanga so easily. She thanked him for the pleasure of the game and company, and then headed towards to activities area and decided to start looking in the library for Myka. Helena was not sure if she would be hanging with Pete or not, but she was sure Myka would be in the library waiting for her, she was not told this, but had a feeling that is were she was.

She finally reached the library and headed inside. She combed the aisles of bookshelves looking for Myka. She did not find her, so she went to the back of the library on the second floor and looked in the sitting area. If she was not on the nice comfy couch they like to sit on up there, then she had to be in one of the other aisles up there.

Helena made her way to the sitting area that they were fond of and was happy to see Myka reading a book. She could not tell which book, but whatever it was Myka was into it.

Myka was curled up at the end of the couch with her arm leaning on top of the armrest and holding the book with her head tilt down slightly as she read. The lamp was on next to her on the end table and there were a stack of books in front of her on the coffee table.

Helena made her way quietly to the couch and sat down trying not to disturb Myka. She glances at the books on the table finding a lot of them were H.G. Wells books. She thought it a bit endearing as well humorous. She knew Myka's favorite author was H.G. Wells, but also knew that Myka took new solace in them, as both the author and herself share the same name.

Myka noticed Helena as she sat down, she pretended to still be reading as she examined Helena from the side of her vision. She wanted to make sure that Helena was in a better mood, which she seemed to be. She was very relaxed and somewhat cheerful. Myka thought it was very nice to see H.G. back to her old self again.

H.G. picked up one of the books of H.G. Wells, she was drawn to the title 'The Time Machine.' She was curious on what it was about as she has not read to many of the classic books, but more of one dealing with engineering or strategies. She has read a couple of books here and there when she could go in her fathers study in peace without anyone there to bother her, which was not very common. Her father did not like anyone taking his books out of his study nor did he like it much when his children were in there.

Helena read the summary of the book and found it interesting, the idea of time travel. She sometimes had thoughts on it and always wondered what things would be like if she could change things that she did. She opened the book and was about to read when she caught Myka looking at her happily. "Hello, darling. I see that you have been rather busy reading. It seems you missed me quite a bit as you have decided to take the pleasure of reading my names sake's books."

"Oh. I guess I did, Pete got bored awhile ago and left to play games, or something. I kinda wasn't in the mood to do anything like that right now. I really just wanted to... just read till you came back...I guess."

"Well it looks like you have had a fun time anyway, darling. You picked out more then enough books to last a week." Helena said with an amused, flirtatious smile.

Myka laughed and replied, "I guess I have. I could not help myself; I didn't know what I wanted to read first."

"Well that is the question it would seem." Helena stated as she leaned over to Myka and lightly gabbed her hand and rotated it so she could see what book Myka was reading.

Myka's heart rate shot up at Helena's close proximity. When Helena's hand touched her own she was breathless and tried very hard to not let Helena notice the affect she had on her. She still didn't understand these feelings she had for Helena yet. She wasn't sure why she was having them at all. Did she like Helena? Of course she did, she was her best friend like Pete. Right? She honestly didn't know anymore. Helena always somehow had this affect on her that she could not describe or fully understand. It was like she had a pull to her like a magnet. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing to have though with her, because Helena was in a situation where she was being yanked in an opposite direction. She wasn't sure if she should even address what this thing that she had with Helena because it could make H.G.'s life a lot harder to manage if she is being constantly pulled in two different directions.

Helena saw the title of the book was 'War of the Worlds' She gave a chuckle to that and was happy for some reason to find it was this title. She knew why it was funny to her, but didn't understand why there was such warmth filling her heart knowing it was this title.

H.G. looked back at Myka's face to retort and tease her, when she noticed Myka seemed to be fighting with herself. Helena didn't understand what happened to have caused this reaction from Myka. Normally Myka had a sense of pleasure from Helena's closeness and tried to seem unaffected, even though it was written all over her that she enjoyed those moments.

She couldn't stand to watch anymore not doing anything and decided to try and comfort her, she rubbed her thumb with the hand that held onto Myka's and asked, "Darling, what is the matter?"

Myka noticed Helena's thumb moving in small gentle circles, which seemed to have calmed her from her inner freak out and stated, "Nothing Helena...just was thinking about...asking how you class went."

Myka lied as she didn't want to tell Helena about her feelings as she didn't know if Helena had any for her, and she also didn't know if she even should bring them up in the first place.

Helena wasn't fully convinced, but let it go. She didn't want to push her into anything that she didn't want say. She knew Myka would tell her in time, all she could do right now is be there for her.

"Oh...Well considering that I thought it was going to be a horrible waste of time and a punishment at that, it went rather well. Caturanga is a nice, sweet man outside of the classroom. He is not as strict or as forceful as he appears to be when teaching us. I found that he has designed and made a lot of the games I like to play. He stated he has been watching me, and even knows the name I go by in them, which isn't very hard to figure out I guess."

Helena laughed at her own statement and the same for Myka as she was happy that Helena seemed to have a great time.

"We played a nice game of chess in his office. You would have loved his office, my darling. It was stacked with books and he had cabinets full of trinkets and things... It was delectable, a room fit to look like it was home for the both of us. It was exciting. Oh, and the chess set was a classic, very beautiful and it had it's own charisma. We played one game and of course I had lost, I did not expect to win against an opponent as well accustomed to the game and how it can be played."

Helena and Myka talked for a long time on her extra class with Caturanga and about Myka's books. They even sat in silence enjoying each others company as they both read books Myka took out. They ended up snuggling against each other, Helena had her head in Myka's lap as Myka had her feet stretched out on the coffee table in front of her.

They spent their remaining free time talking and reading books and sometimes would read exerts they liked out load that they found and would end up having conversations on them or even battle each other at finding the best quotes.

Life for me here may not be easy to say the least, but I have friends that care and higher ups that seem to be in my corner. I am not alone anymore as long as I hold onto them, and I have to hold on to them, they will hold on to me too. Because of this I can't pull way and as things get more complicated the urge to do so comes, but I know that I will be fine because I am not alone, I have people that will fight for me. They give me strength to fight for them as well as carry on and move my way through the obstacles in my path.

I think I can handle that thought as the days go by. I know now that I will survive this school no matter what is thrown at me as long as I have my friends.

To Be Continued...