The Best-Laid Plans – Chapter 4

Author's Notes – Refer to Chapter 1

Disclaimer – Refer to Chapter 1

For the next few hours, everyone on the ship prepared for the attack. Melissa worked with the other scientists in the Control Room while Everett met with teams of military personnel who would be defending the area outside of the Gate Room. They evacuated all of the civilians who had quarters near that area so the teams could set up a defense perimeter. Once that was finished, Ev went to the infirmary to check on Colonel Telford. He saw TJ finish with her exam of him and walked up to them. "How are you feeling, David?"

TJ spoke up. "Well, physically, he's fine even after the whole bring him back from the dead thing. As far as the rest…" She left the remainder of the thought unspoken.

Nodding, Ev replied, "Thanks TJ."

The medic went over to another part of the infirmary to continue preparations while Everett gazed back at Telford. "Well?"

Telford responded, "Like I'm coming out of a fog I've been in for a long time."

"That's understandable."

A look of haunted anguish came across the other man's face. "What's really hard is seeing me doing all of those things and not having any control over it. You really went all the way, didn't you, Everett?"

"I kind of had to. You were being a stubborn son-of-a-gun."

"True." Hesitation appeared on his face. "Listen, I'm sorry."

Everett shook his head. "You weren't in control of your actions."

"How can you say that? Especially after what I did to your wife? "

His body tensed, and he paused for a long moment before answering the question. "That's a hard one. Missy still has nightmares, but the part of me…the part of me that didn't have someone I cared about hurt knows what brainwashing can do.

"Thank you. Listen…."

Seeing that Melissa had come into the infirmary, Ev said, "Hold that thought." He walked up to where she was talking with TJ. "What's wrong, honey?"

Giving him a sheepish look, Missy replied, "I'm sure it's nothing, but Lisa noticed that I had dropped, and I also started having pains. The vote in the Control Room was unanimous." She wryly chuckled. "They want to make sure I'm not in labor."

TJ gazed at her carefully. "You're the same as you were yesterday. You're probably having Braxton-Hicks contractions." At Ev and Missy's inquisitive look, she continued, "Fake labor, but you need to be careful; sit as much as possible."

"All right."

Everett asked the question that concerned him the most. "Are you sure she's okay to be in the Control Room?"

"If she sits, she should be fine."

"Good. Missy, let me finish with Telford, and I'll walk back with you."

Turning around to where he was looking, Melissa saw the other colonel and blanched with fear. Realizing that she needed to overcome it, she told her husband, "I'll walk with you." She took his arm.

He glanced at her in surprise. "Sure." They went over to where Telford was. "What were you going to say, David?"

David was silent for a moment; not having expected to see Melissa. He then said, in a quiet voice, "Hello, Dr. Young."

Sensing calmness from him she had never felt before, Missy's fear evaporated. Nodding in greeting, she said, "Hello, Colonel."

Turning back to Everett, he continued, "You need to send me back. I'm of more use to you with the Lucian Alliance."

Ev shook his head. "Not yet. You're still recovering."

"Everett!"

He grinned at him. "Remember, this is my command." Turning to TJ, Young continued, "He stays here, and you, be careful. I'll let you know if Missy needs any help."

"Yes, Sir," responded TJ.

Missy and Everett then left the infirmary and began walking towards the Control Room. When they were halfway there, they passed the supply closet. He opened the door and told her, "Come on, we need to look for something."

She followed him in. "Everett, do we really have time for this?" Noticing that he was rummaging through some boxes, she asked, "What are you looking for?"

Pulling an object out, he said, "I'm looking for this." It was a bullet-proof vest. He placed it over her shoulders. "You need to wear it."

Ruefully chuckling, she motioned to where the fastener wouldn't meet the other side of the vest. "Ev, it's not gonna fit. You should have someone else use it."

"You are so stubborn." He reached into another box and found a rubber band. Attaching it to either side of the vest, he managed to fit it over her belly. "There, now it fits." Brushing her cheek gently, he said, "I've got to protect my family, baby."

Smiling at him tenderly, she replied, "You're so good to me—to us."

"Well, you give the same back to me ten-fold. Ok, since we won't be alone for a while, I thought we'd do one for the road." He wrapped his arms around her, and they breathed each other's scent in. "I love you, Missy, with all my heart." Touching her belly, he continued, "And I love you, munchkins. Now, I have special instructions for you. You need to stay in there right now. That's the safest place for you. You can take care of mama better that way, okay?" He felt them kick. "I think they understood me."

"I think they did, and I love you too." She held him close to her. "We probably should get back."

"Yep." They left the supply closet to go back toward the Control Room.

When they arrived at the Control Room, the three men that were already in there looked up with expectant expressions and Adam Brody said, "Well?"

Missy rolled her eyes at him. "I am not in labor. TJ says I'm having Braxton-Hicks contractions."

Looking up from the console she was working on, Lisa Park grinned and said, "I told you that's what it was, Adam. You're the one who has a nephew. You should have known."

Everyone burst out laughing as Adam pointed to the other men. "They wanted her to go too."

Lisa went and put her arm around Melissa. "Men, can't live with them, can't live without them."

"That's right," said Missy. "Anything happen since I've been gone?"

"No." She looked at Everett. "We finished the preparations in the Gate Room, Colonel."

"Thank you," said Everett."

Joining Lisa at one of the consoles, Missy and the other scientists continued to work. A few minutes after Eli left to check on the kino recordings in his room, the gate started lighting up. Brody called out to Colonel Young. "It's starting."

The others gathered around the monitor and saw the chevrons lighting up. Everett nodded briskly. "I see that." He spoke into his radio. "Look sharp, Lieutenant. They're about to come through."

They heard Lieutenant Scott's voice over the radio. "Understood, Sir."

When the gate finished lighting up, people from the Lucian Alliance began coming through. Everett observed them carefully preparing to have Brody vacate the atmosphere in the room so the teams that were waiting would be able to take the group into custody with minimal casualties. He was almost ready to give the order when he saw Telford's body come through the gate. Knowing that it was actually Dr. Rush, he looked around at the others who all realized the same thing. Melissa gave him a nod of support. Not wanting to risk Rush's life, he then said, "We're going to have to do this the hard way." He took out his radio to signal the teams. "Prepare to take prisoners on my mark." They acknowledged his signal, and Ev left the control room to join Scott's team. Once he got there, he ordered the Lucian Alliance to put down their weapons, but didn't hear an answer. He contacted the Control Room. "Tell me what you see."

Missy and the others observed the Gate Room. She pointed to the monitor. "What are they doing with the doors?"

His eyes widening in horror, Brody said, "I think they're trying to open them." He picked up his radio. "They have some devices that they're attaching to the doors."

"Get rid of the atmosphere now!" ordered the Colonel.

"Too late." They heard the sounds of an explosion, people yelling, and weapons firing. Noticing that Melissa had blanched with fear, Brody touched her shoulder. "He'll be fine. Your husband is very good at what he does."

"Thanks," replied Missy.

The group waited several tense minutes and were relieved to see Everett and Greer walk into the Control Room. He nodded reassuringly to his wife and then announced to the people gathered there, "They took us by surprise, and I know they caught several of our people. What I don't know is why they didn't keep going." Looking over at Brody who was at a monitor, he asked, "What are you looking at?"

Brody pushed some buttons and spoke into the speaker. "You're welcome. You want to get the hell out of there now?" He turned to Young. "That was Rush or Telford. Not sure which. They got TJ."

"Dammit! I've got Scott compiling a list of the missing, presumed captured, now." He walked over to the monitor which showed prisoners being herded into the Gate Room. Recognizing Sergeant Riley, TJ, and Lieutenant Colson, he shook his head grimly before seeing Riley look directly at the kino. A woman that seemed to be directing efforts followed Riley's stare and took her gun out shooting the kino. When it went dark, Everett gritted his teeth. "Well, I guess that's that."

Melissa touched his shoulder. "How many did they get?"

"Don't know. Scott should be back momentarily." A few moments later, the young lieutenant walked back into the Control Room. Ev looked at him inquisitively. "What's the damage?"

"About a dozen," said Scott. "That includes Riley, TJ, Eli, and Chloe. They've retreated back to the area surrounding the Gate Room."

"Smart—only keep the area they can hold securely."

Brody spoke up. "When they retreated, I closed the doors behind them. With their technology, it wouldn't take them long to open them, but at least I've brought us a little time."

"Thank you." He saw Dr. Rush's body walk into the Control Room. Not knowing who it was, he asked, "David?"

Rush responded, "No, it's me, Nicholas. Colonel Telford is back in his own body." He walked over to a console. "What did they take over?" Brody and Volker showed him the areas that were now under the control of the Lucian Alliance. He then gazed at Young. "Why didn't you vacate the atmosphere in the Gate Room?"

Volker replied, "It was to save you, Dr. Rush." The rest of the group nodded in agreement with him."

"It wasn't me. I switched back when I came through the gate. I'm guessing because of the proximity to the stones."

"I see."

"All right." Everett called for their attention. "We need to figure out how we're going to get the prisoners back. I'm especially worried about them having TJ." He glanced at Melissa who had paled knowing that the stress wasn't good for her.

As the rest of the group started discussing the options, Missy leaned over and whispered, "I'm okay right now, Ev. Don't worry about me."

He whispered back, "I always worry; Missy, but I'll take your word for it." Everyone continued to talk about what they could do. A few minutes later, Ev's radio sounded. Picking it up, he said, "This is Colonel Young."

A woman's voice was heard over the radio. "This is Kiva of the Lucian Alliance. We have control of your gate room and several of your people prisoners, but we are not interested in harming anyone. I invite you to join us to explore all the wonders of this galaxy."

"No, we're not interested in doing that. What I need you to do is to place all your weapons in the center of the room and put your hands up, or I will vacate the atmosphere out of the room you're in."

She gave a mirthless laugh. "Oh come on now, Colonel. If you had the capability of doing that, you would have done it by now."

"But that doesn't mean I don't have the capability."

"Even if it kills the hostages?"

"If it means I stop you, then yes."

They could hear her clench her teeth. "I'll be in touch." The radio went silent.

The colonel looked around at all of them. "Well, that went well." He saw Melissa looking intently at a console. "What is it, Missy?"

Missy said, "We're getting a signal. Did you set up something with Telford?"

He walked over and looked at the console. "I did. Good eye." Turning to Scott and Greer, he told them, "He's leading a team of them in our direction. Come on." The three military officers hurried out of the Control Room. They met up with Lieutenant James and a few other officers and had them come with them to a room near the edge of the ship. It didn't take long for them to hear noises on the other side of the door once they got there. But, what really concerned Everett, was that the lights started flickering at the same time. They heard a loud noise, a bump, and then saw the door open. All of them aimed their weapons, but when Everett saw that it was Telford, he motioned for the others to put theirs down. "Where is everyone else?"

Telford put his weapons back in his holster. "They ran away." He pointed to a pile of dust on the floor. "What happened?"

Gazing at the pile bewilderingly, Ev shook his head. "We had nothing to do with it. What is that?"

"It used to be a person. A beam of light came out from the ceiling and pulverized him. Thought it was some weapons you had just found."

"Nope, not us. I'll check with the Control Room when we get back."

The other colonel nodded. "We'll have to try this again. Give me a radio." Young had an airman throw him a radio as he continued, "I'll signal you on Channel 2 when I'm ready."

"Understood." They watched him retreat down the corridor and then went back to the Control Room where Melissa and the other scientists were already trying to figure out what was going on. "What's going on? One of the Lucian Alliance people was turned into a pile of dust from whatever it was."

"Don't know yet," said Missy.

Lisa spoke up from where she was looking at another console. "This might be a possibility, but I need you to check my translation." Melissa nodded and walked over to her console.

Everett and the others waited patiently for them to finish. While they were waiting, Camille Wray walked in the room and addressed Ev. "Colonel, we really need to negotiate with these people."

Staring at her in shock, Everett said, "Whatever we do is up to me and not to you or have you forgotten who is in charge."

She faced him fiercely. "Well, your military strategy hasn't worked so far."

Angrily looking up from where he was working, Rush said, "They have come on this ship with weapons. Do you think, Miss Wray that they might want to use them?"

That started a loud argument between the three of them about the best way to proceed. The others try and talk over them, but can't make themselves heard until Lisa Park called out, "All of you, shut up!" She walked over to Melissa who was in the throes of what looked like a contraction. Leading her back to her stool, Lisa asked, "Braxton-Hicks again, Melissa?" Missy nodded and worked on getting her breathing under control. Lisa then turned to the others. "Shame on all of you. We need to fix this so we can get TJ back." She gazed at Everett who was looking shame-faced and who had walked over and put his arm around Missy's waist. "Colonel, I am sure you don't want your wife going into labor prematurely." Ev shook his head. "And Camille, I know you don't like them, but we are millions of light years away from your precious IOA. If you can't make yourself useful, then leave!"

Rush, Everett, and Camille gaped at the slim Asian woman in astonishment. Ev then turned to his wife and apologized. "Sorry, baby." He looked over at Camille and said in a calmer voice, "Okay, how about we…?" The radio beeped. It was Kiva who asked about the man who had died. The Colonel told her they didn't know why he died. He held his hand over the radio and said to Camille, "See if you can get her to negotiate." When she nodded, he spoke into the radio again, "I've got someone who would like to talk to you."

He handed the radio to Camille who introduced herself and proposed a prisoner exchange. Kiva said she would consider it and called back a short time later. She let TJ speak to the Colonel. "Sir, they want me to treat their wounded, and I need some medical supplies from the infirmary."

"Understood." He spoke to Kiva. "So, are we agreed?"

"Yes," said Kiva. "We will make the exchange shortly."

Everett sent Greer and Scott to get the medical supplies ready and to prepare the prisoners for transfer hoping that this would work and that they would be able to at least get some of their people back.