Space: 1999 – The Metamorph/Return To Alpha
Author's Note:
Oh my, it has been a very long time since I have written anything, fiction or otherwise, but dang it, there has been a lovely YouTube channel playing Space: 1999 episodes, constantly on repeat, and I'm not afraid to admit it, I love that darn show!
I have loved it since the very first episode aired all those years ago and I still do!
As a child, Space: 1999 is the show that inspired me to create and to imagine and then to write.
The very first fanfiction that I ever wrote was Space: 1999, so it makes perfectly logical sense to return to Moonbase Alpha.
Now, please don't laugh, but Space: 1999 helped get me through some exceptionally long and very lonely nights, especially The Beta Cloud episode.
A grieving widow will use whatever tools are at her disposal to help navigate the grief journey and make it through just one more night.
So, here we are then.
Something new for me to write and for you to read. I'm sure it's going to be of lesser quality than what I used to be capable of doing but I've got to start somewhere and retrain the brain, the imagination and the creative process.
That being said, there are a few things to know before you start reading.
First, Dr. Russell's opening logs and those days since leaving Earth's orbit make absolutely no freaking sense and do not hold the Alphan's travel line together in a logical progression.
So, out the airlocks they go!
Oh, I'll use the number of days that she used in The Metamorph for my starting point, 342 days after leaving Earth's orbit but that means that Year 1's Dragon's Domain, 877 days after leaving Earth's orbit would have happened somewhere between Year 2's Mark of Archanon and The Rules of The Insane Talking Trees.
Which leads to the question, what in the heck are those poor Alphans doing? Are they running up and down levels between Main Mission and Command Center constantly? Using the old uniforms for upper levels and the new uniforms for lower levels?
It all makes about as much sense as Paul and Victor being there at one point, vanishing and then suddenly reappearing for Dragon's Domain.
Oops, somebody forgot to tell Alan that we're in Year 1 today. He's in the wrong uniform and the jacket needs to be left down below.
What about the patients in Medical Center?
Does Dr. Mathias say "Joe, we must go down to lower Medical Center now for a few episodes so, dude you know where the food, water and drugs are. You're on your own. Good luck man. And hey, I may not see you again after those crazy loons in pseudo-figure skating costumes try to use Alpha to regain control of Golos, but I am sure you'll be just fine. Unless the foam gets you."
Yes, it's true, the Alphan universe is more than a little warped in the continuity trail, but it was the 70s. Yet I still have a love for the show and the characters, despite all the inconsistencies and FriedBurger-isms.
Secondly, I'm using Maya's character to rearrange some of the Year 2 episodes as I write.
As Year 2 moves along, her alien makeup refines and changes, as does her emotional growth and behavior.
We simply cannot have her being the new girl/alien on the base in one episode, all professionally scientific in the next episode and then right back to being more like the new girl in the next.
So, I'm tweaking episode order a little as we go along in hopes to have a little more proper sense of progression.
Right then, off we go. Grab your Mountain Dew and let's get to the fiction!
Space: 1999 – The Metamorph/Return To Alpha
Chapter One
The young Psychon woman's sobs had lessened, her cries now just quiet whimpers of grief and shock echoing softly throughout the quiet cabin of Eagle Four. Commander John Koenig felt a pang of helplessness as he watched her, knowing there was little he could do to ease her distress. He gently patted her shoulder, offering what little comfort he could, but it was clear that Maya needed more than he could provide.
His eyes locked with Helena's for a moment.
Helena, with her nurturing presence and medical expertise, was obviously the better choice for this situation. She had a way of calming troubled souls, and John trusted her implicitly. He gave Maya one last reassuring smile, confident that she was in the best possible care, before rising.
As he made his way back up to the cockpit of Eagle Four, he cast a final glance over his shoulder. The sight of Helena kneeling beside the young Psychon, her voice a soothing murmur, brought him a small measure of relief.
Once in the front, in a low voice, he instructed Eagle pilot Bill Fraser to go back to the passenger section until instructed to return. After Fraser had left and the hatch door had slid shut behind him with a soft hiss, John settled into the now vacant seat. For just a moment, he allowed himself to gather his thoughts. As always, the weight of command was heavy, but knowing that Maya was in the best of hands and that Alpha had, yet again, come through another dangerous scare allowed him to refocus on what lay ahead for all of them when they returned to Moonbase Alpha.
As his fingers punched the button to initiate contact with Alpha, he could feel Alan Carter's questioning gaze on him. For now, he ignored it, intently focusing on the task at hand.
The face of Moonbase Alpha's Security Chief soon filled the small viewing monitor in front of him.
"Tony, I need you for a secure Four Five," John said, his tone serious.
To the younger man's credit, his face revealed little surprise at the request even though he wasn't accustomed to calls requiring secure and private communication.
With a nod, Tony replied calmly, "Yeah, sure John, just give me a few moments."
John nodded in understanding, Tony would pick up the conversation from a private place, most likely his quarters.
"Eagle Four out," he confirmed, ending the transmission.
Alan cleared his throat, breaking the brief silence.
"Ah, John, when Tony comes back," Carter turned his head towards the hatch door, indicating his readiness to vacate the front willingly.
"You want me to leave too?"
John turned to look at the Australian, appreciating his readiness to give them privacy.
"No, Alan," Koenig answered with a small, appreciative smile.
"I may need your calmer mind."
Alan nodded; a silent acknowledgment of the trust John placed in him.
The weight of the upcoming conversation hung heavy in the air, but the Alphans had already faced many challenges together and this was just one more that they would face, together.
Tony Verdeschi rose from his seat and headed out of Command Center, walking briskly towards his quarters once he was in the corridor and away from the curious eyes of Command Center staff. His mind was already wondering what else the Commander needed to discuss in private.
First, a Directive Four, and now this—whatever this was.
As he walked, Tony mentally ticked off a list of potential issues. They already knew that Fraser and Alan were fine and even though they hadn't seen her on screen, he highly doubted that anything was wrong with Dr. Russell. Something of that magnitude, even John Koenig would not have been able to hide.
So, the only unaccounted would be Torens and Picard.
Verdeschi sighed as he entered his quarters. In little less than two months, they had been forced to complete an almost total relocation of both personnel and equipment from the upper levels to the underground facilities of Alpha. The hazards of space, the alien life they were encountering and the earlier space warps had all taken a significant toll on Alpha's structural durability as well as on personnel.
Tony had a sick feeling in his gut regarding both Torens and Picard. They were both good men, and like him, Picard hadn't been stationed in Command Center for very long. The two of them had been forming a bond as the new guys on the block.
Quickly, he grabbed a small cup of coffee before sitting down at his desk, already knowing that he wouldn't have time to finish drinking it. Best not to keep the Commander waiting so he rapidly punched in the code that would allow restricted communication between just him and the Commander onboard the Eagle.
Waiting for the secure connection to establish, Tony braced himself for whatever news John Koenig had to deliver. The unease gnawing at his stomach grew stronger, but he pushed it aside, focusing on the screen in front of him. With life on Alpha, there were relentless challenges, but Tony knew they had to remain steadfast and always ready for anything.
Soon enough, John's face appeared on the screen.
"How's Alpha?"
Tony shrugged. "We made it through, again. Somehow, John, I don't think that's all you wanted to discuss, is it?"
With Eagle Four being as close to arriving back on Alpha as it was, Tony felt that there was no point in beating around the bush.
"No, Tony, it's not."
Koenig wasted no time as he began to outline his requested plan of action.
"We're going to set Eagle Four down on the pad closest to Medical. I want that area free of all personnel when we touch down. Have Dr. Mathias available to meet us once we're in Medical."
Tony gave a questioning look.
"Yeah, sure John, but why?"
For just a moment, Koenig hesitated.
"Tony, we're bringing a Psychon in with us."
Incredulously, Tony exclaimed loudly, "You're what!"
"We all owe her our lives, Tony. All of us."
"A she?"
John nodded affirmatively, then continued with the explanation.
"Mentor's daughter Maya."
"His daughter! John, for bloody…what the…" Tony Verdeschi was having trouble articulating a complete sentence or forming a question as both disgust and anger began to rise within him.
"Hey Tony, breathe buddy," Alan interrupted quickly.
"John, hold on just a minute," Tony exclaimed.
"That lunatic nearly destroys us all and you're bringing his daughter back with you? John, the security risk—"
John cut him off.
"You have my orders. Koenig out."
The connection ended abruptly. Tony leaned back, shaking his head in disbelief.
He took a quick sip of his coffee, trying to process this unexpected development.
In the past several months, he'd done his best to understand John Koenig, and most of the time, he felt as though he were doing an adequate job. Stepping into this position hadn't been easy, given the circumstances, but the Commander had not given him a reason to question an order or doubt his sanity—until now, with this encounter involving planet Psychon.
There wasn't time to dwell on it, as the chief had given orders that needed to be carried out quickly. Tony called security to manage emptying the launch pad area as well as the corridor areas, per John's instructions.
Before leaving his quarters to head to Medical, Tony stole just a few moments to splash some cold water on his face and hazard a glance in the mirror. He had already known that he would look exhausted, and his reflection confirmed that.
Hopefully, the mixture of coffee and cold water would help keep him functioning for just a little bit longer because instinctively he knew that there would be no rest for the weary anytime soon.
He took a final look around his quarters, a place that he seemed not to spend much time in anymore and shrugged. Taking a deep breath, he straightened his uniform the best that he could and steeled himself for the next task at hand.
He stepped out of his quarters, his mind already racing with scenarios, preparations and possible actions. The security of Moonbase Alpha was always top priority and he had a sense that careful actions and handling would soon be required from many, including himself.
Walking quickly towards Medical Center, he simply could not shake off his feeling of unease. Pushing it aside, he focused on the immediate responsibilities. There would be time soon enough to question and to understand John Koenig's plan. Right now, duty called.