CHAPTER THREE
Less than half an hour later, Bill finally hurried off to reunite with Annie, sending a cheerful goodbye wave to everyone as he dashed out the Medical Center door, wearing the ever-present smile of a still happy newlywed. The others soon made their own exits from Medical as well. Rest had been the prescription for all, but it was known there would be little of that because the newest undertaking would be orchestrating Maya's introduction to Moonbase Alpha as well as the unspoken assessing damages caused by Mentor's attack to the base.
Courtesy of Dr. Bob Mathias and a wheelchair, Maya soon found herself only in the Security Chief's company. With him, in his quarters. Before leaving the Medical Center, Helena had carefully wrapped Maya's injured ankle with a length of white supportive bandaging and issued strict but gentle orders to avoid putting unnecessary weight on the light sprain and it was obvious that Tony was going to make her follow those instructions.
When they first entered Tony's quarters, Verdeschi had profusely apologized to Maya for the mess, though to her teary eyes, nothing resembled disorder. His quarters seemed tidy enough although after wishing Maya a peaceful night's rest, Dr. Mathias had been chuckling to himself as he pushed the wheelchair out the door.
Tony had quickly pushed the two chairs nearest the couch out of the way, attempting to create a more welcoming and inviting space for her to sit. And he was going to make sure that she kept off that ankle. After she was settled, he joined her on the couch, deliberately keeping a respectful distance. He understood that Maya was likely reeling from the shock of recent events – the obliteration of her home world, the loss of her father and the complete unfamiliarity of her new surroundings on Alpha. The last impression that he wanted to give her was that he lacked any gentlemanly manners.
And, while he didn't want to overwhelm or frighten her further, he did want to be close enough to observe her reactions. Just because the others believed she posed no hazard to Alpha; he had his own need to verify that fact for himself.
Unsure of what to say at first, Tony hesitated. What does one say to an alien woman who has just gone through such intense loss?
"I know it's a lot to take in Maya," he began slowly. "Perhaps you would like a cup of coffee?" he offered.
"Coffee," she repeated the foreign word slowly. "The Commander mentioned coffee while we were still on the Eagle."
She frowned slightly. "What is coffee?" she asked Tony inquisitively.
Tony grinned. "Something we drink a lot of around here."
"I'll get us some," he informed her as he rose from the couch and moved to prepare some of the overly consumed beverage for them. He was at least relieved that there were two clean cups to use.
As he returned to the couch with two cups of coffee, he noted the emotions of sadness, grief and exhaustion were all clearly perceptible on her face. Despite his professional reservations and the need to maintain security protocols, he felt a growing sense of empathy for her. Her pain of losing everything familiar was different yet also very similar to what all the Alphans had experienced when they were hurled out of Earth's orbit.
When he offered her the warm drink, he noticed her unsteady hands.
"It's a hot beverage," he explained. "Why don't we let it cool for a bit," he suggested.
The Psychon nodded her agreement.
With a soft, reassuring tone, he said, "Maya, we've all been through rough times here. If there's anything that you need or want to talk about, I can be a pretty good listener."
Maya glanced at him, her blue eyes reflecting a mixture of her wariness and gratitude for his offer. She could sense both his sincerity and the underlying tension as he balanced his duty to Alpha with his desire to be kind.
She shrugged and then sniffled.
"I just don't know," she finally managed to whisper. "How did this happen?"
As she finished her words, a fresh round of tears began uncontrollably sliding down her cheeks and she lowered her face to look down at the floor.
As Tony watched her internal struggle to comprehend the devastating events that had upended her life, he was surprised to feel his heart ache for a woman who was still a total stranger to them all. The depth of her sorrow and the weight of her loss seemed almost unbearable, and he couldn't help but wish that he could ease some of her pain. The sight of her tear-streaked face and trembling hands seemed to stir something deep within him, a significant empathy that transcended their differences and made him feel as though he had to shield her from further harm.
He also found himself experiencing an unexpected tenderness towards her vulnerability. He slid over on the couch to be closer to her, keeping his movements slow and deliberate so as to avoid startling her. Tentatively, he reached out to her and gently pulled her into his arms just as the hard, uncontrollable sobs began.
Although Maya initially stiffened at the physical contact, she quickly discovered Tony's embrace to be both warm and sincere. He held her securely, allowing her to feel protected for the first time since her horrendous nightmare had begun. She clung to him, her body shaking with the force of her grief.
"How could I have not known? Daddy's gone; I can't even ask why."
"Why Tony, why," she cried out, painfully looking for answers that might never come.
As her body trembled with sobs, Tony felt a moment of hesitation as his mind raced with conflicting thoughts. She was a stranger to them all. Save for the fact that Mentor had possessed malicious intentions for them all, they knew very little about the former planet Psychon or Maya – was she a potential danger for Alpha, was there a future threat lurking underneath her grief and sorrow?
He hadn't yet decided.
But as he looked down at her, broken and grieving, he couldn't deny her very real pain and grief. She needed comfort and, despite his reservations, he couldn't just sit there and do nothing to help her.
Instinctively he drew her even closer to his chest. One hand moved to stroke her back, in an attempt to soothe her overwhelming grief even though Tony doubted the action's ability to do that.
"It's okay, Maya," he whispered gently as her sobs intensified, leaving her nearly breathless. He held her a little tighter in his embrace and began rocking her slowly, like a parent comforting a distressed child.
Verdeschi's quarters filled with the sound of her weeping, a poignant reminder of the magnitude of her loss. Tony was shocked to realize that his own eyes were growing misty as the young Psychon woman cried her heart against his chest.
Slowly, he was beginning to think that perhaps John and the others were right about her, after all. Alan had mentioned earlier that one couldn't fake that type of shock.
Eventually, Maya's sobs began to subside, and her breathing gradually began to return to normal. Looking up at him with red, swollen eyes, she slowly pulled away from Tony's embrace.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice raw with emotion and still marked by the shaky, uneven breaths that linger after a long, hard cry.
Tony gave her a reassuring smile. "Anytime. And I mean that Maya. Whenever you need to talk, or just need a friend, I'm here."
She nodded, wiping away the last few tears. The kindness first shown to her by everyone on the Eagle, then the gentle care received from both Dr. Russell and Dr. Mathias, and now the genuine concern in Tony's dark eyes kindled a faint glimmer of hope for her. Perhaps this new place and these unfamiliar faces could offer her a chance to rebuild her life from the smoldering remnants of her loss.
Tony gently released her, his touch lingering on her arm for a moment longer in silent reassurance.
"How about that coffee? I bet it's cooler now," he told her with a warm smile, hoping to provide a small distraction from her grief.
Maya managed a small smile in return, appreciating his patience and gentle demeanor. "Sounds nice," she agreed, her voice sounding a bit steadier than before.
She brought the cup close to her lips and inhaled the rich aroma, a small gesture that seemed almost ritualistic. Curiously and cautiously, she dipped her finger into the drink, bringing it to her lips to taste. The warmth and slight bitterness of the coffee were unfamiliar yet oddly comforting to her.
Tony found himself smiling at how endearing her gesture was.
There was something both innocent and brave about her cautious approach to something as mundane as a cup of Alphan coffee. She had been dealt unimaginable loss and was still finding courage to navigate the unknown, starting with a simple cup of imitation coffee.
"You know," Tony began, trying to keep the conversation light, "coffee is one of the few comforts we have out here. It's not quite the same as Earth coffee, but we make do." He watched as she took another tentative sip, her expression softening as the warmth of the beverage began to spread through her.
Maya nodded thoughtfully. "It's different, but… good," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you, Tony."
"Anytime," he replied sincerely. "I mean that." And to his surprise, he truly did.
"All of us here on Alpha, we're on this unknown journey together," he told her. "We do try to look out for each other."
Maya moved her face to look directly at him. Her blue eyes were still shimmering with traces of tears but also a hint of gratitude and trust.
"I think I've already seen that," she said softly.
Maya was beginning to realize that the Commander really hadn't meant to destroy her whole world or even to take her father away from her forever.
Stop him from doing further harm to others, yes.
But causing the destruction of Psychon, no.
She remembered John Koenig's words. "I want to stop him, not harm him."
All of it had been just a terrible consequence because the Commander had simply wanted to save all of his people from the horrors of Psyche.
Maya remembered that her father had said one truth before her nightmare had begun.
These Alphans were honorable people.
"Tony, can I do anything to help Alpha? I owe you all for rescuing me, for taking me in. Can I help make up for the destruction that my father caused? I would like to help, if I can," she told him as she sniffled, obviously trying hard not to give in to another round of tears.
Tony was beginning to feel an admiration for her. Despite everything she had been through, she wanted to step in and contribute. John had said that Psychon science was more advanced than theirs and that had already been demonstrated for them, albeit in a harsh and deadly display.
He reached over and took her smaller hand into his, feeling a subtle spark as he gently squeezed. "I'm pretty sure that we can find something for you to do."
They sat in a companionable silence for a few moments, sipping their coffee. Even without words, Tony could feel the bond between them strengthening. There was something unknown about her that stirred a faint, long ago and once familiar feeling within him although he couldn't quite place it.
Finally, he broke the silence.
"I can't even imagine what you're feeling right now."
Tony realized that he was holding her hand as he continued to speak even though he didn't remember taking her hand.
"You need to know that you aren't alone, and we'll help you. I'll help you," he said, his voice steady and reassuring. His thumb brushed gently over her knuckles, a subtle gesture of comfort and solidarity. He ended with a friendly smile that spoke volumes to Maya's heart. His smile said there was support, understanding and even friendship awaiting her in this unfamiliar new world that she had been thrust into.
Maya looked down at her cup, her fingers tracing the rim. When she spoke, her words were soft but filled with raw honesty.
"Thank you, Tony." She shrugged her slim shoulders. "I'm afraid. I feel lost. But, getting to know people like you helps. More than you can know."
Tony gave her hand another reassuring squeeze.