SPACE: 1999 YEAR 2
JOURNEY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
The real story isn't just the alien hostile of the week, the chaos, and the endless supply of Eagles.
It's what happens when the doors to Command Center shut.
When a conversation in someone's quarters changes everything.
When what isn't said matters more than what is said.
When a simple cup of coffee is so much more than just a cup of 100% genuine, imitation, Alphan coffee.
Damn Right - that's where we're going. Space suit on? Air Supply Working? Stun gun set on stun?
NO! Helena! You are not blowing up another Eagle. Not today dear Doctor Russell.
Should I warn you not to be reading this while you are at work, supposedly working?
Should I issue a Need Kleenex Warning?
Should I suggest Spew Alert – not to be confused with a Red Alert.
Should I suggest that you don't be reading this in bed, at 2 AM, while your spouse slumbers happily beside you?
Yeah, I probably should. But remember – the decision to follow these suggestions is your choice, of course.
So, remember, looking at the Alphans, they may have been among some of Earth's best and brightest within the Space Program, well suited to staff Moonbase Alpha while still in Earth orbit. But we now have an assorted lot of intelligent people including: the young, old, widows and widowers, stranded youth and perhaps more than a few civilians who were stranded on the moon when she was hurled away from our solar system.
Oh, let's not forget we now have our very own alien orphan girl who likes to wear a dress with no bra and a sky-high slit right up the middle. Because, you know, it makes parading around the grove of Psyche just a little easier.
These are people forever ripped apart from everything and everyone by the unforeseen cataclysm that was Area 2's destruction and devastation. And whatever else may have happened simultaneously to actually hurl the moon out of our solar system.
Let's just thank the gods of gravity that it didn't go smashing back into Earth or take out Saturn's rings along the way.
In short, we may have a group of people who might just be one step away from a padded cell, at any given time.
And that, my dear reader, means that the real story is BEHIND. CLOSED. DOORS.
SPACE: 1999 YEAR 2
JOURNEY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Survival is not a given in the endless, vast universe.
It's a journey fraught with unknowns - where grief, laughter, loss and even love intertwine with the strange and the impossible.
Yet, even in the darkest corners of the universe, the essence of humanity persists.
Through laughter, friendship and heartache, they fight not just to live, but to remember what it means to be human.
And, sometimes, we discover that the human journey is hidden - behind closed doors.
SECTION ONE: Shifting Destinies
The young Psychon's sobs had quieted to soft whimpers, haunting the silence in Eagle Four's cabin. Commander John Koenig, feeling a pang of helplessness, placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, knowing his comfort fell far short of what Maya needed. Catching Helena's eye, he saw her readiness and knew her calming presence would help the grieving young woman far better than he could. Trusting Helena to manage Maya's distress, John gave a final reassuring smile before returning to the cockpit.
Once there, he quietly instructed Eagle pilot Bill Fraser to join Helena and Maya in the back. With a nod, Fraser departed, the door sliding shut behind him with a soft hiss. John sank into the now-vacant seat, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. As always, the burden of command pressed heavily upon him, but he knew Maya was in capable hands. And Alpha, she had once again survived another crisis. Now, he had to focus on what lay ahead for them all.
Initiating contact with Alpha, he felt Alan Carter's questioning gaze but set it aside for now. When Moonbase Alpha's Security Chief appeared on the screen, John's tone was resolute: "Tony, I need you for a secure Four Five."
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 extremely private communication. Koenig knew that there had been a lot recently that the younger man hadn't been accustomed to, and he admired Verdeschi's ability to switch gears rapidly and stay intently focused. If he hadn't demonstrated these and other qualities, John would never have promoted him to the position.
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.
Koenig acknowledged and closed the transmission. Alan cleared his throat, glancing at the hatch. "Ah… John, when Tony comes back, want me to leave?"
John turned to the Australian, grateful for his thoughtfulness. "No, Alan. I may need your calm mind."
Alan nodded in silent understanding. The weight of the upcoming conversation hung in the air, but they had faced countless challenges together, and this was just one more.
Tony Verdeschi left Command Center and walked briskly toward his quarters, away from prying eyes, his mind racing over what else the Commander might want or need to discuss. First, a Directive Four, and now this – whatever this was. As he walked, he mentally reviewed potential issues. Fraser and Alan were safe, and he doubted anything was wrong with Dr. Russell. John Koenig would never have been able to hide that.
Verdeschi sighed as he entered his quarters. In little over 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 two recent 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 and now he regretted not asking the commander. They hadn't even considered scanning their own Eagle. Perhaps they had been a little too excited to see it headed back to Alpha as planet Psychon had exploded into nothingness. Both were 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.
Tony poured a quick cup of coffee, barely expecting to drink it all, and punched in the restricted code for private communication with the Commander aboard Eagle Four. As the connection loaded, he tried to brush off the gnawing unease in his gut, staying focused on the screen. Alpha's endless challenges demanded they stay ready for anything.
The knot in his stomach grew stronger but he pushed it aside. He quickly took a gulp of coffee as he braced himself for whatever news Koenig might have to deliver.
John's face soon filled the screen. "How's Alpha?"
"We made it through again," Tony replied. "But that's not all you want to discuss John, is it?"
"No, Tony, it's not." Koenig's tone was serious as he quickly launched into relaying his plan. "We'll land at the pad nearest Medical. Clear the area of all personnel and have Dr. Mathias ready to meet us in Medical Center."
Tony's eyes narrowed, studying John's face. "Why?" His voice carried a hint of suspicion.
Koenig hesitated, choosing his words carefully, knowing the weight they'd carry. "We're... bringing a Psychon home with us."
Tony's dark eyes widened. "You're what?"
"She saved our lives, Tony. All of our lives."
"A she?" Tony echoed.
Koenig nodded. "Her name is Maya. Mentor's daughter."
"His daughter!" Tony's voice rose sharply, his words snapping through the air harshly.
Even on the small monitor, Koenig could see the younger man's dark eyes burning with a fiery intensity.
"John, for bloody…" Tony's voice cracked with restrained fury. He ran a hand through his dark hair, the movement rough, as though trying to push away his rising frustration. "That lunatic nearly kills us all, and…"
His words faltered, tension coiling in his shoulders as he fought for control. "Alpha – the security risk," he said, the questioning concern cutting through his anger, though his voice was still edged with unease.
"Hey, Tony," Carter quickly interjected. "Take it easy buddy, breathe."
Tony sucked in a sharp breath, forcing himself to focus before nodding.
"You have my orders, Tony." John's voice cut through the tension. "Koenig out."
The screen went black, leaving Tony motionless, blindsided. Recent months had demanded a lot from him as he worked to align with John Koenig's command style and his new position as Chief of Security. Until now, he had never doubted Alpha's Commander. Now, doubt shadowed his respect for John's orders. Swallowing the surge of anger, he quickly ordered security to clear the landing pad and corridors as instructed.
Before heading to Medical, Verdeschi paused long enough to splash cold water on his face, staring at his own exhausted reflection. The man looking back seemed distant, worn – almost a total stranger.
Coffee.
Sheer-will.
That alone would have to suffice. He glanced around his quarters as he moved towards the door, feeling strangely detached…as if this space no longer belonged to him. Alpha had been changing these past few months.
Maybe he had been too.
Exhaling he moved out into the corridor, his mind racing as he walked. Moonbase Alpha's security was always top priority, and he was sensing challenges ahead. He knew there would be time to question John Koenig later. For now, duty had to come first, questions would have to wait.
Eagle Four landed safely, and after a quick post-flight check, Carter and Koenig moved back to the passenger section. Fraser hovered anxiously, eager to return to his new wife, while Helena finished packing the medical supplies and the rare titanium chunks salvaged for Alpha's life support system.
But among the relief and muted energy of the crew, Maya sat quietly, barely holding herself together. Her blue eyes – red, swollen - stared at the Eagle's floor, but she wasn't really seeing it. Somewhere in her mind, she was still seeing her home. She was still hearing her father's voice. A voice she would never hear again. She was still seeing Psychon, a planet she would never stand upon again. And, in that moment, her anguish felt almost tangible, crushed beneath the weight of a single, cataclysmic event.
Breaking the silence, Koenig exhaled softly, glancing around at his weary crew before shifting his gaze back to Maya. His voice was steady, but there was a gentleness to it, an unspoken reassurance.
"Let's go," he said. "I could use a coffee."
Alan grinned, though not quite his normal. "Now you're talking," he said as his eyes focused on the distraught Psychon.
Koenig moved to Helena, taking her bag as the doctor moved towards Maya. Kneeling, she cupped Maya's chin, tilting the woman's face upward with delicate care.
"Maya, we're here," Russell murmured gently.
A wave of terror crossed Maya's face, but she forced herself to rise from her seat. The look on her face quickly changed from terror to an expression of pain when she tried to stand.
"Maya, what's wrong?" Helena's professional concern took over immediately.
"My ankle," Maya weakly replied, her voice trembling as fresh tears threatened. As she shifted, her knees wobbled slightly, as though the weight of everything threatened to pull her back down.
Carter didn't even hesitate. He was beside the Psychon in an instant. "Come on, kiddo, free ride," he said.
When Carter scooped her up effortlessly, Maya barely registered the motion. The world felt weightless, distant. Like she wasn't truly in it any longer, as if she had never even been part of it.
"I can walk…"she protested weakly, but Carter's reassuring smile softened her exhausted resistance.
"Let Dr. Russell check it out in Medical. She's got the cure for all kinds of ouchies, trust me."
As he carried her out, Helena looked at Koenig; sharing a small, weary smile. Russell was heartened by Carter's instinctive kindness and hoped Maya would feel it too.
Koenig paused to catch Fraser, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know you're eager to get back, but I'll need you in Medical a few minutes. I won't keep you long, I promise."
Fraser, though tense, nodded, simply relieved to be home. "Of course, Commander."
Battered but safe, they began the walk to Medical Center, each member silently processing the enormity of what they'd just been through.
In the Medical Center, Tony and Bob sat on the edge of a bed, waiting for the team from Eagle Four to arrive. Bob noted the signs of wear on Tony. Dark circles under his eyes, signs of faint, rough stubble on his face, and the absent-minded way he kept rubbing his eyes and running a hand through his hair. Verdeschi's exhaustion was evident, a stark reminder of life on Moonbase Alpha.
"You've been running on fumes, Tony," Bob said, his tone gentle but firm. "You need some rest."
Inwardly, Mathias wished for far more than just a few hours of rest for all of them. Months of hostile encounters, bizarre space anomalies, and a constant undercurrent of uncertainty had grounded down upon every one of them. A solid, peaceful break was long overdue, though he knew better than to hope for that anytime soon. He just hoped Tony would take at least a brief reprieve before he ended up becoming another patient in Medical Center.
Tony shrugged, voicing what they all felt. "Sometimes it seems like we haven't had a real break since we left Earth."
His voice lacked its usual vibrancy, a hollow edge that spurred Bob to change the subject.
"Did the Commander give you any details for this meeting?"
Tony shook his head slightly, keeping his expression guarded. "Not much," he replied, keeping his answer as noncommittal as the silence hanging between them.
The weight in Tony's voice deterred Bob from pressing further. Just then, the Medical Center door whooshed open, and Alan entered first, carefully carrying a young alien woman. He gently placed her onto one of the diagnostic chairs before stepping aside, his handsome face shadowed with sorrowful concern.
Without hesitation, Bob rose quickly, moving toward the girl, meeting Helena at almost the same moment.
The two doctors moved in sync; a practiced, precise rhythm honed over countless hours of working side by side.
Helena asked questions, her voice calm and steady, but the Psychon's weak reply barely made it past trembling lips. "My ankle." Fresh tears threatened, but that wasn't the only thing wrong.
The sterile white of this place they called Medical Center. The unfamiliar hum of Alpha's systems. The strange, artificial smell of a world that wasn't hers.
It was too bright. Too human. Not home.
The realization clawed at her chest, squeezing her lungs, making it almost impossible to breathe. She was the only one.
Bob glanced at Helena while patting Maya's hand gently. "We'll get you fixed right up," he said, his voice smooth and reassuring.
Neither physician registered the arrival of Koenig and Fraser until Koenig's low voice broke their concentration.
"Helena, do what you can for her."
Russell acknowledged with just a quick nod; her attention unwavering from her new patient.
John turned to the others. "I'd like the rest of you to join me in Helena's office. That includes you Bob, please."
Bob hesitated, glancing between Helena and the alien woman. His physician instincts were urging him to stay, to assist. To heal. Helena gave him a calm, reassuring nod. "Go ahead, Bob," she said softly, giving him a warm smile. "I've got this."
Once behind the closed door, Koenig took a quick glimpse of the expressions visible within the group as he settled into Helena's chair. He gestured to the others to sit on the solitary bed and Mathias and Fraser complied. Alan and Tony remained standing. As expected, Verdeschi appeared the least happy, tense and eager to speak and John quickly raised a warning hand.
"Tony, I know what you're going to say, but please…hear me out." His tone tolerated no argument even though his voice was slightly laced with weariness.
Verdeschi, lips pressed tight, nodded slightly, signaling both his compliance and displeasure.
"Yes, we brought Maya back with us," John began. "After everything she did to help us, we couldn't just leave her to die."
Bob Mathias leaned forward slightly; his expression and his voice…cautious. "What happened, Commander?
Koenig tried to choose his words carefully as he recounted Mentor's twisted plan, the biological computer fueled by drained minds, people reduced to empty, breathing but non-coherent shells. Then he looked directly at Tony. "That's why I had to issue Directive Four Tony…Mentor intended to do the same… with all of us."
"Picard, Torens?" Mathias asked.
"Picard was killed by a weapon beam and Torens..." John shook his head as an image of the last time that he had seen the young man flashed through his mind. "His mind was fed to that damn obscenity before we could get to him."
The small room fell silent for a brief moment until Tony finally lost his battle in not speaking out. His voice cut through the tension, filled with disbelief and frustration.
"So how does Mentor's daughter," he shook his head, what was her name again?
"Maya, how does she figure into all of this?" Tony asked, his hand slicing through the air in frustration, as if the very idea of bringing back a madman's daughter defied all reason. Verdeschi's tone carried the weight of his struggle to piece together Koenig's decision to bring the Psychon back to Alpha.
Koenig didn't hesitate. "After Mentor destroyed the robot Eagle, our only chance was to convince her to help us. She genuinely didn't know what her father was doing until the very end."
Tony's dark eyes narrowed; his expression openly skeptical. "Oh, come on, John, you honestly believe that?"
Verdeschi shook his head before speaking again, his voice edged with loud incredulity. "Mentor's daughter didn't know what the hell was happening on her own planet?"
Alan, who had been listening in silence, turned toward Verdeschi. "If you'd have seen her face…" His voice was quiet, but resolute, as though he could still see the expression he'd witnessed. "You can't fake that kind of horror, Tony."
Fraser, who had been quiet up till now, spoke up. "She let us out, Tony," Fraser said. "She helped us. And in doing so, she lost everything. All of it, for all of us."
Verdeschi looked at Alan, then Bill and then back to Koenig. It was evident that all three men firmly believed that Maya had not known what all had been transpiring on Psychon.
"She saved us all Tony." Koenig exhaled slowly. He knew what he was about to say might be met with some resistance, but it needed to be said. "And for that, we owe her."
Tony shot John a look, one laced with unmistakable skepticism.
Koenig could read Tony's thoughts as clearly as if the younger man had spoken aloud. While Tony could see they all believed in Maya's innocence, he wasn't going to be so easily swayed. A glint in his dark eyes said he held firm to his doubts and unasked questions. A clear signal to Koenig, that in Verdeschi's mind, three against one didn't necessarily make the others right.
And he respected that. Afterall, Tony was Alpha's Chief of Security. If he'd simply accepted their version of events without question, John might have wondered if he'd chosen the right man for the job.
Koenig met Tony's gaze steadily as he continued to push the conversation forward. "I want you to help settle her in. Safely."
The emphasis on 'safely' was not lost on Verdeschi. The Security Chief knew very well that Moonbase Alpha had its share of hotheads. The kind who might let emotions overrule reason until they fully understood who, or what, they were dealing with. And he knew he'd have to keep an especially close eye on those individuals, ensuring that no one acted impulsively before all the facts were laid out on the table.
He also understood that urge all too well. More than once, he'd been right in there, in the mix of tempers barely held in check.
Tony's eyes remained fixed on John's. "Yeah," he agreed to the commander.
The single word was clipped, deliberate and it carried a restrained edge. His tone conveyed an unspoken promise to keep things under control. It also said that he understood just how hard that might be, for himself as much as others.
Koenig nodded; his expression steady but his tone laced with a rare gentleness. "Except for this small group, I think it's best to keep her distanced for the next several days. She's got a lot to process, and it's going to be rough for her."
Tony let out a slow breath, pressing his fingers to his temple for a moment before lowering them.
"We need to set up quarters for her," he said. The words tasted strange. Like something he shouldn't have to say. Like something that shouldn't be happening. And yet, here they were. A Psychon. A damn Psychon was about to become a resident of Moonbase Alpha. His gut still screamed that this was a mistake. But orders were orders. And Commander John Koenig was watching him like a hawk.
"And I'm guessing she didn't get a chance to even pack an overnight bag," Verdeschi finally murmured in a very flat tone.
Koenig hesitated for the briefest second. He had ordered Directive Four practically without a second thought because Mentor had given him no other choice. But this? This was different. He was now asking his people to trust a woman who was the daughter of a man that had just tried to wipe them all off the cosmic map.
And yet…she had saved them all.
He had seen the raw, broken devastation on her face. Maya wasn't a killer. But would the rest of Alpha believe that?
"She's got nothing, Tony. Except for the clothes she's wearing. But I want her to know that she's got us now. We're her new family, her new home," John paused. "I'm counting on all of you to make this transition as easy as possible, given everything that she's been through."
Tony exhaled slightly.
But that wasn't true, was it?
Maya did have something no one else in the universe did.
She had Mentor's blood.
And that meant something, whether anyone wanted to admit it or not.
No matter how innocent she seemed, no matter how many lives she had saved, that part of her was undeniable.
And yet, Koenig wanted them to embrace her. As one of them.
The thought twisted uncomfortably in his mind.
He wasn't sure what unsettled him more, the idea of bringing a Psychon into their midst, or the fact that a part of him wanted to trust her.
To believe this young woman wasn't like her father. That she could be different. But this was space. An unknown universe surrounded them. There could be no such thing as trust. Not if one wanted to stay alive.
Alan's voice brought his drifting focus back to the conversation.
"You know Sandra will want to help too."
"And Annie," Bill added, a touch of warmth in his voice.
There it was. That quiet warmth. Alphan humanity.
It was a stark contrast to the concerns Tony had. Sure, he wanted to believe that Maya was as innocent as the Commander and the rest of them did.
But what if she wasn't?
What if she had known more than she'd let on? Or, had Mentor lied to and deceived her until she hadn't even realized what she'd been a part of? Even with her father dead, who was to say she wasn't still a threat?
Because it meant Koenig could be wrong. And damn it, Tony didn't like that thought at all.
He inhaled slowly, forcing his voice to stay even as he spoke again. "She doesn't have a place right now, so she can sit with me, safely, in my quarters until we arrange things."
The words felt foreign to his ears even as he said them.
He wasn't volunteering because he was feeling particularly charitable. No, he needed to see her. To speak to her, to study her. To figure out if she really was the innocent victim they seemed to think she was. Or had they just brought the biggest damn security risk in Alpha's history right through their front door?
Koenig met Verdeschi's eyes, reading both commitment and unspoken doubts. "Are you okay with that?" he questioned the younger man.
"If she's just an innocent girl, like you say, how hard can it be?"
"Tony, I trust you to keep things safe. But let's be clear. She's one of us now. Treat her accordingly."
Koenig met Tony's gaze, knowing the weight of his words as he addressed Alpha's Chief of Security. The moment Maya had stepped foot on Alpha, their fates had become entwined. This girl had lost everything including the very future she must once have imagined. And whether or not she realized it yet, she wasn't just a visitor, an outsider to be observed from a distance.
The young Psychon was one of them now. For better or worse.
Verdeschi nodded, his expression carefully neutral. Beneath his lighthearted words, a deeper motive remained, and he knew that John Koenig had acknowledged it. Accepted it. Commander John Koenig was not a man easily deceived.
Tony's unspoken intent had been duly noted. This was his opportunity to uncover the truth for himself. Spending time would allow him to observe her firsthand, to gauge her actions.
Most importantly, he could determine for himself whether her innocence was genuine or if she had skillfully misled them all.