SPACE: 1999 YEAR 2
JOURNEY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
SECTION TWO: Somewhere To Shatter
Medical Center had gradually emptied, after Mathias and Russell had prescribed rest to everyone. Fraser had hurried off with the bright, carefree energy of a newlywed, while Carter, despite his exhaustion, had given a cheery farewell. Russell insisted on reviewing a few charts before leaving, and Koenig chose to remain with her. Dr. Mathias, with his calm and reassuring air, wheeled Maya to Tony's quarters, sharing a few easy jokes with Verdeschi along the way about some 'hideous beverage.'
To Maya, their words and chuckles were nothing but faint ripples. Distant hums of unfamiliar voices that sounded very far away, inside an alien place that seemed very large and perhaps more than a little frightening.
When the door to his quarters slid open, Tony moved ahead quickly, clearing a path to his couch by pushing aside chairs and a table. Bob gently helped Maya to sit, reiterating Dr. Russell's instructions about keeping minimal weight off her lightly sprained ankle.
Maya barely nodded; her mind adrift in an echo of things she would never unhear. Things she would never unsee.
Tony gave Bob a nod, silently assuring him he would follow through on Russell's orders. Bob smiled warmly at Maya. "Maya, let us know if you need anything," he said, his voice gentle. "We'll make sure you're comfortable."
With that, Mathias left, leaving Maya alone. Alone in a room with a stranger, with a man she had never seen until just a few minutes ago.
Tony stood still for a moment longer than necessary, feeling the weight of his doubts settle over him. Questions. Concerns.
Could this girl really be trusted? She had her father's blood in her veins. Could they afford to let their guard down? Could he? Yet, as he looked at her, he saw sorrow seeping through her. Grief had shattered her.
His mind wrestled with his duty to Alpha's safety and the quiet pull of his own compassion. She wasn't just a threat to be measured. She was a person. Lost, wounded and barely holding herself together. And the longer he stood there, his questions and doubts seemed to matter less.
Her pain was undeniable. And he couldn't ignore it.
"Are you comfortable?" he finally asked, trying to keep his voice soft. "Would you like a pillow to rest your ankle on? Is there anything that I can get you?"
Maya shook her head, a faint, wordless refusal to his offers. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest and looked down at the floor, trying to focus on anything but where she was at. Not that long ago, she had been talking with her father, so hopeful that these Alphans might be able to help him in the dream of restoring Psychon.
Now she was alone in a strange place. Unknown faces, strange surroundings. Unfamiliar smells. And, in a room with a man she didn't know. A man who didn't know what to say to her. A man whose duty was the security of this strange place for people she knew nothing about.
She hadn't realized how quiet and breath-stealing grief could be. It was so painful and quiet that it hurt, physically.
Tony watched her for a moment longer, caught between the instinct to comfort and the impulse to maintain distance. How far could his guard fall? He had to trust her, but trust was a hard thing to give to the daughter of a deranged scientist.
But she had to be reeling. The loss of her father, the obliteration of her home world, the sheer strangeness of Alpha. How would she even begin to process any of it? And the last thing he wanted to be, right now, was yet another cold, unfamiliar presence to her.
Cautiously, he moved to the couch, keeping a respectable distance. Close enough to offer comfort, should she accept it but not so close or too quickly as to overwhelm her. And while he wanted answers to his questions and resolutions to his personal doubts, his suspicions were beginning to fade.
Her blue eyes were wide and empty, staring at the floor as though she didn't really see it. The cold edges of his doubt continued to soften.
Maya was no threat. She was just someone who had lost everything.
And suddenly, being Chief of Security didn't feel nearly as important as simply being… human.
From the Ashes, Something New
Alan Carter sat on the edge of his bed, absentmindedly running a towel over his damp hair as he stared at the wall. While the hot shower had scrubbed the soot and grime from his skin, it hadn't quite managed to erase the images seared into his mind from planet Psychon.
Mentor's insane, destructive dream. Picard and Torrens. Erupting volcanoes. The mindless aliens, toiling away in the caves. The way they had moved. The way they had looked. The horrified look on Maya's face, a daughter caught between love for her father and the realization that hell was being unleashed in front of her own eyes, and she had never seen it. These images lingered, like dark shadows that he couldn't quite shake.
The quiet chime of his commlock broke through his thoughts. Despite the late hour, it was Sandra. With a sense of welcome relief, he opened his door.
"I just wanted to see how you were holding up," she said softly, inquisitively as his door slid shut behind her.
"Could be worse," he replied with a faint smile. "Got most of Psychon's ash out of my hair, so that's something."
She crossed the floor and sat down on the edge of the bed, studying his face, as if gauging how much, or even if, he needed to talk. They had been through so much together since leaving Earth's orbit. Sometimes, quiet companionship was a beautiful healer.
"Would you like to go get something to eat," she asked him gently.
Carter shrugged. "Not sure I'm really hungry."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Benes believed he did and, as his friend, she would return the favor. Lord knew he had listened to her many times.
Normally, Alan would have shrugged it off, dismissed the question with his usual ease. But tonight… tonight felt different somehow.
"I suppose you could say we were damn lucky," he finally said after giving it some thought.
Sandra nodded slowly; her expression thoughtful as well.
"When the robot Eagle was destroyed and the attacks began, I think that we all thought that it was the end for us," she murmured. Her voice was low, a trace of the tension she'd felt earlier in the day still lingering. The atmosphere in Command Center, the looks on the faces and then, the dreaded silence after the attacks suddenly and inexplicably stopped. No communication from Psychon. Just nothing.
"Alan, how did we manage to stop the attacks?" she asked him quietly.
Carter's gaze drifted as he remembered exactly why those attacks had stopped. While it had been beneficial for Moonbase Alpha, it had not come without a heavy price.
Sandra's intense look brought him back, her dark eyes fixed on him, clearly waiting for more. He hesitated, drumming his fingers absently on his knee.
Should he tell her?
It wasn't official yet, not until John made the announcement in the morning.
But…this was Sandra and if there was anyone on Alpha he could trust, it was her.
Alan's smile deepened, a hint of wonder mingling with something more serious.
"Would you believe… a caring alien?"
Sandra tilted her head, one eyebrow raised in an elegant, skeptical arch.
"A caring alien?" Her tone held both intrigue and disbelief. "Forgive me, Alan, but it is very difficult to imagine a caring alien from Psychon."
He let out a long breath, his eyes flickering around the room as if checking for unseen listeners. Finally, he reached over and touched her arm, his expression unexpectedly solemn. "You've got to promise me, Sandra. Not a word of this to anyone else."
Benes was now truly curious, her eyes narrowing just slightly as she held his gaze.
"Alan, we have known each other for a long time. You know I am perfectly capable of keeping a confidence," she replied, a faint hint of reproach in her voice.
Alan grinned, a flash of warmth breaking through his hesitation. "Yeah, I know. Just… this one's pretty strange."
She leaned in a little closer, her voice dropping to a soft murmur. "Well, are you going to tell me or not?"
He shifted on the bed, bringing one leg up and resting his hands on his knee. "Mentor's daughter."
Sandra's dark eyes widened, her mouth parting slightly in surprise. "His daughter?"
Alan nodded.
Then, after a pause, he lifted a finger, pointing at Benes to emphasize his next words.
"Yep."
He leaned towards her, just a little, his blue eyes locking onto hers with an odd intensity.
"Here's the part you know nothing about," he paused, taking a small breath.
"She's here."
COMFORT IN A CUP
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, her soft voice laced with what Tony found to be a charmingly exotic Psychon accent.
"Something we drink a lot of around here," he answered her with a small grin. "I'll get us some," he said as he stood back up. It would only take a few moments to prepare some of the ever-present beverage for them. He was at least relieved that there were two clean mugs to use and that he actually had remaining, hot coffee in the carafe.
As he returned to the couch with the two mugs he noted the emotions of sadness, grief and exhaustion all clearly perceptible on her young 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 but yet very similar to what the Alphans had experienced when they had first been hurled out of Earth's orbit.
When he offered her the warm drink, he quickly noted her unsteady hands. "It's a hot beverage," he explained. "Why don't we let it cool for just a bit," he suggested gently as he set both mugs down on the table.
The Psychon slowly nodded her agreement.
With quiet sincerity, he said, 'Maya, we've all been through rough times here." He gave her a little shoulder shrug. "If there's anything you need – you just want to talk, I can be a pretty good listener."
Maya glanced at him, her blue eyes holding both wariness and gratitude. She could sense the sincerity in his offer, yet she was keenly aware of the underlying tension – his role as Alpha's Chief of Security pressing against his desire to offer her kindness. He was a man torn between duty and compassion, and she could feel him walking that line carefully.
She shrugged and then sniffled.
"I just don't know," she whispered, her voice a fragile thread of sound. "How did this happen?"
As the last word left her lips, fresh tears began to slip down her cheeks, and her gaze fell, as if to shield herself from the unguarded vulnerability that had stripped her bare before this man she'd barely met. Maya was a young woman adrift – confused, frightened and overwhelmed by a grief that began to flow freely, spilling out in waves that left her exposed and trembling. Each sob tore down her defenses until her sorrow lay open. Raw and unshielded.
Watching her struggle to grasp the devastation that had shattered her life, Tony felt a surprising ache twist within him – a pull he hadn't anticipated for someone who was, by all measures, a stranger to them all. Her sorrow, so profound and unguarded, seemed to cut through his own walls, stirring a compassion that transcended familiarity. Seeing her face streaked with tears, her hands shaking in helplessness and her sobs…they all awakened in him a fierce impulse to protect, to somehow shield her from the worst of her pain.
Tony shifted closer to her, his movements slow and deliberate, not wanting to startle her. He hesitated for a fraction of a second, feeling the intensity of her pain. He wasn't sure if she'd accept comfort, if she'd recoil – but when her shoulders shook, when her hands clenched into tight fists he reacted instinctively.
Reaching out, he gently pulled her into his arms, wrapping her in a protective embrace as her sobs finally broke free, no longer containable. As expected, she stiffened momentarily at the contact but then sank into his arms. Since this nightmare had begun, the weight of his presence seemed to offer her the first real semblance of safety that she had felt.
She clung to him, her body shaking with the force of her grief, each sob tearing through her as though she could release the anguish lodged within. Tony held her firmly, his heart heavy, knowing he could offer only a fraction of the comfort she needed.
"How could I have not known?" she whispered, her voice broken. "Daddy's gone… I can't even ask why."
"Why, Tony, why?" she questioned, her words drenched in desperation as if seeking answers that would never come. Her pain hung between them, painful and unanswerable, as she lowered her head, hiding her tears from the stranger holding her.
Watching her grief, Tony felt a sharp ache in his chest. She was a stranger, yes, and her father had nearly destroyed them all, but her suffering felt too real to ignore. The girl needed comfort, and his own guarded instincts gave way to a profound urge to offer what he could. He had no answers. Only arms steady enough to hold her through the storm.
Gently, he drew her closer, his hand moving in slow, soothing circles across her back. "It's okay, Maya," he murmured as her sobs deepened. He held her tighter, rocking her in a rhythm that felt instinctive, hoping to steady her as her world unraveled.
The quiet of his quarters filled with her weeping, each sound a poignant reminder of her loss. Tony felt his throat tighten, his own eyes misting lightly as he absorbed the depth of her sorrow. Maybe John and the others were right about her. In that moment, he understood, he accepted. There was no faking grief like hers. And while he didn't fully understand why, he knew he couldn't let her face it alone.
Eventually, Maya's cries began to subside and gradually her breathing returned to normal. She looked up at Tony with red, swollen eyes as she slowly pulled away from his embrace.
"Thank you," she managed to whisper, her voice raw with emotion and still marked by the shaky, uneven breaths that linger after a long, intensely hard cry.
Verdeschi gave her a reassuring smile. "Anytime."
She nodded ever so slightly, wiping away the last of the tears that were still running down her face. The kindness first shown to her by the Alphans on the Eagle, the gentle care from both Dr. Russell and Dr. Mathias and now, this genuine concern from Alpha's Chief of Security kindled a faint glimmer of hope for her. Perhaps this new place and these unfamiliar faces really could offer her a chance to rebuild her life from the smoldering remnants of her loss.
"How about that coffee?" he offered. "I bet it's cooler now," he told her with a warm smile.
Somehow, she managed to give him a small smile in return, appreciating his patience and gentle demeanor. "Yes," she said, her voice sounding a bit steadier than before.
She brought the mug 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 drink was 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. Such an unimaginable loss and she was still finding the courage to navigate the unknown, starting with a simple cup of Alpha's 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 with delighted surprise. "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."
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. There were a lot of things that she was beginning to see. So far, these Alphan people seemed genuinely kind. Maya was also beginning to see that the Commander really had not 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 spoken at least one truth before her nightmare had begun.
These Alphans surely were honorable people.
Maya brought her gaze up and away from her cup of coffee and looked at Tony.
When she spoke, her voice was soft. "You have all been so very kind," she began. "Rescued me, taken me in," she paused for a moment. "Surely there must be something that I can do to help Alpha," she offered in a shy voice. "To help make amends."
Verdeschi didn't know what he had expected to hear from her, it sure as hell hadn't been grace. She was the one who had lost everything and yet, she was offering to help them. Koenig had said Psychon science was more advanced than theirs, a fact that had been unmistakably demonstrated, albeit in a harsh and deadly display.
Reaching out, Tony took her smaller hand, surprised by how natural it felt to hold it. A faint, unexpected spark passed between them, and he found himself lingering a little as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
"I'm pretty sure we'll be able to find something for you to do," he said softly, his gaze meeting hers with quiet encouragement.
THIS DAMN CRAZY UNIVERSE
"Here's the part you know nothing about," Alan paused, taking a small breath. "She's here."
Sandra's brows shot up, her dark eyes widening. She opened her mouth slightly, then closed it, as if to recalibrate her entire understanding of the situation.
"Here?" she asked him in a quiet voice. "On Alpha?"
Carter nodded.
Sandra pressed a hand to her forehead, shaking her head in disbelief.
"You are serious?"
"Her name's Maya," Alan said. "And she's nothing like her father," he declared.
Sandra's curiosity intensified; her gaze locked onto him as she processed this revelation. "And she… helped us? Why?"
Alan let out a soft chuckle, though it was tinged with disbelief, like he still couldn't quite wrap his head around it. The truth of it was wild, and maybe that's what made it stick.
"That's the crazy part, he told Sandra. "She actually seemed to care. Realized what her father was doing, didn't like it."
He hesitated for a second, the weight of it pressing into his voice. His next words came out lower, harder.
"Didn't like it one damn bit."
Sandra tilted her head, her gaze sharpening as she processed this unexpected twist, disbelief evident in her eyes. "A daughter willing to betray her own father…" Her voice softened, trailing off as she seemed to grasp the gravity of that choice, her expression thoughtful, almost pained, as though considering the burden of such a decision.
Alan nodded. "Yeah, she did."
After a pause, she spoke again, her tone carrying a quiet respect. "Then we are very lucky she found it within herself to act."
Alan leaned forward, his expression darkening, a shadow of concern settling over his features. "I'm not so sure she's seeing it that way right now."
Sandra's lips pursed, her brow creasing in empathy. "Probably not," she murmured softly, her gaze drifting as the gravity of his words settled over her. "She is all that you brought back from Psychon, isn't she?"
A flicker of pain passed through his eyes before he nodded once.
"Unfortunately, we lost Picard and Torens," he said with a low, somber voice.
A shadow of sadness instantly swept over Sandra's face, her expression softened as she looked down, a familiar ache surfacing in her chest . Her hand moved instinctively toward Alan's, a silent gesture that carried the weight of shared loss – of those who had become more than comrades. Friendships and dreams they'd all once had, now fractured and scattered.
Alan felt her fingers slip into his, the touch gentle but filled with unspoken understanding. His gaze dropped briefly, the sting of past losses mixing with this fresh one, a burden they both knew too well.
"Hey," he murmured, his voice low and steady, and he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, his thumb brushing over her knuckles in a small, grounding gesture. "At least we're still here. That counts for something in this damn crazy universe, right?"
Sandra nodded slowly, her lips pressing into a faint, fragile smile as her gaze met his. An acknowledgement of the quiet strength that held them together in the face of so much endured. Of so much lost.
She exhaled slowly. "Where is Maya now?" she asked with curiosity.
Alan shook his head, his expression turning thoughtful. "Honestly, I think John was too damned exhausted to deal with much else tonight. He's going to make it public tomorrow, but for tonight, she's safe."
Sandra looked at him. Where would one keep an alien safe on Alpha, especially when it was her father that had tried to kill them all?
"Alan…where is she?" she slowly asked Carter.
Alan chuckled. "Would you believe Verdeschi's babysitting her for the moment?"
"What!" Sandra exclaimed, her eyes widening in amused disbelief and horror.
Alan chuckled as he watched Sandra's expression.
"Oh, that poor girl!" She shook her head for a moment before continuing. "Okay, what is she like? Tell me."
Alan shrugged, his smile growing as he recalled Maya's fierce spirit when John had tried to convince her of the truth about her father.
"Young, maybe around our age. Cute, for an alien. Redhead. Spitfire."
He let out a chuckle, his eyes sparkling with a hint of admiration. "I wouldn't worry too much about her holding her own with Verdeschi. If anyone can hand it right back to Tony, I think she can and will."
Sandra raised an eyebrow, a mix of curiosity and amusement in her expression as she looked at him. She was not entirely sure if she should believe this unusual picture he was painting, but something in his voice told her he meant every word.
Alan brightened suddenly, as if determined to shake off the weight of the day's memories. "You know what?" he said, his tone lighter and more relaxed. "I'm hungry. Let's go grab something to eat."
Sandra's eyes lit up with a warm smile as she rose. "I could use a cup of coffee," she replied, linking her arm through his as they headed for the door, ready to let the comfort of each other's company ease any lingering tension.