SPACE: 1999 YEAR 2

JOURNEY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

SECTION EIGHT: The Whispers of Memory

Maya had remained seated on the floor, her arms wrapped loosely around her knees, as the piercing wail of the Red Alert continued to reverberate through the room for some time. When it finally ceased, the silence that followed felt almost oppressive. Glancing up at the monitor, she saw it was now flashed a steady Yellow Alert. It was a reprieve, or so she hoped.

With a soft sigh, she pushed herself up. Her thoughts, however, refused to settle. They kept drifting back to Tony. There was something about him that she couldn't quite shake. There was something about him that stirred her curiosity in ways that she couldn't define. Something lingered in her mind that she didn't understand. Something that felt…familiar. And it wasn't all because he had made a judgement error or a misplaced moment and kissed her. There was something more.

Maya shook her head, pressing her fingers lightly to her temples as if the motion might clear the muddle of her thoughts. She barely knew him. In truth, she knew practically nothing about the man other than his name, his title and that he had had a family, back on their home planet Earth. A mother, father, brother and two younger sisters.

And yet he had so effortlessly captured her attention.

It didn't make sense. Her entire universe had been ripped away, and still… there was something about him that disarmed her. Unsettled her in a way she didn't understand. She couldn't quantify it. Couldn't analyze it. But somehow, he was the one thing that hadn't made her feel like she was completely adrift.

The question lingered, unanswered and insistent, as she took a deep breath and tried to steady her racing heart. Her eyes scanned his quarters, looking for any clues about the man. Books, a few pieces of artwork hanging on the walls. A few things that offered a glimpse into a personal aesthetic she didn't fully understand. Yet.

And on the table…the photo album. Still sitting where it had been left the night before.

She hesitated.

It wasn't hers. She had no business touching it. Not really. And the idea of intruding into the personal history of someone else? Disrespecting their boundaries, their space, their thoughts? She could almost hear her mother's scolding words and tone. She had been raised to respect those boundaries.

She really didn't know what kind of boundaries Tony might have but she knew that she should respect them. He had been nothing but a kind stranger, a man who had treated her gently, with a softness that she hadn't expected nor sure that she deserved.

But still. The silence in this room, in his absence, felt deeper than she would have expected.
Part of her knew that she should not really be intruding in his private life but in the end her curiosity won. She picked the album up and made herself comfortable on his couch. While she remembered going through the earliest sections of his childhood last night, she didn't remember going past that.

But his childhood wasn't what she was interested in, at least not now.

Quickly she flipped through the pages, moving closer to the end of the book. The page she landed on had a photo of a much younger Tony. His dark hair was longer and his face boyishly handsome. He was wearing what Maya thought must be some sort of ceremonial robe over his clothing and an oddly shaped hat on his head. He was proudly holding a rolled-up piece of paper or document that was tied with a colored ribbon that matched the robe. His arm was around a woman that she recognized as his mother. Maya instantly recognized that motherly look…the woman was beaming with pride through her smile.

Maya wondered what Tony had done that could make a mother so proud? Did it have something to do with the rolled paper in his hand and the odd hat upon his head?

She flipped the page; the next photo was obviously taken at an outdoor gathering.

This had to be Earth, his home. And it was beautiful. A sea of lush green stretched into the distance, dotted with vibrant flowers, their petals colorful splashes on a living canvas. Majestic trees seemed to sway in a gentle breeze, their leaves shimmering under a brilliant blue sky. Large, billowy clouds drifted lazily ahead, as if time had had no urgency and she found herself longing for such a place of beauty.

Long ago, Psychon had looked…similar. Or at least, she thought it had. Before cataclysm, before the volcanoes. The truth was, she couldn't even remember. So much of her home had already been changed by the time she was old enough to remember, she wasn't sure anymore. Perhaps her vague memories were nothing more than childhood fantasy, never reality.

Tony's photos were evoking a deep sense of nostalgia and loss, stirring memories she wanted to forget. Finding herself fighting back tears, she allowed her fingers to linger on the page, as though she could reach through time and pull her past into her present.

Quickly she refocused her attention on the people and the table they were sitting at.

The long table was covered with plates of various foods and beverages. Not only did the colors and textures suggest that they were edible; they looked as though they must all be delicious. Everyone in the photograph was holding up a drink, all looking towards whomever must have been taking the photograph. Several of the glasses were sparkling like jewels, reflecting the sunlight.

Everyone seemed so happy and even through the photograph, Maya could almost hear laughter and cheerful voices; a stark contrast to the silence and emptiness that she currently felt.

Some of the people Maya recognized as Tony's family.

Perhaps the others were friends?

Maya's attention suddenly focused on a beautiful young woman seated beside Tony. She was leaning back against him, all smiles with her long blonde hair catching in what must have been a gentle breeze. Tony's arm was around her in a familiar, very intimate way.

This was not just a friend.

Who was she?

Maya didn't require much knowledge to understand that the woman must have been very significant to him. Suddenly Maya felt a wisp of an unidentifiable emotion overcome her. For several long moments, she debated between putting the book back down or continuing to flip through the pages.

Her hand stayed motionless as she struggled internally with continuing this intrusion of Tony's past life on Earth. Then, her curiosity became insatiable. With each turn of the page, she felt as though she was peeling back layers of Tony's life.

There was a smaller picture with Tony in an Alphan uniform, standing next to a man that Maya easily identified as his father. On the other side of his father was perhaps his older brother, though she wasn't entirely sure, because she had skipped through quite a section of photos that would have covered many years.

In the background, seemingly painted on the wall was a very large depiction of an Eagle, soaring above the lunar surface. At the top of the depiction were different emblems and wording such as Lunar Space Commission and, of course, Moonbase Alpha.

Both of the younger men were wearing Alphan uniforms, similar to Alan Carter's, although the other man's uniform had slightly different variations than Tony's.

So, both brothers, could fly an Eagle?

A fleeting smile crossed her face. Imagine the freedom of piloting one above such a lovely landscape as Earth.

She studied Tony's father. Again, a very proud, smiling parent. It was an infectious, wonderful smile and it was like Tony's.

Tony had gotten his smile from his father.

On the next page were several photos of Tony and the same woman, standing in front of what must have been some type of machine. It was sleek, black and shiny, reflecting the sunlight.

Was this some form of Earth transportation? Did it too fly like the Eagles?

Maya found it both an intriguing and beautiful piece of machinery. Her curiosity, however, quickly shifted from the machine to the clothing. Or rather the lack of it.

Tony wore strange trousers, if they could even be called that. The peculiar garment was a strange, deep blue fabric and they barely reached mid-thigh. His sleeveless black shirt clung to his torso, emphasizing arm and chest muscles.

The woman beside him wore even less fabric. The deep purple garment covering her upper body consisted of little more than two thin straps looping around her bare neck, leaving her shoulders and arms completely bare as well as most of her torso completely exposed. The lower half of her outfit matched Tony, in style. Short, deep blue color, tight and revealing far more than Maya thought necessary.

Maya's gaze drifted. No, plummeted down Tony's bare legs.

Gods of the universe! Maya, NO!

What was she doing?

Her face burned as realization struck. She was spending far too little time learning about the people of Earth and far too much time studying Tony Verdeschi's limbs.

Perhaps Earth's climate dictated such clothing choices? Yes, that had to be it. Practical. Logical. A completely rational cultural adaptation. Nothing improper about that reasoning.

Maya!

She exhaled sharply, tapping her fingers against her forehead.

This was not appropriate behavior. She was, she should be merely studying cultural differences, Nothing more. There was no reason, absolutely no reason, for her to be contemplating how well Tony wore ridiculous short trousers.

Again, she could almost hear her mother's disapproving voice. She had taught Maya about composure, restraint, about propriety. She had stressed, time and time again, that a young woman carried herself with dignity. That she did not let her thoughts wander to things like… like.

Maya groaned. Her mother had been right. Always right.

But, gods, those trousers really were impractical. Taking a deep breath, Maya resolutely reopened the album and forced herself to turn the page away from scandalously exposed anatomy.

Oh, such odd thoughts. Maya shook her head in dismay at the peculiar things that were beginning to go through her mind. She focused her attention back to the photographs that she had been looking at and from the images, there was no doubt in her mind that this woman must have meant a lot to Tony.

Had they been separated when the moon had left Earth?

Was she somewhere here, on Alpha?

If so, it meant that Tony was committed to someone else. That would explain his immediate reaction after their brief kiss.

The thought filled her with a strange mix of disappointment, embarrassment, sadness and clarity.

Tony had seemed genuinely upset. Now, after seeing the pictures, Maya quickly accepted the fact that while Tony might very well become a good friend, in time, there would never be anything more between them.

There could never be anything more between them.

Ever.

Maya shook her head, disgusted with herself, shocked at the absurd turn her thoughts had taken.

An image of her mother's disapproving face came to mind, her gentle voice reprimanding her daughter for even allowing the kiss, no matter how sweet and gentle it had been.

Tony's kiss had merely been a moment of weakness, an emotional slip of some kind.

Nothing more.

Maya quickly closed the photo album, feeling a peculiar mix of sadness and resignation as she placed the album back on the table.

She knew that she would need to start focusing on her new life here, on Alpha. She needed to make new friends and begin finding her own place in this strange new world. She took a deep breath, trying to push aside the multitude of confusing emotions swirling inside her.

Leaning back into his couch, she drew her knees up to her chest and inhaled and exhaled slowly a few times.

She felt her lower lip begin to tremble as she acknowledged the fact that now, not only did she not have a father or even a home planet, but she also didn't have an annoying older brother or a mother. There was nobody left to guide her. Disgust filled her as another round of slow-moving tears traveled down her cheeks.

Hastily she brought her hand up and swiped them away.

"Damn," Maya murmured, borrowing Tony's very effective sounding, obvious expletive. "I will not cry again," she vowed with as much fierce determination as she could muster.

She knew she could be much stronger than this emotional puddle that she had become.

She knew that she was capable of carving out her own path here on Alpha, regardless of the past or any fleeting moment of inappropriate behavior with one very handsome man with a charming smile.