SPACE: 1999 YEAR 2

JOURNEY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

SECTION 16 – Stillness Between Heartbeats

Tony saw Helena and John waiting just outside Maya's door, their postures conveying a quiet sense of vigilance. Helena's arms were crossed loosely, her expression soft but attentive. John stood with his hands on his hips, his brow furrowed in thought. Both of them straightened slightly as Tony approached.

"Are you better?" Helena asked gently, studying his face for any lingering signs of turmoil. Her voice was calm, but her concern was evident in the way her gaze lingered on him.

Tony shrugged, his lips curving into a faint, tired smile. "Maybe a little."

John gave him a measured look. "Are you going to stay with her tonight?" he asked, though he already knew Verdeschi's answer.

Tony nodded without hesitation. "At least for a while. She needs to know that there are people here for her. She's hardly been alone yet. If she wakes up… her first night in her own quarters…" his voice trailed off as he shrugged a little.

Helena tilted her head, her expression softening with understanding. "And she seems to trust you," she said knowingly.

Then, a small smile tugged at her lips and her eyes seemed to twinkle with amusement. Her tone shifted from teasing. "Though the rest of us have to doubt that trust."

Tony let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "Very funny. Ha-ha," he replied, rolling his eyes in mock annoyance.

Helena's smile softened, her shoulders relaxing slightly. That was the Tony she was beginning to learn more about, the man who could find humor even in the darkest of moments.

Tony glanced toward Maya's door, his features softening. "She's gotta be exhausted. I hope she sleeps through the night."

"She should, with the sedative," Helena reassured him. Her voice was calm, but the slight crease in her brow revealed her lingering concern. "If you need me…".

"I know where to find you," Tony interrupted gently, offering her a faint grin. "Let's hope I don't have to. You two need sleep too."

John's lips quirked into a small smile. "Speaking of sleep," he began, crossing his arms. "Tony, I'll have your shift covered tomorrow. Don't worry about it."

Tony frowned slightly, tilting his head. "But I'm on duty in the morning," he reminded Koenig, a note of resistance in his voice.

"I'm ordering you," John said firmly, pointing a finger at Tony in mock authority. "Off duty. Like you said, we all need sleep, and that includes you."

Tony's brows drew together in mild frustration, but he quickly realized the futility of arguing with John Koenig. He let out a resigned sigh, his shoulders sagging slightly. "Well, you know where to find me," he said, throwing his hands up in surrender, realizing that not only had he just been outranked but he'd just been given a bedtime by Moonbase Alpha's commander.

John smirked, clearly amused by Tony's reluctant acquiescence.

"Well, goodnight," Tony said, stepping toward Maya's door.

"Goodnight, Tony," they replied in unison, their voices warm as they turned to walk away.

As Tony opened the door and stepped inside, Helena's teasing voice floated down the corridor, light and playful. "Come on, old man, let's put you to bed."

"Hey, hey," John retorted, his tone mock-offended, but their soft laughter soon filled the otherwise silent hallway.

Tony paused for a moment inside the door, a small grin spreading across his face. Helena Russell was something else. Calm and composed one moment, lighthearted and a playful tease the next. It was a side of her that had emerged gradually over time, as she adapted to this unpredictable existence on Alpha and found solace in her deepening relationship with John.

They were good for each other, Tony thought, his grin fading into a gentle smile. There was no denying it, and despite the chaos of their lives, he was genuinely happy they had found each other in this insane universe.

He stepped further into Maya's quarters and inhaled as the door slid shut behind him.

The air itself seemed different. It carried a softness, a kind of tranquil stillness that he hadn't felt in a long time. The dimmed lights cast a warm, muted glow across the room, while the faint coolness of the air added to the sense of calm. It was as if a gentle peace had descended here, wrapping everything in a protective quiet.

His gaze fell on Maya, and his breath caught for a moment. Helena had pulled the blanket snugly around her, and she lay curled against the pillow, her long hair spilling like dark silk over her shoulder. Her lashes rested delicately against her pale skin, and her lips formed a faint pout, giving her an almost dreamlike innocence. Her hands were tucked under her chin, a gesture so tender it made her seem younger, more fragile.

The slow, steady rise and fall of her chest as she slept added to the serene image. Tony couldn't help but smile, the earlier tension in his chest easing slightly. She looked adorably peaceful, a stark contrast to the distraught young woman from hours before.

He stood there for a bit, simply watching her. He silently willed the serenity of the room to hold, to keep her cradled in this calm through the night. She deserved that much, at least.

His eyes drifted around her quarters. The stark emptiness gnawed at him. Some home; he thought with a pang of guilt. A bed, a desk, a chair, and a few donated clothes that didn't even belong to her. It wasn't right. Not for someone like her.

Tony leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms as his mind wandered. Tomorrow, depending on her mood, he'd ask if she'd like to spruce the place up. Some art for the walls or a few plants to breathe life into the sterile room. Maybe a pot of colorful flowers for the desk, something bright and cheerful. He let out a small huff of amusement. Flowers might seem trivial, but after everything Maya had endured, even the smallest touches of comfort could make a difference.

His thoughts drifted further, and he found himself wondering about her life on Psychon. What had her bedroom been like? Feminine and delicate, filled with soft colors and intricate designs, or something entirely alien that he couldn't even imagine? Her dress had been a flowing mix of simplicity and elegance, and he smiled at the thought of a Psychon princess in her sanctuary. Except he really didn't think life on Psychon had been a sanctuary for her. It may simply have been the Psychon equivalent to their life on Alpha. An existence, nothing more.

His gaze returned to her, her soft features glowing faintly in the dim light. She looked impossibly innocent, her face framed by the dark tumble of her hair, her hands curled under her chin like a child. It was hard to reconcile this image with the fierce, wild rage he'd seen earlier in her eyes.

Leaning forward, he rubbed the back of his neck as apprehension crept in. Then he rested his elbows on his knees. That rage... it was there, simmering just beneath the surface. A force he wasn't sure he understood, much less knew how to handle. He doubted her current emotional state was any real indicator of her limits. What would it take to push her past them? And if she ever did reach that breaking point, what would it look like?

His mind flicked to what she'd said earlier - that John had seen her as a lion, a bird, a dog, an ape. The names were so... Earthly. That intrigued him. Would someone explain to him how? How had a girl born on a planet that was light years away from Earth, known about Earth animals? Tony wanted to ask John just how accurate her representations had been, but it would have to wait until another, decent hour of the day.

Tony rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his fingers grazing over stubble. If indeed they had all been accurate, it meant that either Earth animal species weren't native to their home planet as always thought or, the equivalent of a galactic traveling zoo had been losing animals along their journey through the universe. That thought was absurd, yet the mystery of her knowledge fascinated him.

Had she seen them in books? Pictures?

A small, sardonic laugh escaped him. Was it possible that maybe she could read minds, hear the thoughts of others as well? The idea was outrageous, yet it scratched at the edge of his curiosity. He shook his head, dragging his hands over his face as if to scrub away the nonsensical thoughts. Gods, he must be tired, his own thoughts were now beginning to scramble into pure tosh. His mind had slipped into a chaotic overdrive, spinning absurd theories when what he really needed was to focus.

He let his hands drop to his lap, exhaling slowly. His body ached with exhaustion, the wear and tear of the past few days catching up to him. His eyelids felt heavy, and he stifled a yawn. He couldn't afford to fall asleep. He'd promised himself he'd stay, keep watch, ensure she was safe.

But the weight of it all—the responsibility, the questions, the emotions he hadn't yet sorted—pressed down on him. For now, he'd hold steady. Tomorrow… tomorrow there would be time to think, to plan, maybe even ask some of those nagging questions.

For tonight, all that mattered was Maya, and the fragile peace that had finally enveloped her. He straightened in the chair, folding his arms, willing himself to stay alert. Sleep could wait.

Soon, he found himself stifling yawns, blinking hard against the pull of exhaustion. He had promised to stay with her—to ensure she was safe—but his body was beginning to rebel against the relentless strain.

With each passing moment, his eyelids grew heavier, his muscles ached from fatigue.

He realized that he couldn't walk away from her, not tonight. What if she woke up again, realized she was all alone, and became horribly frightened?

Would she even remember how to use her commlock to summon him, or would she be so distraught that she wouldn't be able to think clearly?

Images of a very frightened Maya, waking up and finding herself alone in this foreign, new environment, came to his mind, and Tony fought hard to suppress them.

In that moment, Tony knew he had a choice to make. Either he could turn his back on her and retreat to the comfort of his own bed, hoping for the best, or he could proceed with what would probably prove to be another in a growing list of the most insane, irrational and dumbest things he'd ever done in his life.

Moving quietly, he dimmed the lights further, casting the room in gentle twilight. Then, with careful steps, he approached her bed. His plan was simple: rest for just a few hours and be up and gone before she awoke.

Gingerly, he eased himself down onto the bed beside her, close to the edge of the bed, making sure not to disturb her slumber and to keep a respectable distance. Satisfied that she remained undisturbed, he allowed himself to relax, settling onto his back as he stared up into the darkness. His hands rested on his chest, fingers clasped together, as he listened to the steady, calming rhythm of her breathing.

Despite the whirlwind of thoughts racing through his mind, a strange and inexplicable sense of peace began to wash over him.

He glanced over at her, marveling at the juxtaposition of her serene, beautifully innocent appearance and the fierce spirit he now knew she possessed. Fatigue tugged at him, and as his mind began to quiet, his eyes drifted shut. Just before sleep fully came, he thought he heard soft voices in the night, whispering their thanks, and he smiled a small, contented smile as sleep finally came.