by C. G. Mosley
“Have you met General Buchanon?” Carter asked, interrupting her.
She smiled again and nodded. “I have,” she said.
“Well good,” he replied. “Come on, let’s go speak to him.”
“Oh no,” she said quickly, and took a step back toward the elevator. “I don’t want to bother him.”
Truthfully, she was embarrassed about how she’d met him back on Mars.
“Come on,” Carter urged. “Look at him, does he look busy?”
The general continued to stand almost as still as a statue, just staring out into space.
“No, but he seems to be deep in thought, and I…”
“General Buchanon,” Carter called out abruptly.
The general slowly turned away from the large window and looked over his shoulder to see Hayden Carter and Merissa Voight standing just outside the elevator entrance. He half smiled and then strolled over to them.
“Good to see you again Ms. Voight,” Buchanon said and he held out a hand.
She shook it. “Good to see you too, sir,” she replied.
“She’s been exploring the ship,” Carter said. “She seems impressed.”
General Buchanon chuckled. “Aren’t we all? Ms. Voight, would you mind walking with me? There’s another part of this deck I’d like to show you since you’re exploring.”
Banshee really wanted to retreat to her cabin, but she did not want to seem disrespectful. “Sure, I’d be glad to,” she lied.
“Good,” he said, and he then turned to Lieutenant Carter. “Hayden, the bridge is yours until I return.”
Carter nodded, and his expression turned serious. “Take your time sir,” he said, and he then trotted over to the captain’s chair and took a seat.
General Buchanon placed a gentle hand on Banshee’s back and ushered her toward a corridor that circled around to a hallway behind the elevator. Neither of them spoke a word until they reached a metal door with the words OBSERVATION DECK scrawled on it in black paint. The general punched in a code on the electric keypad beside the door and it immediately slid open. Banshee strolled in and looked around her in amazement. On either side of the room, there were large, full-view windows that gave an outstanding view of the space on either side of the ship. In the ceiling, there was a large circular window so that a view from above was accessible too. As the ship hummed along at light speed, it was not possible to make out much of anything outside…there appeared to be nothing but blackness, and a slight hue of blue that enveloped the ship.
“We can’t see anything,” Banshee said as she looked outside.
“Not at light speed, no we can’t,” the general confirmed. “Once we slow for our approach on Titan, everything will then come into focus. We’re travelling at a high enough rate of speed that we can’t see anything out there, and no one out there would be able to see us.”
“I know,” Banshee said as she continued to peer out the window. “As we speak, we’re nothing more than pure energy hurtling through the cosmos. We’re doing what was considered impossible a short time ago.”
“And how do you feel about that?” General Buchanon asked.
“I don’t know,” she replied. “But it feels wrong.”
“It only feels wrong because for so long we did not believe it to be possible,” he countered. “Now that we’re here and it’s happening…well, it’s hard to process.”
The two of them stood and continued to stare into the blackness for a few minutes without saying anything. Banshee began to sense that the general had not called her into the observation deck just to show her a whole lot of nothing out the windows.
“General, is there something you need to talk to me about?” she asked.
He smiled and nodded slightly. “There is actually,” he said, turning to look at her. He motioned for her to have a seat on the large white couch in the middle of the room. She did so, and he took a seat beside her. “You remind me of someone Merissa.”
She was unsure how to respond. “I do?”
“Yes,” he said, and he didn’t look over at her, he just kept staring into space. “My daughter is who you remind me of. The two of you look a lot alike…well, except for the…”
“My hair,” she replied. “I know. I’m probably the only woman you’ve ever met that cuts all her hair off.”
“Well, I’d be lying if I said you weren’t,” Buchanon confessed. “Having said that, there is nothing wrong with it. I think it suits you.”
Now she was becoming really confused. “Thank you…I guess,” she muttered.
“Look, I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable, and I apologize if I am,” he replied, finally glancing over at her. “But I read over your file and I want to make sure you realize how incredibly gifted you are.”
Banshee scoffed at him and shook her head. “I’m not more gifted than any other pilot here,” she said.
“Forget about being a pilot a moment,” he said gruffly. “Your T.A.P. scores are incredible, and I feel that you have more potential than you realize.”
“Yes sir,” she said, trying her best to sound polite. “I’ve heard all that before.”
“Yes, I figured you have,” Buchanon shot back.
“Then why are you telling me all this?” she asked, this time unable to hide the fact that the conversation was making her agitated.
The old general sighed, cleared his throat and patted both his palms on his legs. He seemed slightly nervous. “I’m telling you this because I’m trying to understand why you’re wasting your life away,” he said very matter-of-factly.
Banshee narrowed her eyes and glared at him. “What do you mean, sir?” she said, with emphasis on the word sir.
“You seem to be hiding from something, though I can’t figure out what,” he replied to her. “You’ve got a tough exterior, sure. But any woman your size that is going around picking fights with men is clearly trying to cover up something.”
“Sir, I didn’t start that fight,” she said with anger.
General Buchanon smiled and held his hands up defensively. “Okay, I believe you,” he said, and he genuinely did. “But from what I hear, it’s been a common occurrence. Not only are you better than all these men you’re picking fights with, by now you should not even be spending significant time with them. You should have a cushy desk job…”
“I don’t want a desk job,” she snapped. “I like what I’m doing now.”
“I’m glad you do,” the general answered. “And if that’s the case then by all means, keep doing it!”
“Then what are we talking about sir?”
The general scratched at the back of his ear and shook his head. He seemed to be getting aggravated too. “Merissa, I just feel like you haven’t been told that you’re valuable enough so far in your life,” he said. “I didn’t know you until today, and I still don’t, but you have all the signs of a young woman with a lot of emotional scars.” He turned toward her again and poked a finger at her. “Don’t you dare sell yourself short. You’re meant for greatness and don’t ever let anyone tell you different.”
“Is that all sir?” she asked.
Buchanon stared at her and could see moisture building around her eyes. “That is all,” he said. “I probably won’t see you again, but I want you to know that if there is anything I can do to help you, I’m only a phone call away.”
“Thank you, sir,” Banshee said as she stood and turned for the door.
Once in the hallway, she frantically wiped the tears from her eyes.
Chapter 13
“This is just a minor setback,” Colonel Madigan said, doing his best to calm General Hightower.
“I want that young man sent for a court-martial as soon as possible,” Hightower growled. “How dare he refuse to participate on the very day that we are supposed to leave?”
“I agree, Harry,” Madigan said. “And he will be punished to the full extent of the law, but you know as well as I do that if the man doesn’t want to be a part of this mission, we do
n’t want him aboard.”
“It’s communications for God’s sake,” Hightower groaned. “All he has to do is sit in a chair and be a glorified switchboard operator.”
Madigan laughed. “You dug deep for that one…switch board operators haven’t been around for well over a century.”
Hightower looked at his soon to be executive officer and smiled. “Who have we got to replace him?”
“This short notice? The best man I know on Titan for the job would be Jake Crosby,” Madigan said. “He’s still pretty green, and he has aspirations of being a pilot. Stellick is trying to get him in the pilot training program…but that will have to wait. He’s reliable and knows how to follow orders.”
“Alright,” the general said, knowing full well he was out of options. “Go get him and bring him up to speed. Tell him he’s got only a few hours to handle his affairs before he needs to board.”
Colonel Madigan saluted him and spun on his heel to go about the task.
“And I want that coward placed in the brig until we return. I’ll personally see that he’s delivered back to Earth to get the justice he deserves,” Hightower called after him.
The deck crew chief Tim Reed suddenly appeared in the doorway, followed by a trio of armed S.A.M.A. soldiers. “Sir the shuttle is ready for us to board the Titan,” he reported.
“I was planning on boarding with the executive officer Merrill Madigan,” Hightower replied. “He’s got some unexpected business to attend to before we depart.”
Tim swallowed and looked at the soldiers beside him. “Sir, if I may, Commander Roger Stellick, Dr. Phoebe Holtz and some of the other officers are already on the shuttle waiting for you. It’s my understanding General Porter Buchanon is still at the helm of the Titan and did not want to leave until your arrival.”
Hightower leaned back in his chair and cracked his knuckles. “Oh, alright,” he huffed. “Let Merrill know what’s going on, please.”
“Will do, sir,” Tim replied with a salute.
When he arrived at the shuttle, Hightower found Roger waiting for him at the door. “Good to see you general…or I guess it’s captain now,” he said with a smile.
“You look like a giddy schoolboy, Stellick,” Hightower said as he grabbed the handle next to the door to pull himself up. “Keep in mind, the seriousness of this mission.”
“Oh, it’s still in mind,” he replied. “But if you’re telling me you’re not a little excited, with all due respect, I’d have to say you’re a liar, sir.”
Hightower stopped abruptly and glared at Roger. “Commander, have you taken leave of your senses?” he asked. He wasn’t smiling, and his brow slanted downward.
Roger sighed and held up an apologetic hand. “My apologies, sir,” he said.
Hightower snorted, shook his head, and turned back around to find a seat. As he did so, a wide smile cracked his face.
The shuttle pilot had the vehicle out of the hangar and into the yellow Titan sky in a matter of minutes. As they ascended higher, the sky quickly faded from yellow, to orange, and finally to black as the tiny shuttle broke free of the moon’s atmosphere.
“See that?” Roger asked, as he leaned over Dr. Phoebe Holtz, who was seated at the window.
She peered outside and could see that he was pointing to a rather large circular object hovering in space. It was much larger than she’d originally anticipated, and the metal plates had strange engravings that she could not identify. It definitely looked alien in origin. “That’s the gate I presume?” she replied.
“Yep, that’s it.”
Some of the other officers, including Captain Hightower, leaned toward the nearest window to see it for themselves.
“Do you know what the Kaloians call it?” Roger asked.
Phoebe shook her head, her dark curls moving with her.
“They call it a H.T.G.,” he explained. “It stands for Hyperspace Teleportation Gate.”
“And that thing is going to take us to another gate fourteen light years away from here?” Phoebe asked.
“That’s the plan,” Captain Hightower said.
As the shuttle drew near the SC Titan, all the passengers turned their attention to the majestic ship hovering next to the slightly larger Kaloian ship, Pinnacle.
“Wow, that thing is big,” Phoebe said as her green eyes widened. “How many people will it hold again?”
“500,” Hightower answered. “And 40 Comet fighters.”
“What sort of weaponry?” she asked, clearly interested.
Roger pointed toward the lower, angled portion of the ship where the vertical engines jutted out. “Look closely between the horizontal engines that are below the launch bay, and the vertical engines below it. On the side you’ll see a large turret.”
“Oh, I see it,” she said excitedly.
“That’s the laser cannon,” Roger explained. “There is another one on the other side that mirrors that one.”
“There are other smaller turrets found along the outside of the hull above the launching bays,” Captain Hightower added. “And we’re carrying nuclear warheads too.”
Phoebe shot a surprised glance over at him. Her sparkling green eyes suddenly showed concern.
“Just in case,” Hightower said with a reassuring smile.
She then looked to Roger, but found no comfort from him. He stared out the window at the massive laser turret but appeared to be suddenly just as concerned as she was. When he saw her watching him, he forced a smile. “It’ll all be alright,” he said.
She smiled back, but inside a knot was forming in her stomach.
The shuttle made a smooth transition into the launching bay and finally came to a rest inside a depressurization chamber. Once the chamber was filled with oxygen, a bright green light illuminated in the ceiling and the crew could safely exit the vehicle. Captain Hightower then led them, single file, to a smaller door that opened into the hangar area. As soon as they were inside, cheers erupted for Captain Hightower. It seemed that every member of the ship’s crew was there waiting for the commander’s arrival.
Even General Porter Buchanon was there with a microphone in his hand. He began walking toward Hightower and pulled the microphone to his mouth.
“It’s about time, Harry,” he said rather playfully. He then paused and looked around the room as he waited for the applause to wind down. “Now I know not everyone is on board just yet,” he said as the crowd finally quieted. “And that’s a shame because folks, it’s not often that you get to see General—excuse me, Captain Harry Hightower blush.”
Hightower smiled and shook his head as he was indeed blushing at the reception.
The crew began laughing and clapping yet again. Buchanon raised his arms to regain some quiet. “In all seriousness, I want each one of you to know two things. First that every single one of you is important to this maiden voyage. Each of you has an important role and I trust that you will all perform that role to the best of your ability. And secondly, you’ve got a damn fine Captain at the helm that will be behind you one hundred percent!”
More applause erupted, and Roger swelled with pride as he took in the powerful moment. Harry Hightower had been a lot like a second father to him, and he was happy to see him getting the accolades he deserved.
“Now if his ego hasn’t made his head too big,” Buchanon continued, “I think it’s time that your new captain says a few words.” He walked over and handed the microphone over to Hightower.
The captain held the microphone tightly and waited for the next round of applause to die down. When it finally did, he said, “Crew of the SC Titan, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a finer group of men and women gathered together in one place in my entire military career. As General Buchanon just stated, every single one of you is vitally important to the success of this maiden voyage. You were all handpicked for this because you are all seen as the best of the best. Some may say that title will be hard to live up to, but I say it’s just another day at the office for us!”<
br />
More cheers and applause erupted.
“Now I want to make it very clear that I have one job on this ship and one job only,” Hightower continued. “And that job is to see to it that each and every one of you is kept safe and sound and that we all return home exactly the way we left,” he said. “To do that, I may make decisions and say things that will make you not like me very much…”
A bit of laughter began…some sounded nervous.
“But if that’s what it takes to make our mission successful and to keep you safe, then it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make,” he added. “I want to thank you all for the warm reception and know that my door is always open to any man or woman that has a need or concern on this ship. I expect the best from each of you…and that starts right now.”
He then handed the microphone back to General Buchanon and the crew began to scatter away back to their work stations.
“Nice job, Harry,” Buchanon said as he switched the microphone off.
“Thanks for all your help, Porter,” Hightower said as he shook his old friend’s hand.
“It was my pleasure,” he replied. “The keys are all yours. I’ll wait here and hold the fort down at Titan until you get back.”
“I trust everything went well?”
General Buchanon took a deep breath through his nose and placed his hands on his hips. “Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for it to go any smoother,” he said. “When you’re travelling at light speed, the ship doesn’t even feel like it’s moving. There was not a single mechanical problem that I’m aware of.”
“That’s amazing,” Hightower said in disbelief.
“Yeah, I thought so too,” Buchanon agreed. “Those Kaloians must really know their stuff when it comes to mechanics and engineering.”
Hightower nodded, but did not reply. Buchanon watched as his younger counterpart craned his head around in all directions to observe the interior of the Titan.
“Why don’t you head on to the bridge,” Buchanon urged. “That’s where you belong.”
Captain Hightower smiled, revealing his coffee stained teeth. “Thank you again for all your help, Porter,” he said. “Take care of Titan for me until I get back.”
