The Solar Wind

by Laura E. Collins

  “We are all meeting for dinner, you mean not everyone is going to the art gallery?”

  “Well, Naomi, Andre, and Justin have a few things they wanted to take care of while we are here. They’ve seen it before. We’ll see, they may or may not join us for the opera. Wesley will be with us all day.”

  “I wouldn’t miss this day for anything.” Wesley remarked as he sat down with his breakfast next to Ava. “I hardly ever get to spend an entire day with you.”

  “Good morning Wesley. It sounds like it’s going to be an awesome day. Did you have a restful night?” She asked.

  “Very restful,” he smiled, reassuringly.

  The activities of the day began as planned. At the art gallery Wesley and Ava broke off from the others and wandered around observing the various types of art that had been transported here from Earth to preserve them extinction. Wesley proudly informed Ava that he and his crew had been responsible for the safe transport of many of the works on display here. Of course he and his crew had been to the gallery many times before over the years. He was excited to share this visit with Ava, who was seeing these impressive works for the first time. He treasured the reactions and on her face as she viewed each piece. As their time in the gallery neared the end, Wesley gently took Ava’s hand and led her to see some of his favorite works before they left.

  The others did not join Ava’s group for the opera, but they still had a wonderful time. Despite the lyrics being sung in Italian, Ava was amazed by the acoustics and how beautiful everything from the vocals to the costumes were. Afterwards everyone met outside the entrance to the restaurant. Rowan picked this romantic Italian spot to compliment the opera and it worked beautifully. It surprised Ava to see how many people of the general public seemed out and about and able to afford to eat in restaurants, a complete opposite of Orionis. Wesley wrapped one arm around Ava as they began the long walk back to the hangar.

  The activities of the day wore Ava out. She went to bed and fell asleep quickly but it did not last long. She awoke abruptly in a sweat. Ava seldom remembered her dreams, only when she woke during them, however this had been a nightmare. She had been running down a dark passageway in the lower levels of Orionis, the shrieking alien hot on her trail when she tripped over something, what seemed to be a body. She paused to see who it was and gasped as she recognized the body as Helena. As she peered over her lost friend, the alien crept up over her from behind as it prepared to strike. Now it was too late. As she realized what was happening, she woke up. Her heart pounded for several minutes, she knew she would not find sleep again easily for a while. What a weird dream. After Nathan’s death Ava stopped trying to make sense of her dreams, or nightmares. Ava glanced at the clock, 2 a.m. The dinner they had earlier was delicious, but also high in sodium. Thirsty, she decided to throw on some clothes and head to the dining hall for a glass of water.

  Ava found the dining hall easily as the hallways were always adequately lit, even if a little less during non-waking hours. The ship was still, only the ever present faint hum existed. Ava drank a full refreshing glass and refilled.

  “Ava?”

  Ava jumped slightly, spilling a little of the water on herself. She thought she was alone. “Wesley, I’m sorry, I hope I didn’t wake you.”

  “No, no, no. I was in the flight deck reviewing some of the details for our departure in a few hours. I was just about to turn in and I heard you come up. Are you Okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. Just a bad dream that’s all. Then I was thirsty.”

  “Yeah, I think the food was a little heavy on the salt tonight.” He smiled as he reached to get his own glass of water. “Do you want to stay up for a little while.”

  “Sure. I don’t think I’ll be able to fall asleep soon anyway, now that I’m fully awake.” They made their way towards one of the smaller tables in the room and sat down, facing each other.

  “What was your dream about?”

  Ava proceeded to tell him about it, feeling silly. “I’m not sure why I would dream something like that.”

  “Well, you are away from your home and you are sleeping in a strange bed, plus you had two glasses of wine tonight. I think the alien was from the virtual reality game the other night.” He smiled.

  She laughed lightly. Wesley could always say the right thing to put her at ease. “You are so lucky, you know.”

  “Why do you say that?” He looked surprised.

  “Because you own this amazing starship and you have the freedom to go anywhere and do whatever you feel like doing. You are not locked into eating the same food, seeing the same people, and doing the same routine every day.”

  “I don’t know. Believe it or not, this gets to be pretty routine after a while.” He shrugged. “And I do see the same people every day,” he laughed gently. “Space travel can be dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. The work that we do is not always easy. Some of it involves a lot of back-breaking labor actually. Plus we have to deal with a lot of overly strict security guards and let me tell you, many of them can be, let’s just say, difficult to work with.”

  Ava sometimes suffered from low self esteem episodes and occasionally wondered what this successful, well travelled, handsome man saw in her that kept him coming back. It all seemed too good to be true. “Wesley, I know you’ve mentioned that you have never been married, but did you ever have someone special, a girlfriend?”

  “I’ve worked hard to be where I am at. I have never had much time for that sort of thing, especially with my unpredictable schedule. There have been women that I have liked, but nothing really serious.”

  “Do you have friends like me, women on other stations, that you spend time with also.”

  “No.” He sensed where she was going with this. He took one of her hands in both of his. Ava noticed that slight electric sensation, then it faded away. “There’s no-one else like you Ava.”

  “Wesley, sometimes when we touch, I don’t know, it’s almost like I feel a faint electric shock. Have you noticed that?” She changed the subject and finally asked him about it.

  “Yeah, Ava that’s just static electricity from the ship. It’s not painful is it?”

  “No, but. . .”

  “Nothing to worry about. All of the crew have it. It has something to do with the protective energy grid surrounding the nuclear power source of the ship kicking off static. It has to go somewhere so it gets absorbed by us.” He dismissed it, hoping this made up explanation sounded convincing. He knew she would not be able to handle the truth at this time.

  Ava was not an expert in this sort of thing and thought that sounded like a reasonable explanation. She always wanted to believe the best in people.

  Why wouldn’t he be honest with her? Wesley changed the subject right back to what they had been discussing in a round-a-bout sort of way; their relationship.

  “Ava, I know you think that because I have a starship it would be so easy for me to fly off and leave you behind and never look back, but I’m not going to do that.”

  “Wesley, I’ll be honest with you. I’ve lost a husband, I’ve never been with anyone else. I couldn’t take it if I lost another man I cared about.”

  “If all I wanted was to sleep with you I would have done it and moved on by now,” he said matter-of-factly.

  Ava didn’t know what to say. His frank statement although reassuring, surprised her. He continued; “The galaxy can be a cold and lonely place. We live in difficult, stressful times. I know you can relate to this. There are so few people who are lucky to find someone they can truly depend on and connect with on many different levels; intellectually, emotionally, physically, whatever. I feel that I have found this in you. I promise that I would never hurt you. All I want is for you to give me a chance to show you how much I care.”

  He was right. She did feel a connection. Even from their first meeting in the square so many months ago, she had felt this ever growing affinity for him, and also for the six other crew members, almost knowin
g she belonged with them. They were like her family. It was hard for her to imagine her life now without them. He had acknowledged and addressed her concerns, why then should she hesitate to let their relationship flow into the next level? She could not think of a reason. The sorrow leftover in her heart after Nathan’s death has changed. She no-longer felt depressed, she no-longer felt empty inside. She realized she had healed and that his loving memory would always be with her, always be a part of her, and that she should not feel guilty or afraid to move on. It was time. She smiled at this discovery and placed her other hand over his. This was a turning point in their relationship, and they both knew it.

  Ava slept through most of the return flight back to Orionis. As promised they pulled into the hangar and landed by 4 p.m. on Monday. She said her good-byes to the crew, who had already begun prepping to load the ship for their early morning departure. Wesley carried one of Ava’s travel bags as they made their way through the ITO security and back to her small living quarters. They held hands as they walked, chatting about possible plans for the next weekend. Ava was thankful that it was Monday, she wouldn’t have to wait so long to see him again on Friday. When they reached her home she invited him in for a few minutes. He could not stay long because he needed to get back to the ship to help the others prepare for the next mission.

  “I had such a wonderful time with you this weekend. Thank you so much for inviting me to come to Capri with you. I cannot even compare it with Orionis in terms of entertainment and overall living conditions.”

  “You are very welcome Ava, anytime,” he spoke slowly looking directly into her eyes. “I loved having you with us.”

  He embraced her. The nice thing about Wesley was that he was always warm, a desirable quality to have in cold space station. She hugged him back, resting her head up high on his chest. After a moment he released her slightly and she took this as a cue to look up at him. He leaned in slowly and they kissed gently a few times. It surprised Ava how natural it felt, like this is how it is supposed to be. She felt a warm sensation fill the room, it flowed through her, around her. It made her feel as though something inside of her had woken up after hibernating for a long time. It did not occur to her that this feeling of vitality was more than her growing affection for Wesley. They bid each other farewell and kissed again, both smiling as they parted ways. The sensation faded a short while after he left, waning as this distance between them increased. Ava did not notice, she felt preoccupied by the happiness she felt as she busied herself unpacking and getting ready for the work week ahead.

  Chapter 11: The Holidays

  The weeks seemed to fly by faster and faster as Ava eagerly awaited the weekends to be with Wesley and the others. Since her return from Capri Ava joined a twice weekly self defense class for women at Naomi’s suggestion. She put the events of the club behind her, and decided to try and learn how not to be victimized again. The class was divided into two parts. The first half was spent discussing tips on what to do if various situations occurred, and the second half was for practicing techniques on how to protect yourself. It ended up being quite a good workout. Ava and her partner in the class, Elaine, had become friends and occasionally spent time with each other outside of class. Elaine was a year older than Ava and had been on Orionis for three years. She and her boyfriend were going through a rough time and decided to take a break from each other. She had joined the class to try and kill some time in the evenings after working all day in a financial institution. Whatever the reason she was there, Ava liked having a local friend who seemed mature and well rounded.

  The atmosphere in Orionis felt a little happier in December. With the holidays coming Ava became excited because she knew she would have a few more long weekends to spend time with Wesley. He had also promised to take her to visit Alexis and Marc Tasker on Antares. Her old friends from Earth had been granted permission to have a baby and Alexis was now in the beginning of her first pregnancy. Ava bought a few small gifts for the baby as she did not know when her next visit might be. At Christmas the journey to Antares seemed like it would never end, it was twice as long as the trip to Capri. However, life aboard the Andromeda never seemed boring. The crew taught Ava a little more about the ship each time she was aboard and even allowed her to pitch in to help if she wanted. Ava hated to be a fifth wheel doing nothing. Naomi, Rowan, and Mia tutored her in French regularly, and she began to understand and feel comfortable speaking simple sentences in the language. Rowan also taught Ava some new recipes and some tips on how to care for the plants in the oxygen garden and greenhouse. Ava especially enjoyed spending more time alone with Wesley, they had grown very close over the past several weeks.

  Mia knew best how to get around on Antares and escorted Ava to Alexis’ quarters while the others enjoyed some free time without an assignment. After Alexis and Ava were happily reunited, Mia excused herself and promised to collect Ava at the agreed upon time when they would all go out for dinner.

  “Congratulations on your first baby!” Ava gushed to her friend after Mia left.

  “Thank you, we are so excited! I can’t wait until he or she comes into our world. I am so happy that we can give our baby a better upbringing than the somber underground childhood we had.”

  “I know what you mean. It is exciting. Antares seems like such a nice station to live on, from what I’ve seen so far. What do you like best about it?”

  “Everything. It definitely has been a positive move for us. The air is cleaner and fresher than what we were breathing on Earth and the conditions here are much more comfortable. Marc loves his new position in the hospital,” Alexis said glancing at Marc.

  “Thank you for sharing your insight into the migration process Ava, your advice has made this a smooth transition for us,” Marc commented.

  Antares, being the fifth station built in orbit, had many amenities that Orionis did not have, however it was not as modern as Capri. Some stations, Sceptrum in particular, were known for industry and manufacturing. Antares, on the other hand, was known for its multiple large agricultural levels, giving it the nickname of the “Emerald Station.” It was the largest producer of soybeans in the common galaxy. Ava noticed the characteristic faint green glow the station cast during the landing. This station had by far the freshest and cleanest air Ava has experienced. Antares sometimes called on the Andromeda and its crew to export their precious produce to the other stations.

  “Ava you look and seem so much happier now than when I last saw you on Earth,” Alexis noted.

  “Yes, I am very happy now.” Ava paused. “That day seems like an eternity ago. I am very fortunate to have such wonderful new friends.”

  “Tell me about this captain, Wesley. You write about him a lot. Are the two of you more than friends?” She said with coy curiosity.

  “Yes, we’ve definitely entered relationship territory,” Ava said cheerfully. She smiled happily.

  “I think it’s wonderful Ava. It is nice to see that you have moved on. Nathan would not want to see you wither with grief forever. We worried about you when you left Earth and especially with the financial hardship you suffered after your arrival on Orionis. That must have been terrible. I wished that there was some way I could have helped you. You have no idea how relieved I was when you wrote about your new friends and the support that they gave you. I look forward to meeting all of them tonight.”

  “I’m sure that you will like them as much as I do. I would be so lonely without them.”

  The two friends continued to catch up until six o’clock, when Mia arrived to escort them to the restaurant, which was not far from the hangar. Ava introduced Alexis and Marc to Wesley, and then to the rest of her friends. Neither Alexis nor Marc indicated they felt anything out of the ordinary as they shook Wesley’s hand. As they were being escorted to their table, Alexis gave Ava an inconspicuous smile and a slight nod to indicate that she approved. Ava had to look away to keep herself from laughing out loud. The evening flew by until it was once again time for
Ava to part with her old friends. Wesley promised to bring Ava back after the baby was born for a visit. The two women hugged and then Ava took Wesley’s hand as the group headed back to the Andromeda.

  Ava grew up with great love for the Christmas Holidays. It always felt like a generous time of year to her. On Earth, people in general seemed happier and friendlier to her. People were more willing to go the extra mile to help you out if you had fallen on bad times. Despite the poverty, her aunt Katherine always managed to give Ava a special little gift each year. A tradition Ava and Nathan carried on for each other until he passed away. Now Ava wanted to give something small to Wesley during the journey back to Orionis. As the ship left Antares behind, Ava and Wesley settled into the common room by themselves. Ava gave Wesley an old-fashioned framed picture of herself. Since they had many digital images of each other, she thought he might enjoy something different. He had told her not to buy him anything for Christmas, but she wanted to give him something. Ava struggled to come up with an idea. What do you give the person who has everything?

  He studied the photo intently. “I will treasure it Ava, thank you.” She thought he seemed to appreciate it. They sat alone together on the couch in the common room.

  “I have something for you too.”

  “You can’t give me any presents Wesley. You already do too much for me as it is.”

  “Non-sense. Besides, I’m the captain. I can give you a present if I want to,” he replied amicably as he rose to collect something out of a nearby drawer.

  “Ha ha ha, very funny Captain Robinson,” she said mockingly.

  “Merry Christmas Ava.” He held out a small box to her. It looked very old. She took the box and opened it slowly. Inside she found a round gold locket engraved on the front with a crescent moon and a star, both with tiny diamonds set in them.