The Solar Wind

by Laura E. Collins

  Wesley could not believe what he was hearing. The station could implode any second and they had a sure way to safety but she was not cooperating. He knew Ava was a kind, caring person who cared deeply about her patients. Her adamant stand to help them now was touching. Perhaps he was being a bit selfish. He could not lose her now, he would stay with her no matter what. If things got worse, he could always grab her and teleport them back to the ship.

  “Very well then, I’m coming with you.”

  He pulled his PCD out with one hand and began speaking rapidly to the crew. Wesley placed his other arm around her shoulder and guided her back towards the OMC. It seemed as though they were fighting the crowds, going the opposite direction from the hangar towards the OMC. Luckily, the Square and the OMC both resided on Level 3. Wesley wondered how they would be able to assist with the transport of patients up to the hangar on Level 1. The ITO military officers were out in force doing an impressive job of trying to maintain order. They cleared the emergency passageways meant only for transport of patients from the various medical facilities. Wesley had never been in an actual evacuation before, only a precautionary near miss experience that went down the same way many years ago on Sceptrum. He remembered how confusing and panicked the hangar had been as people tried to force their way through security to get on one of the evacuation starships. He knew it was only a matter of time before the ITO would force The Andromeda’s departure so another rescue ship could land in its place to evacuate the residents of Orionis.

  The lights flickered eerily as the two of them made their way to the OMC lobby, the meeting point. Surprisingly the streets leading up to the medical center were clear, save for the first battery powered vehicles roaring past them, filled over capacity with patients on the way to the emergency lifts to the hangar. As Ava and Wesley arrived in the lobby, Ava spotted Dr. Grant, the designated OMC evacuation officer, and ran over to him for her assignment.

  “Ava! Thank God, we were hoping you would make it. Believe it or not, you are one of the first providers to respond.” Dr. Grant quickly said as soon as they approached.

  He nodded towards Wesley, “Captain Robinson.”

  “Dr. Grant, what will be my assignment?” Ava replied breathless, having run most of the way to the OMC.

  Dr. Grant held an electronic tablet in his hands, scanning the patient roster which included those patients in the lobby waiting for transport and those still in the OMC, being transported down. Other doctors and administrators, as well as ITO officers were swarming about in a flurry of activity, seeing that the evacuation ran as well as the practice drills did. “Just as we practiced in the drills, our rendezvous point with ourselves and our patients will be on Capri. The Solar Wind has just arrived to take our first patients. Believe it or not, it is already almost full. Once it has reached capacity, the next ship will be brought in and so on. The same process is happening for the residents of Orionis, only it is going much faster. The first starship for them has already come and gone, only the residents are being taken to Antares.”

  Wesley listened to this information carefully, ready to think critically how he could somehow help Ava fulfill her duties and then get the two of them back to the Andromeda before it was forced to lift off.

  Dr. Grant continued. “I want you to go with the next group to the ship and then on with them to Capri. They are already preparing a temporary hospital for our critically ill patients and beds for our stable patients. I’m entering the information and your clearance to board now.” One of the techs came towards Ava and handed her an electronic tablet, the same as the one Dr. Grant held. “This is your assignment and the patients that you will be responsible for on board with as well as the nursing staff assigned to work with you. You will stay with your group of patients on Capri. Unfortunately, not everyone that we have assigned to work has shown up. The panic is widespread and I fear that our staff will not report for their duty they are required to do. The driver in the nearest vehicle waved at Dr. Grant, indicating it was time to leave. “Go now Ava. Thank you for diligence and your compassion. Everything will be just fine, I’ll see you on Capri.”

  With that, before Ava could reply, Dr. Grant turned and ran back towards a group of doctors for an update on the evacuation process. “Come on!” Wesley shouted. The lights began flickering erratically again. The two of them ran towards the open framed rescue vehicle loaded with patients. As she ran, Ava could tell that the station did seem to be rotating on its axis, there seemed to be a small tilt to everything. She wondered how long it would take for a station of Orionis’ size to rotate completely on its side. There was a seat for Ava at the back. Wesley climbed up and stood on the bumper behind her, gripping onto the frame with one hand, speaking into his PCD with the other. As soon as the two of them were in place, the driver took off, the patients gasped as the vehicle tore through the streets, dodging a returning vehicle. Ava quickly counted the patients in the vehicle recognizing some of them, twenty two, plus Ava and Wesley. Ava did feel slightly relieved that since she was one of the first providers to report for duty that she would be one of the first residents off the deteriorating station. She wondered how the night would end. She had been assigned to go to Capri, Wesley wanted her to go with him. What should she do? Between what had happened to her before coming to Orionis, her adventures with Wesley and his crew afterwards, and now this, Ava began to wonder whether or not she would actually ever live a normal life.

  The streets rushed by in a blur, falling debris and running residents everywhere. Ava saw the emergency freight lifts that led directly to the hangar in front of them. The vehicle slowed and came to an abrupt stop in front of the doors, a security check was performed by a few ITO officers while they waited for them to open. Ava wondered exactly how safe it would be to go in a lift when the station seemed to be rotating and falling apart. She looked up at Wesley, standing behind her. He did not look down at her, but watched the doors intensely with his sharp dark eyes as they slowly groaned open. The vehicle slowly moved into the empty space and the doors closed behind them. Then, Ava sensed that the lift seemed to be moving up, sluggishly towards the hangar. The patients in the vehicle, who had been mostly quiet during the fast drive to the lift, seemed to have come to life in the lift. Some were talking to each other, some were crying. They all realized the gravity of the situation. An exploding space station was a night-mare come true. The hoist up to the hangar seemed to take forever. The lift shook slightly unsteadily as it rose. The few functioning lights in the ceiling of the enclosed space started to flicker, and then went out completely with only a few accessory lights on the walls providing some assurance that electricity still flowed. The patients gasped, beginning to panic sensing that they might be trapped there.

  Ava, already on edge, jolted in her seat, breathing heavy, when she felt a firm hand on her shoulder. “It’s just me.” Wesley whispered quickly in her ear, leaning down towards her, not letting go of his reassuring grip on her. She lifted one of her hands and placed it over his, lacing their fingers together. She didn’t think he could see the few tears that were streaming down her cheeks. The stress had finally caught up with her. “Don’t worry, we’re still moving,” he said consolingly. It’s normal for the larger lifts to go this slow, for safety reasons. We’ll be at the top in about a minute.”

  That minute seemed to take an eternity by Ava’s perspective. Although the lift seemed to inch along, everyone inside felt a noticeable bounce as it came to an abrupt stop at the top. The doors gradually slid open revealing what seemed to be blinding bright light and lots of loud commotion into the peaceful quiet of the lift. The driver started the vehicle and quickly drove towards the drop off point where officers were checking clearance to The Solar Wind. Security seemed to have lapsed a little as they were waved through hastily after a brief check with the driver. Ava felt relieved that no one questioned Wesley, who still hung onto the back of the vehicle.

  The chaos inside the hangar was unbelievable to Ava. Everywhe
re people were crying, shouting, screaming, running, and carrying various things. Smaller starships were coming and going rapidly. She glanced back towards the security check in point. She observed how crowded and long the line for departure had become. Shots were being fired randomly by the ITO officers to deter violence and frighten the long line of residents to patiently wait their turn to board the rescue ships. Obviously the ITO did not mess around, they meant business and would do anything to keep a sense of order. In the distance Ava could see The Andromeda and some officers talking to Andre and Ash outside. It looked as though they were being given orders to depart. Wesley also followed her gaze. He seemed to know what was going on.

  The rescue vehicle rushed towards the Solar Wind and came to a quick stop. Patient care technicians who had reported to work immediately started assisting the patients off of the vehicle and onto the ship. Ava jumped out of the back, Wesley helping her down.

  “I need to get an update from Andre. Stay here, I’ll be right back.” Wesley ordered as he took off running towards the Andromeda.

  Ava began helping patients off of the vehicle after he took off. It took him mere seconds to reach his friends. Andre stood waiting for him.

  “Wesley, we have to lift off now! Orionis is more unstable than it was ten minutes ago. I have a feeling that there will be another explosion soon. In addition to that, the ITO is threatening to bull doze us out of the hangar if we do not lift off within the next ten minutes! We’re powered up and ready. Is Ava coming or not?”

  “Ava is here, she had to report to the OMC. Give me a minute and I’ll be right back with her.”

  “Wesley, isn’t she supposed to go with those patients?” Andre had to shout to be heard over all of the commotion.

  “She’s supposed to but she’s not going to.” Wesley bellowed back at him.

  “You can’t force her to come with us, she would resent you for that. She has to do what she believes is right. Believe me, do not give her a reason not to trust you!”

  “What does it matter, we are saving her life. I cannot lose her now!”

  “She already is saved. She’ll just be on Capri, we can meet up with her later. What’s going to happen to her? She’s really strong right now because of the transfusion, she’ll be all right. Wesley, we have to get out of here. Kaden’s still out there, we have Kyanos to think of. Let’s go.”

  “I’ll be right back!” Wesley called back to him as he ran back to Ava, who had just finished helping the last patient onto the ship. Somehow she had acquired an ID badge around her neck, making her presence there official.

  “Ava, we have to go now, the ITO is forcing us to take off,” Wesley spoke rapidly to her, almost out of breath.

  “Wesley, I can’t go with you now, I have to take care of these people, they need me.”

  The chaos in the hangar seemed to slow into a blur around her as she spoke with him, like they were the only two people there.

  “I can’t believe this Ava!”

  “I’m going to be fine. They will take good care of me on Capri, I will message you as soon as I can when I get settled there.”

  Wesley gently put his hands on her shoulders and pleaded with her. “Ava, please come with me now. The only way that I know you will be safe is with me. I need you.”

  “I’m sorry Wesley.” Ava felt determined to put a little distance between herself and Wesley until she figured out exactly what was going on with herself and what seemed so unusual about her friends.

  “Ms. Amherst, we need you to board now, we are lifting off in five,” a tech called to her.

  “Ava, please, I love you.”

  “I love you too Wesley, but something is wrong and I need to figure out what it is.”

  “No, no, nothing is wrong. What are you talking about?” He answered gently. He couldn’t believe her stubbornness.

  “It’s what I have been trying to talk to you about! . . . Did you know that my leg was broken on E.S. #1?” She blurted out, practically screaming at him, he could tell she was upset. There was a long deafening pause as he realized that she had figured it out “Did you!?” She repeated.

  Wesley shut his eyes hard and took a deep breath, he still had his hands on her shoulders. He could not lie to her anymore. He should have dealt with this long ago, however he could not explain himself now, with no time remaining.

  “Yes, . . . I knew it was broken,” he said softly, looking into her eyes. He witnessed the surprised look in her eyes as her mouth dropped slightly open when he finally admitted it. “Ava, I promise I will tell you everything, but not here, not like this.”

  “When then?”

  “Come with me. . . Please?”

  “I can’t. I have to go now. I will message you when I get to Capri.” She quickly embraced him, kissed him on the cheek, taking him by surprise and then let go. She turned around pulling herself away from him and ran up the ramp into the ship. Wesley stood stunned as he watched her board the ship, the crew closing the door after her.

  The beeping of his PCD signaled him out of shock that Ava had left him. He did not reach for the device, but instead ran towards the Andromeda and up the entrance ramp, which closed as soon as he was inside. Ash did not wait for Wesley to be seated before taking off. Within seconds they were exiting the hangar. Wesley joined Ash in the flight deck.

  “Ava’s not coming?” Ash asked, puzzled.

  “She’s on the Solar Wind. She chose to stay with her patients.”

  “Why?”

  “She felt it was the right thing to do. I think that she also suspects we’re not entirely human, she knows she had a broken leg on the abandoned space station.”

  “Really? How’d she figure that out?”

  “I don’t know, maybe she had an X-Ray or something.” He could not hide the concern in his voice. “Once the ship is a safe distance away from Orionis, stabilize it and, hover for a few minutes. I want to make sure that her ship takes off without any problems.

  The captain and crew of the Andromeda took in the terrifying sight of the once powerful space station, Orionis, slowly rotating, its protective gravity stabilizing rings had slipped and were pulling the station down to one side. Flames and smoke were visible billowing out at various places on the station. The lack of electricity on one half of the station made it hard to see, as if it were disappearing in the dark emptiness of space. Starships hurriedly entered and exited the hangar, collecting residents.

  “I’m glad Ava can’t see this,” Wesley muttered to Ash. “She would be horrified.”

  “They’ve got some time yet.”

  “For what it’s worth, the ITO actually did a good job organizing the evacuation. They have saved many lives.” Andre commented, joining the two men in the flight deck.

  “Where is Ava’s ship?” Wesley asked impatiently, his voice filled with concern.

  “Be patient, I’m tapped into their system, they have just lifted off. Ava’s going to be all right, Wesley. Don’t worry.” Ash reassured.

  “How can I not? She is only human.”

  “Humans are stronger than we give them credit for sometimes I think,” Andre mused.

  The three of them waited patiently as they finally saw the enormous Solar Wind exit the station. Wesley breathed an audible sigh of relief, sensing that Ava was indeed, safe.

  “So we are off to Capri?” Ash already knew the answer to this question.

  Wesley nodded, his eyes glued to the monitor, showing the uneventful departure of the ship carrying the most precious thing in his world, Ava.

  Aboard the Solar Wind, Ava, having permission to move about the flight deck to check on her patients decided it would be best to keep herself busy. She did not want to think about Dr. Tom, who was also on the ship and seemed happy to see her. She did not want to think about all of her worldly possessions that she had left behind in her small quarters, including her only picture of Nathan, her late husband. She reached up and subconsciously touched her ears, reassured that her earrings we
re still there, and then her hand went to the locket around her neck, reminding her that she still loved Wesley. She could not believe that she had the strength to leave him, but that seemed the only way to eventually obtain the truth out of him, someday. Once satisfied that everyone was stable and settled, she returned to her seat and shut her eyes, wondering what was to become of her.

  Chapter 21: The Target

  Bryant navigated the dark deep levels of Polaris in search of his target. The second oldest station in existence, it had long ago reached its populous limit and only accepted new residents after the current ones became deceased or moved on. In comparison to Orionis, which followed Polaris, it was a much smaller station and had less of a military ambience than Orionis did. It did not have as much physical industry as Sceptrum, but consisted mostly of a residential and office based employment center of development for software with the necessary medical offices and hospitals built in for the general needs of the station. Because of its large residential districts, the station did have a nice sized theater for plays and musical performances to be held at. With a population of this size, residents necessitated entertainment in order to stay out of trouble. It was here that Bryant hoped to find whom he had been searching for.

  The sketchy internet information hinted to a performance by Geodesic at this theater tonight. Bryant had booked a room in one of the hotels equipped with on online system and tapped into Polaris’ online database, particularly the ITOs security system. He saw confirmed information that the band would hold a concert tonight. He then hacked into the hangar queue system and saw that several ships had recently arrived. Frustration burned through him as the system did not list what ship Geodesic travelled by. He had searched so long and so hard for this person he could not face disappointment again.