"How long has he been in there?"

  No one answered Krista's question. She looked around the room at the down-hearted crew. George lifted his head.

  "Hmm?"

  "I asked how long he's been in there."

  "About an hour."

  Krista walked to the doors and they refused to open. George shrugged.

  "I don't think he wants anyone in there."

  "Psi?"

  His plaque lit up and she smiled weakly at his hollow face.

  "Yes sir?"

  "Open this door. Authorization Krista Zeta Tau Alpha."

  "Authorization acknowledged."

  The door opened and Krista entered. The Captain was behind his desk with his head in his hands. She stood silently in front of him and waited patiently for him to speak; give some acknowledgment of her presence. He looked up.

  "I thought the locked door would be enough of a hint."

  "You can't stay in here forever."

  "I wasn't planning on it."

  "We've lost crew members before."

  He quickly rose out of anger.

  "I know that damn it!"

  Krista just looked at him, a beautiful living statue that just looked at him with an unwavering stare. He bowed his head.

  "I'm sorry, it just doesn't get any easier."

  "It never should."

  He glanced back up and squinted as he studied her. She was a woman of few words. But those that she did choose to say were straight, to the point, and always comforting in their own stoic way. She was standing at attention, her spandex suit leaving little to the imagination; she was aware of her extreme sexuality and did little to hide it. Everyone aboard was used to it, knowing she was just trying to break from her former lifestyle by altering her dress code. They knew she meant nothing by it; even at times like this, and especially when she hid behind the mask of her life and experiences.

  "Why are you here Commander? Shouldn't you be grieving in your own way?"

  "I've cried all of my tears sir; you of all people should know that."

  He sighed and slowly nodded his head.

  "I do, I'm sorry Krista ... I ..."

  "I've come to discuss unpleasant matters sir. I don't want to seem any more callous, but we have to make decisions on building a new shuttle."

  "Yes."

  There was a pause before she continued.

  "And finding a new pilot."

  He sat back down and turned his chair around.

  "Let's worry about that later okay? The others should be returning soon ... and I have to make the announcement to the rest of the crew."

  "Yes sir." She turned and walked out of the room. The Captain turned the lights down in his office to a low dim.

  "Alyssa?"

  "What can I do for you Captain?"

  "Patch me through to the whole ship."

  "Right away sir."

-     -     -

  Robert watched his sensors as the cargo ship slowly approached the Necronomicon. He knew the woman he loved was on board, but he also knew that his friend wasn't and that hurt him terribly. No one on the bridge had said much for the past hour. He watched Krista go in to see the Captain and then come back out a few minutes after. As the ship drifted closer he heard the overhead speakers start to build up static. He looked up.

  "Attention crew members on board the Necronomicon."

  George and Meredith joined him in focusing on the speakers. In the lift, drawing away from the bridge, Krista sighed as she gazed down.

  "I ... regret to inform you that we have lost one of our crew."

  Down in Medical, Vanessa removed her protective goggles as she concluded a botany experiment.

  "As some of you may know, Matthew was killed in the line of duty."

  She dropped her goggles to the floor out of shock, she heard Kim drop a few instruments as well after hearing the news.

  Down in the engine room, Brian was trying to busy himself with supervising the constructing of a makeshift engine. He was bent over it with his eyes shut as David sat quietly.

  "Matthew was one of the finest fighter pilots I ever had the pleasure of flying into combat with. He was skilled, he was dependable ... he was my friend."

  Sitting down in one of the ship's many corridors, Gus leaned his head against the wall and just listened.

  "I know he meant a lot to everyone of us and he meant a lot to this ship."

  In her quarters, crying over a sketching of the alien ship, Sandra kept shaking her head in disbelief.

  "There will be a memorial service in the galley tomorrow afternoon. You are all invited ... to come and say goodbye."

  The Captain felt another tear fall down his cheek, it ran over his scar and into his goatee.

  "That is all."

  He pressed a button and discontinued his speech. The chair reclined as he sighed and closed his eyes.

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On to Ch.6 - Growing Subversion

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