CHAPTER EIGHT : ADVANCING THEORIES

  "Bridge."

  The computer acknowledged the Captain's request as he nursed the pain in his shoulder. He let out a slight grunt when the lift jerked into motion and put additional strain on his tender joint.

  He was still in his bike clothing and one of the sleeves of his shirt was torn; the skin beneath was painted with a number of fresh scabs that oozed a thin, translucent juice. The dim lights of passing decks drifted past him and he let his mind wander to the events of the last few days, quickly breaking from his reverie as the doors opened and he stepped onto his destination.

  "Captain on deck." George saluted proudly and the Captain looked around before giving one in return. George, brought down his hand and smiled before going back to his post at the Tactical console. Krista stood up from her chair at the helm and gave her own salute, her large breasts also up at attention; she was wearing her dark purple spandex suit today and had a gold headband to match the stripe down her side.

  "Captain, you're back early."

  "Alexander wasn't showing me much mercy. I swear, I think he took delight in watching me crash over and over again."

  "Tough ride sir?"

  "It was a bitch. Not only that, but he kept sending mosquitoes after me in the night. I barely got any sleep. I was expecting such a nice and quiet evening."

  "Expectations are premeditated resentments sir."

  He frowned and looked up to find Krista wearing one of her rare grins.

  "What are you so happy about? Did I miss something exciting?"

  "You could say that. It's all in a report waiting for you in your office."

  "Will it explain why none of my officers are at their posts on the bridge?"

  "Oh," she nodded, "I think that question would be satisfied."

  "Good," he squinted at her as she continued to stare at him. "Is that all?"

  "You have a guest," her Captain's eyes went wide, "she arrived here a few hours earlier than scheduled."

  "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

  Krista's smile grew a notch and she cocked an eyebrow in response, his frown fell a notch.

  "You could have disturbed with news like that," he shook his head. "Where is she?"

  "She's waiting for you in your office. Karen is keeping her company."

  "Well that's just great. Thank you Commander, now why don't you go and finish swallowing that canary."

  "Oh yes sir."

  He watched her walk off, even her hips portraying her overwhelming sense of smugness. The Captain turned to face the entrance to his office. He knew he didn't look his best, slightly dirty and wearing old shoes that he saved for exercising, and he ran a hand through his long hair in an attempt to make it more presentable. The door opened and he stepped inside.

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  His office was quiet and dominated by shadows. The large wooden desk at the far end of the room was dimly lit by the small lamp that rested in one of it's corners. Behind it, sitting in his comfortable leather chair, was a beautiful woman who gazed at a number of loose papers with metallic gray eyes. Her flowing blonde hair framed a soft face and rich lips of dark wine. She was leaning back contentedly with her long legs and bare feet relaxing on the desk. His eyes drifted to a mild glowing that rested around one of her toes in the form of a golden ring, it's simple beauty complementing it's owner perfectly. She glanced up from her reading and smiled. They looked at each other for an affectionate moment, and then she went back to her silent study.

  He sighed happily and looked around his office. Karen was standing off to one side; he was about to say something to her when he noticed that she didn't seem to be moving. Her arms were frozen in place as they were slightly raised near her hips. Her mouth was open and locked in mid-sentence as she remained there silent and rigid; a living statue trapped in the fluctuations of time.

  The Captain waved a hand in front of her blank face before smirking.

  "What did you do to my Navigator?"

  The blonde lifted a finger that asked for a quick moment more. She dropped the papers she was reading on to the middle of the desk and looked up as she folded her hands across her firm stomach. She was wearing a colorful Hawaiian shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows and the lower lapels tied beneath her ample breasts.

  "Let me ask you something first."

  She curled her toes in that way that he found irresistible and he acquiesced with a shrug.

  "Why am I the owner of a mining colony? Why not make me a member of the crew or one of these military scientists that are going to pop up later on?"

  He stared off into the corner as he began to smile.

  "It's my story, I can do whatever I want with it. Besides," he clapped his hands in front of him with a modest laugh, "you're a walk-on character; you come in, have a small cameo, and then leave."

  "Normally so do you."

  "So I bent the rules a little bit. I'm the author; I have that right."

  "I still would have liked to have been a fighter pilot or something."

  The Captain pointed at the motionless Karen and looked at his guest questioningly.

  "Oh, her? She wouldn't shut up; she just kept going on about how great the ship is, and how powerful the engines are, and how fast it can go, and that she's seen every episode of every Star Trek series, and blah, bla-blah, blah, bluh."

  He shook his head as he smiled. He reached out and put a hand on Karen's shoulder and she suddenly sparked back to life.

  "...and if you'd like to see any of the nine Star Wars movies I have them in my, oh!" Karen turned around startled. "Captain, I didn't hear you come in."

  "I'm sorry I crept up on you like that Karen. I think I can take it from here."

  "That's good sir, I'll leave you two alone. Oh, and the report of last night's activities is on your desk."

  "Thank you." They both watched her leave the room; as the door to the office closed, the blonde cocked an eyebrow.

  "Where do you find these people?"

  "Leave them alone," he opened a small cabinet set in the wall and reached for one of numerous bottles of assorted spirits, "they're all friends of mine from high school and college. He shrugged as he began to pour, "well, they're all 'based' on friends of mine I should say." He handed her a small glass that had aged scotch floating over a few cubes of ice. "All of them except for Krista whom you know personally and Gryphon who I just made up." He sipped his delicately and then grimaced, "maybe he's based on a roommate I had during second year that I hated; I don't know."

  "I met Matthew once."

  "Yeah, but that was years ago and I've already killed his character off."

  She laughed before taking a sip of her own drink. He just stood on the other side of the desk and breathed in her exquisite beauty.

  "It's good to see you."

  "It's good to see you too," she pointed a long finger at the papers that were dropped on his desk. "I've been reading the rest of this story of yours; I like the ending you have planned, it's very dramatic."

  "The whole thing is turning out to be fairly grandiose, I thought it deserved one."

  She slowly stood up, her hair falling around her shoulders as she did. He watched her step around the desk, her face shimmering in the dim lamplight. Her bare feet rubbed against the carpet with a soft, padding sound while her toe ring was still steadily glowing. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they kissed; the thin fabric of her shirt weighed heavily against his chest as she pressed herself into him. Their lips separated and he could still taste the hint of roses as it played over his senses.

  "So remind me again of what I'm supposed to do now."

  "Hmm?" His mind was prancing around in a euphoric haze that her voice tried to drift through.

  "My role in this story of yours, what am I supposed to do?"

  "Oh, basically you're just here to tell me that I can keep Mac's shuttle."

  "Mac?"

  "Mr. Fleetwood, it's his body that you're here to pick up."

  "Mac Fleetwood, that's cute. He was the military spy that Psi killed?"

  "Yeah, but none of us know that; we just think he's one of your employees."

  "Okay, I guess I'll have my subordinates store him on my ship."

  "Don't look so broken up about losing one of your officers."

  "He's a fictional character; I'll get over it." She gave him a gentle squeeze before letting go and walking back towards the desk. A pair of light tan sandals were hidden behind a small filing cabinet and she began slipping them on, "you know these AI's of yours? You realize that you're stealing that premise from Marathon."

  "I know, but it really works and it's just so creepy. I'm sure they stole it from someone originally too."

  "That's true, it was just an observation. I didn't want to criticize." She stepped back forward and stood up straight and regal before him. They were about the same height as they stared into each other's eyes. "Captain of the Necronomicon," she started smugly, "I hereby grant you the use of our cargo ship until such time you build a replacement for your own lost shuttlecraft, Jabberwocky."

  "Thank you Executor, that is very generous of you." He extended his hand and she shook it firmly before frowning.

  "And why am I doing this now?"

  He laughed.

  "Couldn't stay in character for more then a few seconds huh? It will help advance the storyline along, trust me."

  "Whatever you say, I will take my leave of you now."

  "Good luck and safe travels back to the mining colony." She turned to walk out of the office but looked at him with one last smile; her silken blonde hair bouncing lively.

  "I'd say the same thing to you but I know what's going to happen."

  "Get out of here and let me get back to my story before you ruin it for everybody."

  With a swipe of his hand on her firm backside, he brushed her out of his office. She squealed in surprise and the doors swished shut before she could respond. The Captain walked back to his desk and plopped down in his chair. The leather was still slightly warm with the diminishing reminder of her presence. He caressed the armrest for a moment before shaking his head.

  His expression changed to a sterner visage as he straightened up and picked up the pad with the report of the previous night. The loose papers in front of him waved in the light breeze generated by his movements as he read. An extending minute passed and he dropped the pad in sudden bewilderment. He looked up, hoping someone would hear his exclamation.

  "Why didn't somebody tell me about this earlier?"

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