3rd part
Khaela and Isha were the last to step through the airlock. His suit of armor effortlessly stepping over the junk in the cargo bay. The rest of the crew turned to watch as they heard the hydraulics whine. He maneuvered into the corner, beginning the powering down sequence and the removing the interface from his body. Ashamenia stepped forward her brown eyes eyeing the scraped off campaign badges she looked at the grey camouflaged armor. Something left from better days.
Khaela stepped out, he breathed in the fresh air, his lungs rebelled as he began to cough, his muscles beginning to spasm, he closed his eyes, focusing concentrating, slowing his breathing, he hasn’t been the same since that wound. As the years past since then, his body slowly deteriorating. Then, for a moment his lungs cleared the world was still, he could hear the breaths and heartbeats of everyone, he could smell the cold steel and titanium. He felt the hum of the ships drive, and the bizarre ship left to drift in the emptiness in space. He stood to his full height. Then it went black. Khaela dropped to floor convulsing, his body racked with seizures, Ashamenia quietly went to his side, trying to keep him still holding his tongue. The rest of the crew watched.
“some solider he is, can’t even keep it together anymore”
Amber slapped the mechanic across the face, and rushed over to help Asha,
“This ones bad, is he going to be ok ash?”
“I don’t know where’s Martin we need a medic here”
Amber ran to the com, and called for Martin to come to the cargo bay, it didn’t take long for him to get there.
‘oh shit, I never seen him this bad”
He went through his medical bag, the two women tried to hold his thrashing body still long enough for Martin to administer the treatment. The stood back and slowly his body came to rest.
“lets get him to the infirmary” almost at one the three picked Khaela up.
“wow he’s light” Amber obersvered.
The rest of the crew followed. After laying Khaela down and putting him on oxygen, Ezra pulled Ashamenia aside.
“Listen, I’m thankful your on this ship with us, you’ve more then paid for youself, and you’ve managed to make a nice profit with those games. I’m not sure about him, I mean every time I have him do something, he has some kind of breakdown. Ya, I know he had to be some war hero and all, but he’s kinda useless”
“how much? How much for you to leave him alone, to not speak poorly of him anymore”
Ezra laughed, and the mechanic Adam chuckled along with.
“Never heard that shit before, getting paid off to not pick on some one. I need to do that more often!’ Eric said with a gleaming smile on his face.
Ezra, looked at Ashamenia cold still face.
“your serious.”
He watched her pupil's dilate, her brown eyes almost becoming black.
“Dead serious”
“ok whatever, just keep him out of our way and if something important needs to be done, be sure to not have him volunteer”
Ashamenia stared her expression unchanging, cold, still, and motionless.
“Don’t undersestimate him, even in the condition he is in. He can best me. We fought on the same side Ezra, you know what I did, you know what he did, show some respect. I think he’s earned it.”
“Ash, that was in the past, this is our clean slate now. I don’t give a shit to be honest, what I care about are profits and efficiency” Ezra exclaimed.
Ashamenia, stood and stared at Ezra, a million different actions were going through her mind at once, and all of them ended with him screaming in agony. She looked over at Eric standing there with his teenage arrogant grin. She spun on her heal and walked away.
“damn that girl has an ass.” Eric said under his breath.
In her room, Ashamenia skimmed through her old contacts, somewhere in their travels they meet a man who had a intimate understanding of Khaela, or so it seemed when they talked. Two same last names, but that doctor had no number no way to be reached. So she called the one who did.
“Oh, Ashamenia, long time… what’s the occasion?”
“you have a relative who is a doctor? I need his expertise”
“yes, yes I do, and im very happy you called, because I happened to be needing your expertise… of course I will pay you, and give you Roberts number.”
‘fine”
“What! You don’t even ask what it is? Well then, there is a particular lawman, he works for customs. He has been getting in the way of my business, I need to send out a statement to every law abiding government worker, that I will not tolerate this. I need it to be very clear and very graphic.”
“What do you need me to do?” Ashamenia suddenly felt very ill.
Amber sat next to Khaela, Isha looked on the machines blue eyes regarding the both of them, Khaela’s breathing was slow and regular. Martin finishing up cleaning his medical supplies, looked down at Amber.
“He will be ok, he’s getting worse though, although theres no damage to any of his tissues, its really very odd, I don’t understand why he’s having this seizures, maybe he’s epileptic. Anyways you better get up to the bridge, I’m sure Ezra needs you to get us somewhere.”
Amber nodded, and took her leave. Marvin looked down at Isha and for awhile they regarded each other.
“I’m going where!” Ezra said very loudly.
“There is a lot of work to be had there, and this work I have will be a big pay off I’ll split it with all of you. There will be enough even to get that self repair system you been talking about” Ashamenia leaned against the wall with her arms crossed across her chest. Amber sat at the flight controls listening.
“I don’t know I’ve been to the planet before, its bad news. Wait how much did you say you can make”
Ashamenia told him, Amber’s jaw dropped, and Ezra’s eyes opened wide.
“well then I guess were going”
Khaela woke up and looked around, he pulled the oxygen from his nose. And carefully turned off the valve. He got up, Isha standing right with him. He started back to his room and came across Eric.
“hey man, just thought I’d let ya know, the captain wanted to get rid of ya seeing, that your not much good at anything, but that hot ass girlfriend of yours was going to pay us to keep you on.” Eric said smiling.
Khaela Simply regarded Eric and walked past him going into his room, he ordered Isha to guard outside. He felt the ship touch down. But paid no attention to it. He closed and locked the door behind him. He went to his chest, and pulled out a large black box. He thumbed through the combination, and said looking, with a small smile on his face. He looked at the pictures of his family, of him as a kid. He looked upon his friends from high school. His hands shaking, he slowly went through every picture. Some longer then others. He read through old letters, of old friends no longer alive, or those who have long forgotten his name. he came across a brown box. He started at it. Hesitantly he reached for ward and undid the latch. He looked down at the shinning medals, and immaculately clean ribbons. He reached foreward and held his humanitarian ribbon. He held it close to his chest.
“I hope you are all ok, I hope you have the lives you wanted” he placed the ribbon down. He reached for silver round one. Inscribed upon it, were three words, Gallantry, Courage, Sacrifice.
“There were only 12 of these awarded, the honorifics exemplar.” he put it away
He took out a sheet of paper and wrote two words
“I’m sorry.”
He walked over to his gun locked and removed his pistol, he took a single 14mm high explosive round. He sat on the bed. He looked around. He looked at all the things given to him. From children, from friends, from service men. He looked at the sword Ashamenia gave him.
“She’ll be ok now” he said quietly to himself
He opened the breach. And placed the single Bullet in the chamber, he took the safety off. He slowly rose the pistol to his temple.
“I have so many memories, so many places I’ve been, so many things I;ve seen and done. So many awards, so many accommodations. And now, I can’t even take care of myself. Now im a burdeon. I have lived such a wonderful life. I have seen the gulf of capella, I stormed through the city streets of New Denver, I carried the Free world colors at the battle of falling tears. And I’ve loved, and I’ve lost, I’ve killed, and I’ve wept. Soliders like me, we should die that solider’s death, in the company of brothers and sisters. Not to linger on in obscurity, I had my day. I became more then I ever dreamed. Ashamenia, we are so close, and I just hope your as proud of me. As I am of you.”
He pulled the trigger.
There is a story among soldiers, it’s a myth really, they say bullets have eyes, they go where they are meant to go, and they kill who they are meant to kill.
The hammer slammed into the primer. With a loud click. Khaela blinked. Unchambered the round and saw the dent in the live primer.
There was a knocking on the door.
“can I come in?” he heard the singsong accent of Ashamenia.
“yes” he got up to unlocked the door leaving his pistol and bullet on the bed.
Ashamenia stepped in, began to speak then stood silent as she looked at the contents of the room. As she looked past him at the pistol and bullet. Then looked up at her friend
Tears welled in her eyes, as she stepped foreward to hug him. Khaela pushed her away.
“I don’t want your pity” Khaela said coldy.
“I can’t lose you, I need you.” Ashamenia looked up at him.
“I’m going to make you better, I promise, its going to be better for us, I’m not going to let you live like this.”
Khaela collapsed, sobbing then crying. She looked down at the finest warrior, the finest man she ever meet, she fell next to him, holding each other crying like children.
Khaela stepped out, he breathed in the fresh air, his lungs rebelled as he began to cough, his muscles beginning to spasm, he closed his eyes, focusing concentrating, slowing his breathing, he hasn’t been the same since that wound. As the years past since then, his body slowly deteriorating. Then, for a moment his lungs cleared the world was still, he could hear the breaths and heartbeats of everyone, he could smell the cold steel and titanium. He felt the hum of the ships drive, and the bizarre ship left to drift in the emptiness in space. He stood to his full height. Then it went black. Khaela dropped to floor convulsing, his body racked with seizures, Ashamenia quietly went to his side, trying to keep him still holding his tongue. The rest of the crew watched.
“some solider he is, can’t even keep it together anymore”
Amber slapped the mechanic across the face, and rushed over to help Asha,
“This ones bad, is he going to be ok ash?”
“I don’t know where’s Martin we need a medic here”
Amber ran to the com, and called for Martin to come to the cargo bay, it didn’t take long for him to get there.
‘oh shit, I never seen him this bad”
He went through his medical bag, the two women tried to hold his thrashing body still long enough for Martin to administer the treatment. The stood back and slowly his body came to rest.
“lets get him to the infirmary” almost at one the three picked Khaela up.
“wow he’s light” Amber obersvered.
The rest of the crew followed. After laying Khaela down and putting him on oxygen, Ezra pulled Ashamenia aside.
“Listen, I’m thankful your on this ship with us, you’ve more then paid for youself, and you’ve managed to make a nice profit with those games. I’m not sure about him, I mean every time I have him do something, he has some kind of breakdown. Ya, I know he had to be some war hero and all, but he’s kinda useless”
“how much? How much for you to leave him alone, to not speak poorly of him anymore”
Ezra laughed, and the mechanic Adam chuckled along with.
“Never heard that shit before, getting paid off to not pick on some one. I need to do that more often!’ Eric said with a gleaming smile on his face.
Ezra, looked at Ashamenia cold still face.
“your serious.”
He watched her pupil's dilate, her brown eyes almost becoming black.
“Dead serious”
“ok whatever, just keep him out of our way and if something important needs to be done, be sure to not have him volunteer”
Ashamenia stared her expression unchanging, cold, still, and motionless.
“Don’t undersestimate him, even in the condition he is in. He can best me. We fought on the same side Ezra, you know what I did, you know what he did, show some respect. I think he’s earned it.”
“Ash, that was in the past, this is our clean slate now. I don’t give a shit to be honest, what I care about are profits and efficiency” Ezra exclaimed.
Ashamenia, stood and stared at Ezra, a million different actions were going through her mind at once, and all of them ended with him screaming in agony. She looked over at Eric standing there with his teenage arrogant grin. She spun on her heal and walked away.
“damn that girl has an ass.” Eric said under his breath.
In her room, Ashamenia skimmed through her old contacts, somewhere in their travels they meet a man who had a intimate understanding of Khaela, or so it seemed when they talked. Two same last names, but that doctor had no number no way to be reached. So she called the one who did.
“Oh, Ashamenia, long time… what’s the occasion?”
“you have a relative who is a doctor? I need his expertise”
“yes, yes I do, and im very happy you called, because I happened to be needing your expertise… of course I will pay you, and give you Roberts number.”
‘fine”
“What! You don’t even ask what it is? Well then, there is a particular lawman, he works for customs. He has been getting in the way of my business, I need to send out a statement to every law abiding government worker, that I will not tolerate this. I need it to be very clear and very graphic.”
“What do you need me to do?” Ashamenia suddenly felt very ill.
Amber sat next to Khaela, Isha looked on the machines blue eyes regarding the both of them, Khaela’s breathing was slow and regular. Martin finishing up cleaning his medical supplies, looked down at Amber.
“He will be ok, he’s getting worse though, although theres no damage to any of his tissues, its really very odd, I don’t understand why he’s having this seizures, maybe he’s epileptic. Anyways you better get up to the bridge, I’m sure Ezra needs you to get us somewhere.”
Amber nodded, and took her leave. Marvin looked down at Isha and for awhile they regarded each other.
“I’m going where!” Ezra said very loudly.
“There is a lot of work to be had there, and this work I have will be a big pay off I’ll split it with all of you. There will be enough even to get that self repair system you been talking about” Ashamenia leaned against the wall with her arms crossed across her chest. Amber sat at the flight controls listening.
“I don’t know I’ve been to the planet before, its bad news. Wait how much did you say you can make”
Ashamenia told him, Amber’s jaw dropped, and Ezra’s eyes opened wide.
“well then I guess were going”
Khaela woke up and looked around, he pulled the oxygen from his nose. And carefully turned off the valve. He got up, Isha standing right with him. He started back to his room and came across Eric.
“hey man, just thought I’d let ya know, the captain wanted to get rid of ya seeing, that your not much good at anything, but that hot ass girlfriend of yours was going to pay us to keep you on.” Eric said smiling.
Khaela Simply regarded Eric and walked past him going into his room, he ordered Isha to guard outside. He felt the ship touch down. But paid no attention to it. He closed and locked the door behind him. He went to his chest, and pulled out a large black box. He thumbed through the combination, and said looking, with a small smile on his face. He looked at the pictures of his family, of him as a kid. He looked upon his friends from high school. His hands shaking, he slowly went through every picture. Some longer then others. He read through old letters, of old friends no longer alive, or those who have long forgotten his name. he came across a brown box. He started at it. Hesitantly he reached for ward and undid the latch. He looked down at the shinning medals, and immaculately clean ribbons. He reached foreward and held his humanitarian ribbon. He held it close to his chest.
“I hope you are all ok, I hope you have the lives you wanted” he placed the ribbon down. He reached for silver round one. Inscribed upon it, were three words, Gallantry, Courage, Sacrifice.
“There were only 12 of these awarded, the honorifics exemplar.” he put it away
He took out a sheet of paper and wrote two words
“I’m sorry.”
He walked over to his gun locked and removed his pistol, he took a single 14mm high explosive round. He sat on the bed. He looked around. He looked at all the things given to him. From children, from friends, from service men. He looked at the sword Ashamenia gave him.
“She’ll be ok now” he said quietly to himself
He opened the breach. And placed the single Bullet in the chamber, he took the safety off. He slowly rose the pistol to his temple.
“I have so many memories, so many places I’ve been, so many things I;ve seen and done. So many awards, so many accommodations. And now, I can’t even take care of myself. Now im a burdeon. I have lived such a wonderful life. I have seen the gulf of capella, I stormed through the city streets of New Denver, I carried the Free world colors at the battle of falling tears. And I’ve loved, and I’ve lost, I’ve killed, and I’ve wept. Soliders like me, we should die that solider’s death, in the company of brothers and sisters. Not to linger on in obscurity, I had my day. I became more then I ever dreamed. Ashamenia, we are so close, and I just hope your as proud of me. As I am of you.”
He pulled the trigger.
There is a story among soldiers, it’s a myth really, they say bullets have eyes, they go where they are meant to go, and they kill who they are meant to kill.
The hammer slammed into the primer. With a loud click. Khaela blinked. Unchambered the round and saw the dent in the live primer.
There was a knocking on the door.
“can I come in?” he heard the singsong accent of Ashamenia.
“yes” he got up to unlocked the door leaving his pistol and bullet on the bed.
Ashamenia stepped in, began to speak then stood silent as she looked at the contents of the room. As she looked past him at the pistol and bullet. Then looked up at her friend
Tears welled in her eyes, as she stepped foreward to hug him. Khaela pushed her away.
“I don’t want your pity” Khaela said coldy.
“I can’t lose you, I need you.” Ashamenia looked up at him.
“I’m going to make you better, I promise, its going to be better for us, I’m not going to let you live like this.”
Khaela collapsed, sobbing then crying. She looked down at the finest warrior, the finest man she ever meet, she fell next to him, holding each other crying like children.