A New Beginning Ch. 05

We were about four, maybe five weeks from Earth and MC3 when I was startled by someone buzzing the door of my berth. It was just after twenty hundred hours. I was in my shower and getting ready to lie down for some much needed sleep; I was due to go on watch in another four hours.

I stepped out of the shower and checked the monitor to see who was there. I was surprised to see Ronald standing there looking sheepish.

At first I didn't know whether or not to answer him. I thought about just ignoring him and pretending I wasn't in. I figured he could catch me when I was on watch later on or tomorrow when I went on watch again at eighteen hundred hours. I was tired and wanted to get some rest before I went on duty. Besides, there hadn't been any trouble for the past couple of weeks.

I have to give Father Ray the credit for that. First, he convinced everyone that Satan was not trying to destroy the James Cook and that they should ignore fabricated rumors that the ship was jinxed. Then he pulled Ronald aside and had a nice long talk with him.

Using his quiet diplomacy, he persuaded Ronald to cooperate with the officers. He told him that if he really wanted to show those who found him guilty that he was in fact innocent, then he would stop trying to get revenge against them. He would work with the officers to try and convince the others that the ship was no danger -- from anyone or anything. This way although it couldn't change the guilty verdict, at least the officers might rethink their ideas of him always being the bad guy.

I wondered if that was why Ronald was buzzing my cabin.

I decided that as the captain of the ship it was my duty to talk to the crew whenever they requested an audience. I quickly slipped on some pants and a shirt. Then I glanced into my mirror to make sure I was at least somewhat presentable. I frowned. It was obvious that I wasn't wearing a bra. I reluctantly opened the hatch but I didn't close it once he entered. I don't trust him.

"Good evening Ronald. Come on in. What can I do for you?"

"Good evening Antoinette."

I overlooked his refusal to address me as an officer. We weren't on the bridge or anywhere where someone could overhear us. Besides he had come to my berth in the evening when I was not on duty. I figured that maybe it was something personal that he wanted to talk about.

He looked at the open door and fidgeted slightly.

"I can't close the hatch Ronald both for your safety as well as mine."

"Yeah, I understand."

I could see that he was nervous so I offered him my chair. I sat on the edge of my bed.

He glanced around the room. "Your berth is a lot smaller than I expected."

"Yes, Joshua, Chantelle, Yves and I might have our own private cabins but they are very small. I've seen larger walk-in closets back on Earth. But I'm sure that's not what you've come here to talk about. How can I help you?"

"Some of the crew asked me to come and talk to you."

He paused.

"About what?" I was trying to make him feel comfortable.

"Look, I know there ain't any good feelings between us . . . between you and me but I . . . that is, some of us figure that maybe if we heard it straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak, then maybe we would know the truth."

My first thought was that Ronald was up to some kind of trick and that I better be careful about what I say to him. My second thought was that he was tactfully admitting that I never lied to him or the crew about the explosion.

I mean, here he was asking me to tell him the truth about whatever it was that was on his mind and it sounded like he was going to accept that whatever I told him would be the truth. At least I half figured it was something about the explosion.

"Go on," I encouraged him. I wanted him to feel at ease and to tell me what it was that was bothering him.

"Since you've allowed the crew to view the Earth, I've been on the upper and lower flight decks a few of times to look at it and so has some of the crew. I was there just a couple of hours ago. It looks about the size of my thumbnail, like a little blue marble. It looks real pretty through the telescopic camera monitor." He laughed nervously.

"Yes, I know you've been on the flight deck. For security, the officer in charge of the bridge keeps a log of every unauthorized person who comes on the bridge or the lower flight deck, when he or she was there and the purpose of the visit."

"Well, some of the crew has come to the conclusion that that ain't Earth we're heading for. I ain't stupid. I believe it is Earth; I can see the continents through the monitor and I recognize them. But something has changed about it. We were hoping you'd tell us about what's going on."

"You know Ronald; I was discussing this very issue with Joshua, Joseph and Chantelle this morning at breakfast. We have no idea what the problem is. We cannot raise anyone on the long range antenna and the computer tells us that it's working properly."

"What about the short range antenna?" he asked.

"We are still too far away from Earth and MC3 to use the short range antenna. It will be at least another week to ten days or more before we are within range for the short range antenna to be able to pick up anything."

"Yeah, some of us have heard about you're not being able to raise anyone on the radios and that channel eight has nothing but snow. There's gossip that the lightening bolt damaged all the antennas."

He paused. He wanted to say something but didn't quite know how to word it. He gave another nervous laugh.

Then, "Some are even saying that we're in some other solar system, some other galaxy or something. I don't believe that either but . . . well the whole sky has changed. The rumor is that there are no space colonies on Mars or anywhere. Mars has a ring of debris surrounding it. Phobos is gone. The background constellations and stars are all different. What the hell gives Antoinette?"

"To be totally honest Ronald I do not know. No one onboard knows what the problem is. I can only tell you the facts and hope that you and everyone else believe me."

I too paused, wondering whether or not to tell him about the hole in space that we encountered and went through. To my knowledge only a few officers knew about it and none of them were talking. They were under strict orders from me not to discuss conjecture and science fiction with the crew.

I decided against telling him. No sense in telling him about something that I myself didn't understand. Besides, if I told him about something that sounds like it came from fantasyland or some science fiction story it would only increase his distrust of me and the officers.

"As you know Ronald, we were in an electrical storm between Jupiter and its satellites. A bolt of lightening knocked out our long range antennae and maybe even our short range antenna too for all I know. Then another bolt exploded one of the liquid oxygen tanks breaking the James Cook in half. The explosion also threw us across the solar system in the vicinity of Mars. That's it Ronald. That is all I or any other officer knows. If you don't believe me then there is nothing I can do to change that."

"Well like I said, I believe that. But some of the crew ain't so well educated and they're into believing all kinds of superstitious nonsense. I'm not all that educated myself; I dropped out of school when I was in the tenth grade. But it's hard telling them the facts when all they believe in is science fiction and fantasy. I guess I was just hoping you had something else to tell me, something I could tell them."

I finally had it; straight from the horse's mouth, to use his own words. Ronald didn't believe in any conspiracy bullshit.

"You can tell them that I will give them the whole truth as soon as I myself know the answers. Until then, we are only a few weeks away from home. Tell them to be patient. Then they can air their gripes and grievances to whomever will listen to them."

Suddenly Chantelle appeared at my door.

"Good evening Chantelle," I said with a smile.

"Good evening Captain Antoinette," she answered me formally. "I'm sorry I thought you were alone. I'll come back."

"That's alright," Ronald cut in. "I was just leaving. Thank you Captain Antoinette. I appreciate your talking with me. I'll pass on what you said to the rest of the crew."

"I promise you Ronald. You'll be the first person I talk to as soon as I know anything." I wondered if his addressing me properly was because Chantelle was present or because he was actually thankful for our little chat.

"Thank you ma'am. Is it alright if I go to the flight deck and have another look at the Earth through the telescopic camera monitor? I sure do like looking at it."

"Sure Ronald. You can go as often as you like and stay as long as you like. Just tell the officer of the deck that I said it was OK and be sure he logs you in and out."

"Yes ma'am. Thank you again ma'am."

He squeezed past Chantelle and went toward the elevator. I pressed the close button and the hatch slid close.

"What did he want?" Chantelle asked. There was contempt in her voice.

"Seeing that we are close to home, I'm not sure if he was trying to mend fences or if he was genuinely seeking information. He admitted that there wasn't any conspiracy and that the explosion was caused by a bolt of lightening."

"So What! I don't trust him." The contempt was still there. "I was in the brig HQ watching my monitor and saw him come here. So I thought I'd come and make sure you're alright."

"I don't trust him either but he seemed genuinely friendly for a change. I think he just wanted to dispel for himself some of the rumors that are floating around the ship."

"Toni, he's usually the one who starts them. You better be careful. He's up to something, believe me."

"Will you quit worrying about me Chantelle? I'm Ok."

"I wouldn't want him to hurt you or anything." She put her hand on the side of my head, cupping my ear. She ran her fingers through my hair. "I would die if he did something to you."

"Chantelle! He's a snake I know. But he's not a murderer. He's a con artist."

"Still, I don't think it's wise for you to see him alone in your cabin. There's no telling what he might do." She caressed my cheek with her hand. I pressed her hand to my face. Then I kissed her palm.

We met twelve years ago. I was a junior flight officer and she was a low grade policewoman. We were stationed on MC3 together, both just starting out in our chosen profession. We became instant lovers and have flown several missions together ever since.

When Butler selected me as his first officer I asked him if Chantelle could be the chief of security. He offered the position to her without even interviewing her, solely on my recommendation.

"Are you on duty?" I asked. I was lonely and wanted to make love with her.

"No. Since we've got the extra security I haven't taken a watch. But I make sure to check in at least once with every watch. So I'm up pretty much around the clock. I guess you could say that I'm on duty all the time. I catch catnaps whenever I can."

She ran her fingers through my hair and down the back of my neck. I could tell that she wanted to make love too.

"Yes, I know. Both Craig and Anthony told me that you're always checking in. When did you decide not to cover a watch?"

She was scratching the back of my neck with her right hand; her left hand was on my waist. Goose bumps were rising up my back. I closed my eyes and let the feelings running up my spine take control of my body.

"A couple of days after the extra security was added. I just left security a few moments ago. I won't have to go back there again for several hours." She paused. Then, "I want to make love with you Toni. I need you. We haven't made love for almost a week."

I opened my eyes and put my hands on the sides of her face and drew her to me. We kissed; our tongues danced together. Our arms wrapped around each other. We fell back on the bed and made love like there was no tomorrow. Then we slept together in the nude.

I love Chantelle. I really do and I'll probably end up living with her someday. But I want to have a little more freedom before I settle down. I would also like to have a man around, a man who won't mind sharing me with my lesbian lover.

I guess that's what I'm really searching for, some warm, passionate man who won't get jealous if I happen to have an affair with another woman. So until he comes along, I'll remain the way I am.

My alarm went off a few minutes before twenty-four hundred. It woke Chantelle too. She started to get up. But I asked her to stay till I got off watch in six hours. She said that she would have to make her rounds but she would be back before I got off watch.

She was. When I came into my berth just after zero six hundred the next morning she was naked and sleeping in my bed. I quietly took off my clothes and then woke her up. We made love again with a strap-on dildo.

We didn't get up until just after nine o'clock. By the time we got dressed, brushed our teeth and got cleaned up it was ten hundred. She asked me to accompany her to the cafeteria. We both knew that they had stopped serving breakfast at zero nine hundred and lunch wouldn't start for another hour and a half. But all she wanted was for me to be with her for a little while longer, before she took on the weight of her job. We went together and she had a cup of coffee. I settled for a glass of orange juice; I don't like coffee.

Father Ray was sitting at one of the tables reading, having just finished saying Sunday Mass. Every day he said Mass at ten hundred hours. He used the cafeteria because it was the single, largest room onboard. Very few people attended but I did when I didn't have duty or the late night watch.

I once asked him about missing Sunday Mass on those mornings I had the graveyard shift. True, I could set my alarm and get up. But I would have to set it for zero nine thirty and that would only give me about three hours sleep. Then I would be dragging the rest of the day unless I somehow got back to sleep.

But as captain of the James Cook, once I was up and out of my berth there was almost always someone with a problem or something needing my attention that would prevent me from getting back to my cabin for some more sleep.

Whenever that happened, then when I went on watch again at eighteen hundred it would be almost impossible to continue six hours on duty without nodding off, especially a duty where you sat and did nothing except watch the stars for six hours.

I know I only have about three hours sleep in me now but after making love with Chantelle . . . well just being with her gives me a boost of energy. I'll be OK for my next shift at eighteen hundred.

Anyway, I once asked Father Ray about missing Sunday Mass. He told me that as he saw it I had a choice between the lesser of two evils.

I could sleep in and miss Mass but receive Holy Communion later, privately in the cabin he shared with Juan, who incidentally served as alter server for Father. Or, I could get up, attend Mass and then risk the lives of everyone onboard if I fell asleep on watch and something dangerous happened that required my full attention. I didn't let it bother me after that.

Father Ray is like that. He has his way of helping you see the better course of action between two or more choices facing you. He frequently said that life more often than not gives us the choice between the lesser of two evils. He said that God made it that way in order to get us to use our logic and work together to solve our problems.

Chantelle and I joined Father at his table. We had been sitting there chatting about ten minutes when Adam came in.

Chantelle noticed her volunteer security guard looking around the cafeteria and waved him over. He reported to her that he had just put Ronald in the brig for refusing to leave the flight deck when ordered to do so.

Chantelle wanted to let him stay there for the rest of the day but I reminded her that I had given him permission to go whenever he wanted to and that he could stay as long as he liked.

Chantelle, Adam and I went to the brig together. I asked Ronald if he informed the officer on deck about what I told him yesterday, about going as often as he wanted to and staying as long as he liked. He said he had but that George didn't believe him and after a few minutes of looking at the Earth through the monitor George ordered him off the flight deck.

I shook my head in disbelief and asked him if there were any other senior officers on deck. He answered me that moments before all the ruckus started Joshua came down from the bridge to use to the zero G toilet booth located on the lower flight deck.

He said that as soon as Joshua entered the booth, George ordered him off the flight deck. I gave Chantelle a knowing smile. I was sure it was George up to his old tricks of playing at being captain of the ship again.

I apologized to Ronald for George's actions and asked him if he wanted to return to looking at the Earth again. He answered me no.

I then told him that as of now I was issuing a formal, written order that anyone who wanted to go on the lower flight deck and look at the Earth through telescopic camera monitor or to the bridge to look at it through the window, they could do so. Further, he or she could stay as long as they liked as long as they were properly logged in and did not disrupt the men and women on duty there.

I also told him I would post the order on the cafeteria bulletin board. He thanked me and went to the games room.

After he left I turned to Chantelle. The look on her face told me that she was angry. The two people onboard she disliked the most and who had caused the most problems had had an altercation.

"I ought to lock them both up and keep them locked up until we return to Earth," she said through her teeth.

"Calm down Chantelle. Joshua and I will handle George." I then excused myself and went to the bridge.

When I got there Father Ray, Joshua and George were gathered around the telescopic camera monitor. I really felt like berating George right in front of everyone. I was glad that Father Ray was there. His mere presence helped me see the better course of action. He has an uncanny ability to show up in potentially explosive situations before they erupt.

For example, just a few days earlier, two female construction workers were getting ready to go at it in the TV lounge. They were both seeking the affections of another male construction worker. Both had been drinking and the air was starting to heat up. Judith, one of the volunteer bartenders, was about to call security when in walks Father Ray.

He sizes up the threatening situation and sits down between the two jealous women. He orders a scotch and water -- which he does not drink -- and begins to talk to them. About ten minutes later all is forgiven, they are the best of friends and the male construction worker is history.

As for the scotch and water that he didn't drink, he once told me he doesn't drink that "rot gut" they sell in the TV lounge. So I assume he just ordered it in order to fit in, "to be one with the crowd."

As far as I know, he's the only person onboard to have his own private stock of 12 year old scotch in his cabin. But I doubt that he's an alcoholic. He started the mission with ten bottles of wine for mass and seven bottles of scotch of which he indulges himself in the evening hours. He still has three bottles of each.

"George, could I talk to you in my cabin please," I said as calmly as I could.

Father Ray looked up from the monitor. "Could I talk to you first Captain Antoinette?"

I immediately knew that Father Ray had already defused the problem. I couldn't refuse him. "Sure Father."

"Why don't we go to my cabin," he said as soon as we entered the elevator room. "It's a double and little larger than yours. We'll have more room to relax."