Second Chances

[slippedhalo]

Second Chances ( thepoeticmaster2121 and me for now, pm if interested)

The year is 3003.
People of Earth are being shipped to a new planet because of the environment beginning to break down. The Earth's Government have set up headquarters on a planet they are calling Beta Earth and have been running much of Earth's evacuation plan from there for almost six years now. After the politicians in Earth Gov., highly educated and wealthy get first choice of where to live on Beta and can get transport and new homes and jobs there as soon as they arrive. After the first wave of Beta Earth colonists are settled, the military (who are promised real estate on Beta Earth as soon as they've finished the operations of the evacuations) will be going, according to rank and importance in the Evacuation Project. Some workers in specialized fields and farmers are allowed to come next but must first be processed on a station, Station New Hope, along the way.

The journey to New Hope from Earth takes about five months of pretty cramped, not very nice living conditions aboard a travelling caravan of fourteen ships. While those ships stop to rest and refuel and make repairs, the people are processed. This means checked out for their financial means, education, genetic background, health, age, fertility levels, and whatever else Earth Gov. decides might be the new deciding factor of the week for the working class citizens who are treated too often as ''less than'' by those in charge. Those deemed well enough or valuable in Beta Earth's new elitist society to go on do so after about a week on the station.

The rest of the journey to the new planet is only through a wormhole and takes three week's travel from there. Only about half of those promised a place on Beta Earth get to actually go on from Station New Hope. The rest end up stranded on New Hope. Unable to get transport back to their dying world they're forced into labor in all the station's necessary operations or left homeless and crime laiden in the ''under portion''of the station.

Still, those people consider themselves luckier than the poor, doomed souls left on Earth itself, to die with their polluted, population decimated, planet. Those people...basically thrown away, considered too old, too infirmed, former or current criminals, or those who've simply slipped through the cracks, left to endure the harsh ice side and burning desert side of the nearly lifeless planet. On Alpha Earth there's nothing in healthy balance anymore. It's either too hot, or too cold, or very very wet, and nothing in between, ever. The air is too toxic to breathe without expensive filtered masks to protect the face and lungs and must be replaced every two months or they stop working...If anyone can stand being outside at all, UV rays make it impossible to be outside for more than ten minutes without risking cancers and other health problems, murders and crimes running amok, no one left to protect the people left, and the earth itself set to be lifeless within less than a century...




''With 14 ships, each taking 5 months or so to make the first leg of the journey, and count at least one being repaired at any given time...Travelling caravans are only about three or four ships at a time (like we're now travelling with ''The Mandela'' and ''The Tesla'', in this way there's always some traffic going to Beta or Alpha...it's pretty hectic there on New Hope.'' said Captain Marcus Raphael to his heads of staff as they talked for the umptienth time about what to expect when their ship, ''The Copernicus'', would get to their first destination, a pit stop of about a week, sometimes longer, depending on the condition of the ship upon arrival. The main crew would stay on as their passengers moved on to another ship, fresh and ready to get them the rest of their journey to Beta Earth, the ultimate destination, a world of unimaginable beauty, five times the size of Alpha Earth and cleaner, totally unspoilt, a fresh start for the luckiest of humans who could make it there...''Usually, it's ''The Mother Theresa'' or ''The Hawking'' which brings the passengers from ''The Copernicus'' out to Beta. Most of us have been doing this for five years now, a few even from the beginning, with Earth Gov. themselves. I myself was third in command on ''The Kingdom Bound'' when we made that first mission, before it was taken out of commission by that unexplained space phenomenon...''

The Captain trailed off, the scarred left hand white-knuckled gripped the tabletop, just for a second as he looked off, out the viewportand into space, likely seeing some phantom from his past in his mind's eye as he shook off the urge to relive the horrific day half his ship's crew and several important, and well missed members of Earth Gov. were killed. A wave of nothing more explainable than a sort of seemingly intelligent magnetic heat which seemed to intelligently lock onto and follow the ship no matter where it moved to when trying to avoid the thing...It burned so many humans on ''The Kingdom Bound'' alive, melting portions of the ship, and the survivors had only had a matter of seconds to man life pods and escape, limping back to Alpha Earth at a tenth of the speed of a starship. The pods were picked up a week later by a scout ship which towed them into Earth's gravity and helped them to land. Like little beaten baby ducks, all in a row, a child's toy returning, battered and broken, to the shelf, never played with again. A sense of wonder and innocence about space travel was knocked out of many humans that day. There was something to be feared out in the unknown and this was a reminder of the risks space travel still held and the mystery of entering into something quite blindly but having no choice not to anymore.

No one ever knew what that wave was. It had been called simply an unexplained phenomenon and never really explored further. No one wanted to find it to study it. No one wanted to burn to death, and nothing was going to stop Earth Gov. in their eagerness to settle the planet they'd found, not even losing so many of their own in their first attempt to settle there.

Doctor Teaghan MacHugh watched him as he pulled himself from a terrible reverie and instead finished the briefing for the rest of their sakes, specifically, her and the head of Engineering who was only on her first year aboard Copernicus. They shared a look and she smiled at the tall, dark skinned beauty. Twyla Mustafah had become a friend to Teaghan and as they were both the only women in the senior staff of the Copernicus they often shared little inside jokes or smiles as if to say, ''Can you believe these guys?'' or, ''You hangin in there alright, sister?'' Today the look was more like, ''Did you see that? Poor guy.'' and silent agreement. They both liked and respected the Captain. He was a very serious fellow, staunch military, but also made sensible decisions when it came to the smooth running of the ship and his part of Alpha's evacuation.

Besides, she liked military types. Her fiancee was one. Second in command on The Copernicus, where they met and started dating three years ago, The Commander was all soldier sitting at the right side of the Captain, and across from Teaghan. His eyes found her's and she inwardly melted a little, her fair skin blushing easily. It was all she could do not to smile shyly and twirl a strand of copper hair between her fingers under that hot gaze, so much like a puppy-dog teenager he had her feeling at times... He was handsome, sexy, and very disciplined. She loved everything about him. They would be maried on Beta when both of them had finished their contracts with the Earth Gov. to evacuate Alpha and they'd even get a government family-starter bonus for agreeing to get on to reproducing before either of them was thirty-three. Thirty-three was the limit age for the bonus. They were both considered an ideal genetic and socio-economic pairing so it was sanctioned by Earth Gov. Earth Gov. was using the financial bonus as incentive to get young couples on Beta of approved genetic and socio-economic statuses to reproduce and create a first Beta generation as soon as possible... Teaghan would have been eager even without the financial incentive. She was engaged because she was truly in love. She couldn't wait to settle down and have a family with him. One more year left for her, and another yet for him, then they could start their life together....

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

Michael Kneffler heard his commanding officer break up the meeting and he finally blew out a relieved sigh. The meeting was the standard brief that he had already read last night, being the captains second in command was a cushy job but it did mean he had to read all of his briefs and dictate them into the holo pads they used on the Copernicus.

Of course it did mean he got to eye fuck his fiancé while they attended the brief

He may have been the epitome of military discipline on the outside but the whole time he was sitting at the desk he was thinking of pulling her across the desk and fucking her. He was usually much more…… Disciplined with his feelings to her but it had been a rough cycle and they had both been called away and busy. The meeting was actually one of the first times they had seen each other in the last couple of days, the captain was being very cautious on this trip which meant that Mike had spent most of it double and triple checking their course corrections and telemetry, it was a simple albeit time consuming task which meant Mike spent most of his time locked in navigation.

The captain was finishing his brief and he saw his fiancé turned to the other girl seated there and share a sympathetic look the captain still had a lot of issues with his first command and he knew that it was not getting any better. What had become restless dreams where now sleepless nights and he was rapidly loosing his cool as he got more and more paranoid. Mike didn’t want to report him just yet but he was starting to think if it continued he would have no choice.

The captain got up nodding at every one before quickly shuffling back off to navigation to check the charts again. Mike had managed to swing some favor with the captain and he and his lovely fiancé had a half day off before they needed to return to their duties, he got up taking his military cap and securing it on his head before brushing some lingering dirt off of his black dress uniform, it accented his body in just the right way showing off his wash board chest and muscles while framing him in a sexy handsome way. He grabbed the paper work on his desk and tucked it into his armpit before walking over to his fiancé and her friend.

“Greeting ladies” He said smiling and stopping in front of them “ Here are your orders for the day” He said smiling and handing on sheaf of paper to the new women named Twyla. He smiled before putting on his most charming and sexy smile and turning to his fiancé.

“And here are your order Ma’am” Mike said handing her his papers and making sure their fingers touched lightly. Mike was under orders to always keep it professional in a public setting so he nodded at both of them before turning on his heels and moving to the gang way hatch. She would see that his orders were to take the day off and his were to and she would hopefully go back to the small room they shared together and where he was currently headed.

He moved through the ship stopping and making sure every one was doing their jobs. He may have had the day off but he valued military precision and that meant making sure every one was doing their jobs and not slacking. He knew the journey was starting to get tiring (hell even he was starting to loath it) but they were close and after this most of them just had a few short months left.

He finally crossed a few criss crossing cat walks before reaching a large oval hatch, he spun the dial before pulling it open and stepping into his quarters, it was nice by military ship standards with a view point looking out into the depths of space and a small shower and bathroom. A huge bed took up most of the room and it was one of the few times Mike had bent the rules a little, it was top of the line and back on Earth 1 it was the best bed a person could buy. He couldn’t bear to part with it when they evacuated so he had bribed enough people to steal it aboard the ship and put it in his room.

He went to the closet and pulled off the top of his military suit before hanging it up and closing the slide out closet. He sat down on his bed closing his eyes and feeling the hum of the ship before he laid down and waited paitently for his fiancé.

 

[slippedhalo]

Teaghan read the orders as Twyla read hers. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and she chuckled to herself.

Twyla looked up, her brown eyes twinkling as she wondered what Teaghan was so happy about. ''Did he leave you a message or something?'' She asked, knowing full well that even professionals had to sometimes have their own fun. She wouldn't begrudge the engaged couple a little inside joke from time to time.

Teaghan's smile faded and she grew quite professional in her demeanor, her posture straightening as she shook her head and fibbed, ''No. It's nothing, just something I need to take care of in Medical...''

''Uh huh.'' said Twyla, not entirely convinced. ''I'll see you tomorrow before breakfast in the dining-hall. You'll be by to pick me up for our usual run, right?''

Teaghan nodded, ''Yes, of course, Twy. I'll see you in the morning.'' She said absently, turning to head away, ''Bye!"

''Bye!'' replied Twyla, noting mentally that the direction Teaghan was headed in such a hurry was not the ship's Medical Offices...


*************************************************************************

Teaghan arrived just in time to see her fiance and lover lying peacefully (and oh, so sexily) on the huge bed he was so proud of. She wasted no time in stripping her uniform off and crawling atop the giant bed in her pink panties and bra toward him, kissing him on the nose and laughing as he tickled her, wrestling her playfully until she was pinned beneath him and the kissing became more intense and intimate.

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

He pinned her and then kissed her moving his hands down her frame and delighting in every curve. His lips moved away from her mouth hand across her cheek before going to her neck and gently kissing it. His mouth found her favorite and more sensitive spot and began nibbling on it, he sucked on her neck as his hands pushed down the pants of his uniform and he kicked them away.

They went scattering across the room and into the shadows as his big thick cock popped out of his pants and smacked against her sweet velvety pussy lips. He picking her up pressing her against his muscular chest as the big head of his cock gently tickled and moved against her lips.


“I need you baby” He groaned before pushing just the head of his cock into her and letting his head pop out before he slammed it deep into her pussy.

 

[slippedhalo]

''I've missed you so much!'' Teaghan exclaimed just before she cried out as his cock pushed into her wetness so hard it almost hurt. Her body moved against his in a dance they both knew instinctively and they rode each other hard and fast in their passion and eagerness for release.

They fucked twice and each time always ended the same way. It had to be that way but secretly sometimes Teaghan found herself hoping for an accident just to feel it just once, the feel of her lover releasing his load inside her...It was an exciting thought...

She knew why that wasn't possible, of course. Now wasn't the right time for a maternity leave. It would ruin the plans of Earth Gov., their bonuses, both of their careers...Still, in that last second when she was in the midst of her own orgasm she felt him pull out, spraying his own release over the pale flesh of her stomach and breasts instead of inside of her womb. Teaghan knew why he always did that and it was for the best for now...It still always felt somewhat disappointing every time it happened. She helped him to wipe the evidence of their lovemaking off of both of them before rolling over to lie in his arms saying softly, ''I can't wait until you won't have to pull out anymore. When we can really relax and let go...I can't wait until the evacuation is all over and we're all on Beta Earth, celebrating our new lives in a new world...''

His laughter disturbed her peaceful utopian daydream, ''What? What's so funny, Mike?''

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

Mike fucked her hard letting him self let go and be the animalistic man he couldn’t allow himself to be normally. For all that the military instilled on him he was still a man and it had been a very long time since he had the chance to fuck his fiancé. He took her hard and mere minutes later he was pulling out and Cuming all over her breast. He enjoyed the sight for a few seconds watching it drip over her body as he cleaned his cock off with a small rag and lay back down next to her with one arm lazily draped across her body. Her comment about pulling out made him wince and he found himself wondering how he was going to tell her that he did not in fact ever want to have kids. He debated about telling her now but before he could she continued talking and he tried to hide his amassment.

She didn’t know

Mike heard his fiancé shift to look at him and he asked him what was so funny, he hesitated for a minute wondering if he really should tell his wife about classified information but the urge to impress her was for once greater than his military duty.

“Okay I’ll tell you but you can not tell any one” Mike said before leaning in and telling her Earth Gov.’s new “relocation plan”

Mike knew that most of the people on this particular ship were never going to Beta Earth, the cost of this endeavor was seriously draining accounts of Earth Gov executives every where. In order to alleviate the cost a new system had been put into place behind closed doors as a second in command Mike was one of the few people told about the governments new “relocation” plan.

The people were going to start being charged for trips and most would fly under a new “work to travel” plan they would be told that they haven’t yet be considered authorized and in order to continue to be eligible for candidacy they would have to work on the various ships and stations. They could appeal it if they wanted but that took time and money to and only the ones with cushiony jumps would get to do that.

“So it’s a nice way to keep people poor until they get to alpha” Mike explained before snorting again “The only ones who are going to Beta our the elite and people like us honey”

 

[slippedhalo]

''People like us? What makes us any different than anyone else? Any more deserving of a world that isn't utterly destroyed and dying around us? Everyone deserves a chance at life, real life, Mike!''

She sat up, instinctively covering herself as she suddenly felt more than a little vulnerable in realizing she knew very little about the inner workings of a man she'd promised to spend the rest of her life with. Teaghan evaded his reach and stood to dress, regarding him with fresh perspective, her eyes narrowing as she could see in his relaxed posture how none of this bothered him one bit. Teaghan was aghast to discover he truly didn't care about humankind. ''How long have you known this, Mike? Why doesn't everybody know this? They deserve to know they aren't getting the new life they'd been promised. Someone should let them know so they can decide for themselves.''

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

“You’re forgetting some thing” Mie said growling and getting off the bed as his wife changed and yelled at him “this is a military option I’m a soldier I follow my order no matter what I think of them” He said shouldering past her and blocking the door. His usual handsome features were twisted into anger and he glared at his fiancé with different eyes.

“You can not tell any one about this” Mike said stressing those words “These are Earth Gov’s explicit orders do not say any thing about this do your job and get to the planet with out any issues”

 

[slippedhalo]

Teaghan was boiling with rage by now. How dare he tell her what to do?

...Yes, technically, he was her commanding officer...but he was also her fiance...Well, no...She realized how easily she'd fallen out of love with this man that very second. Her reply was emotionally charged, ''Do as I'm told! Do as I'm told?! Fine. But, you, SIR, can go fuck yourself for the rest of this mission, for the rest of your LIFE for all I care!''

She twisted her engagement ring off of her finger and tossed it at him from across the room. It hit him and landed with a bounce in the center of the rumpled bedspread, glittering with wasted beauty that taunted them both as they regarded it. ''I've got work to do in Medical.'' Teaghan said, her voice shaking as she worked to control it. She didn't want to cry in front of Mike even though she could feel the tears ready to burst out at the slightest provocation.

Turning on her heel, she stormed out of the room and hurried to take the lift to the Medical Lab where she could perhaps get a few precious minutes alone in her office to compose herself before work shift would begin again. As soon as the lift doors closed she'd already begun to cry. She couldn't stop it. How could someone she thought she loved be so different from what she thought she knew? How could EarthGov. be so cruel to it's own people? What would happen to humanity if this plan was allowed to go on? She suddenly understood why there was a recently strong uprising of rebellious folks who'd been trying to sabotage the military and the government's efforts at the evacuation. They weren't trying to stop people from reaching their dreams, they were trying to stop Earth Gov. from using innocent civilians as cheap labor and indentured servants!

 

[slippedhalo]

? ?

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

Mike watched her go swearing to himself as he bent over and picked up the ring from its discarded position. He regarded it for a second sighing and shaking his head. Woman, how could she be so stupid? What did it matter what was happened they were safe and that should have been all that mattered, it wasn’t like they could do some thing about it they were both earth gov employees and it was a direct order.

“I hope nothing bad comes out of this” Mike murmured pulling his discarded uniform on and deciding to go find her.

“She wont be stupid enough to get intro trouble” he murmured to himself before leaving

Little did he know how wrong he was

MONTHS LATER

The ship slowly moved along coasting through space for a few more minutes before landing in a small docking port connected to the massive space station, it was huge and sprawling with rotating outer appendages branching like a tree limb, reaching up to the stars as if hopping to capture them or touch them.

Alexander John Smith waited his hands clasped behind his back and a un-discernable expression on his face as the waited for the door to cycle through, Earth Gov was supposed to be dropping of his new medical officer today some girl on one of the ships who had gotten her self in a spot of trouble. He knew that the “command” was supposed to be trouble for her but he was damned if he was going to let it mess up her duties, she was to be his new chief medical officer and she would take her duties seriously on the ship or she would pay for it.

Before he could get any angrier the doors opened and two guards marched in with a woman wearing hand cuffs and a bulky prison uniform. Alex stiffened a little realizing she was very very pretty and even though the uniform she was wearing did little to accent her curves he could still tell they were shapely. She had a defiant edge that he liked to and even though she looked at the guards angrily she looked around the station with a interested expression.

Maybe this would be as painless as possible

“Sir reporting with your new prisoner” the security guard on the left said before his partner elbowed him “Er I mean your new science chief” he said smirking and thrusting her forward.

“If she is my new science chief why is she wearing handcuffs?” Alex asked drawing himself up to his full height, he was a tall man rippling with muscles and with the old military buzz cut that made him look like an old drill sergeant (A fact he used when he wanted to intimidate people).

The two guards exchanged uneasy looks before nervously stepping forward “Sir the prisoner-“

“You said she was my new medical officer!” Alex shouted causing them both to jump “which one is it?” he snapped narrowing his eyes at them “prisoner or medical officer?”

“Medical officer sir” the one on the left squeaked

“Then get her out of her damn cuffs!” He shouted and smiled as they unlocked the cuffs practically threw him the paper work and ran out as fast as they could back to the ship. Within seconds they were gone the ship disappearing back to its origin as fast as it possibly could.

“Walk with me” Alex said gesturing for her to walk with him and holding out his elbow to escort her.

 

[slippedhalo]

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2/AngeliaAvrielle/1000997_522559091132120_943404068_n_zps91519ec9.jpg
Doctor Teaghan MacHugh

Teaghan had spent over two months in the brig.

She'd not meant to become a member of The Rebellion against Earth Gov. She hadn't even really realized there was a resistance in existence until she'd been called a member of it and left in the brig for the rest of the ship's journey to Station New Hope. There she'd met the man who'd renamed himself Nicodemus. He was once an engineer, now nothing but a ''criminal'' for leading others to the truth about Earth Gov's plans. And, that was all Teaghan had done too, but not quite as purposefully as Nicodemus had.

It began with Twyla. She'd told Twyla what Mike had said about the others who were not in cushy command jobs being lied to about their futures on Beta, that most of them would be left to rot on New Hope, and perhaps even shipped back to their old dying home planet if they dared to resist becoming worker bees for the comfort and benefit of the elite on Beta. She'd also mentioned this to her head P.A., Kevin Nadalinski, and her head nurse, Jacintha de Jager. She'd had no idea that she was...How did Mike put it on the papers naming her formal charges?...Oh yes, ''Inciting riotous and dangerous behaviors amongst her crewmen and Abusing her Status''. Bitter laughter bubbled up in her throat everytime she thought of that paperwork, the kind of laughter that would lead to bawling tears if she didn't try to hold it back and put on her bravest face possible.

The brig had been bad but not as bad as she would have thought. Once word had travelled that she was a member of the rebellion she actually got left alone by the worst of the bullies and the others mostly avoided her. Nicodemus and Joker talked to her sometimes, mostly to tell her how The Rebellion worked and to try to decide her level of commitment to the cause. Her cellmate, Ruth, was in The Rebellion. She was Joker's mother, used to work in the ship's kitchen. Ruth was a lady who liked to keep to herself as well so between her and Teaghan there wasn't much talk happening in their cell and it stayed quiet while they served their time. Only about once every week and a half or so news of the Rebellion back on Alpha got around to the brig via the chattier of the guards and then the ladies would talk about current events a bit. The truth was, Teaghan never considered herself a rebel, not officially. Not the way everyone else seemed to think she was. She had simply gotten frustrated with the way the head honchos seemed to be treating the rest of Humanity and wanted to do her part to make sure those she cared about knew what their true fate was. She just didn't think it was fair to ruin people's lives that way and let them walk blindly into their own servitude...So, no, she didn't keep her mouth shut. And, so she now had a record. This meant no future for her either. No cushy job on Earth Beta. No wedding to one of the up-and-comers in Earth Force Command. The deal she'd been offered had been a steal in itself. Four years of service as the Head Medical Officer on Station New Hope and her behavior monitored by Earth Gov. Any comments or actions too far out of line and she faced being sent to prison back on Alpha where she risked being left to rot to death by a forgetful government once the evacuation project was completed. After four years she could apply for a position, in line with millions of other applicants, at a medical facility somewhere on Earth Beta. Luck might get her there but no longer in the posh, cushy job. And, if she didn't get picked to go in four years she could apply to renew her contract as Medical Officer on Station New Hope. That was it. Her career, and social standing, was as far as it would likely ever go. And, this was still considered a very good deal so her public defender urged her to take it, so she did and signed on the dotted line.

The stares she gave to Mike as he handed her over to the security officers could have cut glass. He would not look her in the eye and her former pain turned to seething anger but she said and did nothing, only stared. The humiliation of being paraded before her new crewmen wearing handcuffs was not easy but she refused to look uncomfortable or contrite. When the cuffs came off she looked her new Commanding Officer in the eyes. The relief at their removal barely showed through the mask of neutrality she tried to keep on to hide anything she may be feeling. After all, she was more than aware she was being watched. The old Teaghan MacHugh would have thanked him. This one simply introduced herself as formally as possible. ''Doctor Teaghan MacHugh reporting for duty, Sir.'' she said in her crisp Irish lilt.

''Walk with me.'' said the Commander. He held out his elbow, a gesture meant for her to take his arm.

She folded her hands behind her back and walked alongside him, still trying to decide what this man might be about and not wanting physical contact or his unexpected handsomness to get in the way of her preparations to be a good imitation of Earth's first robotic doctor. She didn't want to express or even feel emotions anymore. It was just too much and would only lead to disappointment and heartache. She'd rather serve out her four years with professional detachment. ''Sir. I assure you anything you may have heard about me has been greatly exaggerated and I hope to prove that by being the best Head Medical Officer you've ever had.'' She promised, her green eyes scanning the new environment and the nearly still starscape out of the windows they passed as she matched his pace.

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

“This station is all about second chances” Alex said nodding at some passing workers and pausing to help a man pick up some of his parts, he noticed her sense of detachment but shrugged and brushed it off. He had studied her file enough to know what happened and any one was bound to be upset or a little cold after all that. She was very beautiful though and he felt bad for what happened the old softie in him rearing its ugly head as it always did when he saw a damsel in distress.

“So I don’t care what you did or did not do” Alex explained boarding the elevator with her and hitting the button for the medical deck “All I care about is that you do your job and be the best medical officer you can be” He explained as the elevator slid up and they passed by the refugee deck.

His people shuffled around getting out of the slums that housed their living quarters as quickly as possible. The Earth Gov hadn’t sparred any real expense for this station and Alex was hard pressed to find any type of money that would improve their life or help them in any way. It pained him to see good honest people like this but he stayed passing up the chance to go to the new earths every time he was offered the next man who commanded this station wouldn’t care at all this he was sure of and if he didn’t stay the people would be doomed.

The elevator continued up until stopping at the medical deck, it was busy as always the new arrivals from the shattered earth bringing a host of diseases and sicknesses with them. There was not enough supplies or medicine to treat them all and Alex purposefully ignored the overstocked morgue as he turned to her.

“do your job and help these people that’s all I care about” Alex said looking at them and back at her his handsome intense eyes peering into hers “come to my office after your shift and I will show you to your quarters right now they need you to help with the latest batch of refugees” he said pointing with his thumb at a large group of sick people.

 

[slippedhalo]

Teaghan found herself relieved to have work to do so soon. It felt really good to get right back into medicine again after so long without anything to do but think. Now, she could put her mind to good use, solving medical problems, figuring out treatment plans, using creativity and good training to help save lives with very few staff and very little useful supplies. The shift went by before she knew it. Ten and a half hours had passed before she even felt the time go and it was only the change in station lighting and the realisation that all of her staff had changed shifts over two hours ago which made Teaghan take notice that perhaps it was time to wrap it up and get rest before she'd collapse.

Stretching, she then set a medical data pad in it's charger on the roster wall and yawned. ''Alright, Doctor Harvey I think I'm going to use this relatively slower period of time to get out of here and get a few hour's rest before morning shift.'' She announced, patting the doctor who'd been helping alongside her the past seven hours. He was already himself saying he'd be going to his quarters to rest in an hour or two. She realized she'd have to be careful to be stricter with herself about setting time limits or she'd be working around the clock seven days per week without sleep.

Dan Harvey flashed her a toothy grin, ''Go on, get out of here. I'm sure you'll be back first thing in the morning.'' he said teasingly.

She smiled back briefly, ''I know. It's true. I'll be back by. 6am.''

''Seven.'' he insisted.

''Six-fifteen.''

''Six-Thirty. And, you WILL eat a good breakfast or I will send food to your office and force your to stay there and eat until seven.'' he playfully threatened.

She sighed. ''Six-Thirty, fed and watered. I promise.''

After scanning her Earth Gov. wrist tat in the scanner near the door to punch out her time clock before heading out, she roamed around until she found the office belonging to Commander Smith and pressed the door chime announcing her arrival.

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

Alex heard the door chimes and looked over seeing the new doctor waiting outside and playing with her hair, he brought the status report of how she did today. Doctor Harvey reported she was exactly what they needed and their recovery time had already improved by 15 percent in her first shift. He knew she was good but he was surprised by how much she had done in such a short time, it seemed that her time as a criminal hadn’t diluted her medical experience or her drive for that matter.

“Alexia” He called nodding as his secretary stood “go let her in and give us some privacy” he spoke nodding as the young girl nodded and grabbed her lunch stuff. He turned pouring two glasses of scotch with one hand while grabbing her paper work and care package with the other.

“Come right this way” he heard Alexia say and he stood taking the two glasses of amber colored liquor.

“I was just reading your action report” he said gesturing for her to sit and putting the glass down on her side “Doctor Harvey is very impressed and so am I by the reports” he said sipping on his own and sitting down “but I want to hear it from you what did you think of your first day?” he asked genuinely curious, this command took some…. Getting used to and it could be a bit over whelming at first especially to new people.

 

[slippedhalo]

Teaghan came in and sat, her limbs thanking her for the respite as the chair embraced her body and she finally realized how tired she actually was. She regarded the glass pushed toward her and picked it up, sniffing, ''Real? Real alcohol, wow. That must have cost a pretty penny!'' she commented before tentatively tasting a sip. It was strong, sweet, but strong. She placed the glass back down carefully, not wanting to drink too much on an empty stomach.

She listened to what Smith had to say and almost smiled had she not been keeping hold of her professional detachment as if her life depended on it. She tilted her head as she thought about it and re[lied, ''It's definitely different around here. I can tell by the amount of nutrition and physical exhaustion issues that people are living on the edge here. The Medical Center wouldn't be quite as crowded if more of the population had enough food, water, clean and warm places to sleep at night, and shorter work shifts...Is there nothing more we can do for them beyond an infusion or a bowl of soup, a glass of water, patch them up and send them back out there again?'' She asked crossing her legs and regarding the office with mild interest. She could tell Smith's hobbies and interests from his decor and the books he chose to keep around. It appeared he was well read in many subjects. She liked that. Mike had hated reading and focused most of his off shift energy on learning about weapons technology and sports statistics. He knew a lot about both but was rather daft about most other things. Carrying on a conversation with him was often laborious. Teaghan got a feeling John Smith did not have a shortage of things he could be engaged in discussion about. This made her more open to spending time here in his office while she desperately wanted sleep.

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

“Being the station has some kind of pull” John said smiling and drinking his own glass “but not enough to gain alcohol” He said laughing and shaking his head “My fathers last bottle” he explained holding the liquid up and studying it before putting it away and listening to what she said.

He sighed blowing out a short breath as she talked about their plight, he knew it well such was the life of the station. Food clean water and warm places were things that the station was always short on and there was just not enough that he could do about it. Earth Gov barely shipped enough food for the official roster on the ship, and sadly that wasn’t enough for the refugee’s that filled the ships every day and expected this station to finally be some source of hope for them.

“I’m afraid” Alex said leaning in and looking at her “that there is really nothing we can do we have barely enough food as it is the water irrigation system needs parts in order to be fixed and the station is already over flowing” he explained watching her look around and mildly interested in what she thought of his office.

“The best we can do is work with what we have” Alex said wincing at how lame it sounded even to him “as Tennywig once said (made up philosopher) persist until things get better for that is life in its very escence”

 

[slippedhalo]

Teaghan nodded her understanding. "I see." was her reply. Nothing saddened her more than the needless suffering of innocent people and she said as much. She took one more sip of the precious liquid in the glass and felt too guilty to partake in more with full knowledge that others below decks had barely enough water to drink and here she sat with this luxury..." I'm finished with thus, Sir. If ye don't mind...needn't waste the good stuff on the likes of me." She said, standing, she prepared to go. "If you don't mind I'd love to be shown to my quarters now."

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

“Sure no problem” Alex said getting up and gesturing for her to follow him to the elevator. He walked in and opened the door gesturing for her to get in as they dropped down two decks. The elevator dinged and opened revealing a fairly blade place that didn’t look any better than the refugee camps.

“we gave most of the officer stuff to the refugee’s” Alex explained walking her down a corridor until they reached a door.

“This is your quarters” he explained handing her a key and a credit chit “If you need directions then just ask your navi computer” he said smiling at her for the first time.

“I’m glad to have you with us” he said nodding at her “if you need nay thing at all just come see me or call for me” he explained before reaching and pulling out a box “this is a welcome present the crew managed to scrounge up”

 

[slippedhalo]

The quarters at the end of the hall were in Section B of Level 3, Quarters number 30.
30B on level 3, she could remember that, it rhymed.

She opened the door and peered inside. Taking a step forward, she nearly tripped over a small table with two chairs. the room beyond was unimpressive, but it would be hers for four years and she knew space here was at a premium so she'd appreciate this bit of room of her own. The rest was basically a room with a double bed, a dresser with a mirror, an empty set of shelving, and beyond a door leading to a tiny bathroom which used a water/sonic shower that had the water functions turned off so it was only a sonic shower, a toilet which rose from the ground at the touch of a button on the wall, and a sink which had a look of a long time of disuse to it and a hefty supply of waterless hand-sanitizer bottles littering the edge of it, obviously preferred here to actually washing one's hands with precious water.

She looked up at Smith's reflection staring back at her through the open door to her quarters he waited in beyond the room. She turned and walked back to where he stood. ''I won't complain. It's the same size as my cell in the brig on the Copernicus but there I had to share it with someone. It will feel almost spacious having it to myself...almost.'' she said, her eyes roaming the stark, colorless walls in the small room.

“I’m glad to have you with us” he said nodding at her “if you need nay thing at all just come see me or call for me” he explained before reaching and pulling out a box. “This is a welcome present the crew managed to scrounge up.''

He handed her a box and she opened it. ''I hadn't been expecting anything. I mean, especially considering the circumstances around my arrival here...'' Teaghan said, blushing as she fumbled to open the box. Within it was a set of toiletries she could use with the sonic shower, body lotion, two towels and washcloths, and a credit card with financial credits for the station's stores and dining hall worth up to seventy earth credits. Teaghan gasped, ''This...is...I don't deserve a gift like this.'' she said, feeling both grateful and humbly embarrassed by the extravagent gift all at once. She moved to shove it back into his arms but he seemed like he wouldn't take it back. ''But, you just said how poor people are here. Why would you all give me this? I feel...'' she searched for the right words but none came. ''Thank you. Thank you very much. I don't know if I can ever be the person who deserves this but I will certainly try.'' she promised.

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

Alex watched her look around her new digs idly wondering what she thinking about, it was distorting for any one at first to go from having some thing to a lot of nothing. Even on Earth some of the conditions were arguably better ( even though the planet was condemned), most people thought they would be entering the epitome of luxury and class when they got to the station and Alex had to watch their disappointed faces each day waiting for them to turn into broken husks of what they once were.

“We don’t judge on the past” Alex explained watching her unpack the gift; he always kept spare things around like that when he got a new worker or office. This station could sap the life out of any one and he needed his people to have some luxuries or their drive to work would wither away. She was his new medical officer and medical was one of the worst places to be on in the ship, you were always going to be busy and running on practically no sleep.

“I wouldn’t spend to long thinking about yours” Alex said trying to sound neutral as he gave his advice “this place can be hard to adapt to especially medical take the luxuries afforded in that present and make them count morale is our biggest enemy on this station medical especially” Alex said and she could tell that bothered him.

“I’ll leave you to your rest” Alex said turning and putting his uniform cap back on, he went to the door and opened it pausing and turning to give her one last warm welcoming smile.

“Welcome to the station” he said and then he was gone leaving her alone to ponder her new life.

 

[slippedhalo]

The next ten days was full of plenty of exhausting shifts in Medical doing all she could every day yet feeling each effort was barely a drop in the bucket needed to truly do any real good to the people of New Hope. The name became a ringing irony in Teaghan's mind as she saw real reasons to lose this hypothetical "hope" the station was named for on a daily basis. Her days filled with their own rhythm:
Work, pick up a pre-packaged sandwich on her way past the canteen, make her way to her quarters for a sonic shower, fall asleep wondering if things would ever get better...

...On night eleven a siren awoke her. There was something out the window. It looked like liquid fire and it shot out an amoebus limb and hit the station hard, making everything around her shudder. " What the hell?" She exclaimed wondering what was happening. What was going on? The chaos outside her quarters was pure fear, trapped, frightened animal fear exhibiting itself in the refugees residing in the lean-tos and shanties just down the corridor.

Everyone wanted answers, squeezing into Teaghan's space to ask for answers, for help, from a person of authority. She had to keep shaking her head, pushing as gently as she could through the crowd in her way as she walked to the lift feeling clausterophobic, "I don't know. I know no more than you do. I'm going to find out, Just let me pass, please."

She'd made her way this way, achingly slow going between people stopping her and station quakes; having to pick herself up from the deck once when it seemed another attack had slammed the station, and finally MacHugh had gotten to the Command Center. "Captain, the Communications are down. I couldn't call. What's going on? What is that out there?" She asked, seeing his face looking almost relieved at her arrival. The view screens were lit up with apparent "fire", the sight of the monster which had hit the station twice and she could hear an odd screeching over the loud speakers reporting back from the station's main communications array held in the burning grasp of the creature just outside. " What is that? Is it intelligent?"

 

[thepoeticmaster2121]

“Why are you here and not in life support manning your station” Alex snapped moving past her and grabbing the readings being handed to him form all direction, he was in emergency mode flicking through the reports at lightning like speed as he moved to the large table in the middle of the command room.

“Initiating lockdown now captain” One of his commanders said, he nodded and watched as the shudders surrounding the windows of the station began to close sealing along with the doors. The ship wide lock down would seal the ships doors preventing the corridors from being filled with people in case his response teams needed to make their way through.

“Your stuck here now” Alex said looking over at her, he was glad to see her but that was currently clashing with his anger about her not going to her post “so I suggest you make your self useful while I try and figure out what is attacking us” he said before grabbing the intercom system and flicking it on.

“This is your captain speaking” Alex said cycling the channel until it was broadcasting to the entire ship “We are currently being attacked by an unknown piece of space debris I have initiated ship wide lockdown until this is over follow the drills we have been practicing and you all will be fine you have my word”

 

[slippedhalo]

She explained briefly about how, for once, she'd been off duty and asleep in her quarters. She had been, therefore, closer to command than medical and the frantic crowd in the corridors swept her in the direction of command...None of it mattered anyway. It was too late to go back and make a smarter decision. He'd set lockdown.

Mac Hugh studied the communications, those screeches seemed to be a pattern.And, the frequency and pitch also seed complex and orderly..."Captain, I think this is language we're hearing." She announced. "What if that thing is alive? What if it's trying to say something to us?"