Echos of the Past

[Alpha 429]

Battleship Leviathan, in orbit around planet Malta 10:00 hours (universal time)
Admiral Jack Alpha was sitting in his office, across from him sat Vice Admiral Jennifer Taylor, a striking young 5'10 woman with dark hair and deep brown eyes, she also happened to be his new 2nd in command.

"I've read your profile Taylor, very impressive you should fit in fine here." said Jack trying to hold in a laugh. Her profile was impeccable except for one incident 11 months ago when a drunk bounty hunter tried to flirt with her, after several minutes the report said that she lost it and almost threw him out one of the airlocks on Corfu, if it hadnt been for a couple of brave zoners who manage to rescue him just in time. "Thanks you sir," replied Taylor trying to hold in a smile. "I went to read your profile and find out a little about you but its classified as special permission.""Hmmm is it still like that. Pffffft oh well most of its boring and not exactly bestseller material.""Still sir, if its alright i'd like to know a little." Taylor asked, Jack could swear she was using a very discreet form of the puppy dog eye routine girls sometimes use on men. *sigh* "Alright i'll have a think and put some important stuff on a datapad for you to read." said Jack, quickly realising that he had just fallen for one of the oldest tricks in the book. "Thank you sir" replied Taylor a smile on her face. "I should get back to the bridge.""Yes you should, if any is looking for me tell them im busy and am not to be disturbed. If they ask why you can tell them its all your fault." Taylor left the room laughing.

Well the sooner he got it started the sooner he could go and annoy someone. He sat for a while thinking about any relevant stuff that could be added when his mind drifted back to his childhood......


Planet New London 18 years ago

The grown ups were acting very wierd, well wierder than usual from what a 6 year old Jack could see, Damian had also noticed too. Damian was his twin brother, they were completely identical except from their eyes, Jacks were sky blue but Damians were emerald green.

From what they could hear it was mostly about their dad, Colonel Matthew Alpha, a high ranking officer who was serving under Admiral John Walsh, theire grandfather. When they asked their mum later that day she told them that he had gone to a better place and that they wouldnt see him for sometime. "oh thats all it is." said Damian "Yeah we thought it was something serious for a minute." There mum sent them away before breaking down into tears. "Whats up with her?" Jack said to Damian. "She always gets a bit sad when dad goes away on a long mission." What neither of the twins realised at the time was that their father was not away on one of his classified missions he had been killed in action, however the circumstances were classified the BAF wouldnt even tell their mother.

2 days later they found themselves at some kind of get-together onboard their grandfathers Battleship, The Illustrious. The twins were dressed in black just like everyone else there and there was a lot of people. "Whats with the black?" Damian
asked Jack. "Yeah its like we are all dressed for a funeral or something." Jack replied. "They all look real sad too." "Yeah they should all be happy, dad in some nicer place just now." Damian said. They both agreed that the grown ups were acting stranage and went to go find their grandfather. They found him standing with their mother who was obviously trying to hold back her tears, again they were wondering why she was sad when she should be happy. The man they were standing with was someone neither of the twins had seen before. He spoke with their mother and grandfather for a few minutes before leaving. as he left he stared at the twins for a few seconds before disappearing into the crowd. They spent some time talking with their grandfather before he led them to his office. Once in his office he showed them a pair of katana, specially made by one of Kusari's best swordsmiths especially for their grandfather. "One for each of you. When your a little older of course." Both of their faces lit up "Really grandad?" Oh wow cool." they both said in unison. "Ok boys i have some work to finish you to head back down the way we came and stay out of trouble." "Yes sir." They both said saluting as if they were BAF officers. However on the way back the lights flickered. "odd should that happen?" asked Jack sounding a little tense. "no i dont think so but lets stick together i dont like this." Suddenly the lights went out. It was pitch black for no longer than a second but when the lights went out Damian was gone. "Damian!....Damian!......DAMIAN!" Jack shouted at the top of his voice. But there was only silence. Suddenly he heard footsteps growing louder. It was his grandfather, "Jack are you ok where is Damian?" "I dont know the lights went out and on and he was gone." The colour from his grandfathers face drained away he grabbed Jack and tok him back to his office. Once inside he used the comm system to contact the bridge and have every room on every deck of the ship. Sitting for a while in his office Jack sat confused and petrified, he was soon joined by his mother who by this point was borderline hysterical. After the search was over the news wasnt what anyone wanted to hear, he was gone, vanished into thin air. Jack looked over at the 2 katana on the table in the corner of the office, their katana, only, something wasnt right, there was only 1, Jacks. Damians was gone, just like Damian himself. Eventually they got home that night but Jack couldnt sleep, he was scared, he had never had to sleep in their bedroom himself, Damian was always there as well.

3 days had passed since Damian disappeared and there was still no sign of him. His mum had become a reculse, locking herself in her room almost all day leaving Jack to fend for himself, He got by eating cereal that was usually only for breakfast. Whenever his mum was up she was rarely in the mood to talk to him, strangely though she did teahc him how to use the communicator properly, showing him how to contact his grandfather fast and easily. Jack really didnt know why she had shown him until the 4th day. He got up and went to check on his mum only to find she wasnt there. He searched the rest of the house but she was gone. Alpha then remembered that he could get his grandad on the communicator. "Dont worry Jack ill be there in 2 hours will you be alright until i get there?" was the first thing his grandad said after Jack told him that she was gone. "i guess so." was all that Alpha could bring himself to say. "Ok ill be there soon keep safe." and with that he was gone and suddenly it hit Jack that for the first time in his life he was all alone. And it scared him.........

To Be Continued.

(OOC: Please no one post until ive finished the whole thing, which judging by the way i like to ramble on may be a while.)

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I know where it is Cortana, I just have to find it. - Commodore Puddles