Tombstone Estate

[Midori]

Location: Tombstone Estate, Planet Gran Canaria, Omega 49 System

She stood horrified, her left hand clutching the kibuki gown she was wearing at her heart as the tears began to roll down her face. These weren't tears of joy, no, they were tears of fear, tears of loss. Having just finished a message from Commander Matok, she started looking for a place to sit as she felt her legs getting weak. She feared she had lost her husband after only a couple of weeks of marriage. She sat in a couch, facing a coffee table. The wedding picture of her and John sat facing her, both of them smiling in enjoyment. With no one around to comfort her, she just grabbed the picture, held it tight and began to cry uncontrollably.

As she did, Grady had entered the front door as he so routinely did. He heard her crying and quickly walked to find out what was wrong. There he saw Midori on the couch, clutching the wedding picture tight to her body as she sat crying.
"My God, Midori, what happened?" he asked as he sat beside her, putting an arm around her.
"It's.....it's......John," she said through the tears. She tried to say more but couldn't. Unsure of what to do, Grady went to the com system and played the last message. It was Commander Matok.

Midori, I am so sorry. The Ambassador is trapped on Planet Malta after being attacked by two unknown Ghost ships. I tried to help him. Many did. We lost one Carrier and two bombers in the fighting and we barely escaped with our own lives. That is all I know. Again, I am sorry

"Good God," mumbled Grady to himself as he again turned back to Midori who was still on the couch crying. He then returned to do what he could.
"He may be OK if he got to the surface," he said softly as he tried to re-assure her. "Let's not assume the worse."
"If he was OK, he would have called me by now," she replied.
"Well, his systems may have been damaged or he may not have had access to a com. It could be a variety of things," Grady explained.

"Or he could be hurt or...or...or worse," she retorted and began crying hard again.

Just when Grady had run out of answers, the front door again opened. Beaten and tired, the Ambassador walked in to the sight of his crying wife with Grady trying to help. He quickly took his robes off, hung them and went over to where they were sitting.

"Dahlin'," he asked, "whatever is the matter?"
She then looked up and saw her husband, alive and in one piece. She dropped the picture on the table, stood up and clutched him tight, burying her face into his shoulder.
"She got a message, Sir, from Matok that you were stuck on Malta because of Ghost ships," Grady explained, "she thought the worse and quite honestly, so did I."

Realizing his not calling and the report of ships lost, he said nothing. He only held her tighter in comfort.
"Sir, I think I'll go home since you have everything under control," Grady said to which John mouthed a "thank you." With that, Grady left for home.

John ran his fingers through Midori's long hair and quietly apologized over and over to her.
She then looked up to him, "I thought I lost you forever. I not ready to be widow," she said.
"And I won't let you be, not now," he answered.
"Now, let's get some rest. I know we both need it."

With that, she re-set the picture on the table and together, they retired for the evening.

*more to come*

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Married to Ambassador John Henry "Doc" Holliday