I stand in my room once more, bleeding thoughts on my bed, staring at the ceiling. The last training session drained me completely. But they're so many, and all of them lack skill, determination. Stubborn yet, very much like I was a long time ago. And many just as young...
...
Why do humans dream?
...
What's with the question, all of the sudden?
Well I felt you needed someone to talk to. I smile and turn around I don't know...
Would you like me to tell you?
...
Because they all have something to look forward to. Good, or bad ...
What if they already have everything they could ask for?
Babies don't need anything else but their parents' protection.
...
Yet they dream as well.
...
What do you look forward too? I turn back to the ceiling I've forgotten it a long time ago.
Willingly?
...
The next day.
I head for the debriefing room. My head hurts. I see the Major refused to remain in bed as well. He sees I look at him as I pass, and we nod at each other, and he follows me into the debriefing room.
I walk up the podium and look search the room. They're all here. Should I be happy?
-Good Morning. the pilots salute
-Today we're going to split into two teams. Major, if you will.
I step down and let the Major take the podium. I take a seat next to Josh. He seems nervous now that I'm sitting next to him.
-Michael, Daniel, Alice, Josh, and Mike, you'll be patrolling sectors DE67 with me today. We'll be on the look for smugglers. Be on the hangar deck in 5, move out.
They leave the room, followed by the Major. I stand up and head back to the podium. The Commander enters the room. The pilots stand up and salute, as he salutes back and steps beside me.
-The mission we'll be performing today is as dangerous as is it classified. Whoever believes he didn't join the military to die as a result of a training accident may leave the room now, and join the Major's patrol.
I step back and look at Jake and Brian as they leave the room. The Commander steps before me after they had left the room. He looks at those who remained and nods slowly.
-The CIS has forwarded me a report 24 hours ago based on information gathered on Barrier Gate. Multiple rumors suggest that a jump gate of non-human build has been sighted somewhere in the south-western sectors of Coronado. The Colonel will be leading you there today. You will scout sectors AB78. If the jump gate is found, record its location, and return to base. Hostile forces, if found, are to be eliminated on sight. Activation of the jump gate is obviously prohibited. Doing so will get you eliminated on the spot by the Colonel himself. You will depart in 10 minutes. Good luck to all of you.
He steps down from the podium and leaves the room. I walk a few steps forward and look at the ones that remained again. Three men and one woman. Practically the same faces I've seen at the last covert operation offered to me. They stand up and move to the restricted section of the hangar, reserved for these operations. I follow them.
I stand in my room again, contemplating on what had happened. Should I have shot him? Should I have killed my subordinate? I pray that there's still a way to get him back to us, but the more I pray, the more I realize that he's gone.
Am I a bad leader?
I doubt one failure makes a leader 'bad'.
But he's gone. I let one of my men to a fate worse then death.
He had the opportunity to turn away.
...
Stop blaming yourself.
...
The next day.
I've been staring at in the mirror for a while now. I don't think I'll be able to let it go.
Eventually I get dressed and head for the Commander's quarters to give him my report. Few eyes dare to turn towards me behind my back. None of them dare to face me. Can't blame them, crash-landing a blood smeared Nyx on the docking pad, while returning form a mission that few people were aware of...
The Commander takes my report. Not saying anything, I turn to leave. As I open the door, I hear him saying, quietly, calmly
-Never again.
I'm called to the infirmary again to have my blood checked again. The higher-ups now have eyes on me everywhere, in any way. I guess it's alright. What if I'm infected and don't know it?
After the blood check, I head back to my room. They put me off for the next week. I'm not allowed in the Hangar, nor the Firing Range. I wonder what they've done with my Nyx...
I head to the canteen to have lunch. I cross eyes with one of the pilots with me yesterday. We don't speak a word to each other, as he joins me and walks by my side. I guess it's better this way. After having a quiet lunch with my comrade, I head back to my room.
Three hours later.
I can't take this anymore. I can't sit here all day.
I head back to the Commander's quarters to ask for permission to access the Hangar and work on my Nyx. He's not there, so I head to the briefing room. As I open the door and walk into the room, I see the Commander speaking to the pilots. He stops when he notices me. Is he sending another mission to that hellish place? He steps down and follows me outside.
-Denied. The Nyx is undergoing forensics' tests. You'll have to wait till tomorrow. I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do.
-What is your name?
-My name is Frank Basta.
-What is your rank?
-I am a Captain of the Colonial Military.
-What is your age?
-Twenty-Six.
-Do you have any recollection of what happened two days ago, during mission BA36?
-...
-Do you have any recollection of -
-I gather my strength and cut his sentence short We launched at 1000 from Hangar Deck 9.
-Who were your wingmen?
-Lieutenant Jackson, Lieutenant Pirellius, Captain Dogo, and Major Kingey.
-Were any of them acting strange before the launch?
-No.
-Go on.
-We headed to the assigned sector, found the jumpgate and began calculating it's location.
-Were any of the wingmen behaving strange until this time?
-No.
-Who was doing the calculations?
-Lieutenant Pirellius.
-Go on.
-Half-way into the calculations, Lieutenant Pirellius noticed that the jumpgate was not still. It was constantly moving, slowly drifting randomly.
-What was Captain Dogo doing during this?
-He was heading slowly towards the jumpgate.
-And what were you doing during this?
-I was checking Lieutenant Pirellius' calculations.
-What were Major Kingey and Lieutenant Jackson doing during this?
-Major Kingey was standing 5k out of our position, to warn us beforehand if there was anyone approaching our position. Lieutenant Jackson was standing by next to me.
-Did Lieutenant Jackson see Captain Dogo approaching the jumpgate?
-No.
-Continue.
-As I was checking Lieutenant Pirellius' calculations, Captain Dogo began screaming. I looked out and saw him physically touching the jumpgate, having left the cockpit.
-You mean EVA?
-Yes.
-Go on.
-I yelled at him to return to his cockpit, and he did. He turned his ship towards us and began firing. We spread out.
-Did he say anything?
-Nothing conclusive, sir.
-Go on.
-Major Kingey attacked him and was immediately shot down by Captain Dogo. His ship span out of control and hit the jumpgate. As he saw what happened, Lieutenant Jackson attacked Major Kingey as well, and was killed when a mine hit his cockpit and blew up. During this, I had liked my computers with Lieutenant Pirellius to speed up the calculations. After Lieutenant Jackson was killed, the Captain attacked Lieutenant Pirellius. He transferred all the data to me, and I ran back.
-Did Lieutenant Pirellius die?
-I don't know. The cloud cut off all communications over 5k.
-Do you have any knowledge of Captain Dogo's whereabouts?
-No.
-Very well. You are dismissed.
-Yes Sir.
