
Subj : New Beginnings
To   : All
From : Skyhawk #1
Date : Sun Jul 02 1995 19:30:39 PST

                           New Beginnings(14)
                        By Daniel C. Harrison(Skyhawk)
     
     Four hours later, she was sitting in the infirmary. Dr. Grayson was
examining her and, Jerry was there. She could feel his closeness as he put his
hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"
     "No, I'm not, what kind of dumbass question is that? Shouldn't you be in
the engine room trying to repair the guidance system? What about Long, where is
he?"
     "Trying to fix what's left of the bridge. He tore out a lot of circuit
boards to get us out of hyperdrive now, he's trying to put it all back. I
loaned him a manual." Jerry's tone was full of concern. "I have to be honest
Candar, at this rate, we wont reach Hycenda. And, we may never reach home."
     "What?" This had come from Grayson. "What are we planning on then?"
     Candar winced as he adjusted an instrument which was pointed at her eye.
     "Im sorry, Captain, can you see the light at all?"
     "No, not a thing." she sighed heavily. Her plans, her entire life
seemed to be falling apart. If she had taken that offer from the company
she would be sitting comfortably now in a new house, with a cushy job as a
full partner. God! Why didn't she have more sense? At the worst she would
have been the pilot of a luxury liner, making better than a million a year.
Instead, she had lost her vision and maybe her life. "Doctor, I need to know
the truth. Will I be able to see again? Can you tell me why I can't see?"
     "No, I can't Captain. I have no idea what happened. I need more time to do
a full exam on you. Let me know when I can." he started putting away the
instruments.                                           
     "Do it now." Jerry commanded. "I can run this ship while she's being taken
care of. We need her fully capable again."
     Now, she was angry. "Jerry, that has got to be the most assanine statment
I ever heard! I don't need to see to run this mess. Long seems to be capable of
flying and since we'll only be at sublight for awhile, I need to hold a meeting
with everyone not in cryo. We need to coordinate. Do those bozos you have
working in engineering know that priority power has to be given to cryo systems
now? Over four hundred people are depending on us. We might be able to find
another planet if we can't reach Hycenda."
     Grayson was surprised. "Another planet? But, Hycenda was scouted by the
guilds! It is known to be safe. Somewhere no scouting party has been would be a
terrible risk! We could all die there."
     "We may all die here." Jerry countered. "She's right. We have to accept
the possibility that, this ship may not be able to make her destination or back
to earth. We could be together a very long time. I'll let Long know."
     "Are you going to break it to the others now?" she asked. "We can wait
till tonight and hold the meeting. We'll decide some other things too. That
will give Grayson time to check me out."
     "Okay, babe." he winked at her. "I'll let Long know but not the others
yet. Don't know how they'll take it when they learn we may not be returning
home. Guess you'll have to get used to me after all."
     She smiled. "Get going." Listening to his fading footsteps, she looked
toward Grayson's direction. "The truth now! I know your holding out! I could
hear the trembling in your voice, my hearing has gotten more acute since I lost
my vision. What are my chances of seeing again?"
     The silence was deafening. "I didn't want to tell you in front of the
others, Candar. The scan showed there was damage to the brain that couldn't be
accounted for by that concussion you took. I think you have a tumor."
     Her hear sank and she gritted her teeth. No! She would not give up! Not
now, not when her life, her career had been so successful. "Don't tell anyone."
she commanded. "I have a responsiblity to those people in cryo to get them to a
new world. And I will, or die trying."
     "Understood." he said. Grayson sat down heavily across from her. "I can
restore your vision for a time. But, it probably wont last. I have done minor
brain surgery."
     "Then you can remove it??" She was suddenly hopeful, a door of light had
been opened. Why the hell hadn't he said that in the first place?
     "Yes. But, part of your brain will go with it. You could become a mental
vegetable, or permanently handicappped. I don't know how though, there are too
many variables to consider. And, I still need to do a full exam on you."
     "Do what you have to." she responded. "And when your done, so will I." She
laid down and with a deep sigh felt the tears come to her eyes. Why did it have
to end like this?


Subj : New Beginnnings(15)
To   : All
From : Skyhawk #1
Date : Mon Jul 03 1995 18:13:02 PST

                            New Beginnings
                          By Daniel C. Harrison(Skyhawk)
     
     A short time later, all those that remained out of cryo were in the pilots
lounge. This was a room that had been set aside for those crazy enough to make
the long voyage with colonists and remain cognizant of the entire voyage. It
was a room for the lonely, those who dared to tread the depths of space. Candar
had made it her life. Since Terry's death, she had turned within herself, and
outward to space to escape. Your only companions usually were a loyal crew,
many who had worked together for years. They would be ready to obey almost any
order no matter how insane because, they all knew she was the best.
     Now, all she could see was darkness. She could hear the sounds of feet
shuffling as they came in. Smell the sweat of body odor as the men took their
seats opposite her at the table. One of them coughed loudly. "I suppose you all
know why we are here." she began.
     "Well, we know the ship is a piece of crap." This had come from Sam Boil.
He was a little to the right of her. Purposely, she turned her head toward him
and looked where she thought he was sitting.
     "Yes, it is. I won't lie about that. It's obvious the company wanted to
get her out fast. It's clear that even with double and triple pre-flight checks
we missed quite a bit. No sense being upset over it. We have to get our heads
together and figure out what to do." She stopped a moment and listened. The
engines had gone silent, they were obviously drifting. "Jerry, what's with the
engines?'
     "Currently, I don't trust the computer to control them without being
watched. Since were all here, I shut them down."
     She nodded, "Next time, please ask me first. But, I understand. We should
start with getting to know each other. Obviously, I'm the Captain. My name is
Candar Millis and, I was planning on retiring on Hycenda. That doesn't seem to
be the case anymore. I know Jerry, Sam Boil I've met and, of course I know Dr.
Grayson." She looked toward the left where she knew Henry Long was. "Henry and
I go back a few years, not all of it pleasant, but we have to make do." She
turned back to the front. "Who are you two men?"
     One of the men from engineering coughed. "Excuse me, I've got a cold or
something. My name is, Victor Bison. I've never been in space before but, the
company offered good pay so, I couldn't turn it down. I don't know anything
about engineering type stuff. I was told all I had to do was grunt work. Is
there  any chance we'll get back to earth soon after dumping these people off?"
     "I have to be honest about our chances." Candar sighed heavily. " I don't
think were going to be dumpin these people off on Hycenda. In fact, there's a
damn good chance we wont make it back at all. We should consider another
option. Once the guidance system is repaired, if it can be, we should scout for
a new world. And settle it."     

                                              
