Chapter 8 – Do You Admire The View

        The comm unit in the kitchen chimed. Jack touched a control and Melissa’s face appeared.

        He couldn’t help smiling. “Hey.”

        Melissa smiled. “God, it’s good to see you again even if it’s just by comm.”

        “I miss you too,” Jack said.

        “Have you settled in yet?” she asked.

        “Well…”

        “What’s wrong?”

        Jack wasn’t sure he wanted to unload all he’d been through on her. “It’s nothing, really.”

        “Please tell me,” she insisted. “The idea of not knowing what’s going on with you is almost more than I can bear.”

        Jack relented and explained his experience at Starfleet Academy, and the situation with the maintenance of the ranch. Finally, he told her about the airbus job he’d gotten.

        “Then everything is going to work out?” Melissa asked.

        “As far as the ranch is concerned, yes,” he said. “It’s just… ferrying passengers from Chicago to San Francisco is barely flying. I’m only out of the atmosphere for five minutes.”

        “I’m sorry,” she said.

        Jack didn’t like making her feel sorry for him. “I’m okay. I’m living at the ranch, and I do like that.”

        “Good,” she said. “I’m glad.”

        “When do you leave for the Morrison?” he asked.

        Melissa explained Hayden’s offer to become the new XO on the Chamberlain.

        “That’s great!” Jack said. “The crew could use some stability. You know them better than anyone. You’ll be a fantastic executive officer.”

        “Thank you,” Melissa said. She seemed happy that he was excited for her. “So far, it’s working out quite well.”

        “So where are you headed next?” Jack asked.

        "I just found out we're being sent on a long-range mission," she said.

"Where to?"

"I'm not allowed to share that."

For the first time since it had been commissioned, Jack wouldn't know where the Chamberlain was headed.

"Sorry," he said.

"No, it's okay," she replied with a quick smile. "We'll be gone for six months."

"Six..."

"And..." She hesitated. "I didn't want to have this conversation via comm, but you resisted it while we were together."

"Melissa..." Jack didn't want to have it now either.

"Look," she began. But she stopped as if reconsidering the entire conversation. After a moment, she continued, "I can't go without physical intimacy for six months or more. I'm sorry, Jack. But if that means you want a divorce, then... okay. I won't fight you on it."

        Jack couldn’t believe his world was teetering on the edge like this. He had lost so much… his ship, his career… and now he was losing Melissa. He wanted to scream at the universe.

"No, it's not what I want,” he finally replied.

"Me either."

They sat in silence for several minutes.

Jack realized he had to say something. He blurted out the one thing that was central in his mind. "I don't want to hear about it. Keep it to yourself."

She nodded. "Of course." She took a breath, but seemed near tears. "I love you."

Jack forced a smile. "I love you too. I just wish..."

"Me too," she said.

They were silent for another minute.

"I'll let you know when we're back in the core systems again," she said. "I'll only be able to send recorded messages while we're out that far, and they'll probably

be spotty most of the time."

"I know," he said. "Please be safe."

"You too."

"I only have to worry about a horse throwing me," Jack said. "You're out there facing the unknown."

"Part of the job."

Jack nodded. "I miss you already."

"Me too," she said.

***

Jack McCall carried a bottle of beer, and a plate full of steak and potatoes with him to the chair on his front porch which overlooked his ranch. He stopped for a moment to peer out at the surrounding country.

After a minute, he sat down, ready to eat, pushing all thoughts of the new job he'd be doing the next morning. For this evening, he could still pretend he was the master of all he surveyed.

He opened the bottle and laughed.

“Master my ass,” he murmured. “The ranch isn't really mine any more.  I have to get any changes approved by the historical society. I'm not the king of my castle. I'm just a tenant, marking time until I drop dead.”

But at least no one was ordering him to annihilate entire worlds any longer. He was glad for that.

He took a sip of the beer. The taste wasn't especially good, but it would do. The steak, however, was excellent. He took it slow, eating the steak so he could savor the taste.

But it was hardly a consolation for the poor mood he'd been sporting ever since he had gone to interview for the shuttle pilot job. And it had only gotten worse since he'd come home, and even more so since the conversation with Melissa.

Home... No, it was a house, not the home it had been. Home was a place where people worked toward a common goal, pulling together to accomplish more than any one of them could alone. Five hundred years ago, this place was alive. Now... perhaps it did belong more in the care of a historical society instead of a man who felt adrift as Jack did.

For as much as Jack McCall had looked forward to returning to this place, and the opportunity to make a life here, he couldn't get past the feeling life was passing him by, and that his best days were behind him.

And now, he had lost Melissa.

***

September 25, 2383…

Mei-Wan stared at the clock again. Only another minute had passed. She had lived this way for five days—sitting on the couch, only getting up to eat and use the restroom. Otherwise, she sat checking the clock, getting little else done.

After the first couple of hours, she had assumed things had simply gone longer between Dani and her people. When Dani hadn't returned the next morning, she started to worry. That evening, dread began to consume Mei-Wan. When she woke up a few hours ago, that had built into a panic.

Something is going on. She's in more trouble than I thought.

But there was nothing she could do. She didn't even know who to call. Dani's people didn't have an embassy on Kel-j'na, not even an office. She had considered contacting Starfleet to see what ships had left the planet during the last two days.

“God, I don't even know if she's still in the solar system!”

Mei-Wan wanted to scream, to cry out to the universe and demand answers. But maybe this was the universe's way of getting back at her for prying so many of the universe's secrets out of its vice-like claws.

Her comm unit chimed, and Mei-Wan's hand raced to activate it.

Nick's face filled the screen. “Hi,” he said.

“Hi,” Mei-Wan replied, her adrenaline backing off along with her hopes it was Dani.

“No word?”

“No.”

“I've done some checking,” Nick said. “Starfleet records shows that no ship from her world has left in the last five days, nor have any unidentified ships left.”

Mei-Wan fought off a grin.

“Had you already checked?” he asked.

“No,” she said. “But I've been thinking about it. Thank you for checking.”

“I've been going stir crazy, knowing you're so tore up about this.”

“Thank you. I really appreciate that,” Mei-Wan said. Nick was a good friend, always looking for a way to help her out.

He smiled. “Dani is family... and so are you.”

“You really feel that way?”

“Of course I do,” he said. “We've been through too much together for us to be otherwise.”

Mei-Wan nodded. “And our relationship?”

“I grew from it,” he said. “I hope you did too.”

“Yes. But...”

“You wish it had turned into something more?”

“I wish it could have turned into something more,” Mei-Wan said. “I wish I could find someone who could be that person I share my life with.”

“You and Dani seem to work well together.”

“I know,” she said, a tear streaming down her cheek. “Everything was so damn good between us.”

“You're not just worried about her. You're worried about what her being gone might mean about you and her.”

“I know she loves me, but her place among her people is... complicated.”

Nick leaned forward. “Want to talk about it?”

“I can't,” she said. “For a lot of reasons.”

“I wouldn't ask you to break any trust between you and Dani.”

“Thank you.”

Mei-Wan glanced over at the clock again, more out of habit. Talking to Nick was calming her some. “I just wish...”

Her door chimed.

“Is that the door?” Nick asked.

“I should go,” Mei-Wan said, reaching for the comm unit.

“Call me and let me know what's going on.”

“I will.”

The unit off, Mei-Wan flew to the door and opened it.

Standing on the other side were two figures. They were only four feet ten inches tall as best as Mei-Wan could tell. They were both Undinan, their blue skin gleaming in the light. They wore plain, gray-colored clothing, the girl a dress and the boy a shirt and pants.

“Hello, Mei,” the one on the left, the female, said.

“Do I know you?” Mei-Wan asked, but then a more important question came to her. “Are you here to tell me about Dani? Is she okay? When can I see her again?”

Both of them smiled.

The male, the one on the left spoke next. “I'm here, Mei.”

“What?”

“I am...” the female began. She paused to look at the boy a moment, then turned back to Mei-Wan. “We are Dani.”

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Dark Horizon Story and Characters Copyright ©2021 Michael Gray

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