he adventures of the Star Traveler Andromeda that started in Among the Stars, Beyond the Farthest Planet, and So Far From Home, continues in the final chapter The Voyage Home.
The fever did not abate for another two days. Kacey was beyond aggravated when the doctor insisted she spend an additional day in Sick Bay before being released. When the day finally arrived she was escorted safely from Sick Bay to her quarters. With Kate on one side and Natalia on the other, they were surrounded by four Marines. She felt hemmed in and balked at the, what she felt were useless precautions. Kate's order for the extra security only made her protest more.
Her protests stopped when Natalia looked at her and said, "Please."
Kacey's anger deflated and she nodded at her Marines, her friends. They escorted her to the doors of her quarters and saluted before they left her side. Kacey returned their salute and opened the door. As soon as she was inside she was ambushed by four children. She scooped up their children after hugging her nieces. Natalia took Caitlyn while Kate held her hands out for Patrick, so that she could walk into her quarters.
Patricia handed her a cup of coffee after she sat on the love seat with Natalia by her side.
"It is so good to be home." Kacey said as she accept the cup from Patricia. "Thanks mom."
"I hope you give your self time to fully recover before you return to work."
"The Doctor will not allow her to do much of anything until Monday." Natalia stated. "Then she will be allowed to return to partial desk duty with no flying."
"Natalia." Kacey warned.
"Do not 'Natalia' me Colonel." She ordered. "Doctor McCloud is worried about the effects of the head injuries and concussions she has received in the past being cumulative. This was Kacey's fourth or fifth head injury and the Doctor is worried the effects will not heal completely or could possibly cause problems later on."
"What does that translate into?" Patricia asked.
"It mean that there will be no flying until Doctor McCloud is satisfied that everything inside that hard head of hers is completely healed." Kate added.
"Kate gets her wish." Kacey stated unhappily.
"I Do? What wish is that?" Kate asked.
"You wanted me to cut back on my flights. Now you get your wish."
"Believe me this was not the way I wanted you to cut back."
"I know Kate. Would you like to hear something really funny? I was planning less flights for myself."
"What?" Kate, Natalia and Patricia stated together.
"Did I surprise you all?"
"That you did little sister. The question is why?"
"In less than six months we will be home. All the people under me now, will no longer be under my command. Like the General said on the conference call, this is where they show what they are capable of without me looking over their shoulders. From this point on, they stand or fall on their own performance. The thing is what do I do now?"
"That sounds like you are about to go through empty next syndrome." Patricia said.
"What is that?" Natalia asked.
"It is what parents can feel when all their children become adults and leave home."
"I am not their parent, mom." Kacey protested.
"You are near enough of one. You took a squad of mostly green recruits and fresh from the academy graduates and trained them to be a great fighting force. Now they have learned all you could teach them and will be on their own."
"Did you go through this, mom?" Kate asked.
"I certainly did. It started the day we left Kacey in her dorm room at the academy. It ended," she paused, "it ended six years ago when Kacey bought that house between ours."
"Really?"
"Absolutely."
"How did you handle it?"
"Mostly I kept very busy. With your father working on the new ships, I had a lot of time on my hands. So I did a lot of painting, and took cooking classes to become a first class chef. Somehow I cannot picture you taking cooking classes. What will you do not that you will not be flying?"
"I will not be stopping all of my flights, mom, just the number of times I go out." Kacey informed her. "Paper work will only keep me busy for a short time. So the brass have given me a project to work on before we get home."
"What project is this?" Natalia asked.
"You are looking at the chairman, or CEO, or Head Honcho of the festivities surrounding our return to Earth."
"That sounds like a big job." Patricia stated.
"I have guidelines to follow due to protocol and the command structure. I will be asking for volunteers on such things as decorations, and cooking for the banquets." She looked hopefully at Patricia.
"You do not have to give me those sad eyes. You know I will handle the cooking."
"Thank you mom."
"Do you honestly think I would step aside and let one of the other cooks handle the cooking?" She asked. j"Just do me a favor and give yourself at least a week or two to get back on your feet before we start planning. Will you do that?"
"I will. That will give me time to look up all the rules and regulations pertaining to protocol and the command structure. In addition to a few other areas I really do not want to screw up." Kacey stated. "General Millhouse told me that I will be able to keep the Vernan Flyer and my personal shuttle."
"Well you earned that flyer and correct me if I am wrong, but you did design and build your shuttle." Kate said.
"Almost correct Kate. Mike and I designed it. And with the help of Jere, Dan and a few others, we built it. When we get home, I want to teach Talia how to fly the shuttle. Anya knows how to pilot a shuttle right?"
"She does. So do I. I would not mind learning how to pilot that flyer."
"I will teach you. Maybe if you behave I will start when we are on Eternus."
"Me? You are telling me to behave? I am not the one who can not seem to keep my ass out of Sick Bay. I have been, what three times to your eleven or twelve?"
"You are exaggerating. It can not be that high." Kacey protested.
"Not by much."
"All right you two, that will be enough."
"They both looked at Patricia and said, "yes mom."
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Andromeda pushed on toward home. With each passing second they came closer to Earth. They flew through familiar territory and in a quiet area with nothing to break up the peace and quiet. Several quiet weeks passed when the most exciting thing they witnessed was the Persied Meteor shower. They recorded it's passage. A feat that had never been accomplished as close as they were. Andromeda maintained a safe distance as the meteors passed and lit of the sky around them.
Kacey returned to work where she spent more time behind her desk than out in her shuttle as she worked on any reports that came her way. She spent time on personnel reports, noting that several of her Marines were up for promotions. She set aside two hours a day to get together with the committees for the rounds of parties that were planned. The parties would start with their stop over on Eternus. Kacey noted the dates they would be on the planetoid and had a brainstorm. She got together with Patricia to work on the surprise.
She had one other project that she worked on in secret. The idea came to her after Natalia went to pack the urns that contained the ashes of the three queens that came before her. The first Queen Natalia, her great grandmother, Queen Merida, who was her grandmother, and her mother Queen Anna-Marie. Contact with Prime Minister Carmelo helped her gather information and complete the project.
They would be on Eternus by the end of the week. The plan at this point was to spend two to three weeks there. Kacey was bound by her orders to protect Kate. However, she was also bound by gratitude to Kate for finding her and keeping her embarrassing secret from becoming common knowledge. Her greatest fear was that the crew would find out about her time in that access tube. She had a hard time facing her family and did not instigate any family get togethers. Working with Patricia on an almost daily basis as they planned the upcoming parties, was hard enough. She trusted Patricia not to say anything that would add to her embarrassment.
Before they reached Eternus, Kacey would go with Natalia when the thermometer wobbled, and the stars aligned with Mars and Jupiter as Natalia stated. This would be their second attempt. Kacey let her mind wander, thinking of Natalia's reaction to living on Earth and their home. She made a mental list of what she planned to do after the debriefings were over.
"A horse definitely," she thought. "Maybe more than one and ponies for the children. I can use the mandatory vacation time to get the riding trails fixed up. They are probably overgrown. That will take place after I get our quarters packed up and moved into our home. Then get a dog. The children will love a dog."
The door chime interrupted her day dreams. She looked at the monitor. "Kate? What is she doing down here?" She spoke out loud. "Come in."
Kate walked into the office while Kacey went to the replicator and ordered, "two black coffees." Kacey picked up the cups and put on the front of the desk for Kate.
"Thank you." Kate stated and picked up the cup before she sat down.
"What brings you down to my domain today?"
"Do I need to have a reason?"
"No, I guess not. Are you bored?"
"A little, but I also have a reason for this visit." She took a sip of her coffee. "How are the plans coming?"
"Pretty good actually. Mom has the menu planned for the first party on Eternus. Danny will take care of the bartending duties. Decorations have been taken care of."
"Good. What about your other project?"
"That one is coming along nicely. Thanks to all the information Prime Minister Carmelo sent me. When do you think we will be at the right coordinates?"
"In about two to two and a half months. Then less than a month after that we will be home." Kacey nodded and stared off into space without saying anything for several minutes. Kate put her cup on the desk. As the silence continued she reached across the desk to touch Kacey's arm. "Hey where did you just go? You scared the living hell out of me."
"Sorry Kate"
"You faded on me. Has this happened before?"
"I was just thinking. I did not mean to scare you."
"You did not answer my question. Has this happened before?"
"I have a lot of stuff on my mind lately. Did not mean to scare you."
"That does not answer my question."
"Really Kate," she looked at Kate who stared back at her. "All right it has happened a couple times."
"Did you see the doctor?"
"Yes I did."
"And? Christ getting information out of you I like trying to pull teeth.
"She said it is normal and will fade in time as long as I do not get anymore head injuries. That is also the reason that I am not allowed to fly alone yet. I can go out but need a copilot for now."
"Have you ever considered wearing a speeder helmet when you leave your quarters?"
"I assume you meant that as a joke." Kacey stated.
"Sort of. Look Kacey, that head of yours might be hard on the outside, but the grey matter inside is not. It can only take so much bouncing around before there is damage that cannot be repaired."
"Hell Kate, I know that." She opened the cabinet behind her and removed a helmet that she placed on her desk. "This is much sturdier and made to fit my head."
"A flight helmet? So you have thought about wearing protection."
"I have thought about it."
"That is good to hear. It means you are taking your health seriously." Kate finished her coffee and went to the replicator for a refill.
"Is there something else on your mind?"
"There is actually. Why are you avoiding those who know what went on in that tube?"
"What are you talking about? I am not avoiding anyone. Mom and I get together almost daily. You are here now."
"Sure during your duty shifts, but what about after your shifts end? How often do you see anyone during your free time?" Kacey used the time to put away her helmet to avoid answering. "Not talking about it will not make it go away or change the fact that it did happen. No one and I mean not a single person who knows thinks any less of you."
"Look Kate, I have more reports to get done. I would rather finish them and get home to Natalia and the children at a decent hour. So if you will excuse me, I need to get back to work." Kacey turned away from Kate, put her glasses on and pulled the file up that she needed.
"You cannot ignore what happened forever. You can talk to me or I can have Anya come down. I know you are embarrassed."
"Embarrassed? Kate I was mortified and humiliated that anyone saw me. Most of all you."
"Me? Why for heaven's sake?" Kacey rested her head against the back of her chair and looked at the ceiling. "Do you trust me?"
Without taking her eyes off the ceiling, Kacey replied. "Of all the people in the world, I trust you the most." She looked at Kate. "That is the absolute truth."
"Then what are you afraid of? Do you think I would betray your trust and let that information become public knowledge?" Kate thought for a second. "Or is this because you needed to be rescued?"
"I don't know. I am a Marine. I should have been able to get out of that tube. Especially after he moved the position of my hands."
"How? You were disoriented, tied up and injured. Not to mention that the hatches in that tube were lock and the codes changed. I had to use Captain's privilege to override the lock and open the hatch. Stop being so damn hard on yourself. All right you are a Marine, but you are also a human being that needed help. To ease you mind, no one least of all me will ever mention the condition we found you in. You have my word on that." Kate stated. "Our positions could have been reversed. Their plan was to take both of us."
"I can tell you this much, if our positions had been reversed, there would not be two men sitting in the Brig right now. I would have torn them both apart and sent their pieces out an air lock without the slightest hesitation. With plenty of help to do it."
"I believe you would think about doing that, but you would not. Do you want to know how I know that? I will tell you why. First that would mean a firing squad if you were convicted. At the very least you would be dishonorably discharged and in prison for the rest of your life. You would not be able to watch your children grow or hold Natalia ever again. If that is not enough to stop you, then it would be knowing that it was not something I would ever want you to do."
Kacey sighed. "You are right."
"Well will wonders never cease." Kate joked. "I do have one other question that I hope you give me the truth on."
"I may regret this, but what do you need to know?"
"It was suggested that you expected that attack and put yourself in the line of fire. Is there any truth to that? Did you put the target on your back again?"
"I wondered how long it would take that rumor to surface."
"Is a rumor all it is?"
"Kate, " she paused, "if I had any idea that an attack was being planned against you and I, then yes I woul have put the target on my back." Kate's face turned red with anger. Kacey held up her hands for Kate to let her finish. "However, I had no idea an attack was planned. I do not have E.S.P. or a sixth sense, or see into the future. In addition if I had suspected that an attack was planned I would have let Mike and Rhea know. At the very least I would have worn that helmet I showed you."
"That makes me happy. With only a few months left in space, I want us all to get home safely."
"So do I. Kate I meant what I said to you that day in Sick Bay. I owe you and I have thought of a way to pay you back."
"We are sisters, that is not necessary."
"Yes it is. When we land on Eternus, you will not have a squad of Marines following you around. There will be three people who will watch your back. Me, Rhea and Mike. I cannot do any less than that. My orders still stand."
"Thank you."
"Well just do not do anything careless that will get me busted back to Private."
"I will try my damnedest not to get you into any trouble with the chiefs."
"Good and I think that I will teach you how to pilot that flyer while we are there." Kacey looked at her watch. "Time to call it a day." She took off her glasses, signed off duty and shut off her computer. "Are you and Anya coming over for the girl's lesson tonight?"
"Damn, I was supposed to tell you that mom and dad want a family get together tonight."
"What time?"
"In twenty minutes. They may already be at your place waiting."
"Then we had better go." They walked out of the office and into the lift.
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Kacey sat next to the bed while Natalia was examined. There was a definite wobble in the thermometer this morning with an increase of two tenths of a degree. Natalia was ovulating. They dropped the children off at day care and headed to their appointment. Doctor Amstell ran tests and collected blood and urine samples. She returned several minutes later.
"Good news, you are ovulating. Let's get you into position." Kacey helped Natalia lay back and put her feet in the stirrups while Doctor Amstell moved into position. She lowered the head of the bed. The light was placed behind the Doctor. she picked up the speculum. "Just relax Natalia." She inserted the speculum before she picked up the filled syringe and inserted the thin tube. "Are you ready Kacey?" Kacey leaned over and kissed Natalia before she moved to the foot of the bed. "Just like before. Relax and get a good grip and push the plunger all the way."
Kacey did as instructed and smiled at her steady hands as she injected the semen. "Not as nervous as that first time Doc."
"True. This time was a big improvement." The Doctor took the syringe from Kacey and removed the tube and speculum. Kacey helped move Natalia's feet from the stirrups. "You relax for a few minutes and I will get your instruction sheet. She moved the tray of instruments away from the bed and left them alone.