Year three in the Voyage of Andromeda. The adventure that started in Among the Stars, and Beyond the Farthest Planet continues in Far From Home.
CHAPTER 26 A
Kacey woke early to a throbbing head, which intensified when she sat up. The roiling in her stomach almost made her run for the bathroom, but settled down the longer she sat on the edge of the bed.
"Damn." she thought. "I should never have let Kate fill my glass that last time. Really stupid of you O'Malley."
She picked up the glass of water from the stand near the bed and drank it greedily. She waited to see if it would come right back up. After several minutes she felt it was safe to try another glass of water. She poured another and sat sipping it now that her initial thirst was slaked. The headache slowly receded as she rehydrated her body. She thought about how much over her limit she drank. She only remembered Kate filling her glass once or was it twice. Then she thought how slowly that glass emptied. One drink over her normal limit should not make her feel this bad. She finished the second glass of water and poured herself a third. Kacey felt Natalia shift as she woke up. Natalia sat up and placed her head on Kacey's shoulder.
"How are you feeling?" She asked softly.
"Better with each glass of water I drink. How many brandies did I have last night?"
"Four I think. Why?"
"Because I feel like it was more than just four."
"It might have been stronger." Natalia suggested.
"Perhaps."
"Why not lay back down for a while longer?"
"The offer is very tempting, but I have a lot of things to take care of today. Kate wants to leave the day after tomorrow."
"Then you go shower and I will get your breakfast started."
"Thank you sweetheart." Kacey picked up the hand that rested on her arm and kissed it. She stood and walked into the bathroom. Natalia donned her robe and checked on their still sleeping children before she headed into the kitchen.
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Kacey walked down the Hanger ramp to check the progress of the parts replacement and repairs. She greeted her people as they went about their duties.
"Morning Colonel." Mike stated as he walked to her side.
"Morning Mike. How are the system replacements coming?" Kacey asked as she squinted in the bright morning sunlight. She reached into her pocket for her sunglasses.
"We have gone through the entire fleet including the Captain's shuttle and replace all the older systems. Everything is synched up and ready to go."
"That is good to hear. Before we leave I want to take one last look around to make sure Govan and his people are protected. We will not be able to come back and I want to leave them as safe as we can possibly make them. Take one of the rovers and head East. Check the generators and shock sticks. I will head West." "I will get the equipment we will need."
"We leave in fifteen minutes."
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Kate walked to Kacey and Natalia quarters to check on how she was feeling. She felt guilty for topping off her glass so many times during the evening when she wasn't looking and wanted to tell her.
"Come in." Natalia called from the nursery.
"Good morning Natalia. Is Kacey still sleeping?"
"You are kidding me right? She was up and gone by oh seven hundred hours."
"How was she feeling?"
"Not her usual chipper self. How many times did you top off her glass last night? That was a rotten thing to do to her."
"Yes I admit that it was not one of my better ideas and I am sorry I did that to her. Does she know?"
"That is not my story to tell. Why Kate?" Natalia asked as she handed Caitlyn to her and went to take care of Patrick. "Why would you do that to her?"
"I just wanted her to relax and enjoy the party."
"She was as relaxed as she would allow herself to be." Natalia angrily stated.
"You have every right to be angry with me. Anya made her displeasure known last night."
"Angry? Yes I am, but I am more disappointed in you. You know how serious she takes those damned orders. How committed she is to protect you? Why can you not just accept the fact that she will do everything in her power to protect you. If that means she stays hyper alert until we reach Earth safely then that is exactly what she will do. I for one really wish you would cut her some slack." Natalia stated, anger in her voice. "You should know by now that the harder you push the harder she will dig in."
"You are right. The more I tried to get her to relax last night the more attentive she became. I need to come clean with her and tell her what an ass I was last night. Do you know where she is?"
"All she said was she had a lot to check over before we left. Did you try hailing her?"
"Not yet. She may still be in the Hanger. I will try there first." Kate put Caitlyn in her chair before she left.
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Kacey drove to the first generator. She checked that everything was in good working order before she headed to the second. She collected loose stones that she piled on the seat next to her.
"Captain Jensen to Colonel O'Malley."
"Go ahead Kate."
"What is your location?"
"I am heading west about forty kilometers from Andromeda. I am checking on the generators to make sure everything is still in good working order."
"Alone?"
"I am a big girls Kate. Yes I am alone."
"How much longer will you be?"
"Not sure. At least a couple hours. Longer is I find any problems. I want to check the shock sticks on my way back."
"Contact me when you get back. I need to talk to you."
"All right."
"Check in periodically." Kate heard her sigh.
"I will." Kacey drove quickly to the next generator and checked it over. She did the same with the third. She picked up more rocks that she would use to check the shock sticks on her way back. She drove to the line of shock stick and threw a stone between each pair. Satisfied that everything was still in good working order she headed back to Andromeda. She picked up her radio to check in.
"Kate I am heading back. E.T.A forty five minutes. Have someone replicate more shock sticks in case the Brin need them."
"I will take care of that for you. Be careful. Come to my Ready Room."
"Will do Kate." Kacey stated as she drove back and continued to check the current between the shock sticks. She keyed the radio again. "Mike how are you doing?"
"I am on my way back. The troops have taken down the survival hut and cleaned the area. I told them to take the extra shock sticks and give them to Govan in case he needs to replace any."
"Good I asked Kate to replicate more so they will have plenty. See you back at Andromeda."
"Roger Kacey."
CHAPTER 26 B
Kate waited in her Ready Room. She stood in front of the window and stared out as she nursed the cup of coffee in her hand. There were reports that she should be working on, but until she talked to Kacey, the reports would have to wait.
"If Kacey's reaction is anything like Anya's and Natalia's, I am in deep shit." She said out loud to the empty room. "How could I have been so foolish?"
The door chimed. Kate looked at the monitor. She sighed when she saw Anya waiting. "Come in."
"Have you talked to Kacey yet?" Anya asked as she walked in.
"Not yet. She was up and out early this morning. She is doing a final check on the generators and shock sticks. I am waiting for her to return."
"Make sure that you do." Anya ordered as she headed for the door.
"Anya wait please." Anya stopped and faced Kate. "I know what I did was a stupid school girl trick and one not befitting a ship Captain."
"Yes it was, Kate. To pull a stunt like that after everything she has done for you is unforgivable."
"I was just trying to get her to relax. We were among friends. There was no need to be so rigid."
"Trying to get her drunk was not the way to do that." Anya argued. "Do you know that she has been trying to funnel some of the little things away from you so that you would have time to paint?"
"No I did not. Where did you hear that?"
"Patricia told me this morning. I would not blame Kacey if she were to withdraw that help or if she ever spoke to you again outside of ship's business." Your actions showed a distinct lack of judgment and so beneath a Star Traveler Captain."
Anya stated angrily and left the room.
Kate sat behind her desk and put her head in her hands. "Anya is right. I have no business being in command if I pull stupid stunts like that." She said out loud to the empty room.
She started her computer and pulled up a new report folder. She worked for several minutes as she wrote out her formal letter of resignation. When she finished she saved the letter but did not send it.
"Commander O'Malley to the Ready Room."
"On my way, Katie."
Within a short time the door chimed. "Come in." Kate called out. Liam walked in and sat in front of the desk. "I imagine by now you have heard of that stunt I pulled." She started without preamble.
"I did." Liam responded.
"So far this morning two people have yelled at me and told me how irresponsible that was. Now it is your turn."
"Now why should I be wanting to do that? Would that not be just repeating the obvious? What I will be asking ye is what will ye be doing about it?"
"I am waiting for Kacey to return from her inspection trip. I will tell her then and hope that sometimes in the next twenty or so years she will be able to forgive me." Kate stated. "I need to ask you if you will be willing to step up and take command for the remainder of the mission."
"Katie ye are the Captain."
"Obviously my judgment has been compromised. Captains cannot pull the sort of stunt that I did last night. It cannot be allowed to happen. I have already written my letter of resignation."
"Have ye sent it?"
"Not yet. I wanted to talk to you first."
"Do not be sending it. Give yourself time. Of course I will step in if that is what ye are truly wanting to do. But, Katie remember this, I am expecting ye to be sitting in that Captain's chair when we return to Earth."
"Dad I..."
Liam held up his hand to stop her. "Katie ye had a lapse in judgment. Was anyone hurt or killed as a result?" She shook her head no. "We were at a party and not in a life or death situation, correct?" She nodded yes. "So as I am seeing this no one was hurt by this wee lapse. Or do ye think ye would pulled something like this when we are in flight?"
"Of course not."
"So what I am seeing is that ye are human. Ye only wanted your sister to relax."
"For all the good that did. She only got more attentive and aware of her surroundings and those around us." Kate admitted. "Why are you not mad at me?"
"Katie me darling, twas only a matter of time before something like this happened. Ye lasted far longer than I would have."
"Really?"
"Ye know Kacey and how seriously she takes her orders to protect ye. She would not be the officer she is if she turned her back on those orders. Remember what she was like that time ye were hurt? That is the force that is driving her constantly. Accept it Katie." Liam stood up. "When will Kacey be back?"
Kate looked at the clock. "Any minute." He left. Kate resumed her vigil at the window while she waited.
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Her inspection complete, Kacey drove the rover close to the Hanger ramp. Before takeoff they would drive the rovers into the Hanger. The crew was using their last full day on the planet to move equipment around inside while most of the senior staff visited with the Brin.
Kacey wove to her troops before she walked up the ramp. She took the lift to the Bridge as she headed for her meeting with Kate. She rang the admittance chime.
"Come in."
"You wanted to see me Kate?"
"Have a seat." Kate said and handed her a cup of coffee. "How are you feeling?"
"Better than I was earlier. Why?"
"I owe you an apology." Kacey looked at her over the rim of the cup.
"For what?"
"For what I did last night. How many drinks do you think you had at the party?"
"Four, I think. Do you know differently?"
Kate went back to the window. "Yes the actual amount may have been six or seven."
"Really? How do you figure that?"
"Whenever you were not looking or at the table, I would add a little to your glass."
Kacey jumped to her feet, spilling her coffee. "YOU DID WHAT?"
Kate turned to face her. "I said I kept topping off you glass."
"WHY? WHY WOULD YOU EVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?"
"I was just trying to get you to relax and enjoy the party."
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?" Kacey walked to Kate's side. Kate wondered if Kacey would strike her.
"I wish I was. Unfortunately I pulled an incredibly stupid stunt. Kacey you never relax."
"WE ARE ON A FORIEGN WORLD WHERE THE LIMARI ARE STILL VISITING. YOU DO STILL REMEMBER THEM, KATE." Kacey continued to yell. "IN CASE YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN, THOSE ARE THE SAME ONES THAT DRUGGED US ON TERRA IN ORDER TO TURN US INTO PROSTITUTES. THE ONES WHO STABBED ME AND HAVE BEEN DOGGING US, THE..."
"ENOUGH." Kate yelled back. "YOU HAVE MADE YOUR POINT."
They both took a step back away from each other. "What do you think would have happened if they attacked us last night. How am I supposed to protect you if I am intoxicated. Damn it Kate, you went way over the line on this."
"I am sorry for my lapse in judgment."
"LAPSE IN JUDGMENT? THAT IS TOTAL BULL SHIT KATE. YOU WANTED ME TO LET MY GUARD DOWN. IT WAS A DIRTY UNDER HANDED TRICK." Kacey walked towards the door. She turned. "You are not the person I thought you were." Kacey left the room.
Kate turned back towards the window.