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.
No-one spoke for several minutes. Kate leaned her head back against Anya's quiet strength. She felt the displacement as the sedative started to take effect. Beside her, Natalia had not raised her head. There was no doubt that the sedative worked quickly on the younger woman who did not have the stamina that Kate had. Kate felt her eyes start to close no matter how hard she tried to remain awake. She knew deep down that she could not continue to fight the relaxing effects. Anya rubbed her shoulders to aid the sedative. Kate wanted to stop her hands, but her muscles would not obey.
Anya leaned down and whispered into Kate's ear. "Let it go my Kate. Stop fighting the sedative." Kate surrendered to the sedative.
Doctor McCloud returned to check on Kacey's progress since she was given the serum. "We have prepared beds for anyone who would like to rest and still be close by."
"Patsy, ye should try to rest." Liam stated. "Anya ye also. I will keep watch."
"I will stay also ma'am." Mike said. "Kacey will not be alone."
"All right Liam. Let's get these two settled first," she pointed to Kate and Natalia. "Then I will rest."
Anya moved out from behind Kate and leaned down to pick her up. Mike gently moved her out of the way. "Anya, I will help you." He easily picked Kate up and carried her to the outer room where he placed her on the medical bed. Anya removed her boots and pulled the blanket up, kissing her head gently. She moved to the next bed where Mike was gently placing Natalia.
"What time is it?" She mumbled.
"Shh it is zero three thirty hours. Go back to sleep." Anya whispered as she rubbed Natalia's back.
"The babies..."
"Shh they are sleeping right next to you."
"Stay with Kacey."
"Sleep Natalia."
"Don't leave her alone."
"Shh." Anya whispered as she continued to rub Natalia's back. She settled down. "Kacey will not be alone. You sleep now." Anya turned to where Patricia was laying down. "She has more stamina that we gave her credit for."
"She does." Patricia stated softly. "Anya you should take this opportunity and rest also."
"I will as soon as Natalia is settled. I will lay down with Kate."
The medical staff pulled the curtains closed to give them some privacy.
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"We called off the search as soon as Bella got word to us that Jessup was in custody and locked up." Liam stated. "He is under guard in another room right now."
"How badly did he get beat up?"
"Not as much as he deserved, or if your Marines had found him first."
"Do you think the trial will be held in space or will Kate wait until we return to Earth?"
"I am not sure what Katie will do, lad. The kidnapping charge alone can get him life in prison. If the worst happens and Kacey...if Kacey does not pull through then the charge will be premeditated murder. Then he will face a firing squad."
"You will not have to look far for volunteers, Liam. Even if she pulls through, there is no guarantees that he will make it back to Earth alive. Hell if any Marine would have found him, he would have been taken care of without a trial."
"Ah lad , Kacey will not be liking that. She would not want you to turn into murderers."
"She is my best friend, Liam. Has been since we were eighteen."
"Tell me, Mike, did ye ever think beyond friendship?"
"Just once. It was probably half way through the first semester, I made a pass at her. She put me in my place really fast. Since that day we have been best friends. I love her like a sister."
"She feels the same about ye. That I can guarantee. What of your family?"
"Two years after I graduated from the academy, my mother passed away. My father remarried four years ago. She has three children. My younger brother is a Captain in the Army."
"Are ye close to your family?"
"Fairly close. It is never dull. My dad was a Navy man. I am in the Marines. Tim, my brother is in the Army. One step brother is at the Coast Guard Academy, the other attends the Space Academy. My step sister is sixteen so who knows where she will end up."
"Lad if ye ever need a quiet place, ye are more than welcome at our home. Although the way me two daughters like to argue, ye might find it quieter inside a tornado."
"Mike laughed. "They do tend to get into it. Liam is it true that you are going to retire?"
"Aye. I have over forty years in. Tis time tom step aside and let the youngsters take over. What about yourself?"
"Where ever Kacey ends up, I will be right behind her. We have been partners for many years."
"I am happy that me girl has such a good friend."
"We both lucked out."
They sat in silence and watched the machine assisted rise and fall of Kacey's chest. The doctor came in several times to check the readouts. She administered another dose of the serum.
"The serum seems to be working. Kacey's temperature has not risen since the first dose. I take that to be a good sign. Commander, you and Colonel Anderson should get some rest. I checked on everyone. They are all asleep."
"I will when I know me daughter has made the turn to be coming back."
"I feel confident that she has made that turn."
"When will you let her wake up?" Mike asked.
"She has a long way to go yet, but if the temperature comes down as I hope it does, then later today we will stop the sedation and let her wake up naturally." Doctor McCloud answered. "Colonel when is the last time you slept?"
"Ah Doc if I told you that, you would be forcing those same pills on me." Mike replied with a smile. "When the Captain wakes, I will rest."
"All right Colonel."
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Kate became aware of the sounds around her, as the effects of the sleeping pills left her system. She sniffed and the aroma of fresh coffee filled her senses. Her eyes opened to see Anya smiling at her with a steaming cup of coffee in her hand.
"Good morning, my Kate." Anya said as she help Kate sit up and handed her the coffee."
"Good morning my love. What time is it?"
"Ten hundred hours."
"What." Kate stated a little too loudly.
"Not so loud, Natalia is still sleeping."
"How is Kacey?"
"Better. The fever is slowly coming down. Doctor McCloud thinks she will be able to remove her from life support and let her wake up later today. Kate, I let the girls go to school today. They have a security guard with them as a precaution."
"We have the two in custody and the girls were not under quarantine."
"Liam and Mike finally left to get some rest. Did you know Mike went almost three days without sleep?" Kate shook her head no. "Doctor McCloud kicked them both out an hour ago after Patricia and I woke up. I have clean clothes for you to change into."
"Thank you darling. I should see about getting back on our journey."
"We will later today. The Marines are out in force and the Doctor think it will be safe to lift the quarantine by tomorrow morning the latest."
"That will be great."
"There is a breakfast tray for you after you get cleaned up."
Kate finished her coffee, picked up the overnight bag and headed into the bathroom to change. Natalia started to wake up. She opened her eyes.
"Kacey?" She sat up quickly. Anya went to her side.
"Kacey had a good night. Her temperature is coming down." Anya repeated what she had told Kate. She handed Natalia a cup of tea. "There are clean clothes in that bag for you and breakfast when ever you are ready."
"Wait, where are the children?"
"They are both fine and being spoiled by the medical staff."
"Anya is Kacey really better?"
"She is. Doctor McCloud plans to remove the life support and stop the sedation to allow her to wake up later today.."
"Thank heaven. Did what's his name, Jessup?" Anya nodded, "say why they did it?"
"Nothing yet. Finish you tea, then you can get changed and have breakfast before you see Kacey."
"Do you think Kate will let me talk to Jessup today?"
"Why would you want to do that?"
"To understand why he attacked her and gave her that virus."
"You should ask me." Kate stated as she walked to them.
"Would you allow me to talk to him, Kate?"
"My first thought is no way in Hell, but maybe just maybe, now that we have found the serum, he will be willing to break his silence."
"Thank you." Natalia picked up the bag and went to change.
The machines were disconnected and the medicines used to keep in the coma were stopped. Now that the fever had been lowered, Kacey would be allowed to wake up. Hours passed with no changes in her level of consciousness. She slowly fought her way back. The process was excruciatingly slow. Another night had come and gone before the first signs started with the restless moving of her eyes beneath the still closed lids and the hands still enclosed in the restraints.
With hearing being the first sense to return, Natalia gently placed the headphones over Kacey's ears and let the music play gently to help and guide her way back. Soon the restless movements became more pronounced and started to keep time to the music she was hearing. Then her foot started to moved with the music.
Natalia gently moved the earphones away from one ear and spoke softly to her. "Sweetheart, please come back to me, to us. The children miss their playmate. Their mama misses her best friend. You have been away from us and we all need you to come back. The whole family is here waiting for you to return. Kate, Anya, your parents, the children, your Marines and many of Andromeda's crew have kept a vigil waiting for you to wake up. So you listen to the music and let it lead you back to us. Please Kacey I need you to open those baby blues I love."
Natalia held Kacey's hand. She felt the pressure on her hand. The sound when it came was soft and hoarse.
"Talia?"
"I am right here sweetheart." Natalia motion to Kate and Patricia who waited outside the room.
"Talia?" Kacey said again.
"Let the music and the sound of my voice lead the way back."
Kacey's eyelids fluttered. "That's it little sister. You can do this."
"Kate?"
"I am right here."
"Your promise. Remember your promise."
"I remember Kacey." Kate said softly. "Do not give up. You are a Marine and you are always saying that Marines do not give up ever."
"I won't. What happened to me?"
"Later little sister."
The blue eyes opened to a fuzzy world which slowly came into focus. A smile lifted the corners of her mouth as Natalia's face came into focus."
"Hi." She said.
"Hi yourself." Natalia responded.
Kacey tried to raise her hand to touch Natalia's face when she realized she could not move her hand more that an inch off the bed. She pulled weakly against the restraints. "What is going on?"
"You were really out of it with the fever. The Doctor had to restrain you to keep you from hurting yourself." Patricia told her.
"Mom. I don't understand. What fever?"
"Sweetheart, you were very sick. Doctor McCloud had to, um..." She paused. "You were on total life support and in an induced coma to put less stress on you organs, because of the fever."
"I do not understand."
"Colonel are you finally back with us?" Doctor McCloud asked as she walked into the room.
"I think so Doc."
"Let me check you out to be sure. Would you all wait outside for a few minutes while I examine Kacey?"
"We will be right outside. I will try to pry the children away from the staff and bring them in to see you." Natalia stated.
The three left the room. The Marines cheered when Kate gave them a thumbs up gesture, as she closed the door to Kacey's room. She touched her communicator.
"Captain Jensen to the Bridge."
"Go ahead Katie." Liam's voice came through.
"Kacey is awake." She could hear the cheering from the Bridge crew over her communicator and smiled.
"Tis grand news to hear, Katie." He stated. "We left that planet and have resumed our journey. We are continuing on course."
"Thanks dad, and thank you all from your help and prayers."
"Kate what promise was Kacey talking about?" Natalia asked. Kate looked from Natalia to Patricia. "Kate?"
She cleared her throat. "After we were attacked by the space pirates..."
"When she was so badly injured?" Patricia asked.
"Yes, after she recovered, she made me promise that if she, if she died on the journey, that I would take her body home to be buried on Earth and not send her into space."
"Good heavens." Patricia uttered.
"Why would she ask that?"
"The decision for what happens when a person dies in space rests with the Captain if they have not made their wishes known in advance. Commanders are never sent into space. That is the reason we carry the stasis chambers on deck thirteen."
The door opened and Doctor McCloud motioned them back in. Kacey smiled as they walked into the room.
"What did you find, Doctor." Natalia asked.
"The serum has worked and taken care of the virus for the most part. However, Kacey still has a low grade fever. We will keep her here until the fever has gone. She will receive one last dose of the serum, then if the fever remains, we will return to the antibiotics to knock it out."
"Everything else is all right?" Natalia asked.
"No other signs of the virus are present. The fever that remains could be from something totally unrelated." Doctor McCloud reported. "With her return to the present, the four hour rule will be reinstituted. I know I will not be popular with the medical staff as your children will not be here full time. Captain, Patricia and Rhea you are also no longer under quarantine and are free to leave Sick Bay.
"Why were you under quarantine?" Kacey asked.
"It was just a precaution as they came into contact with your soiled clothes."
Kacey blushed as she remembered losing control of her bodily functions. "Oh Hell I remember that." She covered her face.
"Kacey, you had nothing to be ashamed of. You were held captive for over eighteen hours in that access tube. You were out of it and had no control."
"Your bladder would have ruptured and you could have died in that tube. Your body prevented that. It was completely out of your control." Doctor McCloud added.
"That is not the point. If word of that ever got out..."
"It will not. The only people who know will not say anything."
"It was still damned embarrassing." Kacey stated adamantly. "Kate I want to talk to that bastard who stuffed me into that tube."
"What good would that do?"
"I want to know why he did it. I need to know."
"I do not think that is a good idea."
"Please Kate."
Kate looked at Patricia and Natalia. "I will think about it."
"Kate." Patricia said.
"Let me think about it. He is under lock down here in Sick Bay so he is not going anywhere."
"He is not in the Brig?"
"He will be when his injuries are taken care of. Some of the crew took exception to his attack on you."
"What room is he in?"
"That is not going to happen, Colonel. You stay away from him until I decide. That is an order" Kate informed her. "Besides you are just out of danger and in no shape to be wandering around. Not to mention that you will have to get past your own security detail and his."
"Security detail? You have to be kidding me."
"Not at all. As long as Jessup is still in Sick Bay, you will have a security detail."
"You have been waiting for a chance to turn the tables on me." Kacey accused her.
"No. If that were even the slightest bit true, you would have a security detail until we land on Earth." Kate joked. "Now you are starting to look a little beat up so I believe it is time to let you rest."
"Kate is right, dear. Get some rest and I will bring your lunch after I talk to the doctor." Patricia said.
"You do look tired, sweetheart. Rest now and I will see about bringing the children in later."
"I am feeling tired." Kacey admitted. Natalia lowered the head of the bed, kissed Kacey and watched as her eyes closed. She sat next to the bed. Kate and Patricia left.
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Jessup meekly submitted to be examined by the medical staff. He had no choice as two armed Marines entered any time someone else came into the room. There was no doubt in his mind that the large Marines would take great pleasure in tearing him apart slowly and throwing the pieces out an air lock.
For the most part he was left alone with nothing to occupy his thoughts. Those thoughts quickly turned to what awaited him. Kidnapping was punishable by death in some places on Earth. Added to that is the fact that he kept an officer tied up after attacking her and giving her a virus. Only he had known where the serum was hidden. What he had not counted on was the tenaciousness of the Marines who searched his quarters.
He realized his position was hopeless unless he talked. He should never have let Al talk him into his scheme. All he had to do was stay out of trouble for a few more months then he would be home free. He planned on disappearing after they had landed. Now he had squandered his freedom and quite possibly his life. If the Marines even let him leave Andromeda alive, he faced a life in prison. Unless I can cut some sort of deal with the Captain." He thought. "Would Captain Jensen go for it?" At the very least he faced a dishonorable discharge.
The door opened. Kate bracketed by two Marines entered. The Marines took up positions at the door. Jessup stood at attention.
"Sit down Adrian." Kate stated. "Let's talk." She sat in the room's only chair while Jessup sat on the bed. "At this point, you are still facing the possibility of a firing squad at the worst. At the very least twenty years or more in prison and a dishonorable discharge. I have no idea how you think, but life in prison is better than death." Jessup remained silent waiting for Kate to continue. "I will tell you what we know at this point. We know you worked with Albert Devoe. That during your duty shifts, you shut down the surveillance cameras in the Brig. Every shift you worked in the past two weeks you shut down the cameras. Ten times Adrian, were those practice runs?" Kate asked. "Was Kacey the actual object of you plan or just a convenient target? Where did the virus come from? What were you trying to do?" Kate fired questions at him. "Both Kacey and Natalia have asked to speak to you. I am thinking about approving their request. Adrian during the next twenty four hours I want you to think about this. Keeping silent and not answering my questions is only making it harder on yourself. The Doctors have told me that you will be released to the Brig tomorrow. Once you leave here you can kiss any hope of seeing Earth through free eyes and your freedom good by. You did one good thing, unwittingly, but you have shown us that the cameras in the Brig area are vunerable. No one would see what happens when those cameras are turned off." Kate stood and walked to the door. "You think about that Adrian. No one would see what happened to you. No one." Kate nodded to the Marines who stood guard. One opened the door for her. "I will return in the morning. Perhaps by then you will have changed your mind about talking." She stated without turning around.