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 chairs along the back of the conference table were filled with Generals that sat on either side of General Millhouse, who would preside over the debriefings and was seated in the middle. One seat facing the Generals on the opposite side of the table remained empty as the appointed hour approached. At precisely nine hundred hours, Kacey in her dress blues walked into the room. She stood at attention and saluted General Millhouse. Once he returned her salute she removed her hat and placed it under her arm.
"Colonel have a seat." General Millhouse stated.
"Thank you sir." She placed her hat on an empty chair and sat down.
"Let's begin. We will go over all the important points and we will begin with your first assignment. That was the evacuation of the residents of Marcus Prime and the rescue of Queen Natalia."
"What were your exact orders, Colonel." General Wilhelm asked.
"My orders were to have the stingers search for residents that the shuttles would pick up. General Millhouse and Admiral Tacher tasked me with assuring that Queen Natalia was safely evacuated before the planetoid exploded."
"We have video collaboration on each of Colonel O'Malley's missions." General Millhouse stated.
"Let's take a look at that"
General Millhouse pushed a button and the video started. They watched the rescue play out.
The video ended. Kacey stated, "so that is where the little people comment came from."
"Had you been drinking prior to the mission?"
"No sir. That comment was made because I was seeing double due to a head injury."
"Colonel O'Malley suffered a concussion, numerous cuts from the falling debris and a dislocated shoulder."
"Did you realize at the time, that by picking up Queen Natalia you could have been brought up on charges of assault and kidnapping?"
"Assault and kidnapping" General my orders were to get Queen Natalia off Marcus Prime by any means. Or do you think I should have left her there?"
"Of course not, but it seems to me that you could have found another way that did not embarrass her."
"General were you watching the same video? There were rocks falling all around us. There was no time to bring it before committee."
"Very well. I reserve the right to revisit any mission at a later date."
"That is your right, General Wilhelm."
"Let's move on to the arrest of Barry Castor."
"That was quite the debacle with his trial, escape from the Brig and his murder."
Kacey poured herself a glass of water from the pitcher near her. She took a drink before she started talking. "You have a recording of every mission on or off the ship. What more is there to say?"
"There is plenty to say. We want to hear what you have to say because recordings can be doctored."
Kacey jumped to her feet, the chair she sat on went flying. "Excuse me General, are you accusing either Captain Jensen or myself of falsifying those recordings?"
"Colonel please sit down." Kacey brought the chair back to the table and sat down. "General Wilhelm, that question was out of order."
"But it was a question that needed to be asked General Millhouse. Now Colonel would you tell us about Barry Castor?"
"Barry Castor was one of three Marines I was ordered by General Eden to take on Andromeda."
"Why would he do that?"
"Before you continue, Colonel, not everyone was privy to that information."
"I understand sir. General Wilhelm in order to tell this correctly, I will have to start at the beginning."
"Then do so, Colonel."
"We were a week into our journey..." Kacey went through the entire story of Barry Castor and how he met his end.
"This actually started before you reached Marcus Prime?"
"Yes sir. Because of the injuries I received rescuing Queen Natalia, the trial was postponed."
"There was no way to avoid killing him?"
"No sir there was not. After I pulled him off of Private Hastings, we argued and he rushed me. He grabbed the gun and it went off. It took me a long time and several sessions with the on board councilor before I came to understand that he left me no choice."
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While Kacey was in her first debriefing session, Natalia met with Prime Minister Carmelo and members of the Central Committee. Patricia took the children for the day so that they could talk.
The transport landed in the drive way. She laid out refreshments and met them at the door.
"Please come in. I hope you excuse all the boxes. Kacey's Marines showed up the day she started to clear out our quarters and moved everything in a few hours. We are still unpacking."
"Where are your children?" Minister Carmelo asked.
"They are with my mother in law so that we could talk. Please help yourself to refreshments and have a seat."
"We did not have much of a chance to talk at the coming home festivities." Minister Carmelo stated as she poured herself a cup of tea. The committee members helped themselves as they took seats around the table, leaving one chair at the head empty for Natalia. She placed a large book on the table. "How was traveling in space?"
"Exciting and scary in equal parts, separated by quiet times, but very educational. We managed to make friends with five civilizations and exchanged technology and aid with all of them."
"We had the opportunity to view some of the videos of your journey. Colonel O'Malley was very heroic and would be a welcomed asset to us if you decide to return to the throne."
"Nice segue Minister." Natalia joked. "Shall we get down to business then?"
"Certainly Natalia. When you stepped down it was a provisional abdication. Now that you have returned, you can return to the throne, especially now that you have a daughter."
"Certain things have to be decided before I give you an answer."
"Of course. What are your questions?"
"First of all, where did you settle?"
"Less than an hour from here. The government allowed us to settle on a group of islands off the coast. We have established communities. Some citizens decided to stay on the mainland rather than live on an island. We have an estimated twelve thousand citizens on the islands. There is plenty of room to grow. The ground is fertile and the temperatures are mild."
"You make it sound like paradise."
"Not hardly. It was not easy to get started again, but the government assisted us with building materials and provided labor to help build our homes. They have improved building materials so that our homes are almost hurricane proof."
"Is the title of Queen still a figure head?"
"Yes it is and that would be all that would be expected of you in the future. The committee still meets monthly to discuss any problems and work towards a solution. You would still have to call the meetings to order and break any tie votes. You would not have to relocate to the islands and only commute to the islands when the committee is in session."
"There will come a time in the not to distant future when travel will not be advisable due to the fact that we are expecting another child or children in January."
"Congratulations to you and the Colonel."
"Thank you Minister. We or rather I am scheduled for an ultrasound in a few weeks."
"Natalia, we the former residents of Marcus Prime would like you to return as our Queen."
"Everyone?" Natalia asked. "Not just the committee members but every resident?" Before I make any sort of decision, I need the complete backing of the entire committee, not just the majority. Then I will also need the approval of the citizens. There I will accept the majority because I know not everyone will want to return to a monarchy. You get that, then I will sit down with Kacey and decide. Speaking of her, what exactly will be her role?"
"As your spouse, she would be the Queen's Consort. She would be able to remain in the Marines and keep her rank as we come under the protection in part by the states, and we are considered a territory. There is a small base on the biggest island for protection."
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"Captain at any time during your mission did you suspect Colonel O'Malley had a death wish?"
"I beg your pardon Admiral Wilson. A death wish?"
"Yes, have you developed a hearing problem?" He asked sarcastically.
"Why would you even ask a question like that?"
"Let's take a look at a few examples from your first year. Her rescue of Queen Natalia where she was injured. Her battle with and subsequent killing of Barry Castor. A battle that very well could have been turned around on her. The decision to go through that electro magnetic field, not once but twice, even though she was knocked off her feet the first time. Her decision to leave the ship during the first confrontation with the Megarans and the order to take down the much larger and more powerful E.M.field during the second confrontation with them. That was just part way through your first year. Need I continue? I ask you again did she have a death wish?"
"No she did not. Colonel O'Malley is perhaps the bravest person I know. I would feel that way even if we were not related. In regards to her rescue of Queen Natalia, General Millhouse ordered her to be personally responsible for the rescue of the Queen. If she had a death wish, she would not have gotten the Queen to safety despite suffering from a concussion, numerous cuts from falling debris and a dislocated shoulder. Next you mentioned the E.M Fields. Her pilots were trapped and injured inside the field and unable to get out on their own. What should she have done, left them there? In case you are not familiar with one of the Marine mottoes, they live by 'no one left behind' . Yes, she led the rescue. Yes she was the first person through the field because she was the commanding officer and we had no idea if the field was harmful to organic tissue. Yes, she could have ordered one of her troops to go through first and they would have done it without a second's hesitation. But that is not the type of commander she is. As she has told me more times that I care to count, she would never ask her people to do something that she herself would not do." Kate stopped to take a drink of water. "As far as the first confrontation with the Megarans, her plan was to draw their attention away from Andromeda so that we could escape. Yes she went as far as disobeying a direct order not to leave the ship. The second confrontation, she worked almost nonstop to find the weak areas in the stronger field. She bluffed the Megarans into giving us two days in order to come up with a plan to save us. Her last action was to turn the command of the Marines over to me. She knew that bringing down the field would affect her, but not to the degree that it did. The last order she gave was the destruction of that field. Then she fell into a coma for almost two weeks. Death wish Admiral? No what Colonel O'Malley has is an overabundance of courage."
"How do you explain the arguments you had with her? By my count there were seven in the first year alone, while she was on duty. In my book that is seven incidences of insubordination, with at least one incident of out right disobedience of a direct order. Did you give her special leeway due to her being your sister?"
"Not al all. If I was giving her special leeway there would be no mention in any of my reports. What you need to take into consideration, Admiral, is that every argument we had especially during that first year, was due in part for my blaming her for things that were out of control as in the case of Castor. AND partly because of the orders the Joint Chiefs gave her to protect my back. Orders that she finally told me about late in our second year. She would not have told me if it had not become absolutely necessary as the chiefs ordered her to."
"Does that answer your questions Admiral Wilson?" Admiral Tacher asked.
"Not by a long shot." The Admiral responded. "There surely were other ways those incidents could have been handled, and handled safely. However, I will let it rest for now."
"My apologies General Wilhelm, I did skip over that part. You are wrong in saying that it was unauthorized. I did go to Captain Jensen and ask for permission, which was granted after I explained what I was looking for."
"Which was?"
"According to previous geological scans taken of Eternus, There were emeralds located in the Northern section and I hoped to get a few samples to have made into an engagement ring for Natalia." Kacey stated. "Yes, Captain Jensen and I had a blow up that was witness by several others. That was I believe one of the few times we argued in front of others."
"Not very professional of either of you."
"No sir it was not." Kacey agreed.
"Yet this argument carried over into your rescue of the injured pilots."
"Yes sir it did. Captain Jensen insisted on coming along on the rescue mission, which at that time we had no idea what we would be facing. My main concern after getting to my injured pilots, was the Captain's safety."
"You were the only one affected by going through the field."
"Why you, Colonel. Why were you the first one to go through when you had no idea if the field was harmul to humans?"
"The only reason General is that I would never ask something of my people that I would not do myself. Why I was the only one affected is anyone's guess. Unless..." she stopped as a thought occurred to her. "Unless it was designed to do just that."
"Colonel would you explain that please?"
"The field would only affect the first person to go through. I was that person and took the brunt of the what ever it was. From that point on it became inert. And from that moment I would be the only one affected by it. If someone else would have gone through first they would have been affected."
"What happened when you went through? What did it feel like?"
"It was like I was hit by an electrical charge. I became disoriented and dizzy as all sorts of symbols and equations filled my head and I went down."
"Yes despite your argument, Captain Jensen rushed to your side."
"She did. Just because we were angry with each other, we were still sisters who care for each other. No amount of anger would ever change that." Kacey stopped. "Once inside the field, the video feed was sketchy at best. Communicators did not work and eventually the radio I carried did not work. Once inside we were able to make our way to the downed pilots. We spent the night inside the field after setting up a safe area to make camp. I contacted Andromeda using the radio in one of the stingers. One comment I need to make before we continue is that while we were inside that field I was very hard on Captain Jensen. I had to be. Her safety depended on my being hard. It is not something I am proud of, but it was something that needed to be done to get us out of there safely. I would do it again if it meant my people were safe." Kacey stated.
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