From: megazone@obsidian.WPI.EDU (MegaZone23)
Newsgroups: alt.prose,rec.arts.anime,wpi.students.story
Subject: OIC (9)
Date: 9 Sep 92 21:40:33 GMT
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute

---------------------------------------------------------NINE

     "I seem to have the talent for fucking up every
personal relationship I'm involved in."
                         --Zoner

     The SDF-17 defolded in the midst of the Cygnus Beta
system.  The once proud fortress was battered and bruised,
but it was still functional.  The broken prow turned towards
Planitia and the vessel began limping home, like a wounded
beast.  Gryphon sat on the bridge, his mind racing.
     "q, how long 'til we reach the shipyards?" Gryphon
asked.
     "Like, two hours or so I think.  The ship's beat up
pretty badly," q answered.
     "ReRob, are we going to make it there in one piece?"
     "Well, as long as you don't plan on any more violent
encounters, I think we can make it ok."
     "I try not to plan anything anymore.  Plans never seem
to work out," Gryphon replied bitterly.  "Eve, what's the
latest on Zoner?"
     "His vitals are still dropping.  I fear that the
disruption of the fold maneuver didn't help his condition
any," Eve replied sadly.
     "Great!  So I made it worse by folding, just great!"
     "Don't get down on yourself, Ben.  The fold was
necessary, he needs attention he can only get on Planitia.
His condition is serious, but not yet grave."
     "Will he make it back to the shipyards?"
     "As long as his condition continues to decline at its
current rate we will make it with time to spare."
     "Ok...thank you, Eve.  Keep an eye on him and let me
know if there are any changes."
     "Ok, Ben. Please, take care of yourself too.  Don't
worry, he'll recover," Eve tried to comfort Ben, and then was
gone.

     "q, connect me to the Utopia Planitia shipyards.  I need
to talk to Lord Fahrvergnugen."
     "Like, will do Gryph."
     q worked the controls on the comm panel in front of him.
In a few moments he had made contact with the communications
officer at the shipyards.  The connection was transferred to
Lord Fahrvergnugen's office.
     "Like, I've got Wolfgang on line one."
     "Put him up on the main screen."
     "Like done."
     Lord Fahrvergnugen's image appeared on the large
viewscreen on the front wall of the bridge.  He sat in a
chair behind a large crescent shaped desk.  His bright orange
hair contrasted with his deep black armor and cloak.
     "Ah, Gryphon. The fact that I am speaking to you tells
me that Zoner has not yet recovered," Wolfgang noted sadly.
Then he expectantly asked, "How did operations on Earth go?"
     "The mission's goals were accomplished.  Whether or not
it was a success, I'm not sure yet," Gryphon replied.
     "Something troubles you my son, what is it?"
     "Well, the ship was nearly destroyed.  We lost half of
the main gun, a large chunk of midships, both A.R.M.D.
platforms, and our engines were damaged.  Worse than that, we
lost several of the crew in the line of duty.  There were
numerous injuries amongst the crew on the Wayward Son.  If we
had had a full complement there probably would have been a
lot of deaths.  But most of the ship was empty.  On the other
hand, with a full crew we may have been able to fight rather
more effectively."
     "Damages can be repaired!  What is important is that you
took the battle to the enemy and emerged victorious.  I am
saddened to hear of your losses.  We will prepare to hold
proper military services upon your return.  We must also
prepare a victory celebration, of course."
     "A party, yeah, right...there is one more thing..."
     "That is?"
     "We're losing Zoner."
     "What do you mean?"
     "His vital signs are dropping and the medical equipment
onboard ship can't maintain him.  We were sorta hoping you
might have some tricks left up your sleeve."
     "This is most distressing.  I do have one option left.
I'll have to call in some old favors.  Just get him back here
as soon as you can.  I'll do what I can."
     "We'd all appreciate that.  We should be back in a
couple of hours."
     "We'll be expecting you.  Wolfgang out."
     "Well, ReRob, get us there as fast as you can without
blowing out the engines again."
     "Will do Gryph.  Don't worry, he'll pull through. He's
too stubborn to die."
     "That's too stupid to die.  And will people please stop
saying that?" Gryphon snapped.
     ReRob and q slouched in their chairs.  Ben was really
stressed out.  It was probably better to just leave him alone
for now.  Zoner had better recover or Gryph might just go
over the edge. ..

     Down in sickbay Yuri and Jenna directed all the energy
they could into Zoner to help him in his fight to stay alive.
But it was failing, he was still fading fast.
     Kei couldn't understand what the other two were doing,
but she understood what the biomonitors told her.  Zoner was
slipping away and it didn't seem like what they were doing
was helping him any.  She had always thought she understood
Yuri, but why she was doing this was beyond her.  Everything
had changed so much since they had met the Wedge Rats.  But
nothing that happened before that was real anyway was it.
Aurgh!  This was no time to start that mental argument again.
She was real, and that was all that mattered now.
     Kei looked at Yuri, her eyes focused intently on Zoner.
What would happen to her if Zoner didn't pull through?  She
wasn't sure; Yuri had never gotten so close to anyone else.
Even herself...was that a hint of jealousy?  No, they were
different relationships.  She and Yuri were best friends,
Yuri and Zoner were lovers.  But Yuri was so attached to
Zoner--would his death break her?  She just couldn't tell.
What would happen to her if Ben were to die?  She didn't want
to think about that.  It was too painful to consider, and
Yuri was facing it.  She wished she could shield Yuri from
the pain, but she knew that there was nothing she could do.
She could only be there when Yuri needed her for comfort and
support.  Yuri would have to face events as they happened.

     The Wayward Son cruised silently through space, carrying
its precious cargo, the hopes and dreams of its crew.  Many
of the crew were suffering from various forms of shell shock.
The stress of combat had given way to the excitement of
victory, and now to the realization of the extent of what had
transpired.  They were happy to have survived, yet they felt
a guilt that comes from losing one's friends in battle.  Why
them, why not me?  And the condition of their friend and
captain, Zoner, was known to all.  It didn't help.  And the
ship travelled silently on.

Xref: sparky alt.prose:1259 rec.arts.anime:18683