WoWS1 Chpt 17

<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
----
==Weapons of War SagaChapter 17==
-----
Command Deck
HCS Victoria
Lazarus Star System
19th February, 2768
02:45 Unity City time
----
Helen's perspective
----
"Drive charged. Everybody that wanted off is off. Supplies topped off. You sure you don't want switched off, Vicky?" We were two jumps from Terra and the lack of up to date intelligence was unnerving to say the least but this, somehow Vicky wanting to stay online during her jump was what was making me really nervous.
"Consider it a science experiment. I want to see if our experience repeats itself and with a midpoint jump buffer this is perhaps the best opportunity we are going to have for it." I am really screwed up because despite how angry I am with her for all her manipulations and violations I am still concerned for her.
Combined with the fact that from a very real point of view she was going to be the mother of my child? Maybe it was my own maternal instincts on top of everything else, but I couldn't get the sweetness or romantic nature of the gesture was really sticking in my mind.
"So who'd you pick for the father?" We were about two jumps from a potential combat situation and there was no point dancing around that question anymore.
"Gregory Tzulin. His efforts and sacrifice seemed sufficient qualification for such an honor." Vicky answered.
I had never met the man. Something about being out cold because I was shot in the head. Still a fair number of my thoughts during the quiet times were for the man of the Royal Black Watch that had saved me.
"Agreed. Still if I survive this I think I do want to make another effort at settling down and actually having my own child myself. This time though I won't be chasing some fairy tale definition of normal that I can never have." Yes. I still wanted that.
"I have no objection. Our strategic situation does not allow us to act very aggressively. It will take some years even with the help we're getting from the Sol Belters, Niopsians, and other refugees before we can do more than these quick in and out missions to evacuate refugees and even then we cannot risk doing these very often." Vicky was clearly making an effort to mend our relationship.
But yes this time it really would be different.
The drive registered fully charged and the coordinates for our first jump were laid in. So I triggered the button.
/\/\/\/\/unreality-reality/\/\/\/\/\
No vision this time. I did not want to admit it, but I was disappointed in a way.
Still there was little to do but settle in and look through Vicky's library and hit the improvised gym later.
One jump drive charge cycle later
It was time.
Back to the Sol Star System. It did not seem like it was less than two years, it felt like almost a lifetime ago.
I pressed the button once more.
/\/\/\/\/unreality/\/\/\/\/\/\
-----
I felt myself and somehow Vicky with me floating in the blackness of space. We were clearly in the Sol system. Despite the impossible distances and the fact I should not be able to see them I could see all the planets. Terra soon dominated my view. My heart broke as the scars of war were evident all over it's surface. From it though rose something that soon took the shape of a gnarled mangy wolf with a fur coat that looked more like blond hair and it had the most piercing blue eyes I had ever seen. Human eyes I quickly realized.
Then I understood. It was not me and Vicky standing against this inbred wolf. I don't know how I knew it was inbred but I did. It was one of my descendants. She looked more like Elizabeth than me but I could not help but marvel at how beautiful, confident, and powerful she seemed.
-----
/\/\/\/\/\/reality/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
I was saddened as it was clear that this vision was predicting that I would never return to Terra. Then the other part of the message it was trying to tell me seemed clear. I would have family again and in a far future.
There was no prediction of success or failure but it was clear from the vision it was them, not me that would ultimately be in a position to fix Richard's mistakes, stand against Kerensky's mad designs, and finally give the people of Terra a new future.
Somehow even if they failed in the end I did find that rather comforting.
----
<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
017