Victoria's Challenge

  Putting her hand in his, she lets him lead her back into the living area of the Phoenix. They’re quiet as they eat, having already discussed everything in depth in the three day waiting for the Phoenix. All except one thing.

  “Are you going to tell me?” Victoria pushes her plate away waiting.

  “Tell you what?”

  “Why the locator’s off?” He should have realized she’d notice.

  “It will keep the Regulians sensors from picking us up.”

  “The Coalitions too.”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s not regulation.”

  “None of this is. If we run into trouble, we’re on our own.”

  “Unless we activate the locator.”

  “Yes, but the Regulians will pick it up before Coalition forces can assist.”

  “Okay.” She looks at him. “So, are you going to let me fly her?” The light in her eyes tells him she’s serious.

  “You want to fly the Phoenix?”

  “Hey, I flew her before you did.”

  “So you did, let’s see what you can do.”

  “Oh trust me, I can do a lot.” The sparkle in her eyes tells him she isn’t just talking about flying.

  “I always trust you.” However, she did surprise him. She’s a natural pilot, at ease with the controls, knowing when to make slight adjustments.

  “You’re good.”

  She smiles at him. “I had a good teacher although I think I gave him a few more gray hairs.” Lucas laughs, thinking about his father teaching Victoria.

  “I’ll have to ask him.”

  Over the next few days, they fall into a routine, each flying for so long, eating meals together, sleeping, loving, talking and learning more about the other. Entering the Earth’s solar system, Lucas can feel her tension growing.

  “Relax, we’ll know soon enough.” Picking up her hand from the controls, he kisses it.

  “I know that’s why I’m tense. What if I’m wrong?” Desperate eyes look into his.

  “Are you?” His steady look calms her.

  “No. I’m not.” Turning back to look through the windshield, she watches Earth grow. “Oh God Lucas, look at it!” The once blue planet is now a swirling mix of sickly greens and yellows. It’s moon no longer round.

  “We’re going to have to be careful, there’s still a lot of debris floating around. It’s a wonder the probes were able to get through at all.” Slowing the Phoenix, Lucas scans the area for a safe route.

  “Start scanning, locate where the cabin was, then we’ll figure out a path to it.” When he receives no reply, he turns sharp eyes to Victoria, finding tears rolling down her cheeks. “Victoria!” He knows she’s hurting, but now is not the time. “Come on baby. Scan the planet.”

  “Yeah, okay.” Turning her chair, Victoria starts the necessary scans. Part way through there’s a scrapping sound outside the Phoenix’s hull. Alarm’s go off.

  “Fuck! Missed one.”

  “We’re okay.” Victoria checks her readouts. “All systems are operational.”

  “It hit something.” She double-checks her readouts.

  “Antenna. Long range. We’re fine.” She can sense Lucas’ frustration. “We’re fine, let it go.”

  “We aren’t going to be able to put the Phoenix into orbit and leave with all this debris.”

  “What are you thinking?”

  “Setting her down on the moon, there’s less chance of a hit.” Victoria scans the moon.

  “There’s a spot towards the south that’s clear.”

  “Have you found the cabin?”

  “Yes, we’ll need to go in near the pole, work our way down.” Nodding, Lucas turns the Phoenix towards the moon. Landing he cuts the engine.

  The silence is deafening. Turning, Lucas looks at her, waiting. Meeting his eyes, she sees all his love and concern, for her.

  “I love you, Lucas. I’ll been fine no matter what we find, as long as you’re with me.” Nodding, he rises, holding out his hand.

  “Then let’s go get your family.” Slipping her hand in his, she lets him lead her to the Raptor.

  “There,” Victoria points to his eleven o’clock. “There’s less turbulence through there.”

  “Got it. Is your harness secure?”

  “For the third time, yes. Stop worrying about me.”

  “Never going to happen. Hang on.” Hitting turbulence, Lucas has to tighten his grip on the controls to stop them from flying out of his hands.

  “Crap, I thought that would be clearer.”

  “It was it just closed up.”

  “It’s spiraling, there! Two o’clock. Try and follow it down.” As he does, the Raptor stops shuddering. Working her sensors Victoria tries to figure out where they are.

  “Talk to me, Victoria.”

  “Texas, we’re over Texas. We need to go straight for about ten minutes. It’ll put us close. I need to recalculate a couple things. The Earth’s tilted a little, I need to compensate.”

  Trusting her, Lucas flies the Raptor. Looking at the surface, he remembers how lush and alive it had been when he’d flown over it before, just nine cycles ago, before the Regulian attack. How would he feel if this was Carina he was flying over? His home, he was trying to find.

  It’s so easy to forget what Victoria is going through. She makes it easy. He needs to be more attentive to her she’s going to need him.

  “Eleven o’clock for three minutes, that’ll put us over Chester, you should be able to see the mountains then.”

  “Victoria, long range visibility sucks.”

  “It’ll clear.”

  “How can you know that?” His eyes flash to hers to see she’s stopped relying on the instrumentation and is looking out the forward dome.

  “I just do. There, see, there’s the start of the outline.” Following her finger, he sees she’s right. They were getting close.

  “Aim for the middle peak. That’s where the shelter is, in that mountain.”

  Trusting her, Lucas turns the Raptor, slowing its speed.

  “Where’s the meadow Victoria?”

  “There.” Victoria points to a spot that looks exactly like the surrounding landscape. Barren. Except for one large boulder. Setting the Raptor down, they wait for the dust to settle.

  “Is your helmet secure?” Lucas turns to look at her in her enviro suit.

  “Yes.” Reaching out, he touches her cheek, then lowers her shield himself.

  “Comm check,” Lucas talks into his mouthpiece.

  “I hear you.”

  “Good.” Lowering his own, they repeat the procedure. Standing together, they go to the Raptor’s hatch.

  “You’ll stay close to me, Victoria. No arguing.”

  “I wasn’t going too. We need to head towards the boulder. I need to know.” Nodding, he opens the hatch. Stepping out, he stirs up the fine powder that’s barely settled. Turning back to her, he waits. Victoria stands in the hatch of the Raptor, the land is barren with no signs of life, and the only sound she hears is her heartbeat.

  “Victoria.” Jumping, she sees Lucas’ worried look, she’s not alone, this isn’t a dream.

  “I’m okay.” She gives him a quick smile. “You’re here. That way.” She points to the boulder. Together they move towards the boulder.

  Rounding the boulder, Lucas sees nothing, no markers, no graves, but Victoria continues forward, stopping when her foot kicks something. Kneeling down, she waves her hand, moving the dust to find what she’s searching for, pulling out a piece of wood. With trembling fingers, she wipes it. Standing she turns back to Lucas.

  Watching Victoria turn with a piece of what looks like wood, his breathing stops. ‘Victoria Lynn Chamberlain’ He reads. Shocked eyes shoot to hers.

  “Victoria...” He watches the smile start to form on her lips then suddenly it feels like he’s been hit by a stunner. Behind Victoria, three figures emerge, one carrying a gun, stepping forward to protect Victoria, he’s suddenly looking up at
a sick yellow green sky.

  “Lucas!” Dropping the wood, Victoria rushes to his side, immediately she sees the blood soaking the leg of his suit. “No!” Pressing her hands against the wound, she tries to stem the flow.

  “Behind you!” Lucas struggles to get up. Turning, Victoria sees the three figures approaching, one carrying a gun.

  “NO!” Victoria slides in front of him, on her knees, hands spread wide. Realizing they can’t hear her, her fingers fly to the release on her helmet.

  “Victoria no!” Lucas orders but she ignores him.

  “Stop!” Dropping her helmet, Victoria looks into the eyes of the tallest figure with the gun. She knows those eyes. “Dad! No!” Pulling off the cap that’s covering her hair, she shakes it out. “It’s me! Victoria! I’m not dead!” The figures freeze but the gun doesn’t lower.

  “Mom! We came back to find you! To get you out of here! It’s me, Tori!”

  “Peter?” A hoarse but familiar voice questions.

  “It’s a trick.” The largest figure argues back.

  “Daddy, you were hurt. You got to the cabin two days before the Regulians appeared. I was so excited, I jumped into your arms, you started to bleed. Grandpa Jacob had to sew you back up.”

  “Tori?”

  “Yes, it’s me, daddy. I’m alive, so is Aunt Cassie. Lucas,” Victoria says, looking at him, “and his father kept us safe.”

  “No, he’s the reason they found us.” Peter aims the gun back at Lucas.

  “No.” Victoria again steps in his line of fire. “Lucas isn’t to blame. I am. Dad I can’t explain, not right now, but the only way I’m going to die on Earth is if you shoot me.”

  “Peter, it is Victoria. Look at her.” Suddenly Cyndy starts to cough. It racks her slight body.

  “Mom!” Suddenly there is sound everywhere, looking up Victoria sees the coming storm.

  “We need to go!” Turning she helps Lucas to his feet.

  “This way!” Peter starts to turn.

  “NO!” Victoria’s tone stops them. “This way, we need to get into the Raptor. It won’t survive this storm.”

  “We go to the shelter!”

  “Mom! If you ever want to get off this planet, if you want Brett to survive, you have to come with us. NOW!” When they don’t move, she tries again. “You’re out of food! Grandpa only had it stocked for four years! It’s been over nine! You won’t find anything on the surface. It’s dead, it’s all like this! Please! Come with us!

  “Peter….”

  “It could still be a trick.”

  “Can you really afford to question it?” Victoria says impatiently. "Dad, fish or cut bait.”

  “What?!!”

  “Victoria, we need to leave.” Lucas’ voice is filled with pain.

  “I know. I love you mom, dad. We came back for you but I won’t sacrifice Lucas, my soul mate, not even for you. It’s your decision.” Turning, she slides her shoulder under one of Lucas’ so he could use her as a crutch. “Come on Lucas, lean on me, we’re going.” It’s a struggle, she’s nearly a foot shorter than he is and the noise is growing. “Almost there.” She tells him, fighting for a breath. God it hurt to breath.

  Lucas keys in the code opening the hatch, then hops up the steps on his good leg. “Victoria….” Turning, she finds her family has followed. Closing her eyes, she thanks the ancestors.

  “Come on, we need to leave.” Helping them in, she secures the hatch. “Sit.” She tells them. “Get the harnesses on. Lucas?”

  “Get them situated, then get up here, I’m going to need help.” As the engine starts, Victoria works on the harnesses.

  “I’m tightening these so you’re not thrown around the cabin. We’re going to hit a lot of turbulence. It will be okay.” With one last smile, she takes her seat next to Lucas, securing her harness as the Raptor lifts off.

  “What do you need me to do?”

  “Find me a way out of this crap!” The Raptor shudders as the storm hits it.

  “There, three o’clock is a swirl, follow it up.”

  “Help me with the pedals, I can’t… fuck!”

  “I got it, go!” Giving the Raptor full throttle, Lucas follows the swirling clouds straight up. In minutes, they’re out of the atmosphere.

  “We’re not in the clear yet.”

  “I know.” It takes another ten minutes navigating debris before Lucas aims the Raptor for the Phoenix.

  “Open the cargo bay.”

  “Doors opening.” Landing the Raptor in the Phoenix, Lucas lets out a deep groan.

  “Doors closing. Atmosphere stabilizing.”

  “Victoria.” Lucas removes his helmet. One look at his pale, sweaty face has her jumping up.

  “How bad?” One look tells her it’s bad. “Come on, let’s get you up.” Grabbing the medical kit, she helps Lucas stand. “Dad, undo your harness, help mom and Brett.” Opening the hatch, she helps Lucas down the steps. “We all need to decontaminate, I’ll treat you there.” Nodding tensely, Lucas concentrates on walking. Entering the chamber, he braces himself against the wall.

  “I’ll get you a chair, hold on.” Grabbing the chair, Victoria sees her family standing just outside of the Raptor. “Dad, we’re all covered with radiation from the planet. We need to decontaminate so we don’t spread it further or get sick from it. There’s a chamber,” she points to where Lucas is. “It’s like a giant shower. We’ll all go in together, I’ll explain the rest inside, I need to treat Lucas’ wound. Come on.”

  When they don’t immediately follow, she gives them a frustrated look. “Dad! You used to train for nuclear attacks, the aftermath, this is part of it you know that.” Slowly they walk into the chamber. As Victoria seals it, it activates.

  “You need to start removing your clothing, throw them it that,” She points to a bin. “Stand under the streams. I’ll be at the other end with Lucas.” Hoping they listen she focuses her attention to Lucas.

  “Here, sit.” She slides the chair next to him. He’s started to remove his enviro suit. “Let me treat your leg first then we’ll get it off, okay?” Nodding he slides into the chair. Wasting no time, she cuts through the leg of his suit, giving her complete access to the wound. Scanning it, she sends up a prayer of thanks.

  “It went straight through, hit no bone or major artery, but you’ve lost a lot of blood. I’m going to sterilize it.” Looking up through the spray, she sees him nod.

  Peter watches as this woman who claims to be his daughter, competently works on the large man, Lucas. Is it really his daughter? She’d always been afraid of large men, ever since her abduction. Turning, her eyes meet his, they’re the clear emerald green he remembers.

  “Dad, start striping. You don’t have to remove your under clothes, not yet, but the longer you have them on, the longer it will take.” She turns back to the man, a device in her hand.

  “Fuck!” The man swears as she turns the device to him.

  “I know, I’m sorry, but it’s done no infection. I’ll close it up then we’ll finish.” Watching her reach for another device, he sees her run it along the bullet hole and amazingly, the wound closes. Standing, she whips her hair out of her face.

  “Done, now a booster and radiation meds.”

  “You first.”

  “Lucas...”

  “Damn it, Victoria! You took off your helmet! Get your clothes off and give yourself the meds! Get them off!” he orders angrily.

  “Fine!” Knowing he isn’t going to budge, Victoria quickly strips down to her eadai, thankful it wasn’t her ‘special’ ones. She’s fully covered. Picking up the pressure syringe, she gives herself the meds. “Now let’s work on you.”

  Her fingers make short work of his boots as he works on the remainder of the suit. “Can you stand?”

  “Yeah.” Stripping off his clothes, she leaves him in his boxers. Picking up the syringe, she gives him his meds.

  “How you doing?” Concerned eyes meet his.

  “Better, thanks to you. S
can me, see if I’m clean.” Doing what Lucas says, she smiles.

  “You’re good to go. There are towels and clothes on the other side. I’m going to work on mom next.”

  “I’ll dress. Where do you want them? In the living quarters?”

  “Yeah.” Reaching up, she caresses his cheek. “Thank you.” Leaning down, he captures her lips for a hard kiss then, losing his boxers, steps into the next chamber. Turning, Victoria faces her family.

  “Come on mom, let me help you. Sit down. We need to get you out of these.”

  “Victoria…” Cyndy lets herself be led to the chair, “I don’t have…” Looking from her mother to the rest of her family, Victoria suddenly understands her mother’s reluctance. Standing, she walks over to them.

  “Dad, start helping Brett, it will make things go faster.” Then she pulls the curtain, giving her mother some privacy.

  Helping her mother remove her clothes, Victoria’s eyes widen at what she finds. Cyndy had never been a large woman, at 5’ 4”, she’d barely weighed 115 lbs, but now, if she weighed 85lbs, Victoria would be surprised. Her bones are so prominent it hurts to see. Finally, she removes the cap covering her mother’s head, revealing its nakedness.

  “Oh mom…” Clear green eyes meet cloudy green.

  “I’m fine.” Suddenly she is racked by coughs.

  “No you’re not, but you will be, I promise. This is a pressure syringe.” She shows her the device. “It contains medicine to help you. It won’t hurt.” When she nods, Victoria gives her the shot.

  “Now I’m going to scan you, you won’t feel anything. It’ll tell me what else you need.” Victoria can hardly breath as she reads the results, there isn’t anything she doesn’t need.

  “Mom, your hair. When?”

  “I don’t know, not that long ago, after we were able to leave the shelter.” Cyndy reaches out, touching Victoria’s long, red hair, hair that she used to have. Victoria captures it kissing her palm.

  “It will grow back. Now, one last scan to confirm you’re clean.” Several seconds pause. “Good.” Smiling at the results, she helps her mother stand. “Lucas is going to be on the other side.” Victoria sees her concern. “It’s okay, mom. There’s a towel there you can wrap around yourself. Let Lucas help you. I know you don’t know him but I do, he’d never hurt you. There are clothes you for you to wear, they’ll be too big, but they’ll cover you for now.”