fanfic_name = Gotterdammerung

chapter = VIII

author = Cicero Phelps

dedicate = To Jo

Rating = AP

Type = Angst

fanfic = Chapter VIII

The mood on the bridge was downright ugly. The late afternoon sun had long faded to a murky dusk and near moonrise as Admiral Gloval paced the bridge, smoking his pipe; his mood was so bad that none of the bridge crew dared to call him on it. Henry considered the fine hickory wood stem clenched in his teeth; it had not deserted him after all these years, as many faux comrades and women had.

The reinforcements were coming, he knew. They would be there soon. But he and his crew were vulnerable in the meantime. Max was in the air, overseeing the new security perimeter and clearing the runway for the transports to come in.

Finally, after fifteen more minutes of pacing, Henry turned to bark questions at his crew. "Ship's status?"

"Armaments and shielding at 65%, Admiral," Claudia reported.

"Radar and communications holding steady at 79% efficiency, sir, "Vanessa reported.

"Reactor is at 50%, rather iffy at the moment, sir. If we needed extra power in a crunch, we may not have it," Sammie added.

"And the perimeter is mostly secure, Admiral," Max radioed in, "But I wouldn't say the same about what lies outside the city walls."

"Captain Sterling, what's your assessment," Admiral Gloval asked.

"Frankly, sir, I think we're screwed until help arrives. My pilots can't deliver ground and air security and help repair the ship all at once, they're only human, sir."

Henry sighed and thought it over a bit more. Max was right; they were on edge and doing all they could, but they couldn't do any more good till the reinforcements came through. He noticed that Rick was missing, and decided to take a look around for him.

Henry stood up, calling out, "Claudia, you have the conn," as he strode towards the elevator. He had no idea where to start looking for Rick, but headed towards Sickbay on a hunch.

Rick was pacing back and forth across the hallway, since the doctor told him that Lisa needed a rest, and he wasn't willing to go back to his quarters quite yet. The pilots outside probably needed him more than the deck needed another groove in it, but he knew that once he climbed into that cockpit he'd remain distracted over Lisa. So he did what he was able to at the moment; pace and mutter prayers under his breath. He was so intent on pondering the frailty of the human body that he hadn't heard Admiral Gloval arrive.

Henry saw the young man attempt a salute, but waved it away. "At ease, Rick," he said. "We're both off duty, no need for formalities. And, please, call me Henry."

"Yes, sir," Rick answered.

"Stop with the 'sir'," Henry said, too obviously trying to hide a smile.

"I'll try," Rick said sheepishly.

"What's keeping you down here at this hour, Rick," Henry asked.

"Well, I'm worried about Lisa, I can't focus enough to fly, I'm too wired mentally to sleep, and we've all been to hell and back in the past three months, it's just getting to me finally."

Henry looked at his most anguished ace pilot. "Rick, you're how old, now?"

"Twenty-three, Henry," he replied, softly.

"Old enough, I assume, to know the sting of Cupid's arrow?"

Rick grinned weakly. "A bit."

Henry flicked his steely gaze at Lisa's slumbering form, then back at Rick. "Lisa is a strong woman, Rick, I'm sure you've noticed that?"

"I have, Henry. It's her strength that got me through the past three months."

"She's been like a second daughter to me," Henry said glumly. Rick noticed the utter despair in the Admiral's eyes. "I never told anyone about my wife before, Rick. But from the look on your face every time you know that Lisa is in danger, I know you'll appreciate this.

"Before the GCW, I was stationed on the Minsk, a K-142 class submarine in the Russian navy. But I didn't want to be on the ship at that time, you understand. Even though it was everything a sailor could have asked for in a ship, considering how bankrupt and poorly supplied the Soviet government was, my heart wasn't really with me when I left port on all my missions. I was married, and in love, with the most wonderful woman in the world. Irina Petrovna was perfect in my eyes; no other woman could approach her beauty and character. I was twenty-one, she was eighteen. I was a mere Lieutenant in the Soviet navy, but to her, I was the one, rank or none. Of course, some Party officials were slightly concerned about her religious background; she was Jewish, and I was agnostic, but my captain had enough pull inside the party to protect me from whatever wrath the hardliners may have wanted to visit upon me.

"Anyway, by 1985 I had been promoted to Commander, and become the Executive Officer of the Minsk, a rapid promotion for one of my age. Irina and I celebrated merrily when I got promoted, and soon we were expecting Anna, our first child. It was arranged for her to travel to visit her relatives in Israel while I was off on patrol for the next nine months. That was the longest patrol of my life, what with the baby and the fact that our leadership was having heart attacks every other month. Nine months after the Minsk left Sevastapol on our patrol of the Mediterranean, we returned to the eastern shores, and I got leave from my Captain to visit the Soviet consulate in Tel Aviv, with a wink and a nod saying I could visit my wife while in port, saying it was a 'State Mission'.

"I'll always remember that day in my mind; the sun was beginning to rise on the waterfront. Irina met me at the wharf, clad in a simple blue knit skirt and white blouse. Her strawberry blonde hair was done up in a simple bun, her hazel eyes were wild with mischief, and her smile was as radiant as sunshine. We rushed passionately into each other's arms, and went off to her uncle and aunt's house, so she could introduce me to them. The road was covered with fine sand as we briskly walked down the street in the light of the rising sun.

"The air wasn't too humid for a city by the sea, and it had all the makings of a beautiful day. We took the first city bus we could hail and it took us to Irina's relative's house. They welcomed me warmly, and took me to their hearts. Irina told us that she was having contractions around noon, so we took her to the hospital. They took her into the room, and told me that, because I wasn't antiseptic, I couldn't enter. They made me wait in the lobby, and I paced the floor. It was the longest time of my life; I was excited, nervous, anxious, and scared all at once."

Rick could see the older man's body tense up in terrible agony, almost as if he'd been kicked in the stomach. "It took her six hours to go through labor, and Irina's folks told me to go get something to eat, because I was doing nothing productive. She'll be fine, they said. 'We'll guide her outside to you when she's feeling better,' they said. I went across the street to a restaurant and got a bottle of beer and a sandwich. I looked outside the window and saw a man running madly for the hospital emergency entrance. At the same time, they were rolling Irina and the baby through the emergency ward to the other wing of the hospital. The crazed man was a suicide bomber," he finished, bursting into tears uncontrollably.

Rick looked at Henry Gloval the man, not the stellar officer, and found a new level of respect for him. He offered Henry a solid, reassuring pat on the back. After a small eternity, Henry choked back his tears and smiled bittersweetly. "Lisa is the same age my daughter would have been, had she lived. And ever since she came under my command, I've looked out for her, both out of personal concern, and as a favor to her father, an old friend of mine. He and I had squared off against each other as often as we've faced enemy forces together. And now, with Donald gone, she's become even more of a daughter to me. I know how you feel, Rick, because I don't want to lose her, either. She means almost as much to me as she does to you."

"I knew that already, Henry."

"But I can also say, Rick, that Donald would be happy and proud of you?at least twice as proud as I already am."

Rick shook Henry's outstretched hand. "Thank you. I'll try to live up to that."

"I know you will," Henry replied. "Just keep her happy, and we'll both do our best to keep her safe. Is that a deal?"

"Deal, sir," Rick smiled widely.

State = Continuará/To Be Continue

feedback = Sí/Yes

email = Lightsaber01ATHotmail.com