Starlight gleamed like a gem against the dark abyss that was space. She sparkled at times when the radiance of a nearby star hits the hull at just the right angle. Even after the damage she had sustained from the Ariel, even after scraping the edges of the energy pockets she couldn't avoid, she was still a dazzling sight in the dark. But there was an illumination approaching her. Rings of light, the wake of an explosion, had started out strong and devastating but had weakened considerably when it reached the ship, and rocked her, gently.
“Status,” Captain Hunt stood in front of the giant flickering holoscreen. He fought to keep the tone of defeat in his voice from coming through.
“We still have the trail,” reported the pilot Lieutenant Wong.
“And the barge? How far more till we reach the barge?”
“It's ahead sir, but...”
“Show me.”
It took the holoscreen a few seconds to switch to an exterior view. When the image cleared up Hunt closed his eyes and felt his chin on his chest. There was little left of the barge that carried Melanko, just pieces of metal floating weightlessly in space.
“Life pods?” asked Commander Holts.
“Negative sir.”
Hunt jaw clenched and he shook his head slowly. “Can we scan for the edge of the mine field now?”
It took Wong a few moments before he pulled up the information on a separate holoscreen. “Six thousand kilometers, sir.”
“He nearly got through,” Holts said looking at the captain.
“No, he got us through,” sighed Hunt.
It took another hour and a few more close calls that threatened to rip through the ship, but Starlight, her gleaming hull and sparkling lights finally cleared the field.
…
Private Nicholas Nelson's eyes were red, but there were no tears. This was true of all the troopers at the memorial for Colonel Melanko and those who were lost. Carter Colfax wanted to hug the young private but resisted the impulse, he just pressed his lips and nodded when their eyes met. There was nothing he knew to say. Colfax made up his mind to leave when the service ended but Nelson caught up with him.
“You're leaving sir?”
“I, well, I just thought that you'd wanna be with your friends, that you'd want, to be alone at a time like this...” Colfax hated being caught off guard and stumbling over his words.
“Can I come over later?” Nelson cut in.
“Sure,” Colfax smiled and squeezed Nelson's shoulder. “We'll talk.”
The few crew members and troopers who lingered on broke into smaller groups, shaking hands and some hugging each other. Private Eddie Noep and a few Ground Command who were abducted stood away conspicuously. Dressed back in their own uniforms they didn't acknowledge anyone until they were joined by Commander Tesper and Corporal Allanah Jennings.
Allanah hugged Eddie and whispered something into his ear. He burst into tears before quickly regaining control and just nodded before letting go.
Tesper reached out his hand to Eddie and he shook it. “How are you holding up private?”
“Just fine sir.”
“As you were.”
Tesper walked away. He suspected it was clear now to Eddie and the rest of the Ground Command troopers that this wasn't what they signed up for, or how they had expected their first space mission would turn out. He himself often felt the same way. But he was certain that the troopers would adapt very quickly, just as he had. But for now, he had to accept the lie that everything was just fine.
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