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Marshal and Tosha sleep peacefully. Marlin looks out the windshield. He is awestruck from the beauty of space, the soft twinkling of distant stars and the occasional glimmer of a passing meteor. The emptiness of this great void somehow makes him feel small. He wonders where they are and if they, he, Tosha and Marshal, will ever see the home ship again or the world he knew as home.
On the Maison it’s a different story. "Captain, we have ships approaching from the planet in quadrant 6." "How many, Ensign, and what kind of ships do they seem to be?" "Sir, you need to look on the long-range monitor. Some of these look like battle cruisers." the voice is almost panicked as the ensign tries to express the urgency.
On the surface of the planet, the two men in the tower speak again. "Der erste von den Sensoren unseres Schiffes hat auf diesem unidentifizierten Schiff ein Arsenal bemerkt. Was sind Ihre Anordnungen? Greifen wir an oder begleiten sie in Raumhafen?"{The first of our ship's sensors have detected an arsenal on that unidentified ship. What are your orders? Do we attack or escort them into spaceport?} The other man turns back to the window and peers into the distance. Thoughts of war and the spoils he will gain cloud his mind for a few moments. "Bitten Sie um ihre unmittelbare und bedingungslose Kapitulation. Wenn sie sich nicht sofort ergeben. Zerstören Sie sie."{Ask for their immediate and unconditional surrender. If they do not surrender immediately, destroy them.} He then turns towards the younger man. And slowly sits in the overstuffed chair. "Sie denken, daß ich bin, macht Sie ein Tier nicht. Aber schauen Sie das Wissen an, das ich hier gebracht habe. Und die Sklaven, die auch unser Geheiß machten. Wo wären wir mit aus ihnen? Sie machen unser Geheiß, damit wir Geschäfte als Gentlemane führen können. Jetzt machen Sie, wie ich sage und um ihre volle Kapitulation bitte."{You think I am an animal don't you. But look at the knowledge I have brought here. And the slaves to do our bidding too. Where would we be with out them? They do our bidding so we can conduct business as gentlemen. Now do as I say and ask for their full surrender. } The younger man walks slowly out of the room, his head down, almost ashamed. He remembers the conversation and the words he muttered. "Oder dies konnten die beginning des Endes für uns alles sein." {Or this could be the beginning of the end for us all.} He closes the door behind himself as he heads to the war room to deliver the orders.
On board the shuttle, things are not as tense. Marshal is the first to wake. He stretches under the weight of the sleeping Tosha on his lap. And gently cups one hand on her breast and the other between her legs. Tosha giggles softly and stretches herself, Then moans"Marshal" in one of those whiny female voices and pushes his hands away. "I need to figure out where we are. That cloud must have moved us light years from our last position. Still sitting on Marshal's lap, she begins pressing buttons and moving switches. Lights flash and screens come to life. Marlin wakes and smacks his lips, and looks sleepily for something to drink. Tosha taps soundly on a monitor with her finger. "This is odd" she mutters, "The cloud must have erased the memory of the drive. It says we have not moved from the spot. But the star pattern doesn't seem the same, does it?" She scratches her head trying to remember. Marshal again pulls her tightly against himself as he looks out the windshield of the shuttle. "I don’t care where we are as long as we are together Tosha. But you are right, it looks like the Maison is gone so we need to find a place to land this thing." Something flickers in the darkness and catches his eye. "Let's go there, Tosha. He points toward the light. "I have a good feeling about that star." Tosha shakes her head muttering "Silly man, it’s a planet not a star. she presses the buttons that activate the long range scan. Instantly, the computer responds in its female mechanical voice. "Class M planet capable of sustaining life. High degree of carbons in the atmos…" Tosha clicks a button that shuts off the voice as the screen goes into details of atmospheric conditions and probable cause or the degree of pollutants in the stratosphere. She reads quickly, then turns to Marshal. "The scan is saying there must have been a horrific war there at one time. Are you sure this is where you want to go?" Marshal strokes her cheek looking into her beautiful eyes. "I have a feeling about this place. We need to go there." Marlin, now fully awake and scrounging for food agrees. "Yes, we need to go there, to that planet so I might find food. Sir, may I retire to the galley for a refreshment?" Marshal chuckles. "Sure, Marlin, go eat. Just save something for the rest of us, ok?"
Onboard the Maison life, is not so easy going. The intercom bellows The urgency of the broadcast startles Tirana. She pushes Misha back gently but firmly. "Listen! she barks, as the message continues to blare. "Awww fuck, now what?? I guess we need to get dressed and on deck!" They both stand, a bit wobble-legged and struggle to get back into flight suits and jack boots as the glow of what was going to be a prefect evening vaporizes with every second.
They both race down the corridor to the elevator "Flight deck" Tirana shouts as they enter.
The doors again open and they step onto the deck.
The officer of the day approaches them. "I am glad you two made it. We have four fighters out there now, they were on call. Your fighter is being readied and you will be launched on the next wave as needed. That will mean your ship will be launched in the thick of battle. Because we will only launch again to defend the Maison against fighter attack."
Tirana feels Misha's hand brush her leg. She takes it into hers and grips it snuggly. "Sir, we would have it no other way."
The Maison fires a first volley of photon torpedoes. The torpedoes streak away at a mind boggling speed, striking the first two battle cruisers dead on. The force of the torpedoes cut directly through the cruiser's shields and strike the cruiser's behind them. The resulting explosions are fascinating to say the least. No one expected this kind of damage.
The Maison now teasingly fires short plasma bursts from its forward gunnery positions. The plasma bursts cut through the targets like hot steel through water, only smoke and steam are visible.
On the planet below, the older man in the grey suit, sitting in his plush chair, smoking his expensive hand-rolled-on-the-inner-thighs-of-blond-virgin-boys' cigar is quiet. The softly spoke words ring loudly now as he realizes his end is near; "Oder dies konnten die begining des Endes für uns alles sein."{Or this could be the begining of the end for us all.}
The shuttle breaks through the thin veil of atmosphere that covers the planet Marshal pointed to. Suddenly, everything seems familiar again. As they fly along just under the cloud cap, Marlin begins pointing and gesturing "Milady, go here go there, I remember this place!"
Tosha heads the shuttle in the direction Marlin points and realizes they are back on earth. Soon, following Marlin's directions, they are back at the old restaurant where they had parked the Blazer.
The turbines of the shuttle whine softly as they slow to a stop. Tosha opens the hatchway and the group exit.
The air smells fresh as they step out into the sun.
Marshal wanders away from the shuttle, towards the opening of the garage where the Blazer was parked. All that remains of the Major are a few tattered shreds of clothing and some bones. He thinks this is a bit odd considering they were not gone "that" long. But to his surprise maybe they were.
The blazer is covered with about an inch of what looks like accumulated dust.
At first Marshal thinks maybe it's residual from the blasts they experienced while trying to escape the planet. But Tosha walks into the garage with a scanner in her hand. "Marshal, I don’t know how this can be, but, this scanner says we have been gone for better than two years." There is a look of astonishment on her face.
They move the shuttle into the garage area and rig a power cell into the blazer's battery compartment. After a few attempts, they manage to get the Blazer started. Then, comes the chore of transferring goods and supplies into the Blazer from the shuttle. Once that is done, they lock up the shuttle and turn on its homing device with a message of their intent and the direction they are headed.
"We need to find a place to live until we are rescued again. I say we head north until we find something suitable."says Marshal.
Two hours later
Marshal wheels the Blazer off the somewhat overgrown road and into the remains of a once-booming city.
Night is beginning to fall and everyone is getting restless.
Several deer cross in front of them and Marshal realizes survival will be easier here with all the game they have seen.
Tosha watches as the deer cross in front of them.
She reaches over to Marshal and points down one of the side streets. "Let's live there, the white house with the fence."
Marshal stops the Blazer as a very familiar feeling sweeps across him. He backs up and turns the Blazer towards the house. Again, the feeling washes across him, but stronger this time. He does not recognize the ruins as he approaches the house.
They stop at the house and exit the Blazer when shock crosses Marshal's face; he knows where he is.
Tosha runs up the stairs to the front door, it opens easily as she enters. Marshal follows cautiously behind. They pass a small room where an apparently elderly woman has died.
Tosha excitedly clings to Marshal's arm looking around. We are home, Marshal! We are home!
Marshal turns and sees a photo on a tabletop. He notices it is a photo of himself and turns the photo over face down.
He takes Tosha into his arms kisses her and smells her hair. He reflects on the journey that has occupied his life for the last few months. "Yes, Love, we are..but, it's been a LONG ride home!"
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