“So, did you figure out a way to run the ship with a crew of forty?” Nathan asked as he picked up the remote and shut off the screen.
“We can fly it with forty, but if we get into another fight, we’re not going to have anyone for damage control, let alone backups in case someone gets injured.”
“I guess we’ll just have to steer clear of any more trouble, then. Speaking of the crew, how are they taking the news?”
“They’re all pretty shaken,” she admitted as she sat down across the desk from him. “I mean, after what we went through, and now stranded so far from home? But they’re all well trained, and they all joined Fleet for the same reasons. So they’ll pull through,” she insisted. “How are you doing?”
“Leg still hurts a bit, but it was only a hairline fracture. It’ll heal in a few days.”
Cameron looked him in the eyes. “That’s not what I meant.”
Nathan leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. He had tried not to let himself wallow in his own emotions after the crisis had finally resolved. But he knew that it was going to catch up to him sooner or later. They were going to be away from Earth for a long time. And other than Vladimir, Cameron was the only other person on board he could trust.
“I’ll be honest, Cam. I’ve been better.” Cameron said nothing, waiting for him to finish his response. “Hell, I’ve been through more in the last few days than I expected to go through in an entire career.” Nathan felt his emotions bubbling up from deep inside as he looked down at the crew roster. “I look at this list, and I can’t help but wonder how many of them I got killed.”
Cameron felt sorry for him, but knew that coddling him wouldn’t help. “You wanted command,” she said.
Nathan chuckled. “Actually, no, I didn’t. I just didn’t wanna roll over and let you have it.”
“In that case, it serves you right,” she jabbed.
Nathan laughed even harder. “You really are a bitch, you know that?”
Cameron smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “Hey, we all gotta play to our strengths.” Cameron stood to leave. “Listen, Nathan. If it will make you feel any better, truth be told, you did alright.”
Nathan looked up at her, a grin creeping across his face at her compliment of his performance.
“But I’ll deny ever saying that,” she added as she turned to walk out of the room, nodding at Jalea who was just entering the ready room.
“Good Morning, Captain.” Now that the situation had calmed down, Jalea’s demeanor had returned to the warmer, more soulful one that he had first met. Although he definitely preferred this persona, he doubted he could ever forget the other side of her.
“Good Morning. How may I help you?”
“I’ve spoken to one of our contacts in the system,” Jalea informed him as she took a seat across the desk from him.
“What did you tell him?” Nathan asked suspiciously.
“Only that we needed to smuggle in a ship to be repaired. It is not the first time we have made such a request of this person.”
“And this person can help us?”
“He is more of a facilitator,” she explained.
“Like a middle-man?”
“Yes. He will bring the proper transponder and codes out to us. We can then use these to travel throughout this system without raising suspicion.”
“When can he get here?”
“It will take him about two days to reach us. I would request that you take no hostile actions upon his approach. It might lead to unfortunate results,” she stated carefully.
“I’ll alert Jessica to expect him.”
Jalea respectfully nodded.
“Just one question, though. What’s it going to cost us?”
“These people are also repaying debts.”
“Life debts?”
“Correct.”
“But these debts are not owed to my people, Jalea. They’re owed to yours.”
“True. But we owe you far more than we can ever repay.”
“Is that why Marak sacrificed himself? To repay us?”
“Marak did what he felt was in the best interest of both our people.”
“And how is saving this ship in the interest of your people?” Nathan had been curious about this question for a while now.
“The name of your ship,” she smiled, “do you know what it means?”
Nathan was a bit embarrassed to admit that he did not. As far as he knew, it was the name of some pretty lights seen at the northern latitudes on Earth.
“No, I’m afraid I don’t,” he admitted.
“It means, ‘New Dawn’,” she told him.
Now Nathan smiled. “That’s just a coincidence,” he assured her.
“Perhaps.” Jalea turned and headed for the door. Before she reached the exit, she paused and turned back around to face him again. “And your name, Captain. What does ‘Nathan’ mean?”
“If I remember correctly, it means ‘Gift from God.’”
“Another coincidence?” she asked.
“Perhaps,” Nathan smiled.