Yamato - Episode 1
Nathaniel A Miller

 


Yamato: The New Adventures... (Sequel to 'Final' Yamato in Episode type format) 'Written with permission of Voyager Entertainment

By Erwin Stevens & N.A. Miller

The Arrival ---

The infinity that is space, a world filled with serene light, uncountable stars in the deep darkness and with dying and forming stars abounds with many life forms. Yes, space is alive. The entire universe, our galaxy, and even the many solar systems are filled with many such life forms. They are filled with many who love, aspire and fight in war, and there are others that are peace loving. Many forms of life are in the universe, and they mostly live in peace, scattered throughout its cold vastness.

The speck that makes up Earth is one such place. It is a place where wars have come and gone, leaving their mark. It is in a standard class M solar system, known as 'SOL' where eleven planets orbit the single life-giving star. Living on the third one, the insignificant body called Earth lives an advanced civilization known as the human kind. It is one solar system in the middle of this galaxy containing millions of stars with many solar systems yet to be discovered.

The story starts outside of the 'SOL' Solar System in the middle of deep space. It is where a relic of war, floats freely in space, a lone derelict carried by the solar winds as it travels farther away from its point of origin. The place is called Earth.

The hulk and derelict are the remains of the bridge and amidships section of Space Battleship Yamato, a ship destroyed during the last conflicts for Earth and SOL. The ship had been sacrificed when the Dinguil traveled to Earth for conquest, and used the legendary planet called Aquarius, to prelude their invasion.

Aquarius is a planet, which in legend, had given Earth life and their seas. The Dinguil failed in their plan, to flood Earth and destroy the planet, however. The enemy was destroyed with the help of the Gamelans, and the Yamato Space Battleship had sunk in the remaining waters, after breaking the water column that flooded Earth. Now as a derelict, the bridge section of the ancient ship spun freely as it tumbled against the stars of space. It is a permanent memorial for those sacrificed on the last mission to protect Earth. Although, there is only one body that remains on board and it is he alone who triggered the wave gun. The body of Captain Abraham Avatar, Commander of Yamato, still sits in the Captain's chair his hand still gripping the wave triggering device.

Now after a year, as the bridge continues to tumble through the cold oblivion of space: It does not do so unobserved.

Nearby, a huge green swirling anti-matter vortex has opened up. Appearing from within it, that a streamline vessel, a Star Cruiser Class Starship named the S.S Magellanic Clouds arrives from the future.

Sitting on the bridge of her ship, Ihsss T'Larra, a young reptilian woman called a Thyrnn is the Commander of the Clouds, a Star Cruiser Class Starship of the future. As the young reptilian Captain slumps over in the command chair, she managed a groan, before slowly opening her green eyes, focusing on the smooth darkened metal of the bridge's ceiling bulkhead. The reptilian woman sits dazed from the wild ride they had just taken through time and space. Slowly, she manages to sit up in her chair from her slumped over position, and shook her large head before turning her head to pan a quick gaze about the silent bridge of her ship. She and her crew are one of many other races throughout the galaxy who staff this compact Space Cruiser Class Starship. They are all refugees from the evil war machine of the Cybertron Empire who had enslaved the universe in the future.

Captain T'Larra herself is a rather unique individual. She is a large, very beautiful reptilian female, with a trim, muscular body, a standard bone structure unlike a human with two forward set emerald green eyes. She has along graceful neck with grayish scales on her tan and white colored body. The only difference to a human would be that Ihsss' people have long tails. She would be considered to resemble the reptilian creatures on Earth.

At first glance, the ship now is a stream of chaos. Many bodies lay on the deck, wounded from the battle against the Cybertron Empire before they had been thrown through time and space. They would be thrown light-years from their original position and through time, to six hundred years into the past. The futuristic starship had come from a century where a huge galactic war in the known universe rages into its twentieth year, where everyone combatant. This even included Earth, until its destruction and the entire known universe conquered by a cybernetic war machine, called the Cybertron Empire. It would be where many planets would fall, until the universe combined its forces, pushing back the Cybertron to halt their evil conquest in its tracks. As for the ship and crew of the Clouds, at this very moment, unknowingly now find themselves in the year 2208 AD, a year and a half after the Yamato had been destroyed, its crew returned to Earth from space.

�What happened? Where are we?� Thought the reptilian Captain, and slowly, she panned a gaze to each station on the bridge.

At each position, her friends, refugees from the war in their time, staffed the semi-lighted bridge of her ship. Felonious Purrrtz of a feline race slumps over the console of the science station. Veloxa Bzzzarti and Thyrac Antillean of an Insectoid race sprawl out across the Helm and Navigation positions. Kwai Mao of a Humanoid race is lying on the deck next to the weapon's defense station and Hi M'thss, the captain's daughter, slumps partially in her chair about to fall to the deck. Outside, her ship spins uncontrollably through the black void of space.

�Report!� the reptilian Captain shouted sharply and slowly Felonious Purrtz, the feline Science Officer, rose up from a slumped over position over his console. He panned a quick check about at the semi lighted bridge, as he shook his furry head, to quickly clear his disorientation and brush his long grayish-silver fur from his golden eyes. His paw-like hands danced quickly over his console, moving with blinding speed, checking all systems and clicking the many switches on the panel. The feline officer's face grimaced.

�It appears we are on emergency power captain.� He announced after a moment, �All systems are out. If Voloxa is still with us in engineering, we'll have power back in a few moments.�

Ihsss nodded, as she glanced in his direction. �Is everyone all right?� The reptilian Captain asked, panning a worried look about the bridge to her long-standing friends. Each one made a move to acknowledge her question, the ones who were living, and she managed a slight nod.

The reptilian Captain then turned her attention to the Navigator, Thyrac Antillean. A moment later, the lights on the bridge brightened and some systems beeped as they restarted.

�Auxiliary power restored, Captain. It appears that Voloxa is still with us.� Felonious said, and Ihsss turned, flashing a toothy smile at him. A low hum echoed across the bridge, as the ventilators began to work, clearing the bridge of smoke.

�Damage control all decks� uh� Report it to the bridge.� The reptilian Captain said into the intercom, �Report to weapons control.� She hit a switch located on the arm of her chair, to close the channel.

�Veloxa, activate forward view screen, let us see where we the heck we are.� Ihsss ordered.

Veloxa, the Insectoid Navigator sat at her console and she turned, hitting the control with her claw-like fist. At first, a gray static appeared on the screen before it flickered, and the once again the stars of space appeared there. Ihsss managed a smile, extremely happy to see the stars again, but it quickly faded as she realized her ship was spinning out of control outside a large unknown galaxy ahead of them.

�Helm, thrusters at station keeping, and hold us all stop.� Snapped the Captain, and the helmsman quickly hit her controls. Outside the ship, small blue jets thundered from the ports in the hull, and their Star Cruiser straightened itself before it wallowing slowly to a stop. Thyrac Bzzzarti, the ship's Navigator sat busily over the computer monitor and on the screen, complex equations scrolled across it as he fed data into it. After a moment the insect Navigator turned, meeting the reptilian Captain's questioning look.

Ihsss stared at the main screen in question, now showing the great cloud of the Milky Way in front of them and her expression showed a confused frown. �Where are we, Navigator?�

�We're approximately one million light years from our last position captain.� He said, �Whatever that vortex did to us it threw us off course and we currently sit in uncharted space for our records.� Felonious hearing this, had put his furry face into the sensor module, and after a moment he straightened up with a strange frown.

�Galaxy ahead is a class M star cluster, approximately over ninety thousand astronomical meters in diameter, has a trillion solar mass, and approximately made up of two hundred billion stars.� He announced, �Length of central bar is approximately twenty-five thousand light years. There are seventy major systems in this part of this galaxy. A class M type solar system lies ahead of us.�

�Class M?� Ihsss mused, �Is it well defined? Where we can find a planet to gather the needed materials to make repairs in flight?�

�Aye, eleven planets, one major star, planets ranging from two to nine on the habitation scale.� His whiskers twitched when he read the data. �We are on the extreme edge of its border. The outer planets are not habitable they seem to have been blasted into rubble. There are nine planets of all distinguishable size.�

Felonious paused as data streamed on the console screen.

�The second galaxy in this area is a little larger, approximately two hundred thousand astronomical meters in diameter and is rated as class K. It has a double nucleus, and approximately thirty-one major solar systems.� The Science Officer said, finishing his initial report.

Ihsss grimaced, �Is there any record of any contact or habitable planets in this area?� The feline Science Officer shook his head.

�No record of habitual systems in this area� or contact from any ships from our respective cultures.� He announced and the reptilian Captain managed another grim nod.

�Excuse me, Captain, the damage control is completed.� Kwai interrupted, and Captain T'Larra swiveled her chair toward the Humanoid woman. She had heard the worried tone in her voice.

�Go ahead.� She prompted, and even nodded to the young humanoid.

�We sustained minor damage for all decks. Any major damage is in engineering section and the starboard nacelle. The rest were overloads and power burn outs.� She replied, �Casualties, we ended up with a few, but there were still six who were killed. Engineering reports we are now on auxiliary power and full power will be restored in about three hours. In a summary skipper, we are extremely fortunate.�

�That's for sure Kwai.� Ihsss muttered to herself, turning to the Science Officer and nodded her head.

�What was that phenomena that we passed through, Fel?� The reptilian Captain asked.

�Unknown. I only know that it was comprised of pure anti-matter energy, and when it exploded, that it seemed to be a warp of types opening up a hole in the space time continuum.� The feline Science Officer reported, �According to our sensors, and the recorders, we have been thrown through time and space. To where is uncertain, and I am analyzing the data from them for an approximate fix.�

�Better find out quick and everyone keep an eye out for Cybertron.� Ihsss' ordered, �We don't need to be caught vulnerable like this.�

�Aye captain,� He replied and turned to the console.

�Kwai stand down red alert, but maintain yellow alert.� The reptilian Captain ordered, �Hi'Mthsss, anything on the communications channels?�

�Negative Captain.� Hi replied, �It is very strange, the normal channels are static.�

�Keep trying.� Ihsss ordered, waving her hand gently to her frustrated daughter who sat at the Communications station.

�Aye captain,� The young reptilian replied, turning to let her fingers dance over the console in front of her, switching channels at will, with a vain hope of contact with someone.

Behind her, at the Helm, Veloxa, the insect-like helmsman turned away from her post, attention distracted by a young Humanoid that held a very thin wafer board. She took it, scanned it quickly, to sign her name while behind, her the derelict of Yamato floated undetected in front of them.

Hi' M'thss sat at her console, punching the seek button, as she scanned the frequencies of communications. Several times static echoed through her earpiece of her headset. Here, she scanned other channels and gasped when faint voices echoed over it. At first, she felt a wave of relief but frowned when figuring out that it is not their base she listened to in her headset. Her hands danced quickly over the console, getting a fix on the location on the directional indicator on the console. The reptilian communicator glanced at the screen, at the Milky Way Galaxy ahead of them, and then back to her console. A look of confusion appeared on her face.

�Mother, err� Captain, I am picking up radio chatter in this area.� Hi announced, �It is not on the usual channels. I picked it up as I tried to get a hold of the council via subspace messages with no luck. It's very faint, coming from the solar system ahead of us.�

Felonious and Ihsss both turned, to face her, and they had a look of astonishment on their faces. Ihsss and Felonious could not believe what they had just heard.

�What do you mean� radio chatter?� Felonious asked, walking to join her at her console. He put the sounds on the small speaker on the console and Ihsss quickly joined him too. Both listened intently to the chatter at her console.

�Cybertron�?� Felonious asked and Hi'Mthsss shook her head.

�I don't think so.� Hi�Mthsss said, hitting the button to clear the crackle of white noise that cracked on the speaker. �As far as I can tell it is on a low level band.� A voice echoed across the bridge, along with static between certain parts of it, making it seem fragmented and splotchy.

�Today's evening news, Sept�ber sixth, twenty-two�� The voice said, �Today the crow� all over � world is in wild � for the anniversary � victory of the defeat of the Comet � who � surrender as they attacked our forces. � Know it had happened one year after � recovered from the deadly radiation of planet � and the � went to Iscandar to receive the � from Queen Starsha � Iscan� Today will mark the eight-� of these � great events and � of those who � to maintain the pea� On hand� the celebration will be the crew � that � journey. In other news is � planet in jeopardy?�

�Hi.� Ihsss said quickly, and made a throat cutting gesture. The bridge was silent. The captain turned her head to the others on the bridge who stared at the communications station, having listened in amazement at the transmission they had just heard.

�Comet Empire defeat,� The Captain said, �That happened in the latter part of the twenty-third century.�

�It appears we are too.� Felonious told her solemnly. Ihsss T'Larra glanced at him. A look pure surprise and astonishment on her face.

�It coincides with the data we have. It appears that we have warped through time, not just in position like a warp fluxes that would take us speedily across the universe.� The Science Officer told them, �Anniversary of the Comet Empire defeat is when a lot of enslaved planets were freed, when Trelana of Telezart, helped the humans of Earth fight the evil empire.�

�Our planet had been one of those slave labor camps.� Veloxa added, �They were cruel taskmasters for their evil war machine.�

�What do you make of it Fel?� Ihsss asked, grimacing at the speaker as more broken transmissions echoed from it, thanks to her daughter who listened to it as she tried pinpointing the broadcast specifically.

He shrugged. �It makes me uncomfortable skipper.� The feline Science Officer replied, walking back to his station, �I have a bad feeling about this. This could be a trap set by the Cybertron, knowing our mission to stop them from changing history.�

�Hi� continue to monitor the traffic, and record it for analysis with linguistics.� The reptilian Captain instructed, as she worked over the console.

Ihsss stood staring at the view screen in confusion.

�Strange wormhole caused by anti-matter, echoes from a solar system that seems to be inhabited�. What is next�?" she muttered.

�I don't know, Captain.� Felonious whispered back, as they talked privately between each other. �We had better be cautious and our next move could be a disaster. If we indeed were transported to another time, I recommend caution. Any change could destroy everything we know. However, if the Cybertron came here, trying to change time to their advantage, we need to stop them. Right now, we need to find out what the focal point is of this time stream before we try altering it.�

�Well I agree, but what is our next move?� asked the reptilian Captain.

�It has to do with Aquarius.� Felonious said, �They have an unlimited source of energy, if we can destroy that planet here, we can stop them from winning the war and stop the bloodshed in our own time.�

�I think the Cybertron have entered this time, to change time where they will have the water planet here, and potentially use as a base to destroy the allies that could potentially stop them before the war even starts.�

�Earth was the first target in their invasion.� Hi�Mthsss corrected, �They have wave technology, the most powerful weapon in the universe, short of the pulsar cannon. The Earthlings refused to surrender and kept on fighting.�

�They could destroy the planet, and the Cybertron in our time would lose the war?� Ihsss asked and she caught his nod.

�Then we have double jeopardy, protecting Earth and destroying Aquarius.� The reptilian Captain said, �However that is a logical place to start and where our duty lies. But how do we make contact, and make them believe us.�

�I don't know.� Felonious countered, �There has to be a focal point that could make them listen. I don't know what happened in this time frame or events in this year, so it is hard to make an analysis.�

Hi'Mthsss, behind them, let out a startled gasp when she had looked up from her console and on the screen held the derelict of Yamato before them, now outlined by the huge white cloud of the Milky Way Galaxy.

�Captain�!� She shouted, and quickly Ihsss, who had returned to her chair, swiveled it to face her.

�What�? Holy Kriznar�!*� Muttered the reptilian Captain, glancing once at the view screen. She found herself gasping in loud amazement.
(*Footnote, expression of exclamation, IE 'Holy Cow!')

�Kwai, sound red alert, raise the shields and all hands to battle-stations!� A klaxon alarm blared over the speakers and several crews appeared on the bridge. Fifteen minutes later, everyone had the ship manned and ready, waiting for the battle to start. Captain T'Larra sat in the command chair, scanning the bridge and the view screen. She had hit the silencer not more than five minutes after signaling the alert, neutralizing the klaxon, and now sat waiting, as the crew worked hard to identify the ship on the screen.

All eyes including the young communicator were glued to the screen. The familiar humming noise of the sensors echoed across the bridge. �Ship is a derelict.� Felonious declared solemnly, and the crew breathed a sigh of relief.

�Maintain alert.� Ihsss instructed, �Whose ship is it?�

Felonious shrugged when she glanced at him.

�I'm running matches of all encountered ships, including Cybertron, so far there is no match. Strange, however, I am also scanning strange concentrations of recent battle radiation from the derelict. There seems to also to be a chemical composition that is illogical for a derelict to have.� Felonious reported.

Ihsss swiveled the chair. �Explain.� She said.

�Well, starting with the radiation, the levels indicate there had been a fight recently, the derelict is the source of the radiation and it is leaving a trail through space from the solar system ahead of us.� Felonious said, pointing to the display. �There is also a low level of nitrogen and oxygen present, though the ship has been compromised to the vacuum of space.�

�Is there any life on board?� Ihsss asked, hopefully.

�Negative Captain.� Felonious replied solemnly, �We are doing full scans. The radiation might be interfering with our scans though.�

�Tachyon Energy was used back in the twenty-first mid twenty-second century, by most cultures that had any sort of space travel. It is a precedent to the current methods of the warp engine. It was very efficient for the day, and it radiated a lot of power, but was unpredictable.� Voloxa said, as he appeared on the bridge.

�I thought you were below.� Felonious said with a smile, and he walked over to gently back slap the engineer warmly, �Nice work on keeping us afloat, Voloxa tis to your work.�

The engineer grinned smugly, and he narrowed his eyes at the screen. �That ship has been around probably for a few centuries and what it used to be was a fine piece of work, as an engine goes.�

�Well it appears we are too, according to scans and data logs.� Felonious told the engineer, �Up for a space walk? We should take a little closer look at that ship. I have a feeling that is going to tell us a lot what happened here.�

�You mean that ship has been around for five hundred years�� Voloxa asked with a gasp, �It looks brand new.�

�Yes, we are still trying to identify her.� Ihsss added, politely.

Sitting at her console for Communications, Hi'Mthsss studied the ship for a moment, and shook her head before turning back to the console in front of her. Something kept making her glance at the screen every few minutes, as her mind whirled with memories.

�There is something familiar about that ship.� She thought, �I have seen that structure before.�

She had turned back to her console, but constantly glanced at the screen and the Science Officer.

�What are the proportions of the nitrogen, oxygen levels?� Ihsss asked, and the feline Science Officer hit the switch on his console and figures flashed on screen.

�Seventy three percent oxygen, twenty percent nitrogen,� Felonious announced, �Low levels, but breathable.�

�What happened to them?� Captain T'Larra asked, �That is one powerful weapon to destroy a ship of that size like that. Could it be a pulsar weapon? Like the vessels, we encountered a while back. Could it already be the Cybertron?�

�I don't think so skipper.� Felonious replied solemnly.

For several minutes, it puzzled the young reptilian communicator and she reminisced back when they were home on their planet, something old that she had learned back in school. When it finally came to Hi'Mthsss, it had hit her like an electrical charge, making her snap her head, staring long and hard at the view screen. The communicator gasped, unable to believe that she now is staring at a legend, one she learned about on her home world. Her gasp had echoed across the bridge rather loudly, and it made everyone on the bridge look at her.

�Yamato�!� Hi breathed, remembering the lessons long ago while on her home world and in school. It had been a lesson about a ship from far away that had single handed defeated the Comet Empire, with the help of Trelana of Telezart, freeing many enslaved planets of this war machine. All eyes focused upon her.

�What's wrong Hi?� Felonious asked.

�That ship has a name and I know who it belongs to.� Hi said, �It was a study back home. That is the Earth ship Yamato, the ship that destroyed the Comet Empire.�

A low groan and murmur echoed the bridge as Hi M'thss stood up slowly from her chair, her eyes never leaving the view screen. Voloxa had gasped too, having heard the name while on his one home planet when the Comet Empire had control and before the Cybertron had taken over.

Ihsss turned to the science officer. �That radiation trail� Felonious�� She asked, her voice choked, and her face showing a grimace, �You said there is a visible radiation course?�

Felonious turned, hitting a button, and a line appeared on the screen from the derelict into the Sol galaxy that lay out ahead of them.

�Origin is course one, eight, three, distance, one point one light year.� The feline Science Officer answered, �Confirmed, it is leaving a visible trail from the solar system ahead of us.�

�Do you think the Cybertron got to her first?� Ihsss' countered, �Do you think Earth is still there?�

�It seems so, Captain.� Felonious replied solemnly.

�The radio signals I have intercepted are a news base of a New Tokyo/Federal City.� Hi reported, �There is no doubt Earth is there, I am certain of that, and have confirmed the origin of the signals, multiple times.�

�Hi' M'thss�� Felonious said, �What are the coordinates you have that might list the location of Earth.�

�What is it Fel?� asked the Captain who turned her chair to him.

�I want to test a theory.� He said, �It may prove our location and the jump in time.�

�Well the only information we learned was the home base region was called Earth, and group was called the Star Force.� Hi said, �The system was called SOL, in the Milky Way, coordinates two, seven, seven by one, three, three. They are the only group who fought the Comet Empire and it is because of Trelana warned them and her power defeated the Comet Empire.�

�Thyrac�� Felonious said, turning meeting the questioning gaze of the Insectoid, �Please pull up the star charts we have of this region, for our current time.�

�Aye�� He replied and his claw-like hand touched the button nearby. Turning Felonious dialed in the coordinates and they appeared on the screen in the form of a yellow dot.

�Now, I'm calculating our position.� Felonious said, and a red dot appeared. The feline officer moved the two together and it formed an orange dot.

�You mean we are at the Milky Way?� Ihsss gasped, and a low ripple of conversation rippled around the bridge.

�Quiet please.�

�It appears so Captain.� Felonious replied, �We might not be at the focal point in history where Earth has been destroyed already. We might be further back, before it was destroyed by the Cybertron. In my opinion, there are two possibilities, we could be hearing an echo from space, caused by the displacement of the time continuum, or we are really in the past.�

�The ship, was not destroyed after they defeated the Comet Empire were they?� Felonious asked, and Hi M'thss shook her young reptilian head.

�No�� The Communicator replied, �I don't know when the ship was destroyed, but according to the history, the ship did return home after that battle. Trelana sacrificed herself and returned the Emperor of the Comet Empire to the cosmos. The fate of it, however, is uncertain after that.�

�Then that means we ARE in the year twenty-two-oh-eight then?� Ihsss suggested, �Something must have happened. Could the time stream have been altered, and the Earth ship destroyed by the Cybertron in this century?�

Felonious shrugged. �The data is still being analyzed from the recorders for an accurate reading. The Comet Empire was defeated in the year twenty-two-oh-one, approximately. It has been about seven years since that battle occurred. Apparently Earth has endured many more battles, against other enemies, since that time.�

�Well Felonious, I think we had better investigate. Helm�?� Ihsss prompted and Veloxa turned her chair to face the reptilian Captain, with a big grin on her Insect-like features.

�Bring us within one thousand kelicans of the derelict, course three, one, and five. Thyrac, raise the navigational deflectors. Approach her nice and easy.�

Veloxa turned to her console.

�Aye, captain,� She replied, as her hands danced across the console.

�Kwai maintain yellow alert status. Hi'Mthsss, you assist Felonious in the investigation, providing all data you know about Yamato's background. Voloxa and Felonious will be going on a space walk to examine the ship close up.� The ship became a hustle of activity. Ihsss stared at the screen then down to the chair's console before hitting a switch.

�Boarding parties, report to airlock five in fifteen *taros.� The reptilian Captain ordered, �Full Medical and Engineering Teams.�

*(taros = equivalent of minutes on Ihsss' planet.)

Veloxa half turned, �Ready, skipper.� The insect-like pilot told her and Ihsss' nodded.

�Thrusters ahead,� Outside the ship, the jets of blue appeared on the hull and the Cruiser slowly began to make its way toward the derelict. They had no idea of the find they were about to discover aboard the derelict, a Hero of Earth.

A New Adventure

The story picks up approximately one and a half years after the final mission of the Earth ship, Yamato --

Meanwhile on Mars: Derek Wildstar, formerly of the Yamato crew, sits in the assigned quarters for him and his new wife, Nova. They have come to Mars not more than a half a year ago, a few weeks after returning from the final mission of the Space Battleship Yamato.

Once again, this crew saved Earth from destruction by the Dinguil Empire that threatened their home with the use of a legendary planet known as Aquarius, who in legend gave Earth life. They had all paid a high price for peace this time, paying dearly with the blood their comrades who died on board the Yamato on its final mission, again to save Earth. It is also hard for the others in the ranks of the Yamato crew to cope, especially for Derek who lost his best friend, Mark Venture and his mentor, Captain Avatar who seemed to be resurrected from the dead many years after the first mission to Iscandar. It still hurt the young chief to remember his friends, whom they had buried upon Hero's Hill before this final mission of Yamato and the now more, who had been buried after they recently arrived home. The chief had seen enough bloodshed to last a lifetime and all he seemed to have from his time in space are those memories.

However, as Chief Wildstar thinks of his friends, he also remembers the first time they had been brought together for the first mission. How they had taken the Yamato, and had traveled out to Iscandar to get the Cosmo DNA. He remembered how young they were, how many adventures they undertook fighting the many battles against the Gamelans, and having to deal with the anxiety, stress and fear everyone had of not succeeding on their mission. The chief thought of Conroy, Hardy, Lance, Orion, Sgt. Knox, Sparks, and even Royster. They are all gone now, perished while on their adventures together. They included, on top of the names, innocent bystanders like Starsha of Iscandar, heroine of Earth, Astra, her sister, Wildstar's own brother Alex, and his niece (Alex and Starsha's Daughter) Sasha, who sacrificed themselves to save Yamato. Even Trelana of Telezart, who loved Mark Venture, had died to save Earth by taking on the evil Prince Zordar of the Comet Empire. She had sacrificed her planet first to slow the Comet Empire down, allowing the Yamato to reach home first before the Empire arrived at Earth. She then sacrificed her life, returning Zordar to the cosmos using her mystical powers. Now it was all over, Earth was at peace.

Derick, shook his head and cleared the images, silently staring at the stars through the view port. He could not help thinking of his friends, the many who had perished during the many adventures of the Yamato. He stared at the stars, and could almost imagine Mark and Trelana meeting once again, with the others, his crewmembers and his friends who had died. He imagined seeing them running across the landscape and he taking her up into his arms, kissing her passionately. Old lovers reunited after their separation by death. Wildstar smiled openly at the thought then reality came back into focus.

�We have accepted an assignment to Mars. This is, our final assignment in space, before we return home to permanent places on Earth.� He thought and grimaced. Derick and his wife Nova, are those few who had went to the planet Iscandar, and had survived all the missions together. During that time, they had fallen in love with each other and had finally married after the Yamato's last mission, despite putting it off before. This would be their last assignment before they would return to Earth.


Derick's thoughts were suddenly interrupted however, his reminisces fading, when the door chime sounded. The sound had made him jump slightly, and he felt an overwhelming dread encompass his senses. Walking to the nearby console, he hit a switch.

�Come!� Wildstar shouted sharply, and the doors opened obediently to allow entry of his very pale and drawn wife. An Earth Defense trooper steadied her on the arm.

�Nova?� he asked, his voice and tone indicating a question more than a statement. Derick stepped forward toward her.

�What happened?� Wildstar asked, directing his question toward the trooper.

�She's all right chief.� The trooper replied, �She collapsed while on duty and I have orders by the infirmary, Doctor Hill to escort her back to quarters.�

Derick managed a smile, and a slight nod. The trooper's hand slipped from her arm and he let go of her. Nova stumbled forward and Derick's reflexes moved like lighting as he lunged forward, catching her in his arms.

�Thank you.� Wildstar politely told the trooper and smiled broadly as the young soldier saluted before exiting their quarters.

Alone, he stared at his wife. Derick's eyes carried a deep concern.

�Nova, are you all right?� He asked and she smiled.

�Derek, I'm fine, really. You didn't have to worry.� She told him, �I'm fine, and so is the baby.�

Wildstar held her tightly, shaking his head. Her statement seemed to hover there for a few seconds.

�You shouldn't be working so hard. This has been the third day of extra�� He declared, and suddenly her statement had sunk in, feeling like someone or something had slapped him very hard upside the head. Wildstar had drawn back, gasping loudly and stared at her with a genuinely astonished face.

�What?� Wildstar managed to stammer, choking, �W-what was that Nova?�

She stared at her husband lovingly, her eyes twinkling, giggling quietly with a mischievous mirth.

�I said I'm fine and so is the baby. Derek, I'm pregnant and you're going to be a father.�

She giggled quietly again. Wildstar on the other hand stared at Nova and his mouth hung open.

�ME?� He choked, after a full five minutes. �A father�? Are you sure?�

Nova was nodding her head, but was biting her lip trying not to laugh at the face that he now made. Wildstar's face still showed astonishment but there was a smile forming there. After a brief moment between them, he happily grabbed her up into his arms letting out a yelp of joy.

�HOT DAMN, I'm going to be a dad!� He shouted, lifting her up and as Derick held her, he spun her around in a loving embrace. Nova giggled, and laughed, as they held each other. They stared into each other's eyes and he embraced her again, kissing her passionately. However, Wildstar could not get the provocative question that his inner soul kept asking out of his head. 'When�?' His inner voice asked. It had not been long after their marriage they had done the deed.

�When�?� His mind coached and now it was his turn to blush. Wildstar did so deeply when it finally struck him, remembering when they had got married and what happened after.

�We had made love on the beach after we got married, that's when!� Derick thought, answering the question. He grimaced, his face showing him absolutely stunned by the revelation.

�Oh my god,� Derick murmured, as his face showed clear alarm for the thought of being unprepared for parenthood but still the thought of being a father intrigued him. It was a little sudden and Derick knew he would have to arrange quickly to accommodate this new event.

�Derick are you alright?� Nova asked, and he nodded. Everything seemed to be getting much better. The pain seemed to lessen from the memories of the last mission. Wildstar suddenly found himself back on the Yamato, on the mission to Iscandar, and standing in the observation lounge. It had been when Nova had been wishing on the Volton Star. It had just been after one hell of a trip through the red star, after they used the wave gun to destroy a huge flare, and barely managing to avoid the plasma cloud sent by the Gamelans to destroy them. He had laughed and made fun of her.

�Had it come true? All this was a reality now. They had fallen in love, married and now parenthood.� He asked himself, �Thank the heavens we will be on Earth in a few months.�

Inside, he was a bundle of excited nerves, excited and hardly able to wait to tell their friends and former shipmates about it in the Star force.

�Great news to tell�� He murmured and Nova put her hands on his shoulders.

�Derek, are you sure you are all right?� She asked, again her face showing deep concern. She put up a hand, lifting his chin, and met his eyes, staring deeply into them, madly in love with her husband that she had fallen for what seemed a lifetime ago for them both.

�Uh.... Yeah....� He replied, �Everything is terrific!�

Wildstar embraced her, and just held her. Nova began to laugh and Derick followed suit. He just held her, putting his hand on her stomach. He glanced at her smiling.

A moment later, the door-chime sounded behind them, and it interrupted their romantic moment. They both glanced at each other, before turning toward the door in surprise. Wildstar turned, setting Nova down gently, and moved toward the door.

�I wonder who that could be. It's quite late for visitors.� Nova frowned, shrugging her shoulders.

�Come!� He commanded, and he hit the button on the console making the door slide open. Two uniformed officers appeared outside the door, clad in the familiar Earth Defense uniforms, and they stepped through the open doors entering the room. The couple gasped when they saw them.

�Why it's Sandor and Dash�� Nova stammered, staring at the two men who served with them onboard the Space Battleship Yamato for many years, and on the many missions of the familiar ship.

�Sandor�! Dash�!� Nova and Derick exclaimed together, rushing toward their friends. He greeted them with a hearty handshake and Nova kissed the two men on the cheek. Sandor and Dash both sputtered a bit, and coughed uncomfortably, making Nova laugh.

�Derek, Nova.� Sandor replied grinning.

�Hey chief, how's it going!� Dash exclaimed, as he warmly black slapped his commander. Derick laughed loudly at the two men, putting a hand on Sandor's shoulder.

�It's been a long time Sandor, what brings you and Dash to my neck of the woods?� Wildstar asked, the technician grinned slightly, as did his former second in command, Dash.

�Yeah, it seems like a long time since we were all together, but it has been only a year or so. We missed you at the last gathering though.� He told them and Nova moved to take her husband's hand.

�Well it seems you both will be returning sooner than you think, however.� Sandor said and withdrew an envelope from his jacket, handing it to Wildstar. He took the envelope with a puzzled frown and turned it over in his hands. The technician had always been reserved, but zany in his own way. He always had flair of being dramatic and too serious.

�What's this?� asked Wildstar, taking the envelope and holding it.

�It is your orders from the Earth Defense Commander himself, hand written and on the strictest confidence to be carried to you both personally,� The technician replied, �It seems we had some interesting activity while you both have been away. We made an exciting new discovery in the US Sector of the Earth Defense Command.�

Nova and Derick glanced at each other and their stares of disbelief panned to Dash and Sandor. Wildstar had managed to accept the envelope with a rather passive look on his face, until he stared at the flap, noting it had the Earth Defense Seal on it. Derick broke the seal, and from the envelope, he pulled the papers from inside it. Quickly his eyes scanned them. They were hand-written orders from Earth Defense Commander Singleton, and a look of question appeared on his face.

�What is it Derick?� Asked Nova and he turned his head meeting her questioning look, reading her expression to nod slowly.

�But Sandor, the Commander knows this is our last assignment and we're out after this�� Wildstar told him, handing the papers silently to Nova. She read them quickly and let out a gasp. Derick glanced at his wife in silent understanding when she put up a hand covering her mouth as-if to stifle it.

�Derick�� Nova started to say, and he understood her astonishment as she held up her hand. She stared at her husband, as Sandor and Dash, shook their heads at Wildstar.

�I did not know that, but orders are orders, Commander Singleton needs you both back urgently.� Sandor urged.

�You got my attention now Sandor, what's going on?� Wildstar asked.

�Well first, the information what I know, is classified and I can't tell you until we return to Earth to the Commander's office.� Their friend replied. Both Derick and Nova grimaced. �But, what I can tell you now, is a discovery that has made has a link to Aquarian Technology to our past, two hundred or so years.�

Nova at first hearing the news let out a gasp, and glanced at her husband as the technician had said it, prompting him to respond quickly.

�Aquarius�!� He breathed.

�You got it�� Sandor said as Derick took his wife's hand and gripped it tightly as she laid her head on his shoulder. For a brief moment the thought of going into space, made them feel uneasy and feel something was very wrong.

��When we arrive, the Commander is expecting both of you.� Sandor told the couple, and he yet did not fill Derick and Nova in on very many details of the nature of the discovery made. Wildstar considered a moment what he and Nova were being asked:

They were being asked to once more head out into space, after the crew had dispersed, and without Yamato to take on a research mission to Aquarius. They would study the planet and the heavy water that was found on the plant. Inside, he wondered once they reached Aquarius, how easily they would pull the mission off. He wondered what link they would find there linking them to two hundred or more year ago in the past of Earth. He also wondered how much more bloodshed there would be in the name of peace. Derick had no idea that the Aquarian technology had been mistakenly planted in the past, when a ship bearing that technology was shot down and crashed in the deserts of Earth.

�Honey, can I see you a moment in the bedroom?� Derick asked his wife, very sweetly.

�Privately�� He added and motioned Nova to the door leading into the connecting bedroom. When alone, he turned to her.

�Please, stay home Nova, this time. You have our child and should not risk yourself out there.� He firmly told her.

Nova glared at him. �Oh no, I am going, if you go� I go��

He frowned at her stubborn attitude.

�But Nova��

Quickly, she put her hand over his mouth.

�We are not going to discuss this Derick.� She said coldly, �If you go, I go� I will stow away as I did last time.�

Derick managed a smile behind her hand, and a quiet chuckle. He remembered when the Star Force, under his command, had broken out of the underwater dock and headed out to Telezart. They had seen the signs of danger from which they would have to fight, and a new enemy, the evil Comet Empire that had approached Earth. Nova had smuggled herself on-board. He took her hand from his lips, and kissed it gently.

�Okay Nova, you win� But please don't do anything too stressful.� Wildstar told her, concerned for her welfare.

�If you're going, we'd better get ready.� He said, pulling the duffle bags from the closet, and quickly packed their gear into it. A few minutes later, they returned to the main room where Sandor and Dash sat on the couch. Nova and Derick dropped their bags in the entryway. Sandor filled them on the non- classified data, and the technical information they had discovered. All four had then did not know that time itself had been breached from the future, and the past of Earth. A half hour later, they all boarded the transport, shuttling them all to the main hanger bay. Everyone drank coffee, laughing and caught up on old times, just like they did many times before.

At the same moment, however, as they headed out into space to protect Earth, an enemy now builds. A great armada of ships hovers at Aquarius, as on the planet the robotic enemy constructs great ships and powers them with the Aquarian energy cells. They had come from the future, traveling back into past, and their mission to change time to win the huge war they would lose in the future.

Requiem of the Past ---

Meanwhile on Earth: Just as a portion of the Yamato crew speeds home to Earth, to join their friends before their new mission: A lone soldier stands in the waiting room of the Commander's Office at the EDC Headquarters. His name, Seth Aguilera, formerly of the United States Army in the twentieth century, has just arrived here minutes ago at the Headquarters of the Earth Defense Command. He is coming here at the request of the EDC Commander himself, Charles Singleton, and as he stands alone in a side foyer he pulled at the uncomfortable neckline of the dark green uniform, he wears belonging to the Space Marine Corps. As he does so, he stares impressed at the sectional mirror located in this alcove. The uniform is a dark green, cut to fit and trimmed in black. A silver bar gleamed on the collar of it. It is a welcomed sight and distraction for the young officer, shaking his head to bring himself back to reality, what he is here for today.

�Today, either I am active again the current military, or discharged as a private citizen.� Seth thought, checking himself one more time before glancing at his surroundings. Stepping back, he entered the main area of the waiting room. It is a large open room with open beams, plush furnishings, and four sitting areas on a thick brown shag carpet. In the center of these carpeted sections, a tiled walkway leads to the large onyx desk that sits in the center of it. The room, to the young officer, reminds him of a waiting area just like this one where he and the eleven 'volunteers' had gathered at a doctor's office in San Francisco at the Presidio. Here they were checked out, and cleared for the project of Cryogenic Stasis, long forgotten as yet another war raged somewhere in the world.

Now with that all behind him, he with the others recovered a half a year ago, have awakened from the long terms of stasis. As for Seth, however, he now attends the Space Academy in the year 2208 A.D. where he has been engaged in the long process of 'catch up learning' to bring him up to speed into the present. Two hundred years has elapsed, he and his crew have made it, far beyond their wake date into the winds of time itself. The young officer still has not fully recovered from the effects of stasis, still partially ill from the lag involved from it. He has managed to start his new life, catching up with limited duties within the Earth Defense Command, the new military organization of this century. Seth would consult with many experts worldwide, answering questions as they analyzed the chambers that he and his surviving crew arrived.

It has also been an extremely hard few months for Seth, first to be awakened and brought out of unconsciousness by the medical people. Other than two centuries he lost, the young officer has also lost everything he knew in the form of friends and family. His whole world had changed, turned literally upside down. In addition, in addition to this, he has lost someone dear to him who had been a member of his stasis team, a young woman whom he had fallen in love while training together in San Francisco. A romance spanned two years, as they were comrades in arms for their project. Something he could not get over to know that she is now gone, leaving him alone in a new century. They had lost seven people from an explosion that thundered through the chamber. It was a planted terrorist bomb and upon detonating, had collapsed the chamber, after throwing shrapnel that covered the chambers. Several of them had been damaged by the falling debris and pieces of metal belonging to the chamber, breaching the chambers and causing the occupants to die in stasis.

�And she will never know the fantastic changes.� He thought, �What a waste.�

The young officer remembered that day where he had gone to the funeral and the day where he put his friends to rest. Seth also remembered the fan fair that had been accompanied with the bodies of his friends. They were to be taken to a place called Hero's Hill, a place that had unanimously been decided by the Earth Defense Command HQ, the Federal Hospital staff and the former Star Force members, to put them to rest there. Many people would come in droves to watch the funeral of the seven people from the twentieth century, all here also to see the two hundred year old man who was said to be attending this funeral.

Seth watched in grim silence at the fanfare around him, as he stood at the memorial waiting for the funeral to begin for his lost comrades. He desperately tried to ignore the questions of the press, shouted at him, and ignore the flashes of the cameras in his face for the last hour. The young officer grimaced when he turned his head, when the first coffin appeared with the six pallbearers around it, who carried it into the memorial. It was the first of seven coffins to come here for burial. In the background, the song, Seth recognized as 'In Pace' was played over the loudspeakers.

�From Hamlet� Nice and appropriate�� Seth managed to murmur as the other coffins appeared. He gazed at the six pallbearers carrying each coffin all draped with the EDC flag and the U.S. Flag over them. As the coffins approached, the crowd fell silent, and the only sound was the booted footsteps of the pallbearers echoing on the granite walkway. Hats were removed as the caskets passed the crowd, some in uniform saluted the caskets and the press cameras flashed all over the memorial. All eyes were focused on the young officer of the past who had stepped forward, saluting the flag that draped over the coffins too. A low murmur of mixed reactions rippled across the crowd.

Back in the Federal Hospital, the stasis crew who had recently awakened now occupies two rooms: They are unaware of the memorial service for their friends, not told by the EDC Staff that their seven friends had died while in stasis. They are just now learning of their adventure through time and already welcomed by the staff of the hospital.

As Melinda Morris lay in her bed, next to Amy Pantstingle, she flipped the channels on the television. It had been the one channel she had flipped to and she stared at the picture of the crowd that had gathered at the memorial that drew her interest. The same memorial that Melinda, Amy and even Amanda and Manual had seen a short distance from the city when they awakened in Federal Hospital.

Melinda grimaced when she saw it, having seen the memorial many times through the window of the hospital room.

�Hey there is something going on out there.� Melinda said, glancing at her friend who had been engrossed in her tablet that that showed the text history of Earth on it. She had pointed at the window where Hero's Hill Memorial that appeared on the hill outside of town. The two women had glanced at each other and then back to the monitor, watching it in stunned silence as the camera's focus was on the caskets, moving back to the crowd, then to the Yamato crew, and the Earth Defense Commander, Charles Singleton who stood in dress uniform at the podium across from the newly excavated graves.

�It appears the seven chambers belong to a unit who was placed in them over two hundred years ago. A stasis project, that the Earth Defense Command Science community has called a miracle of science.� The first reporter said, as the camera panned right.

�It is quite a gathering for something so strange. I guess only proper, though they are hardly the first citizens like the Yamato crew who had served Earth. We have word that five of these people from the past are still living despite this burial. They are still listed in the Federal Hospital as critical, but stable condition. The EDC has neither commented, nor released the names or photos of those individuals.� A camera fell on the stone cold gaze of Lieutenant Aguilera, who watched the caskets pass by him.

�This young man was one of the survivors right?� asked the second reporter and the first one nodded.

�Well yes, according to what I have, this man is the leader of the group found.� The first reporter said, �He is here to oversee personally these burials.�

Next door, there was a yelp and footsteps, as Manual and Amanda, donned in robes rushed over to their room from next door.

�Hey are you watching the memorial on TV?� Amanda asked, �It seems we're famous TV Celebrities.�

�Sssshhhh�� Melinda replied in annoyance, as she waved her hand.

�We have word that the caskets are approaching their final resting place.� The reporter stated formally, �Let's go live to action.�

On the screen, the camera panned to the crowd, and to Commander Singleton, and then to many others who had come to the memorial to witness this funeral. Standing with Seth, the Yamato crew stood looking on.

�It seems the Yamato crew is also on hand.� A reporter commented, �The Earth's finest citizens who had saved Earth from the Gamelans attacks and rushed to Iscandar to get the Cosmo DNA nine years ago. They defeated the Comet Empire, eight years ago.�

At the memorial, cameras blinked across its granite surface, as all eyes had been trained on a young Lieutenant Aguilera who stood with Doctor Sane, the Yamato crew, and several others. They had been watching and as the first casket passed him that he snapped to attention, raising his hand in formal salute, to hold it, as each draped caskets passed him.

Melinda nudged Amy when she saw the young officer, who seemed familiar to her, hardly able to recognize her friend who stood in the dark uniform and the heavily bearded face, despite the shaved dark hair.

�Oh my god,� Melinda murmured, �That's Seth!�

�He's alive too!� Amy exclaimed, and there were low murmurs among the stasis crew gathered in the room. They saw Seth salute the caskets as they passed him, holding military honors. They smiled, glad to see him alive and well, looking sharp in the uniform of the Earth Defense Command.

�Who we are seeing now is the leader of the stasis group, a man named Lieutenant Aguilera, who has been beneficial, helpful to identify the project that used the water of Aquarius. A power source and the same waters that Yamato had stopped from flooding Earth and defeated the Dinguil Empire over it a year ago.� A reporter said.

�Oh my god,� Melinda said, tears forming in her eyes, when she realized what she was seeing before their eyes, �I can't believe it, it's a funeral? Our friends are dead?�

�My god, it appears so.� Amy gasped, watching the caskets on the screen. �This cannot be, when the hell did this happen?�

�It IS for your friends,� A voice said, and they turned to see a young nurse they recognized as Lieutenant (JG) Yakamori, �You are the ones they mentioned are you not?�

It was very apparent everyone was watching in the city.

�Well� yes ma'am, we are�� Melinda replied, meeting the look of the young nurse standing in the doorway and quickly remembering military courtesy.

�It is their funeral.� She said, �The entire Yamato crew, the hospital staff, and Earth Defense Command, unanimously decided to put them to rest there. The memorial is a place where the Yamato crew buried many of their friends in service to save Earth. Your friends are being given the same honors.�

The nurse smiled as she paused, �You are all legends, Heroes. You are much admired for your courage by the staff at Federal Hospital and the EDC.�

�Well� thanks.� Amy replied, glancing at Manual who held Amanda in his arms. Melinda, Amy, Amanda, and Manual were speechless to this information given to them and all eyes were back on the monitor where the young officer, their friend, standing at the memorial. They noted the young nurse watched with them.

At the memorial, Nova, her husband Derick, Sandor, and the Yamato crew had all watched the young officer hold the salute as the flag draped caskets passed by him. His hand lowered a moment later, a murmur from the crowd echoing the memorial, when Seth stepped forward and fell in step behind the caskets. He turned sharply to the left, after stepping forward to follow behind the last of the caskets headed to the grave site.

�What the hell is he up to?� Sane had whispered to Nova and Derick, just as astonished as everyone present had been. Seth ignored the murmurs, as he walked behind them, and took his place in the center of the seven graves that had been dug here, as the pallbearers stood nearby.

The pallbearers grinned at first when they saw him, and then realized what it was he was doing. A grimace appeared on their faces, one of them glancing at Commander Singleton, who watched impassively. Seth glanced at the Earth Defense Commander and he nodded once, understanding what the young Lieutenant wanted to do.

�Pallbearers attention,� Seth shouted, the six people at each casket, still holding them turned and straightened. �Let's give them a bit of close order here. Sidestep left, at the half step.�

The pallbearers held the casket and with one-step moved to the side the graves in one smooth precise motion. Nova and the others smiled at the precision, beauty and elegance of the motion.

�Company halt,� Seth shouted, as each casket was positioned over the graves. �Ready��

�Ready!� A voice replied, a young Sergeant who had been leading the caskets before.

�Caskets� Down�!� Seth ordered and the pallbearers obeyed, sitting them all smoothly on the units that would place them into the graves.

�Dress right Dress left, close intervals.� Seth shouted and the group stood at attention, as one arm was an arrow, and they slid into close formation rank. The young officer nodded.

�Ready! FRONT!� Heads snapped forward and they faced the mirror of the three other people carrying the casket.

�Render Flag to honors.� Seth ordered, and the pallbearers turned to the coffin and quickly each flag was removed from the caskets and neatly folded. The flag then was passed to the first person at the head of each casket.

�Company, left face,� Shouted the young Lieutenant, the company present turned and Seth nodded.

�Forward� March�!� The echo of the command went down the line. Neat rows of the formation of pallbearers walked from the side of the caskets and they walked toward Seth on either side.

�Company Halt,� The group of three stood clear of the caskets with a row between them.

Seth spun to the left. �Company... Left, Face.� He snapped out the command and the compliment present complied. Neat rows faced the Commander, who stood impressed at the podium. Seth turned from his place, and he took a place on the left side of the formation.

�Close ranks and stand at ease.� Seth snapped and the rows neatly filed in close as forty-two people stood in formation beside the graves. Nova had her hands on her face, and there were smiles by the Yamato crew, for the excellent demonstration by the pallbearers.

There was polite applause.

Commander Charles Singleton stood at the podium, dressed in the formal dress uniform, a green colored one, trimmed in black. He wore a billed hat, and ribbons on his chest of the many campaigns he had served. Everyone turned when the Commander stepped up to the podium.

�We are gathered here to pay respects to our honored dead and we welcome home our lost sons and daughters of Earth who have returned after two centuries.� The Commander stated, �We welcome home 'Emily Montgomery', 'Denise Watson', 'Doug Woolard', 'Christina Cook', 'Sherry Carnelli', 'Edward McKee', and 'Katherine Lewis'� He said, pausing, as he panned a look to the many faces in the audience.

�These people are the true spirit of honor and dedication. They are also the ultimate sacrifice so others may live. They will be honored also as earth's finest citizens, in the face of adversity, trial and in the performance of their duty.�

The Commander finished speaking, and the stasis volunteers in Melinda and Amy's room seemed to react to the kind words spoken for their friends, as they watched the monitor in the hospital room. The words, for a moment, seemed to hang there in the air at the memorial and slowly faded with the wind, as their friends now slowly were put to rest. The Yamato crew had been here many times before, in the last few years, to bury a few more of the crew from the ship and among them a good friend of the Yamato crew. (Nova's first love, Mark Venture) She knew what Seth and the others in his crew must have been going through, as did Wildstar and even Doctor Sane.

�Honors� HUT! Salute�!� A soldier shouted, and the company mass saluted, as the coffins were lowered slowly into the grave. In the hospital room, Amanda Melinda, and Amy wept openly as they raised their hands in salute. Manual held a crisp salute, his face hard and unmoving as Seth's was, as he stood at the memorial.

At the memorial, Nova bleary eyed turned to salute, as did the other Yamato crew. As she held the salute, the seven coffins were lowered into the graves.

In both places, there was a moment of silence from which there could be some reflection among the living stasis crew for their friends. They all remembered the good times, after the rocky start, to work as a team. They learned to trust, and each other's idiosyncrasy that helped them communicate and work better together. Now that was over, and all they had was memories. The Yamato crew strangely echoed the same thing from their first mission to Iscandar to now. They too reflected for their friends, recently lost to the horrors of war.

�Return Salute.� Seth shouted, his voice listless, and the company lowered their hands. It was over.

�And now we are five.� Amy murmured, as she stood in the room, lowering her hand and beside her, Melinda turned her head, managing a slow nod at her revelation. At the memorial, Seth turned to the pallbearers and the others present.

�Company� Dismissed�!� Seth shouted, as the forty-two people who had brought these seven caskets, marched out in the same order they had come. Seth turned, as cameras and press cameras scanned the memorial, showing the stunned reaction of the crowds.

Seth's memories faded, and cast another uneasy glance to the surroundings and at the futuristic waiting room at Headquarters where he found himself. His gaze refocused on the mirror in front of him.

�Jesus. That was almost two months ago.� The young officer thought, and he grimaced, shaking his head in silent disbelief.

�In an hour, it is either yes or no.� Seth thought happily, �Reactivation to duty, or release into the future as a civilian.�

Lieutenant Aguilera stepped into the outer waiting room, and pulled uncomfortably at the collar of the uniform. He had been so engrossed in his memories, that he had not noticed what was going on around him until a young enlisted soldier bumped into him.

�Excuse me sir!� The voice said as Seth returned his salute sharply. He smiled at the motion, letting out a sharp exhale.

�Just like old times.� He thought, and chuckled quietly. The young Lieutenant felt the confidence building a bit, by the military courtesy shown to him.

The young officer walked toward the huge onyx desk sitting in the center of the room and soon stood before two young women, an Ensign of the Space Service and a young Second Lieutenant from the Space Marines Corps who are assigned to work behind it. Two burly guards stood on either side of the room, dressed in full battle armor, holding nasty looking rifles as they stood like statues against the wall.

When Seth approached the desk, the two women looked up startled and stood to salute him. The young women at the desk had not been expecting such a person to arrive on their watch. Seth had been at least an hour early to arrive at the Headquarters building.

�First Lieutenant Aguilera, U.S. Army�?� The young ensign asked and he nodded silently, absently smoothing the black band on his uniform, signifying a mourning band for his friends.

�Outstanding sir, the Commander is expecting you. Please follow me.� With that, she moved from the inner section of the desk, and started down the nearby hallway.

�Wait, I thought my appointment was at fourteen-thirty hours.� Seth questioned, his tone indicating surprise, but he moved in one-step behind her as they walked the plush, but brightly lit hall.

The young twentieth century officer glanced down quickly at the chronometer on his wrist, his eyes moving up from the chronometer, and they found the young woman.

Immediately the young Lieutenant ran a quick gaze over the youthful Ensign, carefully, admiring the beauty and curves of her fabulous figure. His eyes examined her from the top of her head, to her long brown hair that draped to an attractive shoulder length and down her curves to her cute buttocks that swayed in the almost molded tight uniform. He did not recognize her from the memorial service for the others.

�Wow!� He murmured, �What a babe, I think I am going to like the future after all. At least some things have not changed.�

Seth laughed quietly. The young woman, named Crystal, had felt his gaze burning into her, and inside she was wondering what he is looking at. The young woman then realized, it was she, the young officer was watching. When she overheard his comment, she decided to have some fun with him and whirled on him.

�Excuse me sir?� Crystal asked, in mock annoyance.

�What? Err� Nothing�� He replied quickly, waving his hand at the young woman.

Crystal turned, nodding slightly.

�I thought so.� She murmured, chuckling quietly under her breath, as the two officers resumed the short walk down the hallway. The young woman smiled at him as she pointed to the doors.

�Here it is, Lieutenant.� She told him, �And the answer is yes, if and when you get back after reporting in for your new assignment. Or your release from the service.�

Seth met her gaze with a shocked look and Crystal winked at him before turning to leave. Lieutenant Aguilera felt the flush rising over his collar, and managed an amused smirk.

�Now I know I am going to like the future�� She heard him mutter and exhale sharply. Seth turned his head when he heard her giggle. Crystal had heard him and he flushed brightly in embarrassment. He never was good with women, even in his century and he did not know how he would fare being a dinosaur to the new generation of this military.

�I guess it must be important if they are going to see me early.� Seth thought and turned to the large walnut doors. Before he could knock, however, the doors opened slowly. They allowed the young officer to step through them, and into the huge sprawling office of General Charles Singleton, Earth Defense Commander. The officer of the past's reaction had been quiet astonishment at the size of the office, even though he was the Earth Defense Commanding General.

Lieutenant Aguilera walked into the Earth Defense Commander Singleton's office, a sinister, but Spartan furnished office that sprawls out in front of three bay windows overlooking the city. A carved, stone desk sits in the corner, facing the door and another table connects it. Around the office are the same furnishings like the outer office that decorates the room. Three men and a young woman sat at the table, which Seth immediately picked as one being Commander Charles Singleton himself sitting in the center, his aides on either side named Lieutenant Kitano, and Commander Mitty McDonald. A young chief sat beside Commander McDonald, named Jordy Venture, who happened to be Mark Venture's brother who had died on the last mission of Yamato. The chief sat with a machine in front of him, recognized by Seth as a recorder found in a court.

Seth managed a few steps in, slightly unnerved by the people present but he marched forward anyway, turning to face them. He snapped to rigid attention and snapped off an old- fashioned salute to the Commander and company.

�First Lieutenant Seth Aguilera, U.S Army, reporting as ordered, SIR!� He said, holding the salute until the Commander returned it. An amused smile appeared on the other faces as Lieutenant Aguilera dropped his hand, but remained at attention.

�Welcome Lieutenant... Aguilera, is that right?� Defense Commander Singleton's voice boomed.

�Yes sir!� Seth replied briskly and another flash of grins appeared all around.

�You may stand at ease.� The twentieth century officer relaxed, with his hands behind his back.

�First let me introduce my aides, before we start this debriefing.� He said, motioning to the left side. �Seated on my left� is Lieutenant Kitano, and on my right is Commander Mitty McDonald, whom you know. Chief Venture will be taking minutes. I have summoned here to officially and finally welcome you personally, into the twenty-third century.�

Seth acknowledged the officers.

�Thank you.� He told them and they smiled and returned the pleasantry.

�We summoned you here today for a debriefing session, on the recent events of your stasis project and to possibly get you moving forward to your adjustment into the new century.� Singleton's voice said, �Quickly, of course, because we have a new assignment that your skills would be quite valuable instead of being in limbo.�

He paused, studying his aide after she whispered in his ear.

�However, it has been brought to my attention that your debriefing was partially taken care of while in Federal Hospital by one of my staff members, therefore we will dispense with the formalities.�

Inside, Seth felt a little uneasy at the thought.

�We have need for your valuable abilities immediately in the Earth Defense Command, and I am reactivating you immediately to duty to attend a briefing on Thursday, at sixteen hundred hours.� The Commander's voice boomed, �You will be leading a small platoon of Marines, to protect a science team, and their command crew who are shipping out in two weeks on a classified project. Along with this post, there is a rank increase in it for you, to the rank of Major. We need a good command rank in charge of this team, as it is a dangerous assignment. I am confident with the service record we managed to find on you, placed with your project, you are more than able to handle this assignment.�

The new Major was flabbergasted by the General's statement, realizing it was an assignment and a promotion they were offering him.

�It is an assignment that you don't have to take. You can pass and wait for another assignment in the EDC, or choose to be fully released from your active service. From here, you can return home and start a new life.� He said, �The assignment would return you to active duty military status, in the new military, and return you into the new world which you are a very much a part of.�

�I choose the danger and the assignment.� Seth replied sharply, �You can count on me sir.�

The youthful Lieutenant remembered quickly where he was, if he was released from the service, and knew he really had nowhere to go in this century. He only had the choice to start a new life in the city of San Francisco of the future, where there would be many harsh and negative memories for him. He knew that he would not be able to carry out a promise to someone very dear to him, Emily, to meet in a familiar place on the California Coast where he and his lover and comrade had met before.

Singleton grinned as he met the looks of his the two officers who sat next to him. Lieutenant Kitano and Commander McDonald beamed in delight by the young Major's acceptance of the assignment. Seth was known even in the twentieth century military to have been able to get things done. He was an enterprising person and got results on any assignment.

�Outstanding.� Singleton boomed, �I welcome you back.�

�Welcome back, Major.� Kitano said.

�Welcome back sir.� Chief Venture said, leaning to offer his hand from across the table. Seth shook his hand.

�Congratulations.� Mitty said, stepping from the table and glanced at the General who nodded. She first embraced him, planting a kiss on his cheek. She pulled out a blue box, bearing the seal of the EDC on it.

Seth was startled at the formality, and realized that he was going to be given a ranking ceremony right here. The doors opened and others filed in, standing mostly near the doors. He watched the unfamiliar faces, except three, Crystal, Melanie who worked the front desk and Doctor Sane who had been part of the crew aboard Yamato.

�Lieutenant Aguilera is now activated to duty into the Earth Defense Force, and is now recovered fully to resume his duties in his new command.� Singleton said, �In accordance to his significant achievement, bravery and service, we hereby authorize promotion to Major with all the full rights and privilege they bear.�

Mitty reached up, unpinning the silver bar from his collar and opened the box revealing a pair of gold oak leaves, that even in this time marked him as the rank of Major. She pinned them to his collar as Seth bent down. She smiled at him.

�Welcome back, sir.� She whispered, and stepped back.

�Hand salute!� Mitty shouted and the company saluted him. Cheers and applause echoed the chamber. However, outside, the stasis crew stared at the crowd uneasily and wondered what was going on. Seth grinned, flushing slightly, as his hand snapped up and returned the salutes. A round of shaking hand commenced and they all looked up at General Singleton.

�Company dismissed as soon as the congratulations peter out.� Singleton's voice boomed, and as people filed out, the young man watched Sane lean out and motion to something outside of the doors. Seth greeted him warmly, quite surprised to see him here. He returned the offered handshake from General Singleton and Commander McDonald, whom he bowed slightly, kissing her hand. She showed surprise by his motion.

Behind him, Sane had motioned to the four-stasis members that had been with Seth in stasis. As they walked into the room standing near the door, their nervous, uneasy glances moved about the office. Their gazes all fell upon their friend, and when the Major turned, sensing them, that he sharply exhaled. He stared at their semi-familiar faces of his friends, Amy, Melinda, Manual and Amanda, the ones who had been at his side when they were brought together in the military and later volunteering for a project that they knew might be a one-way ticket. When his friends saw him, they stared briefly at the newly appointed team leader before moving in on the run. The three women embraced the young, newly appointed Major, on three sides. At first, Seth drew back alarmed, turning his head three ways to stare at the faces of the young women who now stood before him.

�Amy? Melinda? Amanda?� He asked, and after a moment, they nodded. Together, they all embraced the young Major again, which he returned warmly. Seth took up Melinda in his arms and laid her back as he planted a very warm, passionate kiss on her lips. Turning he did the same for Amy. Both women blushed furiously, and struggled from his grasp. The Major peered at the strange looking features of his friends, the long unnatural hair that draped to mid-back level, making them hard to recognize from what he remembered. He grinned at Manual, who had his head shaved already. He turned to Amanda who put up her hand.

�Touch me, I�ll deck you.� Amanda warned sarcastically, but Seth noted the grin peeking through on her face.

�Kidding� Kidding�� She chided and finally smiled broadly.

Seth also noted the ranking insignia on their collar. A gold bar on Melinda's uniform marked her as a Second Lieutenant, wearing the unfamiliar green and gray Armed Forces uniform of the Earth Defense Command. His head turned to Amy who wore the unfamiliar blue and trimmed dark blue uniform of the Space Corps and she has a gold bar on her collar, marking her as an Ensign. Manual and Amanda both wore uniforms like his. Amanda sported a pin of three stripes up, marking her as enlisted. Manual wore a similar pin three stripes up, one down. They were given their ranks from the twentieth century, to identify them to others in the EDC. It was mostly for medical staff, who worked over them, to awaken and bring them up to speed.

�You all look fabulous!� He told them, �A sight for sore eyes.� Amanda and Manual walked up and Seth finally hugged Amanda. She shook her head, placing her arms around him and planted a kiss on his lips. Turning, Seth shook Manual's hand warmly. They clustered about him laughing, joking, and chatting over old times.

�Ah, no kiss for me?� Manual joked, grinning and Seth turned his head.

�Don't push your luck.� He replied in a joking tone, and laughter sprinkled through the group. Several questions assaulted the young officer from all sides by all hands present. He waved his hands, making them quiet down.

�It's alright, quiet down.� He said soothingly, and he felt the hand of Melinda who placed it on his shoulder.

�Where are we Seth?� Melinda asked, �What is this all about? Where are we really?�

�Yeah, What IS this all about?� Amy asked, �We awoke in a hospital, but haven't been told much other than we would be debriefed today, almost two months being laid up and prodded like guinea pigs.�

�It seems we all took a little trip,� replied the young Major, �A little detour to what the chambers were programmed for.�

�Yea, we saw you on TV a month or so ago.� Amanda added, �Are the others besides all of us dead, really now, and truthfully?�

Seth grimaced, realizing they had seen something happen over a month ago, which was supposed to be kept from them.

�I�� He started to say, but kept his mouth shut, contemplating the answer that he was going to give her.

�Seth you are not saying much. Is there something you are not telling us?� Amy asked, and he glared at her, shaking his head.

�I was thinking,� replied the young man, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

�However, I can answer that!� General Singleton's voice boomed. Their heads turned. Sane motioned to the group and Seth too, motioning them into position. The group stood in a row and they stood at attention. General Singleton's voice had thundered and echoed the chamber before Major Aguilera could reply. Seth actually was glad for the intervention.

Manual raised his hand in a crisp salute and the others glanced at him silently. They followed suit, and as Seth had, held it until the General replied with the same salute. They stood at attention, a bit nervous with the meeting the General for the first time.

�Stand easy.� Singleton replied, �You are among friends.� Commander McDonald smiled, as did the others. Singleton nodded to Sane who smiled broadly.

�We have summoned you here for debriefing, we, this panel will answer all questions on your location, and what happened to you.� He thundered on. �This is a debriefing session to that cryogenic assignment you were in, and possibly to place you into the Earth Defense Command based on the files recovered from your place of cryogenic storage. Or it will release you from service into civilian life here in the twenty-third century.�

Murmurs of delight rippled through the gathered group. They group had grimaced at the sound of release, realizing like Seth, where they were and there was no place to go except back to the city of San Francisco or their respective homes to live out probably a long life with no one they knew around them.

�Major Aguilera!� General Singleton said sharply and Seth snapped to instant attention. The other stasis volunteers stared in wonder at the rank change and then realized Seth had been going through the ceremony a moment ago in the office.

�Major?� Melinda breathed quietly. Sane shushed her, and motioned to the General.

�It is alright he will explain later.� He murmured to the party and they nodded.

�SIR�!� Seth exclaimed, snapping into instant rigid military attention.

�You are not needed for this meeting, and you may leave.� Singleton's voice boomed, �I just thought you would want to see your friends before we start the meeting.�

The young officer nodded, smiling broadly.

�Thank you General, that was very thoughtful.� He said, �Will I be able to see them before I go on my assignment?�

Singleton nodded. �Of course,�

Seth grinned.

�Thank you SIR.� The Major told him, snapping off a salute. He smiled at his friends who stared at him. Quickly, the twentieth century officer stepped forward, turning sharply to his right and headed toward the doors as they opened slowly. He paused in front of Doctor Sane, who had stepped forward to stand next to his friends.

�It's okay. I will see you all later.� He whispered to the group as they clustered around him and their questions rippled and echoed through the room.

�It's cool, these people will answer all questions and so will the wisdom of Doctor Sane for what they miss.� He paused, meeting their smiles, grinning at the flush and modest look on the doctor's face.

�Oh yes, Doctor Sane� Can you do me a favor and bring my friends to Hero Hill later, I'll be there waiting for them.� The Major asked. The doctor met his look for a moment and nodded, a huge smile appearing on his face.

�It will be my pleasure, Major Aguilera. I will be coming up there later anyway, to meet my friends and it is my honor to guide them.� Sane snapped off a salute and Seth, laughing, waving off a casual salute.

�Thanks doc.� He told him and glanced at his four friends. �I'll see you later then.�

Seth nodded, turning to the door and without another word walked through them. Both the huge, walnut, doors thudded hollowly as they closed behind him. In alarm, the stasis personal whispered among each other, confused by the exchange. They glanced at Doctor Sane who nodded and had motioned to the chairs provided.

�It's alright, you'll see him later, and he will meet you later at a place with my friends.�

They relaxed and faced the table.

�Please take your seats and we will start the debriefing.� Kitano said, and quickly each of the remaining stasis personnel took the seats provided, sitting down. They were huge chairs, with high backs, made of an absorbent plastic. For the next hour they were debriefed, they were heartily welcomed into the twenty-third century and were completely flabbergasted by the information they were given. It had also including the memorial service for their friends, and the stasis personnel had nodded as they accepted condolences for their loss.

Remembrance of the Fallen --

As for Seth, he moved off from the Earth Defense Commander's office, through the foyer and toward the main hallway. He grinned at the young Ensign, Crystal who smiled at him. Seth of course, paused and glanced at the room at the few people sitting in the foyer. He stood by the desk. He flirted with the young officer who worked at the desk.

�So� when do you get off duty?� Seth asked, �Maybe I can buy you dinner.� Crystal grinned, and glanced at the other young woman who had turned her head, smiling at him too.

�You guys never ease to amaze me.� Crystal declared sharply, in mock annoyance �We're much more than just pieces of meat!�

Seth grimaced and raised a hand off the desk, sensing hostility among the lower ranks. She looked up at him and smiled, writing on a slip of paper. Crystal wrote down her Com Number and he took it, thrusting it in his pocket.

�Call me. I am just kidding Major.� Crystal told him and Seth nodded.

�Oh god he is a dream.� Her friend, Samantha commented as the young officer left and Crystal nodded.

�Not bad for someone who has been through hell, and back for the last two centuries�?� The young woman commented, as she watched him leave, �Just like the other two before them, a year ago��

The other young woman merely glanced at her counterpart, but did not say much about it. The look on the young woman's face had been one of sympathy, as she watched the young Major go. She was lucky not to have said that in front of him, informing him of something that had been kept from his group for a long time. There was another stasis group out there.

Seth walked from the Headquarters building a moment later, and down to the corner on the street near the Headquarters Building. As he stood there, he tried to gather his bearings, and navigate himself to the main gate from Headquarters without the young Sergeant who had been his guide since he was released from the Central Hospital. Quickly, he found signs and landmarks but quickly took a wrong turn to find himself near the airfield and docks adjacent to the airfield. Seth watched impressed at the Astro-fighters that thundered into the sky.

�Wow, nice lines on that bird.� He commented to himself, �If that's the kind of stuff this new military flies, I am going to enjoy my service in this century.�

Turning, he adjusted his bearings before turning to walk toward what appeared to be a main drag. He paused, finding himself lost again.

�Major?� A voice asked and he turned his head to a jeep occupied by the young woman guide, �Are you lost? Hop in I know the way, and looking for. This base got to me too when I first arrived here.�

�Thanks.� Seth replied, relieved at the intervention. They drove off and took two turns, soon arriving at the main gate. The guards at the post saluted as they passed, opening the gate allowing them to leave. Driving along, he took in the futuristic New Tokyo, nodding impressed by the tall buildings and futuristic designs. It certainly was not as it was in his century, but he did call it home for now. The Major smiled at the trams overhead enclosed in glass tubes, reminding him of the monorail in Disneyland back in his century. The Air tram service reminded him of Star Trek, something his best friend back in his century had so been into from TV in his century. .

�This is amazing!� He thought, �Emily and the others would have killed if she had this in San Francisco. Hell, they would have loved to see New Tokyo even in this century.�

�So how long have you been assigned here in New Tokyo Sergeant?� Seth asked, making small talk.

�I have been here a couple of years, but I still occasionally get lost.� She told him, �My name is Marla by the way, sir. You can call me that when we are outside the ears of others.�

He grinned slightly.

�I'll do that.� He replied, �I�m Seth, nice to meet you Marla, since we never were properly introduced to each other.�

The officer heard her laughter and managed a grin.

�That's for sure I wasn't exactly expecting someone your age for being in stasis for two hundred years.� She told him and he nodded. �You look like you are about twenty.�

�Twenty-sh�� He replied, and here he laughed. �Sheesh, it seems like a lifetime ago.�

�Did you have a family when you were in the twentieth century?�

�I had three siblings, all brothers.� He replied, and let out a sigh, �They are still working to tell me what happened to them. I was supposed to meet them after stasis, on leave. I never got that chance.�

�I'm sorry.� Marla replied, �I did not mean to pry.�

�No, you're fine.� Seth replied waving his hand, �I often miss them, as we were very close.�

Turning his head, he took in the surroundings in silence until they reached the road that went out to Hero's Hill where the Yamato crew buried their comrades and now the stasis personnel. The jeep came to a stop and he turned his head to meet her smile.

�We walk from here.� She announced suddenly, �Ready?�

The young Marine officer nodded, and they both hopped out of the jeep. Quickly, they found the path easily and his boots echoed on the granite path by the sea. It turned, and he followed it up toward the huge obelisk, standing as a marker to the memorial.

As the young officer walked up the hill, he turned his head and stared at the horizon, at the beautiful scene of a glorious sunset before him. Suddenly, Seth was confronted with a memory of long ago, when he and Emily sat together through many glorious sunsets like this one, on the beach of San Francisco. Together, they both had stared together at the spectacular fiery red, burnt orange, and mauve colored sky, along with mixed lavenders and gold in the sunsets they watched from North Beach, two hundred years ago.

The young man suddenly realized that this one sunset that his young love would not be sharing in, and inside, his stomach heaved as he thought of his lost, new love. The pain of her death still haunted him like an open wound. Many things in the future still reminded him of her, making his existence harder and harder as the days progressed since their burial.

�She's dead and that's a fact.� He murmured, �I cannot undo what is. I thought it would not be so hard to get over, I guess not.�

Seth shook his head, remembering his lost love and tears welled up that he wiped away quickly. Major Aguilera stood with the young guide beside him at the memorial, staring at a gorgeous sunset, but in strange time and place. He remembered this is a place, which rescued them all from hell. The young woman had come from the east, and never had dreamed of a city like San Francisco where they were all being trained. The young officer smiled, remembering the good times they shared together, memories that seemed to lessen the pain a bit.

�Remember your friends, remember them positively and share those good times.� A voice said, and the Major grinned slightly, remembering hearing that from someone else knew very well.

It was several minutes before he could force his gaze away from the scene, and turn it to the memorial itself. He managed a few more steps up the path toward the center of it. As it spread out before him, the young officer still found it an amazing sight every time he saw it. It is huge memorial, built in a circular design and made of granite. Around the whole area is green and overgrown, with several trees, several thick shrubs under the trees and several grassy areas. A huge stone obelisk stands in the center of the memorial and a statue of Captain Abraham Avatar stands directly beside it, staring off out to the sea.

Lining the grassy area, under the statue, are the many graves of Yamato's crew who were buried here after their missions to save Earth.

Seth stared at the obelisk and panning away from it, his gaze fell on the statue of Avatar. It then moved to the surroundings around the memorial itself. He walked with Marla toward the obelisk and toward the graves for the Yamato crew. The young officer did not stop. He walked right past the graves and only glanced up at the statue of Avatar. Here he exhaled sharply, before saluting the graves, statue and the flagpole bearing the EDC flag.

�Only proper,� He thought, �They died saving Earth.�

Sergeant Marla McGivers followed suit, gasping, as this would be the first time at the memorial and seeing the Yamato crew's graves. The young Major's path was only twenty-five feet past the Yamato graves, his destination, where a new section of the memorial was surrounded by short granite pillars and chain. He arrived at the graves of his friends, and here he stared at the familiar sight that he had seen many times through his recovery, with Doctor Sane.

Exhaling sharply, his long stare panned across the section and to each tombstone where a familiar name and face were carved in the smooth granite surface.

He casually glanced at the names, as he had several times before, carved in Old English Text, and inscribed on each tombstone. 'Emily Montgomery', 'Denise Watson', 'Doug Woolard', 'Christina Cook', 'Sherry Carnelli', 'Edward McKee', and 'Katherine Lewis'. Seth's gaze stared at the faces carved on the tombstones as well, and he walked along the line of them. When he got to the end, the young officer stopped at the farthest one, at Emily Montgomery's grave.

�Well Em, Here I am again. I thought I would stop by to say goodbye for a while.� He whispered and held his hand on her tombstone, as if he could gain strength from her. He thought of the young woman, her long brown, curly hair, brown eyes, round face, and her sweet kisses.

�It looks like I have been reactivated to duty, assigned to a new mission and heading out into space on a classified project. I probably will see you soon babe, if the mission is as it sounds. It seems like it is a suicide mission.� He paused, fighting back the pain of heartache in his chest. It pounded like a piston engine in his chest, and he could hear the blood in his ears.

�You would never believe how much Earth has changed. We made it almost two hundred and five years past the end date of the project, making it into the twenty-third century now. Earth seems to have had advanced so much and I wish you were here with me. It's no fun to share this alone.� He shuddered with the brisk sea breeze and glanced to the surroundings.

�Whatever happens, I may see you soon, and wherever I go and do, I still will always love you.�

From his jacket, he withdrew a long stemmed red rose with a shaking hand, and placed it at the foot of her tombstone on the ground. He then placed his fingers to his lips, kissing and then placing them on the cold stone mouth of the granite face carved on the tombstone. Behind him, Marla had backed off and walked toward the other graves under the obelisk and the statue. Seth and his companion did not sense the surviving Yamato crewmembers arriving at the memorial, coming here before every mission into space.

As always, the Yamato crew gathered here to pay their respects to their friends lost aboard ship and always coming here to visit before a mission or when they needed inspiration. Together they walked clustered in a small group, toward the memorial, and the group that made up the Yamato crew had not been expecting Major Aguilera to be here or the young Sergeant with him. As usual they had been laughing, joking and carrying on as they crested the hill, their voices and footsteps echoing off of the granite pillar in the center of the memorial. When they saw Seth and the young Sergeant, however, they stopped and glanced at each other, before walking forward toward them.

The group consisted of Stephen Sandor, Derick Wildstar, Nova Forrester-Wildstar his wife, Dash Jordan, who arrived from Mars, Thomas Orion, Christopher Eager, Homer Glitchman, Cory Conroy and the Chief Toragawa. They were all confused by the single officer's presence at first, but suddenly realized what he was doing. They also remembered, practically never forgot, when Thomas Orion had been here tending his father's grave, doing the same thing.

�Who is that?� asked Derick, exchanging a look with Nova, who managed to shrug. The group stared at the officer, the dark hair, bearded face, and dark eyes. Miss Forrester-Wildstar had not recognized him as they had walked up to the memorial or the young enlisted woman who panned a look at the Yamato graves in stunned silence.

�Whoever he is, he's quite handsome.� Nova commented, suddenly grimacing when she finally recognized the young man from the past. He had been the one, whom she had been introduced to, before a funeral at Hero's Hill, a few months ago after he was awakened from stasis. She also cast a look at Sergeant Mc Givers who stood in front of the Yamato graves. She turned, snapping to attention.

�Attention on deck!� She shouted and Seth looked up at the group from the graves where he had been kneeling in silent prayer. Derick, who led the group, took a step toward the officer. He nodded to the Major who stood several feet from the graves that were located under the obelisk and statue of Avatar. Here, he turned his head and acknowledged the young Sergeant with him. She saluted sharply.

�Carry on.� Nova told her quietly, �Relax it's a social call here.�

�Nice to see you again, Lieutenant�� Wildstar said sharply as Seth approached the duo. Derick saw the gold oak leaf on his collar. �Excuse me, Major.�

Nova smiled, as she stood beside him.

�Oh, Hey Chief� How's it going?� He replied listlessly, �May I present Sergeant Marla Mc Givers. My intrepid young guide.�

The young sergeant smiled at Seth.

�It is nice to meet you Sergeant,� Derick told her, �First time to the memorial?�

The young woman nodded slightly.

�I never thought I would see the graves for the Yamato crew in person. I read about your exploits in school and I never thought I would meet anyone from the Yamato.� She replied, �It is an honor to meet you all.�

�So Seth, you were promoted, when did this happen?� Nova asked.

�I just was reactivated today. Not my idea though.� Seth replied casually, �I am assigned to the combat group that is going to Aquarius with all of you. General Singleton is eager to get this group formed, briefed and dispatched to the water planet without delay.�

�It appears we're all shipmates.� Derick said, �We're the Command crew.�

�What about your friends?� Nova asked, �Are they going too?�

�No. Sergeant Major Parry, I, and a group of Marines will be going. The rest will stay here on Earth.�

However, before Seth could reply further, a voice interrupted them.

�Ah so you have come!� Sane said, and Homer was first to turn his head as Doctor Sane arrived at the memorial. A big smile appeared on his face, and the same smiles appeared on everyone's faces as he approached. The doctor arrived with two young women, holding onto his arms on both sides. Seth recognized them to be the two of the members of the stasis crew. The young Major smiled broadly, as a ripple of laughter sprinkled through their group.

�Just like Doctor Sane to make an entrance with beautiful ladies on each arm.� Homer commented and laughter cycled through the group. Amy and Melinda colored slightly as they met everyone's gaze and smiled largely when they met Seth's smiling face. Both of the young women broke from the Doctor's arms, and rushed toward him. Amy embraced Seth first and then Melinda followed suit. Both of them kissed the young Major on the cheeks and he blushed. Amanda embraced Seth as well. Manual back slapped him. Doctor Sane was shaking his head. There were questioning looks by all hands, as they watched a touching reunion of old friends.

�Damn. You win a few and you lose a few.� Sane murmured and the Yamato group heard him, laughing loudly as they clustered around him, greeting their fellow shipmate warmly.

The Yamato members glanced several times at the young women, Seth's friends. They were on the arms of the doctor, on both sides. Behind them had been the other two, a red haired young woman and young man. Doctor Sane smiled as he told them of Seth's promotion and the important assignment he would be taking on. The Yamato crew had gasped, when Sane had told them about it, and had glanced at Seth in surprise. As for the stasis group, they clustered around Seth and their voices of question assaulted him from both sides, catching up on the old times they shared together. They told him what happened in the debriefing and everyone given the choice to join the Earth Defense Force.

He stared at his friends warmly. Melinda and Amy sported new ranking on their collars. Melinda wore a single bar on their collar, marking her as a First Lieutenant and wearing the green and gray of the EDC Armed Forces. Amy sported double bars on her collar marking her as a Lieutenant for the Space Corps, clad in the unfamiliar blue and dark blue trimmed uniform. Amanda wore a gold bar on her collar with a red spot, marking her as a Warrant Officer One and Seth noted that Manual did not seem to have a promotion. He did not know that Manual had turned one down to become a Warrant Officer. They had given him two more stripes, marking him as a Sergeant Major.

�Well they activated me too.� Seth said, �I know what went on.�

�Well this is the future then?� Melinda asked, �We are really two hundred years past our time?�

Major Aguilera shot her a look, but nodded slightly.

�How the hell did we get here?� Questions rippled about the young man, who tried to answer each of them with what he knew, which was not much. Only thing he told them was what he had been told. Seth had been working with the technical people who had been examining the chambers, and he knew it would be no use to tell them what they already knew. He remained silent instead, contemplating the answer.

�It was a glitch, a fluke.� He said finally, �I am guessing that something must have happened, and we were not taken out of stasis.�

�That's no answer Seth and you know it.� Amanda shot back sarcastically.

�I really have no idea what and how this happened.� Seth grumbled, �But you asked.� There was an uncomfortable silence.

Melinda, standing beside her, decided to change the subject, seeing the anger in her friend's eyes as they jabbed back and forth with their unruly banter and flaring tempers. The young woman could see this was getting out of hand and decided to be a peacemaker.

�So this is where everyone is buried?� asked Melinda, turning to pan a silent glance across the memorial. �We saw this on TV. I did not know it is such a large place.�

�You saw all of that.� asked Seth and they all smiled.

�It was very sweet what you did for everyone.� Melinda told him, and managed a smile. Amy turned her head, nodding slightly as did Manual and Amanda.

�Well I have an announcement and it is official.� Wildstar shouted, �I'm going to be a father!�

A cheer echoed through the Yamato group. Nova blushed very deeply as he held her around the waist. Congratulations circulated through the group. Sane had turned when he overheard the announcement.

�What!� He asked, gasping as he walked toward them.

�You are�?� Sane shouted shrilly and Nova nodded.

�The Mars doctor sent the records.� Nova said, �Your office has them by now!�

There was laughter and cheers. The stasis group looked on in confused silence. They were together in a small group and talking quietly among themselves. Sane of course, broke briefly away from the group and stood in front of the statue of Avatar to stare up at it. He nodded, before he turned, as if the statue spoke to him.

�Star force! Fall in!� He shouted and the Yamato crew gathered at the graves quickly.

The stasis group stood there watching as the remaining Yamato crew fell into neat ranks. Sane turned to the stasis crew.

�You guys too. Don't be strangers we are honoring your friends too.�

Manual motioned to his friends and they took up a position on the side of the Yamato crew, making up an L-shaped formation. Nova looked around for the young Major, and saw he was nowhere to be found. He had wandered off to the sea and stood alone staring out at the blue water, feeling the stiff wind that hit his face. He turned to sprint back to the formation. He nodded to Sergeant Mc Givers who hung back and motioned her to join in.

�Crew Atten-hut!� Seth shouted and the stasis crew listlessly snapped to attention.

The Doctor glanced at him, as did the others. �Once again we have gathered here, and honor you Captain Avatar and those who lay to rest here in the name of peace. We honor you, the one hundred and fifty-six of the Yamato crew who lay here at rest. In addition, the seven from the stasis project, who died and their deaths will never be in vain. All of you shall live forever, and be remembered forever. Pray for the swift response of Yamato. Pray for the quick response of stasis crew two-fourteen.�

The stasis crew turned and stared at Sane. Each member of the two groups stared at the graves and remembered their friends.

�Prayer finished.� Sane shouted, �Salute!�

Stiffly the members of the stasis crew raised their hands in salute, the old-fashioned one compared to the salute across the chest as the Yamato crew had done. They held the salute, each one remembering their respective groups and their time together as comrades in arms.

�Return Salute!� Sane bellowed and they all dropped their hands in unison.

Afterward, the crew of both worlds broke off into small parties where cups distributed among them and Avatar's spring water freely poured. Here they also included the stasis crew, treating them as they would fellow crew aboard ship. They sat in silence as the stories flowed from the Yamato crew and joined in uncertainly at the laughter and banter. They were trying to be polite, and try to fit in, as this was now a long stretch ahead of them. They had accepted service over release, having nowhere to go in this century.

Death --

Two hours elapsed and Seth sat alone nearby, staring out across at the sunset, the ocean, and the beginning of stars that now twinkled in the darkening sky. He sat listening to the thunder of the ocean that boomed in the distance, as waves struck the shore, making a fine cool mist swirl about him as he sat deep in thought. There was a party going on with the Yamato crew, and the stasis crew, his team welcomed without question to a new century from which they did not belong. The young officer did not partake too much, staying alone and stared off at the fading sunset as he felt the pain in his guts. His face carried a hard look, as the sting of the cold wind struck his face, and did not hear the Yamato crew tell the stories of their adventures in space.

The young Major had not been blamed for their mishap or their jump in time. He had just preferred to be alone and wanted to prepare himself for the mission at hand ahead of him.

�Excuse me Major. Please come back and partake of the conversation.� A voice said, and a moment later, he felt a hand placed on his shoulders. Seth surprised by the presence, half-turned to regard Lieutenant Nova Wildstar standing over him.

�I want to be alone. I just don't feel like being sociable right now Lieutenant, with apologies to your friends of course.� He replied dully, �But a nobler part of me lies there at those graves.�

Nova glanced at the memorial in pain.

�I know your pain, and understand.� She said quietly, �I lost a good man here on the last mission, Mark Venture. He was my first love as was she to you. He died protecting us all on Yamato, in the line of duty. Remember that, she died in the line of duty for your project.�

�Even worse for Derick, myself and the others, that Avatar, who was as a father to us all had to die again. It was even after we thought him dead, coming home from our very first mission to Iscandar. You are not to blame for something that happened centuries ago, and because of something that was tend to malfunction. You are blameless, you should forgive those who left you there and forgive yourself��

Seth nodded, �I know. I read about your exploits.� He replied, dully.

�Then, we are the same, you and I. Your team and the Star Force are the same.� She continued, �What you need to do is to forgive yourself for what penance you feel you must face, also to just accept, remember them, and move on.�

Nova paused, seeing his astonishment and then a look of bewilderment.

�You can also dismiss their statements as crazed anger and shock of a loss.� She continued, making Seth grimace. He had glanced up at her in surprise by her words. Nova smiled and nodded before returning to the group, leaving the young Major to think on her words:

�Very wise,� He admitted gravely, �Now I need to just forgive myself.�

He watched Nova mingle back with the others and his gaze saw something on the other side of the memorial that caught his eye. A gleam of metal appeared from the bushes, near the party. Seth's gaze moved from the metal gleam, his gaze falling on Nova, then back to it. It went back and forth several times quickly, and he realized it was the barrel of a weapon.

�Holy shit! A gun barrel,� Seth breathed, seeing a shadowy figure in the scrub bushes and with what appeared to be a rifle of some sort. The shooter was taking aim at the young wife of Derick Wildstar.

"Oh no you don't, I don't think so.� He thought, drawing his Astro-automatic pistol, leaping over the pillar and charging.

Startled, the other stasis crew, and Yamato crew, looked up in astonishment at Seth charging toward them. Both groups noted his weapon was drawn. Quickly, they rose to their feet in confusion. Derick Wildstar's gaze went from him to Nova and back again. Seth seemed to be traveling in slow motion and Wildstar's gaze bounced between them, before he figured out what and why Seth was charging. He was heading right for Nova.

�Nova�! GET DOWN�!�' Seth was shouting, running full speed at young Nova Wildstar.

Derick sprung instantly into action, moving toward the Major who charging toward his wife, not sure what was going on and trying to intercept him.

�AHHHHHHHH�!� Seth yelled as he charged, and he lunged across the path of Nova as a shot rang out. Seth felt the shot strike him, as he knocked Nova clear. On the other side, Nova felt the push, hearing the shot, and see her husband just miss grabbing the young officer. Derick's had lanced out, just brushing his uniform as Seth crossed her path and saw the young man stiffen as he saw a bolt strike his body to pass through him. A ricochet had sounded, and a splatter of blood from the exit wound flew out in all directions from the Major's body. Nova had been struck by that blood, and he had heard her gasp, knowing he had protected her.

�Success�!� Seth thought as Nova yelped in alarm as he flew past, hitting the ground with a hard thud. He rolled twice and returned two shots. The shots had streaked across the memorial and hit their target in the bushes. A robotic figure fell from the bushes.

Everyone turned, seeing the two robotic creatures fall from the bushes as smoke billowed over the memorial like a thick blanket.

His action had been swift, and a few seconds had passed from when the shot rang out, to his now crouching on the ground. There was startled silence in regards to what had just gone down here. Several of those seconds had elapsed as Nova sat on the ground, looking up in fear before she felt a slow dribble of liquid on her face. She idly reached up to wipe the liquid from her face and looked down at her hands. It was blood.

�Oh my god�!� Nova gasped, and the others, especially her husband, turned horrified. He was confused what was happening.

�Derick!� She stammered and fainted onto the ground.

�What the hell?� Derick replied, turning to catch her as she fainted. He lowered her onto the ground. The young officer stared at the blood.

�Nova�!� He said, �NOVA!�

The young woman lay motionless, and he panicked when she did not respond.

�Doctor Sane,� Wildstar exclaimed, �Nova has been hit!�

Sane was beside her in a heartbeat.

�What the...� Sane gasped, staring wide eyed at the blood on her tunic and her face. Laser fire erupted from all directions around them. Seth mortally wounded staggered to his feet, and ducked behind a tombstone. He began shooting, cut off from the others.

�AMBUSH�!� Wildstar shouted, as a cross fire appeared from all sides. The Yamato crew took cover, returning the fire and trying desperately to keep from being shot.

�Damn, pinned down in a cross fire.� Derick thought, watching as automatic laser fire lanced out. �This is not exactly what I had in mind.�

�How is she doctor Sane?� Wildstar asked, and he looked up as the young chief returned the fire.

�She is just fine.� Sane reported, �This is not her blood, she has only fainted. Your wife and child are still okay.� He pulled her unconscious body close to the tombstone.

�Where is that blood coming from?� Derick asked and he glanced about the memorial.

Nova opened her eyes, jolted by the smelling salts, and turned her head. She looked at the young Major nearby, as laser shots streaked across the wide expanse. Seth held his wound, blood seeping through his fingers. Nova saw the wound, startled to see it, and reminded that it was almost like Mark Venture's wound on the last mission.

�Derick.� She whispered and Sane put her hand on her shoulder, Wildstar turned to meet her gaze.

�Nova�� He breathed, his pistol shots echoing the memorial.

Wildstar's wife saw Seth's expression, as she stared at him, and he had turned to meet her examining stare. She saw that look of intensity in his eyes as held the wound. Blood covered his tunic and on his hand, that covered his wound. Nova gasped as she tugged on her husband's tunic and he turned his head in surprise, looking at whom she pointed. She pointed at Seth. He saw the blood. Sane had turned too. The Doctor stared at the bloody wound with raised eyebrows.

Before he could do anything though, the young Major made a decision, and nodded only once to them as they saw the look in his eye and realized what he intended to do.

�This is the only way.� Seth thought, �It will break this stalemate.�

�Oh my god�� Nova said, as she and her husband exchanged astonished glances, realizing what he was about to do.

�Don't do it Major. Please Seth.� Nova Wildstar thought, and yet Seth, without warning, rolled over a tombstone with gritted teeth. He charged out into the line of fire.

�FREEEDOOOM�!� His piercing battle cry echoed over the memorial, and it made everyone turn in astonishment. The robotic soldiers had seemed to pause when they saw the human jump the tombstone, and without fear, charged toward them. They pointed their weapons and started firing. The others, startled by the cry, watched in astonishment as Seth charged through the now thick smoke.

�What the fuck?� Manual exclaimed, as Seth charged the guns, opening up on them with his pistol. He watched as Seth dodged, pivoted, and dropped two of the robots. He pivoted again, missed by one bolt but another struck his arm. Amy and Melinda screamed again, as they saw the shot strike their friend. They heard the shouts. Drawing their pistols, they also returned fire and started dropping the robots.

�No Major Aguilera, NO! Get down.� Wildstar shouted, but Seth did not listen as he ducked, weaved, his finger on the trigger. Seth took two more hits, dropping to his knees and continued to fire his weapon. Two more robots sparked, and fell smoking into the memorial. They saw him drop to his knees for a second when the shots struck him. There was a momentary pause by Seth, before he rolled, fired, and then gathering himself, slowly rose to stand and move.

�No!� Melinda shouted, as everyone realized what was happening. It is no dream the young Major had charged the guns, and he was taking fire. Manual had stood up, again, from another tombstone and slowly made his way toward Seth to no avail.

�Damn it, give him some cover!� Manual shouted and shot off two rounds, as he saw the bolts strike his friend several times. Manual's fire also struck several of the robots and he managed to move slowly forward to another tombstone. A shot struck him full in the shoulder and it threw him back. He let out a yell as he hit the deck and from their places, a startled Yamato crew watched in horror. Amanda and one of the Yamato crew pulled Manual back behind the safety of a granite tombstone. A cloud of thick smoke now masked the fire and their position as one by one the young Major fought, dropping the enemy.

When it was all done, the young Major knelt on one knee in the now silent memorial. Thick smoke billowed around him and the only sounds were the sparking of the robot's components. Seth had gathering himself again, the pain unbearable, as he staggered to his feet, and he staggered a couple more steps. The officer leaned against a nearby pillar lining the walkway as Astro-fighters rocketed overhead and troops came running toward the memorial.

�It's over.� Wildstar said to his wife. �Nova, are you alright?� She slowly opened her eyes, meeting her husband's loving eyes.

�I'm okay Derick.� She whispered, �I did not get hit. Find Seth though� oh please, find him� He saved my life.�

�Don't worry we will.� Promised her husband, but he stayed beside her.

�You just rest.� Sane instructed, and he was on his feet as a silent wind whipped across the memorial, clearing clear the smoke that covered it like a fog. He quickly moved about the memorial, finding the other Yamato members. He found Dash, Conroy, Eager and Homer. He found the chief and Thomas Orion. He then found each stasis member, with exception to Seth.

After five minutes, the stasis volunteers stood up, rattled by the battle that had raged here. Sane went to work. The wounded were brought to one place. A couple of the Yamato crew had been unfortunately clipped by the gunfire. Manual had been shot in the shoulder. Amy, Melinda, Amanda had been fortunate to duck when the fire had started. Each one had returned fire too and the trio had at least over one kill to their credit.

Melinda's eyes darted to the bushes, as did the others standing over Manual who lay on the ground as Amanda tended his wound. She put a pressure bandage on it, ripped from the bloody uniform sleeve. Her teammates knelt next beside them.

�Holy cow, what the hell was that about?� asked Amanda and the two other young women only shrugged.

�Seth�� gasped the dark haired woman, remembering he is the one who won this battle.

�Where is Seth?� Melinda asked, and she turned to shout his name. She rose and started looking around the memorial. Amanda's eyes repeatedly fell upon the blood on the tombstone, where Seth had been ducking behind as the firefight was going on. A pang of regret washed over her.

�Oh my god,� Amy stammered as she turned her head, scanning the memorial through the smoke that billowed upward into the sky. Melinda was already on her feet and Amy was too, moving out and around the memorial looking for their comrade. A landing craft ripped across the memorial and landed nearby. A platoon of Marines appeared, followed by a young officer leading them, shouting orders.

�A little late,� Derick muttered under his breath and he met a smile from Nova who giggled at the sentiment. He nodded as she lay back to rest, induced from the meds. Sane had given her to settle her down.

�Is everyone all right?� The officer asked, and Wildstar rose up as he approached.

�We've got wounded, sir. We need a medic over here to assist Doctor Sane. We need to get them out of here, as soon as possible.� Derick told him, �We were ambushed by a new enemy. There might be more out there.�

Wildstar slowly helped Nova to her feet, and his wife scanned the memorial. She silently nodded to Manual and Amanda as she approached them. Melinda had been shouting for Seth, walking to the far side of the memorial. Amy had taken the closer side, but there was no sign of him. They could barely see, with the thick smoke still clearing by the wind, and Melinda becoming more panicked as they continued their search.

It was here that Nova realized what had happened, and what had been done. Seth had given himself to save her and the others. She watched as Melinda walked through the smoke that billowed across through the memorial and on the other side was Amy. The young women were getting frantic now as they called Seth's name and got no answer. When Melinda finally saw the shadow of her friend, a second later through the smoke, a wave of relief fell upon her. The young dark-skinned woman's gaze fell upon the Major sitting on the ground, slumped against a post that lined the walkway.

�Seth!� She exclaimed, relieved to find him and ran toward him. When she got closer to him, she abruptly stopped when she saw a pool of blood around his body.

�Oh my God..!� The young woman screamed, moving to his side, and knelt beside him. She saw the blood that covered his uniform.

�OVER HERE!� Melinda shouted, and Amy ran from the other side of the memorial, as did the medic. They both knelt beside Seth, looking horrified at their wounded friend, who lay bleeding on the ground.

�Doctor SANE�!� The medic shouted, and a few moments later, the doctor was at his side with Nova. The good doctor had smiled at first, when seeing him, but it quickly faded becoming a grimace when Seth fell backward.

�Oh my god,� He murmured quietly. Nova gasped.

�Is he alive, Doctor Sane?� Nova asked. Seth opened his eyes slowly, and his absent stare met their faces, before it found the blue sky.

�Fortunately for him, yes, but not for long Nova, we must get him to the hospital at once.� Sane replied, �He has already lost quite a bit of blood.�

Sane began to examine the young officer, noting the hole in his chest, just below the breastbone of the rib cage.

�Give me your medical bag.� Sane told the medic and silently the medic handed him the bag. Sane pulled out the contents and began applying compress pressure bandages. Nova helped him.

�What happened here, Chief?� asked the Marine Commander and Derick shrugged, stepping back as he pulled the officer aside.

�It looks like we have a new enemy. We were here at the memorial paying our respects and were attacked.� He said, �As you can see, Lieutenant it is some sort of robot. We must inform the Earth Defense Commander at once.�

The young officer nodded and he signaled to a young Corporal who had a radio. Shouting orders, the Marine platoon dispersed and took up flanking positions. A medic helped Manual and couple of Yamato crew to the rescue ship and it rocketed off into the sky.

Marines scoured the memorial, taking up protecting positions, as a medical team arrived from another ship that landed. Doctor Sane sat over Seth as they came to his side.

�What's going on Doctor Sane?� asked another young Medic and the doctor nodded toward the young officer.

�This man needs immediate attention, and can be moved out of here!� Melinda, Amy, and the few remaining Yamato crew clustered around Seth as he lay here bleeding profusely.

�He's hit in the mid chest, and I think it has nicked the heart. Also he has several hits to the mid abdomen.� Sane said, cutting away the tunic, �I was trying to stabilize him. This does not look very promising but at the moment, until I can examine him more, I would make him as comfortable as we can.� Sane worked with the young medic. Melinda and Amy, with tears in their eyes, were weeping as they watched their friend dying. Sane glanced up from his work at the young women. He smiled.

�Don't look so worried, he will be OK. I do not think he is in that bad in shape. I have seen much worse.� Sane grimaced when he cut away the tunic and saw the wound in his chest. The young Major's innards semi-slithered out from the cavity making Nova turn to gag slightly. She continued to kneel beside Seth and the doctor, assisting him in field dressing Seth's wounds.

�Oh, Dear God,� He murmured and Nova, with tears in her eyes turned to meet his stunned expression.

�How can he be alright Doctor Sane?� Nova asked, fighting back the tears.

�I did not mean it Seth.� Amanda said, �I am so sorry.�

Sane grimaced, as he set to work, working fast to patch him up quickly.

�We'll suture him up� To at least stabilize him and keep him alive,� Sane murmured. Nova�s gaze showed question and the doctor shook his head slightly.

�Don't tell them yet.� He instructed Nova, �I don't know how bad the damage is, it could be much worse.�

Seth, lying on the ground, stared up absently at the blue sky above him, already knowing he was wounded badly. He had been shot in the abdomen and chest. The young officer knew it had done more damage than the Sane actually had found, and he already knew he did not have long to live. Strangely, to the young Major, he was not afraid of dying and could almost see his friends who waited for him and family, wherever they are. He knew would be with Emily soon too, unaware she was still alive in this century by a mistake. The young Major relaxed on the ground, feeling his life ebbing away and yet he managed to turn his head. He spied a couple of people who walked up the hill, staring in astonishment at the action they had missed. Quickly, the two young women stared at the mess made by Seth, and the Yamato crew.

�Attention!� Dash said, immediately snapping to attention and quickly saluting Commander Mitty McDonald, Singleton's Aide, and Angie Stethem, a member of the first stasis group.

�As you were,� Mitty said, staring at Doctor Sane who had his hands against Seth's body, and his hands covered with blood.

�Sorry Commander.� The doctor said coldly, �We have evacuated all but one of the wounded, and my hands are the only thing keeping this man alive right now. Forgive my discourtesy.� Mitty nodded, and looked over Amy's shoulder.

�What the hell? Major Aguilera?� The young aide stammered, noting the looks around her and the pool of blood that surrounded Seth�s body as he lay there dying. �What happened here?�

�He risked his life and saved us all.� Derick said, as Mitty glanced at him. The young chief nodded slightly.

�He's an honest to god, red blooded, Hero.� Derick said and yet Commander McDonald just stared at him, purely horrified by the sight. Melinda turned, regarding the young women beside the aide for Singleton, and her face fell as she stared in astonishment at the other woman beside Mitty.

�Angie Stethem?� She thought and shook her head.

�Nah� it cannot be.� Melinda thought, nudging Amy who stared at the young woman beside Mitty too.

�This is going to sound weird, but she reminds me of Angie.� Melinda whispered to Amy and her friend shook her head in silence.

�It just can't be.� The dark-haired woman thought and slowly she stood, regarding the young officer. The young woman�s face, to Melinda and Amy, was much leaner than she had remembered Angie to be and her ash blonde hair was long and darker. Melinda and Amy noted she was dressed in the same uniform, as Commander McDonald, in the Earth Defense Command, Armed Forces. She sported silver double bars on her collar, marking her as a Captain, and the gold braid on her uniform. She was working in the Headquarters office, shadowing Mitty, learning the ropes how to be an aide.

�Angie? A-angie Stethem?� Melinda asked suddenly and the young woman turned to stare at her. Angie had been in a first group for stasis, and it had been found much earlier than the team here. (A year earlier) She and one other had survived from the past. The other team was placed separately and kept secret from the secondary team for security reasons. It was wiped out by a terrorist bomb as they were being put into stasis, killing everyone around Angie and her companion.

�Huh? What?� Angie replied, and she stared at Melinda's face and then turned to Amy.

�Oh my god, I don�t believe it!� Angie said, and both of the women jumped to the feet to embrace her warmly. Angie began to weep warmly as she held her friends from a place long ago and a different century.

�Doctor we've lost a pulse.� The medic cried out. Sane's head, as well as everyone who remained here, had turned in alarm. The doctor's resolve was immediate, and his fist struck Seth's chest in frustration.

�Come on Major.� He said, �We can't let you die like this.� Seth gasped a sharp breath in response.

�No pulse Doctor�� The medic's heavy voice told him, as the Major exhaled sharply again.

�Come on, another one like that, Major.� Sane snapped, and again, his fist struck Seth�s chest. The Doctor began doing CPR compression on the Major�s chest, over his heart, just as another rescue craft landed at the memorial. It was the longest agonizing moment they had ever encountered when the medic had announced that the young officer's heart stopped. It was like standing in slow motion, and they clustered around him. A faint heartbeat thumped in Seth's chest, followed by a ragged breath.

�Okay we have something.� He said, �His pulse is probably over two hundred beats a minute. We have to board that rescue craft as soon as possible and get him into surgery!�

A litter arrived, followed by yet another medical team. They lifted Seth gently onto the stretcher, and they quickly double-timed him to the rescue craft's ramp that had lowered to allow Sane, the medic and others on the team to enter.

Melinda followed, wanting to go with him like the others, but she was held back by a medical tech. She stood back and watched the craft take off, the wounded evacuated to the hospital. Turning, she heard the other's comments, as they walked to their craft for evacuation to the base with the Marines that had come.

�This is a hell of a way to start a mission.� Homer said.

�Yeah, that's for sure.� Orion replied and Melinda nodded in silence, staring at the Rescue craft as it headed toward the city. On board the medical craft is her friend, barely alive.

She ran to the waiting landing craft with the Yamato Crew, the remaining stasis crew, the Commander�s Aide and the Marines. They all were being taken back to the base for debriefing, despite the Yamato crew and stasis crew had technically been off-duty during this attack. On the transport, Melinda and Amy laughed and joked with Angie, catching up on old times, during those turbulent times of centuries past. They introduced her to Amanda and Manual. They sat around exchanging stories the whole time until they landed.

To be continued...

Episode 2: Death and Resurrection of History's Heroes
WC: 22,735

 

 

Copyright © 2017 Nathaniel A Miller
Published on the World Wide Web by "www.storymania.com"