Center Worlds - Spark

TGX-2 Command Deck -17 BA

Later that evening, Ryo and his daughter had a confrontation in his quarters.

“Gya, you and Lyo need to be out of harm’s way. You are going with Aya to the palace in Tara. You’ll be safe there.” Ryo said.

“I won’t leave you, Father,” she said, jaw firm and body at attention as she stood in the middle of the room while Ryo sat on one of the couches, Lyo sitting off to the side on another couch, ever-present, but out of the way.

“Gya, it is not safe here, especially now. I need to know you are safe, and Lord Emperor Masilec has extended full security to you and Aya at the palace. I need to know you will be in a place of safety. Child, I am going to war.” Ryo said.

“Lyo is with me, he will keep me safe. I do not want to sit around the palace while you fight this war, Father. I am old enough for duty, and I know my duty. My mother was killed before my eyes, my sister nearly joined her. Let me fight with you.” Gya stated.

“You are just fourteen cycles, my girl. A battlecruiser is no place for you to grow up in, or live. Aya needs you, now more than ever.”

“Aya will be fine, at the palace she will be so distracted with all the Lari’Sota and Emperor Masilec that she won’t even notice we’re gone,” Gya said, exasperated. “You know this, stop making excuses and let me stay with you. I need to be here, Father. I have nothing left but you and Lyo.”

“Wherever you go, he goes. I realize the two of you are inseparable.” Ryo said, nodding at the silent form sitting on a couch off to the side. He was waiting patiently for this argument to be over. For Gya, Lyo would wait until entropy itself collapsed.

“Well then, let us stay. Let us become cadets and learn to crew the ship. I don’t want to be a Lady of the Court, I never have. I want to serve and command a warship, Father. Allow me that chance. Do not send me away, please.” Gya finished in a half-whisper as silent tears trickled down her face.

Ryo sighed and then looked squarely at Lyo, who subtly nodded, and then stood up. He walked over to stand by Ryo’s eldest daughter, and Ryo noted that he took her hand in his as they stood shoulder to shoulder.

Ryo rubbed his temples, he already knew he had lost this battle, probably before it even began. Now, how to make it survivable for everybody. “There is no preferential treatment on this ship. I won’t protect you. If you mess up, you take the consequences. That is how it is on board.”

“Yes, Sir.” Came the immediate reply from them both.

Ryo sighed again and shook his head slowly. He then thumbed a comm. “Captain Kalen, come in here, please.”

The hatch opened and Kalen stepped into the ready room. “Aye, Commander?”

“These are your newest recruits, Captain. Two clean pairs of hands to get dirty keeping this ship running. Make sure they stay out of the way and get them learning everything they need to learn.”

Kalen nodded, a slight smile as he looked at both Gya and Lyo.

“Okay, you two, quick march, we need to get you kitted and fitted. Commissary, both of you, now.” Gya and Lyo both turned, saluted him, and walked out of the room. Kalen turned to follow them but paused at the threshold to look back at the Commander.

“Take care of them, Kalen. Teach them and keep them safe.” Ryo said.

“I’ll keep them close, Commander, they will be kept so busy they won’t have time to worry about the past events. I will not fail you.” Came the reply from his XO.

“Come on, I’ve got quarters assigned for you, they’re not much, but they will be home from now on.” He allowed them both to walk out of the Commissary before him and guided them through the maze of corridors on the crew deck. After what seemed like a bewildering and dizzying time, they arrived outside cabin A3-C2-G6. Kalen opened the hatch and ushered them both in.

The cabin was not large, by any standards. It had two beds, side by side, a small kitchen unit, an equally small bathing space, and storage cabinets all over it, along with a large cabinet.

Kalen pointed out all the facilities and indicated the cabinet. “That’s where your suits will go when they are not in use. Always keep your suits in top condition. You are in a deep vacuum here. If we have a pressure leak or blowout, that suit is the only thing that will keep your blood from boiling in your veins.”

“Captain?” Gya finally asked him after she had put most of her pile of uniform and toiletries away.

“Yes, Cadet?” Kalen replied.

“There is only one cabin?”

Kalen nodded. “Take that up with the Commander next time you see him. He was the one who told me to put you in this block. This block of cabins is for couples or mated officers. The Commander felt this was the best location for you to be situated.” Kalen turned and closed the pressure door, then turned back to face them.

“Sit down, the both of you.” The two obediently sat on the edge of the beds.

“You may want to be treated like anybody else, however, the reality is, Lady Gya, you are the Commander’s Daughter, and there is no way on Helva’s breath that he or I will allow any harm to come to you on board his ship. He wants you to keep busy, and you will be busy. Do not think that you will be coddled or given special treatment. If you want to be part of this ship’s crew, you will be. Just don’t expect it to all be grease and T’Ressi work. Within reason, I will keep you from the worst of this ship’s underbelly, and I know that Lyo will also do his part to keep you safe as you learn your way about.”

Kalen held up his hand so that he could continue without interruption. “Even though I know the two of you are far too young to even think about this realistically, this is more about keeping up appearances. If the two of you get involved, then so be it. It will probably keep the wolves at bay more easily. At the very least, make it look like the two of you are fully involved.”

He waited until they both reluctantly nodded.

“Remember, you wanted to be here, Lady Gya. Lyo will go wherever you lead, and the Commander has explained the reasoning behind it. This is a very honorable reason, my lad. Not many would do what you have done to stay close to somebody like this Lady here.”

Gya looked at Lyo. “What have you done, Lyo?”

“I’ll tell you later, Gya.” he replied, never taking his eyes off the Captain.

Kalen looked at a display above the door. “It’s almost time for shift change. Get suited up in the blue uniforms, those are your off-work gear. Once you’re both ready, click on the Comm and ask for the bridge, then ask for me. I’ll give you your instructions then.”

He turned and unlatched the hatch, then turned back to them before opening it. “You’re as safe on board this ship as anywhere else, Lady Gya. You will, however, need to keep your wits about you.” He then swung open the door and stepped out, closing the heavy door behind him.

Gya breathed a sigh and fell back onto her cot as Lyo fell sideways off his own, causing them both to laugh in relief.

“So, Lyo Camelin ... what is it that you have done that has impressed the Senior Officers on board this ship?”

Lyo put a hand on the cot and lifted himself back up so he could meet her eyes. “I swore an Oath to your Father to protect you, Gya Camelin.”

“I don’t need protection.” She said indignantly, then threw a pillow at him.

Lyo dodged the pillow and grabbing her wrists, flung her back onto the bed so he was lying mostly on top of her, nose-to-nose with her. He gently kissed her nose, then sat up, allowing her to rise. “I disagree, as does Commander Camelin. This is why he agreed to your idea in the first place because I’ll be with you. You may not want protection, my Gya, but you do need it, from the wolves, as Captain Kalen so nicely put it, if nothing else.”

She was about to say something else when a soft gong made them both look at the door, where the time indicator showed shift change was now in progress.

“We’d better get dressed and let the Captain know we’re ready,” Lyo said.

Gya nodded, and giving him a sideways glare, slipped out of the undershirt so she could get into the more comfortable off-duty uniform. Lyo chuckled as he doffed the shirt and the shorts, then slipped on the uniform pants.

“What is so funny, Cadet?” Gya grumbled as she slipped out of her shorts to pull on the uniform pants.

“Your modesty. We never had this issue when we went swimming or got changed before. Why now, all of a sudden?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know, it just feels different. Maybe because of everything that has happened. I am not sure.”

Lyo nodded, then finished doing up the clasps and stood. Gya stood also and did the clasps up on her tunic.

“Ready?” He asked, she nodded. Lyo reached over to the Comm and flicked it on. “Bridge, please.” A slight pause, then “Bridge, Officer Cato on duty.”

“I was told to report to Captain Kalen when we were ready, this is Lyo Camelin.”

They both heard a muffled laugh, then “Hold on, Mr. Camelin, I’ll get the Captain.”

Lyo felt his ears beginning to burn, then “Lyo, this is Kalen, you both ready?”

“Yes, Sir. We’re ready to go,” he replied, then took down the instructions that Kalen gave.

A few minutes later, hopelessly lost in the maze of corridors on the crew deck, Gya finally slammed a fist against a wall and grumbled, “I used to run these corridors and knew every centimer. Why is there no map to this ship?”

"Where do you wish to go, Cadet Gya?" Came a disembodied voice.

“Who .. what ... who is this?” She said, looking around. The corridor was empty except for Lyo, and he was as bewildered as she was.

"I identify as AC, Primary System of TGX-2. I am at your service, Cadet. Where do you wish to go?"

“I didn’t think TGX ships had a full AI on board,” Gya said. Then shook her head. “Um, we need to get to Gathering Room G6, on deck 15.” The wall lit up in a chevron pattern that flickered, showing a direction to go.

"Follow the wall indicators, I will guide you to your location."

With the wall indicators guiding them, it was an easy, if exhausting trek to get to the Gathering Room. They went up two sweeping ramps that were the gangways between decks and finally came to a door that was ringed in the chevron. ”This is your destination, Cadets."

“Thank you, AC.” Gya said, “I very much appreciate this.”

"My internal layout is very complex to the unaware. Contact me if you need anything else, I am ready to assist." The voice faded away as she walked up to the door. Lyo pushed it open and they entered to see a table laid out for a meal, with the Commander and Captain Kalen already seated.

“I thought you had gotten lost,” Ryo stated as he stood to greet them. Kalen also stood and grinned at their confusion.

“We had help from the TGX AI, Father,” Gya said as she stepped over the threshold, then she turned and secured the hatch, glaring at Lyo to let her do it.

Ryo smiled. “I know, I asked AC where you were, and she informed me she was guiding you here, a few minutes ago.”

“Come, sit, enjoy a meal. You don’t often get the opportunity to have a relaxing meal on this ship, especially in the company of its Commander and XO.” Kalen said and indicated the two places that had been set for them. Gya and Lyo sat as they were bid.

“Father, err Commander?” Gya asked as she corrected herself.

“Yes, Cadet?”

“Why was I never aware of the AI on this ship before?” She asked him.

“AC will not make herself known unless you are a member of the crew. Even the Commander’s daughter was not a member of the crew before today, my dear.” Ryo said with a small smile.

The meal was enjoyed with light conversation, full of jokes told by both Ryo and Kalen of past exploits and trials on board the TGX cruiser. As the plates were being cleared by the steward, Ryo sat back and looked at both of the cadets with narrowed eyes.

“Gya, Lyo. I still think this is a poor idea for you to serve on board this ship. However, it is better than having you serve on any other ship, because at least here I can keep an eye on you both. You will be given duties to perform, and you will be taught how to do them. I expect you both to excel at the tasks so that you can earn your commissions and ranks, just like any other crewman on this ship.”

He leaned forward and locked eyes with his daughter.

“However, when this ship goes to Battle Alert, and it will. You are both to come to the Bridge at once. There is no delay, no matter what task you are doing. If we go to Alert, you get your backsides to my bridge double-time.”

“Yes, Commander, but isn’t that giving us special treatment?” Gya managed to ask.

Ryo glared at her until she broke his gaze and looked down at her hands, then he chuckled.

“Yes, my Daughter. It is giving you special treatment. I’ll be damned to Helva if any of my officers would deny me doing that for my child. None of them will. It was Comm Officer Cato who suggested you and Lyo muster to the bridge in Alerts. All of the Senior Officers know who you two are. By the end of this Work Day, all of the Line Officers will know as well. We are going to work you to the bone, Gya. I’ll be damned if I let you get hurt in the process though.”

Much later that eve, when they had been dismissed from the meal, and after a brief tour of the bridge to allow them to meet the Senior Officers, Lyo and Gya made their way back to their quarters. Gya was falling asleep as she walked, so Lyo was helping her, with AC guiding the way with silent chevrons on the walls to indicate the best route to go. The door to their quarters beckoned, and he leaned an exhausted Gya against the corridor wall as he opened the door. A thump bade him turn, she had slumped down to the deck and was dead asleep.

Lyo smiled to himself, and lifted her arms, then hoisted her over his shoulder. She was a tall girl, but still very light-boned, so it was easy for him to carry her into their quarters and he then knelt so that she was on the cot, only for her to fall backward and lie on the mattress in the boneless collapse of deep sleep. She was exhausted.

He unfastened her tunic top and rolled her side to side to slip it from her, leaving her in just the light inner lining of the off-duty uniform. Then he undid the pants and slid them off her hips so that she would at least be comfortable. He spent a few minutes folding her uniform and then slipped out of his own and made everything neat in the room before getting onto the other cot, beside her. He touched a control and the lighting in the room dimmed to a fraction of normal levels so that it would be easier to sleep.

Lyo lay in bed, Gya softly snoring on the cot beside him, and thought about the events of the past few days, and indeed, the past few weeks.

He was not surprised to slightly wake up later and find her on his cot, wrapped against his side. Gya often did that when she had fallen asleep in the hot afternoons back on the Clanworld. He rested, and eventually, Lyo slept.

Some days passed, Ryo was always aware that his crew was very carefully watching him, and making whatever allowances they could for him. He found himself on the receiving end of extraordinary service. The stewards had meals ready almost before he needed them, bridge staff always had mugs of Kaf and reports ready as soon as he walked onto the bridge.

He allowed Kalen to guide the two teens as they learned how to work on board the massive ship, their quarters were just down the corridors from his own. That made Ryo feel better, knowing that his family, what was left of it, was close by. He also had long talks with Lyo while Gya slept. Lyo was very much like Emperor Masilec, Ryo realized. The lad only needed a few hours of sleep a night, while his daughter struggled to adjust to the shift times on board the battlecruiser.

Ryo slept alone. It was a difficult transition after having had Lya by his side for the past fourteen cycles, to now be alone. He knew from the looks and from the many soft gestures he had seen, that any of his female crew, bar none, would welcome the opportunity to share his bed and try to give him some solace. He realized that it would not be an abuse of power, nor a problem with crew morale. His crew honored him, and they wanted him to survive this tragedy. He chose to carefully ignore or gently decline all offers and became fully celibate.

As soon as Aya was safe to move, they transported her on board the TGX and it made a Vortex jump to Tara, where Tyo came on board and took over the care of Ryo’s young daughter. Tyo assured him that Aya would recover and have the best of care, and then Aya was taken off the ship to recover from her injuries in the largest medical facility in the Confederacy.