Ashlyn Chronicles 1: 2287 A.D. (14 page)

A kaleidoscope of images unfolded. The most prominent were those that resonated with the strongest emotional attachment. He saw Renee crying, his son terrified and screaming. He saw himself setting Avenger’s autodestruct. He saw Ashlyn beguilingly walking toward him, carnal desire upon her lips, on an alien world.

Only when several horrifying images appeared did it break the vision. He had seen Ashlyn’s body, torn and shredded, lying lifeless upon the ground. In the next image he saw himself sitting beside her rock-covered grave, weeping.

As he returned to the surroundings of the Conference Center, he stared into the audience and saw that they were unmoving, frozen in time. As the milliseconds passed, the people slowly awakened.

Unlike his time in the fugue with Ashlyn each night, wherein hours of time moved quickly, now not a single moment of time had elapsed.

Not daring to look at Ashlyn for fear he might again lose himself to her, he continued in the moment, in perfect sync with the task at hand. “The Medal of Honor is the most prestigious honor that an individual can be awarded! To go along with this honor, I would also like to acknowledge that, even though she has only been with us for a short time and that it would only be under the rarest of circumstances, an individual can sometimes be deserving of a promotional jump in rank that does not follow the typical and expected rungs in the ladder. Therefore, as regards to Ashlyn Parker, a jump of this nature has been deemed appropriate.” Steven had learned from Brooks that much of Ashlyn’s time at the Foundation had been in advanced piloting.

He paused a moment to let it sink in. “Besides her heroism, she has displayed the skills, knowledge, and ability to make command decisions. It is also undeniable that she has earned the respect for which the position calls. Therefore, as is engraved upon this plaque, and based upon the unanimous recommendation of her superiors that have witnessed firsthand the events that have brought us to this moment, I now promote her to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. She is hereby charged with overseeing Avenger’s fighter squadrons. As she acclimates to her new position, I ask that you give her the support she needs to step into her new role, for we owe her more than our lives. We owe her our eternal gratitude!”

In giving salute, his eyes betrayed his longing for her. “Commander, we are all indebted to you.”

“At-t-tennn-tion!” Commander Stratton called out to the gathered officers and crew.

A barrage of whispers, giggles, and smiles from the audience awoke Steven to the reality of his predicament—his enviable task of finding a socially acceptable spot on which to pin her medal.

His nervousness apparent to everyone, Ashlyn decided to offer him an avenue of escape, if only a tenuous one. She held out her open palm to him. “If you don’t mind, I’ll do it myself. The way you’re shaking, I could end up losing my virginity to the world’s smallest prick!”

Her comment was so unexpected that the audience roared.

Steven dropped the medal into her hand.

Tipping her head back and forth to the left and right, as if she were searching for something, she glared down at his crotch for all to see. “Apologies, sir, if you thought I was talking about you? It was clearly an easy mistake to make.”

After riotous laughter, some to the point of tears, Steven gave her the credit she was due. “Touché, Commander. Touché.”

She bowed her head to him. “Then you have my sincere apology for jesting at your expense. I’d be honored, sir.” Ashlyn swung the medal back and forth, teasing him to take it.

As he put his hand out, she dropped it into his open palm. Ashlyn then lifted the necklace over her left breast, adding, “Damn the torpedoes—full speed ahead, sir!”

The laughter turned to an enormous cheer.

Involuntarily, his tongue darted out, wetting his lips. Since she had stepped up to the podium, a feverish heat had been racing through him, boiling his blood to the point where he had completely forgotten about Tynabo’s warning. If it were not for the eyes of the audience upon him, he would have relented to the overwhelming desire to sweep her into his arms. It would have been easy. Too easy.

After clipping the medal to her necklace, he stepped back, and gave her a salute. “Commander, I congratulate you!”

The applause thundered.

“Crew dismissed!” announced Commander Stratton to the audience.

Steven took a few steps back, giving ground to those who wanted to congratulate her, which was everyone.

Stratton stepped up, wanting to speak with Steven privately. “Sir. Sorry to interrupt, and if I may be so bold as to get a bit personal—now that you are back at Sea Base, I just wanted to make sure that you took the vial that Tynabo left for you. Admittedly, not knowing, I was quite concerned there for a moment.”

Steven grimaced. “It broke when the shockwave hit Avenger. I’m going to see Victor when I leave here. I’m hoping he can do something.”

“Then my concern was founded,” said Stratton. “You were very close to her. Too close. It was an unnecessary risk. Would you like me to stay with you?”

Steven realized the truthfulness in his words. Stratton was right. He’d been so intoxicated by Ashlyn that he had not thought of the vial even once. “You’re right, Stratton. I won’t make that mistake again. I’ll be okay. I know what’s at stake. I promise to keep her at arm’s length from now on.”

“No disrespect, sir—but it’s not your arm I’m worried about!” Stratton’s grin conveyed his apprehension.

Steven smiled. “Stratt—how’s Earth holding up? Have we suffered any damage from the Moon?”

Stratton gave a twisted grin. “Topside, things are pretty extreme. Obviously, lots of impacts from the debris around the globe. There have been thousands of major quakes, hundreds of thousands of small ones. The Yellowstone caldera is registering greatly increased activity. Gena is unclear at this time as to its stability. Land temperatures have risen by an average of 3-degrees. Some regions are getting colder, some warmer. There are fires everywhere driven by hurricane force winds—lots of rain and flooding. Tsunamis are racing around the globe. In most coastal regions, you can’t tell there had ever been a city there. It’s all gone. For the most part, it looks like the surface was never inhabited. Down here, there have been quite a few landslides on the walls of the trench, none of which are close enough to be threatening to us. We have the domes’ dampeners set to maximum as a protective measure. So far, we’re doing okay. No significant damage to report. Reactor levels are optimal. Gena is charting everything. We should have a better handle on where things will settle in at in a few weeks. Whatever happens—base scuttlebutt seems to agree that it was worth it. We took that bastard’s fleet out.”

Stratton gave a sigh. “Anything else, sir?”

Steven shook his head. “Thanks, Stratt. You did great.”

“As did you, sir.” He threw a glance in Ashlyn’s direction. “Please be careful, sir. We need you!” Stratton smiled, nodded, and then departed.

While Steven stood there, nervously waiting for Ashlyn, he could not help but trace her every rounded curve, nook, and cranny. The necklace hid nothing—yet accentuated everything. His mind was ablaze with passion. His body screaming to take her.

Maybe Stratton should have stayed?
Internally, he was at war with his decision. A big part of him wanted to be alone with her, and for all the wrong reasons.

The last person finally excused himself and Ashlyn turned to face Steven. “Congratulations, Commander.” He felt anxious to break down the walls of his nervousness. “Awarding you the medal was a great privilege, Ashlyn. I am honored.”

“Thank you, sir. I appreciative it. Part of this really belongs to you, though. It was in your mind that I saw it was a doomsday missile. If not for that, I wouldn’t have known to try and stop it.”

Steven shook his head. “It’s all yours. You did the heavy lifting, Ash—and please, drop the formal protocols when we are alone. The intimacy we’ve shared within the fugue shattered that formality two months ago.”

“Yes—it did. Steven, I would like to apologize if my banter was an embarrassment to you. I meant no disrespect.”

“No apology necessary. The only embarrassment was my own. I hung myself out like a piñata and handed you the stick. After my jesting, you had every right to whack the living daylights out of me. And I must admit, you succeeded in grand style,” said Steven. “If anything, I owe you an apology. I just wasn’t ready for, you.” His eyes again raced around each curve. “When I saw you walking toward me I really did feel like I was sixteen again, complete with raging hormones. I reacted childishly. I couldn’t stop myself.”

Ashlyn smiled sweetly. Not wanting him to bear the responsibility alone. “That childish side is a normal part of the male psyche. There is a part of every man that never grows up. He’s forever that little eight-year old boy, or sixteen-year old, in your case,” said Ashlyn. “Women learn to live with it, and sometimes, we find it downright sexy.

“Perhaps I am also to blame for your reaction. After all our time in the fugue together, I didn’t realize that my attire would affect you as strongly as it did. If you prefer me to dress—”

“It’s not the attire,” said Steven, interrupting her. “It’s what’s under the attire—and—not under it. It’s you.” His eyes lowered, shifting left, then right, then back again, staring at her rounded curves. His groin tightened. “But, no, Ashlyn. Though my opinion is definitely biased, I don’t want you to dress differently. I don’t want you to change a thing. Tynabo had tried to explain that it is who you are. It wouldn’t be right for us to ask you to go against your genetic makeup. In time, we will adjust. Personally—yes, I find your necklace to be daringly sexy and unrestrained, but I also see it as an exquisitely beautiful statement. You have reminded all of us that there is more to being human than making strategic battle plans and following sterile regulations.
You are a rainbow in a world of grey.
I am not saying that men will not be men. They will. They will stare, drool, and think about doing all sorts of crazy things. After all, we’re human. I’m human.”
If you only knew all the crazy things, I’d like to do to you.

“And I you.”

Steven cocked his head. “Did you just—?”

“Uh-huh. I hear everything you’re thinking. I thought it fair to tell you. I have been trying to filter it so as not to intrude on your privacy, but some of your thoughts are just too—visual. It won’t be long before you can block it, though. This is a learning experience for both of us.”

“I’m sorry, Ash.” He thought back, recalling all the bendy, uninhibited things he had pictured doing to her—things that most men cannot even tell their wives. He felt a flush of embarrassment.

“No reason to be embarrassed. I want you to do all those bendy things to me. It’s flattering.”

“Ash, how come I can’t read your mind?”

“I think it’s by design, part of my empathic, nurturing abilities. I’m glad you can’t, though,” she chided with a broad smile. “Then I’d be embarrassed, because you’d see all the bendy things I want to do to you.”

I would love to see that list,
Steven
thought
.
Though Steven was feverish with desire, he continued, “Ash, it’s important that you understand how important you are to us—infinitely important. I saw it reflected in the wide smiles and bright, sparkling eyes of the faces tonight. For the first time since the attack sixteen years ago—they were happy. You rekindled a fire in us that died a long time ago. Tynabo was right when he compared you to Pandora. You’ve brought hope back to us.”

Ashlyn tilted her head slightly. “That’s a lot to live up to.”

“It is, Ash—the pedestal we’ve put you on is tall and it casts an even bigger shadow. Nevertheless, you need to realize that it is because they believe in you. I believe in you. My advice—stay true to you. You’re a leader that everyone will follow,” said Steven. “It’s more than a want; they need you to stay the way you are. And if I may—I want you—to stay the way you are.”

Ashlyn saw the full depth of the true meaning behind his words. “Thank you—and—no more than I want you.” Her words let him know that he was not alone in his desires.

“Steven, before we tackle the big question before us, if you’d indulge me, I have something I’d like to show you.” Ashlyn glanced behind her to see if they were alone, and just as she did so, the auditorium door closed behind the last person leaving.

“All right,” said Steven, nervously apprehensive, his eyes racing over her.

“Gena, lock the auditorium doors, please. Override ability is to be given to myself and the admiral only, with the admiral’s consent, of course.” Ashlyn raised a playful, questioning eyebrow to Steven.

“So ordered,” said Steven, even as he felt himself pole vaulting over a threshold he had hoped not to cross. He was trapped, unable to take his eyes off her.

“Auditorium doors are now locked,” confirmed Gena.

“Now that you’ve got me, right where I want you!” said Ash with a broad smile. “Gena, activate the privacy blackout for the exterior of the dome and then start holo-program, Night-Dreams.”

As the clear palladium-glass dome went dark outside, providing them alone time, the internal lights dimmed—revealing the first and brightest of the early evening stars. Within moments, the sky transformed into a warmly painted sunset of purple, orange, blue, and pink, silhouetting a layering of white clouds on the western horizon.