Survivor

"Be safe." I muttered. I squared my shoulders and left, heading for the armoury.

Two dead guards later I was filling my pockets with explosive charges. The last one I set the timer for one hour and then tossed it amongst the assorted weaponry. Then I set about planting my purloined devices at various places where I had seen the pirates congregating. After half an hour of this I returned to my vantage point of earlier and settled down, checking my rifle and pistol one last time. I hoped my instincts were right and the Space Legion was about to attack or my resistance would be spectacular but short-lived.

I waited and waited but nothing happened. Then the armoury blew up.

"So this is how it ends." I thought. "Your first miscalculation is often your last."

Pirates were running around in confusion so I started to pick some of them off with the rifle. The other explosives began to go off, adding to the chaos, and still I picked off targets. Eventually I was spotted and came under fire. I was almost out of rifle ammo anyway when I heard the sound of several other firefights breaking out; the Legion had arrived!

I could occasionally make out the black uniforms of Legion troopers making their way through the port. It was time to go and meet them. Hopefully I could keep them from firing around the colony ship. I had to be careful though; although they knew someone had sent a message, they didn't know who. And my exploits of the past couple of days had proved I looked as much like a pirate as anyone.

I was lucky though: I came upon a Legion trooper that I knew taking cover from some heavy fire.

"Hey Daz, this is no time to be taking a break." I said jauntily. He jumped and span around.

"Bloody hell Sarge, you didn't half scare me." He said. Then he gave me a quizzical look. "I thought you'd been retired?"

"I was." I confirmed.

"So what are you doing here? On holiday?"

"New job. Attacked by pirates. Fought back. Called in the heavy mob." I grinned. "Who's in charge? I need to speak to them."

"New bloke, Captain Cooper. I'll take you to him."

"Thanks Daz, appreciate it."

The Legionnaire took me to where Captain Cooper was conducting the operation.

"Sir. This is former Sergeant Holt. It was him that sent the message about the pirate base." Daz reported.

"Really? How do we know that?" The Captain was understandably sceptical.

"Sir. A lot of us know the Sarge and will vouch for him." Daz replied.

"Thanks Daz." I patted him on the shoulder. "Captain, I recognise your concerns. Let me explain. Until a couple of days ago I was employed as a Derelict Recovery Specialist when our ship was downed by a missile fired as we accidentally overflew this spaceport. Only myself and the navigator survived the crash."

"And where are they?" The Captain, still unconvinced. was unbending a little.

"That colony ship over there." I pointed. "The colonists have been kept in suspended animation for some reason, and I persuaded Emmy that it would be safest for her if she joined them in one of the empty booths. I would seriously appreciate it if you refrained from firing at the ship."

"Are you telling me that two of you managed to create this much confusion?" Cooper was incredulous.

"This is nothing Sir." Daz piped up. "The Sarge took out the Blackbeard solar array all on his lonesome."

"Oh! THAT Sergeant Holt." A light dawned in his eyes. He had heard of me after all. "I'm sorry to have doubted you Sergeant."

"No problem sir; but if you could keep away from the colony ship I'd be extremely grateful."

"At once." He gave the order.

"Now if you'll excuse me sir, I have to go and collect my colleague."

"Carry on Sergeant Holt."

After stopping to pick up some ammunition for my rifle I hurried toward the colony ship, weaving my way through a couple of firefights. Approaching the ship I saw something that made my heart sink: A missile of some kind had hit the ship, right around where the suspension booths were. Fearfully I made my way inside, dashing into the compartment with the booths in. My worst fears were realised. Emmy's booth was peppered with shrapnel holes. There could be no-one alive inside. The rest were unscathed.

"NO!" I cried out. "This wasn't supposed to happen. I'm not meant to survive alone this time." I sobbed, banging my head against the dead booth.

"My, my. Such histrionics from the military man." A soft, amused, but thoroughly welcome voice came from the doorway behind me. I span around in astonishment to face a grinning Emmy.

"How?" I managed to ask.

"Your device must have failed. I woke up, heard all the ruckus and explosions, so I decided to take cover somewhere safer, the engine room." She smiled warmly. "I heard someone clattering around like a juggernaut and assumed you were back. I was right."

"I thought I'd lost you right at the end." I gasped out.

"I heard you."

"I've never felt like that before. I didn't like it."

"Oh shut up and kiss me." She ordered.

"Yes ma'am."

After a month or so things began to come together. The revived colonists were happy to stay and develop the planetoid, which still had no name. My and Emmy's company put forward some plans to set up a base here to reach into the expanding space lanes. The Space Legion has indicated similar intentions. For some reason I was the unanimous choice as the new lawman for the planetoid. And Emmy: Well, Emmy has revealed a natural talent for organisation and is more or less running the rebuilding of the space dock.

I finally found myself some spare time and so kept a promise to myself to visit the site where our ship had crashed. I approached warily, not exactly sure what brought me here. The ship was almost completely destroyed by my booby-trap, but scattered around a crater are several bits and pieces. Part of the engine; the airlock door; one of the lockers. Now just wreckage, but once a living spaceship. It seemed to me that I had to do something to honour my fallen crewmates, so I began to build a stone cairn, with a marked stone for each comrade. The six rocks looked forlorn so I decided to add a stone for each man I had lost in the Legion, which unfortunately meant a lot more rocks. I worked away for several hours, into the night, until I couldn't see properly anymore. I would finish in the morning.

Dawn broke and I realised I had been away from the spaceport for over a day now and would be missed. Shrugging to myself, I reasoned if they wanted me, they could find me, and went back to my self-appointed task. When I had finished I lay back and tried to see if I had forgotten anyone. I must have fallen asleep because Emmy awoke me with a kiss.

"I was going to ask what you've been up to that was so important, but I can see." She nodded to my homemade memorial.

"It was something that felt right, something I've never been able to do before." I said, almost embarrassed.

"Remembering all those you've lost?"

"Not originally, but I thought one stone for every person I've lost or couldn't save..." I tailed off.

"None of them are truly gone as long as you honour them." She said quietly, sitting beside me.

"Perhaps that's the force that keeps me alive?" I said sadly.

There was a few minutes silence as we sat holding hands and then Emmy spoke again.

"You know, what this cairn needs is a plaque."

"Saying what?"

"How about 'Peace Amongst The Stars'?" She suggested.

"Or 'Light Truth And Justice'?" I countered.

"Both." She said firmly.

"I'll make one back at the base."

"How about using metal from the crash? There's enough about."

"Another good idea." I grinned and then kissed her. "You know what Em? I'm glad I met you, you make surviving seem much more worthwhile."

"Surviving is it's own reward surely?" She asked, a little puzzled.

"I was beginning to wonder, but having someone to share it with is better by miles." I smiled and kissed her again. It was getting to be a habit. One I was in no hurry to break.