Where No One Has Gone Before Pt. 02

We left Earth some four years earlier, 250 individual souls inside the most advanced craft built by human hands. But we were no longer just 250 individuals. We were a family. And the credit went to the two at the top, in my opinion.

The more I worked around Leesa and Axel, the more I learned, and the more I respected both of them. Axel had a way of being able to read the crew like a book. He knew when to use a firm hand and when to let things slide. Leesa knew and trusted her officers and let them do their jobs without interference.

I had also changed over the last few years. I left Earth bitter, angry and distrustful. But thanks to Kyra, I was able to put the anger aside. And I had learned to conquer my own fears and nightmares. I was also concerned that once this trip was over I might never see Kyra again. And that disturbed me more than anything else. She was truly my better half, my soul mate. I loved her more than life itself. And the thought of being without her hurt me deeply.

"Penny for your thoughts, spaceman," she asked, breaking me out of my reverie. I looked at her nude form and smiled. Since the trip began, she had filled out quite nicely, due to her diet and exercise regimen, and due to our Grav Tac workouts. I had to remind myself to breathe. Then I turned to her and took her face in my hands.

"I don't know if I've told you lately, Kyra, but the truth is, I'm madly in love with you," I said.

"Well, I'm madly in love with you too, Bill. What brought all this on?"

"The mission will be ending before long."

"And you're afraid we may go our separate ways and not see each other again," she said, finishing my thought. She had been doing that for a while now. I nodded my head.

"Yeah, something like that," I said.

"I've been concerned about that a bit myself," she said. "So, what do you propose we do about that?" I got on one knee in front of her and held her hand. I saw her eyes go wide as I looked up at her pretty face.

"Propose," I said. "I don't ever want to be away from you. I... need you in my life. Will you marry me, Kyra?" She smiled as she got on her knees in front of me. She kissed me softly and wrapped her arms around me.

"Yes, Bill, I'll marry you," she said. "I thought you'd never ask." We kissed each other for several minutes before standing back up.

"I need to talk to Leesa," I told her.

"Why?"

"Well, when I first came on board, she said the rules didn't allow for married couples on board ship," I said. "I would also like for her to perform the ceremony, if that's okay with you."

"Of course it's okay," she said. "It's better than okay. It's perfect. But I'm concerned. Are you saying you'd be willing to give up your career in space to be with me?"

"Well, you gave up your career to spend five years on this ship with me," I said. "It's only fair I return the favor."

"You're so sweet," she said. "But you see, I like the idea of being married to a spaceman. Making you happy IS my career. And it's my choice to make."

"It won't be easy," I said.

"I know," she said. "But the rewards will be more than worth it."

"I think we'd better talk to the Captain. Together," I said.

"I think that would be very wise," she said. I activated my wrist communicator and made a call to Leesa.

"Captain Hawkins here," she said.

"Captain, if you have some free time, Kyra and I would like to speak with you for a few minutes," I said.

"Sure, Commander," she said after a few moments. "I'm available now if you want to come to my quarters."

"We'll be there in a few minutes, Captain," I said. "Thank you." I ended the communication and we got dressed. About 20 minutes later, I rang the chime on her hatch. It slid back and Leesa motioned us inside. George stood up in front of the couch where he had been sitting.

"Commander, Doctor Williams. Good to see you," he said with a smile.

"Good to see you, George," I said as we shook hands.

"George, would you mind if I have a few minutes alone with Bill and Kyra?" Leesa asked him.

"Not at all," he said. "I'll just go into my cabin. I'll see you guys later."

"See you, George," I said as he walked off. Leesa invited us to sit on her couch, which we did.

"Would you care for some cold tea?" she asked us.

"That would be wonderful, please," Kyra said. I agreed. A couple minutes later, Leesa returned with a tray holding three glasses of iced tea. She set the tray down and took one glass as we took our glasses.

"So, what brings you guys here this evening?" she said as she sat down in a chair across from us. I looked at Kyra nervously for a moment, then faced Leesa.

"I've asked Kyra to marry me, and she's agreed," I said. Leesa smiled before responding.

"Well it's about damn time," she said, causing us all to laugh. "I mean, we're only on the last leg of our mission. Congratulations, both of you."

"Thank you," Kyra said.

"So, we'd both appreciate it if you would perform the ceremony," I said.

"I'd be honored to, Bill," she said. "But I suspect there's something else on your mind."

"Yes, ma'am, there is," I said. "When I first came on board, you told me the rules didn't allow for married couples to serve together."

"That's right," Leesa told us. "But I also told you those rules were in flux. I was going to talk to the two of you in a few days anyway, but I guess this is as good a time as any to fill you in. There have been quite a few changes since we left the Solar system. About a year and a half after we left, the Corps launced a second starship, the USS Constitution.

"A third will be launched a couple months or so after we return, the USS Independence. Commander Hurbi has been tapped to lead that ship, which means a promotion. With him being promoted to Captain and reassigned, that leaves me with an empty slot to fill. He and I discussed it and we agree that you would be the logical choice, Bill. Command also agrees, so if you want the job, it's yours. Of course, that means a promotion to Commander.

"That brings me to you, Kyra. Whether you know it or not, I've been evaluating your performance throughout this trip. When this project began, there were a lot of detractors and naysayers who said no crew could survive a trip of this duration cooped up inside a ship like this. They all said the crew would go stir-crazy and would be at each other's throats within two years. I disagreed, of course. Fortunately, they were all proven wrong. And you were a big reason for that.

"You see, Kyra, the crew likes you. Better yet, they trust you. They like having someone they can open up to about whatever may be bothering them. And they appreciate that you're not in their chain of command. You've done an excellent job with them and you've earned their respect. In fact, I owe you more than I'll ever be able to pay.

"As a result, I suggested to Command that all interstellar missions have someone like you on board, as a ship's counselor. Command agreed, so if you're open to it, I'd like for you to stay on board, as ship's counselor. If you agree, you'll get a field commission to Lt. Commander and you'll be paid commensurate with your rank and experience. I know it won't compare to what you could earn in the civilian world, but I think the rewards of serving with your husband while exploring the universe might offset that. What do you think?"

"Where my husband goes, I go," Kyra said. "So the answer is, yes, I accept your offer, Leesa." Leesa and I both smiled at that.

"Good," Leesa said. "Consider it done. I'll forward the paperwork and it'll be finalized by the time we reach Galileo. By the way, how do you guys feel about a double wedding?"

"A double wedding?" I asked.

"Yes, Commander Hurbi and Myra are getting married as well," Leesa said. "We could make it an event for the whole crew." I looked at Kyra and saw her smiling widely as she nodded her head.

"Why not? Sounds like it'd be a lot of fun," I said.

"Then it's settled," Leesa said. "And after the ceremony, you two can take some leave and enjoy your honeymoon."

"How long will we be at Galileo?" I asked.

"We'll be there for just over six months. Command Engineering wants to do a full stress test on the entire hull. They want to see how it held up after traveling faster than light for four to five years. We're also getting a major refit, which includes new engines and an upgraded comm and computer system."

"Wow," I said.

"So I'll let you take five months of leave. You've earned it. Enjoy yourselves. It could be a long time before you get back to Earth," Leesa said. We toasted the idea with our tea and called it a night. Kyra and I went back to the cabin where we made love and fell asleep as we held each other.

The last part of the voyage went pretty fast, at least for me. Leesa, Kyra and Myra spent a lot of off-duty time planning the double wedding. Axel and I spent some time in the Officer's Club toasting each other's good fortune.

Leesa also signed me up for the online version of the Introductory Command Course, a requirement for taking over as First Officer. Fortunately, I had two role models I could draw on -- Axel and Bull. While Axel taught me how to read and handle a crew, my experience with Bull showed me how NOT to treat the officers and crew under me. Fortunately, the vast majority of the senior officers I had worked with were more like Axel, Leesa and Alan, my commanding officer on the Armstrong.

Kyra and I finally completed and perfected our two-person zero-g Grav Tac kata, and demonstrated it for my class. Axel took video of it and gave me a copy.

"That was amazing, Bill," he said when he gave me the video. "For a moment, I wondered if the two of you were going to get it on up there."

"For a moment, I was tempted," I said, causing him to laugh. Afterward, Kyra fucked me senseless in our cabin. Apparently she was tempted as well.

Kyra and I also made plans for our honeymoon. We both decided that Hawaii would be nice, so we would go there first, followed by a trip to north Idaho to see my folks. From there, we would go to southern California to visit her family. I also wanted to see my old sensei at the Academy. From there, we would come back to Mars.

I was surprised to learn that at least two civilian companies now offered what they called "fast" and "regular" shuttle services between Earth and Mars. They weren't quite as expensive as I thought and Corps officers got a discount, so I bought two first-class open-ended round trip tickets for us. I had about five years back pay sitting in my account so I could easily afford it.

I also made reservations at a nice hotel in Hawaii, and pre-booked our flights to Idaho, California and Florida, where the Academy was located.

We made it through the Oort Cloud without incident and soon made our way to Galileo Station. As we entered the large, enclosed facility, we saw a huge banner that read, "Welcome Home, Enterprise." We had done it.

After nearly five years, we had become the first to travel to another star and safely return. We had traveled farther and faster than any person before us. Sure, there would be those who would travel farther and faster than us, but we were the only ones who could say we were the first. When the ship finally stopped in the station, we could see a number of people in the observation areas applauding and saluting.

"Houston, this is Enterprise," Leesa said in her comm. "We have returned with all personnel present and accounted for. Ship and crew secured."

"Roger that, Enterprise," Houston said in response. "Welcome home. Congratulations."

After securing all our stations, Leesa turned us loose for some much-needed R&R, but told everyone to be at the Huygens venue the next day at 1200 hours for a double wedding. Taking our leave, Axel and I went to the Mars base to buy rings for our brides. Leesa gave us firm instructions to stay away from our women until the wedding.

We both knew they would getting fitted for their wedding dresses. We just hoped there would be enough time. What I didn't know was that Leesa had already been in communication with the venue and a dress shop on the base. It turned out the women had used the shop's online dress-fitting app while we were in transit and the gowns were already being prepared at the shop.

We purchased the rings and headed back to the ship, where we began packing and prepared our dress uniforms for the wedding. We didn't see the women at all during this time and wondered what they were doing. Later, Jonathan came by our cabins and said we were needed in the Officer's Club -- immediately.

Curious and concerned, we went to the club and when we got there, found a number of our male shipmates had organized a surprise dual bachelor party for us. After the initial shock wore off, we settled down and had a good time. That's when we learned that Leesa and the female crew members were having a similar gathering with Kyra and Myra.

"Don't worry, they're in good hands," Jonathan assured us.

The next day, I got up and made sure our stuff was packed and ready to go. A steward hired by the shuttle company came by and took our bags, telling me they would be taken to the terminal for our flight to Earth.

"Remember, sir, the flight is scheduled to leave Huygens at 1700 hours. But the captain won't leave until we know you're on board," he said.

"Thank you," I said. Talk about concierge service, I thought.

I made sure the clothing Kyra and I would wear on the shuttle was in another garment bag. That one would go with me to Huygens, since we planned to change there before taking the flight back to Earth.

"Are you ready for this, Bill?" Axel asked when I caught up with him.

"I think so. How about you?"

"As ready as I'll ever get. Were you this nervous when you got married the first time?"

"I was a basket case," I told him.

"Then I don't feel so bad," he said. We made it to the Huygens Base venue and was greeted with applause. The whole crew was there and they were rooting for us. I was surprised to see Alan, and I was even more surprised to see he had been promoted to Commodore.

"Congratulations, you two," he said.

"Thank you, Commodore," I said. "And congratulations on your promotion."

"Thanks, Bill," he said. "Personally, I'd rather stay a Captain, but that's not how it works."

"So, who's commanding the Armstrong?" I asked.

"Captain Brewster," he said. "She wanted to be here, but she's stuck out by Jupiter and couldn't make it. Said to give you her best wishes. She also wanted me to give you a hug." I looked at him, surprised. "Don't worry, I won't, and I won't say anything. What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

"Thank you for that, sir," I said, causing him to chuckle.

"You know, that's one helluva ship you have there," Alan said. "And the Independence is a very impressive vessel, Captain," he added.

"Thank you, sir," Axel said. "But I'm not a Captain yet."

"Oh, you will be very soon," Alan said. "Your First Officer is also one very impressive young man as well."

"Jason Kirk?" Axel asked. "He served with you for a while, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did. He was my Operations Officer on the Armstrong after Bill left," Alan said. Just then, Leesa came over to us, also wearing her dress uniform.

"Good morning, Commodore," she said, shaking his hand. "Good to see you, sir."

"Good to see you again, Captain," he said.

"Keeping an eye on these two?" she asked.

"I am, indeed," he said.

"The girls are just about ready, so I think we'll be getting started," she said.

"Your show, Captain," Alan said. Leesa took her place at the front of the venue, motioning for us to follow. We took our places as she motioned for everyone to take their seats. The doors opened in the back and the music started playing. Axel and I turned around and for a moment, I couldn't breathe.

The two brides, accompanied by two male officers, walked down the improvised aisle to us. Looking at Kyra, I felt the same way I did the first day I met her. She was even more beautiful now than she was when I first met her. When they got to us, the officers shook our hands and Leesa started the ceremony.

We each exchanged our vows -- Axel and Myra went first, followed by Kyra and myself. I was so taken by Kyra's beauty that I almost didn't hear Leesa's cue for the rings. I took Kyra's rings from Jonathan, who acted as my best man, and placed them on her finger as I recited the phrase, "with this ring, I thee wed." Kyra did the same with my ring, smiling as she placed it on my finger.

"By the authority vested in me as the Captain of the Enterprise, I pronounce you husbands and wives," Leesa said with a smile. "Well, get to it, gentlemen. Kiss your brides, for crying out loud." Everyone chuckled at that, but Axel and I had other things on our minds as we kissed our brides.

Everyone applauded, and then Alan stood and came to the front.

"We're not finished folks," he said. An aide came up and handed him a sheet of paper. Alan read the promotion order making Axel a Captain. Then he pulled out two badges of rank and handed one to Myra. He pinned one on Axel's uniform as she pinned the other. They shook hands, then Alan turned to me.

"This promotion ceremony is very special to me," Alan told the group. "Commander Jones served with me aboard the Armstrong and the Shepard. He's earned my undying respect, and I can't think of a more deserving individual," he said before reading the promotion order. He then pulled out two badges of rank and handed one to Kyra.

I thought I saw a tear in one eye as he pinned the insignia on my shoulder. Kyra seemed proud as she pinned the other on me. When they were finished, Alan shook my hand.

"Those used to be mine," he whispered. "Wear them well."

"Yes sir, I will," I told him.

After the ceremony, we celebrated with a short reception that included all the usual things -- dancing, drinking toasts and a wedding cake Jonathan had made in the galley. I wondered how he got it down to Huygens without damaging it.

Finally, the festivities ended and the two of us changed into our flight clothing for the trip to Earth. We said our goodbyes and made it to the taxi that would ferry us to the spaceport. We managed to get aboard about a half-hour before the flight was scheduled to leave.

We sat in the seats in our small cabin and looked out the window as the shuttlecraft lifted off the red planet and began its flight to Earth. I turned to my bride.

"Well, Mrs. Jones, are you ready for the adventure of your life?" I asked.

"I most certainly am, my husband," she said, giving me a sloppy kiss.

"By the way, when did you get the ring?" I asked.

"Leesa took us down to Huygens while you and Axel were gone," she said. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," I said. "Do you like your rings?" She gazed at the diamond ring and smiled at me.

"I love them," she said. "But I love you more."

"I love you more," I said as I kissed her.

And the adventure continued...

...

More to come. Stay tuned...

Notes:

Hard Rock, Texas is not a real place. I made it up when I wrote "A Father's Justice." Ryan Caldwell was the main character in that story. Oscar Warren was the main character in my first story here, "Revenge In Advance -- A Sequel." He has also appeared in several stories. His memoirs are what make up my series, "The Warren Files."