“This ship has everything but a hot tub,” said Junitha, “I mean really have you seen all this stuff. There’s a jogging track, an obstacle course, this whole level is like one big fitness club. All its missing is a pool. I guess a pool isn’t the sort of thing you have on a spaceship. There are even whole rooms that can be set up for war game practice.”
Janessa was only half listening. Yes the ships facilities were impressive. Janessa had no shortage of questions about it but there were other things on her mind, thoughts of Tania mostly.
“So you want to talk about it?” said Junitha.
“Talk about what?” replied Janessa.
“Whatever the deal between you and Ardiniero is.”
Janessa stopped and looked at Junitha. How did she know?
“It was all over your face,” said Junitha, “and all over his face. There’s obviously some connection between you two.”
Janessa paused unable to think and the words just came out, “he was my fiancé.”
“Fiancé? As in you two were engaged at some point and you no longer are? Are you even old enough to be engaged? What are you like twenty?”
“I’m twenty-four,” said Janessa defensively, “we dated at the Solar Fleet academy. He proposed to me just after we graduated. I said yes.”
“I bet he got laid that night too,” said Junitha jokingly.
The look of embarrassment on Janessa’s face gave everything away.
“Oh hey I was right,” said Junitha, “Cool, its fun when my guesses turn out to be right. I’m good at that. Actually I get the feeling there’s more to it than that. Oh man was that the night you lost your virginity? Did you guys lose it to each other? I’m right. I bet I’m right.”
Janessa said nothing.
“I’m not judging or anything,” said Junitha, “It’s not like I’m a virgin. Although when I think about it I guess that depends on how you define ‘virginity’. I’m talking again. And not stopping. You were saying about Ardiniero. How did you guys meet?”
Janessa waited a moment just in case Junitha was going to say more.
“My friend Tania introduced us. She was the one that made me want to be a pilot.”
“Huh.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Oh nothing,” said Junitha, “I knew a girl named Tania once. Tania Zed. She was the one that got me to sign up as a pilot too.”
Janessa could not believe it. Was the world really that small?
“You knew Tania Zed?” said Janessa, “Tania Zed from Vancouver
“Yeah that was her,” said Junitha, “I only knew her briefly for a few months, years ago. But she left an impression on me. I don’t think I’ll be forgetting her for my whole life.”
“I won’t forget her either,” said Janessa, “I wish she was still here.”
“I remember seeing her name on the list of the dead from the attack on Valiance Point,” said Junitha, “That was the mission that made Ardiniero the poster boy for Solar Fleet commanders. He said in his press address that Tania died a hero. What really happened up there? Do you know?”
“I was there,” said Janessa.
Janessa remembered that day years ago. She and Tania and Duron had just arrived at Valiance Point for training. They had been there barely an hour when they saw it coming. There was a sparkle of light in the distance. Then something was coming towards the station. When they saw its shape they knew what it was. It was shaped like a seed pod. It was a Horde Scouter. Small ships like it had been appearing for weeks and carrying out hit and run attacks on ships, planetary outposts and space stations near Earth and Mars. The gray pod opened up and began firing. It only made one attack run before it veered off and headed away. There was no time to react. No one even had a chance to fire back before it was gone.
The next thing they knew there was an alert that the station was losing atmosphere. The automated voice over the intercoms calmly told everyone to proceed to the emergency shuttles. The stations command crew was all killed in the attack. Duron took charge of the situation. He may have only been a commander in training but the people on the station needed someone to lead them. The only ones left alive were basic staff. Most of the military personal were dead. Janessa and Tania helped Duron get everyone to the shuttles. But there were still people left behind. People who could not get to the shuttle because they were cut off. Duron ordered Janessa to stay with the shuttle and launch if they did not get back in time. Janessa did not want to leave him. But they had lives to save. She kissed him for what would be the last time. Tania smiled at her and said they would be back. Janessa listened over the communications relay as Tania overrode the safety locks on the doors to rescue the people still trapped. Then it went dead. For several agonizing minutes Janessa tried to restore communication with them. Then people started coming. They had done it. They had saved everyone. Duron came out last, without Tania. Janessa asked where Tania was.
“She isn’t coming Nessa,” he said.
“What do you mean?” said Janessa, “Where is Tania? Why isn’t she right behind you? What did you do?”
“I did what I had to do,” said Duron.
Janessa screamed at him to go back. She demanded he get out of her way, she would save Tania herself if he would not. He had to force her into the shuttle with the help of two other men. She begged him to save Tania. That they could not leave her behind. She stayed by the shuttle door the whole time as they drifted away from what was left of Valiance Point. Janessa saw Valiance Point burn and shatter and then all light from it was snuffed out.
Afterwards more than one of the survivors came to Janessa and told her that Tania had saved them, that she had died a hero and that Duron had no choice. They said Duron tried to save Tania that he was willing to sacrifice himself instead of her but it was too late. And so Janessa waited. She waited for Duron to come to her and tell his side of the story and she knew in her heart that she would be able to forgive him. But he never came back to her. He went on to his career as a commander and never so much as sent her a message.
“Now that’s fucked up,” said Junitha.
That had not been the reaction Janessa had expected.
“But it does sound just like the Tania Zed I knew. She was a great person. It’s not fair that she died so young, but at least she died doing what she believed in.”
Janessa took no comfort in that but she did not say anything.
Junitha went on, “She said something to me once, ‘God helps those who help themselves’. I don’t know if that’s the most appropriate saying for this situation but, I always liked that. It gives you the comfort of knowing God is there with you but also gives you your own will. I like that.”
“She always talked about god,” said Janessa, “but she never seemed very religious.”
“You don’t have to be into religion to believe in or have faith in God,” said Junitha, “are you hungry? I’m hungry. I here they have a kitchen on this ship and not just nutrient rations. We should check it out.”
Janessa nodded in agreement and followed her new friend to the ships commissary.
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