Three Weeks in Hell, Day 1

[Atragon9 0]

The silence in the cockpit was deafening. With the course plotted and all other mission essential activites completed, there was nothing left to do but ... Margaux glanced over at Atragon under the veil of her lashes and inwardly groaned.

 

"Girl," she says to herself, "this has got to be one of the dumbest things you've ever let yourself get into." She knows she is a much to blame for the current situation as he is.

 

The Counselor in her knows it is their pigheaded-ness that allowed the situation to escalate. He had tossed the first volley and instead of walking away, she just *had* to smack it back into his court. He could have chosen, at that point, to walk away but instead he chose to return a line drive right back at her. Which, in turn, forced her hand again.

 

Margaux lets out a soft sigh, "Our course takes us past a science outpost. You can drop me off there, if you'd like."

 

A9 turns to look at her steadily, "Is that why you got on this ship? To get a ride to a Science station?"

 

She settles back into her seat choosing her words carefully, "I got on this ship because slot number four in the *stupidest actions in my life* was vacant."

 

He doesn't take the bait, "Okay, so why not see it through? Why don't you stay with me and play your dual role as former significant other and Counselor to a troubled Atragon-9?"

 

She turns in her seat to face him, "For a couple of reasons. One, even if I wanted to play counselor to a troubled Atragon-9, you *hate* counselors and hate even more having to bare your soul to one. Second, what makes you think I want to resume a role as a significant other?"

 

He sneers at her, "Tut, tut, I said "former," now didn't I? I never asked you to resume that role. We have eached moved on from the other. Don't flatter yourself that I'm looking to bed you."

 

Angrily, she fires back, "Flatter myself? You pompus, pig-headed, self absorbed, jackass! Yes we have moved on, and you sure didn't wait around for the grave to even get cold did you?"

 

His eyes widen suddenly and all attempt at keeping his compsure is lost, "Didn't Wait??!! I watched the colony go up in flames! I knew that you were down there and I could not get to you in time! A big part of me died that day and you got away and didn't TELL ME! It not like I got married the next month, you callous bitch!"

 

She reaches out and smacks him across the face, "I couldn't tell you!! I didn't have any memory of that time of my life. Don't you turn this around to make it my fault."

 

He springs out of the pilot's seat and starts pacing as much as he can in the runabout, "Oh please! You didn't lose your memories of me until you became Margaux. When the colony went up, you could have gotten me a message or warning!" He stopped and waved his hands at her, "Alright, this is getting us nowhere, can we just try and shelve this anger?"

 

She is still seething, "Dredging up the past will never get us anywhere because you refuse to understand why I did what I had to do. You moved on. Got married, had a family. I survived. I can say "I'm sorry" until I'm blue in the face but it will never make up for what *I* did to you."

 

He returns to his seat, gently, "And you refuse to understand how what you did ripped out my insides," pausing, he looks out the window, "Yes, the wife, the children - a mistake from the start, but I couldn't stop myself. I made a family for the one I couldn't have with you and that's just wrong for everyone. That's when I really lived in my career, that's when I killed that marriage and ruined that family." Looking down in his lap, "what an ass I am."

 

She turns to look at him, without anger,"You never said you wanted a life with me. So how was I to know that my actions would "rip out your insides" that because of my "death" I would force you into a loveless marriage?"

 

He looks back up at her, "No way, no way at all. But you can't think that I wouldn't be devastated by your death. Okay, so that's history and we try to not find ourselves doomed to repeat it. So here we are, Admiral without a command and Counselor without a purpose, with weeks to be alone, with each other. Do we sit here and pretend we have no connection and nothing to accomplish? Do we act as innocent travelling companions? Do we ignore each other? Or ... do we try and finally figure out each other? Probe painfully into our reasons for being and being here, now?"

 

She smiles slightly, "I vote against any painful probing"

 

He chuckles, "That is the kind of open line I would normally pounce on, you know"

 

She smiles more, "Normally, but for the moment you're walking on unsure ground with me. Hmmm, let's see. I've made you smile, chuckle and laugh and it's only day one. I can only imagine what the next three weeks have in store. I think I'll end on a high note and get myself something to eat. Can I offer you something?"

 

He settles back into his seat, "No, I think I'll just sit and chew on our situation for awhile, thanks. By the way, you're in luck, since this used to be the Captain's Yacht, the food processor is top notch."

 

As she stands in the back mulling her choices for food, he stares out the window again, wondering just why DID he force her to come along; what did her presence mean to him now? For that matter, why in the world did she agree to go? It's not like he truly over-powered her and kidnapped her. Maybe they both had something to search for out here, hopefully they both had something to gain. Then again, this could be the beginning of three weeks of hell, there's always that cheery possibility.