A Different Page

[Cptn Neptune 0]

Je suis désolé. Lo siento. Ick bin droevig. Sono spiacente. Perdóname. I’m sorry.

 

Somehow, in any language he said, the words seemed—insignificant. Sitting in the room Elias had once occupied, made it seem that much hollower of a gesture; saying you’re sorry to the man who’s life you essentially forfeited in his own office.

 

Neptune placed his hands to his face templing the tired hands over either nostril. Sighing, he considered his situation once more. It had not been his doing that led to Moore’s disappearance—it had been Moore’s doing. Not that Neptune blamed the man for his current situation, but…should he feel remorse over it?

 

The crew had taken the news with shock. And being dispatched to Sauria seemed to take their minds of the loss of their Captain—the second to have that seat and to disappear mysteriously. The wisdom of sending them on this mission was beginning to crystallize for Neptune.

 

Nothing would ever be the same though, he reminded himself. They would adjust, grow, move on, and in the end be stronger for it. It was a lesson he needed to apply to his own position.

 

Here he was, at age 47, and starting a new life, a new career. Looking back at his life, it would have been difficult to predict, ten—five years ago that Neptune would be commanding a starship on a trek through the stars, discovering new life, and new civilizations.

 

But, turning around, seeing the paths of destiny, he was happy he’d arrived at this point. The book of life was full of such happy accidents. The book of life contained many pages, and on each page a different narrative, a different verse—all part of a never ending story.