Omega 3.00

Omega 3.00

Dreams.
There are millions of theories on dreams. What they mean, why we have them. I never much cared for the idea of trying to figure them all out. I just know that... There are good ones. And there are bad ones. Some people find themselves in unbelievable situations and just wished it was all a bad dream. All a dream they'll wake up from and everything will be okay. Others, others wish to never wake up from that blissful state where every little thing is just right. The main difference between good dreams and bad dreams for me is, good dreams are rare and leave me in the morning with nothing more than hollow hope and just a bit more bitterness.

He stared blankly at the screen for a few more minutes, re-reading everything like it was new to him and he had to figure it all out, correcting it. It was strange to him how he was suddenly remembering it all. The adventures (if one could call them that) he had before joining the ship of misfits. He had felt that way once about dreams. Did he still? Maybe. But the bitterness was gone. Replaced by a sense of belonging and knowing the pain was over.
He leaned back, rubbing his neck and closing his eyes. With out looking he hit the proper keys and listened to everything power down for the last few hours of his night. Just as carelessly he tapped off the lamp on his desk and stood, sliding his chair back. With a stretch he hobbled back to his bed and slid in, pulling his free flowing trail of hair aside as he did. It didn't take long for him to drift back into sleep, listening to the not so gentle breathing of his bedfellow. As he drifted to sleep he swore he heard an old familiar voice whisper in his ear, "G'night Sunshine."
Though hours may have passed it felt more like seconds before the ship jerked violently. He fell from the bed with no time to save himself from being landed on. After his head bounced from the floor he picked a much less delicate way of expressing himself than he probably should have. "THRACE! Who the hell is puttin' hole's in our boat?!"
The voice that followed was as cool and collected as it had always been. "No one. We have been struck by an object."
"How do we hit something in the void of SPACE?! We can't DODGE shit suddenly?"
Before Thrace could respond, if he would at all, his lover piped up. "Mace?" His reaction was quick to help the aging man back up onto the bed. Though it was the meaning behind his name there was nothing remotely graceful about the way Gracin's body had been aging in the past few years. He was of course still handsome for his age of nearly sixty but his health was taking the brunt of the damage.
"Macy. Will you join me?" Had anyone else heard Thrace's voice they would suspect no change in his emotions. Macy on the other hand knew well enough that Thrace was a little on the peevish side at the moment. Who wouldn't be if they basically just got stabbed with a small knife.
"On my way." He started getting dressed before looking at Gracin. "You okay?"
"I'm fine... Go." Macy nodded and darted out of the room, still putting his shirt on. He didn't take time to think on what had and hadn't changed in the past 30 years he had been on the ship, reflecting was something he often felt was best left to mirrors. Though if the wall so decided to talk they could tell you a great many things. The ship itself changed, not just the crew and the size but the Omega herself had been upgraded, and one could only assume it felt fine about it. But on the inside she was still the Bloody Black Omega. The opposite was true of the Commander. On the out side he was still the young 23-year-old redheaded half-breed, aside from a few scars and artwork (and another few feet of hair). On the inside, though, the man had changed. Gone was the unstable, emotional, scared little boy- or at least he was buried deep down past the hardened exterior. It appeared one blessing to half-breeds was the Ritz appearance of nearly eternal youth. But the other curses still remained. The options to Macy were clear. You either lived, growing hard, jaded, and callused. Or you died. Cold, alone, and pitiful. There were few exceptions.
He met one of such exceptions at the junction in a hall and didn't blink twice when the two melted through parts of the ship and found them selves walking down a different hall. Ah, yet another slight change in the Omega's path. Over twenty years ago Macy had left the Omega and for several reasons returned a few years later. Stargon only lasted a few more years before some health reasons required him to retire and at that point Macy (who had been serving as commander) took over as captain until Thrace came to him and asked for the position. There was little hesitation for Macy to step down to commander yet again, and the reasons were fairly clear to those who knew him best. Lack of confidence wasn't a good quality for a captain. But that was the lesser of two reasons. The second being it was Thrace's right to take over for his father, and far be it from Macy to be unfair when it came to family.
"So. What do we have?" Macy tucked away his gun and checked for a few of his knives as they walked.
"A shuttle has bumped into us."
"Some bump. And you didn't see it comin'?"
"I was distracted. And I have work to do. Please stop chatting and help me with this situation."
"Thrace, my friend, you really need to get some." There was little reaction from him but he was still upset. They were heading to a docking area, which lead Macy to conclude the Captain had already put the shuttle at the nearest access point. They stopped in front of the doors, which opened for them... sort of. One of the Omega's doors stuck, whined, whirled, and skipped open almost as if it tripped. Still the same old Omega, a beautiful ship with a few parts rough shape. But, her somewhat ragged condition was just part of Omega's charm. Much like Thrace's curt and factual attitude was part of his.
Macy pulled his gun and went in first. There was no way he'd let the captain take the risk, though Thrace could probably block a hit before it touched him. But it wasn't really the point; the point was that Thrace was family. And family was one thing Macy was rather unforgiving about.
Readings on a small display showed that even the back-up systems were out of power. "There is one life sign. It is weak." Thrace informed him quietly, it could have even been through syncing- Macy had almost forgotten to recognize the difference between the two forms of communication.
Macy nodded ever so slightly before focusing in. Someone was low to the ground, breathing was heavy. It was either someone injured or young-or just very small. Part of him was hoping it was a kid, so things would go a little faster and smoother. "Any body alive in there?"
"What ship is this?" It was a female voice, defiantly not a kid. He was mildly disappointed and at the same time some part of him was very excited for all the wrong reasons.
"Why don't you just... Come on out into sight and we'll get you to the med bay, huh?"
"Answer me first. What ship is this?"
Macy raised his gun a bit and glanced to Thrace, who nodded. "Dis is the Omega." Her breath got quick and he heard a quiet curse from her. It sounded like she was trying to move back. Now he was disappointed. She was a half-breed most likely, and the kind that usually got them selves killed.
"Damn. Guess we do this the hard way. Look Girly, I don't have to fire a shot." He took a quick glance in and nodded to Thrace, who managed to pop open a panel near her. Macy then used a few illusions to make her think some part of the ship was coming after her. Another curse and she rolled into sight before promptly passing out. She didn't have nearly enough adrenaline left to be scared into reacting, so her body simply started to shut down. Either that or she found Macy just so damn sexy she just didn't know how to react, but that could be wishful thinking.
The Commander tucked his gun back, almost disappointed at how easy it all was. He picked her up. Her weight and her general demeanor cleared it. She was a half-breed. And a cute one. Her hair was black and cut a little shapelessly at chin level. Her appearance suggested she had some Asian ancestry. Her clothes were a little ragged and she wasn't the sweetest smelling rose in the garden. She looked young too. Not that half-breeds didn't, but younger than she should if she were anywhere over twenty. That meant she was still kind of a kid... damn.
Thrace transported them to the Med Bay, where Macy actually used the medical degree he had and treated her himself. Leaving Lila to her time off, what ever she used it for. Thirty years and he still didn't know. He wasn't sure if he wanted to. Thrace seemed almost impatient. The commander got her tucked into a bed and looked at his old friend. "She'll be out for a while."
"Find out if she's any use. If not then-"
"Get rid of her. I know."
"Do not get sentimental."
"I won't."
Thrace gave off a feeling that translated to 'yeah right' before sinking back through the floor. Over the com system seconds later he heard the order. "She's your responsibility."
He sighed gently. "Aye sir." It was a half-assed reply. Something else was bothering Macy but there was rarely one cause. He had been restless the past few years. After all he was still a drifter at heart and twenty years was a long time with out more than a week of off ship vacation. He was never able to stay away that long. For one reason or another. Even when he spent Christmas's with Jason and his family- he never stayed as long as he wanted.
He looked at the girl as he sat down, pulling a small hand held gaming device from his pocket. "Maybe you'll give me reason to settle for a while longer..." He looked at the game, very happy with the fact that he forgot to empty his pockets from his last shift on the bridge- as this sitting around would be just as boring.

It was two hours before she started to wake up. She was still weak. It was all horrible reminiscing of when he first arrived on the ship and he decided to take on some nostalgia for the next few minutes. He slid the game back in his pocket after turning it off and drew a knife. He had always preferred then to guns and managed to get very skilled after some very special training, from a very old friend. That is to say the friend was probably very old and he had known him since the first after Christmas party he had spent with Stargon. The Scotsman leaned over her, putting the flatter part of the blade to her neck as her eyes started to flutter open. The reaction was more instant at the touch of cold metal, and she obviously took no time to notice the sharpness of the blade. "Oh god. Please don't kill me."
He hardly heard what she said, mostly because he wasn't paying attention. Her eyes were a simple sort of brown-green. She could very well grow up to be a simple sort of lovely girl- if she was given the opportunity. He decided he should respond after an almost too lengthy pause. "Why shouldn't I? You're just another useless rip."
"I'm not! I'm not Ritz!"
"You are."
"I'm only half!"
"Doesn't matter how much- a rip's still a rip."
"You'd kill me because I was born this way? It was my parent's mistake! I didn't ask to be born!"
He was hardly listening to the response. He didn't care. He knew every line. From the bed over he heard a small chuckle. He didn't look. He knew that laugh. He could see the grin on his face and hear the way he tossed his swishy blonde hair. "You suck at dis. Why don't you step aside and let me take over."
Ignoring the comment he looked down at the girl. "So your life doesn't mean much ta anyone. I don see a problem slicin' your throat right here." He put just a little more pressure on the blade and she half screamed.
"No! No... my life is worth something!"
"Why, wha'ch'ya got ta offer?"
His cocky voice chimed in again. "Boring~"
"I... I don't-" She didn't get far before Macy jumped to react to his old friend's taunting.
"Shut the fuck up and let me do my job!" He looked in Star's direction; stabbing the knife into the pillow her head was laying on.
The image of Star laughed lightly before fading off into nothing. His voice how ever remained. "What ever you want, Sunshine."
The girl was confused and trembling. "I'm sorry..."
Macy rolled his eyes. "What do you do?" He looked down at her, pulling the knife out and stashing it back in it's hiding place.
"I... I don't know what-"
"You're a halfer, girly, what do you do?"
She looked around cautiously and spotted a glass of water on a table near by. She pointed weakly and waited for him to look before pulling the water out of the glass. "I can... move water."
He nodded. It could be useful if she could refine it. "Can you stand?"
"I... I think so.... So.. uh.. you... You aren't going to kill me then?"
"No. Not yet." He took a step back as she sat up slowly and eased herself off the bed. She was thin and fragile looking. Even the way she stood suggested she might not make it far. "Come on. Lets get some food in ya and then I'll put ya in a bunk for the night. We'll start training you soon."
"But...." He started walking and she stumbled after. "Wh-what if.... I don't want to stay here?"
It was a bold thing for her to ask considering her life was still on the line. He was a little impressed by her strength. "We'll see if you make it that far." He kept going, knowing he was getting ahead of her.
"Hey.... Slow down."
He smiled to himself. "Say the magic word."
"Slow down... Please?" He considered it before waiting for her. When she got to his side he halved his speed to keep up with hers. "Thank you... uh..."
"Commander MS. Commander or MS is fine. Don't call me sir."
"Oh... Okay... Commander.... I'm.. Sophia. Sophia Nyree Braxton."
"That's nice." He continued leading her though the corridors to the mess hall and kitchen. Both were very empty when he entered with her. He didn't hesitate before pointing her to a seat and heading into the kitchen area. He watched her sit nervously but happily. Her eyes scanned the room, her expression somewhere between relief and terror. While pulling out the ingredients needed for cooking he noticed his good friend back again, sitting on the counter eating a small cup of pudding. He hushed his voice so Sophia couldn't hear him. "You gunna help me cook?"
"Don't see how I couldn't." Macy rolled his eyes but took instructions. It was true he couldn't cook a ready to serve meal with out someone standing over his shoulder. Once finished he brought her the meal and something to wash it down with. For himself he snatched an apple out of a fruit basket and sat across from her. Star faded off again.
"So, where ya from?" He asked after she thanked him and quickly dug into the food.
"Uh... I was born in Hong Kong. But we moved to the states when I was six. Papa changed our name to sound more American."
"How long you been in space?"
"Since I was fourteen."
"Humph." He took a bite of his apple rather pointedly. He beyond had all the information he needed to do a background check on her. "Where's yer daddy now, and why ya driftin'?"
She swallowed and picked at her food. "He.... Died. So... I'm on my own now."
"Huh." He took another bite and watched her pick.
"How... How about you? Where are you from?"
"Dis is my home. Crew's my family. Goes with out sayin' you better respect em both."
"Y-yes... Commander."
He pulled out his pocket watch. Instinctively he ran his thumb over the ivory rabbit on the front before clicking it open and checking the time. "I got bridge duty in a few hours and your arrival cheated me outta two hours a sleep. So if you could hurry..."
She nodded and quickly finished off her meal. Macy tossed the core of the apple on the plate and took it to clean it off. She kept pace a little better when he lead her to her quarters, which were far from impressive. Not that Macy seemed to care at all. He pulled an extra blanket out of a drawer and threw it on the bed where she sat.
"There's a shower out the door, to the left and four doors down. Right side of the hall. Someone will be around in the morning to show you around. G'night." He started out the doorway.
Sophia spoke quickly. "Wait. Commander.... I.... I'm scared."
"You should be." Somewhere in his mind he could hear Zion chastising him. He heard her curl up, hugging that blanket close. "Every halfer that find themselves here is scared." His voice softened a little. "Don't worry girly. No one on this ship's got reason ta kill ya. 'Specially not cause yer a half-breed. You'd be surprised how many hold high positions on this ship. No, what you got to fear is us getting attacked in the middle of the night and findin' yourself the only one who's left."
"Thanks for the nightmares."
"Life's a nightmare, sweetheart. Get used to it." He didn't wait for a response. He just followed his feet back to his quarters.