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Graduation
Date: June 1, 2195
Setting: EDF Academy, Great Island, Japan
Abraham Avatar sat with the rest of the attendees, straining to see his son as Adam went up to receive his captain's rank. The old captain's heart rose in his throat. It seemed like just yesterday his son was running around the ho use, chasing his little sister with a model plane and making his own engine noises.
If only Jennifer could be here to see this…
He pulled out a tiny, worn photo of his daughter. Jen looked so much like her mother, with her straight brown hair and happy eyes. At the thought of his wife, tears welled up in his eyes. She would have loved to see this too.
Abraham looked up in time to see Commander Singleton, head of the EDF, pin on Adam's rank. He smiled as his son returned to his seat, now a captain.
On down the line the awards went until, at last, Alex Wildstar, last in line, was given his new title.
Charles Singleton… Abraham watched the other man, standing at the front of the assembly. He was only a few years younger than Abraham. He remembered the conversation he had with Charles back when Singleton was appointed head of the defense committee.
Those were trying days. They'd struggled to find men and women willing to captain ships that hadn't been built yet. Earth didn't even have a substantial space presence back then. A few satellites, the Hubble, and some other in-orbit stations were the extent of humanity's venturings.
Then the bombs came.
So many people lost loved ones in those first few days and weeks – he and Charles included.
Singleton declared the end of the rank bestowment. Abraham stood with the rest of the audience and applauded. He was glad Adam decided to enlist – help in this crisis, but part of him always worried about his son's safety. No one knew what tomorrow would bring – or who would live through it.
As everyone filed out, Abraham waded through the sea of people toward his son.
Date: August 18, 2199
Setting: EDF Headquarters, Great Island, Japan
"I'm assigned to the Yukikaze," Adam said. "But I'm the navigator, not the captain. Wildstar was picked for that."
Abraham frowned. "Not enough ships… First, we couldn't find the manpower to run our fleet, now the ships can't handle the influx of crew." He hung his head. "If it weren't for…" He laid a hand on his son's shoulder. "If it weren't for those precious, few words… I would have lost hope a long time ago…"
"'While the earth remaineth,'" Adam supplied, "'seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. *' I know, Dad. It keeps me going too. We'll get out of this. We'll win at Pluto. We have to."
"Don't pin all your hopes on one battle, Adam," Abraham cautioned. "The enemy is strong – much stronger than we are. They won't be defeated in one blow."
"But the information we're going to get –"
"Is irrelevant unless someone lives to use it," Abraham interrupted.
"We will live to use it," Adam replied, determined. "We'll see to it that the information we get from that battle is put to good use, and then we'll get rid of those interlopers! They won't live to hurt anyone else again."
Abraham looked sharply at his son. "Killing is never the first option," he scolded. "If we can find a way to settle this without any more deaths, we must."
"They don't want that," Adam protested. "They've murdered our people, destroyed our planet. What else could they want but more blood-shed?"
"There is always a side to war that no one knows," Abraham countered. "We don't know why they're trying to kill us."
"Because they're monsters." Adam's eyes welled up with tears. "They killed Mom, then Jen, and thousands – millions more. They just want us all dead!"
Abraham hugged his son, his own tears falling into his snowy beard. "I know that's what it looks like," he choked. "And I want to end this war just as much as you do, but I have to listen to what my conscience tells me. And it says there's something else going on here – something we can't see."
"Your conscience is going to get you killed, Dad," Adam said. "Promise me one thing." He pulled out of his father's embrace and met his sad gaze. "If you have the chance to survive – you take it, even if you're the only one to make it out alive."
Abraham hesitated. "I don't think I can promise that, Adam."
"Well, what if the ones who died, did so willingly? Could you do it then?"
Abraham frowned. "I don't know…"
"Just… please think about it. Pluto is coming. We have to win – at any cost."
Abraham thought about his son's words, then said, "'For God hath not given us the spirit of fear…'*" He looked into Adam's worried face. "I'm afraid, son, but I know that fear is not of God. Your fear isn't either. If you lose me, you will be alright, and so will I. Don't ever be so afraid of losing someone that you fall into despair because of it."
Adam hung his head. "I know, Dad… It's just… so hard. We're the only ones left… Mom… Jen… cousins, Grandma and Grandpa… They're all gone." He swiped at the tears rolling down his cheeks.
"I know…" Abraham put his arms around his son again. "And I want to be sure you'll be alright during this coming battle too. Alex Wildstar is a good captain."
"One of the best," Adam managed, choking down his sadness. "He's a good friend."
"I'm glad you two met, even if he is a questionable pilot. You watch his back," Abraham instructed. "A friend like him is irreplaceable."
"I will, Dad," Adam said. "Yukikaze is the safest place I could be at Pluto. Don't worry about me."
Date: September 9, 2199
Setting: Onboard the Earth flagship 227
Abraham was frozen in horror as he heard Alex's words. "Wildstar, no!" he pleaded. The red emergency lights bathed Abraham's bridge in an eerie crimson.
"We've all decided, Captain. We're doing this for our home, for those we've spent our lives protecting – our spouses, children, parents, friends. They're all our responsibility," Wildstar said.
Main power flickered back on.
"We're sending you the information from the enemy ships now. Take it home, Captain, then come back to Pluto and kick these parasites out of our solar system." The next few seconds of dead air felt like an eternity. "I'll see you later, Captain."
Abraham stared helplessly as his son's ship ploughed right into the enemy fleet, shooting every ship it could get a target lock on. Several enemy ships went down, but it wasn't enough. Energy blasts tore through the Yukikaze. Abraham's mouth went dry and his feet were numb.
Another blast shot through Wildstar's engine, and the Yukikaze exploded in a ball of light.
"Get us out of here," Abraham rasped, holding back the wave of grief that threatened to overcome him.
Flagship 227 limped away, given time by the terrible sacrifice. Gnawing loss and heavy guilt settled on Abraham. If he'd retreated before now – if he'd made the fleet regroup and try another day – if they'd known more about this enemy before engaging them… maybe Adam would still be alive.
Date: October 7, 2199
Setting: Onboard the Gamilon prison ship Yaash
Two men, their skin light blue, roared in Adam's face in a language he couldn't understand. His arms hung from chains fastened to the low ceiling, making his entire body scream for relief. His bound feet dangled just above the floor.
The gnawing ache in his stomach was eclipsed by the searing pain from the gashes lacing his back. How long had it been since they took him from the wreck of the Yukikaze? A day? A month? He couldn't remember – couldn't think past the pain.
He yelped at the powerful jolt of pain crashing through him as one of his captors' fists connected with his kidney.
"Please…" he begged. "I don't know what you want." His voice cracked as his parched throat cried out for water.
Adam's head snapped back as one of the men grabbed his hair and yanked, making him stare into the stranger's angry brown eyes. Again, the man hissed something in Adam's face.
"I don't understand," Adam choked again. "I can't tell you anything."
The man let go and Adam's chin dropped to his chest. He coughed, mouth desperately dry.
The second man withdrew an all-too-familiar object and Adam gritted his teeth. He closed his eyes and waited.
The first lash burned into his tortured skin. The second was just as painful. Adam counted the lashes, but by the time he reached thirty-five, his mind was too numb to go on. He didn't fight the gathering oblivion and slipped quietly into unconsciousness.
He awoke some time later to the smell of water. It brought him out of his muddled state enough to take a few sips from a small cup.
Adam didn't recognize the man who gave him the water. Like several of the crew, this man's skin was more like Adam's, if not several shades darker. He felt like he knew this man from somewhere else. It was a ridiculous thought. Still, the spark in the man's eyes rang familiar.
"Thank you," Adam whispered.
The man bowed and disappeared.
Twenty minutes passed before the interrogators returned, both brandishing whips this time. Adam's heart sank, and fear gripped him. He was going to die here. There was no possible way he could survive this captivity if they kept this up.
Pain coursed through him constantly now and his head throbbed. He felt like he would throw up.
One of the men shouted at him. Adam didn't even bother to say anything this time, just clenched his eyes shut and waited.
The promised beating came, and Adam didn't even try to hold in his screams of agony. He was too tired for resolve – too broken for willfulness. His body was a bloody mess as he hung on to life by one tiny thread, but even the small flame of hope in his heart was dwindling.
Adam's screams fell on deaf ears as his tormentors battered him. He didn't know how long the session lasted, only that he lost consciousness some time after one of them took a metal rod to his leg. The limb hung limply, broken in several places.
Adam saw the brutal rod rise again, but he never felt it hit as he succumbed to the darkness again.
He woke again to the quiet scent of water. The same man stood before him, cup in hand. Adam could barely swallow the water this time and his eyes were nearly swollen shut, but to his astonishment, his broken leg didn't hurt anymore.
"Who…" Adam struggled. "Who… are… you…?"
The man's deep brown eyes gazed back at him, and Adam's ragged breaths caught in his throat as he saw that same spark, but this time he realized what it meant.
"Are… you… an… angel…?" Adam choked.
"No, my brother. I AM.*" His voice was full and comforting. It surrounded Adam like an old friend, welcoming him into its light.
Adam couldn't find any words as he looked down at the Man's hands. One long sleeve was tugged up just enough to reveal part of an old scar just past His wrist.
Adam bowed his head, overwhelmed.
"Peace…" the Man breathed the word and the world stood still for a long moment. "Your work has yet to begin, Adam. Rest assured, it will not end just yet."
Adam dared to look at the Man again, but when he pried his aching eyes open again, He was gone.
The cell door rattled open and the same two men from earlier came in, each holding a rod, indignant sneers on their faces.
The first shook his rod at Adam and said something in a demanding voice.
When Adam didn't respond he reeled back to take a hard swing at the helpless man's back. Adam closed his eyes, fighting to remember his Visitor's face and words – the sound of His voice.
The blow never landed.
A piercing war-cry rent the air and Adam looked up just in time to see Alex careening through the door, bowling over both men. He grabbed the rod from one of them. The ringing of metal against bone stayed in Adam's ears. His tormentors lay unconscious on the cell floor.
"Let's get out of here," Alex said, fishing through the captors' clothes for the key to Adam's chains. He held it up triumphantly and unlocked Adam's feet first. When his arms fell free, he collapsed onto Alex.
"Whoa… You look… like a nightmare…" Alex said, horror on his face.
"Yeah…" Adam rasped. "You look… bad too…" He noted Alex too had several wounds, but most of his were bruising. Fresh blood coated the front of his shirt and Adam was dismayed to note the ashen shade of Alex's skin.
"The ship's gonna blow. We have to get out of here," Alex said, slinging Adam's arm over his shoulder and dragging him out of the cell. They headed down the corridor.
"'Your work has yet to begin…'" Adam whispered the words to himself.
"Huh?" Alex asked.
"Nothing…" Adam managed. "Let's… get out… of here."
In a few minutes they found the escape pods and climbed into one.
Adam slumped into unconsciousness the instant Alex set him down.
Date: August 29, 2200
Setting: On Heroes' Hill
Adam watched his father's burial in silence. Abraham Avatar was more a hero than anyone else Adam had ever known. Tears streamed down his face as he remembered the six months they had together aboard the Argo.
He'd told his father the story of how he and Alex escaped the Gamilon prison ship. It was fantastic – unbelievable, and he wouldn't have blamed his father if he didn't believe it, but his dad took in every word and listened with a knowing smile.
Now, that same Man who once offered Adam water was welcoming his father home.
He looked around the vast crowd. The whole crew of the Argo was here, and EDF high command, not to mention his father's personal friends. Before he died, his father requested one of the Argo's officers – his engineer, Patrick Orion be the funeral officiant.
The old Irishman had agreed without a second thought
"– And on this hill, we remember the man whose faith led a ship of young, inexperienced men and women, and old coots like me, out to a place we didn't know existed a year ago. His courage is why we stand here today, in this circle of friends and family." Orion looked at Adam. "You have anything you want ta say, lad?"
Adam stepped up to the raised platform. "Captain Abraham Avatar – Dad… he believed Earth could be restored." Adam looked out over the ocean as it glistened in the twilight. "He had faith in a promise – and he held on to that promise until the end." Adam gestured to the green hill and the valley sloping below. "He often repeated that promise to me on the way back home. To him, it was like it was already fulfilled." Adam spied Nova in the front row of Argo's crew.
She nodded silently, crying, but a bright smile lit her face.
"Some of you know what I mean. If you saw my dad during his last few months, he would tell you how beautiful Earth was – how he could smell the rain, taste the sea's salt air, and feel the grass under his feet." He looked down at Dr. Sane's sad face as the little man shook his head. "He wasn't delusional. He had faith that those things would be so and standing here today…" Adam swallowed the knot in his throat. "All of that is true. I believe, if my father were standing here right now, I know what he would say." Adam closed his eyes and repeated one of his father's favorite pieces of the Bible, "'It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. *'"
Silence fell over the crowd.
"Where he is now," Adam continued. "Everything is right. We'll see trouble again… Whether it comes from out there," he pointed up at the darkening sky. "Or from down here on Earth. But there's one thing I know without a doubt – because I watched my father live its truth. This Earth will remain. No foe can strike it down – no force of nature can destroy it – and no whim of man can make it disappear." Adam bowed his head. "God, give us the strength to believe it, just like Abraham Avatar did."
* Genesis 8:22
* II Timothy 1:7
* Exodus 3:14
* Lamentations 3:22-24