Chapter 7

What the hell was I thinking? I thought to myself as I carried the little girl back to my ship. She'd fallen asleep shortly after moving away from the scene of violence I couldn't quite believe I was part of. The gun my brother had given me was still clutched firmly in my hand as my eyes darted from here to there looking for possible threats. After what seemed an eternity I entered a three story building that was somewhat still intact. Making my way to the roof with much more care than I took when leaving. Once there I could hear the low hum my ship made as it settled to the rooftop, opening the doorway for me to enter.

Chris approached soon after the hatch closed offering to take my burden from me. I'm not sure why I felt the way I did but I just couldn't part with her yet. Shaking my head in the negative I then headed to sickbay with Christine in tow. Gently lying my charge on the nearest of two tables I asked Christine to do a complete medical scan.

"Sir, other than being malnourished she checks out fine. There are some anomalies in her genetic makeup and I'm cross checking with my known database," she said moments later.

"Captain, are you O.K.? We were worried for you and when you didn't respond I began suiting up," Chris said bringing my attention to the fact that she was also wearing her combat clothing.

"Captain, analysis shows that the anomaly I mentioned was caused by restricted compound j-564-yo-d."

"What does that mean to me Chris? I don't know that compound and I'm not sure how a restricted one managed to get to a system this far out."

"Sir it is a compound that was widely used by the Valcuns."

Oh shit, I thought to myself. The Valcuns were a very war like race who didn't mind using underhanded tactics to win their wars. Knowing who may be in this system gave me a hint on what may have happened here.

"Christine, set a course to the nearest body of water then head to two more, you choose the locations. Chris take some samples at each location and let me know what you find." I sat on a bedside stool and looked at the little girl I saved. Ha! There's a thought, I'm an official hero. I chuckled to myself as Chris left the room and I felt as Christine began to follow my instructions.

It was several hours later when I found myself on the bridge perched on my captains chair. "It is just as you feared sir. I took samples of this planets purified and unpurified water supplies. We've found trace amounts of j-564-yo-d in each of the samples. It seems the Valcuns never stopped their planetary genocide schemes and have even managed to reach remote systems such as this one."

"We don't know that for sure yet, but I won't rule out that possibility. We need to start planning as if they are still around. We know we need a new jump engine since our last one got fried with the power surge. We need to start thinking of a larger ship that can house a larger jump engine. One capable of making numerous jumps."

"Sir, thinking of replacing me already?" she asked and if I didn't know any better I thought I could almost hear a chuckle in her voice.

"Christine, you know better than that. Your programing easily allows you the ability to control a ship as large as a carrier. You'll definitely be going with me. How could I leave my favorite two women behind?" this must have been the right thing to say because Chris looked at me with a smile that could light the room and if I wasn't imagining things the room did seem to brighten for a short moment.

"How is our little patient?" I asked changing the subject.

"All stats nominal Captain. She's been given a sedative to keep her asleep and can be awoken anytime."

"Thats good news," I replied. And it was good news. I somehow felt a connection with the little girl whose name I didn't even know.

"I think it's time we awaken her. Maybe she can give us some of the answers we desperately need. Are there any signs that anyone is out looking for her?" I asked leaving the bridge with Chris is tow.

"Sir, there seems to be four separate groups scouting around. I am uncertain if they are searching for the child or for something else, but they have crossed paths with several groups of the zombies and are executing them immediately."

"Well thats good news at least. Not like those idiots on Re'Park who thought dieing and becoming one of those monsters was a holy thing." He still couldn't understand how a race as advanced as that one could assume turning into a flesh eating monster was a good thing.

"Do we have any eyes and ears in the area?" Eyes and ears are cloaked satellites for use within a planets gravity well. The cloaking devices kept them cloaked for several hours and the anti-gravity plates kept them in the air. They were controlled and monitored completely by Christine who would hide and deploy them remotely.

"Yes sir, I have two alternating between the two groups and two more on standby for when the cloaking devices begin to deactivate."

"Good news," I said as I entered the medic room. The young child lay at the center of the room. A tube was attached to her arm feeding liquids to her body. A sheet covered her tiny form and a slow steady breath was the only indicator she was even alive ... well, that and the diagnostic panel above her with hundreds of little lights blinking steadily. I walk towards the bed and then sat beside it and placed her hand in mine.

"She's very beautiful sir," Chris observed from her post at the door.

"Yes she is," I replied simply.

"Going to apply for her papers?" She asked with amusement in her tone.

"I think she's a little to young to take as a wife don't you think?"

"Never know, maybe she's just small for her age."

I could tell she was joking and decided to keep it going for a while.

"You may have a point there. She's awfully small. I wonder if these are as big as they'll get," I said reaching for the sheet acting as if I was going to take a peek. Did I mention that her clothes had been removed and incinerated

"Captain!" She exclaimed starting toward me.

I laughed aloud at that point pulling my hand from the sheet. It was at that time that she realized I'd been kidding and started laughing as well. "I guess I deserved that," she reasoned after we both calmed down some.

"The thought of her as a wife doesn't really appeal to me," I said after regaining my breath, "but a daughter doesn't seem like a bad thing at this moment."

"I think that would be wonderful. But I do think you should at least make contact with the natives to ensure she doesn't have any biological parents. You could get into a lot of trouble for taking a native of an un-federalized planet and you could go to jail for kidnapping someone else's children." Christine interrupted

"I know all that Christine, I've been thinking about some things and the first thing I want to do is try to help these people as much as possible before we leave. I want to get home but I know it will take some time for a ship the size we need to be built. And the fact that we don't have a space station or ship yard here from which to work will make things take even longer."

"Is that wise sir? We don't have all the details yet, This outbreak may not have been caused by the Valcuns, but of their own hand. We wouldn't be justified in doing anything to alter the course of this world."

"Chris, I understand what you are saying, I really do. But I can't just sit here and do nothing. I remember growing up and hearing all the horror stories of what the Valcuns did to entire worlds just to continue fighting within their own race and culture. I can't be a part of another story like that whether it WAS the Valcuns or these HUMANS as they call themselves. I have to help if I can, for my own conscience."

"I understand sir, I ... feel the same way as you do. What is happening here is an atrocity. Nothing like this should happen to a planet. Nothing good could come of it." I'm glad she used the word feel, it showed that she was already becoming more than just a program I'd written. "Shall I wake her sir?"

"Yes Chris, but let me take this IV out first. I don't know what her reaction will be when she wakes and I don't want her to yank it out." I did as I said and stood back a few feet so that I would be in her line of sight as she awoke.

Chris applied a hypo spray to her shoulder and I heard the tell tail sign of injection. She resumed her post at the door and Christine remained silent as we waited for our guest to awaken.

Several moments passed before her eyes started to blearily blink open. She stretched her young nimble body as she sat up causing the sheet to fall from her exposing a budding chest. I did my best not to look but as a male some habits are hard to break no matter how improper they are. I stood as patiently as I could until she would take notice of me even though I wanted to go to her side and hold her.

Finally the moment came when the memory of the night before crashed to the forefront of her mind. Her head darted from side to side in desperation as she scanned for the walking dead. It didn't even register that she was in a room surrounded by metal walls and flashing lights. Nothing caught her attention until her gaze fell to me. Surprise, amazement, recognition and I'm sure hundreds of other little feelings raced across her face in the span of a breath. Finally what looked like graciousness settled of her features. "it ... it wasn't ... a dream?" she asked in the sweetest most timid little voice I'd ever heard.

"No it wasn't," I answered. "I followed... , " I tried to say before she was out of the bed and into my arms with her little legs wrapped around my hips for purchase. It all happened so fast the sheet never had a chance to fall any further than it already had. She had me in a fierce hug. One that I thought may cause me to pass out.

I hugged her back just as tightly as she repeatedly said thank you over and over again. The overwhelming feelings of love and devotion could be felt going both ways. I knew I had a daughter even if I didn't want one. What felt like hours passed before the onslaught of feelings subsided enough for us to regain our composure. I slowly lowered her to the ground and the sheet she dropped to the floor without her even noticing.

"Who are you? Where am I? Where did you come from?" And many other questions emerged from her lips with shocking speed before I held up my hand to stall her.

"I'll answer any questions you have as soon as you've gotten dressed and I've fed you."