Chapter 1
The day Clark walked down the illuminated ramp was the day Stellar Command decided to test his mettle. He thought he was joining a spirited crew but found his stomach a bit unsettled upon reflecting on seeing Melinda again, toting a tighter figure.
"Ready for the wild ride?"
Clark looked up at the voice coming from a man he would not consider and adversary or a friend. Did he trust Barry? Yeah. He guessed so. In a quadrant so far from home, trust kept many personal opinions in check.
"We gonna' make it back Barry?"
The burly man returned, "Fate is for the deserving. It certainly runs from the ambitious."
Clark chuckled. The man waived a friendly goodbye.
Several of the master crew sat at a large stealth table. A woman with a queen inspired headdress gave her best steely-eyed gaze.
"We are the council and inner circle for this sanctioned voyage."
A cagy fellow Clark didn't like gave him strange body language. Maybe after the show. Clark thought. We can take this outside and settle this like men. His thoughts instantly shifted, as Melinda walked in smelling of nectar and its succulent reward. Despite being promoted to Captain, he was forced to take in the woman. To feed on her womanly aura.
The queen raised her hands before replying, "Melinda has agreed to fill us in on what we can expect. She has been debriefed on a mission that, to be frank, would probably scare the hell out of many."
Strange body language guy pushed his chair back and laughed, encouraging Melinda to smile.
Clark really wanted to take it outside. To pound the MF. He sucked in a quick breath--instead, and the nectar calmed him some more.
Melinda stood behind a Fleet Logo Podium. Clark thought she may have had some work done up front. It was a pleasant distraction. None-the-less.
His lover cleared her throat. Then she spoke fluidly. "We have reason to believe the stuff we need to revolutionize travel can be found on Dex R-4. We also have reason to believe the place may be cursed."
Another woman looked up from the table. "This like Raiders of the Lost Ark?"
Melinda answered, "Naw. More like Riddick on the dark side of the moon."
She stepped to the side. The lights dimmed. Melinda pressed a slide projector button and a greenish planet popped up on the screen.
"Dex R-4 is lavish with trees and jungle. It is wilder than the Amazon once was."
She pressed the button again and several gun totting men appeared.
"The element we seek is like Blood Diamonds."
The queen raised a taloned hand. "Don't we need Rambo?"
Clark needed Melinda. He had been really stupid.
"We need to say some prayers."
I'd like to prey on you! Clark's nemesis thought.
Melinda pressed the button. "This is what we seek."
A Utopian Town filled the slide. Flying cars filled the next slide. And a cute little girl kissed a surprised playmate on a third.
Then the lights returned to normal.
"Any questions?" Melinda asked.
A small guy that went by the name of Ralp spoke up, "Where do we sign?"
Clark waited in the hallway. The goon took it as his cue. He approached the newly instated Captain and stood nose to nose with him.
"I'm going to take your/her booty!"
Clark smiled this time.
"Big talk from such a spineless Twit!"
He thought of defending Melinda. But his testosterone fueled his brute force. Sparring did wonders, when he went through basics. And one massive punch dropped the goon like an unsuspecting victim on Ridiculousness.
Melinda appeared, shortly thereafter. She caught Clark blushing. Everything turned to better when she teased her long locks of hair and giggled.
"Boys will be boys." Melinda remarked. In a sweet way, she looked over her shoulder as she walked away. It was as if she wanted to make Clark aware she was looking.
Clark picked the guy up and stood him against a wall. This time he was the one to stick his nose in the other guy's business.
"You touch Melinda, and I will feed you to the Bandits. Or better yet. I will re-arrange that face and leave you for space buzzards."
The guy was still punch-drunk. He still formed ill-advised words.
"Melinda sucks anyway."
Clark pulled the guy's shirt up over his head as a fellow crewmate walked by.
"Look. It's the headless Dorkman."
The third party shook his head and replied, "I need a cigarette."
Clark shook his head in approval. After all. It was imperative he read his updated Captain's Log. He needed a stiff drink. Captain Clark knew he would be touching hard bodied Melinda upon closing very weary eyes.
