“I’ll do it,” said Up. “It’s my ship.”
Silence. “No you won’t. You can’t get here in time,
idiota.”
Up slammed a fist into the control panel. “I will not give
this order, Taz!”
“You don’t have to.”
“Lieutenant-”
Her voice shook a little as it came through the radio.
“It’s – it’s been an honour, Up.”
No. No. No. “Taz! TAZ!”
The signal had gone dead. Up dropped the receiver and
ran.
What did you say when it was the end of the world? How
did you tell your lieutenant that if you could do it all again,
you would have told her the truth a long time ago? Why did
you waste so many years telling yourself you were too old,
she was too young, it was against the rules, she didn’t think
of you that way, she didn’t want you the way you wanted
her? Why didn’t you at least try?
Up looked at the empty scotch bottle. He opened his
hand, and the bottle fell to the deck with a shattering crash.
No one else was left to hear it. He steadied himself on the
railing of the walkway. It was time to follow Tripp’s lead -
and tell her.
She was a dead woman walking. Now that the decision
had been made, Taz felt strangely lighter, but her Rangers
would no longer look her in the eye. Only Pedro came over
and took the radio from her shaking hand.
“He loves you, you know,” he said, so that only she
could hear.
“Two minutes to ship separation,” the ship’s voice said.
Taz took in Pedro's words, his sad eyes. “You had better