Lieutenant-Commander Chance Vought walked slowly down the path until he reached Row H, Section 5. He didn’t need to look at the signs this time; he’d memories the route from previous visits and now the journey was automatic.
He walked at a solemn measured pace along the row of grave stones; he’d read dome of the names, though none of them really meant anything to him. To be honest he knew very little about the person who now occupied plot 5207; yet her face had haunted him since her death of Frontier Day 2401.
The headstone was black, with letters of gold carved into its smooth marbled surface.
Jessica Jayne Fairchild
14th March 2380 – 13th April 2401
A Darling Daughter & Wonderful Sister
Forever Amongst The Stars
You Loved So Much
He crouched down to one slide, careful placing a small bunch of Daffodil’s he’d brought with him; against the stone. They represented March, the month of the young woman’s birth, or so he was told, they were also difficult to come across at this time of year. These particular ones had been grown on another planet and shipped across at his request. He couldn’t recall where, but at least they had arrived in good condition; Chance would remember to thank the courier for that.
He’d never been much for religion, so some would wonder why he offered a silent prayer to someone he hardly knew. Every moment of that fight aboard the runabout had played through his mind dozens of times, both in his dreams and during his waking hours. He’d been perfectly willing to die when he slammed his fist into the emergency hatch release. All Chance had thought about was saving the lives of the passengers; not his own life or the life of the young Cadet who’d been turned into a killer by Borg technology.
He was still here and she was not; he had been transported back to safety by the pilot, whilst she had gone crashing to her death. They’d told the family to remember how she’d once looked and not how she’d been found.
Could he have held her, pinned her down to the deck until the effects of the Borg control had been neutralised. The passengers had restrained the other Cadet and he’d survived; scared by the memories of the monster he had been turned into, but alive never the less.
“She forgives you.” A female voice came from behind him. “You do understand that?”
Chance stood slowly and turned; to be confronted by a dead woman; or at least the image of one, dressed in a pastel yellow summer dress. But this was no ghost, visiting the grave site. No this was Jessica’s twin sister, Katherine.
“Your parents have certainly never forgiven me for your sisters dead,” Chance looked at his own feet. “They were baying for blood and demanding a murder charge be put against me.”
“They lost a daughter, and just needed someone to blame.” Katherine apologised. “You were there, that’s all they understood.”
“I didn’t understand half of it myself.” Chance confessed. “How could we let it all happen?”
“It turned me into a monster to, that day.” Katherine closed her eyes and opened them again slowly. “There are times when I’ve felt she was the lucky one, for not having to live with the consequences of her actions.”
“I think we are all living with the consequences.” He reflected. “Or at least trying to.”
“You’ve been here at least once each year.” Katherine looked at him. “Why?”
“To say I’m sorry, to tell her I will never forget what happened.” Chance stepped away from the grave stone. “I’m surprised to see you here.”
“I knew you’d be coming.” She answered.
“How, I’ve had several chances to come here?” Chance was puzzled.
“You’re leaving Earth tomorrow and your never sure when you’ll get chance to come back.”
“You’re remarkably well informed for a fourth year Cadet.”
“I’ve finally past, despite having over a year off to recover.” Katherine informed him. “I’ve been given my first posting, aboard the USS Grus.”
Vought was momentarily taken aback by that unexpected revelation; no doubt the message was currently awaiting his return to the ship. “Your parents are going to have a whole new reason to hate me!”
“They’ll hate me more first.” She laced her fingers together. “I asked if it was possible.”
“You’re either mad or very brave.”
“Probably the former of those two. “Katherine half smiled. “If you’d like to know about my sister, there’s a café just a couple of blokes away. We can talk there.”
“I’d like that very much.”
The two of them took one last look at the grave, Katherine placing a hand on the stone. “See you in the stars sis.”
Then they departed
