This story is the penultimate in this series. Still deciding on how to end the entire thing. Hope you like this chapter, enjoy.
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As the corporals proceeded to leave the atrium, a message popped up on both of their personal communicators. It was from the General, the young girl was now awake.
"Come on Jen, let me introduce you to her," John said and they proceeded to head toward the med bay.
"What is her name?"
"It's Ashley, she did not give me a last name.
"My mother's name was Ashley."
"Really, was she a soldier?"
"Yes, a Major in fact, Major Ashley Miranda Collins. A proud warrior and veteran, she died for what she believed in. When she died it was the worst day of my life, she was all I had, my father perished long before that. I enlisted the next day, and started on the road to become who I am today."
"Even though, I never had the pleasure of knowing her, I think there is probably a lot of her in you. The kind of conviction you have Jennifer, speaks for itself."
"Thank you, John that means a lot to me. So what about your family?"
"I was adopted as an orphan, never knew who my real parents were, neither did my adoptive parents. Jack & Liara Hazard, they were good people, neither were soldiers. However, they supported me 100% when I enlisted. They both died before I became corporal. They were buried not far from this base."
"Did you go to their graves, while you were out there?" Jennifer, hesitantly asked.
"Yes, while the crew dug in for the night, I told my crew where I was going, and left for an hour. It certainly put things into perspective. Why I am here and what I am doing."
They then reached the med bay and went inside, John went inside first, as Ashley would recognise him. She was still a little groggy when John entered the room, as the nurses stepped out of the room to tend to their other patients.
Ashley was fair in complexion and adorned with long jet black hair, along with her piercing blue eyes. All of which John had noticed and would never forget.
Jennifer stood on the other side of the glass partition as John sat on a chair beside Ashley. She continued to wonder, is it all worth fighting for, this world, our species.
Inside the room John watched as Ashley slowly regained her awareness. She moved her head from side to side. She remained a little disorientated and confused.
"Ashley, it's me John."
"John," Ashley replied now a little more awake and aware.
"Yes, it's me, its ok, and you're safe."
"W. . . Where am I?" Ashley enquired.
"You're in a base, a military base, we are building a ship to leave here."
"Is there another part of the world which, isn't like this?" Ashley asked in hope.
"No, I am afraid not, we are leaving this planet, heading to the stars."
"How many of us are going?"
"There are about thousand people are on this base. Civilians and Military."
"Are you in charge here John?"
"Oh no, I'm just a corporal, one of three and General Price, who runs things here."
John then motioned to the glass for Jennifer to come in. Jennifer opened the door and stepped inside.
"Hi Ashley, I'm Jennifer, how are you feeling?"
"I'm ok, probably wouldn't be talking to you if John hadn't saved me."
While the two ladies got to know each other, John got an incoming communication and had to leave, he bid both ladies farewell and headed out.
"So Jennifer, what do you do here?"
"Well I am Corporal Jennifer Carleen Collins, I am also a scientist, I been overseeing and doing work on the ship's engines and drive core."
"Wow, that's amazing, you are quite a woman Jennifer."
"Thank you, it is something I have constantly enjoyed, my whole life."
Sometime had passed and they seemed to be kindred spirits. By the time Jennifer left, she had told her entire life story and Ashley had told hers. This wasn't lost on either of them as to how much they were alike and how similar their circumstances were.
Jennifer, thought about it some more, after she left. It hit her again as how fucked up humanity was and it reinforced her feelings that it would happen again. The thoughts of how she could decide that also crept up on her but, knowing that humanity had collectively destroyed an entire world tended to overshadow that, it was always said that we should not want to meet aliens as they may mirror the worst traits in us, however the best may also be true.
Regardless she went about her usual routine and found herself in her quarters alone once more. She slept, however found herself awaking late in the night, sweating, and a dream which turned to horror was the cause. A forest, a fire, and a child was what filled her head.
What it could all mean, was a mystery to her, "Was it a case of the child representing humanity and the fire representing what we did to it?" Jennifer thought to herself. This was getting worse, and she did not want to jeopardise her work, it was the one thing she had the utmost faith in, she could ill afford for these episodes to take that away from her.
She eventually coaxed herself back to sleep and closed her eyes and managed a semi decent sleep for the rest of the night, and still awoke at her usual early bird time. After her usual morning training session she got into her fatigues, even though it was a day off for her. Further diagnostics were being run on the bridge which would require more power from other areas of the ship.
Jennifer took the time to visit Ashley once again. Ashley was up and feeling energised. She look much healthier than she did the day before. However, the doctors were weary but they were satisfied her progress.
Ashley and Jennifer shared an embrace as they greeted one another and sat themselves down to talk once more.
"Well you look a lot better than yesterday Ashley."
"Thank you, Jennifer I feel it too, thank goodness for modern medicine."
