Free Australian Alliance

There were many hardships and difficulties through the long months in hyperspace. The massive ark vessels pushed faster and faster; faster than any Terran had gone before. Admiral Richard Adams, who is in command of the fleet, sat quietly in his dim quarters. His head was full of worries and plans. He hadn’t slept well since they left Earth orbit, in fact, as the ships neared their ejection point; he hadn’t slept at all. He just sat in his chair, staring into the pale orange glow of the hyperspace tunnel. A chime toned, startling Adams from his thoughts.

He looked up, turning in his chair, “Enter.” His Australian accent was thick on his speech.

With a slight whoosh the doors slowly parted. The bright lights of the corridor lit the room as they opened. A young woman, dressed in the uniform of the newly formed Alliance stepped into the room. She looked to be in her mid twenties, with long red hair. She was slender and seemed to have a glow about her

“G’day Admiral. I trust you had a good sleep,” she said. Unlike the bulk of the crew, her accent was Irish. Her sweet voice was a comfort to the graying Adams. She smiles warmly at him.

He smiles a bit as this woman fills the sterile room with warmth, “Yes, as always,” he quickly attempts to change the subject, “We will be ejecting from the tunnel today I believe.”

Trish Adams walked over to the light panel and slowly increased the ambient light. “Dad, you know I can tell when ya fib to me. In all those years I spent away in Ireland, going to school, you thought I forgot how to.”

Richard laughs slightly as he stands up, picking the coat of his uniform, “Aye, just like your mother.” He gives a bit of a stretch, “I understand the council is meeting today.”

As he begins to button up his coat Trish walks over to him, hugging him from behind, “Aye, I imagine you will need to be there as ye are the First Chancellor.”

Richard looks over his shoulder at his daughter, “You know I hate that. It’s bad enough being Admiral of the Fleet.” He turns, stepping foreword towards the mirror as Trish releases her grip, “I’m no leader, nor am I a hero. I just did my job.” He begins to straighten his black uniform.

Trish frowns, stepping towards her father, “Dad, if it wasn’t for you the arks would never of made it into orbit. Rogers and his boys would have stopped us. You saved our way of life from that bloody U.S. Navy.” She turns back towards the bed, slightly pacing. “We are along way from home dad, and there is no going back. The colonists need a leader,” she turns to face him, “YOU have to be that man. The people know and trust you. That’s why you were made First Chancellor.”

Adams turns on his heels to face his daughter, “You think we have won? Alliance Command took a BIG risk sling-shoting us out here. We don’t even know if this planet they are sending us to is habitable!” He now walks towards her, voice slightly lowered, “We just weren’t ready. The Burning happened sooner than anticipated.” He hugs his daughter and quickly kisses her on the top of her head, “Damn Americans and their Cold War.”

There was a silent pause as they stood there, only interrupted by the steady hum of the massive power plants at work aboard this ship. There was a chirp followed by a slightly mechanized voice, “Admiral Adams, this is the central computer, your presence is requested in the council chambers immediately.”

Adams squeezed his daughter tightly once more, “That’s my cue.” He smiled down at her and walked over to the desk he was sitting at. He taps a panel and says, “On my way.”

Both walk out of room, filling it with an empty dark stillness as the doors slide shut.