Veronica Harringer sat alone in the upstairs media room, a fire in the fireplace the only light except for the viewer on the adjacent wall showing the last minutes of the Romulan, Klingon game. She really had no interest in the game save being able to carry on an intelligent conversation at the next cocktail party. The whole exercise of the Omega Games bored her to tears as she watched the seconds creep by on the clock.
Gerard the butler interrupted her solitude. “Madam, shall I place another log on the fire?”
“Yes Gerard, thank you.”
As he retrieved another piece of wood from the cradle a whining noise began to envelope the room. Then a blue white light appeared behind the couch, lines of energy swirling round and round…and then a human form began to take shape. Veronica and Gerard looked at each other, this being the first time in their memory anyone had transported directly into the house.
As the light dissipated Veronica was at once relived and anxious to see Marcus standing there, his clothes torn and dirty, his hair unkempt and out of place. And….alone.
She ran around the couch. ‘Marcus!… did you find him?” she stopped just short of grabbing his arm.
He looked at Gerard. “Can you give us a few minutes?”
“Certainly Sir.” he bowed and shuffled from the room.
“I’m afraid I have bad news Veronica.”
She brought her hand to her mouth. And choked on the words. “He’s dead…isn’t he?”
“Please Veronica. Won’t you sit down?”
She staggered back around the couch leaning on the heavily upholstered furniture. She more fell than sat looking into the fire.
“How?..she began when the com unit gently chimed an incoming message awaited. It chimed again quickly indicating it was urgent.
She looked at Marcus confused and dazed. “Excuse me just a moment.” and she leaned over and picked up the com leaving the viewer off. ‘Yes”
“Aberson here Ms. Harringer.” Aberson was one of Eisners lower assistants.
“Aberson?….oh yes please… what is it?”
“You may want to turn on ONN channel 4 Ms. Harringer.”
She split the screen, dividing the last minutes of the soccer match with the Omega Prime local news. The picture showed an industrial building engulfed in flames. She turned up the sound.
“……there are a total of six unconfirmed causalities, the fire is now under control. Officials have not yet determined the cause of the explosion but witnesses say they saw no less than three projectiles come from the sky and strike the structure. The initial blast was seen as far away as Randel docks several miles up the Covington River. More details as they become available. This is Mike Stone reporting from Dexter Industries.”
Veronica turned off the sound. “Oh my god….” she looked at Marcus. “Was he in there?”
“No Veronica …..he wasn’t.”
He slowly and gently relayed to her his abduction, his discovery of Mathew, and how he came to his end..
She bowed her head and took a long time to look back up and into the fire. “You destroyed the building at the plant…Didn’t you?”
“I had to Veronica. And it was just in time.” he looked up to see the cheering on the video monitor as the Romulans left the field, the Klingons looking totally confused. “They would have found some way to set off the gas.”
“Those six men….you think they were part of…..The Wall?”
“I’m sure. Eisner had that building very secured. Only his hand picked people would have been anywhere near it.”
She called out. “Computer, close video.” and the screen went dark. Leaving them in the glow of the fire.
Sighing she looked at Marcus. “You could use a drink.” It was a statement, not a question and Marcus didn’t argue, giving her something to focus on.
She got up and picked up a bottle from the cabinet across the room. Thinking better of it she set it back down and retrieved a very old dusty bottle from behind a door. It was her finest 400 year old single malt Scotch. She had no doubt that Marcus palette was educated enough to appreciate the priceless liquor.
She handed him the glass and sat at the other end of the couch. They sat there a long time without saying a word. Marcus letting her take her time coming to terms with her loss.
She cleared her throat. “I have a confession Marcus.”
He looked at her in the firelight. “You don’t have to tell me anything Veronica.”
“No… but it would help me to talk it out. Be a friend for a little while longer….please.”
“I’ll always be your friend Veronica.”
She gathered her thoughts. “I have to confess……. I didn’t really love Mathew.”
Marcus turned and stared at the fire.
“I felt a great friendship with him…I cared about him very much. But honestly….I don’t believe I …..loved him. We had grown apart over the last couple of years. That’s why I tended to stay out of the way at Dexter.”
“But you were married what….10 years?”
“Eleven. A second marriage for both of us. I think looking back.. It was more business than a romance. If we were honest with each other.”
“I would guess a lot of marriages are in you social setting.” Marcus said sipping his drink.
“But now….It makes me feel guilty.”
“Guilty?”
“Yes….guilty I wasted so much time…for both of us. This ….this makes me realize how precious time is.”
Marcus nodded. It was an all to familiar feeling for him. How many times had he lost teammates, friends. So many times he had become hesitating to accept new friendships. Real trusting friendships.
He stood up and walked his empty glass over to the liquor cabinet. “It’s late… I should be going.”
She stood up and for the first time this evening he took notice of just how incredibly beautiful she was. And now it was he that felt guilty. Realizing he was on the verge of lusting after her, and her husband not even cold in the ground yet.
“I’m so sorry……Of course, you haven’t even had time to clean up. Don’t you want to stay the night? Gerard can take you back to Omega Prime in the morning.”
The temptation was overwhelming. Every muscle in his body ached. And the wound to his leg still needed medical attention. But… he was sure it would be the wrong thing to do.
“No, really, I have a ship standing by to beam me back up. And need to report to Captain Leo.. Before he comes looking for me.” He walked up to her and brushed back her hair.
“I’ll check in on you tomorrow afternoon.”
She took his hand and pressed it to her cheek, a tear running down his finger. “Thank you.”
He stepped back and opened his com. “Cassandra. Ready to beam up.”
Enveloped in the transporter beam he slowly disappeared, leaving her alone. She stared at the empty space on the floor for a long time and then went to the cabinet and poured herself another drink. Sitting down on the couch she didn't fall asleep until the last of the dying embers of the fire winked out.
Off:
Marcus Dinn
Owner of RICKS and Oz
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Federation
Veronica Harringer
Widow of Mathew Harringer
CEO Dexter Industries
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Federation
