The Real Plan

Posted on 03/13/2022 @ 7:09pm by Adira Toril-Harrington
Edited on on 04/05/2022 @ 12:22am

733 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Mission 22: The Other Side of the Mirror
Location: Adira's Quarters - DTI Herodotus
Timeline: MD001 1805 hrs

Adira returned to the ship just in the nick of time, finding herself being one of the last people to cross over before the door was closed. With a bag slung over her shoulder she headed straight for her room. It was where she belonged. She had no purpose here, and honestly had no idea why she was being forced to go on this trip, leaving her children in the hands of a caretaker.

When she arrived in her room she looked out the small window, glad she at least had been given a window room. She dropped her bag on the bed and started to move her clothes to the drawers. She'd been resistant to keep anything in this room at all, but now she had no choice. Who knew how long she’d be here this time. As she finished unpacking her bag she felt the ship start to move, she stepped closer to the window and looked out as the ship moved away from the station.

She placed her hand on the window, thinking of the kids. She hated leaving them behind. It wasn’t fair. The deal had been that she and Neil would never be gone at the same time. At least she had been certain that it had been the deal. Tess was a mess right now, not trusting either of them, Mikky was clueless and pushing every boundary, and the twins… the twins were trying all on their own, being picky eaters and clingy. Leaving them in daycare before she made it to the ship was torture for everyone involved. They were screaming and reaching for her.

Adira let out a breath with a frustrated sound as she replayed the moment in her head a few times. This whole thing was unfair to those little ones. She was noticing issues with them now, not having both parents around all the time was messing with them, and she hated every moment of it.

The ships alerts changed and suddenly the station disappeared from the window. Adira gasped as her other hand touched the window. A sudden rush of terror swept over her, followed by a searing pain that blinded her eyes. As she blinked the fading pain away she looked where the station had just been, having the sinking feeling she’d never see it again. They were going to retrieve Valentine, and set the time line straight. To do that they needed to fill that void didn’t they? Cold fear gripped Adira again. She had been given no assignment on the ship, no job, and had been told she was not to be a part of the bridge crew. So why was she here? What was Thorrins angle? Deep down she knew it was to leave her behind, where she belonged.

Slowly she sank back on to the edge of the bed, nearly sitting on something hard. She glanced to the side and saw the framed picture of the children she’d taken the other day. She let out a shaking breath as she picked up the frame and ran her fingers over the faces of the children. The more she thought about it, the more she believed she should have stayed on the station and forced Thorrins hand. By being here was she laying down and giving up? She’d already given up so much.

The life she built, the work she had tried to do, every day with the kids.. Neil… She sighed heavily thinking of the red hairs in Tess’ hands. Neil had moved on… and suddenly the thought occurred to her that if Neil was Thorrins XO for this mission then he must have been in the know. He moved on because he knew Adira would not be coming back?

She considered the last few days, the way he pulled back from her, he didn’t respond to her gifts left in his room, Cara had showed up with paperwork to ensure she signed any legal forms if something happened to them, the kids would have a home. They were planning on leaving her. It was the only answer.

A rage washed over her as she stood up suddenly and dropped the picture on the floor. She turned and headed straight out her door, and to the bridge, invitation or not. She was going to get some answers.


To be continued...

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