i walked into the c0ckpit. Jessica, the navigation and tech expert of the shuttle, was greeting me with that cheeky smile of her's. "Captain, it's December 24th, and space colony has anounced that we can return home!" she states gleefully and stretching in her chair. "Just in time for Christmas!" she smiles.

she shoots me another smile before looking to her screen and announcing that there is a video message available. she presses on a key and the screen lights up. "dad! i'm here with mom. we love you and we both hope you come home soon! bye." and the screen went black. Jessica turned a little blue. "oh...nothing for me...well, ok." and she flew the ship onward.

"Captain! we're recieving a distress signal from the lost mission #13! transmitting now." a voice emits from the speakers. This is captain donovan of Mission #13! we've....they attacked us! i'm the last time survivor of our crew of twenty! please send help!"

the ship lands at an abandoned station that is extremely damaged. "Captain, we need you to go out there and check it out. but onlu if you want to..." i put on my suit and opened the airlock. i float over to the inside of the station. a pull a lever to turn on the emergency power. but the computer announces that the self destruct sequence nas just been activated. "40 seconds until detonation" it blurts.

i rush out of there and get settled back into my ship."let's get the hell outta here!" Jessica shouts.

after our engines get started, we boost off as fast as we can, but a blinding light, loud bang, and a large rumble shake the ship. and we are blown of course.

i awake from becoming unconscious, and call for Jessica. "JESSI! are you okay?" she hobbles up and nods. "yes Captain...i am."

her short brown hair is ruffled, and her Caramel eyes are obviously a little shaken. but she appears to be in one piece. "um...Sir, the explosion has taken out our extra air supplies...the only oxygen available is the air we have in the ship right now...." i shoot her a concerned face then hug her. "Jess, calm down. we've still got plenty of time to figure out what to do..."

"o-okay..." she gets back into her seat and charges the engines back up.

the power goes out and all of the lights go out. Jessica bangs on the controls and tears up. "captain...the engines drained us of the entire ship's power...we're stuck..."

the computer system blares and says "ATTENTION: UNPERMISSIONED ACCESS TO AIR LOCK DETECTED." i rush over to the air lock and see a bearded man in a suit like mine. "Greetings, i'm Captain Donovan of the mission 13."

"i'm only here to warn you...they're coming...they have my scent..." i sport a confused face. "ugh...just...get out of here...i attached thd ladt power cell of my ship into your excape pod...use it." Donovan then puts on his helmet and jumps out into the outer reaches of space. freely drifting away.

Jessica looks at me, concerned. "only one of us can pilot the pod, someone must stay here and set up the coordinates for the pod...and there's only five minutes left of air....i'll do it...Captain, i want you to make it..." i shake my head and negate her idea. "no...i'm not leaving you..." she smiles softly and reaches for my hands. "how do you feel about me? i...i've always been too shy to say this, but we've been up here for a year...and i have nobody...i've always thought of you as more than a friend...." my eyes widen and i hug her tightly. "i...i have developed SOME feelings for you...but either way...i'm still staying with you! i'm not letting you die on me!" she looks into my eyes and sniffles. "you have a family...your child...your wife, so much to live for...i have nobody." i kiss her on the cheek and hold her closely. "Jess...you also have me." she tears up and holds me tighter. "i'm not letting you die..."

i look at the meter telling us the amount of air left. 1 percent. i set the escape pod's route to earth while jessica's not looking and open up the door to the escape pod. "jess...i love you." i pick her up and lob her into the pod, locking it. "NO! NO NATHANIEL!" i tear up and tap the the button, watching as the pod takes off. i hear a beep and look at the radar, noticing a large object approaching rapidly. "what the...?" the shuttle rumbles and two hooded, glowing figures that donovan was warning me about, appear before me. "you'll never take me, or my ship...COMPUTER! SELF DESTRUCT SEQUENSE, 3962. activate." the ship shudders and the figures look around, alarmed. the computer bleeps and says "activation inn three. two. one." Jessica looks out the window and sees the explosion. "...Captain...." crying as the pod makes it's way back to earth.

5 years pass. Jessica walks to a grave with the name -Nathaniel- on it. "hey Cap....it's me again...today's the anniversary of...that day...and...i just wanted to say thank you...if it weren't for you, i wouldn't be as happy as i am today." she holds out some flowers and sets them on the grave. "i'm happily married..and i'm 2 months pregnant....i'll remember what you did for me...your outgoingness...the fun times...the happiness......the sacrifices......thank you for giving me another chance at my new life..." she blows a kiss and walks away.

FIN.