Hello, my name is Malcolm.\u00a0 Life is about change.\u00a0 If we never change, we don\u2019t really live.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been through a lot of change in my life.\u00a0 Most of it has been painful in one way or another.\u00a0 But without that change, I would have died a long time ago.\u00a0 Or turned into the kind of guy I wouldn\u2019t want to be at least.\u00a0 And that\u2019s the real kicker.\u00a0 I want to wake up each morning, look in the mirror, and be happy with the man looking back at me.\u00a0 If I\u2019m not, it\u2019s time for a change.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Malcolm pounded on the punching bag in the empty fitness center.\u00a0 Twenty-five days had gone by since leaving Sunnydale, far too long as far as he was concerned.\u00a0 He was bored.\u00a0 For the first time in years, Director Malcolm McDonnell of the Wolfenheim Project had nothing to do and he hated it.\u00a0 He\u2019d been so careful to make certain that there were people to do everything that needed doing that he\u2019d organized himself out of a job.\u00a0 Now he was just a glorified passenger on a starship that didn\u2019t need a word of input from him.<\/p>\n
A knee flashed up to strike the bag, followed by a punch, and an elbow that kept the punching bag vibrating in a steady rhythm.\u00a0 Rivulets of sweat poured down his upper body, soaking his athletic shorts, and he breathed deeply to keep the oxygen flowing through his body.\u00a0 Normandy\u2019s<\/em> crew was at their stations, ready to arrive in Independence, which gave him the very rare opportunity to get in a real workout.<\/p>\n There were many things Malcolm liked about his body.\u00a0 There should be.\u00a0 He\u2019d spent enough of his life working on it, after all.\u00a0 He was a naturally small person, which would have made him the brunt of many jokes when he was young if he hadn\u2019t taught the bullies that he was perfectly willing to fight dirty.\u00a0 They liked easy victories, not real fights, and he\u2019d spent most of his childhood in relative security, training in the martial arts and weight lifting.\u00a0 For a small guy, he\u2019d built up impressive muscle tone that he took into adulthood.<\/p>\n All that ended when he was thirty-four.\u00a0 Five of them had plans for a girl and there was only one of him.\u00a0 He won, for certain values of winning.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t stand back up.\u00a0 Of course, neither did he.\u00a0 Thankfully, the girl carried him to an emergency room where they put all his parts back in the right order.\u00a0 Even with her quick reaction, he probably would have died.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t wake up, and the doctors weren\u2019t hopeful.<\/p>\n Then the Peloran made Contact and brought superior medical treatments with them.\u00a0 The girl made certain he got them, and he woke up.\u00a0 It was a miracle.\u00a0 But every miracle came with a cost.\u00a0 He spent the next few months recovering and adjusting to the new world.\u00a0 He lost all of his muscle tone in the months of rehabilitation, and when the final Peloran Treatment did whatever it did to the one-in-a-million people like him, his body decided that was how it wanted to look.\u00a0 Forever.<\/p>\n He was perfectly healthy.\u00a0 He would be until the day he died.\u00a0 He was stronger and faster, his senses sharper, and he healed from wounds that would kill a normal human.\u00a0 But his body rid itself of \u201cunnecessary\u201d muscle tone on a daily basis.\u00a0 He ran and lifted weights like an Olympic medallist, all to maintain just a little bit of muscle tone.\u00a0 He liked having muscle tone.\u00a0 So unlike most Ageless, he exercised every day.\u00a0 And today was a very special day.\u00a0 Today he was alone in the fitness center, with the gravity dialed up to twice Earth standard.\u00a0 It was a very good day to push his body to its limits.<\/p>\n He slammed one final quivering fist into the punching bag to stop it, and sucked air into this lungs.\u00a0 He blinked sweat out of his eyes and flexed his hands.\u00a0 His muscles jittered from head to toe, fatigue chemicals filling them to the point that even he could barely stand.\u00a0 He was done.<\/p>\n He stumbled over to a bench, breaths coming in ragged gasps, and sat down, willing his heartbeat to drop back down to normal.\u00a0 It seemed like it took forever, but finally the rapid thumping slowed.\u00a0 His breathing became regular, and sweat began to evaporate into the chill air of the fitness center.<\/p>\n The hatch opened, and fresh air swarmed into the fitness center.\u00a0 Dawn stepped in from the corridor and wrinkled her nose.\u00a0 \u201cAre we finally done with this torture?\u201d she asked with a wry smile, holding a tempting beer in each hand.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Malcolm answered in a breathless hiss.<\/p>\n \u201cGood,\u201d Dawn whispered and strode towards him as light as a feather.\u00a0 It was like she didn\u2019t even notice the high gravity.<\/p>\n He took one beer from her hand with a muttered \u201cThanks\u201d as holographic fields came to life in the middle of the fitness center.<\/p>\n \u201cAlways,\u201d she answered, her tone betraying amusement.\u00a0 \u201cHere it comes,\u201d she added as a maelstrom of gravity-generated colors Malcolm didn\u2019t have names for filled the center.\u00a0 That wasn\u2019t a surprise of course.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t have names for most<\/em> colors.\u00a0 Peach was a fruit after all, not a color.<\/p>\n \u201cThere,\u201d Dawn announced, pointing her beer at one display.<\/p>\n Malcolm absentmindedly twisted the top off his beer and tossed it into a nearby trashcan.\u00a0 He loved watching ships leave hyperspace.\u00a0 Since he was a child, he\u2019d watched every recording he could find, and made special trips to see fleet maneuvers that involved them.\u00a0 It was beautiful.\u00a0 As a child, it had been proof that mankind could go wherever it wanted to go.\u00a0 To the adult Malcolm, it was a reminder that they were not alone in the galaxy.\u00a0 To the Malcolm who sat in the chair, it was a promise.\u00a0 They were coming.\u00a0 No matter the cost, no matter how hard anybody hit them, the people of Earth would never stop coming.<\/p>\n He<\/em> would never stop coming.<\/p>\n The displays went blank for an instant, and then came back to life with pinpricks of stars dotting the darkness of normalspace.\u00a0 Nine more starships and four-dozen fighters appeared over the next few seconds, shedding the colors of their own hyperspace energies into the Independence star system.\u00a0 Malcolm just smiled as the light pulsed out from them, a message to anyone in system that visitors had arrived, and then faded away.\u00a0 In seconds, the show was over, but Malcolm remained where he was, letting the feelings it evoked flow through him.<\/p>\n \u201cBeautiful, huh?\u201d Dawn asked, sipping her beer with satisfaction.<\/p>\n \u201cAbsolutely,\u201d Malcolm answered and sucked in a long breath before asking the next thought that came to mind.\u00a0 \u201cDo you think we\u2019re alone?\u201d<\/p>\n Dawn laughed.\u00a0 \u201cOh, not a chance.\u201d\u00a0 She pointed her beer at the gas giant now dominating the view on one display.\u00a0 Several dozen ships appeared, holding the gas giant\u2019s orbitals against any threat.\u00a0 Most were frigates or destroyers, but a few cruisers supported them.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t be enough to stop a major invasion, but the planetary defense force was more of a warning against attack than a true defensive fleet.\u00a0 The actual battle squadrons that orbited distant Independence were the real threat.\u00a0 Most of the ships flew the flag of Independence, red, white, and blue with a single star.\u00a0 A few warships flew the Peloran flag as well, proving that they still considered the system important enough to garrison.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know what I mean,\u201d Malcolm muttered as he scanned for the navy blue flag of Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery ship I\u2019ve found so far is squawking their codes, and not a one of them is our friend Murphy.\u201d She turned her head and smiled at him.\u00a0 \u201cI think we\u2019re clear.\u201d<\/p>\n Malcolm nodded in relief.\u00a0 \u201cThen I suppose we should resupply, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Dawn growled.\u00a0 \u201cYou have no idea how peckish I\u2019ve been getting lately.\u201d<\/p>\n Malcolm suppressed a smile at her unconscious adoption of her ship persona again.\u00a0 It was amusing to watch her shift personalities on a dime.\u00a0 She caught his motion though and glowered at him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou try twenty-five days of eating out of a pack you carried on your back and tell me you like the rations by the time you\u2019re done,\u201d she growled.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll pass,\u201d Malcolm answered, hands held up in a defensive gesture.<\/p>\n \u201cThought so.\u201d\u00a0 She turned back to the bulkhead with a wistful gaze.\u00a0 \u201cThat gas giant looks yummy.\u201d<\/p>\n Most fleet bases orbited gas giants because they were such good refueling depots.\u00a0 Ships swooped down into the gas giants, sucked in their atmosphere to collect the elements they needed to run, and pulled away again with topped off supplies.\u00a0 They couldn\u2019t find everything they needed of course.\u00a0 For the rare elements, they stopped at the depots to load up.\u00a0 And of course they always needed spare parts too.\u00a0 And food.\u00a0 Food for the crew at least.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t get that far behind the Red Line,\u201d Malcolm cautioned her.<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d she growled back.\u00a0 \u201cBut one of these days, I\u2019m going to find myself a gas giant without a hyperspace jammer.\u00a0 And then I\u2019m taking a bath<\/em> in it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan I watch?\u201d Malcolm asked with a sly look.<\/p>\n She blinked in confusion, and then he saw the Dawn he\u2019d known for years come back up for air.\u00a0 Dawn raised an eyebrow at him, tilted her head back, and took another long pull from her bottle.\u00a0 When she finished, she shook her head at him.\u00a0 \u201cYou,\u201d she said, pointing her bottle at him with a threatening motion.<\/p>\n \u201cHello, Dawn,\u201d he answered without a hint of repentance.\u00a0 \u201cNice to have you back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d\u00a0 She blushed in the way only a redhead could match.\u00a0 \u201cRight. Thanks,\u201d she finished and took another long pull from her beer.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are friends for?\u201d Malcolm asked and sipped his beer as well.<\/p>\n They shared a smile before turning back to watch the view in the bulkhead.\u00a0 After so many days in hyperspace, it was a beautiful view.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, what do you know?\u201d she said after a few moments.\u00a0 \u201cWe just got a message from Independence.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood or bad?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n Dawn chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cVery<\/em> good.\u00a0 They\u2019ve got a supply depot waiting for us too.\u201d<\/p>\n Malcolm snorted.\u00a0 \u201cI love it when a plan comes together.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEven when it\u2019s not yours?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEspecially when it\u2019s not mine.\u201d\u00a0 He winked back.\u00a0 \u201cThe surprise makes it better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh.\u00a0 Right.\u201d\u00a0 She waved her beer at him.\u00a0 \u201cEveryone loves a good surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n He finished taking another sip of his and waggled his eyebrows at her.\u00a0 \u201cYup.\u201d<\/p>\n She aimed a sly expression at him.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s the bad surprises that bring all the screaming and running and gnashing of teeth, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Malcolm shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cEh.\u00a0 I prefer shooting<\/em> at bad surprises.\u201d<\/p>\n She threw her head back and laughed.\u00a0 \u201cOh you have no idea how much joy I\u2019ve gotten out of envisioning you shooting some of the paper pushers I\u2019ve had to deal with over the last few years,\u201d she said after a few seconds.<\/p>\n Malcolm raised an eyebrow at her.\u00a0 \u201cPoint me at \u2019em,\u201d he only half joked.<\/p>\n She actually giggled at his comeback.\u00a0 \u201cOh, I\u2019ve been tempted.\u201d\u00a0 She nodded towards the outside view of the approaching supply depot.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll be loading for a while by the way.\u201d\u00a0 Then she made a show of sniffing and wrinkling her nose.<\/p>\n \u201cRight,\u201d Malcolm said with a nod.\u00a0 The brief rest and given his body time to recover.\u00a0 He would need to eat soon to replenish everything he\u2019d burned.\u00a0 But she was right.\u00a0 He had a far more important problem that needed taking care of.\u00a0 \u201cI need to shower,\u201d he muttered, guzzled down the last of the beer, and rolled onto his feet in a graceful motion.<\/p>\n Dawn frowned at him.\u00a0 \u201cWhat a waste of a good beer,\u201d she scolded.\u00a0 \u201cI<\/em> am going to stay right here and enjoy<\/em> mine,\u201d she added in a prim tone.<\/p>\n \u201cYou do that,\u201d Malcolm noted with a chuckle.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t forget to tell me if something important happens.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy would I ever forget something like that?\u201d she asked in an innocent tone.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s amazing how much you forget when you think it\u2019s for my own good,\u201d Malcolm answered and stepped into the dressing room.<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d Dawn said in an unrepentant tone from his earpiece.\u00a0 \u201cNot that old argument again?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo argument,\u201d Malcolm whispered as he walked towards the showers.\u00a0 \u201cJust an observation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou are a very suspicious person, you know that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI survived growing up with the Hurst family,\u201d he said deadpan.\u00a0 Suspicion was a survival trait when dealing with them.<\/p>\n \u201cGood point,\u201d Dawn whispered and he could almost see her raising one finger in the air.\u00a0 The only question he had was which finger she\u2019d be raising in his direction.<\/p>\n \u201cNo peeking,\u201d he ordered and stepped into the showers.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re no fun,\u201d she returned in a disappointed tone as he reached up to twist the shower handles.\u00a0 Water sprayed out over him and he smiled as the warm flow relaxed his exercise-strained muscles.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Five hours later, Malcolm leaned back from the wreckage of his second meal of the day.\u00a0 Ravaged plates lay scattered across his day cabin\u2019s table, telling the tale of his ravenous hunger.\u00a0 The remains of a Philly cheesesteak, a giant bowl of clam chowder, an entire pan pizza, and far more dotted the table.\u00a0 His eyes strayed to the slice of pecan pie before him.\u00a0 It looked delicious and his stomach rumbled as it caught the hint of fresh sugar on the way.\u00a0 He smiled and reached for a fork.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, not again,\u201d Dawn whined.<\/p>\n He froze, one hand on the fork, and turned to aim a baleful gaze at the cyber.\u00a0 \u201cWhat?\u201d he growled.<\/p>\n She aimed a disgusted wave of her hand at a display as it came to life with eight starships radiating hyperspatial energy.\u00a0 \u201cMurphy,\u201d she spat out.<\/p>\n His fingers clenched around the fork, working it like a dog working a bone.\u00a0 \u201cYou sure?\u201d<\/p>\n Dawn snorted.\u00a0 \u201cJust got the transmission.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBloody hell.\u201d\u00a0 He felt the fork bend under his assault and looked down at its horridly misshapen hulk.\u00a0 Well.\u00a0 That was another fork ruined.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy can\u2019t she just wait until we\u2019re done loading supplies for once?\u201d Dawn growled.<\/p>\n Malcolm dropped the ruined fork in disgust.\u00a0 \u201cWe got the important stuff right?\u201d<\/p>\n Dawn\u2019s eyes narrowed.\u00a0 \u201cThat depends on what you call important.\u00a0 There happens to be a lot of very nice stuff still in that depot that I want,\u201d she finished in a plaintive tone.<\/p>\n \u201cCan we live without it?\u201d he asked in an exasperated tone and came to his feet.\u00a0 This was getting old.<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d she growled, looking even unhappier to be admitting that than he expected.<\/p>\n He began to pace across the day cabin, getting some good thinking time in.\u00a0 Then he jerked his head to the side and laughed.\u00a0 \u201cIs Olivia asking you the same questions?\u201d<\/p>\n Dawn snorted and turned away.\u00a0 \u201cYou two make a great<\/em> pair<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n Malcolm chuckled again and waved at Murphy\u2019s squadron.\u00a0 \u201cHey, don\u2019t blame us.\u00a0 She\u2019s the one on our tails.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOnly because you<\/em> are a criminal,\u201d Dawn said with crossed arms.<\/p>\n Malcolm aimed a hurt expression at her as he turned around.\u00a0 \u201cI have not broken a single law during this entire project,\u201d he said in an innocent tone and began walking in her direction.<\/p>\n She raised a single eyebrow at him and he cleared his throat.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, not any important<\/em> laws at least.\u201d\u00a0 He shrugged and came to a momentary stop near her.\u00a0 \u201cNow that we\u2019re out of their jurisdiction.\u201d<\/p>\n Dawn rolled her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cRight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBlame Chuck!\u201d Malcolm tried with a shrug of both shoulders.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s<\/em> the one that arranged for all that money to get to us.\u201d<\/p>\n Dawn stepped over, leaned in close, and glared at him.\u00a0 \u201cAnd you knew about it the whole time, so that makes you<\/em> a conspirator<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 She poked him in the chest with an accusing fingertip.<\/p>\n He smiled and poked her back.\u00a0 \u201cYou did too<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d\u00a0 She pulled back and frowned at him.\u00a0 \u201cRight.\u201d\u00a0 She turned to another holofield where shuttles spilled out of the Wolfenheim Project starships.\u00a0 \u201cWell, we\u2019re almost ready to dive.\u201d<\/p>\n Malcolm waved at the bulkhead showing a massive view of the nearby gas giant.\u00a0 \u201cSo long Independence.\u00a0 We barely knew yah.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s Perseverance,\u201d Dawn corrected.<\/p>\n \u201cWhatever,\u201d Malcolm responded with a wry smile.\u00a0 He strode over to his favorite chair, sat down, and kicked his feet up onto the ottoman.<\/p>\n Dawn sat down in the other chair with a frown, and they waited for the fleet to leave.\u00a0 Within minutes, the displays flashed and they were back in hyperspace.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that\u2019s that,\u201d Dawn reported, shaking her head.<\/p>\n Malcolm let out a long breath, interlaced his fingers behind his head, and watched the ships dive deeper into hyperspace.\u00a0 \u201cYup.\u201d\u00a0 He didn\u2019t have anything else to do.\u00a0 That thought soured his expression for a moment, but he pulled in a breath and decided that he was going to make the best of a bad situation and enjoy watching the lightshow.\u00a0 Somehow.<\/p>\n A few minutes later, Dawn shifted and looked at the hatch to the corridor outside the day cabin.<\/p>\n Malcolm aimed a questioning look at her.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got company.\u201d\u00a0 She blinked, and then smiled.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I think you\u2019ll want to talk to him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell then.\u00a0 Don\u2019t keep him waiting,\u201d Malcolm ordered and turned towards the hatch.\u00a0 He caught a glimpse of Dawn sticking her tongue out at him, but the hatch opened without further delay.<\/p>\n A brown leather flight jacket moved into the cabin, worn by a young man with dirty brown hair.\u00a0 The kid swore up and down that John Smith was his real given name.\u00a0 Of course, the seventeen-year-old baby face could say the sun died while you slept with such guileless sincerity that you\u2019d believe him until you saw the glowing orb for yourself.\u00a0 The real life Boy Scout, who surely helped old ladies cross the street in his spare time, was also a veteran of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112, the Cowboys.\u00a0 He was, in short, one of the cutest little killing machines Malcolm had ever met.<\/p>\n Malcolm smiled and sprang to his feet to welcome the kid as a redheade wearing blue jeans and a matching flight jacket followed the kid in.\u00a0 Dawn, on her feet even quicker than he, rushed over to welcome the other cyber.\u00a0 Dawn came from a long family line of administrative cybernetic intelligences, where physical avatars were common.\u00a0 Anna was a fighter cyber, from a long family of fighter cybers, and military rules limited them to holographic representations.\u00a0 Avatar and holoform leaned in close to exchange greetings, and Malcolm shook his head.\u00a0 Anna had the high school student on the run from a truant officer look down perfectly.\u00a0 She even had freckles on her cheeks.\u00a0 She looked so bloody cute he felt like a dirty old man every time he looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll leave you two boys alone,\u201d Dawn said and led Anna away.\u00a0 The girl actually giggled as they walked away.\u00a0 Giggled.<\/p>\n Malcolm turned back to share a bemused look with the young boy in front of him and had to suck in a lungful of air to reengage his brain.\u00a0 \u201cWelcome to my humble abode,\u201d he finally said, waving towards the chair that Dawn had so recently vacated.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks,\u201d the kid answered and bounced past him to take his seat.\u00a0 Bounced.<\/p>\n Suddenly feeling very old, Malcolm followed the kid and relaxed down into his seat again.\u00a0 After arranging his feet back on the ottoman, he smiled at the pilot.\u00a0 \u201cSo what can I do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n Instead of answering, Smith waved a hand at a part of the bulkhead showing the new Privateer<\/em> sailing off Normandy\u2019s<\/em> port side, rivers of gravity parting around her.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s a beautiful ship,\u201d he said in a proud tone.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, she is,\u201d Malcolm returned, even though he wasn\u2019t sure he really agreed.\u00a0 She was too blocky for him.\u00a0 She had too many straight lines and angles and weird things sticking out of her hull.\u00a0 Give him an old first generation gravtech beauty like Normandy<\/em>, all curves and smooth lines, and he was much happier.\u00a0 But, beauty was in the eye of the beholder, and Smith obviously loved that ship.\u00a0 So to the younger man, she was beautiful.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been spending a lot of time on her lately,\u201d Smith said with a smile.<\/p>\n Malcolm nodded.\u00a0 Smith was an Avenger pilot by training.\u00a0 It made sense that Charles wanted him<\/em> to test a ship designed to carry them, especially since thirteen Avengers came with her.\u00a0 \u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n The kid blushed at his wry comment and met his gaze.\u00a0 Then the boy looked away again, back to admiring the beautiful ship out there.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m really going to have to thank him for her, aren\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n Malcolm chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cYes you will.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith nodded at him and smiled.\u00a0 \u201cYou have no idea how much I love being back in an Avenger,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong.\u00a0 The Blackhawks are nice birds but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He trailed off and Malcolm smiled.\u00a0 \u201cBut nothing holds a candle to the first girl you fly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Smith answered with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cI just wish I could give an Avenger to each of my pilots.\u00a0 But that would make us all<\/em> targets.\u201d<\/p>\n Malcolm nodded in understanding.\u00a0 The fighter squadrons on Normandy<\/em> had a single pilot-cyber team controlling twelve fighters.\u00a0 The beauty of the system was that the enemy didn\u2019t know which of the twelve fighters the pilot flew, making it impossible for them to target him.\u00a0 Handing out the Avengers to the other pilots would be like waving a giant sign that said \u201cshoot here.\u201d\u00a0 And while cybers could come back from dying by just loading up a previous backup, death for genetic humans was far more permanent.\u00a0 Besides, there was another problem.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Normandy<\/em> can\u2019t support Avengers anyways,\u201d Malcolm noted.\u00a0 Her hangar bays were designed for Blackhawks half the size of those monstrous fighters.<\/p>\n \u201cToo big,\u201d Smith agreed.\u00a0 Then he sighed and Malcolm knew the kid was ready to say what he came here to say.\u00a0 \u201cThe last problem I have is that now we have five fighter squadrons and four pilots.\u00a0 Right now we\u2019re using the fourth Blackhawk squadron as a reserve,\u201d Smith continued in explanation.\u00a0 \u201cPutting broken down birds there while they get repaired, and using it to flesh out our fighter screen.\u201d\u00a0 He shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cWe could do that on a permanent basis, but that\u2019s not optimal for a lot of reasons I don\u2019t have time to explain.\u00a0 We just really need another pilot if we want to make full use of them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight,\u201d Malcolm returned and looked back out at hyperspace.\u00a0 Good pilots were rare.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t know how Charles managed to talk four Cowboys into retiring and joining the project, and he wasn\u2019t certain he wanted to ask.\u00a0 The fact that all four were Ageless, with all the advantages that<\/em> brought, made him even more<\/em> unwilling to ask.\u00a0 There were some secrets he just didn\u2019t need to delve into.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s not one person in the fleet that can fly a starfighter the way you do.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith nodded very slowly, as if in deep thought.\u00a0 \u201cWell,\u201d he began in a doubtful tone, but he didn\u2019t fool Malcolm at all.\u00a0 The boy knew exactly what he was going to say next, so Malcolm remained silent and waited for the next words.\u00a0 \u201cBut I can think of one<\/em> person on this ship I\u2019d trust with a fighter.\u201d<\/p>\n Malcolm raised one eyebrow as he waited, but Smith\u2019s silence finally forced the question out.\u00a0 \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s got all the right aptitudes,\u201d Smith answered with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cBased on the tests I\u2019ve seen, I think he could make our fighters dance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho<\/em>?\u201d Malcolm repeated, wondering who could actually impress a retired Cowboy.<\/p>\n \u201cHis name\u2019s Malcolm McDonnell,\u201d Smith noted without any hesitation at all.<\/p>\n The name didn\u2019t register for a second.\u00a0 Then Malcolm laughed.\u00a0 It was just too ridiculous.\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d\u00a0 The kid was still smiling, but Malcolm felt something underneath the childlike skin.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t tell what it was, but the kid that looked at him suddenly appeared far older than he looked.<\/p>\n \u201cWell,\u201d Malcolm said with a trace of uncertainty.\u00a0 \u201cLook, I\u2019ve never flown a starfighter in my life.\u00a0 I wouldn\u2019t even know where to start.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith smiled.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t either when I started.\u201d\u00a0 He looked to the hatch the girls had disappeared through. \u00a0\u201cHonestly, with them<\/em>, we don\u2019t need to know<\/em> how to fly.\u00a0 They do all the hard work.\u00a0 We\u2019re just there to\u2026add some organic randomization to the mix.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou do a lot more than that,\u201d Malcolm said a raised eyebrow, daring the kid who wasn\u2019t quite a kid to correct him.<\/p>\n Smith smiled.\u00a0 \u201cWell, that\u2019s because I\u2019m in command.\u00a0 I have<\/em> to be able to think ahead and strategize.\u201d\u00a0 Then he aimed very old eyes at Malcolm, laying a hundred years of Marine experience on him at once.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019d<\/em> just have to be willing to follow my<\/em> orders.\u201d<\/p>\n Malcolm leaned back further in his chair and frowned.\u00a0 \u201cWell, that\u2019d be a bit of a change.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019d still be Director of course.\u00a0 But when in flight, you\u2019d need to be willing to accept my commands without reservation.\u00a0 And at the same time be able to trust your instincts when your subconscious tells you that Something Bad is about to happen,\u201d he noted and tapped his forehead.\u00a0 \u201cAnd you\u2019d need to be ready to risk your life to protect a pack of normal humans.\u201d<\/p>\n Malcolm raised one eyebrow at the man.<\/p>\n Smith cleared his throat in the uncomfortable silence, but took the bull by the horns and leaned forward.\u00a0 \u201cLook.\u00a0 Many people like us refuse to lift a single finger to protect them,\u201d he spat out.<\/p>\n \u201cLike the Hurst family?\u201d Malcolm asked with a shrug.<\/p>\n Smith nodded and gave him an apologetic look.\u00a0 \u201cAnd most of their allies<\/em>,\u201d he said very slowly.<\/p>\n Malcolm nodded, acknowledging the clean hit.\u00a0 Then he spread both arms out wide.\u00a0 \u201cAnd here I am.\u201d\u00a0 He smiled, understanding what the man was thinking.\u00a0 \u201cDirecting.\u201d\u00a0 Not fighting.<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Smith responded with care, reluctant to be any more direct.\u00a0 Malcolm understood that too.\u00a0 He was about as close to the Hurst family that anybody could get, without actually being blood.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t matter if they were chasing him.\u00a0 A man could pick up a serious case of superiority complex by living a life with them.\u00a0 And people like them looked poorly on direct challenges to their humanity.\u00a0 Especially when they thought they were the best humans around.\u00a0 Smith came to his feet and sucked in a deep breath.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t need to answer now.\u00a0 Just think about it and get back to me.\u201d\u00a0 Smith nodded and turned to walk back to the exit hatch.<\/p>\n Malcolm followed his progress to see Anna appearing in the other hatch.\u00a0 She moved to meet him, her green eyes shining brightly as she studied Malcolm.\u00a0 The intensity of that gaze did not belong on her high school girl looks.<\/p>\n She reminded him of another girl, long ago.\u00a0 Back in a time when he thought they were alone in the universe.\u00a0 For a split second, he remembered the man he\u2019d been back then.\u00a0 Just a normal human like everyone else, thirty-four years old and willing to face five men for the woman behind him.\u00a0 He remembered the feeling of dancing through the katas, diving between men, and lashing out with fists, feet, elbows, and more.\u00a0 That younger version of himself had been willing to die for her.\u00a0 He almost had.<\/p>\n Malcolm shook his head.\u00a0 Girls made men do the stupidest things.\u00a0 But across the gulf of time, he saw that man and sighed.\u00a0 Some people had the example of parents to live up to.\u00a0 Some people were moved into action by how they thought other people would be disappointed.\u00a0 Malcolm had himself.\u00a0 A stupid, idiotic, stubborn individual who lived a century ago and still demanded that Malcolm rise to his example.\u00a0 Looking at that person, he didn\u2019t need time to think about it.<\/p>\n \u201cSmith.\u201d\u00a0 He only said the one word, but the man turned to look at him, one foot in the open hatch, and raised one questioning eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cIf you really want me, I\u2019ll give it a try,\u201d Malcolm said into the silence.<\/p>\n The old man hiding behind the boy\u2019s face aimed a stern gaze at him.\u00a0 \u201cThere is no try<\/em>.\u201d He said in a very hard voice.\u00a0 \u201cThere is only do<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 He waved an arm towards the ship around them.\u00a0 \u201cTrying<\/em> is dying<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Malcolm met the challenge in the man\u2019s gaze and felt it settle into his soul.\u00a0 The stubborn idiot from the past smiled and accepted it without question.\u00a0 Malcolm sucked in a long breath, let it out, and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cThen I guess I\u2019ll do<\/em>,\u201d he answered, and the stubborn, idealistic fool from his past practically bubbled with pride.<\/p>\n The old Marine stared at him for several seconds, measuring him carefully.\u00a0 Then Smith nodded and the Marine faded away, replaced by a seventeen year old kid with a cocky smile.\u00a0 \u201cThen I\u2019ll see you tomorrow,\u201d the kid said and stepped out of the day cabin.\u00a0 Anna took one step into the hatch, paused to aim another examining look at Malcolm, and skipped out after him.\u00a0 Skipped.\u00a0 With a dimples, a freckled smile, and everything.<\/p>\n \u201cI like them,\u201d Dawn whispered after the hatch closed behind them, and moved to sit down in the vacated chair again.<\/p>\n \u201cThey make me feel old,\u201d Malcolm returned, not wanting to think about the other things they made him feel.\u00a0 It had been a long time since he met someone that made him want to step up like that.\u00a0 He ran the fingers of one hand through his hair to cover that realization.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, that\u2019s fair,\u201d Dawn answered with an amused smile and crossed her legs on the shared ottoman between them.\u00a0 \u201cYou are<\/em> old.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHush you,\u201d Malcolm shot back.<\/p>\n \u201cBaby pictures,\u201d Dawn warned, one raised finger in the air.<\/p>\n Malcolm chuckled and smiled.\u00a0 She met his gaze and he read the promise in them.\u00a0 She would help.\u00a0 No matter what.\u00a0 \u201cNew job?\u201d he whispered, turning the rejoinder into a question.<\/p>\n \u201cSounds good to me,\u201d she answered with a crooked smile and turned to look out at the multicolored rivers of hyperspaces flowing past them.\u00a0 \u201cI was getting bored anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n Malcolm examined her profile for a few seconds, and then turned to follow her gaze with a satisfied sigh.\u00a0 It was<\/em> a beautiful sight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hello, my name is Malcolm.\u00a0 Life is about change.\u00a0 If we never change, we don\u2019t really live.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been through a lot of change in my life.\u00a0 Most of it has been painful in one way or another.\u00a0 But without[…]↓ Read the rest of this 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