The Loneliness Is Over

Moon Base Alpha status report one hundred and eighty days after leaving earth's orbit Dr. Helena Russell recording. We are slowly picking up the pieces of our lives, now in turmoil, stll, moving forward. Life struggles to have meaning for us since we do not know where we are going. Slowly everyone is beginning to realize that we will no longer see our homes. Everyone is trying to accept the situation as best as they can. The new Commander is helping everyone to cope and we are all grateful for what seems to be his resolve in getting us through this crisis. He has called a meeting this morning to go over our position and possible remedies to our new found situation.

Moonbase Alpha is a multi-leveled complex where the Earth once had a view to the galaxies beyond. There were launch pads in each quadrant and the hub of it all was Main Mission, which housed our Command Center. Its levels contain a main power unit and back up units, labs, quaters, recreation centre with the usual facilities and specialist units. All the services were now being utilized especially at this juncture.

Clean-up on Alpha took some time as getting the light fixtures repaired and cleaning up the debris after the break-away was a chore.

The sterile atmosphere of Alpha was somewhat changed as the clean up crews were still finding areas untouched by them. Ever so often they found leaks, cracks and spillages all over the place. The pristine white walls and chairs were sullied when they were torn out of the earth's atmosphere.

They worked feverishly to put things back in place and bring about some semblace of normality to their bruised community.

However, they thanked God that the main structures were sound, all travel tubes worked, Life Support System was in tact and Main Power Unit was operational.

Operations by the x5 Computer was humming along and Main Mission was still operational and the hub and center of life on Alpaha. Commander John Koenig was in charge and all looked to him for answers as to how to continue in this new uncharted territory.

All Main Mission essential personnel were at their computers sitting on their white chairs looking out into the universe to see what lay ahead of them. The Commander had called a meeting and they watched as the main personnels trickled in one after the other and decended to the conference room.

The large table in the middle hosted a number of chairs and they sat down, paper and files in hand ready to report their findings. Some looked at their, files some at the maps and charts on the walls, some just peered at their hands.

"Alright let's get this meeting started," Koenig said coming into the room and looking around. He noted that Dr. Russell was not in attendance yet.

Mmm, where is the good doctor this morning, he wondered. As he glanced up, in she walked, like a breath of fresh air, hair bouncing and that mysterious smile of hers. Koenig could not help but admire her.

Her eyes went briefly to him as she entered. She looked hastily away, but he saw that look. She was definitely attracted to him and he was certainly curious about her.

As she sat down she said, "Sorry, I'm late, Commander."

"Apology accepted, doctor," he said, without looking up.

"I want to thank you all for coming. We havn't had a formal meeting since the tragedy occurred. So let me take this opportunity to thank you all for your strength and support to all persons here on Alpha. Alpha is slowing but surely getting back on its feet. The damages done are being repaired as best as possible and we have a minimum loss of life which is good."

He looked up at the doctor when he said this and she nodded, "Thank you for your fortitude in the light of what has happened," he continued.

Victor, Alan, Sandra, Kano, Paul and Helena all smiled in acquiescence.

"We are facing the unknown, but we are facing them together. Now I would like to here from each section head as to what the status is in each area. Let's start with medical and life support, Dr. Russell."

RED ALERT..... RED ALERT.....

As the signal went blaring throughout Alpha everyone was galvanized into action leaving their seats at a run.

Each went to their post tapping into the computer for information.

"Tanya, what happened?" barked Koenig.

"We are losing air pressure, Commander."

"From where?" he asked walking over to his own console.

"Dr. Russell pin point area of lost please, Koenig's voice raised an octave.

Helena's hand went flying over the key board, trying desperately to locate the area of lost.

"I know, doctor! Locate!" he turned abruptly realizing he was a bit harsh with her just now.

"I cannot get a reading. Kano, can you locate it on main computer?" she asked.

"I am on it," he said as his fingers flew over the main keys.

Koeing paced backed and forth as the crew tried to locate the area of pressure loss.

The endless universe held nothing new for Zen until he spotted something new on the horizon.

IS THAT A PLANET?

The Entity flashed as fast as he could to the spot. It was a moon and what! he sensed life forms on it. The Entity smiled to itself.

FUN AT LAST!

Zen entered through their Neutrino particules and later traveled through their light and any engergy source he could find. He followed them around for a while, going from one human to the next. These people told him that there were more species out there he had never met.

He spent much time with the Commander, the man was a bundle of nerves. The Entity finally gave up and followed the woman he kept looking at and and flexing his muscles over. Zen found her mildly entertaining but a little too serious for his liking.

After spending a month with them Zen decided to have a little fun with the Commander. He traveled to their life support system and started dranining the oxygen from their atmosphere. Then he started corrupting their computer.

Finally checking his inventions he formulated a plan.

THIS SHOULD PROVE MILDLY ENTERTAINING.

"Kano, try again. Everyone, try," he said wearily.

Zen, the entity, was bent on some mischief any way he could get it.

As the computer hissed and whined they came up with this printed across the screen.

GREETINGS ALPHANS. I AM ZEN, AND I AM NOW IN CHARGE.

"What are you and what are your intentions. What are you and why are you trying to kill us!" bellowed Koenig.

STRAIGHT TO THE POINT, COMMANDER. I LIKE THAT. I'M WHAT YOU MIGHT CALL AN ENTITY. I SEEK A PARTNER, SOMEONE TO TRAVEL THIS ENDLESS SPACE WITH ME.

"There is no one like you here, Zen. We cannot help you."

AHH, BUT COMMANDER, I WAS ONCE LIKE YOU. I TOO WAS SOLID MATTER. I BECAME WHAT I AM TODAY THROUGH SHEER GENIOUS ON MY PART. LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT LONELINESS WOULD BE A PROBLEM AFTER 2,OOO YEARS.

"What can we do, Zen? There is no one here that would suit your purpose," Koenig was at a lost now, what was he realy dealing with?

OH, BUT COMMANDER, YOU CAN HELP. SUMMON ALL FEMALE PERSONNEL ON ALPHA AND LET ME CHOSE MY MATE. I WILL TELL YOU WHAT TO DO TO TRANSFORM HER INTO A SUITABLE COMPANION FOR ME.

"Zen, I cannot do that."

COMMANDER, YOU HAVE NO CHOICE. IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY ALL PERSONNEL ON ALPHA WILL DIE. I WILL SLOWLY SUCK ALL THE OXYGEN OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE UNTIL YOU ALL DROP ONE BY ONE LIKE FLIES.

An ominous laughter filled the corridors of Alpha as the phantom entity rushed throughout the system.

"Find out where that thing went!" Koenig bellowed.

Victor came over to him concerned. They all looked to him. Koenig could see that one of the challenges of space travel just turned up.

Everyone was busy at their computer. John turned and headed to his office, the meeting was now postponed.

Koenig sat at his deskin his office. The entity was not here now, but he knew it would certainly would be back.

"Sahn, what is the reading now on our oxygen level?"

"80% and decreasing, Commander."

"Commander?" a soft voice brought him out of his reverie.

He looked up to see Helena Russell. Here was his greatest fear, staring him in the face. He had feelings for this woman and if the entity took her, he would feel the vices on his life close in again. Since his wife's death he had shut himself off from any serious female companionship. Now here it was this woman had come rushing into his life unexpectedly and he wanted to get to know her.

"Yes, doctor."

Helena had seen something there, briefly in his eyes, if only for a moment. A pained expression? Why would the Commander look at me like that?

"Commander, what do you propose to do?" she asked.

"That was a good question," he thought. Something had to be done but what.

How can you kill something you cannot see.

"John," he said.

"Excuse me," she said.

"John, call me John," he said as his eyes held hers for a moment in eternity. She had the prettiest green eyes he ever saw.

"Oh, Helena you can call me Helena," she smiled.

"John," Professor Victor Berman came trouncing in. The moment was broken.

"What are we going to do about that entity. A thousand ideas are going through my head. I'd like to try them out on you. You too Helena."

They both sat down and listened as Victor expounded his knowledge of electrical current and electronics in tandem.

They talked for an hour. Suddenly the sounds in the room ceased. They all noticed. They had a peeping tom.

OK COMMANDER, I KNOW YOU KNOW I AM HERE. WHERE ARE THE WOMEN?

"Zen, we cannot give anyone to you. They would have to volunteer."

VOLUNTEER! VOLUNTEER COMMANDER! I AM IN CHARGE! YOU COMPLY OR DIE!

A bright light and a burst of energy discharged from a console on his desk that sent the Commander reeling backwards and crashing to the floor. Helena and Victor both rushed to his side.

Before they could help him, Zen struck again. A light beam reached out and started lifting him up off the floor. It held him in its grasp. Koenig could feel his life's force draining from him. He went pale.

"Stop! You're killing him!" Helena shouted. In mid air Koenig was held suspended.

The pain he saw in Helena's face said it all to him. She had strong feelings for him also.

"Zen!" she shouted.

Koenig was released and he fell to the floor with a thud.

YOUR TIME IS UP KOENIG. DO NOT TEMPT ME TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWERS FURTHER.

Helena went quickly over to John scanning him for any internal damage, "Are you alright?" she said.

"I'm alright," he said helping himself up from the floor.

COMMANDER, COMPLY NOW!

Koenig went to the console and hit the communications button that would give him access to all Alpha personnel wherever they were.

"All sections Alpha. All sections Alpha. This is Commander, John Koenig. An entity has taken over our systems and we are held in its diabolical grasp. Your cooperation is necessary in order to rid ourselves of this thing. All female personnel please assemble in Main Mission in one hour Koenig out."

HERE ARE THE SPECIFICATIONS IN ORDER TO GENERATE ENOUGH ENERGY TO TRANSFORM HER INTO MY PERFECT MATE, COMMANDER.

As he spoke a computer print out came from his console. "Helena?" he called but she was already by his side reading the requirements.

"This is too much Zen, this will drain our entire system. We would die if we were to divert this much energy into this chamber," Helena exclaimed.

I HAVE BOOSTED YOUR MAIN LIFE SUPPORT. IT CAN BE DONE.

As he spoke another read-out came from the console. Victor looked on.

"Yes, John, this would make it quite possible," he said. Vic tor put his fingers to his lips and headed out the door to his lab. John Koenig scribled on a piece of paper and handed it to Dr. Russell. Helena looked at Koenig. He nodded his head and Helena shook hers.

If I left wouldn't the entity notice, she thought. Koenig gave her a look and as the women filed in she followed orders and left.

As the many pages flowed from the computer with all the specifications, all female personnel on Alpha came streaming into Main Mission.

John entered the room as one by one the entity scanned them. One by one he weeded them out.

COMMANDER, THERE IS ONE OTHER PERSON I HAVE NOT SCANNED.

"Who is that, Zen? Every female personnel is here."

NO COMMAND, DR. RUSSELL IS NOT HERE! DO NOT PLAY WITH ME COMMANDER. I AM GETTING WEARY! NO GAMES!

"Dr. Russell is indispensable to us, Zen."

COME NOW, COMMANDER, INDISPENSABLE, TO WHOM?

"To us, Zen."

"John, I ..." Helena said coming in from the corridor.

Koenig stared at her, a defeated look on his face, "Helena, we need you in medical."

"If I do not do this, John there will be no medical," she said with resolve.

GOOD CHOICE, DOCTOR.

Zen's light flowed over Helena bathing her in its pale violet aura. As the light roamed her form Koenig could see her fear. She could see his. Their eyes reached out to each other over the space of time, linked and held.

The X5 computer whined as the names were printed.

HYDROPONICS EXPERT, SARA STEPHENS, LAB TECHNICIAN, JULIE GUARD, NUTRITIONIST, RAINA SANDS AND MEDICAL OFFICER, HELENA RUSSELL. I WILL REVIEW AND GIVE YOU MY FINAL ANSWER.

Helena, he thought. This could not be happening to me. This must be some bad dream I need to wake up from.

John could not look at her. He sensed that the entity had left so he left for his office. No one approached as the Commander brooded.

John is acting strangely, she thought.

Helena and the rest of Main Mission staffers worked for hours to check all the specs on this energy chamber the thing wanted to build. It was beginning to look more and more feasible.

Bleep! Bleep!

"Helena," Victor spoke from a console nearby, "could you come to my lab please?"

"Yes, Victor, on my way," she said as she walked through Main Mission.

Helena looked at the printout Victor held in his hand.

"This is incredible, Victor," she said.

"Yes, can you imagine my surprise when this showed up in my printouts. Zen is like a virus. Not a common computer virus, but a virus nonetheless," he mused.

"How can we get rid off him?" Helena asked.

John was quietly looking at the readouts, listening to their conversation and letting his mind race over the possibilities.

"That is where we have a problem, Helena. Zen is in control of our computers we need computer to defeat him. An antivirus is what we need to work on."

John got up solemnly, "Helena, there is something else we discovered..."

"John, I think she does not need to know this," he broke in hurriedly.

"Tell me, Victor, what are you hiding?" she walked over to them a bit alarmed.

"Victor, she needs to know."

"Well, Helena, it seems our little friend isn't quite honest with us. He or it already chose a mate. It made a profile and analysis. John, show her the simulation of its profile and electrical out puts."

As Koenig showed her the printouts, Victor continued. "This virus has been here for days at the least weeks. It has been in your room, the medical centre and at the meeting we were having. It's been following you around, Helena. It knows where you are at all times. It's here for you."

Koenig sat down at this point his mind feverishly racing.

"What are you saying, Victor?" she said wide eyed.

"We think it has already made it's choice and is you. I think it is biding its time. It wants something else as well."

"Alan!" Koenig bellowed. His mind was formulating a plan.

Alan's face showed up on his commlock, "Meet me in transporter six."

"John?" Victor was about to ask a question when John turned to him.

Koenig turned to look at Helena who was sitting in stunned silence. Her eyes met his, what she saw there made her pulse race.

Koenig was beyond words. What could he say to her to allay her fears. That he loved her, but would that help. That he needed her. Would that help? That he could feel every fibre of her being within himself right now. He was not use to these feelings. They had sneaked up on him. Now he thought abou t it, all these months he had fallen for her. She was so aloof sometimes he was not sure what to make of her. He wanted to hold her. He felt her fear. He wanted to love her.

He moved towards her and she stood still. He took her hands. He looked into her eyes. She saw something she had never seen before. Control, just raw energy, a certainty of some kind. She also saw love, beyond her comprehension. The Commander was not an easy man to figure out.

"Helena, I don't want you to worry. I will take care of this," he let her hands fall to her side as he turned and stride out the lab door.

She was left a little dazed, but assured.

"Got a plan, Commander?"

"Yes, Alan, but I will need your help."

"I'm with you, Commander," he said.

Koenig was headed out the door before Alan caught his breath. "OK, Alan all we need is to get David Kano down here. Get him and meet me back here in ten minutes."

He wondered along, looking for something else. Ah yes. The main power source, yes he sipped a little of it and it was good. He needed that if he was to get bigger and more powerful. He would drain it before he left.

He watched the Alphans as they worked at building his chamber in a few more days it would be ready and he could provoke them even further. Zen zoomed in and out of places just going randomly from place to place and stalking the goodly doctor when he felt like it. Without a warning it would pop up where she was as circular patterns with eyes. Helena was freaked by it.

Zen felt the contraption was readyso back to Main Mission he went. He travelled at the speed of light.

JOHN KOENIG, I AM READY. DOES YOUR TECHNICIANS HAVE MY DESIGN READY AND FUNCTIONING?

"Yes, Zen you know they do."

EXCELLENT, I HAVE CHOSEN DR. RUSSELL. HAVE HER COME FORWARD. PROFESSOR BERGMAN ARE YOU READY?

"What's your hurry, Zen," Koenig asked.

Zen could see Koenig could blow any moment. He so loved watching him squirm all week but now he had to go he was tired of the Alphans.

DO NOT BOTHER ME COMMANDER, I HAVE A SCHEDULE TO KEEP.

As Zen spoke, Kano came in unseen, a diskette in hand. He stuck it in one of the computer slots.

Helena came through the doors, just as Victor had finished setting up the energy reduction, demolecular vibrating device Zen instructed them to build. She looked undisturbed and almost serene to Koenig. He however had a determined look on his face, one she had not seen before.

ARE YOU READY, PROFESSOR?

Bergman turned the demolecular unit on. It had taken him and the technicians days to assemble it. It had not been tested yet, but he was sure it would work.

"Ready Zen."

KOENIG, IF YOU TRY ANYTHING. THE GOOD DOCTOR WILL DIE, INSTANTLY WITH NO HESITATION FROM ME. THEN YOU WILL BE NEXT.

Koenig looked hesitant but only for a moment as his resolve stayed. He did not get to be Commander by being squeamish.

Prof. Berman started the demoleculizer as Helena entered the semi-circular contraption. The rays fell in cascades as it eveloped her structure and began todematerialize her.

Before the machine could go to maximum Koenig shouted out, "Now, Kano, now!" He pushed Helena out of the way, as the rays came full blast. As Koenig demolecularized his energy was absorbed by the computer, Kano down loaded the program Koenig had requested.

WHAT IS THIS TRICKERY, KOENIG! YOU WILL PAY WITH YOUR LIFE!

John did not know what to expect but he came prepared to fight fire with fire. He could see Zen. A pure raw energy permeating throughout the computer systems. Kano's antivirus was programmed only to respond to him. In another minute Kano would administer the next antivirus. The third and finally would kill both of them if Koenig was not extracted by Bergman at the right time.

The chase was on as Koenig advanced antivirus in hand. Zen, never having to face this problem before turned tail and ran. He went at maximum speed towards the power source. The only way in its crazed mind to beat Koenig would be for him to get stronger. David Kano, however was shutting computer down in sections and boxing it in.

Koenig was baffled, Why is it running? He had expected a fight.

As Zen went, he began draining the power from the systems around him getting stronger. Each blocked passage way made him panic even more in some places he forgot to syphone off the energy.

One blocked passage way had the Commander and Koenig let fire the first roundsof antivirus. Zen's currents went haywire as he shorted out a little.

MUST GET MORE ENERGY, he thought as its speed increased.

"What is going on, Victor?" questioned Helena.

"They are headed towards the power systems. The Commander has 3 minutes. I am administering the next antivirus. Zen is trying to drain our power source. If he does the Commander doesn't stand a chance, not that he has one now."

"What?" Helena looked panic.

Victor put his arm around her comforting her.

"Helena, John migh not make it out alive," he said.

"Victor, you have to do something, John can't die," she said.

"It was his choice, Helena. He knew the risks involved."

"No, John," she said grippingVictor's sleeves. Helena was not sure what she was feeling at this moment.

"He said to tell you not to worry, it was his decision."

"No Victor," she said shaking her head, "John."

The second antivirus Kano administered went rapidly to the source of annihilation. It was attacking both Koenig and the virus. Koenig was prepared. He went in the opposite direction. Zen saw and pursued all the while gathering strength.

It was now or never if Bergman could pull this off it would have to be now. Koenig spotted the prepared exit that Kano had for him. Only problem was the antivirus came in, that way.

Victor leaned in and flipped the swith on the unit, had the entity checked it closely it would have seen that Bergam made a few changes to his machine. At the spot where John went in, the machine fired its reverse beams.

With only seconds away, the other virus from Kana came in as Koenig exit in a split second. The beams hit him and he began to revert to his fleshy form. Zen halted his pursuit as the antivirus headed towards him. This antivirus contained an energy draining failsafe device. How could they have known his plans.

Moonbase Alpha reverberated with the screams of Zen as the antivirus sapped his strength and began decreasing him. He had to escape. He was evaporating into oblivion.

Koenig regained his matter as Bergman reversed the controls on the demoleculizer. As he lay on the floor Helena was the first to reach him. She ran a check on his vital signs. He was not breathing. He had no pulse. The man she cared for was dying before her very eyes.

She started CPR. Dr. Mathias rushed in with a crash unit and Koenig was carefully hooked up to a monitor. Dr. Mathias hooked the electrodes to him monitoring his signs. Helena charged the paddles and shocked him.

"We have a pulse and heart beat doctor, but it is very weak. We have to get him to the Medical Centre right away," Ben said.

Her heart leapt as slowly he rolled his head and looked at her.

"Well you're a sight for soar eyes," he said smiling.

It was all she could do to keep from crying. He squeezed her hand.

"How am I doing?" he asked.

"You're going to be fine John," she said.

He looked lovingly at her and she continued holding his hand as he drifted off to sleep.