(Til Death Do Us Part) 11: Fire and Ice
13 Mar 2023Silvia Sharpe
+// Log Entry Start+// Date: Unknown
+// Location: Hutton Orbital, Alpha Centauri
+// Commander: Venus Duval
The days are beginning to wear on me. I have searched every possible system I can think of that Diaz would be hiding out in. My desperation is growing and my thoughts are only on getting Silvia back. I have abandoned my moral code and have sold refugees to the slave market in hopes of tracking them back to Diaz. Each lead turned up empty. I killed a man just the other day for no reason other than he looked similar to Grenshaw.
These actions drove me mad. I don't quite recall why or how I managed to make it to Hutton Orbital from the Witch Head nebula. Hell I'm surprised those damned Thargoids didn't kill me.
Hutton Orbital why the hell does that place even exist? At least I got a mug. Silvia will love it........ oh Silvia where is he keeping you?...........
+// Log Entry End
Venus closes her logbook and leans back in her chair. She looks over at the photo taped to the console. Silvia and Venus can be seen standing on a beach holding each other lovingly. Silvia is wearing a flowing white sun dress with yellow and blue flowers all over. On her head a tan sun hat with a blue bow. Venus is wearing a very regal white, silver and gold dress similar to that which Aisling Duval wears for formal events.
Venus closes her eyes a smile on her face. She falls asleep and begins to dream about the moment that picture was taken.
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'Hahaha. Venus stop it! That tickles. Come on please be serious just for one second. I want a good photo for the engagement slides for the wedding.'
Venus smirks at the serious part. She straightens up and mocks that which a noble man would do for a formal photograph. She replies in a joking low voice.
'Serious I can do serious. How's this for serious?'
'Venus you know what I mean. Come on please just one good one then we can do the silly stuff.'
Silvia playfully slaps Venus shoulder as she wraps her arms around her neck. Venus pulls her in close and wraps her arms around Silvia's waist. She bows her head to meet Silvia's gaze. The moment their eyes lock Venus cannot help but smile with pure joy.
'Silvia, I love you more than the universe itself. If you were to ever go missing just know I would end the stars themselves to find you.'
'Venus stop. You're going to make me cry. I love you too my sweet Empire brat. Nobody gets to see this side of you and that makes it special. I get to see the real you.'
Venus reaches up and caresses both sides of Silvia's face pulling her gently upward and kissing her passionately. Ava snaps the photograph and looks it over ensuring the photo is perfect. She takes a second one for good measure and looks on as her two good friends share a moment of peace in a time when peace is hard to find.
'You two are too cute. I wouldn't ask for either of you be in with anyone else. You are a perfect duo. Fire and Ice. Sweet and Sour. You two will bring joy and happiness to one another for the rest of your lives. We are all good here Silvia you guys can do your silly ones now.'
Venus smiles through the kiss. Silvia's eyes go wide as Venus lifts Silvia off her feet. The sand beneath Venus' feet shifts ever so slightly causing her to lose her balance. The two of them fall to the ground sand flying up as Venus kicks her feet up. Ava sits and captures the moment on her camera. Silvia laughs as they hit the ground. The moment couldn't be anymore perfect for the two of them. They had found love in the strangest of places and soon they were to be married.
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Venus is woken up from her nap by an incoming message, sorrow filling her heart as she wakes from the dream. Begrudgingly she sits up and opens the message panel.
*Help us please. We are at 69 G. Carinae C 5 A Gardner Point.* Jules Cavanaugh.
The message is enough to cause Venus to damn near jump from her seat. The name Jules seems similar. She had seen it somewhere but could not recall where
'Verity pull the logs from Silvia's capture date until today. Cross reference Jules Cavanaugh.'
"Certainly Commander. Checking all logs for Jules Cavanaugh."
Venus sits with baited breath hoping this is the lead and key she has been looking for. Verity chimes in having completed checking all logs.
"Commander 2 matches in logs for Jules Cavanaugh. Would you like to see them?"
'Yes show them to me.'
Verity displays a message and an accident report from the date Silvia was captured. One was a submission request for a manifest scan the other was the report on the destruction of the Longshot. The information was exactly what she was needing.
'Verity trace the origin system of the last message.'
"Certainly Commander........"
A few moments pass by as Venus waits for Verity to trace the message location. The silence is broken as Verity completes the trace.
"Commander message system origin: Sol. Planetary body: Earth. Location: Rocky Mountains."
Venus looks at her navigation panel the screen flickering. The ship tech at Hutton Orbital wasn't equipped enough to perform a perfect restoration on the fried console but it was enough to allow her to navigate. *4.38ly... I'm soo close maybe I can make it before they vanish.*
"Frameshift drive charging"
"5...4...3...2...1... Engage!"
Venus drops into Sol and makes a beeline to the location the message was sent out. Her hands were clammy. The nerves in her arms were numb. Venus held her breath as she entered the airspace over the now smoldering remains of Silvia's family home. As the haze clears Venus' heart sinks. *There is no way anyone could have survived this* She touches down on the smoldering landing pad near the home and proceeds into the ruins.
Hours pass as Venus calls out looking over all of the rubble. Nothing, not one trace of human remains. The only thing of significance is the destroyed remnants of Jules' ship. Venus makes a last minute decision and calls for her Alliance Challenger to be refit for ambush assault and delivered to her location. She was ready for blood. One set of words rings in Venus ears *Fire and Ice*. Venus knew what had to be done and she began preparing.