The Red Rover: Clash Of The Celestials

Wow, I really screwed the pooch this time. How could I not see this coming? Idiot.

Marius laid on the roof of the Red Rover staring up at the sky. The haze had once again evaporated, allowing him to see the twinkling stars in the distance. Regardless of how beautiful they were, they would bring him no solace this evening. This was a day he would remember for a long time.

His journal rested on his stomach which was flatter than usual. The events from earlier today having ruined his appetite. If anyone would have told him that five of the seven cadets would simply up and leave his command like that, he would have told them they were insane. And to think, if Jovan were healthy, then Marius would have definitely lost six of the seven and possibly all of them.

This entire situation was unfathomable. How could he ever allow them to get to such a dark place? Where they felt that leaving so abruptly was their only recourse? Whether he was ready to admit it, he had failed them. Big time. When the going got tough, the tough bid him adieu.

He could be petty and blame them for what they had done, but Marius knew better than to do that. What happened today was a confluence of events that came together at the same time in the worst way imaginable—beginning with Aresco’s decree years ago.

June had asked him how old they were and he chose to remain silent. He knew if he told them that they were over sixteen years of age that they would flip out. Ignorance was supposed to be bliss. It wasn’t. All it did was allow animus to build within them.

They had begun to see Marius as their enemy and not someone who was trying his hardest to look after them. That would be his biggest failing. If he were a coward, he would have stood up on this roof and turned his back to the edge—while letting the chips fall where they may. At least then he would find some peace in this life.

But he wasn’t a coward. And this day would never define the type of person or leader he thought he could be. Marius needed to learn from this. He needed to be better. There were still seven cadets who needed his guidance with or without the Red Rover.

It would be incumbent upon him to figure out how to reach them, not the other way around. And if he couldn’t reach them one way, then he would have to try another. If there was one thing he couldn’t fail at, this had to be the one.

A noise coming from behind him broke his concentration. He sat up, turning around to see Callista poking her head out from the escape hatch.

“Can’t sleep?” He asked.

She took that as a sign he wouldn’t mind her company as she fully climbed out of the hatch and approached him. He swiveled his body around as she stood nearby, still keeping a distance between them—about arm’s length. Not that he could blame her if she felt uncomfortable being around him at the moment. Her trust in him needed to be rebuilt as well.

“I’m worried about Jovan.” She said.

“He’s still upset I’m guessing.”

Callista nodded as he paused a moment.

“Let that be a lesson to you. There are real world consequences for our actions. But what can I say? I’m just some angry old guy.”

He looked back to the sky once more and shook his head. How did they even get here? It was like yesterday that she and the others were in his simulator, failing miserably every single day. Now they were questioning him as a group. Time was definitely a harsh mistress. Had it really been that long? How could everything unravel so quickly?

“Ah, the impetuousness of youth. What gives us strength often times is what makes us vulnerable. I should know, I was young once.”

“With all due respect sir, what does that have to do with Jovan?”

Marius slowly rose to his feet. He turned to face her. She looked as defiant as the other cadets did earlier. But maybe it wasn’t defiance at all. Maybe this was determination the entire time and he was just too parochial to recognize it.

“Callista, I’m not responsible for what happened to Jovan. Jovan did that to himself. Now, do I feel bad for him? Absolutely. But I can’t fix him.”

“No one’s asking you to fix him, Doctor Marius. All I know is, he doesn’t feel like he’s part of the team and I was under the impression that us becoming a team was the most important part of our survival. Glad to know I was mistaken.”

Callista turned around and climbed back down the hatch. Leave it to the most loyal one of them all to make him feel like an absolute heel. He exhaled, tapping his journal against his forehead. She was absolutely right.

Change needed to come and that change would have to begin with him. That would be the only way Marius would be able to make this right.

Jovan sat asleep in his wheelchair with a blanket covering him while Callista slept on the floor close by. Marius watched them for a moment, still making sure they were asleep, but also grateful that they were still around. He turned to the damaged HoverSol where Ozone sat while plugged into the console.

“How are we doing?” He asked.

“I’ve almost drained the battery sir. But my internal meter is showing forty-two percent and rising.” Ozone said.

“That’s it?” He whispered. “The HoverSol has barely been used.”

“Correct. But this vehicle does not possess anywhere near the same amount of power that the Red Rover does. If I were to put this in human terms, the Red Rover is our mother.”

Marius was taken aback. After all these years and all their missions together, it had never dawned on him until now just how much Ozone and Dee-Dee were intertwined with the ship. He turned to the damaged WaftMar. Dee-Dee sat in the crumpled cockpit pilot seat, draining that vehicle’s battery as well.

The androids would soon be finished with their recharge and it would probably only be enough to get them through another week, maybe two.

Even when it looked like they had finally found a bit of hope, reality just had a knack of snatching it away.

Callista remained asleep until two loud clangs rocked her eardrums. She immediately sat up as she turned to Jovan, who was just as confused as she was. She looked skyward to see that one of the StarForgers had begun to sway just a bit as the noise continued.

“What the hell’s going on?” Jovan asked.

“I don’t know. Doctor Marius?!” She called out.

Marius appeared before them at the top of the ramp with a big smile. At least one of them was refreshed.

“Relax cadets. It’s just Dee-Dee and Ozone. Come on.”

He gestured for them to come join him as Jovan threw his blanket away and did so. Callista waited a moment as she removed her helmet. She was curious as she tried to get a better view of what was happening above her.

Dee-Dee was inside the cockpit of a StarForger, while Ozone was standing on top of the fighter jet near the securing bracket. The android noticed Callista still watching him.

Ozone gestured for her to move to a safer location. She followed Ozone’s order as she moved closer to the ramp entrance, which still gave her a good line of sight to the androids.

“You’re all clear Dee-Dee.”

Ozone gave Dee-Dee a thumbs up. The StarForger activated moments later as the jet attempted to disengage from the bracket, but to no avail. Ozone clung tight to the bracket, otherwise the android would have fallen.

“We’re still connected. It won’t disengage.”

“I’m on it. Are your rockets active?”

“Okay, give me a moment.”

Ozone looped around the ceiling bracket, the android’s body near the nose of the plane. Ozone grabbed both sides of the bracket. Using all of its strength, the android pried the bracket apart.

With the bracket released, the nose of the StarForger dipped lower as Ozone grabbed onto the jet, digging into the metallic exterior with both hands.

“Uh oh.” Callista said as she hurried out of the loading bay and down the ramp. She ran to Marius and Jovan who had taken a position in front of the side entrance to the Red Rover.

“What are they doing in there?” Jovan asked.

“That’s a damn good question.” Marius answered.

The StarForger flew out of the loading bay with Ozone still hanging onto the ship as they watched. Dee-Dee looped the fighter jet around in a circle above the Red Rover.

“Land please!” Ozone called out.

“Oh man, I sure hope she doesn’t drop him.” Callista said.

“Seriously.” Marius agreed.

The StarForger finally lowered itself in a spot just beyond the ramp. The jet touched down allowing Ozone to release its grip and back away. Callista and Jovan followed Marius towards the jet as Dee-Dee opened the canopy.

“You ready for your first flight lesson, Jovan?” Dee-Dee said.

Jovan sported the biggest smile Callista had seen from him since—possibly ever. He was beaming as his eyes became watery. But these were tears of happiness, not sadness. Marius had finally given him something he could believe in as well.

“Is this for real?” Jovan asked as he turned to Marius.

“Only if you want it to be.”

Jovan pumped his fist as he rolled towards the StarForger as Ozone and Dee-Dee moved to help him get prepared.

“Nice job sir.” Callista said.

Marius turned around to see her smiling at him. She was proud of him.

“Thanks cadet. We can get you a lesson too if you want. I mean we do have another StarForger.”

“With Ozone?” She raised an eyebrow. “Nah, I’m cool. I’d rather figure out how to get the ship working if it’s all the same.”