Trust. Anastasia Daniels wanted to strip that word from her vocabulary. That single word had led her down a path from which she could find no return. A path which her first mentor had sent her down. It may have taken her some time to understand the true gravity of the betrayal, but once she had, she had allowed the full weight of it to settle deep within her soul. And it appeared none too soon. With the arrival of the hostile alien ship, its origins unknown, she knew her time had come, not to shine, but for her to atone for her naivety. She would, however, ensure that no other soul on the Fantasy would pay the price she had incurred. Anger threatened to swallow her whole as she thought back on the events that had led her into this predicament. Her mind, a gift she once treasured, had attracted the attention of those in power, and one who lusted for that power. For years, she had shed tears in silence as someone whom she viewed as a mentor hijacked her mind, using it like one would use a storage vault. Every fallen tear had taught her much about the cruelty of the world and those who occupied it. As the painful memories ripped through her mind, she made a promise to herself that she would keep her secrets buried deep within her, never allowing another access to her ever again. A lonely promise, but a necessary one considering she carried more than just secrets in her mind. With that thought, she could feel a wall rising around her heart. One she would keep in place until she drew her final breath. “I will not allow it, Sia!” Captain Samuels snapped, yanking her from her thoughts. His grip tightened on Anastasia’s small shoulders, forcing her to focus on him. The sharp tone of his voice did not match the sadness Sia saw in his blue eyes. A sadness that would only deepen as events continued to unfold. If not for the circumstances, she would have smiled with the captain’s use of her nickname. Captain Samuels always called her Sia, making her feel like she traveled the stars with a family instead of a crew of Commandiant officers and soldiers. With the thought of family, her mind slipped back to Earth and the two people who would suffer the most—her parents! What would they think when she failed to return home? Lifting a small prayer, Anastasia hoped that they would not carry the burden of guilt for her future decision. Perhaps, if she could get Captain Samuels to understand, then he could relay the truth to her parents. Looking into the older man’s eyes, she knew in her heart that no matter how she explained it, he would always believe their current situation could have turned out differently. Lights flashed around them, bathing them in a red glow, as the rest of the crew scrambled to their stations in a controlled panic. The alarms had ceased blaring their obnoxious, but necessary, warning now that all knew of the danger they faced. Anastasia knew that the others were speaking, but the rest of the world did not matter in that moment, only that Captain Samuels understood why she had to go with him. “It is not a choice for either of us to make, Captain,” she responded, feeling hot tears form at the edge of her eyes. “You need me to translate for you and them.” “Placing you in a precarious situation, where the most likely outcome could result in either of our deaths, is a dereliction of my duty.” Captain Samuels released his grip on her shoulders, allowing his arms to fall to his side, rising to his full six foot height. “Not allowing me to go with you is a dereliction of both of our duties, sir. There is an unknown ship at our doorstep threatening to kill everyone on board unless they meet with the captain,” she explained, trying to keep her voice steady. “Our computers don’t know their language, but I have deciphered much of it, giving me all I need to interpret for you. I am the best linguist in the Commandiant, which is why I was assigned to this warship.” Captain Samuels rubbed his hands over his face, a small groan escaping his lips. “Can’t you program their language into our computers, or stay behind and speak to me over the comms?” Anastasia shook her head. She had thought of both of these scenarios, but the reality of the situation had killed those thoughts. “It would take too long to program it correctly, sir. And I doubt they will allow you to have any communication with the ship once you reach the meeting point. With me by your side, you will not have to depend on the comms.” The pair stared at each other, both knowing the truth of the matter, but neither wanting to fully say it. Captain Samuels needed her at his side, but she knew one thing was stopping him—her age. Being the youngest member of the crew, Captain Samuels went to great lengths to not only teach her, but also protect her. Now, the tables had turned and she needed to protect him. “You will not leave my side, and you will not make any deal without my knowledge, is that understood?” “Yes, Captain,” Anastasia lied, giving a short salute. In her mind, she would do what was necessary to save Captain Samuels and the crew, even if her captain would disapprove of it. He did not know all she knew, and she prayed that he would never learn the full truth. A wave of embarrassment crashed over her as she thought of her foolishness in placing her trust in the wrong individual. And once she had realized her mistake, her shame had kept her from reaching out for help. How could she not feel shame? She possessed a mind that could not only dream up life-altering technology but process language faster than any computer, and still she’d succumbed to the need to please her mentor. As she thought back over the years, she could clearly see all the warning signs. Hindsight is better than foresight, she thought to herself, remembering the old adage. Dr. Novak hurried past them, escorting a crew member who had a gash above his right eye, and his left arm hung at his side at an odd angle. Even in the chaos, he cast a small smile her way, and she returned it. She would miss him as much as Captain Samuels. During her off hours, she had spent her time in the infirmary, fascinated by the depths of knowledge the doctor possessed concerning different treatments and the anatomy of many alien species. If Dr. Novak didn’t know the answers to her questions, then the computer database did. How would he handle her disappearance? she thought to herself. She prayed that he handled it better than Captain Samuels and could prove an anchor for the captain. A few drops of the soldier’s blood landed on the floor next to her like red tears, reminding her of the price of failure.