Lessons in the Stars

Chapter 9 - Plan B

That night, Jon couldn't sleep, and he found himself in the Bridge re-reading the whole document written by the General. He couldn't believe that General Hash, a man who had known his father and his family, could be willing to trade people for an energy source. He had trusted this General Hash and now... He didn't know what to think.

"Can't sleep?" Rogue's soft voice asked.

Jon turned to face her and shook his head, "Nah, what about you?" Rogue simply shrugged, Jon was watching her every movement. Knowing more about her past had made her reactions to things so much clearer.

She noticed him watching her and spoke, "Don't treat me any differently just because you know my past."

"Don't worry; I won't Rogue," he replied, and she smiled at the use of her adopted nickname. Rogue moved closer, sitting beside him.

"Why can't you sleep?" She asked, tilting her head.

Jon sighed and looked back at the computer for a moment, "I'm scared," he admitted, "I don't think I can do this." Rogue didn't say anything, sensing that he needed to get this out. "All my life, I've been told that I need to be like my father, or that I could never live up to him. Now I'm faced with a similar situation to him and I... I'm not my father." He closed the computer down.

Rogue rested her hand on his wrist, "I've told you that before." He looked at her, his eyes beginning to water, "To define you by father, or to define me by my father, it doesn't work because we aren't the same people. I never understood the whole legacy thing because of that. You have your own strengths, ones that are different to the strengths your father possessed.

"People trust you, I trust you." She took a deep breath, "You're smart, you're a natural leader but more than that, you fight with us. That's important. You need to believe in yourself Jon, everyone else already does." With that, Rogue stood up and walked out. Jon smiled softly. Maybe he could do this. He wasn't his father. But that didn't make him any less of a leader. It just made him different to his father, and that was good. He wanted them all to survive tomorrow, and he would do anything to protect his family.

Realising that he thought of his crew as his family was a shock, but not an unpleasant one. They cared for each other, they had been in danger together, but most of all they trusted each other. They could do this; their plan was sound and they weren't going to let anything, or anyone hurt their families and friends. Jon stood up and headed to his quarters, checking in on Sam, Scarlett and Benny, who were all sleeping soundly and passing Rogue's closed door. He lay down in his bunk and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

The next morning found the five new friends getting ready as the ship orbited Earth-base. Scarlett was loading the Argon gas canister into Rogue's Starfighter, Benny was helping Sam get the weapons ready, and Jon was memorising the base access codes. When Jon's watch read 0900 hours, Jon called a final meeting on the Bridge.

"Okay, guys. This is it. Scarlett, anything more we need to know?" Jon checked.

Scarlett nodded, "I've already explained this to Rogue, but this is just a reminder. When the Argon gas is loaded, it can't overreach 50% of the oxygen levels, or it could prove dangerous to all humans aboard. Entering it to make the Argon gas level at 39.4% would be the perfect level for disruption of Daemonium biology." She took a deep breath and turned to look at Rogue.

"Thirty-nine-point four percent. I got it," Rogue repeated.

Jon nodded in acceptance, "Okay everyone, this is it. It will work. I know you all know the plan, but I'm going over it again just in case. Rogue will take her Starfighter around the back of the base and enter covertly while the rest of us will take the Eridanus and shoot a hole through the main hangar bay. We're the distraction while Rogue gets in and switches out some of the oxygen for Argon gas. Sam and I will then go to the control room and lower the defences temporarily so our allies can get in without detection. Scarlett and Benny, you'll go to the prison and use the access codes to release the prisoners so they can act as another force as we overthrow the Daemoniums. Once Rogue is finished she will meet me in the General's cabin. We'll start a beacon that will attract every Daemonium on the base to that small area. That will make it easier for the rest of you to lead our forces there and attack them from behind. It should make it easy to win." He looked at their faces, "So now we go, and we do this. We beat them, and we do it right. I want everyone back alive and unharmed. Got it?"