Throwing away an opportunity

Posted on Tue Feb 27th, 2018 @ 5:39pm by Lieutenant Helena Wells

1,060 words; about a 5 minute read

*A few years back*

Helena had just finished a nice long hot shower and had just finished toweling off when the chime on her quarters her at the Academy sounded. She was not really expecting anyone but a quick peek at the monitor showed William outside.

"Come on in William," she said in that light tone. He hated Bill as did she and he had long learned to just call her HG rather than Helena.

The door slide open and William stepped in and then immediately turned his head, "Good Lord, HG put some damn bloody clothing on!"

"Oh you've seen me naked before." Helena laughed but grabbed the still damp towel.

"Not since you were eight years old," William kept his gaze averted.

Helena wound the towel around herself and said gently, "You're safe now."

He sort of peeked and then straightened and faced her. "I must say HG, you have certainly turned into a beautiful woman since then. If I wasn't your own brother I would be chasing you or are you still liking the girls these days?"

HG laughed. "The only thing chasing me is the stuffed shirts in Fleet Academy and the only thing I am chasing is the secrets to the universe but your sweet anyway to say so." Helena went to find another towel to bind up around her still dripping long hair brown hair. "So what do I owe the honour of your visit? Thought you would have headed back for home by now. Mother and father still here?"

"No they headed back right after the ceremony. Can't tell you how proud they were. No," William had the hesitation he always had when he had something to say but did not want to say it. "I am still here to try to convince you to not throw your career away."

"What career is that?" HG turned tucking the towel around her hair. "The career of teaching blithering idiots? A career stuffed inside some box of a lab here in Headquaters or the Daystrom Institute trying to talk to people that think they know what they are doing? Tell me William THAT career?"

William shook his head slightly. "Those are great opportunities. My God Helena," he used her full name. He only ever did that when he was really passionate about something. "Your the youngest holder of the Zee-Magnees prize since Richard Daystrom. You have all sorts of opportunities here. You really think that going out there," he waved a had toward the ceiling, "is going to give you that?"

HG listened but she had made up her mind long ago. The prize was nice, the credits that came with it made sure that Mother and Father did not have to worry about the future in their old age but that was all it meant to her.

"I am still young enough William," HG could not shout at him like she would with some others. "I want to experience the universe first hand, not just tap away at some computer terminal with the theories in my head. I don't want to end up like some of those professors, dried up old hulks that think they know everything and yet have never experienced anything. And you know as well as I do that half or more of them will be trying to steal my work. I endured enough of that in graduate studies, being poached."

William just shook his head again but then took the steps between them quickly and hugged her and lifted her off feet for a moment before setting her back down. "Alright HG, I do not pretend to understand any of it, but if it means so much then best of luck even if..." He chuckled. "It means getting myself wet."

He got serious as he brushed at the wet spot on his suit. "You know you don't have a lot of experience on a ship, in fact exactly none. You sure you think you can be nothing but a hand under someone I know you will want to strangle with your bare hands when they can't keep up?"

"I suppose your right, but I still have the itch to try. And..." HG shrugged. "Maybe that stupid prize might have some pull after all." Her face fell slightly, "or perhaps not. I already sent out a bunch of applications and so far no body has given me anything but a thank you. Fleet might be quashing them or maybe just that, they figure I'll send the boss out the airlock who knows. I might end up doing nothing more than flying a desk someplace but at least Fleet can't tell me now where I have to go."

"Maybe HG, who knows. Well get dressed, the least I can do is take my too smart for her britches sister out for dinner." William waved his hands at her.

"Sounds smashing, give me a bit," HG said and already was pulling the towels off.

"Good Lord HG! Please!" William exclaimed and turned away. "Hope your not going to pull that on a starship!"

**Present day**

[Computer open log]

"Well it took a bit, and got a few gigs here and there and perhaps Fleet more or less forgave or forgot or figured easier to keep an eye on me someplace then have me a free agent.

I am not sure exactly how this is all going to work out. Scientist mate on a ship but hey it is a ship and if nothing else might be interesting at least for awhile and maybe I can pursue some work without too many prying eyes.

What was it that Akkadian lady told me....let me see, if I remember aright....
Ina’olua ‘e’ena ha’uli’ia a’ole’loa h’oa’o ‘ehue or something like that. I can't quite get all the trills and musical notes aright. Anyway, it translates to something like: 'If you are afraid of falling never try your wings'. Of course they do have wings, real ones, but the gist is the same, one should not be afraid to try new things even if it means failure and sometimes from failure we analyze why and then move forward to try again. Neat lady.

Anyway my transport is heading in so close this log out for now.

[Computer close log]

 

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