Saving Your Soul

It began as any ordinary day would, given that the Aquila was cruising about in hyper space. Crowe was seated at the command console about to enjoy a sip of morning coffee when they suddenly exited hyper space and one of his crewmembers announced a radio signal had pinged up on their display. It was a distress signal from what appeared to be a small unidentified ship.

Crowe's crew had grown used to the red-haired mans chivalrous nature thus they normally stopped at every instance of assistance. Giving the benefit of the doubt, as he usually did, Crowe heard the message and responded to this ships plea for assistance.

Unbeknownst to Crowe, his ship was about to become involved in the phantom affair but if the red-haired Earthling had known, he would have taken the same action regardless. Crowe was a man of honor and valor, but more than that he was a man with bad taste in humor.

While attempting to reach the damaged ship of the man named Lucien, a blast stuck his own ship. It was an ambush, but he didn't believe this Lucien character had set it up, it might just appear that way as Crowe was a very good judge of character and Lucien had clearly sounded sincere, especially his plea to help the women more than himself.

/How romantic./ Crowe thought to himself and was about to put forth every effort to save this man he hardly knew.

A reddish-black hued ship emerged from its ambush position and began to heavily fire upon his ship, but Crowe was lucky in the fact that his crew was well trained. They managed to avoid most of the shots, however they lacked the means of attacking back, at least none that would be any good unless they had gotten a lucky break, which wasn't looking promising. All they could do in the meantime was maneuver around and attempt to catch a moment's reprieve to rescue the other ships occupants.

As fate would have it, the black ship took notice of them both fending off its attacks and attempting to protect the ship and decided to ignore them and focus entirely on Lucien's ship. There was nothing more they could do, and the ship was destroyed but not without Lucien sharing his dying request and thanks.

"Damn!" Crowe cussed and slammed a fist onto the console.

"Sir, another incoming signal." One of his crew reported bringing up the map. A small dot appeared close to their location.

Another ship had apparently been shot down by this mysteriously aggressive black one. Since it was some distance off from the first, it wasn't clear if the two were related or if this was merely coincidence. This signal however, wasn't of distress, it was merely a tracking signal for other ships to detect its presence.

"Any signs of life on that ship?" Crowe asked thinking it might have been in the same situation, though unable to call for help. If the crew were even remotely alive he'd take the chance to rescue them.

"There's only one, sir." The crewman replied after several moments of quick tapping on computer keys.

"Do you think you can get close enough so that I can get inside?" Crowe asked in a serious manner. He may yet have a chance to save at least one life this day.

"I could swing around the far end of the ship and use it to block the oncoming shots but it's not going to hold out for long and our ship might encounter some shield damage." The crewman replied.

"Do it. I'll be as quick as I can, try your best to hold out until I return." Crowe said.

"Yes, sir." All of the crew answered in union this time.

It took a fair amount of time to lose the ominous black ship enough so that they would gain the maximum amount of time before it would find them and start their bombardment against them again. Hopefully, that would be enough to save whoever it was in that ship.

When the Aquila docked and the hatches opened Crowe had to pry open the other ships door, as it seemed the damage had knocked out all of the power to the ship. This wasted even more time then he had planned.

Finally getting inside he easily made his way onto the flight deck. Upon entering he noticed the crewmen strew about and the captain who was slumped against the console. He wasn't sure which one was the sole survivor out of the five he could see.

"Hello? I'm here to help so... just let me know which one of you is alive in someway." Crowe called out in his usually composed manner. Even with certain stresses he seemed to always be the calm and cool captain.

The red-haired man wasn't about to waste anymore time so he made a round, checking each man's pulse before ending with the captains. Upon approaching the man a strong, powerful arm gripped his.

Bingo! This was the survivor. "Come now, we don't have much time. I'll assist you." Crowe called to the grey haired captain urgently.

"Go without me. I will die with my crew." The gruff voice of the man said so quietly that it was almost hard for the red haired man to hear above all the electrical sparking.

"What? Don't be stupid, there's no use in dying here. Now let's get you up." Crowe said and attempted to pull or drag the man out of his seat.

"I do not deserve life. Who am I, to live on after my crew has already left this world?" The taller man said almost pitifully as he shoved Crowe violently away.

The grey haired man's golden eyes burned into Crowe's shimmering emerald ones. The captain could see emptiness mixed with a strange emotion he had never known nor could yet understand in those stern, unsetting eyes.

Crowe had the foresight enough to know there was not going to be any reasoning with this man, so he would have to take drastic measures. This man was not going to be happy with him later, but he came here to save his life and didn't intend to leave until they both had to escape.

So, Crowe took the man's weapon and using the staff end knocked him unconscious. The man was a lot heavier than his pale body made it seem and it took a great effort to haul him and his weapon back to the Aquila but that he did. Just in time as the ships barrier was about to give.

"Let's get the heck out of here! I'll be in after I put this man to rest, so it's up to you guys." Crowe spoke into the intercom that was placed in the armor of his chest the moment the hatch of his own ship closed.

The Aquila took off and eventually they were able to enter hyperspace, leaving the ominous black ship behind.

Crowe was now staring down, or up as the man was taller than himself, at the man he had just saved. They had been engaged in a staring contest the moment he had entered the room and neither seemed keen on the idea of losing.

After another ten minutes of this heated staring contest Crowe decided to speak up. "I don't understand why you refuse our help and your insistence on dying. I am not asking for thanks for even gratitude."

The Eldarian, for that is what he was, was at least polite enough to give his name and race, but had said nothing else to anyone and now the captain was standing before him, enduring his heated, hateful glare.

Crowe had many an idea of how to solve this problem, but nothing solid in his mind as of yet. He could tell his man had merit and was worth the trouble even if he was a little cold hearted. Thus Crowe decided to make it his duty to make the Eldarian feel welcome, and Crowe's idea of welcoming was… much akin to harassment.

"You and only you were saved." Crowe began. "Fate is a cruel mistress, and the future is always uncertain... but there is still something you must do before your soul is stolen away by death's cold embrace. If you truly are a soldier, you should use this chance to help, not only those around you, but yourself as well."

And with that Crowe left the man to his solitude. The red-haired man would never notice the snide smile on the grey haired man's face as he left.