Nick’s pain hit Lena like waves of hot plasma as she entered the shadowy space. Darkness obscured his features, but she could make out his hunched shoulders and thin frame.

 

If I don’t get him out now, he’s lost.

 

“Hello, Captain. You’re not easy to reach.”

 

“Who are you? Why are you here?” he demanded in a brittle voice.

 

“HQ sent me to bring you back.”

 

“I’m not going anywhere. My place is here with my crew.”

 

He’s deep in shadow. I need to rouse him.

 

“We both know that’s impossible.”

 

“What?”

 

“Your crew is gone, Captain.”

 

Fists clenched, he took a step toward her. “What did you say?”

 

“They all died in the crash.”

 

He staggered and burst into tears.

 

“It was my fault,” he sobbed. “If only I could go back.”

 

That’s a start. Easy does it.

 

“No, it wasn’t your fault, Nick.”

 

“Bullshit!” he yelled, receding a little into the murk.

 

“Nick, it was a freak accident. That solar flare was off the charts. It fried their control systems on the way down to Excelsior. If anyone is to blame, it’s the company. Our models failed to predict that level of solar activity.”

 

“I should’ve been on that shuttle,” he insisted.

 

The shadow won’t give him up easily. Concentrate, Lena.

 

“Look at me, Nick.”

 

He fixed her with haunted eyes.

 

“You were still weak from the accident. That’s why you stayed aboard to mind the ship. It was the right decision.”

 

“I have never lost one soul outside of combat,” he said, rage bubbling below the surface.

 

“Your military record is exemplary, one reason the company hired you to take command of this risky mission. Look how you saved the ship when that meteor shower knocked out a control module. You didn’t hesitate to go out to fix it and got a nasty radiation dose for your troubles. You’re a fine commander, Nick. HQ knows that, and they know that this tragedy wasn’t your fault. You did your job.”

 

He continued to stare at her, but his mind was elsewhere.

 

“I knew something would happen.”

 

A spark of awareness. Fan it!

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“In my gut, I knew something wasn’t right. I’ve never ignored my gut before.”

 

“But every leader has doubts, Nick.”

 

“No! You don’t understand! This mission was my retirement package. I chose to ignore my intuition for a fat paycheck. It was my fault!”

 

He’s facing his demons head-on. I need to turn up the heat.

 

“I don’t buy that. We are all here to make money, and Planet Excelsior’s mineral deposits are the motherlode. Your crew knew that too.”

 

“So what?”

 

“A big payday colors all our thoughts because we’re human. But you’re too good of a leader to let that cloud your judgment. Everyone knows that, and I think you do too.”

 

Nick wrestled with her words. Lena waited anxiously.

 

“I appreciate your candor,” he said at last, straightening his tunic. “And for coming here. But you should go now.”

 

Damn! The shadows still have him. Okay, it’s all or nothing.

 

“I’m not leaving without you.”

 

“What? I can make you leave.”

 

“So you can quit? Do you think your crew would want that?”

 

“They’re not in a position to want anything – are they?” he snapped.

 

“They would want you to carry on, Nick, to help other crews.”

 

“Please! Just go! This is insane!”

 

“No more than losing yourself in here.”

 

“But it’s not your mission!” he begged.

 

“It is now, Nick. Do you want to take me down with you?”

 

“No, of course not! But how can I leave? Where do I go?”

 

He’s stepping into the light. C’mon Nick, take my hand.

 

“I will show you. Take another step, Captain; it’s this way.”

 

Nick slumped, and she rushed to catch him before he fell back.

 

I got you, Nick – I got you.

 

* * *

 

She noted how Nick’s hands were rock-steady as he placed two cups of coffee on the canteen table.

 

“You left so abruptly. I wasn’t sure I’d see you again,” he said, sitting opposite her.

 

“I took a sabbatical. I needed it.”

 

“Guess I really put you through the grinder, didn’t I?”

 

She smiled warmly. “All part of the job.”

 

Lena explained how empaths absorb some of the trauma they encounter in clients and need time to recover after each case.

 

“You were catatonic when they brought you back from Excelsior. When you finally snapped out of it, you withdrew so deep into yourself that I wasn’t sure I had enough strength to penetrate your mind and rescue you. I almost failed.”

 

“But you didn’t, and I am eternally grateful for that,” he said, disarming honesty softening his serious manner.

 

“You’re welcome!”

 

“So, what’s your next case?”

 

She frowned and paused to collect her words. “There isn’t one.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“It’s getting hard for me to bounce back, Nick. I’ve been a trauma empath for too long and can’t handle it anymore. I just quit. No more mind missions for this gal.”

 

“Wow! What’ll you do? You’re still young and so full of life.”

 

“Thank you, kind sir!”

 

Nick sipped his coffee. “Y’know, we’re both space jockeys, you and I,” he said thoughtfully.

 

“Huh?”

 

“I’ve spent my career on missions to dangerous worlds. You’ve spent yours on missions to messed-up minds. I think I got the easier job!” he laughed.

 

“It’s so great to see that my last mission is such an unqualified success,” she said, basking in his good humor.

 

“I’m not there yet. Not by a long way.”

 

“That makes two of us.”

 

“Lena, the clinic is discharging me next month. I quit too. Like you, I can’t face another mission. We have long journeys ahead, and neither knows where we’re going. If you want a copilot, I’d be honored,” he said, touching her arm.

 

“That’s quite an offer, Captain. Let me think about it over dinner.”