I was feeling rather depressed tonight, so I thought I'd spend some time
updating volume 4, it having that kind of mood.  C&C would be much appreciated.

-----

				  *******
			       Blue Lightning
				  *******
				 Volume IV

			  (c) 1995 By Damon Casale


	The year is 2008.  Overcrowding, a totalitarian government, and 
vicious, constantly infighting intelligence agencies plague the world.  
It's not a nice place to live.

	I had a plan.  There was a way out, away from all of the worst 
humanity has to offer.  It was only a matter of time...


* Vacation


	I'd thought I'd left behind some of the pain and grief, during the 
wedding.  Chris and John certainly seemed happy enough, enjoying their 
secret smiles back and forth to one another when they thought no one was 
watching.  Spirits rode generally high during the next few days as Blue 
Lightning searched for a suitable place and time to begin the long journey 
back to Earth...

	On the viewscreen, a bluish gray planet circled slowly.  

	"Not exactly my idea of a vacation planet," John grumbled.
	"You two had your honeymoon already."  I smiled.  John was slowly 
returning to his old self, though he had managed to soften up to one person 
in particular.

	"Chris?"
	She puzzled over the ops screen.  "Low level lifeform readings.  
Marginally breathable atmosphere.  40 percent water.  Major cloud 
coverage."
	She frowned.  "Very chaotic EM readings.  It's got an ionosphere 
that would put a sun to shame."

	Jeremy absorbed that, and looked at me.  "I would suggest we don't 
go exploring this time.  Communications would be a major problem."
	He frowned at the planet.  "Doesn't look too inviting, anyway."

	Steve knew me better.  "Damon..."  He watched my expression as I 
mulled over taking a chance.  But this time, I thought it wise to agree 
with him.

	"All right.  Chris, find out where we are."
	"That's it, people."  I shrugged, and headed for the ladder.

**********

	On a distant, barely habitable planet, filled with priceless ore 
and minerals, a war was taking place.  But this war was as much in the 
minds of the combatants as in the economic savagery they inflicted on one 
another.  As the five of us gathered around the board, the friendly banter 
dropped away as the game progressed.

	"Bidding one hundred for the lab," Eric said.
	Ben shuffled through his cards.  "One oh four."
	I passed.
	"One oh nine," Jeremy said.
	John passed.
	It was back to Eric again.  "One ten."
	"I pass."
	Jeremy nodded.  "One fifteen."
	Eric sighed.  "You can have it."

	Jeremy took the `Laboratory' card, smiling.  "New chemicals 
factories!"

	"All right," Eric sighed.  He'd have to settle for something else.  
"Bidding sixty on the microbiotics lab."


	We relaxed.  Playing `Outpost' was fun, but I still lost, in the 
end.  I always do.


	"So how does it feel to be married?"  Ben folded up the board, and 
closed the box.
	"I'm not sure yet.  Give me a year or so."
	"Chris seems to have mellowed a bit.  So've you, I think."

	John looked at me, deadpan.  "Don't bet on it."

	Jeremy chuckled.  "You two make a great couple."
	He tried to hide a smirk.

	"Don't know `bout you guys, but I'm hungry."  Eric stood up to 
leave.
	"We could order pizza," I said, shrugging.
	He stuck his head back through the door.  "Yeah, but it wouldn't 
get here in thirty minutes or less."

**********

	I flopped onto my bed, and smiled, letting the soft pillow absorb 
the ache in my shoulders as they slowly relaxed.  John's married, I 
thought.  Nick has a baby.  Hmmm.  I wonder if Steve...naah.

	Guess it's too bad I've got to wait.

	What a surprise, I thought as the door slid open.
	"It was either here or the park."  Steve sat down.
	"What's on your mind?"
	"I was going to ask you that."  He gave me a knowing look.

	"Not much.  Just thinking.  Chris, married.  Andrea, married.  You 
know."
	He grinned.  "I don't think so, D."

	"Why not?  It's not like you're God's gift to women or anything."
	"Heh.  Maybe not, but I like being unattached."
	"Maybe Beth'll change your mind someday."

	He looked away.  "I know how you feel.  I wish she were here, too."
	"Someday."

	Now that's an interesting thought.  "Wish we had a roller rink.  I 
haven't been skating in a while."
	"What brings this up?"
	"Kerin and I used to skate a lot.  She was never the gossipy, stay-
at-home type."  I smiled.  "Course, her job didn't allow for that."
	"Guess not."

	I stood up.  "C'mon."
	"Where're we going?"
	"I don't know.  Gotta do something."
	"Chess?"
	I shook my head.  "Nah.  You'd probably beat me."

**********

	John gazed at the viewscreen, watching the planet roll by below, as 
enigmatic as ever.  "Any ideas yet?"
	"Still in the Milky Way, I think.  Exactly where, I don't know 
yet."  Chris's fingers danced over the controls.

	"I don't know about you, but I hope we're out here for a while.  
Earth is nice,
but--"
	"I've had my fill already.  I don't care if we never get back."
 
	He looked at her, startled, and started playing doctor again.  
"Well, I've still got a few friends I'd like to see again sometime."
	"Not me."
	"Seriously?  No one at all?"
	She stopped, looking up at him.  "The only one I care about is 
right here."

	He smiled.  And stopped playing doctor, getting a little more 
personal.

	The console beeped.

	They separated.  She frowned back at ops, then stared.  "What the 
hell?"
	"What is it?"
	"Just for an instant, a coherent signal, coming from the planet."

	He chewed on that for a moment.  "Where?"
	Chris replayed the log, while he headed for the communications 
console.  "Let's see..."
	"Damon, you there?"
	"Wrong room," Eric said.
	"Sorry."
	He tried another button.  "Damon?"

	John?  What are you calling me on the communicator for?"
	I think you should get up here."
	"Problem?"
	"No...not really."

	"I'll be up in a minute."  My voice came low and deadly serious 
through the tinny speaker.

	Chris motioned him over.  "Something else.  Take a look."
	She pointed at the screen.
	"What is it?"
	"Some sort of structure.  Can't be too sure.  This planet's not 
cooperating very well."
	"Hmmm...lifeforms?"

	"I'm not reading any, but that's not saying much."

	I climbed off of the ladder.  "All right, what do you have?"
	"See for yourself."

	I stared at the screen, thinking.  Then I looked back at John.  
"Think we should take a look?"
	"No, but that never stopped you before."

  
* Captain's Holiday


	I'd changed my mind, obviously.  This made Steve unhappy, but Chris 
seemed almost overjoyed that we'd be exploring another planet.  So much so, 
that...

	"You sure you want to come?"  I asked.
	Chris harrumphed.  "You kidding?  When was the last time I got away 
team duty?"

	We walked into the shuttlebay, while Chris hammered at me with 
argument after argument, until I finally gave in.  She was too persistent 
to try to talk sense into her.  But then, I wasn't one to be talking.

	"I can't guarantee we'll be able to reach you once you're down 
there."  Jeremy looked pensive.
	"I'm bringing a flare gun.  If we need help, we'll use it."
	Steve smirked.  "Whatever works..."


	"Atmosphere in three seconds..."  Chris murmured from the nav 
console of the scoutcraft.

	On the viewscreen, the planet slowly grew closer.

	The scoutcraft shuddered slightly, and plunged through a layer of 
dirty, grayish clouds.
	Steve sighed.  "What a drab planet."
	"We were lucky to find a class M at all.  Type F suns don't usually 
have them," Chris spat out.

	Suddenly, the ship shuddered and rocked wildly, falling faster 
through the dim gray mists.
	"What the..."
	"Lightning strike," she breathed.  Her back tensed, as she visibly 
fought with the controls.

	I peered at my console, then looked at the viewscreen again, as the 
land reappeared below out of the clouds.  "We got hit bad.  Over half the 
gravdiscs are out, and the generators are having trouble dumping the excess 
energy."
	"You can't just turn them off?"  John asked, worried.

	"Not now.  We'll run a bit hot for a while.  But I'm more worried 
about landing."
	Steve stared at me.  "It's that bad?"
	"Worse.  We can't get back to the ship as it is.  Strap in, it's 
gonna be a rough landing."

	Steve and John found empty chairs, and we strapped in.  Always 
wondered why they didn't have seatbelts on Star Trek.  Not that I needed to 
worry about that now.

	The ground grew huge, spreading out before us.  The structure, now 
revealed as ruins, shot by beneath the ship.
	The scoutcraft began to shake alarmingly, as it brushed against 
some of the highest treetops.  Suddenly, a thicker tree appeared out of the 
mist--

	The scoutcraft was hanging down at about a 30 degree angle, and the 
viewscreen was dark.  John rolled himself out of his chair.  Moments later, 
Steve pulled himself up, and stood as well.
	They glanced at each other.

	John climbed down the tilted floor carefully, and braced himself 
against ops.  He looked Chris over, then finally turned her 
head...revealing a bloody gash in her cheek.
	"Shit."
	"Only a bruise here."  Steve bent over my prone form.

	John pulled open a panel in a nearby wall, taking out a medkit.  
Pulling out a bandage and a small pad, he daubed at the gash, wiping away 
most of the blood.

	Steve straightened up.  "What next?"
	"There isn't much we can do."
	He nodded, not too happy with that.  "We're probably not on the 
ground."
	"That'll only make things harder.  We certainly can't repair this.  
I doubt even Jeremy could, if he were here."

	Steve shook me.  "Come on, D.  Wake up."
	He shook me a little harder.  I moaned.

	"Ow. What..."
	I looked around.

	"Is she gonna be okay?"  I finally managed.
	"She'll be fine," John replied.  "But what about us?"

	I looked down at the floor.  "I don't know.  Getting down is going 
to be a problem."
	"Getting down?  Try getting back."  Steve glared at me.
	I looked up at him.  "One step at a time."

	"John, get whatever you think we'll need.  Medkit, rations, etc."
	"We don't have much."

	I stood up, balancing on the angled floor.  "I think we have some 
rope somewhere..."

	John looked down at Chris.  "What about her?"
	"She'll be safer here--"

	The ship rocked gently, slipping down a bit further.  The wind 
screamed fiercely outside.

	"On second thought, she comes with us."

	She stirred, then sat up and blinked a moment later, looking 
around.

	"At least we're still in one piece."
	She felt her cheek, rubbing the bandage tenderly.  "Mostly."

	"All right, let's go."


	Outside, the rope uncoiled and fell away into the mist.  Chris and 
John started down from the crashed scoutcraft, now wedged in between the 
top of one tree and the trunk of another.
	The scoutcraft slipped a little further down the trunk.

	"Hurry!," I shouted as I climbed down after them.  Steve followed 
me.  Both of us, and John, were loaded down with backpacks full of 
equipment, rappelling down the ropes with reckless abandon.

	Somewhere below, Chris called out.  "We're down."

	And then the scoutcraft was falling, almost right on top of us.
	We jumped.  "Watch out!," I yelled.  It felt like forever, as we 
slowly...drifted out from under the belly of the ship, as the ground rushed 
up to meet us.

	We hit the ground, rolling.  Behind us, the scoutcraft came 
tumbling down.  It hit with a sickening crunch, almost totally crushing one 
end, and just barely missing the four of us.

	I rolled over and sat up, looking at the ship.  "This could be a 
problem."

	Steve checked himself for bruises, then stood up and dusted himself 
off.  "Nice holiday, D."
	I glared back at him.

	Chris shivered, looking at the darkening sky.  "It'll be night 
soon.  And it'll be raining soon, too."
	I nodded.  "We'll head for those ruins, and hole up there."  I 
didn't want to think about anything else, for the moment.

	As we trudged away from the scoutcraft, my voice drifted away in 
the moaning wind.  "I don't know *how* we're gonna get out of this one."


	The rain was cascading down in sheets, ice cold, driving away what 
little warmth there might have been.  Above, the sky was darkening quickly.  
Thunder rumbled ominously across the heavy clouds.

	We ran through a large hole in the wall of one of the ruined 
buildings.

	For a moment, the room was nearly silent, save for the wind and 
rain outside, and the ragged breathing in the darkness.
	Steve clicked on a flashlight.

	The far wall was intricately carved, covered with designs and 
figures.  A rusted door was set into it, slightly ajar.

	Chris just stared.  "What was this, a temple?"
	Steve shrugged.  "Don't know."

	The rest of the room was pretty much bare, aside from a sizable 
amount of greenery covering the floor.

	"All right.  Steve, up against that wall.  You're doorguard.  John, 
clear an area on the floor here.  I'm going out for some firewood."

	Steve propped himself against the wall, next to the door.

	Chris walked over.  "I'm coming with you."
	John looked up, the room suddenly starkly lit by a flash of 
lightning outside.
	"You sure?"  I asked, noting the look on his face.

	"Stop asking stupid questions.  Let's go."

	John watched her as we walked away into the stormy night.
	"I hope she'll be all right," he breathed.
	"I wouldn't worry too much.  Damon can only get us into so much 
trouble."
	John looked back at Steve.
	Steve smiled.  "I think he's done for tonight."

	John stood before the hole, staring off into the night, hoping the 
storm was all he had to worry about.


* Night Out


	The planet slowly circled below, gray and silent, as the crew 
debated the whereabouts of the planetbound party.

	"It's been three hours.  I'm worried."  Jeremy frowned.  "I hope 
it's just the storm.  They should have signaled by now."
	"If they did, we probably wouldn't have gotten it.  That storm is 
really messing things up," Lucky said.  He keyed in an autoscan for the 
scoutcraft's com frequency, then shugged helplessly.

	Andrea gazed at the screen.  "I wonder what's down there."
	"Lots of plant life, but very little animal life, from what I can 
scan."

	"I'd like to go, but..."
	Jeremy shook his head solemnly.  "It's way too dangerous."
	"I know.  But I can't stand not knowing..."

	Jeremy thought for a long moment.  "If we don't hear from them by 
tomorrow, we'll wait for the storm to pass and send down a search party."  
He looked at her.  "I don't think you should go, though."
	"Please?"

	"It's your decision.  But since we don't know what's down there--"
	"But that's why I want to go."  Without saying a word, she pleaded 
for him to understand.

	He sighed.  "Are you sure Nick will be all right, with Tyler?"
	She nodded.  "I've been stuck up here for too long.  I want to see 
a planet, for once."

	They faced the viewscreen, silently gazing at the enigma below.

**********

	Chris and I dashed through the hole, out of the rain, and dumped an 
armload of wet tinder each on the ground.
	Steve looked at me, and raised an eyebrow.

	"What are you waiting for?"
	"You expect to be able to light that?"  He asked.
	"We can try.  Would you?"

	He pulled out his laser, and fired it nonchalantly at the smaller 
pile of tinder.  For a moment, it just smoked and supttered.  Finally, a 
few weak tongues of flame appeared.

	We sat down, cold, wet, and miserable.
	"All right, let's eat."

	I rummaged through a backpack, and pulled out a few food packets, 
some cups, and a pan.  A moment later, the pleasant aroma of sizzling meat 
and vegetables wafted through the room.

	"WACHOO!!"

	Steve glared at me.  "Watch it.  Fine, that's yours."
	I sniffled.  "Sorry."

	A bit of rainwater collected from outside, and the stew bubbled and 
popped invitingly.

	"What are we gonna do?"
	I looked at Steve.  "Tomorrow, if the storm lets up, we'll fire 
that flare gun of yours."
	"Great.  One more scoutcraft down, but at least we can get back to 
the ship."
	I shook my head.  "We're sticking around.  I'll be getting more 
supplies, and a team down here to explore the ruins."

	He grimaced.  "You never learn, do you?"

	"I'll want the scoutcraft repaired too, if possible.  We only have 
two more, besides the flitter."

	I poured the stew into a cup, and handed the pan to Chris, who 
started on her own stew.  "I think I'll stick around."
	John shrugged, not wanting to argue.  "Same."
	Steve sighed.  "If I didn't have a job to do..."

	For several minutes, the sound of simmering meat and vegetables, 
and the howling of the wind and rain outside, were the only sounds in the 
room.

	"ACHOOO!"

	Chris sniffled.
	I smiled at her, chuckling.

	My nose itched again -- "WACHOO!"
 
	She laughed, and grinned wryly.

**********

	The air was misty, and it was still fairly dark outside.  The rain 
had finally stopped, leaving the wind to moan softly through the trees.

	John stirred, and sat up.  Everyone else was still asleep.
	He stood by the hole, looking out into the morning fog.  Thinking.

	Chris joined him shortly.  "Beautiful, isn't it?"
	He nodded.  "And a bit frightening."
	She frowned at him, puzzled.  "Why frightening?"
	"I'm not one for wanting to explore the unknown."

	He smiled slightly.  "Peace and quiet appeals to me.  That's one 
reason I became a doctor.  It's a little harder to get hurt in this line of 
work."
	She smiled back, and...

	Steve tapped John on the shoulder.
	They started, separating.
	"Good morning."

	John smiled sheepishly, and they walked back inside.

	A booted foot jabbed at me.  I moaned and rolled over, trying to 
find sleep again.
	"Come on, that's long enough."

	Steve found my shoulderblade with his boot.
	"Ow.  I'm awake already."  I sat up, rubbing my eyes, and 
stretched.
	"Good morning.  We're up early," I yawned.
	"Now that you're awake..."

	I stood, dusting myself off.  "Right.  Where's that flare gun?"
	Steve reached inside his coat, and produced a short, stubby pistol.
	"Let's go, then."


	The sky was clearing up, and the mist had all but dissipated.  It 
was turning out to be a bright, sunny morning.

	I pointed.  "Look!"
	Steve nodded, and raised the flare gun.

**********

	Andrea smiled.  "Look!"
	"I see it."  Jeremy tapped away at ops.
	Eric nodded.  "That's them, all right."

**********

	Chris frowned, gazing after the scoutcraft.  "Where are they 
going?"
	"They can't land here.  Not enough room."
	She started off into the woods.  "Then come on."
	I smiled.  "Yes, ma'am."


	Jeremy, Eric, and Andrea were waiting for us, as we walked out of 
the woods.
	"Am I glad to see you guys."
	Jeremy frowned.  "What happened?"
	"The storm caught us by surprise.  We got hit by lightning."  Chris 
harrumphed, and shook her head.
	"How bad?"

	I looked back at the forest.  "Our scoutcraft crashed back there.  
We were lucky."
	"And I'm supposed to fix it, right?"
	Eric quirked a grin.  "Can't you be more careful with your toys?"
	I grinned back.  Someone chuckled softly.

	"I'll see what I can do.  I'll need some things from the ship."
	I nodded.  "All right.  We'll also need some supplies.  We'll be 
here a while."
	"I'd like to explore those ruins."  I paused, lost in thought.

	"Let's get back to the ship, then."

	Andrea gazed into the forest.  "What was it like?"
	"The ruins?"
	She nodded quickly.

	"We didn't see much.  If you want, you can come along next time."
	"Do you mind if I stay here?"  She looked back at me, questioning.

	"Eric, do you mind sticking around?"
	"No problem," he said.

	I climbed into the ship.  "See you later, then.  Meet us back here 
in three hours.  Have fun."
	She smiled, and waved.

	The ramp closed, and my voice echoed from inside.  "I need a 
shower..."


* Accident


	I dragged onto the bridge, and found Ben sat draped over ops, 
snoring loudly.

	I poked him lightly.  He started awake and glared at me.  I smiled.  
"Sleep well?"
	"Don't *do* that."

	"You were supposed to be keeping an eye on things, not sleeping."
	"Yeah, whatever.  Nothing was going to happen, anyway."

	I sighed.  "Ben..."
	He yawned, stretching, and sitting up.

	"Go on.  Send Ben Peal up here."

	He got to his feet and stumbed towards the ladder, passing Jeremy.
	Jeremy nodded, and walked over.  "I'm almost ready.  I've got about 
twenty gravdiscs loaded.  But I'm going to need help with this."
	"All right.  Your recruit went that way."  I pointed at the ladder.
	"More than that."

	"Okay, I'll help too, I guess."
	"Thanks."
	"Anything else?"
	"No, that's all.  See you in a few minutes."  He headed back down 
the ladder.

**********

	Eric shone his flashlight through the hole.  "Looks safe enough."

	The two of them stepped inside, and walked through the door.  
Rusted though it was, it barely squeaked, and opened easily.
	Sunlight shone down through the ceiling, which had collapsed long 
ago.  They skirted the rubble, and continued on into a large chamber.

	"Ugly looking."
	Eric stared at a huge pair of statues dominating the far wall of 
the chamber.  With three legs, large, clawed feet, three small eyes, and 
wide, toothy mouths, they weren't very attractive.  "I wouldn't want to 
meet one."
	"Neither would I."

	Eric tried to ignore the statues, looking around the room.  Other 
than a large pile of rubble, where a pillar had collapsed, there wasn't 
much to see.
	Meanwhile, Andrea tugged at a bit of metal pipe protruding from the 
rubble.

	"Decision time."
	Eric looked back, noticing Andrea.
	"Come take a look at this."  The pipe had a small bulb of metal at 
one end.

	Eric nodded.  "Whoever lived here was good at metalworking."  That 
meant a great deal, he knew.  It seemed a shame they'd happened on this 
civilization rather too late.

	They stood, and Eric pointed at the doors at opposite sides of the 
room.
	"Let's go left," she said.

	Moments later the room was empty.

	Empty, that was...except for the monkeylike hand holding the other 
door ajar.  The three-legged figure let out a long breath, and let the door 
shut.

	The two of them walked down a dark corridor.
	"I don't like this," Andrea whispered.

	A few yards later, the room opened up a bit.  The floor was covered 
with filthy blackish gray rodents, which shrieked piteously at the light.
	Andrea screamed.  The rats scattered everywhere, some coming 
towards them to get away from the flashlight beam.

	"Come on!  There's another door through here!"

	They ran, through the screaming mass of rats, chittering and 
grinding pointed teeth.

	The door slammed behind them.

	Andrea breathed a ragged sigh.  "Sorry, I just can't stand rats."
	"Or whatever they were."

	Eric led the way down the corridor.  "Maybe we should---yaaah!"
	The flashlight clattered below, shattering.  And the corridor was 
black.  Livid, clammy...pitch black.

	"Eric?"
	Andrea sobbed softly.  "Eric!!?"

	She collapsed on the cold stone, as the tears flowed freely.  For 
the first time in her life, she felt totally helpless and alone.

**********

	The scoutcraft descended through the gray, billowing clouds.

	"Remind me to kill you later, Damon."

	Steve looked at me.  "You *know* I hate the humidity.  It's like 
trying to breathe through a straw with holes in it, underwater."
	"Sorry.  There's not much I can do about it."

	The forest appeared below, growing closer.

	I frowned, my brow knitting.
	"Where are they?"  Chris murmured.


	The scoutcraft settled to the ground, and into a thin blanket of 
mist.  The exit ramp lowered, followed by a small, increasingly nervous 
group.

	No one was in sight.  "Not good."

	"Over there."  Jeremy pointed.  A lone figure ran through the 
trees.

	The six of us rushed into the forest, now dreading what awaited.

	Andrea, dusty, winded, and sobbing heavily, found and clung to 
Chris.
	"What happened?"

	After several long moments, she gathered what was left of her 
voice.
	"Eric..."
	She slowly took a breath.  "He fell, and..."

	It was all she could bear.  A new wave of sobbing wracked her, and 
she hugged at Chris tightly.
	Chris said nothing, letting a hand rest on Andrea's shoulder.

	"This planet is beginning to get to me," I growled.

	Andrea finally pulled away from Chris, reluctantly, and looked up.
	John held out a steady hand.  "Can you show us where he is?"
	She nodded.  "I'll...try."


	We made our way through the forest, and back into the ruins.  The 
statues leered their hungry grins, laughing silently.

	"Be careful of the rats..." she whispered in a quavering voice.

	I nodded back at her.  And looked...

	The other door slammed shut.
	"Did you see--"

	I looked at the statues again, trying to steady myself inside.  "As 
if we didn't have enough to deal with already..."

Damon Casale, scyth@andrew.cmu.edu

				* Love *
                 Between two people, there is nothing that
                      can draw them closer together