Chapter Text
"Did I stutter?” The gunnery captain’s cold tone sent a shiver down Martin’s spine, “I thought I told you to fire, Staltz.”
“But- Ma’am they’re defenseless! We already won, can’t we just let them go?”
Madeline paused for a moment, almost considering it before shaking her head. “Do you think they’d do the same for us? We’re outlaws Martin, it comes with the territory,” She sighed, putting a firm hand on her subordinate's shoulder, “Besides, I'm not asking you to kill anyone, you just need to destroy the engine block.”
“That’s going to leave them helpless, stuck in the middle of nowhere! How is that any better than just finishing the job now?”
“Well, if you think that’d be better that's your call. Either way it’s going to be a rail cannon shot, starving, or those damned weeds,” Her grip tightened on the gunner's shoulder, “Make a choice Staltz. You know what’ll happen if you give them the chance to chase us down.”
The gunner gave a solemn nod as Madeline left him to his decision. As much as she hated upsetting him some things just had to get done. As she moved away from the gunner’s deck, the recoil from the rail cannon shook the flimsy decks of the Terra Nova hard. One less thing to worry about, one less ship threatening her sector.
Continuing down the halls of her ship’s upper deck, she stopped outside one of the larger doors, marked with a red cross, haphazardly painted on to symbolize the medical ward. She couldn’t help but hesitate; behind the door laid what her future would be.
As much as Madeline acted it, she wasn’t the captain of the Terra Nova at all. That job fell upon the potentially dying man in the room before her, having taken a couple plasma rounds in today's raid. It was really anyone’s guess if he was still alive, much less able to lead.
Madeline took a deep breath and pushed her way into the room.
“Ah! Maddie, just the bloodthirsty gunner I was hoping to see!”
Relief washed over her as she made her way to the wounded man occupying one of the medical tables, “Really? And here I thought you preferred Martin.”
“Don’t get me wrong the lad's a great shot,” the man hushed his voice into an exaggerated whisper, “but between you and me, I think he’s going a lil’ soft on us!”
Maddie rolled her eyes as her captain laughed at his own joke.
“Oh c’mon! Have a sense of humor! You’re not the one sittin’ here with a hole in yer gut, are ya?”
“Speaking of, how are you holding up Captain?”
“Just peachy ~!”
She sighed at her captain’s sarcasm, “Tads give me a report on the captain’s vital signs”
Seconds after she spoke, the ships ai spurred to life over the intercom, “Captain’s vital signs are stable, though his wounds are likely to worsen without rest.”
“Thanks Tads,” She turned back to the wounded man in front of her “See? Would that have been so hard to say?”
“Bah, I’m not hearing it. Just a couple pistol holes won’t be enough to keep brave ol’ Captain Hendricks from running his ship!” He tried sitting up, only to fall into a fit of coughing as Maddie laid him back down.
“Uh-huh… unless you’re planning on doing that from the med bay, you might want to think of something temporary while you’re stuck with the whole ‘trying not to die’ thing.”
“Now, my extremely loyal first mate wouldn’t be trying to hint at something… Especially not while her cap’n is in such a fragile state, hmmm?” Hendricks chuckled to himself.
“I’m just thinking, who else should take the reins while you’re out of commission, cap? Hells what if you didn’t make it this time, then who would we have to lead?”
“Aye, I know lass. I’ve heard it a million times already. Always so worried, can’t I go one full cycle without hearing about your old man kicking the bucket?”
“Maybe, if you started taking this seriously! You’re getting old, Captain. A lot of the crew is starting to worry you’re not gonna make it another few raids.” Maddie rubbed the bridge of her nose with her fingers, shoving her glasses off her eyes as her other hand anxiously brushed through her messy curly hair, “ I’m starting to worry, James”
The man sighed, combing through his graying beard with a bandaged hand. “Alright, fine. I guess it’s about time I took a break anyway. Listen Espinosa, how ‘bout I make ye acting Captain, till the hole in me becomes… well whole again?”
“Ah! Of course, Captain!” Madeline’s excitement was hard to contain. It was taking every piece of willpower in her body to act calm. She’d dreamed of being a Captain since she’d been young, and as much as she respected and cared for Hendricks, there were a lot of changes she wanted to make without his input.
“I’ll make sure to do you and the Terra Nova proud”
“Mhmm, just don’t ding up my ship too bad, okay?” He rolled onto his side without waiting for a response, and in a few moments the med bay was filled with the captain’s low snores.