8.

Diary of Brandon Michaels,

Thursday November 1st, 2097.

It is definitive. We have a saboteur or saboteurs on board. First, we had that attack on the chief engineer and the chief pilot then the sabotage attempt on the ships booster system. A virus had been inserted into the computer system to prevent it from operating at full capacity or in any capacity. It had gone undetected until it was too late though in a way it backfired. The booster came online and went into operation but had to be manually shut down, so the system actually did work. I am sure that the sabotage attempt had intended for the booster system not to become activate at all.

Since we are now well and truly on our way, there may not be any further AEEG activity, but such a thing cannot be taken for granted. Thankfully, the virus has totally been eradicated. It is done and dusted. Eradicating the saboteur or saboteurs may be an entirely different thing, especially if they do not carry out any further attacks. We shall see how things go.

In all, and away from anything trying to prevent an amazing journey from occurring, we seem to have the makings of a great crew here though the short length of time being aboard this great vessel does not allow for much more than attaining first impressions. With all that being said, space travel, sabotage and first impressions are not the only things on my mind at the moment.

In the three days since our booster system 'malfunction' I have had some recruiting to do. We do not or did not have a proper full on security presence aboard our new home, what is in place or what had been put in place, is certainly not even close to the levels I would be comfortable with; I guess the world council didn't think that on board ship security would be a top priority, odd really given my observations prior to becoming space bound.

The ship has so many inhabitants that only a very small fraction of those aboard actually have tasks to perform. On recommendation I have received from Robert and Simon, I have had a chat with several people and have tasked a couple of brothers with putting together a stronger security presence and to ensure that ship wide security system is available twenty-four seven to deal with whatever may arise.

Anyway, enough of all that for now, moving away from ship's business, I had that dream again last night, the dream where I am alone at the center of a crossroads. Nighttime, full moon, clear sky, the stars are shining bright, with there being no breeze flowing whatsoever. It all feels so real as if it were something actually happening.

My voice still echoes when I call out. Once again, a dark silhouette of a figure appears and begins to approach me. I still cannot make out who it is but this time that person got a little closer to me than before. I was able to make out that the shaded figure is a female. I wake up before she can come close enough for me to see properly or to properly try and make out what she could possibly look like.

I do not know why I am having this dream or what it means but I am sure that whatever its relevance, if it even has any relevance, all will be revealed in time or at least I hope this will be the case. I can however only try not to dwell on it too much. There are other things that demand my attention more than a damned recurring dream.

With my memory often giving me such a hard time, something will need to be done for when it decides to leave me altogether, so I have invited Maria to dine with me tonight. Since I am in charge of all that is ..., I think I should appoint a second in command. There is no chain of command or anything like that here at all. This whole thing and everything about it just came together so quickly, well for me it did, anyway I guess some things were overlooked, whether that be intentional or not I don't know.

I guess too that the world council really were quite eager to set things in motion, can't blame them I suppose, maybe by coming after me they knew I would get stuck in and sort out the bits and ends that need to be decided. Other than having a few people in charge of certain areas and having many others who have specific tasks there is no command system other than myself being in control of making key decisions.

There will be times when decisions will need to be made when I am indisposed or having myself a moment. I may have made a decision to set up some full-on security but when the time comes, someone else will need to take control, someone else will need to make those key decisions.

I do not know very much about Maria, but I like her attitude and commitment. She is pleasant to be around and seems to have a good sense of humour. Maybe after dinner I may have a better idea as to if she would be a good choice or not to become a second in command so to speak. However, I do not want to lose myself with Maria's likeness to Florence or allow that to influence my decision.

9.

Brandon thought it inappropriate that he and Maria should eat in his quarters; he also considered the mess hall to be an inappropriate venue to discuss any ship business, so the strategy room was the most logical choice of venue especially seeing how it was within this strategy room where the main operating crew first ate together.

Both Brandon and Maria sat towards one end of the rather long meeting table, a stainless-steel worktop which can flip and turn each seated area into a workstation, while also ensuring they sit opposite to each other. Their food was brought to them and served as it had been the last time they both ate in this room. Maria began with a salad while Brandon began making a mess cutting into the bread roll which accompanied his beef and tomato soup. Maria observed the mess Brandon was making and tried not to appear to be as amused by this as she actually was.

'The reason I asked you here Maria is that I need to set up a chain of command, as it is right now there is no one person or system in place or line to take over from me if something were to happen to me. Same goes as for there being any one person in particular next in line to make a decision if I for some reason am unavailable, I would like to get your thoughts.'

Maria finished what she was eating before she spoke.

'Well, if you are considering me, I am flattered but I do not have any experience in command and I hope that you are not expecting something to happen to you anytime soon.'

'No, I most definitely don't' Brandon smiles, but his smile did not stay on his face long at all and he looked away before continuing, 'it is just that anyone on board with command experience as far as I am aware, already has a command post; me and you, or you and I, well we will be working together so it is only logical that I make you the ships second in command.'

'You know what? I would actually like to take you up on your offer, but I would much rather put that thought to the rest of the crew first, I am sure that there would most likely be someone else who may like to put their name forward for such a position, besides, I wouldn't want to create any animosity among the crew. It is one thing to be given such a position but totally another thing to have the backing of those around us.'

'Good, I will put it out there and see what comes back. There is one thing that still bothers me though.'

'What would that be?' asked Maria already half expecting what was about to come.

'I would just like to know what was wrong with your original name that you felt the need to change it.'

'Ha, you are not going to get it out of me that easily. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it. I have told you why I took the name Maria. It is something which means so very much to me and it will live with me forever.'

'So, you are not going to tell me what your former name is?' asks Brandon with an extra-large grin on his face.

'Eh, no' says Maria with a challenging giggle.

It was early the following day when Brandon arrived back into the command center. He thought that it was as good a time as any to put forward a proposal. Already in the command station prior to Brandon's arrival were Maria, Simon, and Jeffery as well as three others manning the ships computers and stations.

'Morning guys.'

The responses were returned one by one as Brandon glanced around the room.

'Before any rumours begin, I would like to state that I am looking to set up a proper chain of command. I would like to find someone to work closely with, someone others can go to with anything which may need a decision to move forward on, someone who could be and would be a second in command so to speak. Anyone looking to put their name forward for consideration in this matter please feel free to do so.'

Initially there was no response. Brandon slowly walked a few feet, gave the room another quick glance in an attempt to gauge the silence and then Jeffery speaks.

'I don't mean to seem to be out of line sir, but isn't it obvious that you have already got this position of a second in command filled?'

Brandon pauses for a moment as he looks over at Jeff who is sitting a little under a third of the room away and over at the second piloting station.

'It is true Jeff, that I did and still do have someone in mind for that position but nothing as of yet is set in stone.'

'Sir, it is alright. I can speak for those of us here as we have discussed it already. Your decision is fine by us.'

There are smiles on the faces of those in the room including the makings of one growing on Brandon himself and one has even set in on Maria's face by the time Brandon gets to look in her direction.

'Don't look at me, I never said anything' speaks Maria responding to Brandon's glance while also still smiling.

'By the way ...' adds Brandon as he moves to exit the command center, 'it's Colonel, I don't want or expect to be called sir.'

'Yes sir' Jeff said after the colonel had moves beyond the exit.

Jeff's words relating to the decision Brandon wanted to make, has already made, reverberates each time Brandon was to bring up such discussions with others on their thoughts on the chain on command. So, it was and is to be sorted. Maria was to be and is to become the ships second in command.