The Untold Story of Lady Robby Coffman: A Prequel to the Evolution Series

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Act Five: Torn and Broken Hearts

Slipping her coat on, she stopped to stare at herself in the half mirror in her private cabin. Robbie still felt uneasy. It had been several days now since she had the argument with Kerry about her father and his threat towards them. She harbored a persistent, though faint, belief that his noble nature would make him follow through.

The door slid open, making her turn to find Karla stepping in, alarmed. “Lieutenant Tisseryre just contacted me from the bridge. Kerry just stepped inside it and is confronting your father.”

“What, no! Damn him!” Robbie yelled, running out the door as Karla backed out, then followed her. The two running down the corridor around the corner to the nearest travel tube, crashing against the back wall grabbing a hold of the inside pull bars pulling themselves up one deck to the command deck coming out.

Robbie stumbled, falling twice, switching from zero-gravity of the travel tube back to the gravity of the deck, getting back up to run down the corridor around the corner. Her boots hammered on the metal decking as she ran. Fear made her heart beat rapidly in her chest.

Soon as she stepped through the bulkhead to the bridge, she witnessed the entire bridge crew standing around at their stations all facing her father and Kerry as the two talked. Walking around from behind Roman, who stood close to the bulkhead, his head tilted back and chest thrust out. He took a deep breath, watching what unfolded before him.

A terrifying roar shattered the silence. Her father’s body tensed as he violently ripped his cutlass from its sheath, the metallic scent sharp in the air as the blade rose menacingly between them. Kerry’s eyes closed.

“No!”

Her scream ripped through the air just as the cutlass, flashing wickedly in the light, found its mark in Kerry’s chest with a sickening, crunching thud. She watched, paralyzed with horror, as he coughed violently, his eyes fluttering open for a moment before he collapsed to his knees. Her father brutally ripped it out, sending him sprawling backward. He crashed onto the deck, his body rolling to a stop on his back, his limbs jerking in one last, convulsive spasm as he exhaled his final breath.

Roman spun around, his movements a blur, catching her as she lunged towards her father, her Valkyrie drawn, the polished steel gleaming in the dim light.

“No! You killed him!”

A desperate struggle ensued as she fought against the restraining hands of the other officers, her eyes fixed on him. With a sharp twist, her knife was pried from her grasp, her arms pinned roughly behind her back.

“Get her off my bridge and take that away!” Scott yelled, pointing at her with the cutlass still covered in Kerry’s blood. “Least now you will listen to me!”

Hysterical screams tore from her throat as Karla aided Roman in hoisting her from the bridge, her limbs flailing, reaching for the man she loved that now lay dead on the deck.

“You should be thankful he met his end as a man and spared your life!”

“I’ll kill you!” Her high-pitched scream tore through the air from Robbie as her father vanished from view, as Roman carried her backward off the bridge.

No sooner than they cleared the bulkhead, it slammed down. As she looked over, she landed on her feet and saw Karla in tears, breathing deeply, her hand on the controls.

“I know it hurts, but he is right. You are alive because of him!” Karla said flatly.

“No! No.” She fell down to her knees covering her face as Karla quickly dropped in front her, grabbing her into a hug.

“You need to take her back to her cabin, Karla. There is no telling what he will do next. He may yet still take out his anger on her. There will be another time for revenge, Robbie. You must get your head clear and ready for what lies ahead now. We need you, Hague needs you. Do not let his sacrifice go in-vain.”

Crying, she nodded. Karla helped her up, walking with her away as the bulkhead opened with two other crewmen carrying Kerry’s body.

“Ensign Salter. Where are you taking him?” Roman asked one of the crewman.

Brian looked up at him, keeping his feelings in check. “Down below to the medical deck.”

“Be sure you do. If he is to be given a proper burial as a Reaper, it’s best to do it soon before the captain desecrates his body.”

Brian nodded. “Can you let my sister know below to meet me down there so I can tell her? She had a liking for him.”

Roman nodded. “Was she a suitor?”

Brian nodded, knowing she wasn’t, but he had to lie in order to save him.

“I will let her know immediately from my station’s terminal.”

“Thanks.” Brian walked with the other crewman with the body.