"Yes," Richardson thought, "the prophecy came true." She thought back to that morning so many years ago as she stood with her mother outside her church in Orlando, Florida.
"Are they really coming?" she asked her mother for the hundredth time, "Will we really get to see them?"
"Well, if they don't you won't get to give the lady her flowers. They come to pray at a local church every morning before they begin their work."
"I hope he gets to be president!" Richardson said to her mother with her brightest smile.
"A lot of people wish that," her mother answered. "Perhaps this country can have some decency again."
The crowd began to get excited as a black SUV pulled up. A step was put by the back door and first the governor emerged and then a woman in simple black robes. An aide handed her a wooden staff. She stepped aside and a man emerged, also dressed in simple black robes. He, too, was handed a wooden staff. The parish priest approached and bowed politely. The man in black asked,
"May a fellow servant of God pray in your temple?"
"The servant of God is welcome!" the priest answered. "Do come and speak to God in our temple!"
The man bowed and they started towards the church. Richardson's mother nudged her and she came forward, stopping before the woman.
"Madame Speaker," she said, "the children of our congregation raised the money for this boquet of flowers, as you always wish they are silk ones that we hope will last forever."
"How beautiful!" the woman remarked. "But not as beautiful as the one presenting them. Thank you, dear!"
The man turned and looked at Richardson curiously, and then smiled. "Ah!" he remarked, "Captain Richardson! So good to see you again. When you leave for Mars be sure to take Harrison with you. Remember that! When you're getting ready to go take Harrison with you."
"Sir?" Richardson asked.
"Just remember!" the man continued, "Just remember!"
"Oh!" Richardson's mother laughed. "You're mistaken, sir. My daughter will never be in the military."
The man looked at her with a broad smile. "Never," he remarked, "is a word I try not to use. I never dreamed I would be running for The Presidency Of The United States! Never say never, madame!"
Richardson suddenly stopped and went to communications. The officers there quickly came to attention when she entered. "Do you need something ma'am?" one of them asked.
"I need to contact colony operations," she snapped.
"Yes, ma'am!" the officer answered. In a few minutes a haggard looking older man appeared on the screen. "Good morning captain!" he snapped. "Don't tell me we've got a problem already?"
"No," Richardson answered. "I was just wondering, is there an opening available for a Lt. Junior Grade?"
The older man looked startled and held up the paper in his hand. "We were just informed," he remarked, "that a lieutenant junior grade who had been assigned to the ship has been killed in a skiing accident. Yes ma'am! There is an opening for a lieutenant junior grade! Do you have an officer in mind, ma'am?"
"Lt. James Harrison," Richardson snapped, "currently assigned to evening communications operations, The Gerald A. Polley. I would very much like to have this officer assigned to my vessel. I will vouch for his honor, integrity and skill."
"Then that is all we need!" the older officer snapped. "We're cutting the orders now. He should receive them before your transport arrives."
Richardson saluted, the other officer returned the salute, and the screen went blank. One of the officers near Richardson was grinning broadly. "You have a problem, mister?" she asked.
"No, ma'am!" the officer answered, "No offense, ma'am, but you quickly seize the privileges of rank."
Richardson returned his smile, and continued towards her quarters. Along the way she banged on a door. A haggard looking officer in his underwear opened it, screaming "What the hell? Can't you see the night watch sign on my door?"
When he saw who it was he came to attention. "Sorry, ma'am!" he snapped. "What does the exec need, ma'am?"
"Pack!" Richardson snapped. "I just got command of the Mars ship! You're going with me! There's a helicoptor coming. You better have your ass in the seat next to mine when it lifts off."
"MARS?" the man snapped. "Isn't that a volunteer mission, ma'am?"
"Are you saying you're refusing to volunteer?" Richardson asked.
The man looked at her, rather bewildered for a moment, then shook his head. "No, ma'am," he answered. "My apologies ma'am! Took me a bit by surprise. Of course not, ma'am! I'm honored for the invitation. Thank you, ma'am!"
Richardson smiled and continued on to her quarters. "If we're going to fulfill prophecy," she giggled, "we might's well fulfill all of it!" She quickly gathered her things. A half hour later she was waiting on the helicoptor pad, the lieutenant beside her. "Yes," she giggled again, "if you're going to fulfill prophecy you have to fulfill it all!"

THE END