THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN HEDGES ACROSS TIME AND SPACE
CAPTAIN'S LOG: SUNDAY MORNING RISING
STARDATE: Sunday, March 29, 2026
(Location: Starfleet Academy, San Francisco – Command School Faculty Quarters)
The transition from the frontier to the classroom is a different kind of challenge, made all the more difficult this week by a biological adversary that doesn't respect rank or station. I am still battling a lingering bout of the flu—a "bad sick" that has kept me confined to my quarters and away from my lecture PADDs for longer than I’d like. Between the fever and the persistent 3:00 AM wake-up calls from Uncle Bill, I’ve had plenty of quiet, dark hours to reflect on the nature of duty and distance.
Outside my window, the San Francisco fog is heavy, a sharp contrast to the 58°F morning back in Shreveport. While the sunrise won't crest the horizon until 7:04 AM, the Moon—a bright waxing gibbous—is currently the only light in the sky, preparing to set at 4:21 AM. In this pre-dawn stillness, I am finally finding the strength to play catch-up.
Teaching at the Command School requires a different kind of endurance. I look at these cadets and see the same fire I once had, but I also see the lessons they haven't learned yet—the ones that aren't found in a tactical manual. This morning, my fever-tinged thoughts have turned to the weight of the bonds we form in service. When you spend your life among the stars, your crew becomes your family. You build a life together, much like the pioneers who settled the red dirt of colonies like Red Rock. But in this life, reassignments are the only constant.
I’m reflecting on the unique pain of a "friendship breakup." When a dear friend, someone who has become your brother or sister in arms, is no longer on your deck—or when the relationship shifts due to distance or unspoken changes—the grief is visceral. It can feel as crushing as the loss of a romantic partner, yet we often lack the social protocols to process it. We must learn to cope by accepting that everyone has different needs and seasons for friendship. Some are meant to walk the entire journey with you; others are meant to help you build the foundation before their orders take them elsewhere. Cultivating a non-judging attitude toward yourself for feeling this loss, and toward them for their path, is the only way to recover.
In these quiet, sick-bay hours of my own making, I find strength in the ancient words: Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." That Grace is a steadying force, whether you're navigating a nebula or a lonely office at the Academy.
The sun will set tonight at 7:31 PM. As the light begins to touch the Academy spires, I’m preparing to step back into my role, flu be damned.
I have to ask: What will your Sunday look like today? Are you pushing through the "bad sick" of life to find your mission again?
Yours for now, Captain Hedges
Product Identity & Legal
The following items are designated Product Identity of Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. / The Adventures of Captain Hedges: The specific narrative of the Command School at Starfleet Academy, the history of the town of Red Rock, the character lineages of the Stone and Pendleton families, and the unique "Hedge Wizard of the Shreveport Cabin" persona. Open D6 System mechanics referenced are used under the OGL v1.0a. Star Wars and Star Trek elements are used as non-commercial fan work. © 2026 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment