A Favor For A Friend — Stevie Woods

On Alkya, a planet a long way from Earth, the Division of Investigation -- Other Worlds -- has set up a base where hundreds of personnel live and work. Among them are two men, Major Jake Archer and Captain Bart Hilton, who are part of one of the survey teams.

One evening, Jake asks Bart to do a work-related favor for him, requiring the other man to remain in the underground base. Needing information to complete the report he's preparing, Bart goes to Jake's office just as a huge explosion rips through the base.

Jake is horrified and riddled with guilt when he learns that Bart is missing and was last seen approaching Jake's office before the explosion. Unsure if Bart is still alive, Jake and his team are forced to wait for the engineers to dig out the man Jake secretly loves.

In pain, unable to move, Bart lies amidst the rubble, sliding in and out of consciousness. During his lucid moments, he lets his mind drift to better times, most of them spent with his friend Jake. And he also fears the roof will finally come down and kill him before he gets a chance to resolve his greatest regret -- telling Jake how he really feels about him...