“Report.” Seminavarchos Lemm Tam said as she stared out the Xifos’ viewscreen at the near empty view. She could barely believe her eyes. The detonation she had just witnessed was one of the most awe-inspiring sights she had ever seen. It was far beyond the realms of what have should been possible from a ship of that size.

 

“Sensors show no remaining Insectoid capital ships. Only around three hundred fighters and two dozen dropships remaining. Only six percent of the Hive ship remains. It is unpowered and venting atmosphere.” A senior crewmate said. “No sign of the Gyfjon.”

 

“Aertimus you fegelcarber, you did it, I don’t know how but you did.” Tam said quietly. “Are the escape pods and shuttles from the Gyfjon all aboard?”

 

“They are ma’am.” Another crewmate responded.

 

Lemm pushed a button on her console. “This is Semi…” she paused. “…Acting Navarchos Tam. The Hive ship has been destroyed. All fighters round up the stragglers and then provide air cover to the ground troops. Ground commanders, report tactical situation. All ships report damage and casualties.”

 

She turned and looked around the CIC. She told herself this was now her CIC. Her fleet. Her people. She wanted to retreat and sit in a darkened room and mourn the loss of her friend but she couldn’t. Not yet anyway. The men and women of Gama fleet had lost as much as she had. Whole ships full of people, life long friends, and colleagues were gone. She had a duty to do. Gama Fleet needed its commander to stay strong. Even if she felt as if she couldn’t be.

 

The doors at the back of the CIC opened and Lemm turned. The Deputy Floor Leader and Ambassador Bass and Captain Gwenn hurried in and looked around desperately.

 

Lemm steadied herself and strode to meet them.

 

“Madam Deputy Floor Leader, Madam Secretary-General, Madam Ambassador. I can confirm the Hive ship has been destroyed.” She said.

 

The three Titan women stared out the viewscreen at the large chunk of a debris in the distance. That was all that left.

 

“The…the Gyfjon?” Eyrn asked.

 

Lemm closed her eyes and shook her head.

 

Tears streamed down Eyrn’s cheeks. She didn’t weep, she didn’t collapse, she didn’t scream. She always knew this day could come. A day when Aertimus didn’t call to check in or return from a tour at the fringes of the Empire. She’d prepared herself for it. She was just happy she got to say goodbye. To kiss him one last time. And she was happy that he had given himself over for such a worthy cause. He had saved billions on Earth, if not across the Empire.

 

“That was one of the bravest things I’ve ever seen, Eyrn.” Lemm said, her lower lip quivering. “He died well.”

 

“They…died well.”  Eyrn sniffed. “Niall Freeman remained as well to make sure the explosion would be total. They did it together.”

 

“That…that would explain the nature of the explosion.” Lemm said. “Now, please excuse me, the battle is not yet done.”

 

“Seminavarchos!” Secretary-General Ridgemont shouted and Lemm looked back. “Please, pass on to on your people the gratitude of the people of Earth. What you have done here today…will never be forgotten.”

 

Lemm bowed briefly and returned to the tactical table and Captain Gwenn joined her.

 

Eyrn, Loona and the delegation stood and watched in complete silence as the crew of the Xifos systematically targeted and destroyed the remnants of the Insectoid fleet in orbit. Eyrn tried to distract herself from her loss and the inevitable calls she would have to make home by admiring how the crew carried on. They had lost a commander, friends and ships and yet they despatched their duties with nothing but professionalism. Eyrn was aware she was still ambassador and held some of the delegates from Earth in her hands but all she wanted to do was to run away and hide.

 

She was finally brought out of her cocoon when Lemm Tam and Lauryna Gwenn approached.

 

“All Insectoid ships have been neutralised.” Seminavarchos Tam said. “Air cover is now being provided to the city and we should have it secured within the day. The Insectoid soldiers are not giving up without a fight.”

 

Loona nodded, not quite there yet.

 

“Communications have also been restored Madam Deputy Floor Leader. I have sent a communication to Tauat. I would like to work with you to prepare a report for the Floor Leader.” Lemm said.

 

“Alesia?” Loona replied “And Sorcha. Are they ok?”

 

“Ms Freeman is being prepped for surgery aboard the Sendrofos, she’s listed as priority but not critical and is expected to survive. Ms Nonahsdottir is being treated for shock and Mr Archer-Mavoy has been triaged.” Captain Gwenn said.

 

“Alright, alright.” Loona replied. “Let’s get this over with.”

 

Eyrn carefully took receipt of the rest of the delegation and Darren but otherwise found herself alone with Lauryna.

 

“Captain, would you mind arranging a ship for me to see my niece? I’d like…I’d like to spend some time with family if you don’t mind.” Eyrn said.

 

Lauryna offered a small smile in return. She understood. All she wanted to do was cuddle with Izzy. She was not only mourning the loss of her good friend but also her ship. To her it felt like three people had given their lives in that explosion. “I’ll get you on the next medical shuttle going to the Sendrofos.”

 

“Thank you.” Eyrn turned down the delegation in her hands and opened her mouth to speak.

 

Ridgemont already knew what she was going to ask. “We will happily remain here if you wish to spend some time with your niece, Ambassador.” Ridgemont spoke.

 

“I’ll arrange quarters and an escort.” Gwenn added.

 

“And if you don’t mind, Eyrn.” Darren said looking up into the heartbroken face of his best friend. “I’ll keep you company.”

 

Eyrn didn’t say anything. She just nodded. She was afraid if she opened her mouth then everything would come pouring out at once. And she wasn’t ready for it yet.

****

 

Eryn sat in the Xifos mess hall gazing out the window, as the chaos around her slowly began to wain, though it wouldn’t die down for quite some time. There was a lot of work to be done still, the relief effort was just starting and the Earth delegation were on the surface surveying the remnants of the colony. They were grateful for what the Empire had sacrificed. And sorry for Eyrn for what she had lost.

 

There would likely need to be reports filled out and agreements drawn up following the negotiations. Though Eyrn wasn’t thinking about that much, she was numb, all she could do was stare out the small widow, and sit in the Xifos mess hall, as everyone around her went on with the task at hand.

 

Because that is what would happen, they would move on, all of them, even her. She had done it before, so many times, as an innocent toddler without even knowing it, she had somehow managed to move past the death of her own parents, on a strange alien world inhabited by tiny little talking dolls.

 

She had moved past the death of Marcy Fitzgerald when she was only twelve titan years old, so many lessons, so many important facts of life, she would never get to learn from her own adopted mother. She would have to learn to braid her own hair, to handle her own problems, to wipe her own tears, to tuck herself in at night, to scare her own boogy-men away.

 

She had moved past the loss of Zebulon, her adopted father, who had taught her to keep a stiff upper lip, to keep her chin high and her eyes wide, to look people in the eye when she spoke to them, and to never be above apologising when you did something wrong. He had taught her the value of a man was not in the colour of his skin, or the place he was born, or the balance in his bank, but in his actions, and how he treated others.

 

Every caretaker, uncle, friend and well-wisher, this was the way of it, she was used to it.

 

But never…had it hurt as bad as Aertimus.

 

Eyrn’s whole body quivered as she took an uneasy breath. It was all she could do not to cry, and cry she had. For the better part of the last few hours, and likely would through the coming days.

 

Somehow, she had to tell Zeb, Marcy, Polly and Cleo. Part of her hoped Lilitu would do that. Lemm had informed her the Dodechahedron were sending out some senior officers to break the news to Aerti’s parents directly. And Naskia. Someone had to tell Naskia.

 

“God damn Aerti, at least could have left me a note for them, how the hell am I going to do this?” Eyrn wiped a tear and composed herself, sniffling to clear her throat.

 

“Same as you always do, you’ll get’er done.” A small, solemn, familiar voice broke in. It was Darren.

 

Eyrn’s eyes found him, struggling to climb to where she was, sitting on a bench, curled up with her knees raised to her chest. Eyrn smiled weakly. In his youth he may have leapt up like a spring chicken, but he was showing his age now, and grunted as he tried to climb the impossible structure.

 

Eyrn gentle bent over and cradled her old friend in her hand, there were few times she would ever man handle Darren without permission, but somehow she felt he would understand, and pulled him in close to her chest, hugging him tightly.

 

“It’s not fair.” She whispered.

 

Darren couldn’t find the words, he hadn’t the foggiest what he was going to say to her as he made the long trek to find her, and hadn’t any more of a plan now that he was here. He could hear the congestion in her chest when she spoke, he could feel her voice wavering with every word. But she held it together, like she always did.

 

“God damn Eyrn Bass, you don’t always have to be so damn strong…ya know.” Darren said, his chest felt heavy, and not because of the Titan applying pressure to his whole body in a smothering bear hug.

 

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this, not this time.” Eyrn said, with bitterness building up in her voice. “He was supposed to retire, and we were supposed to finally have the time together. When the kids were out of the house, we were going to travel, he was going to take up something simple, easy, like carpentry, or fishing…and it was going to end well…for once…Darren…it wasn’t going to end with me the last one standing. I’m always the last one standing…Darren…It hurts…so much….”

 

Darren closed his eyes; he wanted to tell her she was wrong, and that there was still a chance for a happy ending, as long as she WAS still standing. But all he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

 

“He was a brave man Eyrn, now don’t you think for a moment he wanted to do this, god…Eyrn this was the last thing he wanted to do. Gat…dang….Eyrn I’m so sorry. It’s not fair…you’re right…it’s not fair one gat’damn bit.” Darren choked up, but held it together.

 

Eyrn stayed like this, and cried, with Darren held as tight as she could without causing harm. She sobbed, quietly at first, and then louder, and then softly, until it trickled away for the moment, awaiting its next moment to appear and overwhelm her.

 

“I can’t be like this.” She said at last, pulling Darren back into the light, and trying not to giggle as he rubbed his eyes to adjust to the light.

 

“Like hell you can’t.” Darren said, finding her eyes and clearing his own of any lingering moisture.

 

Eyrn shook his head. “Naskia lost a brother, and her husband, Sorcha an uncle, and her father…I have to be strong for them, I have to be strong for Marcy, for Zeb, for Cleo and for Polly…Darren…..”

 

“You’ve been strong enough for ten of us…it’s ok to feel upset.” Darren said, smiling weakly.

 

Eyrn’s eyes lingered on Darren for a moment, then she looked off into the distance. “I had no idea how stubbornly you’d hold to your word, Darren.” Eyrn looked down to him, with a thin smile. “I have to admit, when you take a job…you take a job.”

 

Darren laughed and shook his head. “I stopped being your caretaker years ago Kid…naw…see it got personal, I dun got involved, and that was the end of me, after that well…I told you…didn’t I? There’s no getting rid of me if I get involved.”

 

“The both of you are a bunch of sentimental fools, you know that?” A gruff old voice broke in, it was Izzy.

 

Eyrn peaked down, and gently bent over to lift Izzy up as well, despite her protests.

 

“Hey, whacha think, I’m old or something! I can do it myself!” Izzy lied, and settled into Eyrns palm next to Darren.

 

“You both look terrible.” Eyrn admitted, with a half laugh.

 

“You’re not doing too good yourself, pest!” Izzy said, though there was just as much pain in her eyes as she was trying to hide.

 

The three of them were silent for a long time, they say, enjoying one another’s presence, while the ship around them began the long task of cleaning up.

 

“That was my ship…he knew it…he had no right.” Izzy said, choking back tears.

 

“Still…” Darren said quietly. “He sent those fuckers to hell. They both did….” Darren said, his voice cracking.

 

“To Aertimus Bass.” Izzy said, saluting, as she would back in 2013, on Earth, in the Nevada desert.

 

“To the Doc.” Darren said, standing straight, and saluting stiffly.

 

“To Earth…and Tau Ceti…and Avalon…and to the Empire…” Eyrn said softly. “We’ll never forget this you two.” She said, looking out, hoping where ever her Brother in Law, and husband were, they could hear her. “Nobody will.”

 
****

Loona felt nauseous and exhausted, and more than anything, she wanted to take a long nap and forget that the day had ever happened.

 

No…no, she didn’t want that. She wanted to remember. Niall and Aerti had sacrificed themselves to save nearly two million people, and probably billions of people. They had done something that would live in the history of the Empire, forever. People still, a thousand years later, looked back on Anent Jonilus as one of the greatest heroes in Imperial history. The main hall at the Academy was named in his honour. He had been just a provincial praetor, who commanded a few thousand peacekeepers. But he had been willing to do the unthinkable to stop a threat.

 

A thousand years from now, the names of Niall Freeman and Aertimus Bass would live on. And they would deserve every moment of praise.

 

At least, she though, Niall would have known that. Almost unconsciously, she smiled; Niall died knowing that he’d be remembered as a hero of the Empire and of Earth. That he’d likely end up with a Titan scale statue. His ego must have been truly at peace.

 

Loona blinked back tears. Gorram. He would have appreciated that joke. And she didn’t get to share it.

 

“Madam Deputy Floor Leader,” Lemm said, “we have an incoming communication from the Floor Leader.”

 

Loona wiped her eyes, and stood up. “All right. Navarchos…do you have a quiet room?”

 

“Crewmate Krghhg, take the Deputy Floor Leader to Room Four; Crewmate Esesa, when the door is closed, relay the communication. Actually, belay that – I will take her, and tell you when to connect the call. Captain Gwenn, you have the fleet. Don’t worry. I’ll be back in less than a minute.”

 

Lauryna blinked. She’d been helping out primarily because she didn’t know what the hell else to do; Izzy was down on the planet helping in recovery, but that was detailed work; Lauryna didn’t want to go to temporary quarters yet. And Lemm had needed someone to do some running for her.

 

Well, she didn’t have a ship. And she was the senior non-flag officer on deck.

 

“Aye, Navarchos Lemm,” Lauryna said, and took Lemm’s spot at the head of the tactical table. Lemm led Loona into the small anteroom, and shut the door.

 

“Loona,” Lemm said, calmly, “Aerti logged that you directed him to attack.”

 

“That’s correct,” Loona said.

 

“It need not be recorded that way permanently…if it would help.”

 

Loona blinked. She knew that she’d was on a thin reed with regard to precedent. Even with the victory…three capital ships were lost, as was the Navarchos and the Prince. If Qorni wanted to push this…and let’s be honest, she would….

 

Lemm was offering her a lifeline.

 

“No, Lemm,” Loona said. “I’m not going to let a hero of this battle take the fall for me.”

 

“I’m not talking about Aerti, or Centurium ColVanos,” Lemm said. She wiped just one tear away, and said, “If you wish, I will log that I prematurely ordered fighters to attack, and that your decision was made with that in mind.”

 

Loona looked at Lemm. She was dead serious. And Loona knew how that would play out – it would be a court-martial. She might even have to face charges of contributing to Aerti’s death.

 

“Why would you do that?” Loona asked.

 

“Because,” Lemm said, “you gave Aerti the order. Had you not…he would be dead, and he would be remembered for dying while violating his oath. Had you refused, he would have gone in anyhow. He would never have let the people down there die.”

 

“No, he wouldn’t. But he would have had to waste time weighing that. He would have had to defy me. I would have forced that on him. And I would never do that. Because I wouldn’t let them die, either. I made this decision, Lemm. I will stand behind it. As I said,” she said, reaching out her hand, “I will not let a hero of this battle take the fall for me.”

 

“I’m not a hero of this battle, Ma’am,” Lemm said, taking Loona’s wrist.

 

“You most certainly are, Lemm. Everyone in Gama fleet is.”

 

“So are you,” Lemm said. “No matter what…so are you.”

 

Lemm nodded to her, and departed. The door sealed, and Forna Qorni’s face appeared on the monitor.

 

“Madam Floor Leader,” Loona said. “It is good to see you.”

 

“Do you wish to explain yourself?” Forna Qorni said.

 

Loona blinked. Well, she thought, not waiting a moment, is she?

 

“Madam Floor Leader, to what are you referring?”

 

“The initial report we received shows you authorized the attack. We never received a communication from you.”

 

“If you’ve received Seminavarchos Tam’s initial report, you know that we were unable to reach you, and there was an imminent threat to the Empire and to civilians,” Loona said. “Under the law….”

 

“Under an archaic legal theory from the tenth century? Yes, I suppose you could bend that into a logical knot to justify your actions.”

 

Loona paused. “Madam Floor Leader, the threat to the Empire was neutralized.”

 

“Yes, thanks to the heroic actions and sacrifices made by our military. But Rep Armac, even if you were right militarily, legally, that was not your decision to make.”

 

“Then whose was it? We should have followed the rules of engagement which hadn’t been updated because bureaucracy grinds slow? There were two million people on Tau Ceti! I know damn well that Azatlia is must-defend, and it’s got a population of less than half that. If the ROE had been updated to what it should have been, I wouldn’t have had to make a call. Aerti Bass would have gone in to defend it as a matter of course.”

 

“Understand, Representative, I understand the reason you would make this decision. Your best friends’ daughters were on the planet, and….”

 

“Oh, shut the frak up, Forna,” Loona spat. “You think I wouldn’t have done this if Sorcha and Lessy were safe on Avalon? That the other two million people wouldn’t have been enough? I don’t know how many more would have died if we’d pulled out and waited for you to dither, but given what I’ve seen so far, it would probably be about two million. And the Insectoids would be at warp, heading for Earth, and yeah, we would have faced them down there…but you know what? Niall Freeman died because he helped Aerti rig the Gyfjon to explode spectacularly, and take out the Hive. He did that to save his daughter. Do you think, if we had let his daughter die that he would have been willing to give up his own life? Maybe he would,” Loona said, wiping away tears of rage. “Probably he would have, to save Earth. And Earth would have deserved it. But we wouldn’t.”

 

Qorni leaned back, just a bit, from Loona’s attack. “I am not saying I do not understand why you made the decision,” Qorni said. “I am not even saying it did not work out for the best. But you took an oath to obey Imperial law, and….”

 

“I did, gorram it,” Loona said. “At worst, I bent the law, and it was the right gorram decision to do so, and I would make the same decision again. So what’s the plan, Forna? Are you going to fire me? Try to remove me from the House? Call in the Imperators?”

 

As Qorni thought, Loona looked at her, eyes narrowed, waiting to see what piece Qorni was going to move.

 

Loona Armac had gained a great deal of skill during her time in office; she’d had a very good tutor, and she’d picked up quite a bit from him, but she had a great deal of natural ability, and the two had given her the skill of a grandmaster searching the board, and pondering the way the game could unfold given the rules. This could end in prison. It could end with her winning a smashing electoral victory. This is why Qorni would make the obvious next move.

 

“If you are willing to resign from the cabinet, for the good of the Empire….”

 

The game was on.

 

“Madam Floor Leader,” Loona said, “I made the right decision for this government, for this Empire, and for this galaxy. I view that as the ‘good of the Empire.’ And I find your willingness to play political games just hours after the worst Insectoid attack in eight hundred years to be abominable…but you are Floor Leader, and you are going to do what you are going to do. So since it’s the only thing you can do alone, I am expecting you plan to dismiss me from the cabinet.”

 

“I am,” Qorni said. “I cannot have cabinet members subverting the powers of the Floor Leader.”

 

“And since you are clearly taking a prescriptionist view of protocol, I assume that you will do this at the next cabinet meeting as per precedent.”

 

“Yes,” Qorni said. “That is correct.”

 

“Well. I would like to be there, at least remotely. What time should I direct Seminavarchos Tam to expect the call?”

 

“Nine hours. And you will not be remoting in. You will be here. The ISS…Atlantis is entering the system, according to High Command. They have been directed to deliver you to Tuaut with all deliberate speed. During that time, I ask you to explain your actions, so that I can decide on your fitness for office.”

 

“They need help on the planet,” Loona said.

 

“The Atlantis is still in shakedown, Representative. It is not prepared to render aid. It will bring you here. The captain wanted to push Warp 10, so they should have you here at least an hour before the meeting. And don’t worry, if you’re late, I will wait. For a bit.”

 

“I don’t frakking care if they’re prepared to render aid! Joseph Archer-Mavoy and Sorcha Freeman were fighting these things off with gorram clubs! If nothing else, they could travel to Earth and pick up the relief workers that Secretary-General Ridgemont has offered. Madam Floor Leader, we were moments away from an existential threat to the Empire, and tens if not hundreds of thousands of people are dead. How dare you put politics ahead of the lives of these people. How dare you come after me for allowing our military to save them, and how dare you think that your future or my future in politics is more important than the people dying down there, even still.”

 

“Loona, the rule of law….”

 

“Forna, frak you. You know how it felt to give that order? Do you? It felt like nothing I ever want to feel again. There are people dead because I made that decision. I would give anything to never have to do anything like that again. If you had come to me honorably, shown a jot of sympathy for these people, and asked me, because of my decision, to step down from the cabinet until the next election? You might have been rid of me. I am frakking tired right now, and frakking raw. But you’ve reminded me, Forna. You’ve reminded me why I was fighting you in the first place. You do what you have to do. But no matter what happens to me, I will make it my frakking mission in life to see you out of office. A woman who is willing to play politics at a time like this is not fit for the office.”

 

Qorni looked on her, and sighed. Loona wasn’t sure, but she thought for a second, there was a wavering in her countenance, as if even Qorni doubted this path. But the Floor Leader simply said, “If you have said your peace, then please prepare your report to the cabinet on your trip. I will see you in nine hours.”

 

This could end in prison, or in a smashing victory.

 

Either way, Loona could accept the consequences.

 

“Very well. Nine hours. Good day, Madam Floor Leader.”

 

Loona left the room before Qorni had even terminated the call.

 

—————————————————————————————————————-

Author’s note: Thanks to Dann and DX for their contributions.