Four hours until departure.

"Final security sweep complete," one of Lev's marines reported. "All weapons catalogued. All classified materials secured. Ready for transfer, Chief."

"Good work," Lev looked up from the desk. "You can start moving equipment to the staging area. We'll go with priority items first. That means everything to protected against Ranger's weapons, then we're move all the archives, and personal effects."

The marine hesitated.

"Something wrong?"

"Permission to speak freely, Sir?"

"Go ahead."

"I know I've not been with you long, not many of us here have, but it's strange, sir. Leaving her. This ship got us through hell."

Lev looked around the security office. "She did," Lev agreed. "Now she's earned her rest. We'll honor her by making sure the new version is even better."

The marine nodded.

"Dismissed," Lev said.

The young marine left to follow his orders.

Lev pulled up the security logs one final time. The months of data stored here, every threat they'd faced, every battle they'd survived, every system failure and desperate repair. He archived it all and tagged it for delete, inputting his codes.

"Preserving the lessons we've learned," Lia's voice came through the comms interface, quieter than usual but she was clearly still onboard the ship, at least for now.

"The only way future generations will learn is off those of us who did the impossible." He picked up the drink sitting on his desk and drank.

"Are you thinking about having children with Sorrel?"

Lev spat out his water. "What?"

"You and Sorrel?" Was she really confused? Okay in the head? Maybe she needed a break as much as they did. "The birds and the bees?"

"I know what you meant, but no I wasn't." He paused. "How are you holding up?"

"I am doing better. The technical specs for the new Faulkner are... well extremely impressive. Purpose-built AI architecture, that is stronger than here. They've also integrated consciousness protection. The ease to the new system… well these are all things I could only dream about."

Lev nodded. "I'll miss her. This ship. She was home."

"She was, and so will the new one."

"She will," Lev said. "Just shinier, and I agree on the specs, makes our escort look vastly under powered."

"They're getting their own upgrades," she said.

"That's a plus," Lev said, "I'll need their new specs as soon as they can be logged."

"Of course, I'll update all the logs, as soon as we're moving."

"Who's in the CIC?"

"Just Nyx," she said.

"Oh," Lev moved and sealed the security office. Admiral Kuba could do what he wished with the ship now. It would be empty completely soon enough.

"Don't you want to see him?"

"I do," he said. "I'll see you aboard the new ship, yeah."

He knew that Lia would take that as her queue to leave, instead she appeared beside him and walked a little. "Be easy on him," Lia said.

He looked to her, she was a solid hologram now, there were no flickering moments anymore, perhaps it was because she was rested enough. But Lev thought better, she had healed slightly and that was the best news. Ranger really had hurt her.

"I will," he replied. "Have you spoken with him?"

At length for the last several hours, we've never stopped talking," she smiled.

"Never?"

"AI to AI is very different," she stopped walking. "Imagine you're with Alex, and how much you'd talk."

Lev paused himself. "There was a time when anyone saying his name to me would get a very different reaction."

"I'm sorry," she started.

Lev held his hand up. "No, don't be. Without you and Nyx it would have been a different story, but now. Now I'm happy to talk about him, to think about him."

"You miss him?"

"Every day," Lev said. "I know he'd have loved being with us here, even with tall the danger. Frosts was exactly the kind of company he would have backed even without me being a part of it."

"You're right there," she smiled. "His record has such class to it, everything of his speaks volumes about where you've come from and who you are."

"Appreciate it," he replied and then started to walk again. This time Lia didn't follow him, and he watched the last few crew members, and the Admiral's staff walking away from CIC.

He found Nyx as he suspected stood central to the CIC, his whole body glowing with energy while he worked several tactical displays.

"Nyx?" Lev asked.

Nyx's energy flickered slightly. Was he also suffering from exhaustion?

"Wait out," he replied.

Lev took a step back and allowed him the time to finish.

It took a few minutes, and yet Lev never pressured him. Watching the AI complete his tasks was oddly relaxing.

When Nyx turned to him he lowered his head. "Sorry, Chief. I was processing a lot of information. I did not mean to be rude."

"Not rude at all, I did interrupt you."

"The new Faulkner's systems are different. They are much more advanced. I've been reviewing the integration protocols."

"Worried we won't fit?"

"Concerned about continuity for Lia," Nyx corrected. "This ship, she knows every system, every quirk, every workaround. The new vessel will have better hardware, better architecture, but it won't be familiar. What if she can't coordinate as effectively? What if the transition creates more vulnerabilities or issues for her?"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Lev looked back to where Lia had been with him, but nothing. Maybe she had really left them alone. "Does she know how worried you are?"

"Yes," he said. "She called it unwarranted human emotion."

"Worrying about a friend, is not unwarranted." He moved to stand beside him. "This time last year, you'd never coordinated anything. Three days ago, you coordinated twelve thousand ships. You adapted. She will adapt to the new systems too."

"That was combat necessity. This is—" Nyx struggled with his words. "This is her home. And she's leaving it."

"We're all leaving it," Lev said quietly. "But we're not leaving each other. Even with you staying here, you're still with us, with Frosts."

"You mean that?" The AI couldn't look at him, so Lev stepped in closer.

"I do, and we will meet back up again."

"This war has been going on for three years."

"But you're going to end it." Lev said.

Nyx grinned. "The Admiral has given me updates, there are even more ships coming from the other Sigma waystations."

"How many ships?"

"If they have anywhere near as many as he had here…"

"Okay, how many stations?"

"Ten," Nyx replied.

"So, over a hundred thousand unmanned ships?"

He laughed. "The Admiral said, nowhere near that amount, but maybe half."

"Can you handle that?"

Nyx was silent for a moment. "They'll be arriving in the next few weeks, I guess I won't know till I actually try it."

"We're meeting an ONI escort," he admitted.

"Twelve ships, six heavy cruisers, six destroyers. Can you handle them?"

"I'm not a commander. Or a captain."

"No, but you are more than you think you are."

"If you can handle fifty thousand ships, I will handle twelve."

"That's the Chief I know. Put on that poker face for them, they'll never know."

Lev stepped back, "Poker face?"

"I've seen it often enough now that I know the tells, but no one else would."

"I don't have tells, do I?"

Nyx laughed. "You all do, especially Peyton."

Lev frowned at that.

"Don't worry, he's good, he has Lia."

They'll expect Lia to integrate with their systems during the journey to the Krays."

"Can she handle that?"

"Why do you think I am here, I'm making sure the old and the new system is easier for her."

"You're a good…."

"Android?"

"You're a good man," Lev finished.

"Thank you," Nyx said. "Those words…"

Lev looked out to the viewer, the system laid out before them, the new ship docking tubes that spread across the station, glinting in the light from Sigma-Prime.

"Trust the Admiral," Lev said. "And I'll trust myself."

Nyx flickered again, but this time it felt more like acknowledgment than distress. "Thank you, Chief."

"Lev," he corrected. "We've been through too much for rank formality."

"Lev." Nyx replied.

Two hours until departure.

Lev's comm chimed with an incoming transmission. Secure channel. ONI encryption. He accepted it, and the holographic display showed a woman in ONI uniform—Commander Malik Balder, according to the identification tags.

"Master Chief Vaytas," he said crisply. "Commander Balder, ONI Strategic Operations. I'm commanding the escort fleet assigned to your convoy."

"Commander," Lev acknowledged. "Appreciate the support."

"We're a week out from rendezvous, but I wanted to coordinate security protocols before arrival." His tone was nothing but serious. Lev wondered it that was down to their training. He wished Mac was here to let him n on their little secrets. He'd ask later, see if he'd heard of this Commander Balder. "I admit that I've tried to dig out who you and your crew are, but I could not find anything."

"You're ONI and you can't find little ole me on the books?" Lev gauged the Commanders reaction. His eyes flickered just the once. He'd hit the nail on the head there. "Nothing?"

"The only thing on record is that your company Frosts has the highest clearance I've ever seen, and that meant I stopped looking right there."

"Good to know," Lev said.

"I am sure you're not only curious, I know I would be. But you're also thinking about those under your command, am I right?"

"I would be a shit Commander if I did not care about my crew."

"I'm glad you said that, because we care about everyone, we're with, that includes you as our escort."

"With respect, Chief, I need to know if I ask something of you, you'll comply."

Lev heard the door open before he saw who it was." Mac came and stood next to him.

The Commander faltered then, almost falling over his tongue."

Mac just stood there, then he turned to Lev. "Is there a problem Chief?"

"Not at all. We were just working through some security issues."

Mac looked back to the screen. "Commander Balder, it is good to see you again. I look forward to meeting in person once again."

Commander Balder didn't speak, he just lowered his head.

"I'll comm you when we have left Sigma-Seven. Dismissed."

The comm link closed, and Lev stared at him. "You know Balder?"

"I do," he said. "He won't be any bother, he's an extremely capable officer."

"That's good to know." Lev admitted. "I was worried there for a moment."

"He tried to trace us?"

"He did."

"Nothing?"

"Nope."

"He got the information he was hunting," Mac said.

"He won't speak about it though?"

"Only if he wants to commit career suicide."

"Also, good to know."

Mac looked around the room. "Are you done here?"

Lev followed his eye. "Yes, ships empty Commander."

"Then let's go, you have to settled on the new one just as much as I do."

"Sorrel already settled?"

"Finishing up in Medical, we'll swing by now and pick her up she should also be leaving by now. Anything left behind now will be the Admiral's."

Good job he was sure she was as done as he was. They left CIC together.

One hour until departure.

They found Sorrel in the old medical bay, just standing there. Mac noticed her shaking form and nudged Lev inside instead, alone.

Lev stepped closer to her, and though he never said a word when he wrapped his arms around her, she melted into him. "Oh Lev," she sobbed.

"What's wrong?"

"I—I just don't know what came over me. I was standing here, looking at everything being taken and I couldn't stop them."

He leaned in and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

She looked around the room, which looked larger than ever now it was cramped with beds and people. "I've saved a lot of lives in this room."

"And you'll save more in the new one."

"I know. But—" She gestured at the surgical station where he knew they'd all operated on Peyton. "This was where I became more than just a doctor. Where I became part of something that mattered."

Lev squeezed her tighter. "The room didn't make you matter—you made the room matter.'

Sorrel leaned into him. "Still going to miss it."

"Me too." He kissed the top of her head. "But the Krays has that restaurant I know you love. Alisee's Noodles. Apparently, they echo every noodle bar they own. With gardens and a waterfall. I made us reservations."

She pulled back to squint at him. "You actually made reservations? While coordinating security and preparing for departure?"

"Priorities," Lev said making sure the rest of her face was dry. "Save the universe. Get the girl. Fulfil your promise. In that order."

Sorrel laughed. "You're ridiculous."

"But… you love me anyway, right?"

"I do."

That was the only cue he needed. He leaned in and kissed her softly. "Three weeks to the Krays. Then you owe me that date."

"Three weeks," she agreed. "I'll be counting every day."

Thirty minutes till departure

Admiral Kuba found Lev in one of Sigma-Seven's tactical centers, reviewing security handoff protocols with Kuba's security chief, Commander Raines.

"Master Chief," Kuba said. "You should be aboard your ship."

"Had a few last-minute things to check with your Commander."

"Do you have a moment?"

"Of course," Lev excused himself and followed Kuba to a quieter corner of the tactical center.

"I wanted to thank you personally," Kuba said. "For what you've done, not just here, but in the past."

"Sir?" he was more than a little confused.

"When you were discharged after your brother died. It was my name on your orders."

"Oh," Lev straightened up. I didn't know you'd followed my career."

"Markov has been with me for a long time," he said.

That made sense. "Dante," he said, his voice low.

"How do you?"

Lev shook his head. "It wasn't Markov, I overheard something I shouldn't."

"I always wondered how much the kids picked up, remembered."

"Enough," Lev said. "But I've got his back, just like he has had ours over the years."

"He's a good man," the Admiral said.

"Yes, much more so than I ever thought." Lev stared at the older man, he had told the truth when he'd said he wasn't scared of the Admiral, but he was Oni. There was just a little flicker of concern though. "May I speak freely."

"Yes," he replied.

"How much of all of this was planned?"

The Admiral ran a hand over his greying stubble. "When Markov said you were heading back to Sol, I was disappointed. I wanted you both out here, instead I had to pivot. If you couldn't be here to do the things I knew you'd excel at then I wanted you where you could protect those I cared about the most."

"Even if we didn't know?"

"I knew you'd do everything in your power to protect those around you. And that meant Andri and my daughter as well."

"But we couldn't protect her enough." Lev cursed. "What about Professor Zhan?"

"She is well, if I know her, she's training the next recruits."

"And those left at the Academy? After we left? When…"

"They're all doing well," he said. "When you rendezvous with ONI, you will see some old friends there."

"Andri?"

"Smart man," Kuba said.

"The whole of Alpha271?"

"His family moved out there, under a special protection detail. But he is with Commander Balder."

"That will be quite the re-union." Lev said.

"They're good people," Kuba said. "Now he's with ONI."

"He'll be even more smug."

"Rivals are always that but look at what you've established. He's an asset, you will use him wisely."

"I will," Lev said. "Despite everything, I understand him a lot more now, I would trust him."

"We're fighting the same war. Anything that helps keep your people alive helps us all." He extended his hand. "Thank you, Master Chief. For carrying her work. For proving it matters."

Lev shook his hand. "We'll finish what she started. All of us."

"I know you will." Kuba smiled. "Safe travels to the Krays. And when you get there. kick Braker to the curb."

"That's the plan, sir."

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