"Geharis."

Geharis made his move on the board.

"I am busy right now," Geharis said.

"You are rarely on the command deck," Rommie said. "Your absence effects crew morale."

"They are Beka's crew," Geharis said. "Not mine."

"Geharis," Rommie said. "your guilt and regret at killing your captain is understandable but only coming to command when absolutely necessary is killing your relationship with the crew."

"You're a AI, you never killed your officers," Geharis said.

"A AI was never supposed to lose her crew and instead grieve for them all," Rommie said. Geharis slowly turned his head toward Rommie. "He was my friend, too. I don't like being there much as you do."

Geharis picked up the padd then turned Dylan off.

"Andromeda," Geharis said, placing the padd onto the table. "I betrayed not only the commonwealth, my pride, and you. . . but I betrayed my partner."

"Your best friend," Rommie said.

"I would feel worthy being there had . . ." Geharis said.

"Had the empire you wanted came," Rommie said.

"Yes," Geharis said.

"You spend ninety-five percent of your time playing chess with a hologram," Rommie said. "A cheap replica of the captain."

"What would you do?" Geharis said.

"Move on the best way I can," Rommie said.

"I can't," Geharis said. "I can't forget what I did."

"If you want to reform the commonwealth then you have to make alliances with your crewmembers, however you dislike them, you have to see the good in them," Rommie said. Geharis made his move on the 3-D chess board then leaned back against the chair.

"That is a Dylan thing," Geharis looked down toward the 3-D chess board.

"Yes," Rommie said. "It is. If you want to right a wrong, take your place, because I need a captain not a ungrateful traitor breathing my air."

Geharis nodded turning his attention toward Rommie.

"You are right," Geharis said. "I have been neglectful as . . . Captain. . . of this ship."

"I expect you on the command deck in the morning," Rommie said. "Your entire command cannot be spent sulking in your office."

"Understood," Geharis said.

Rommie looked up with a odd expression.

"What is Harper doing to them now . . ." Rommie said, then her hologram vanished from the room.

Geharis stood up from the chair then walked aside with hands linked behind his back.

He never pictured all of this happening. If he could take it back, he would.

A miserable feeling had made itself at home inside of Geharis.

For the past three hundred some days, it had been not as pleasant as it had serving as first officer under Dylan. The holographic Dylan reappeared and made his next move on the board. Geharis turned seeing the hologram flicker. If only. . . If only holograms could be solid and seem alive. Dylan's corpse was in a stasis pod awaiting burial. He would only bury him with full honors and being in the record of the new commonwealth. Off the record was disgrace. People had to remember Dylan. Dylan would have gotten along much easier with Tyr than he had. He rubbed his chin turning toward the holographic figure. Well composed and eying at him. Geharis missed his friend. It was Hunt but it was not. It had a life of its own. Geharis and Hunt shared a long look in silence. Geharis walked out.

"Drone malfunctioning!" Harper shouted, running past Geharis.

Geharis turned in the direction of the source then had a exasperated sigh taking out his force lance.

"Harper!" Geharis shouted, firing at the drone.

"I'll fix it!" Harper called back.

Tyr slid down the ladder then came to a stop watching Harper speed past him.

The End.