I am back. What is this, two years later? It's been a very, very long two years :) I've graduated with my masters and have a new job and I was digging through my laptop and found this story a few weeks ago. While I'd love to go back and clean up my writing quite a bit, I also know that people want to see how the story turns out, so I'm pushing forward. I still know exactly how I want to end this and I'm very excited. Let me know what you think!

"Teenagers," Captain Amelia Smollett sighed, as she walked down the hallway to her office, passing several miniature celebrations as students came out of examination rooms and hollered at their classmates in happiness or dejection. She couldn't wait for the semester to be finished – with the sudden pressure from Eteria for more officers to assist with last-minute diplomatic visits to the Procyons she was looking forward to getting off this planet and taking a nice month long military trip that involved something other than babysitting children. The promenade planned for the evening was providing her with an immense headache – not only did she have to handle dealing with the pent-up passion of hormonal young adults, she had also spent the morning assisting a small crew land the RLS Centurion at the port which apparently, despite her never having signed off on it, was going to be the location of the ceremony.

At the very least, Delbert would be at the promenade on request of Admiral Blake, as part of the thanks for assisting with some of the astronomical devices that had been installed on the new ship. Perhaps he would be willing to stay planetside for a few days and they could go stay at the Smollett home, which was at least a half-day journey from the Academy. It could be a fun way to spend a weekend, so long as nothing went wrong tonight.

Blake and Hawkins had passed their examinations with flying colors which brought no small sense of pride in the Captain's heart. Her two favorite students with a promising Naval career ahead of them – and all their very obvious flirtations and young love hadn't gotten in the way, either. She looked forward to announcing their names to the student body and seeing their excitement.

Nothing could go wrong tonight, the Captain swore to herself, shutting herself in her office for a momentary reprieve. Nothing could go wrong. She poured herself a cup of tea and let the smooth drink wash down her throat. Everything would go well.

Hleep docked his skiff in a small cluster of trees that grew on the edge of a cliff, about three miles from the Academy. Secrecy was of utmost importance, so he'd been sure to replace the sheet of metal hanging from the flagpost with a crude representation of the Empire's flag. He was waiting for dusk. People from Vikhensia weren't really seen over on this side of the galaxy. Hleep didn't want attention drawn to him. He wasn't supposed to be known for the crime he was being paid to commit. He had a crew waiting for him in the skies that he couldn't let down. And he'd rather not let that dog of a Navy man have a reason to get angry. They needed the money and the upcoming political upheaval would lead to so much more lucrative ventures than what they were doing right now. Hleep crept of the ship as the sun began drifting to the horizon. Nothing could go wrong tonight.

"What do you think?" Smi twirled in front of her roommate. She'd put on a blue ball gown, the kind of silky pile of fabric that Kate used to have to wear. Her eyes twisted at the stems as she mocked a curtsy.

"You look pretty," Kate said, smoothing down the skirt of Sarah's old dress. She'd left her hair down, pinning up a few strands with clips encrusted with fake pearls that she'd borrowed from Dalia. "You'll be the belle of the ball."

"And you'll win that midshipman position," Smi returned the compliment, adjusting Kate's sash. "And then you'll leave us all forever."

Kate didn't say anything. She hadn't quite thought about how abandoning her father's reach also meant leaving some of the friends she'd recently made.

"Tonight's going to be fun!" Smi changed the subject, seeing Kate's face darken and fall. "You'll get to dance with Hawkins all night and I'll get to make my usual rounds."

Kate laughed, clutching at her skirts nervously. "I hope nothing goes wrong tonight."

Jim pinned the few badges that students' uniforms had on his chest and ran his fingers through his freshly washed hair. His reflection peered uncertainly back at him. It was only a dance, only a ceremony and yet his heartbeat was screaming like it had when Scroop was chasing him through the Legacy. He shook his head, trying to clear the fear, and buttoned the top button of his white jacket. His newly shined shoes glimmered and he loved Kate Blake. Nothing was going to go wrong tonight.

Admiral Blake was also peering into a mirror, though far less interested in his appearance. It was a cursory glance, to make sure that he wasn't ridiculously out of place or missing an important piece of his uniform. He had far more badges and medals on his chest. He knew what he was risking. But the lives of the Empire were more important than some cockamamie scheme of a prince who was still wet behind the ears. These children were rising up, as if they knew how to control the world, thinking they could throw away everything their forebears had given them. It was ridiculous. But Stevenson would make it right. He could bear that weight on his broad shoulders.

And besides, if he played everything right, he wouldn't even be connected to the incident. As long as nothing went wrong, he still had another 20 years of a military career ahead of him. He squared his broad shoulders – he really was a mountain of a man – and nodded briskly at his smart reflection. Everything would go according to plan.