Epilogue

Captain Amanda Greene donned on her service cap and headed out into the lobby of the ONI Military Tribunal Court on Reach. The marbled floors made her steps echo through the cavernous space, and the clatter from behind her meant someone was attempting to catch up with her.

Rolf Sorenson scrambled off the lobby bench and joined Amanda at her side. "So? What was the verdict?"

"There's no verdict, just a ruling."

"Don't try to deflect with semantics." Rolf stepped around and stopped Amanda in her tracks. "What did they say?"

"The actions we took were deemed appropriate and forthright," she replied, finally meeting Rolf's gaze. "They said, 'despite the loss of Nagamo and her crew, Apocolypso proved resourceful and performed valiantly.'"

Rolf frowned. "So that's good news, right?"

Amanda rolled her eyes and stepped around Rolf and heading for the exit. The hot afternoon sun greeted her eyes painfully and she lowered the brim of her cap. But Rolf was insistent and followed her down the steps to the sidewalk.

"Captain, what is wrong?"

Sighing, Amanda stopped in front of a bench just off the main walkway and sat. Rolf, regal in her naval skirt and choosing to stand, gave her an expectant look. "I told them the truth," Amanda finally said. "I brought up the reports from Spartan-458 and the data logs from Eye of Karaan, and they still agreed we were correct in following our hunch to the very end."

"So how is that a bad thing?" Rolf folded her arms across her chest. "Wait a minute. Part of you wanted to be reprimanded."

Amanda shrugged. "Maybe." But Rolf had hit the nail on the head. She couldn't help but feel survivor's guilt for making it out alive when Galin didn't.

"Don't hold on to that," Rolf offered. "it's not healthy."

They were silent for a while, allowing the ruling to sink in, and Rolf finally sat down beside her. "Where do you think we'll be stationed next?" Rolf asked, partially changing the subject.

"From the look Admiral Kane gave me, I doubt we'll be assigned anything for a while, and even when we do, it will be something like retrieving long-range comm buoys or something." Amanda sighed. "I guess I'll take that as punishment." She shrugged. "I was kind of hoping for something more immediate or severe. I don't know." She got up from the bench and took off her cap. "If I replay the entire mission in my head with the opposite outcome, I can only see it play out to where the Covenant land on our back doorstep."

"Right, so what we did was justified."

"And what if the Minister of Conversion was offering a peace treaty? How many human lives could have been saved?"

"Don't start down that path either, Captain." Rolf stood and placed a hand on Amanda's shoulder. "If the Covenant truly wanted a peaceful solution to this war, they would stop glassing every colony they find."

While not entirely believing her statement, Amanda did nod in reply. "Right." Her head was full of cloudy and muddy thoughts and she just wanted to get lost in something else. "Let's go, Lieutenant," she said, pointing out her new rank insignia.

Rolf frowned, not entirely thrilled with the promotion, and adjusted her name placard above her left breast pocket. "Where to, ma'am?"

"A bar. You owe me a drink."

Rolf gave Amanda a nonchalant salute. "Aye, aye, Captain."

Date: Unknown
Location: Unknown
UNSC Nagamo, Prowler-class

When Nagamo finally exited the Slipstream, its crew was vacant from the bridge. The interior temperature of the ship had dropped to below freezing and the gravity generators were currently not active. Datapads, documents, personal items, silverware, mugs and bedding floated aimlessly through the halls, as if haunting the ship in partial glowpanel lighting.

At the core of the Prowler, the emergency cryo-pods held the last remaining crewmembers of Nagamo. Down to only a handful of survivors, the last few pods began their slow-thaw process. The AI pedestal in the Cryo Room attempted to flicker to life, but Jovan did not appear.

Several of the pods malfunctioned halfway through their cycle and their occupants perished in a matter of seconds.

Only three cryo pods remained intact.

As warmth and gravity returned to the Cryo Room, Captain Galin Thorm spilled out onto the deck, struggling against a continuous wracking cough and shivering uncontrollably. Blinking his eyes several times before fully opening them, Galin struggled to his feet and only succeeded in getting to his knees.

"Jovan," he half coughed. "Jovan, are you there? What is our status?"

The AI's voice came over the comm slowly. "Unknown."

"How long have we been in cryo?"

"Unknown."

Galin got to his feet, steadying himself by leaning against the pod opposite to him. "Where in the hell are we?"

"Unknown."

Confusion and frustration at the lack of knowledge from his AI turned to outright fear. So many horrible things had happened since they left for the Rally Point to meet up with Apocolypso, and he wasn't sure the nightmare was over yet. "Jovan, are we safe?"

The AI, its voice now nearly two octaves below normal gave a sigh.

"No."