Welcome back dear reader. Apologies for making you wait so long. Life became hectic and crazy, but a six hour flight allowed for some quailty writing and editing time! And without much more fuss, I bring you Chapter 21: Homeward Bound.
Final Chapter, start!
The chaos around the compound blurred into the back of his mind, as Kodai took off running. He sprinted back into the building and looked up where he last saw his wife working.
The crane helping support the Reverser crumbled with the blast and a good portion of a wall also took the brunt of the explosion. Several members of the team frantically ran up on the platform causing Kodai to fear the worst.
"No, Yuki!" He rushed up to the base of the raised platform, trying to find a way up. The twisted metal still resembled a staircase and Kodai was about to climb when he heard his name.
"Kodai," her voice sounded confused and slightly dazed.
Turning, his eyes went wide seeing Yuki laying on the ground among some of the debris. Her overalls were dirty, and a small trickle of blood came from the side of her face, but she was alive. He sprinted to her side.
Kneeling beside her, Kodai carefully took her into his arms and held her.
"I thought you… oh gods, Yuki, I…" She placed her hand on his cheek and gave him a sad smile, knowing exactly his fears seeing the blasts.
"Sanada… he…" her eyes turned towards the Reverser. "I was coming down to get a part, and he wanted to check something… he was under it. What happened…"
Loud voices from above got both their attention as several men brought a severely injured Captain down the steps.
"Get him to the Enterprise now!" Kodai bellowed as he picked up Yuki, determined to do the same. "I want the perimeter secured and everyone who is NOT with the UNCF or Alliance on this project far away from here. Search the civilians as well, this was no accident."
Several soldiers who knew him saluted and did as told. Whether he liked it or not, Kodai knew that with Sanada out of commission, this mess was now his mess.
"I can walk back to the Enterprise," Yuki offered, knowing that his place might be more needed coordinating whatever was happening outside.
"I'm getting you to Dr. Sado," his tone left no room for arguments, and he felt relieved when she didn't press him. Instead, she allowed him to carry her, simply placing her arms around his neck and resting her head on his chest.
Several armed men came to the room's normal opening to assist the injured, and their helpers quickly ran back to the secured zone of their ship.
Shima stood waiting for his friend, a look of concern on his face as the pair approached.
"Orders sir?" The mirth that might have been in his voice another time was not there- only seriousness.
"I am getting Yuki and Captain Sanada to the medical bay. I want you to get to the helm, monitor the situation from the deck, and if I say, you get this ship off the ground."
"That extreme?"
"That woman, she looked like one of those female guards…" Kodai briefly looked down at his wife in his arms, knowing that there was a possibility that their target was his wife once more. "I want us to be ready for whatever happens."
"Got it, I'll keep you posted on what I find."
"Also, get the Cosmos Fighters on standby- they might not need to fly, but we could use the show of strength."
"On it," and with that Shima pivoted and went back the other way, as the group continued to the medical bay.
Doctor Sado's eyes were wide as his quiet office now erupted with injured.
"Get the Captain in the main trauma room, and start prepping him for surgery." The short doctor instructed his team. Turning he saw the couple standing off to the side; he motioned for them to enter another space.
"I'll have a nurse stay with her, she looked to be just fine," the man tried to assure the acting captain after checking Yuki over. "They are all fine for now; I'll keep you posted."
Kodai looked at a tired and still sightly bleeding Yuki. She tried to stifle a grimace and nodded, thanking the doctor as he left to deal with more critical patients.
"It just a fall is all," she too tried to convince him. "You're needed now, Captain Kodai." She reached out and squeezed his hand. "Go and save the day."
"I'll be back soon," he promised, bring her hand to his lips and then ran out the door.
Once he found a blaster and some protective gear, Kodai went back out to assess the situation. The crowds of people watching the construction of the Reverser now disbursed; only a few civilian looking individuals remained, mostly handcuffed and restrained by UNCF guards.
"Sir, we think we have the area secured." A higher-ranking military officer reported.
"What the hell happened?" Kodai asked seeing that a few injured scientists were now making their away towards the Enterprise.
"A few individuals in the crowd placed bombs and wanted to attack the Reverser team." Kodai followed the man over to the area where people sat under armed guard. "These people were armed, some fought back."
Looking at the faces in the small group, maybe fifteen or so people of all different skin tones, Kodai recognized the silvery blonde woman. Walking up to her, he stopped and knelt down.
"What the hell was your purpose?" He demanded from her, looking straight into her dark eyes.
No answer came, instead, a look of pure hatred shone back at him.
"Someone is going to talk," he bellowed in a voice that told he was serious.
"We believe that they are loyalists." A soldier from the Alliance reported.
To this, the woman scoffed, and Kodai's attention went back to her.
"If you aren't one of Dessler's supporters, then why try and destroy our work here?" He demanded, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her slightly. "We have the same enemy!"
"You are the enemy."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean? We're here working with you to help rebuild your planet." He looked at the group, and their faces showed that they most likely shared her sentiments.
"We've heard that line before," someone spat on the ground, getting Kodai to stand up and take a few steps back.
"I am the acting Captain of the UNCF's mission," he began. "Our mission does not and will not EVER include colonization of other planets. Believe me when I say that I hate Dessler and all he stood for… he's taken my family from me, destroyed my planet, hurt the only person in the galaxies that matters to me beyond compare… I would never take a page from his book. You and those who are also his victims deserve a chance to start new. That machine we're building will help. At this very moment back on Earth, a similar machine is giving the human race a chance at a fresh start. We thought you all deserved that too. But hey, if you don't want that, fine. I'm sure my crew won't have any objections of leaving for our home sooner."
With the exceptions of the still smoldering fires and creaking of the abused building, silence fell over the crowd.
"I understand your fears of another regime taking over your homes, but I can assure you it won't be coming from us. Whether you believe that, or not is your issue, but your stunt put several of our people in the hospital- pretty much stopping the whole process. To top that off, I am stuck with a group of bombers who didn't mind killing people to reach a goal… one full of wrong information."
"Sir, we can use some of the capital's old cells to house them till we figure out what needs to be done with them."
The thought of imprisoning this group didn't sit well with him. Their deeds, while injuring several of his crew, would have been things he might have done if positions were reversed. How were they to know the UNCF was not there to take over where Dessler started?
"No, those aren't fit for anyone." Kodai turned to walk away mulling over the options. He needed to speak with the Alliance for sure. To keep more incidents like this occurring, they would need to communicate better what their mission on Gamila entailed.
"For now, you all are invited to cool off in our brig. I promise not to detain you for long; I need to speak with some others… please think of yourselves as our guests. Later this evening, we can share a meal and hopefully get a chance to explain exactly our role on your planet."
Turing around, he pulled his communicator from his belt and contacted the bridge.
"Shima, talk to me."
"Looks like the area is clear, the fires are out, and the Reverser is being checked over for any damage." His friend informed him. "I also figured you would need to talk to the Alliance, so they are ready for a call whenever you are."
"Thanks, can you have the security detail waiting at the Enterprise's entrance? We have a few guests who will be cooling off in the brig until later this evening."
"Roger that, anything else?"
"Have you heard anything from med bay?" Kodai asked, not liking the silence from the doctor on the conditions of their captain and his wife.
"They say no news can be good news. Also, it has only been a few hours, plus with the number of injured, they must be just busy still. Finish up your work there and then make a pit stop on the way back into the command center."
"Thanks, Shima, Kodai out."
Kodai felt like the demands of being captain pulled him in multiple directions. He had accompanied their guests to their temporary accommodations, talked with their partners in the Alliance about the situation on Gamila, walked the new barriers around the Reverser compound and set up a new, enhanced guard schedule. They were not going to take any more chances, and if Yuki would be back down there working, it needed to be completely safe.
A supportive hand patted him on the shoulder as he stood near the captain's chair looking over reports.
"You've had a long day, why don't you go and check in on Yuki and call it a night?" Shima suggested looking rather tired himself. Their quiet morning turned out to be a long and stressful day.
"I was thinking of going and talking to our guests."
"You still trying to figure out the why?"
"I want to make sure they aren't after my children."
"You think they were targeting Yuki because of… her condition?" Shima hated seeing the pain this was causing his friend.
"I don't know," came his reply with a sigh.
"Go and see your wife, then deal with your guests. I am sure she is wondering what is going on too."
Nodding, the acting captain turned and left the bridge.
The medical area of the ship appeared calmer than when he last visited. The main trauma room that held his friend and colleague remained empty except for the slumbering patient and a diligent doctor. As Kodai entered the room to check quickly on the man, he met with the serious-looking doctor.
"How is he?"
"Stable for now." The doctor didn't sound enthusiastic. "He was nearly crushed by the orb they are making over there. I've done what I could."
"And Yuki?"
"She's been sleeping comfortably, the fall didn't hurt her or the babies, just gave them a good jumble. She had some pains, but we've got her settled."
"Thank you," Kodai sighed. "It has been a day for all of us, hasn't it?"
"They never said that being a leader would be easy. But we're still alive, and that's all we can ask for." The seasoned veteran of many battles and emergencies forced a smile.
Walking quietly into the room where his wife lay, he looked over at the monitor near the head of the bed. Three heartbeats showed up on the screen, and that image allowed a warmth to fill him. Sitting down, he allowed himself this moment, enjoyed it knowing that his family survived once more.
"This captain thing is way overrated. I can't even imagine how anyone can do everything expected… it's only been a day, and I'm ready to give it up. You seem much more suited for this gig my love. You have that calming ability that I just am horrible at."
"You're doing just fine," came her sleepy voice. The figure in the bed shifted and opened her eyes. "The ship's in one piece and no one is dead."
"I guess that's true." He took her hand.
"I know what will make you feel better." She beamed up at him. "Turn that dial over there near the big screen."
Looking at her with a skeptical look, he did as told.
"Are these?" He asked as he stopped seeing the image before him on the screen.
"Our babies, safe and sound." Yuki's already curved lips brightened as she watched him mesmerized by the scene of the two growing forms cuddled together. Looking from the screen to her belly, Kodai placed his hand over the area where their two children grew.
"They've gotten so big," the proud papa face he gave had her shining with happiness with him.
"They would be happy to know their daddy is working so hard to keep everyone safe."
"I promise, I will keep you all safe. I will do my best as Captain."
"I know you will," Yuki encouraged him. "I'll wait here till you are done for the day and then we can relax back in our room for a bit. You need sleep too; you look exhausted."
"I'll be all right; you take it easy. And that goes double for you both," he patted her stomach lightly. Leaning in for a quick kiss, Kodai then stood up and returned to his responsibilities.
"I invited you all to share this meal in the hopes that you will get to know us better, and we work through our differences peacefully," Kodai spoke as the food began passing around the table. The fifteen Gamilia civilians all sat at the tables; guards remained outside and out of sight.
Kodai, Shima, and a few others from the Alliance, including Melda, joined the meal.
"I think the most important question remains… who exactly was the target?" The blue-skinned fighter turned diplomat queried looking at the group who planned the bombings.
"We didn't necessarily have one in mind. The bombs were to stop the construction of the device… our sources told it was something that would give you the upper hand against us." The woman responded as she put down the food handed to her.
"The device you nearly destroyed is a Cosmos Reverser, created by the Iscandarian people to reverse the damage to a planet." Niimi explained, "Caught in the blast where some of our top minds trying to help your planet."
Kodai could tell the woman sitting near him struggled to keep her emotions in check. Of all of them, Niimi remained the closest with their captain; they had researched a great number of things together, even before the Yamato plan became a reality.
"Why did you come all the way back here in those warships?" One of the bombers voiced their own inquiry.
"Our mission was to bring aid to the newly forming Alliance and assist at the end of Dessler's forces," Shima spoke up.
"One of our crew has a strong connection with Iscandar; she received word that the planet and the Queen needed assistance," Kodai elaborated. "Since they did so much for us, we wanted to return the favor."
"Connection? How?"
"Why would Iscandar help Earth, your planet, when so many here were suffering at the hands of Dessler?"
"We thought they were gods! Some all powerful race, but they didn't help us!"
"I can't speak to the politics behind the decision to not interfere of the late Queen, but the assistance came in the form of a drive to get us to Iscandar so we could bring back a Cosmos Reverser."
"It saved our planet. We wanted to use a similar device to help here." Another on the science team added.
"You're here for quite some time, what's the holdup?"
"Yeah, why haven't you done what you said you wanted to do and then leave? Or at least tell us what is going on!"
"We regret not making it more open to what we were doing. We've been set back slightly with the construction phase." Kodai admitted.
"What does that mean?" The woman with long hair demanded from Kodai directly.
"My wife, she is the one with the connection to Iscandar. She knows how to build the majority of the device, her memories of her time on Iscandar were taken from her in an accident, so it has been a process of trying to get all the pieces in place. We are having difficulties with harnessing the initial power surge needed to start the machine's restorative process."
"Where is she now? Why isn't she here to tell us all this?"
"Your blast injured her and our captain; that's why!" Shima stood up, getting a bit angry at the tone of the questions from the people responsible for setting them back even more.
Silence filled the room, and Kodai placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Prior to the blast, we found out she was pregnant, and there were some complications. Against her initial wishes, she has scaled back her workload, and thus, the timeline has increased slightly."
"The woman who carries the last heir of Gamila?"
"Can she be trusted to help us? She was his Queen, wasn't she?" Another asked as the murmurs of the group grew. At the same time, so too did Kodai's anger.
"Our children are our own." He stood up and slammed his fists on the table getting everyone's attention. "There is no heir to anything because the Gamilian Empire does not exist anymore. Yuki sacrificed everything for your freedom, for our freedom… I will not have anyone repay her devotion to peace with second-guessing her loyalties. That bastard took enough from her…"
Everyone seemed to reflect on those words, as the questioning ended for a spell.
"Maybe we were a bit hasty," the woman admitted looking at her comrades and then to Kodai and his group. "And I am deeply sorry for injuring your men, but how were we to know you would not be an invasion force? It is hard to believe the words of those in the so-called Alliance. We've known deceit and double crosses our entire lives under Dessler."
"So we chalk this up to an unfortunate accident?" Shima voiced, not knowing if he could believe something so… easy.
Kodai looked at Melda, and then to his friend, wondering the same thing.
"Are there any more bombs planted that we should know about? Or any additional plans?" Kodai turned to the female Gamilan who appeared to take on a leadership role.
"None that I know of," she responded, trying to assure the others that her words were truthful.
"And we can believe you?" His words came out right after she spoke; he hated not trusting their word, but he did not want to regret letting them go.
"Yes, you have my word as someone who also sacrificed a lot for freedom. No other incidents will occur as long as you are truthful as well."
With a nod, Kodai motioned for the group to continue eating. He certainly had a lot to think about.
"How's he doing?" The acting captain asked as he stood by the door frame of Captain Sanada's room in the medical wing, his eyes soft seeing his wife sitting at the bedside.
"Doctor Sado says he is stable for now. They think they got all of the internal bleeding stopped."
"He should be awake soon then?"
"Hard to say, he hasn't regained consciousness yet. I think you will have to get used to your new title for a while. He'll need time to recover and not fully able to lead."
Taking in that information, he went to stand by his wife at his captain's bedside.
"We've got things under control, sir. You just get better."
The pair stayed for a moment, before, Yuki tried to stifle a yawn.
"Let's get you back to bed love," he rubbed her back, supporting some of her weight as she leaned against him before forcing herself to summon the strength to walk.
"I think you need that as much as I do," her observation certainly was not wrong. It had been hell that day. "You got the situation outside under control?"
"It was all a big misunderstanding… one huge mess that could have been avoided."
"We do better next time," she tried to support him emotionally, knowing that he blamed himself for things beyond his control. "You know you can always talk to me about these things. We'll find a solution, we always have."
The days after the bombing held a tension to them that could not be ignored.
Guards were doubled as the scientist began to fix what broke during the explosions. In an attempt to better inform the planet and Alliance partners not involved, Kodai lead a group in giving a media broadcast to the world.
While he would have preferred his wife to maintain a low profile, she better than any of them knew how to explain the device. Whether he liked it or not, Yuki was a known entity to these people thanks to Dessler's broadcasts.
They seemed to listen to her, how she spoke to the people, it made him wonder if the right person was leading. He pushed that thought aside; she had faith in him- even after failing her so many times.
Her time was limited, and he knew she could not work on the device and run the ship and its crew.
"How goes the Reverser?" He asked as he caught her on a break near the compound.
"I think it is nearly done. I just have to finish the sparking device." Her tone sounded conservatively optimistic. "Which hasn't been going so well, but I am sure I'll get it to work soon."
"I know you will," he kissed her forehead.
"Don't you have things you need to take care of?" Her amused smile shone bright, knowing that he often slipped away to see her when something particularly tedious came up in his daily routine.
"You know me too well," he returned the grin. "I figured you would appreciate the little break, seeing as you've been out here more than you should."
"We're trucking along," she told him, "besides, I think we're close."
"Well, you keep up that work, and I'll see you in bed."
"Sounds like a plan," and with a quick kiss, Kodai watched as she went back to work.
As she entered the room where the Reverser sat, Yuki's happy demeanor fell. There at the top of the platform, the device began to glow.
"We don't know what happened," one of the Alliance's men said looking panicked.
"There's no way to turn it off, we've tried to stop it." Another cried, looking at the unstable power cell they brought in to try and jumpstart the process.
As fast as her changing body could go, she climbed the stairs and tried to assess what had happened.
"I connected the cell like you instructed…"
"It's already at fifty percent drained," yet another voice came from the bottom of the platform.
"Does someone have a readout on the Reverser?" Yuki asked trying to assess if it had sufficient juice to begin its work.
"I don't know if the power source is all that compatible, the core system of the Reverser is looking very unstable."
"Please, no…" Yuki looked up to the open sky and prayed. This was their only chance; some of the parts they found for the device were hard to come by… others could not be remade. If the Reverser exploded because of an unstable fuel source, that could be the end of this mission.
Slamming her fists down on the device, tears began to well in her eyes.
They had come so far, survived so much… they could not fail now.
As the light continued to shine, Yuki felt her heart pounding in her chest with worry. If the Reverser wouldn't shut down, there was guarantee they could find the parts to make another. They had several of the main pieces already created from salvaged parts on Earth and during the voyage.
How long will it take to rebuild? She wondered her head running through the worst case scenario. She would have a few months before her pregnancy would cut off her ability to do the work a complete rebuild would require.
The hum of the machine increased in volume and the group's leaders made the call to abandon the compound.
"Mrs. Kodai, please." A worker pleaded as the part Iscandarian stayed at the control panel after the others left.
"We can't shut it off! There's no use."
"If we can't stop it, then we'll make sure it keeps charging. Get me that generator from the crane and the spare out back! Hurry, we can't lose this cell!"
Those who remained rallied behind the woman they came to respect and trust. Several power generators and random battery packs hooked together and soon, the Reverser gained more of its needed energy. As she watched the monitor, her fears grew as no matter how much more juice they provided, it seemed to not be enough.
"Queen Starsha, please," Yuki begged. "It isn't working, I don't know what else to do..."
Taking out her second golden message orb, she slammed it down on the console and slumped to her knees in defeat.
Seconds later the noise of their creation increased and the glow intensified. The orb pulsed and a golden light spread out through it. A wave of energy overcame them all, feeling both warm and gentle. In the core of the light, Yuki felt a comforting presence. The slender figure with long flowing hair smiled down on her. On her hip was a little girl with long golden hair as well, Yuki instantly knew it was Starsha's and Mamoru's child, aged magically.
"Fear not, for we will be reunited as a family in the great beyond. Tell the others, this is my gift to the planet. Take care of them for me, sister."
The light brightened and then shot up into the air, surrounding the planet and coating the lands in a healing rain.
Yuki felt a wave of relief and them a peaceful sleep claimed her tired body.
Word on the Reverser starting up and the panic from the ground crew spread across the Enterprise. Kodai, sitting in the Captain's chair was going over security details and supply amounts when the com buzzed to life.
"They can't shut it down." The report told. "They've ordered am evacuation of the compound... wait no, they want all charged generators down to the work compound. Yuki isn't going to leave it."
"What?" Kodai cried hearing of his wife's stubbornness.
"Sir, they are closing off the compound."
"Like hell they are, Shima, if it blows, how fast can you get the ship up?"
"Not super-fast... you want me to lift off now?" His friend asked, buckling himself into the seat, ready for his orders.
"What is the likelihood of it blowing up sir?" The young girl sitting at the radar, where Yuki normally sat asked.
"Very low I'd suspect, but I don't know for sure... we need to be safe about this."
"Sir we've got an incoming message," the operational manager spoke up. "It's from Ambassador Melda."
"Put her through," Kodai ordered.
"We've got a solution, but we need access to the compound. it's locked down at the moment."
"I'll meet you at the gate," he said without question. "Niimi, you have the bridge."
Their leader sprinted through the ship to get to the blank leading planet side.
There waiting for them stood his friend Melda and the last princess of Iscandar, holding a glowing orb in her hands.
"We didn't think to offer you the Queen's essence, but it appears she wants to help one final time." The blue-skinned woman explained.
"Quickly, Yuki is trying to keep the Reverser from shutting down."
The two didn't need to be told twice and they ran to the gates securing the compound.
"Out of the way," he bellowed and the startled guards allowed them access.
The trio looked at the scene before them inside the room. Yuki attempted to rally her crew and succeeded to a point.
Watching her sink to her knees, Kodai wanted to run up there and take her into his arms, but he stayed out in school watching the orb from Yurisha's hands jump up and into the Reverser.
The blinding light that came next had them all shielding their eyes as the light blasted through the ceiling and into the atmosphere.
Silence filled the room as the light dimmed, and a lightly glowing Reverser continued to shoot energy into the planet.
Once he could see again, Kodai left the two women's sides and went to find his wife.
Up on the platform, she looked so content sleeping there, even though it was on a metal grate. Looking once at the monitor on the control panel, his smile increased showing that the Reverser had worked. The spark from the late Queen gave the device the power to begin the cycle of healing.
"You did it love," he bent over and kissed her forehead, affectionately smoothing out her messy locks.
The cheers from the remaining Reverser team cried out with happiness at the success of the project. Their nearly yearlong struggle now seemed to be at an end with the panicked last few minutes.
"That's a rap everyone! We're going home!" One scientist excitedly exclaimed.
"Is she alright?" Melda asked climbing the stairs see what Kodai was doing up near the orb and the control area.
"Just probably tired." He nodded, "I'll take her back to bed. The others can clean up here."
Yuki felt like she had slept for days. After the warmth of that light went through her, the little aches, pains and exhaustion all melted away.
In her dreams the two little girls with the long blonde hair once more played in the lush fields. The memory brought such pleasant feelings of a past that she may not fully get back, but contentment filled her now. She didn't need all of the answers anymore. Yes, she knew now she was not fully human, but her dual roots of Iscandar and Earth allowed her to feel a part of both great places. With Iscandar no longer her home, she looked forward to the days she would spend with her new family.
The scene before her shifted and now two boys now ran after each other, a plane in one hand of each tot. The field looked slightly different, the grass now green and not as tall. Not wanting to fully wake, she tried to hold on to the image for a few moments more. The boys, she knew they were her children. She wished that Earth would bring about that carefree spirit. The war was over. It was now peace's chance.
Allowing the images to fade, Yuki stretched in bed before opening her eyes. Her hand hit against the side of the sleeping man beside her.
His murmur was incoherent to her, but the tone told that her was not yet ready to wake. Slowly sitting up in their beds, Yuki looked down at him. Brushing his unruly mop out of his face she leaned on for a kiss. When she did, his arms moved to enclose around her and draw her nearer to him.
As he did, a slight gasp escaped her lips. Instantly, Kodai opened his eyes, wanting to know her distress.
"I think one of them just learned how to kick," she told him, pressing her hand gently on the growing bulge.
Once she confirmed it, she took his hand and showed him.
"They sure are strong, for being tiny beings."
"They will be strong and courageous boys, just like their father." She smiled.
"More like their mother. Yuki, without you none of this would be happening. You are amazing."
A series of kisses and tender touches occupied the couple until a com link began to beep.
"The ceremony is today," Kodai hissed, not wanting to end their time in bed.
"We should be getting ready," she encouraged, though a bit sad to get up as well.
"Can't they do it without us?" He joked, as he sat up.
"Well, you could not show. But then you'll have to report to Captain Sanada that you failed to perform your duties, interim Captain Kodai... and then I'll have to take over and put you in the brig." Kodai didn't want to let on how fun being locked in the brig might actually be considering he had been Captain for some time now.
"Once we get back to Earth, you can retire." Standing, she handed him a towel with an enticing look that he could not ignore.
"Men and women of the newly formed Allied Denublian Galaxy, the crew of the UNCF fleet, today we do not simply part ways," Kodai began, standing at the center of a large platform. Looking out on the masses, the once great Gamilan colosseum, which hosted many of Dessler's propaganda venues, he saw hope. "With the new technologies our communication and interactions will only increase as time goes on and on behalf of Earth, I look forward to the continued relationships."
The crowd cheered loudly at that prospect.
"Without your assistance and the great many who did not survive the fight to see this day, we would still be under the clutches of a mad man. I think it only right to recognize certain members critical in bringing about the end to the fighting."
Yuki listened to her husband as he spoke. In his Captain's hat and uniform, he looked very similar to that of his brother. The long blue coat with the bars and insignia of his rank, it suited him even if he complained about some of the less glamorous parts of the role.
Breaking out of her inner thoughts, she heard her name called, and she stood up from her seat off to the side of the platform's center.
Her decision to wear a traditional dress from Iscandar instead of her UNCF uniform felt right. Today was a day to honor many places and people. Walking to the center with her friend and sister at her side, the last of the great planet Iscandar wished to address those that had thought them godlike for so long.
She spoke of the past, the sadness that they all shared in not doing more, or not being able to explain beyond the peaceful intentions of the former ruler. Also of how it was because of her life force, that the present had a future. They all would be free to choose what that meant and work towards their dreams.
Once the ceremony finished and the goodbyes trailed off, the Earthlings began to board the Enterprise for the voyage home.
"And you're sure you will not join us?" Yuki asked her near twin in appearance once more, giving the woman a tight hug.
"Paths will intersect once more, not true goodbye." The Iscandarian once more talked in riddles.
"I'll contact you when the babies come, you're going to be an auntie." Yuki informed her. "You'll have to help me make sure that some of the old traditions are passed on. We can't let Iscandar truly fade."
"Memories never fully fade away, take care of them."
Nodding one last time and being assured once more from Melda that Yurisha would be taken care of, the power couple of the Enterprise took their leave. The crowds waved them off and soon the UNCF fleet turned back to the stars for a chance at a new beginning on Earth.
The inter galactic mission left the crew a bit worse for wear, but the prospect of a green Earth eased the burden.
"Shall we head home?" Kodai asked holding Yuki's slender hand.
"Yes, home."