-Galactic Federation Headquarters, Two Hours after Return-
"Lilo? LILO?" Nani dashed across the Grand Councilwoman's office, barreling over several aides in the process, and grabbed her sister up into a massive bear hug.
"Hi, Nani." Was all Lilo could say as her sister squeezed her tight, sobbing.
"Lilo, you-complete-LOLO! Do you have any idea how worried I was? When you vanished all I got think was no, not Lilo, please, NOT LILO! After Mom and Dad I don't think I could –"
"We looked after her." 626 patted the older girl on the leg, feeling rather awkward. "She actually helped us a lot. You should be proud of her."
"Oh, I heard about the whole Leroy business."
"So you're not mad?" Lilo looked like the picture of innocence.
"Are you kidding me? 'Not mad?' I'm furious! How could you just vanish like that?" Then, surprisingly, Nani's face broke out into a grin. "But yeah, I'm pretty proud too. Absolutely pissed, but proud."
The Grand Councilwoman cleared her throat. "Yes, erm, now that you two are reunited, what do you intend to do now? Perhaps I could interest you in a tour of Turo?"
Lilo started to say that that sounded like an excellent idea, but Nani shushed her. "Maybe some other time. I think for now we should really be getting back to our own planet, your highness."
"I understand. I'll have a ship prepared for you this evening. I trust you'll stay for dinner?"
-Galactic Federation Headquarters, Seven Hours after Return-
True to her word, almost no sooner had they all finished their dessert when a soldier came in to announce that the Pelekai's ship back to Earth had been prepared. Lilo's final request to stay another day or two was promptly shot down, and so the two sisters promptly exchanged goodbyes and hugs with 626 and Spon before boarding their ship.
626 watched it take off into the evening sky. "I'm going to miss her."
"Me too, bud." Spon agreed. "She's an amazing little girl."
"That she is. You know, we should go to Hawai'i some time on vacation. Preferably without me running around buck naked this time."
Spon laughed.
Even the Grand Councilwoman was smiling, although she hid it well. "I hope that you two can postpone your vacation a little while, though. I need you here on Turo as witnesses."
"Leroy's trial?" 626 felt the light mood evaporate a little.
"Yes. With miss Pelekai gone and Colonel Obrea leaving for clean-up duty on Saiccano after Gantu's funeral you two will be the only ones who can serve as witnesses for his redemption."
Spon sighed. "As you wish, milady." Turning to 626 he made a show of drooping his shoulders. "Guess we'll have to wait a while for our beach day."
"It's only three months." She tried to sound reassuring, but the other two gazed at each other in horror.
"Three MONTHS?" Spon groaned.
-Galactic Federation Council Room, Five Days after Return-
They all stood in the Council Room: Commodore Rikke, Adon, Melia, Obrea, Spon, and 626. Apparently, someone had decided that their individual actions had made them the heroes of the battle, and so the Council had gotten it into their head to give them all medals.
After, of course, the Grand Councilwoman gave a speech. It was long-winded, as such speeches tended to be, full of talk about 'honor' and 'bravery' and 'valor' and all the other qualifications that made a good soldier, and of talk about how they had done their part to restore the galaxy to peace. Then came the medals: each time the Councilwoman bestowed one upon its recipient the hallway erupted in cheers, but when 626 got to his turn he braced himself for a diminished return.
Instead, the cheers were just as loud for him as they were for anyone else. Maybe, just maybe, he'd finally managed to change enough minds. Regardless, it felt great, if not quite as great as seeing Obrea and the rest beaming at him with pride as the Councilwoman draped the medal around his neck.
"Congratulations, Experiment 626." The Councilwoman's smile was just as broad as his own. "You've done well for yourself, these past three years."
"Thanks, milady." 626 gave her a little bow. She gave him another smile before moving on to Spon.
-Galactic Armada Staging Ground, Six Days after Return-
The burial pyre was immense, as one for a person as massive as Gantu had to be. It seemed as though half the Armada turned out to watch, along with most of Turo, and as such even the funeral pyre seemed small before the mass of onlookers.
It was this onlookers that 626 was now addressing. He had spent most of the last day going over his speech with Obrea and Spon, discussing what to say and how to say it over snacks. Now, it was time to see how the preparation would pay off.
He cleared his throat. "When I first met Gantu, I was impressed and, honestly, a little scared. Gantu was only the third person I'd ever met in my life, and so meeting him left quite the mark.
"When I first met him, my first thought was to hope that he was more reasonable than he looked, because as I'm sure many of you know he had a mean stare when he wanted to."
A wave of chuckles washed over the audience, bolstering 626 a little. "Thankfully, my hopes were proven correct. That was the thing about Captain Gantu: he was always willing to listen, and he genuinely cared about the Federation and everyone in it. Not many people would be willing to hear out an illegal genetic experiment who burst into restricted airspace in a stolen (and heavily modified) police cruiser, but he did. And for that, I owe him everything.
"I'm still not sure Gantu and I got off on exactly the best foot, but I am sure of this: without him, I doubt I would have been able to meet all the people and see all the worlds I have been. Without him my life would have been very different, and, probably, worse.
"From the moment I met him to the moment he sacrificed himself aboard the Durgon, everything Gantu did was out of love for the Federation and all who serve her. And now that he's gone, the Armada has a massive whole to fill. Figuratively, of course, but also quite literally. They're definitely going to have to start making a lot of chairs to replace his, since most of us would probably sink completely out of sight in them as they are now." More chuckles.
"Still, gone does not mean forgotten. I know that I, at least, will never forget Captain Gantu, the kindnesses he did for me, or the spirit with which he served the Federation." He turned to the pyre and threw a quick salute. "Godspeed, Captain. May you earn your rest in the next life."
He descended through the applause into the audience, suddenly feeling completely alone and really wanting to rectify that, so he weaved his way through to where his friends stood.
Obrea greeted him by giving a quick hug and another ruffle of fur. "You did great." He whispered as First Officer Ombit began speaking about how much of an honor it had been to serve Gantu. "I'm proud of you."
626 smiled and turned to watch. By the time the last speaker had descended and the torchbearer took their place the stars had all come out. Everyone was silent, watching the stage now.
The torchbearer uttered a benediction. "In life the galaxy gave you nourishment. In life the galaxy gave you freedom. Now, in death you give the galaxy everything you are. You will watch over us from the stars." He knelt with the flame in one hand while touching his brow with the other, and after exhorting the gods of the stars to guide their brave son lit the pyre alight.
All present watched the firelight dance, transfixed. 626 felt the sudden absence of Obrea's hand and looked over, noticing that he was standing next to Adon. Not too close, but still side-by-side.
He was suddenly aware of a presence to his own side and turned his head just enough to see Melia. He edged a little closer to her: not too close, but still side-by-side.
-Galactic Federation Headquarters, Three Months after Return-
In the end they managed to persuade the Grand Councilwoman to eschew a full trial over Leroy, arguing that it would only stress him out and prevent him from getting a fair verdict, so instead off the High Council chamber Leroy's trial was held in a little side room presided over by the Council members normally on the front pedestal.
Both 626 and Spon argued on Leroy's behalf, arguing that he should be shown mercy, that he had been forced to commit his actions by a cruel master and tortured into acting out his master's sadistic desires against his will.
In the end, it was not enough to grant him full clemency, and Leroy was duly sentenced to life in exile.
Ordinarily, criminals exiled by the Federation were sent to desert asteroids in far-off regions of space, but in this case the Council was able to be persuaded to give Leroy a more hospitable destination.
More specifically, a little island on the planet Earth called Kuai'i. Upon hearing the news of where he would be exiled to, Leroy positively brightened with joy. Arrangements were then made: he would be escorted to the location of his 'sentence' in precisely one month.
-Kuai'i, Four Months after Return-
Lilo and Leroy greeted each other with a massive hug as Nani, Cobra Bubbles, 626, and the rest of Leroy's escort looked on.
"Is this really safe?" Nani asked. "I mean, I know that thing likes Lilo a lot and she likes him, but still."
"We have ten of our best agents watching at all times, Nani." Bubbles tried to reassure her. "And the Councilwoman promised me that they'll have a steady guard on her end as well."
"Strictly hands-off, though. No getting up in their business with weird questions about human or experiment physiology." Adon shot a warning glance over at Ritska, who 626 had managed to drag off Gapra long enough to bring to Hawai'i. "We're not here to treat them like a science experiment."
Ritska deflated a bit. "Oh, well. Still, it's probably for the best. Especially since he's still getting settled in."
Nani gazed at her sister and the experiment, deep in thought. "Well, as long as he behaves himself. I'll trust all of you."
She and Bubbles walked over to talk some more with Lilo and her new "pet" while the majority of the escort filed back onto the ship. The only ones still on the beach were 626, Spon, Obrea, Adon, Melia, and Ritska.
"So, I guess that's the end of it?" Spon asked.
"For now, at least." Obrea glanced up at the stars. "You know how the galaxy is – I'm sure that some crisis or another'll rear its ugly head before long."
"Hopefully not too soon, though. I've waited long enough to see this place."
"It is beautiful here." Ritska took in the scenery and gave a wistful sigh. "To think of all the wonderful creatures that must be waiting out in the ocean!" They gave 626 a quick hug. "Thanks for bringing us here."
"My pleasure! We need a rest after everything that's happened."
"Well, it was very gracious of you to invite us here." Melia smiled as she nodded back at the retreating Pelekais. "Even if we have to pretend we're only here because we need to watch over some locals."
"Come on, it's not that bad. We're at the beach! We can soak up the sun! Eat Earth food!"
"Calm down there a moment, will you, Spon?" Obrea shook his head. "At least let us all get settled in the base before you go crazy."
"I think you mean 'beach house', Ellar?"
"Base, Claire. It's a base."
"It's a beach house. Stop pretending otherwise."
"Whatever you say." The two walked off, not quite holding hands but not quite apart either.
"Are they…" Melia looked at 626 questioningly.
He shrugged and looked up at the sky. Obrea was certainly right on one account: somewhere, sometime, there was bound to be more trouble in the galaxy. Eventually, they would be needed somewhere.
But somewhere was not here, and sometime was not now. As 626 felt the sand beneath him and listened to the waves breaking on the Kauai'i shore, he felt at peace for the first time in a long time.
He turned to Melia and Spon. "Say, since we're here, how about we go down to the water? There's this fun thing Lilo and Nani introduced me to last time I was here called surfing…"
END