Moya (en route to the Royal Planet).

Jack Crichton's quarters.

John's voice came from the data reader. "I don't know how the Nebari War will end, Dad-I don't even know if we can win it. I just know that I have to go, and help Katie any way I can, even if I can't see her or tell her she's my daughter."

Jack and Katie sat at the small table in his quarters. They had listened to all of John's tapes. They had played them in order, from his very first message, hearing John's awe and wonder to the later messages and the tone of despair. John had made the last of his recordings before joining the Royal Defense Force. The data reader shut off automatically.

Katie sniffed a few times, and Jack pulled her into his arms and comforted her.

'It must have been so hard for him at first,' Jack thought to himself. 'But he not only survived and adjusted, John even thrived here.'

"Daddy sure sounds different on those tapes, Granddad," Katie said.

"Well, I guess they were private thoughts. I don't think your father ever really expected me, or anyone else, to hear them," Jack replied.

"I mean, he sounded different than in his speeches," Katie explained. "I've heard him give speeches to Parliament, to troops, and to the citizens. He sounded a lot more - confident, I guess. Would you like to hear his speeches, Granddad?"

~ * ~

The Zeuxis (en route to the staging area for the coming battle).

Main Prowler Hangar

Brigadier Sun entered the hangar with General, Lord Crichton, and they looked over the assembled personnel. The human recruits had done very well in the first two phases of their training, but now the most crucial phase began: training flights in Prowlers. Each trainee from Earth had been paired with an experienced Prowler pilot from the Zeuxis - most were Sebaceans, but many were Delvian, former Nebari Resistance members, some Luxans, and even a few Zenitans thrown in. The trainees stood next to their new Prowlers, their excitement clearly showing on their faces.

"Congratulations, you've made it this far. Now, for the hard part - the actual flying. No more classroom theory or simulator training where you can still walk away from the worst crash - this is for real," Brigadier Sun said, and they began their training flights.

~ * ~

Karnore, the Calcivore settlement

Officer Azez and Corporal Set from the Zeuxis stood on guard outside the modest shelter. Inside, Em'Lee and Zhaan were deep in conversation. Zhaan was amazed at how much Em'Lee had grown since the first time they met, Em'Lee was petite. Zhaan assumed she was an adult then, but she was only an adolescent. Em'Lee, now a full-grown adult, was almost as tall as Ka D'Argo. Zhaan shuddered to think what Em'Lee would look like when her calcium reserves were depleted and she went into hunting mode. With that thought, Zhaan was very relieved to be Delvian.

Em'Lee nodded as Zhaan finished explaining the situation. "And you only wish to have four volunteers?" Em'Lee asked in a sweet voice that belied her predatory nature.

"Yes, that should be a sufficient guard detail for Katie - Princess Katralla," the priestess answered.

"Could you possibly take more than four volunteers?" Em'Lee asked. Zhaan was surprised. Before she could inquire further, Em'Lee continued. "When I first arrived here, Karnore was a paradise. There was abundant prey, because the crops were so plentiful. But we have faced many hardships in the past few cycles: after three cycles of drought, our food sources have virtually died out. We will soon face starvation, but not before we hunt each other to extinction. I have seen this happen before, on the asteroid where you found me. I'm sure many of us would volunteer to go with you: it would leave more food here for those who stay and a better chance of survival for those who go," the young Calcivore explained. "Please, please, please," she begged quietly.

Zhaan talked to Em'Lee's people, and was surprised by how many had volunteered - proof of how badly things were going for them. There were far too many to fit on the transport pod, Moya would have to divert from her present course to pick them all up.

~ * ~

Moya - Jack's Quarters

Pilot had found vid recordings of many of General, Lord Crichton's speeches, and played them in chronological order for Jack and Katie. John wore his dress uniform in most of the speeches, unless he was addressing military personnel on the front lines, where he wore is battle dress uniform. Jack grinned as the montage played in front of him, then tried not to laugh too much -Katie was watching the recording intently, and Jack didn't feel like explaining why he was laughing.

General, Lord Crichton addressed the Empire in the middle of the Nebari War: "I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"

General, Lord Crichton spoke to Parliament: "You ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea, air, and space...You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs - Victory in spite of all terrors - Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival... Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand cycles, people will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'"

General, Lord Crichton spoke to the troops: "Never give up! Never Surrender!"

Jack couldn't help himself any longer, and burst out laughing.

~ * ~

The Zeuxis - Brigadier Sun's conference room.

"Zhaan, I can't believe you brought so many Calcivore volunteers with you - this certainly changes the ground assault plans," Aeryn Sun said to the vidscreen.

The priestess smiled from the vidscreen. "I knew you would be pleased," Zhaan replied.

John paced back and forth, while Aeryn sat at a conference table as they talked to Zhaan on Moya. "Aren't you forgetting one little detail?" he asked, exasperated.

Zhaan looked at John and smiled serenely. "Are you referring to, shall we say, rations?"

"Exactly! When you came up with this plan, Moya laid in a supply of bones, but for four. It's no where near enough to feed almost 100 calcivores." John's worry for Katie and his father was getting the best of him. "Dammit, dammit, dammit!"

Aeryn stood up and walked to John, blocking his path. John didn't say anything, just crossed his arms and glared. "Calm down, John. For this plan to work, most of the calcivores don't need to be well-fed, they just need enough food to keep from starving," Aeryn said in a soothing voice. "They'll have all the calcium they need after the attack."

Zhaan jumped in and said "And they have agreed to remain in one of Moya's hangars until we arrive at the staging area--everyone on Moya will be safe. John, don't worry: it will work out all right."

John uncrossed his arms and stood arms akimbo. He looked from Aeryn to Zhaan on the vidscreen, then nodded. "Alright," he said with a strained voice.

Aeryn ended the transmission, and drew John into her arms. "Jack and Katie will be safe, don't worry," she said softly.

John frowned bitterly. "There's a whole empire at stake, but I only care about three people," he confessed, then kissed Aeryn possessively.

~ * ~

Moya, in orbit around the Royal Planet.

D'Argo, Chiana, Rygel, Zhaan, Jack and Katie were on Command, addressing Minister Dregon Carzenova over the vidscreen.

Dregon Carzenova said, "Welcome home, Princess Katralla. It will be good to see you back on the Royal Planet again, Your Highness, although I deeply regret the reason for your early return."

Katie, dressed in her usual white tee shirt and painter's overalls, replied "Thank you, Minister Carzenova, your sympathy is appreciated. But we have much to do in a short period of time if we are to minimize the period of unrest on the Royal Planet. We must also prepare for the final engagement of the Scarran War." Katie spoke with such an air of royal authority that Jack Crichton had trouble believing that this was the same Katie he had taught to fish and ride a bicycle only a few weeks earlier.

Carzenova cleared their transport pods for landing, gave the coordinates and security codes for the secure hangar, then ended the transmission.

After the vidscreen flickered off, Jack turned to Rygel, D'Argo and Zhaan and asked "Do you trust him with the security arrangements?" Like his son, Jack Crichton was primarily concerned for Katie's safety. Katie looked at her grandfather, surprised that he could ask such a question.

Rygel, Moya's resident expert court politics (no matter what the court) answered for Katie. "Yes, we can trust him. Dregon Carzenova is what is euphemistically called a 'cousin to the crown.' He is from one of the Empire's oldest and noblest families. When we first met him, he seemed nothing more than a playboy engaged in one frivolous pursuit after another - but then, he was never asked to do anything more. He, like most people, enlisted in the Royal Defense Force when the Nebari War started. Dregon 'rose to the occasion,' as John would say. The Ministry of Intelligence recruited Carzenova - his quick wit and easy way with people made him quite suitable for intelligence gathering. Without realizing it, people would reveal valuable pieces of information to him. Well, he proved valuable to the Ministry, and now he is the head of the Ministry of Intelligence." Rygel continued his lecture as the group left command and headed for the transport pod.

D'Argo and Zhaan said their good-byes to Katie, Rygel, Jack and their security escort: after the transport pod left, Moya would bring the rest of the Calcivores to the staging area for the ground battle against the Scarrans.

~ * ~

The Royal Planet

The Palace

Rygel, Jack Crichton and Katie (accompanied by Em'Lee and Ne'Ra, her two security guards) walked into the Receiving Hall of the Palace. Minister Carzenova and Prime Minister Ham Cintau waited for them. Rygel and Jack both sensed the tension between the two courtiers.

"Empress Katralla, I am so glad to see you in good health," Dregon said - the last time he had seen Katie was just after her rescue from the death camp, and she was barely more than skin and bones.

Prime Minister Cintau interjected "You are being a bit premature, Carzenova - Princess Katralla is not yet eligible for the crown

[ Quotes from Patrick Henry, Winston Churchill, and Galaxy Quest.]