=/\= Epilogue =/\=
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San Francisco, California
December 24th, 2381
2300 Hours
Kieran stepped outside onto S'Taelh's patio, feeling the cool sea breezes whip past him. There was a Christmas party going on full blast inside as the Vulcan's shipmates broke out another jug of champagne, but he had refused. He thought it would be hard enough to face the phantoms of the past as it was. He didn't need alcohol to weaken him further.
"A penny for your thoughts, Admiral?" S'Taelh had appeared behind him with almost no sound at all, holding two glasses in his hands.
Kieran shook his head. "Not going to drink anymore tonight. I've had enough."
Shrugging, the Vulcan put the glasses on a nearby table and went to join him in staring upwards at the skies.
"They're really something, aren't they?" the admiral said. "The same stars that I showed you back on the Hyperion." His voice was distant, a mere echo that flitted away into the night. "I'm old," he murmured. "It's been a hundred-odd years since I first stepped on the bridge of a ship. I've seen war, I've seen death, I've seen everything this whole fucking galaxy can throw at me. It's past my time, S'Taelh. Way past my time."
"You mean to retire."
The admiral nodded, but there was something in his eyes--
"You can't, can you?" S'Taelh looked evenly at him. "You want to go back up there, to seek out the only things that can withstand the ravages of Time..."
Kieran started. "How'd you know?"
And finally, the Vulcan understood. "Are you not human?"
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And above them, far above them, the stars, the sentinels, silent and sure, stand watch in the night...
The stars still shine...
FINIS
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San Francisco, California
December 24th, 2381
2300 Hours
Kieran stepped outside onto S'Taelh's patio, feeling the cool sea breezes whip past him. There was a Christmas party going on full blast inside as the Vulcan's shipmates broke out another jug of champagne, but he had refused. He thought it would be hard enough to face the phantoms of the past as it was. He didn't need alcohol to weaken him further.
"A penny for your thoughts, Admiral?" S'Taelh had appeared behind him with almost no sound at all, holding two glasses in his hands.
Kieran shook his head. "Not going to drink anymore tonight. I've had enough."
Shrugging, the Vulcan put the glasses on a nearby table and went to join him in staring upwards at the skies.
"They're really something, aren't they?" the admiral said. "The same stars that I showed you back on the Hyperion." His voice was distant, a mere echo that flitted away into the night. "I'm old," he murmured. "It's been a hundred-odd years since I first stepped on the bridge of a ship. I've seen war, I've seen death, I've seen everything this whole fucking galaxy can throw at me. It's past my time, S'Taelh. Way past my time."
"You mean to retire."
The admiral nodded, but there was something in his eyes--
"You can't, can you?" S'Taelh looked evenly at him. "You want to go back up there, to seek out the only things that can withstand the ravages of Time..."
Kieran started. "How'd you know?"
And finally, the Vulcan understood. "Are you not human?"
---------------------------------------------
And above them, far above them, the stars, the sentinels, silent and sure, stand watch in the night...
The stars still shine...
FINIS