*Warning: Fluff Alert!!!*
Echoes of future past, part 45
All fighting stopped at the sight of the Vedran officer, giving the High Guard ship's time to take up position around the Drago-Kazov. Uxulta seemed inpatient, "Fleet Marshall Ataturk, respond, or I will take your reply to be negative, and we will destroy every last ship in your fleet." Dylan noticed that the Sabra-Jaguar ship's had gotten in as close to Andromeda as they could, and had powered down all but their defensive weaponry: Charlemagne didn't want to be mistaken for the enemy.
Ataturk appeared on the screen, shaking visibly, "What proof do I have that this is not some trick with Footprint Magnification units?" Uxulta turned to the side and issued a command. Dylan watched in amazement as a Siege Perilous class Destroyer took up position less than 1km off of the lead Nietzschean warship, nose to nose. Uxulta smiled, "Dose that look like an FMS trick to you? Surrender and I will let you live." Ataturk nodded, knowing that there was no-way he'd survive if the High Guard warship fired, "I will order my ship's to, to stand down." Uxulta nodded, "That is expectable." The Destroyer slowly backed away from the Nietzschean, keeping its weapons pointed straight at the other ship.
Andromeda's holographic form blinked back into existence, "Dylan, we are being hailed by the Admiral's ship." Dylan nodded, still shocked by what had happened, "On screen." The screen switched from the view of the ship's to the now familiar blue face of Admiral Uxulta, "Captain Hunt, it is god to see you again." Dylan brought himself to attention, "Admiral. After Ral Partheia, we assumed you where dead." Uxulta smiled, "No captain, I am very much alive, which is more than can be said for the Kalderon's. I wish I could have returned sooner, but, there where complications that I cannot explain over an open frequency. I will transfer over to your ship." The Vedran smiled anew, a twinkle in her eye; "I have someone with me I believe you will want to meet."
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Dylan made his way down to the docking bay in a daze as Tyr oversaw the recovery of the escape pods from command. Andromeda had made her feelings clear: the Vedran's had abandoned the Commonwealth when they had cut their home world off from slipstream, and she blamed them for the death of so many of her friends during The Fall and The Long Night. Dylan had to admit that he could see where she was coming from: she blamed them for Rommie's death.
The airlock opened, and Dylan felt his chest tighten as he saw the Maru, the memories of his last time on the small cargo ship suddenly fresh in his mind. The hatch opened, and he came sharply to attention as Admiral Uxulta, her four hooves resonating sharply against the metal deck as she walked over, "Captain Hunt, Dylan, it is I who should salute you: you are the one who rebuilt the Commonwealth, almost single handed."
"It would not have fallen if you had stayed to fight, instead of hiding like you did." Andromeda's accusing voice came out of thin air just before here holographic form appeared, "They fought as hard as they could, the other ships, but you just abandoned them, like you did everyone else! We where taught to respect and reviver the Vedran people as grate leaders and warriors, but when we needed you most, you ran away." Dylan's jaw dropped, "I apologise: Andromeda has been through a lot recently." Uxulta shook her head, "No, it's quite all right Captain, Andromeda has made a valid point: my people abandon the Commonwealth, and in doing so, forfeited any right we had to expect your obedience and gratitude when we did return. In fact, if not for the actions of your crewmates, we would not have returned when we did."
Dylan blinked, "Crewmates?" Uxulta stood aside as Trance and Rev Bem walked down the ramp, smiling. "Hi guys." said Trance, stopping next to the High Guard Admiral, her uniform still baring the rank insignia of War Leader, "Sorry we took so long, but we had places to go, people to see." Dylan felt the long-suppressed rage building up with in him, "What exactly did you do?" Trance glanced over to Rev Bem, who simply nodded, before smiling at Dylan, "I think it would be better if we just show you." She turned back to the Maru, "You can come out now."
A figure shyly walked from the shadows inside the ship, and Dylan felt like his head was going to explode: dressed in the same uniform she has warn on the World Ship, Rommie slowly walked down the ramp, hugging herself, her eyes low but fixed on Dylan. Andromeda was equally amazed, even more so when she tried to establish a link to her Avatar, only to find it was impossible. She scanned Rommie to see what the problem was, and even she was stunned by what she found: Rommie was human.
Rommie stopped just in front of Dylan, "Hi." Still deeply in shock, Dylan raised a hand slowly, and gently reached out to touch her, running his fingers down the side of her face, shocked to find that she was real, and not a hallucination born of insanity. Suddenly jerked back to reality, Dylan grabbed Rommie and brought her into a tight embrace, tears running down his face, "I thought I'd lost you." He managed to say between sobs. Rommie clasped her arms around his neck as her own tears started.
Harper and Beka, freshly recovered from their escape pods, walked through the hatchway, Tyr following on their heels. Harper blinked, looking from Rommie and Dylan to the others, his eyes went wide as he noticed the Vedran and the now fully human Rev Bem, "Ok: what'd we miss?"
To Be Continued
