5:53 P.M. Courage Cruiser

"Life support?" Bryan asked.

Puck tweedled after a moment. CLEAN.

"Sensors—?"

CAN I JUST MAKE THIS EASY BY SAYING THAT ALL SYSTEMS ARE CLEAN AND FUNCTIONING FINE?

Bryan blinked. "If you want, sure. Why, if I may ask?"

BECAUSE I THINK YOU'LL WANT TO GET IN TIME WITH MAXIE BEFORE YOU LEAVE.

"Huh?" Bryan asked immediately, not knowing what he was talking about. He had already said his goodbyes to Maxie in the Lounge back on the Sovereign. But then the answer came to him immediately. Casually glancing to the right and down, he saw Maxie charging at a steady run towards the X-Wing. She waved once and shouted, "Bryan!"

Bryan put a lop-sided grin on his face. "Oh, boy. Heeeere we go." He shoved his helmet out of the way. "Puck, keep going. I'll be back in a minute." He vaulted over the side and started down the boarding ladder. Jumping down onto the deck, he started at a brisk walk towards his old friend. "Maxie, you're not supposed to be here."

She stopped and gave him the "what!" look. "You don't wanna say goodbye anymore, or 'it's been a pleasure', or whatever is it you like to say? 'It's been an honor', or it's been—"

"—Okay-okay, M—"

"—glorious to—"

"—axie, I–wait what?" He snickered. "Gloriously? When have I—when have I ever–ever said gloriously before..to anyone?"

She shrugged, starting to laugh. "I don't know, maybe. Come on!"

"Come on what?"

"Don't you have anything to say?"

"No, not anything I haven't said before to you," he said, sounding annoyed by the notion of Maxie's pre-battle ritual, which was to drag him aside somewhere and say her goodbye's to him one-on-one. Nothing mushy or lovy-dovy—no kisses or anything like that. Just one hug and a goodbye. He never really got into the ritual like she did, and that was because his optimism always kicked in; he made himself believe that she was going to come back alive and well. Maxie coming back dead would've certainly killed him inside. It was his worst fear, and not only just for her but for the rest of his pilots. Deil Nine had hit him pretty hard, though he did he best to hide it. Every time a pilot never came back, it was like his heart became a black hole...

The wide smile on her face shrank, and guilt suddenly drove a spike through Bryan's chest. He hadn't meant it to come out like that. Made him feel like an asshole. That had been mean. "Oh. Okay," She said blankly.

"No, Maxie, I—" he scratched the back of his neck shamefully. "I'm sorry, I–I didn't mean to sound like such...an asshole. I—"

She didn't answer, just continued to stare at him with a blank look. She was either angry with him, or hurt, or both. Bryan really couldn't tell. And he was worried either way. He hated when he hurt someone's feelings, accidental or no.

"You know what, let's do your ritual. Come on. Go ahead."

She smiled again, but it wasn't as bright as it had been before.

Which meant to Bryan that he had failed. His heart sank. Oops. Can't redeem that one. Bryan, you idiot.

Maxie stared him straight in the eyes. "This time's gonna be a bit different okay?"

Bryan stole a glance away from her face, then immediately back. "Umm," he grinned carelessly. "Okay." He waited.

"Because this is big. I want to make sure you get that before I go on. Okay?" Her eyes were twinkling, and her face serious and sincere.

Bryan nodded. "Yeah. Believe me, I understand," he said with confident chuckle. "It's big."

"You mean so much to me. Not just as my Commander, but as a teacher, ummmm...an observer...a father maybe, I—"

He spit out air and then started to laugh. "Your father?" Her father. Wow...

Maxie started laughing. "No, wait, I—" he words were swallowed up by her laughter. "Not like that, wait—"

Bryan tilted his head up to the ceiling, his face muscles starting to hurt from all the smiling. "Whoo," he whistled..

"I'm sorry, I'm really bad at this. I didn't—"

"So, Maxie," Bryan said, putting a wild grin onto his face and adapting a fatherly voice. "How was you first day at piloting school?"

"Shut up—!"

"—Did you make any new friends? I'm sure you did."

"Shut up, or—" she stuck her hand into his stomach and started tickling him.

With a quick, distressed cry, he snapped away from the hand instantly. "No! Stop!" he squawked. She chased him, fingers ravenously moving all over his stomach. "Maxie!" He grabbed her hand and pressed his side weight against her arm, holding it, then freeing his right arm to grab her other hand if she tried with the other hand.

But she backed down, still laughing. "Look what you did."

Bryan's jaw dropped. His eyes looked at her like she was crazy and his arms flew outwards. "Wha? What did I do?"

"Nothing, I'm just kidding. I'm just really bad at this."

He dropped his hands and just shook his head at her.

"I meant to say something like...really good friend or...oh fuck it. Come here." She threw her arms around his back and pulled him into a tight hug.

Bryan directly hugged her back in the same fierceness. Soon enough, they were both touching heads as well, and rocking back and forth like school kids. He held his old friend as long as he could, feeling comforted by her. It made all the anxiety and stress he had about the upcoming battle go away for at least a while. His worries disappeared, as did he fears; always at this moment in time before every battle. It was why he truly loved her ritual, no matter how common it became and how annoying it sometimes seemed. This was the type of companionship he treasured most in his life, over anything else.

When they finally broke, Maxie's eyes were beginning to water. She understood what Bryan kept locked up: she may never see him again.

God, if I could only just let that go for at least these sessions...he thought, wanting to be able to return the care in a visual way that she'd understand. She knows though. I know she knows. We have that connection.

"Love ya Maxie," he told her.

"Love you too, Bryan. Be careful up there."

I was gonna say that first, he thought as he answered with a smirk. "You too. Now get outta here before we both get yelled at."

"Yeah. Bye."

"Bye, Maxie."

She turned and charged back for the hangar teleporter at a sprint. Bryan checked his watch. 5:56 and forty-five seconds. The reciting of the Oath would be along any minute. Wasting no time, Bryan jogged back over to his X-Wing. "You done, Puck?"

The little astromech droid let out an energetic whistle.

"Good. Ya need me for anything? 'Cause I was gonna go get ready for the Oath and I don't feel like climbin' up the ladder again." He snickered, knowing how lazy he sounded.

Puck gave a positive whistle.

Which Bryan took for an "okay." "Cool. Thanks, Puck. I owe ya one later. I'll give ya a new coat of paint later on, how 'bout that?"

Puck tweedled a high-toned agreement.

"All right. See ya in a few minutes." He walked off towards the main entrance , where many pilots were already starting to gather, mingling with each other in their own little groups. But unlike on many other ships, the groups on this ship weren't voluntarily segregated from each other. On many starships, species stuck to their own races; humans with humans, Fedrellons with Fedrellons, Toski with Toski and so on and so forth. However, on the Courage, things were different. Bryan saw aliens with humans, interacting fine, no one left out, no one put down. It was the kind of unity that Bryan wanted for all of the Alliance, if possible.

He spotted his closest friend on the ship, Colonel Rinol Yirk, standing over by Second Lieutenant Myler Jav, Flight Cadet Brad Lynch, his roommate Flight Cadet Simma Pares, and Sergeant Diamond Poller. He knew each pretty well, and when Diamond was involved in the conversation, one could be guaranteed that the talk would be very entertaining.

"Good evening everybody," Bryan said as he approached the group.

"—so I told the bitch her ass was uglier than a farlook," Brad was saying. "Then she tried to cuss me out, which was so stupid, and then she stormed outta the room like the bitch she is."

Bryan stopped in his tracks, body locked in a frozen position, caught off guard severely. "Okaaaay, walked into an awkward moment there. How is everybody today?"

"—we're pretty good—"

"—I'm good—"

"—I'm good—"

"—it's going all right—"

"Good. May I ask what the topic on conversation is? I was surprised when I heard Brad being the...outspoken one instead of Diamond." He smiled over at Diamond, who gave him a sarcastic grin in response.

"We're talkin' about that bitch Diana," Brad said with tons of spite, as he glared behind Diamond's back. Bryan followed his gaze and found him glaring at Diana Hayes as she kissed Paul Darbles...again and again and again over by the cargo crates.

"Oh," he said. Then, turning his head back to Brad. "Hey hey, let's be nice here. We're all friends here in the Alliance. Leave the anger for the Empire. Please."

"But she's such a slut. I mean, look at her, she's got enough dick-juice in her body—"

Bryan closed his eyes and winced in disgust. "—aw—"

"—to populate an entire planet."

"Yeah, but that's—" Bryan started.

Brad gazed expectingly at him. "You know she cheats on Paul whenever she can, right, you know that?"

Bryan held up a patient hand. Brad was clearly jealous. "Yes, Brad, I know, but that's her business. If she wants to do that, she can do that if that the way she chooses to live. Just like you choose to live a certain way, so does she."

"How can you say that about her though, Commander? You saying being a slut is a good way to make a living?"

"Make a living?" Bryan shot back. "How is she making a living? She's already paid a wage for flying, so why would the men pay her to sleep with them?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer. She was very sexy, even he had to admit. "Especially Paul. You know he already wastes enough money—"he lowered his voice"—on his condom fund? Ya think he has enough money to pay wh—people to sleep with him? Shit."

The entire group made a resounding "ahhhhhhhhh" to indite Bryan for his misuse of his last phrase.

"Caught you!" Bryan heard Cadet Pares shout at him. "Caught you!"

"Ya see?" Brad accused. "You even think she's a whore!"

Bryan's eyes widened in urgency. Rinol assisted him in telling Brad to be quieter. "We don't need you pissing her off now." He paused momentarily before continuing. "And I don't think she's a whore. She's a nice girl with a lot of good priorities who likes to have a little fun. There's nothing wrong with that."

Brad laughed at that analysis. "'Who likes to have a little fun?'" he repeated, shaking his head slowly in disagreement. "If you say so."

Bryan shrugged. "What's wrong wi—?"

Suddenly, the hangar klaxons sounded, signaling all the pilots to line up where they were taught to line up before the Oath was cited.

The pilots murmurs increased in sound they dispersed and went to their positions. Bryan heard bits and pieces of statements like "Why do we do this everytime" and "This is ridiculous", and even better: "The Oath is so stupid" circulating amongst his pilots, and he felt hurt by the whole thing. Bryan respected the Oath greatly as the one thing that should unite the Alliance and all its people. The Oath was a part of the Military Code, and every military person was sworn into the Alliance by memorizing and then reciting the Oath. And Bryan felt as though he had been betrayed, and that he'd failed, because these were his pilots that were denouncing the Oath. But he couldn't be angry their opinions, and he would respect them, even though he didn't want to. Not enough people respected other people's opinions in the modern times, but Bryan would not be one of them. He respected everyone's opinions.

"Men would pay her to have sex with her. Hello?" Rinol said as he fell into stride with him. "Have you looked at her lately? She's got a nice body, flat stomach..."

"Yeah, R—"

"Nice boobs, long legs—"

Bryan stopped. "Okay, Rinol. I get–I get the picture. Thanks." He smirked. "They prolly would," he said, glancing over at Diana. "Would you?"

"They already do. And I might, if I was desperate enough."

"And if she was desperate enough. Ya know she doesn't like aliens much?"

"Oh yes, I know. She can burn in hell for that. But what's that human catch phrase or whatever you call it. Sticks and scones or something like that. Stic—"

"—Sticks and stones—"

"—and—stones, yes. That's it. Old proverb or something. Sticks and stones."

"Yes," Bryan answered. Stick and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.

"Sticks and stones to her. I'll beat her skull in."

Bryan laughed slightly. "Yeah, good luck with that."

He grinned. "She'll be dead before she has all her babies, though. All the Fedrellon babies, all the human babies, all the—"

The human eyed him cautiously. "Don't you start, Rinol."

The Pollasir laughed.

"I'm serious. Don't start." He paused, again staring over at his two most horny pilots. "Diana Hayes and Paul Darbles are perfect for each other, if not in the most perverted way."

Rinol laughed again.

"What now?"

"Only you would put 'perverted' and 'perfect' in the same sentence."

Bryan smiled widely. "Yes, that would be me."

The two men took their positions side-by-side, at the right end of the long line of people that spanned across the width of the hangar. Standing with them was the bridge crew and security guards, as well. Bryan was at the end of it, with Rinol to his left. He saw that Captain Bassas was already down where he needed to be. At that moment, the klaxon stopped sounding, which meant that the ceremony was about to begin. The line knew their duty, and hushed very quickly. Bryan couldn't help but smile. Good boys and girls.

Captain Bassas marched down the line, nearly eight feet away from them. Body stiff, eyes staring straight ahead, and feet rising and falling like a soldiers. He stopped at the center of the line, then did an about-face towards them. After pausing a moment, he cleared his throat, and began to speak.

"What is the Alliance?"

The answer by the line, in unison:

"We are.

We are the people who are the Alliance.

There are no individuals,

No rulers,

No kings."

Bassas: "Why does the Alliance exist?"

Line: "To defend,

To protect,

To give hope,

To give liberty,

To end tyranny,

To restore peace."

Bassas: "Who does the Alliance defend?"

Bryan stood taller, eyes reflecting the determination that he was considered famous for. Line: "The people,

The hopeless,

The optimistic,

The virtuous,

The shamed—"

--

Dalaman Cruiser

"—The living,

And the honor

Of the dead."

Kenny stared straight ahead, his eyes lost in the distance, staring at Danielle, who he knew was somewhere amongst those stars outside the hangar, watching him with a smile as he recited the Oath.

Liberty Cruiser

Emilie shouted her words; crisp, with feeling and purpose: "From whom does the Alliance defend the people from?"

Line: "The Galactic Empire.

It's Emperor: Emperor Palpatine,

Darth Vader,—"

Glory and a warm feeling she had never felt before gripped Maya as she spoke the Oath.

"—The soldiers of the Empire,

The proud,

The ambitious,

The greedy,

The corrupt."

Defender Cruiser

Captain Lockhurt: "How does the Alliance defend the people?"

Evan nervously tapped his fingers behind his back. He had always bs'd the Oath because he was too lazy to learn it on his own. But the words he did remember were always said with the same intensity and passion as the rest of the people in the line.

"With honor,

"With purpose,—"

Hindra Cruiser

"—With duty,

With honesty,—"

Kevin's thoughts dwelled completely on his brother, who was probably fumbling over the Oath's words right now. Worry crowded Kevin's emotions, and though he said the Oath with the same feeling as the other people, the scary thought of losing his twin brother haunted him.

Liberty Cruiser

"—Decency,

Morality,

And heart.—"

For the first time ever, Maxie felt proud to recite the Oath. Never(never!)had she ever liked saying the Oath. Always had been one of the complainers. But now...she wanted to jump out of her skin, she was so excited!

Harvester Cruiser

"—To forgive

The accused

And sooth

Those in pain.—"

Clara locked her eyes on Captain Fer–Geneden's strange Sallopian form. But still, out of the corner of her right eye, Michael's tall, slim shape with his shock of red hair stood out like a sore thumb to her. Why couldn't she block him out? He was starting to distract her. Of all the ships that he could launched his assault forces from, why this one(Michael was a General in the Alliance now, specializing in ground assault. He was part of General Mitza's numerous ground attack forces)?

Michael stole another glance at Clara. He wanted to talk to her so badly. But he had waited too long. The battle was about to begin, after the Oath and then after The Glory Song. He would have done anything to make his wounds and her wounds heal right now if he could. But he couldn't. Not now. Too late. So he tried not think about her and listen to the Oath. And failed...again.

Vaysil Cruiser

"—In memory

Of loved ones

And those

That have died

In battle."

Sam...Justin thought as he recited those words. He had never really been fond of the Oath, and now it hurt even more to say it. But he found himself respecting it, now more than ever, as this was the first time he had said the Oath since the Battle of Deil Nine. It had new meaning for him now. The Empire's going down today. I can feel it. And we're doin' it for every one of you that's died before us, he thought, eyes flicking up to the heavens. Ya hear that, babe? This one's for you. All for you. And for our children. Just as it's always been.

"And when will the Alliance's job be done?"

"When the Empire is destroyed,

When its tyranny is dead,

When its corruption ends,

And peace is achieved!"