Chris rolled out of bed at 0700 hours the next morning, having slept for far too long. He hastily pulled his flight suit on and headed down to the mess hall. He joined the rest of the squadron in their section, grabbing a pair of ration bars along the way. The normal seating arrangements had been mixed up. Louis and Jack were sitting with Amy and Alex. RaNah and Nick were with Nicole and David as normal. Anya was sitting with Gordon and Franz. Chris joined them.

"I think he's hitting on her." Gordon was saying.

"Nah, how could he, he's Louis. And, she's Amy. You know that as well as I do." Franz replied.

"Maybe he's turned over a new leaf." Chris suggested. "So how have you two been?"

"Been sleeping better recently."

"Don't tell anyone, but Louis did apologize, then told a joke and Amy laughed at it."

"WHAT?" Franz practically spat the words at Chris.

"It's a change for the better," Anya replied. "I think all this desperation has changed Louis. He can't think everything's the same anymore."

"Well, that's true." Gordon added.

"I agree with you now." Franz stated.

"I told you."

"So."

While Gordon and Franz continued arguing about nothing, Chris turned to Anya and whispered. "You okay."

"I've been better." She replied, her voice hushed as well.

"Did you sleep well last night?"

"No, had some terrible nightmares, but I saw you sleeping peacefully and I couldn't interrupt that."

"I would've gladly provided some support."

"I know, that's why I didn't wake you." She sighed. "I'm also worried about getting too close to you."

"It's always going to be a concern. Are you going to let go because of it, I'll respect it if you need to."

"No, not yet. Why don't we take a walk and finish this conversation on the observation deck."

"Good idea." Chris quickly finished his ration bars before getting up with Anya. He bid Gordon and Franz good bye and then began walking with Anya toward the observation deck. "Anya, I don't want to let go of you. I mean, I would do it if you felt that was what needed to be done, but I don't want to."

"I know." She took his hand in hers. "I was just thinking aloud, you know speaking my mind."

"Well, what are we going to do."

"I don't think it's time to let go yet. I still really feel good about being with you, even though it's the most strenuous relationship I've ever had."

"I'd agree with you on that." He stepped out onto the empty observation deck. The distant sun in the system was shining a dim light into the observation deck through the three large windows. "I'm sorry it's so tough, but I don't think we can quit our fighter jobs right now."

"Yeah, we're volunteers. Anyway, I wonder what it's like for normal people to have romantic relationships."

"That would certainly be an experience. Maybe, just maybe, after this is all over we can find out."

"I'd like that too. Life as a fighter pilot generally doesn't leave time for that, we'd have to give up one or the other."

"I've seen my share of wars. I've seen death and destruction on a scale that's just insurmountable. This will be my last war. If I live through this, I plan to retire."

"But why? I mean besides me, you seem to enjoy it."

"Anya, you were extremely lucky not to be in Capella. We lost a total of more than 80% of our fleet there and over a two million confirmed dead. Then there's the displaced people of Capella, all of which are still struggling to find a home among the poverty stricken GTVA. I can't go on fighting like this my whole life. That's why I've decided to call it quits. Maybe I'll accept a position at a GTVA academy as a job. I just can't continue doing this forever, no one can. Not to mention that I have you, and I really want to be able to truly understand our relationship. I want time to do all these things that I've put off for so long."

"Time is precious."

"True, and it's something we all have precious little of. I've fought for ten years now, and I can't continue forever. I'm going to see this conflict through, but then it's going to be over."

"No more wars, no more fighting, no more destruction, no more death. Do you have any idea where you might go."

"Not really, I was raised in Delta Serpentis. My father and mother were both from Earth. All my other relatives were on Earth when we lost the connection to Sol. My father actually died during the Capella crisis and my mother was killed in a later battle, they were both ship commanders. My mother was so close to making it out too. She was on the GTCv Lemnos, one of the last ships that was supposed to leave. My father, he died on board the GTVA Colossus. And that left me, the last member of my family, the only one to escape Capella on my own. I still own their house on Delta Serpentis 4, but nobody's lived there for years."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"No, it's okay. It's nice to talk about this with someone I care about. I'm guessing I could go back there. Though I'm not sure what I do there. It's a civilian run and civilian controlled colony... okay, it's really a metropolis. What about you?"

"Well, my parents live in Vega. My brother is just now turning 21. But the last time I spoke to my parents was before I joined the academy. They are strong believers that the GTVA really bungled the whole Great War deal. They think that war could've been avoided. We both know that's not true, but they'll never listen. It's why they've not tried to contact me and I've not tried to contact them."

"Don't you miss them?"

"As much as I hate to admit it yes. Especially my brother. He agreed with me on that issue. He was the only one of my family that turned up at my graduation from the academy. He was so proud to have me as his sister." A tear came to Anya's eye. "He told me of how my parents had told him he couldn't come, but he'd done so anyway, using half his allowance just to book transport to the academy. Which was in orbit. I'm still mad at my parents, maybe someday I can try and reconcile our differences. That day, just isn't today." She smiled.

"Definitely not." Chris leaned over and embraced her gently.

Later that afternoon, the Swords, Ravens, and the 135th were all called to the briefing room. This had been the first time that all three squadrons had been in the briefing room at the same time. The Swords sat on the left, while the 135th sat on the right. The Ravens ended up sitting wherever there was room.

The Base Commander entered exactly on time. He spoke quickly. "I've called you all here because an opportunity has presented itself. We've just received a message from one of our scoutships that the Vesan will be waiting for a short time, completely unguarded. This is the perfect time for us to strike and obliterate one of these capitol ships. The Swords will fly Medusa bombers and will strike the Vesan quickly, then warp out the instant it's destroyed. The 135th will enter a few minutes ahead of the Swords and will try and draw out as many of the Vesan's fighters as it can. The Ravens will enter with the Swords and are charged with defending the Swords during their attack runs. For this to work, we must be in and out in under fifteen minutes. Get down to the flight deck and take your fighters. Swords, we've stolen a group of gunners off the Pirate Killer to be your turret gunners. Good luck people!"

Chris made his way down to the flight deck, where he climbed into the Medusa bomber with the Sword's squadron logo painted on it. His gunner was a short, blond woman, obviously not much older than 22. She was already strapped into the rear seat, her helmet strapped down tightly and her crash webbing fastened. Chris hastily fastened his own crash webbing and pulled his helmet on. "What's you name?" He asked.

"Deck Ensign Kira Hinglond." She replied crisply.

"I'm not your senior officer, just Kira would've been enough. I'm Chris. You strapped in tight enough back there?"

"Tight enough. I'll do my best to keep your tail clear."

"Make sure you tell me if someone's getting in back there, I'll lose 'em."

"Right."

"Let's get this show on the road." Chris glanced at his sensor board. All the other Swords were lighting up green, indicating that they were ready to go. "Swords, this is Alpha 1, let's go." Chris rammed the throttle forward and accelerated quickly using a bit of the afterburners.

"Woohooo!" Kira yelled.

Chris shook his head as he downloaded and transmitted the coordinates of the target area to his squadron. He then entered subspace.

The Swords exited subspace two kilometers from the Vesan's bow. A quick glance at his sensor board told Chris that the 135th was already busy with the Vesan's wings of Perseus fighters. Chris didn't waste anytime. "Swords, lock your bombs and fire them as soon as you can." He yelled over the comm. He then rammed his throttles to full and switched his secondary weapons to his cyclops torpedoes. He linked his second and third banks together and set them to dual fire.

As soon as he was within a kilometer of the Vesan, his targeting computer started to lock on to the Vesan's hull. Then the flak started firing. Chris punched a little more power into his shields as he held his course. He released his bombs once they locked onto the Vesan, then pulled up and away with his afterburners. His sensors recorded 42 bomb hits, indicated that everyone in the squadron had fired as well, but the Vesan had managed to pick a few bombs off.

"Fighters." Kira stated.

"Swords, let's set up for another run." Chris yelled into the comm. "Fire at will!"

The Vesan looked different as Chris brought it into his sights. The front end of the Vesan was almost non-existent and a massive crack had formed all the way to the back end of the Vesan. Chris began to lock his bombs as Kira shrieked and begun firing the turret madly. Chris begun to bounce his Medusa back and forth, trying to keep the fighters off his tail.

"Ravens, Alpha 1 could use some help here!" Chris yelled.

"Pinned.... will try to get.... you." Was the response Chris heard in return.

"Hang on Chris!" Anya yelled.

Chris aborted his attack run and yanked his bomber had around a tight turn. The Perseus fighter behind him easily matched the maneuver. Chris continually diverted shield strength to his rear shields. Suddenly, the Perseus fighter exploded as sixteen hornet missiles rammed into it.

"Your tail's clear." Anya stated.

"Thanks Anya." Chris replied. Chris then turned back at the Vesan, locked his bombs and fired another four bombs. The Vesan exploded in a massive fireball. Chris used his bombers shields to ride the explosion clear of the Vesan's wreckage. He checked his sensor board and noticed that while damage was extensive to most of their fighters, nobody with the GTVA had been killed.

As the remaining fighters from the Vesan bugged out, the GTVA pilots headed back to the asteroid base.

They got a hero's welcome when they returned. Every person on the base was assembled on the flight deck, applauding the returning pilots. Chris unfastened his crash webbing, then helped Kira get herself out of her own crash webbing. Chris then leaped from his bomber's cockpit to the floor, landing with a thump. Chris then noticed the three banners hanging from the ceiling. One had two playing cards and a sword, then symbol of his squadron. Another had a raven on it. And the third had two Vasudan bones with the number 135 superimposed over it. Chris had never felt so good in his life.

The Base Commander walked over, with a large case in his hands. "Pilots, line up please." He asked. The pilots of all three squadrons and their gunners lined up in a long line in front of the parked fighters and bombers. The Commander then approached Chris. "It is my pleasure to award each of you with the Medal of Conspicuous Gallantry, for your actions in the previous mission." He pinned the medal to Chris's flight jacket. He then went down the line of pilots, eventually reaching upward to pin the medals on the Vasudan pilots of the 135th.

When he was done, he turned to the mass of personnel assembled on the flight deck. "Let it be known throughout this base, that these fine young men, women, and Vasudans have gone above and beyond the call of duty. They've done more than anyone could've ever asked. As have you all. The threat is not over, but due to the actions of these pilots and every person on this base, we have a glimmer of hope. Now, report back to your duty stations. Pilots, you have the rest of the day off." The Base Commander motioned for the pilots to leave.

Chris led the motley procession of pilots out of the hanger. They then split into squadrons, each headed for their respective quarters.

When Chris got to his quarters he quickly took the medal off his flight jacket and stuffed it into his flight jacket's pocket. He then changed into a clean tee-shirt and pants and headed off to the mess hall to grab something to eat. All he could think about was the three banners now hanging in the hanger. Who would've thought that the squadron logo would ever have earned such a place. Certainly, the Elite GTVA squadrons had them, but the Swords were not an Elite squadron. They were simply a squadron thrown into a hopeless situation. The Ravens were only a group of former Pirates, yet they had a banner, and the 135th wasn't an Elite Vasudan squadron by any means.

Whatever the reasons, their was a great deal of respect being paid the Swords, Ravens, and the 135th. All of which had never been through something like this before. All of which were just ordinary pilots struggling to do what was right, no matter the cost.