This is really a linking chapter. It's not the best one, but if I made it too good it would kinda overshadow what's to come.

A note to Desert Lynx. I resently finished reading the last fic you published on Fanfiction. I can honestly say I really enjoyed it. You haven't written a lot recently, I'd like to see what else you have to offer.
One another note, if you visit my profile, right at the bottom you'll find the prologue to what was originally going to be TVNW, if anyone wants to read it, go and have a look see.
Anywho, onto the latest chapter...

PRELUDE TO THE FINAL BATTLE

When Belleza stepped onto the little island dock on Windmill Island, she couldn't help but notice the gloominess that seemed to over shroud the tiny community. The people seemed slightly sluggish as they went about their duties, a few of the children casting her and the two soldiers she'd brought with her dirty looks. Even the Purple Huskra seemed to growl dangerously at her as she went past it and a sulking orange haired teen that seemed to be more morose then the rest of the island put together.

As she came towards the centre of the island, she was greeted by a young looking woman with light brown hair and deep blue eyes. She, like the rest of the island, seemed to resent Valua's presence, but she seemed to be trying to hide it.

"Hello Captain," she said in a would be bright voice, "We've been expecting you. I am Elena Mackenzie. How can we help you?"

Belleza Raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Mackenzie? Are you related to Admiral Daniel Mackenzie by any chance?"

Elena nodded, "Yes, he's my fourth cousin twice removed, but we're driving from the point. Why are you here?"

Belleza adjusted her armour, feeling slightly uncomfortable under the stares that passing people were giving her, "A month ago the ship you see above us was in this general area. We were fighting off Nasrean Torpedo Boats if you must know. The point is I lost one of my crew, my First Officer to be precise. He was blown over board while trying to defend the ship. I am here to try and discover if you might have perhaps come across his body."

"What makes you think his body came here?" Elena raised an eyebrow, "What's to say that it fell into the Vortex, or one of the other islands found him?"

"Believe me Miss Mackenzie, We have been searching the other colonies in the area. You are not the first, neither are you the last. Now have you discovered his body or not?"

Elena tried to hold her gaze with the taller woman, before noticing the pain that was going through Belleza's face.

"Please," She whispered, "Please tell me you've found something of him? His body, his armour, his glove, the hilt of his sword, anything! Carlos means the world to me. Please tell me you have something of him, anything?"

Elena sighed, "We found him. In one piece," she looked up and smiled. "Alive."
Belleza's eyes widened as Elena continued.

"We found him on a rock near the Vortex. It wasn't very big, a few centimetres in any direction and he would have plummeted to his death. We found him on a fishing expedition. We took him in and healed him. We would have contacted you, but the Skiffs are short range only, we weren't able to get a message out to you, I'm sorry."

Belleza began to blink rapidly to get the tears out of her eyes.

"He's alive?" she said in barely a whisper.

Elena nodded with a smile, "I can get him if you want."

Belleza nodded wordlessly, before turning to one of her officers and telling him to get back to the Lynx and calling the other ships to call off the search while Elena motioned to the orange haired girl to go get Carlos.

A moment later, the girl knocked on the door of a handsome wooden house.

Belleza looked over at the house, hardly daring to believe it.

As the door opened, there he stood. He smiled down at the girl, who pointed towards the Captain.

He glanced up and saw Belleza. Carlos flashed a smile before coming fully into view.

Belleza looked him up and down, noticed how much he looked at home here as he approached.

Carlos gave a formal salute, "Hail Valua, Captain Rodriguez," he hit his fist against his chest, noticing that there was another Valuan soldier behind her, "I'm surprised you found me after all this time."

Belleza followed his gaze behind her and noticed the other solider, before turning back to her old first officer.

"It's…good to see you too Commander," she said formally, before turning to the soldier and ordering him away to prepare the lifeboat.

She turned back to Carlos, tears now threatening again, "Carlos…You're alive?" she whispered.

Carlos raised an eyeborw with a smirk, "No I'm dead, I just thought I'd reanimate myself to fool youmft!"

He never finished his remark, for Belleza had pulled him into a tight hug, the tears now rolling down her cheeks and staining his jacket, all dignity forgotten.

"By the Moons I thought I'd lost you!" She sobbed as Carlos patted her awkwardly on the shoulder, "I spent a month trying to persuade Armada Command to let me try and find anything left of you. You don't know how upset I've been!"

"I think I have a fair idea," Carlos smirked as he rolled his eyes slightly at Aika.

Finally Belleza stepped back, wiping her eyes and straightening Carlos's jacket.

"Well, You're safe now and that's what counts," she smiled weakly, "I trust you're ready to go?"

Carlos smiled, "Sure, I'll change into my armour and we can go."

Carlos sighed as he adjusted his armour for the fourteenth time in a minute. It seemed heavier then he remembered, but that might have been the fact he hadn't worn it for over a month. He gazed around the Bridge as the Lynx sailed away from his home away from home, bound for Veloria to rendezvous with the Rest of the Third Fleet.

He tapped the armrest of the Captain's chair as he took his watch on the Bridge, trying to get comfortable on the overly padded chair, when he was so used to the hard wooden chairs that he used in Aika's house.

He sighed again. He was going to have to put her out of his mind, because the next time they met would be on opposite sides of a cannon as he had put it to Dyne.

He sighed again as he tapped the armrest agitatedly.

"Commander!"

Carlos jerked out of his drowsiness, the Comm officer calling his name.

"Yes Mr. Hawcock?" he frowned slightly at the excited looking Lieutenant, "Report man!"
"Sir! We just got a communication from Admiral Aubrey!" Hawcock looked like he couldn't contain his excitement.

"Spite it out!" Carlos was beginning to look agitated, "Say it or bite your tongue!"

Hawcock nodded, closed his eyes, took a deep breath before reporting: "Sir, The Nasreans, they just tried to attack the Valuan Capital!"
Carlos rose from his chair so fast he was a blur, "Is everyone alright?"

Hawcock nodded, "Yes sir, with the combination of the Second Fleet and the Grand Fortress they managed to defeat the Nasreans. They were bombing the Fortress for days so they couldn't get a signal out to the other fleets to get back up. All that changed when the Fortress turned her guns on them. Blew most of them out of the sky. A few managed to get away. Armada Command believes that this is the most opportune moment to attack Nasrad!"

"The Capital of Nasr?" Carlos looked sceptical, "We've never tried that, not once."

"Admiral Aubrey has given us orders sir," Hawcock was beginning to look excited again, "We're to take our half of the Fleet rendezvous with the Admiral as well as the Fourth and Fifth Fleets at the South Dannel Strait. Lord Admiral Galcian himself is going to be there with the Hydra to give us backup!"

Carlos frowned again, "I thought the Hydra's Main Cannons were offline?"
Hawcock shrugged, "I guess even with only Secondary Cannons the Sky Fortress is a force to be reckoned with."

"Or maybe Galcian just likes to show off," Carlos sighed. He knew that The Lord Admiral rarely used his old ship, the Serpent, anymore. He usually flew around in the Monstrosity that Deloco had built. Carlos knew before he had been stranded that the Hydra was going to be decommissioned after the war seeing it took to much work to keep it running.

"Very well, Mr. Hawcock alert the other ships to follow us to the South Dannel Strait" Carlos walked up to his console that he usually took, before opening a channel to the ship.

"All Hands…Battle Stations, Captain Rodriguez Report to the Bridge. I repeat: All Hands to Battle Stations, Captain Rodriguez to the Bridge."

As he clicked the intercom off, he quickly turned to the Helmsman, "Mr. Holme, set a course for the South Dannel Strait, All ahead full. Today, we finish this war, once and for all!"

Dum, dum Duuuuummmmmmm!
Yes, it's finally coming to an end. I think I got three, maybe four chapters left, then it's over...Sniff

but then we've got LoAS to look forward to in November!

Anyway, leave a review on the way out please, it's a confidense boost thing.

Prepare yourself for the Final battle!

Dearing