On Eternity's Command Deck Rommie awaited the inevitable.

"Rommie, Trance," Harper said over the com system. "I'm sorry. I should have never let you come with me."

"You couldn't have stopped us if you wanted to Harper." Trance said.

"I love you Trance." Harper said.

"I love you too Harper."

Trance looked at Rommie and knew she wanted to say something to Harper.

"Go ahead Rommie." Trance said. "It's alright. This may be the last opportunity you have."

"Trance. I can't." Rommie protested. "You and Harper are my friends. I love you both, and I refuse to do anything to hurt either of you."

"He already knows how you feel Rommie, and I already know how you feel. So what's saying it to him one more time going to hurt?"

"You're sure you're ok with this?"

"Um Hmm" Trance nodded.

Rommie activated the com system, but opened it only to engineering.

"Harper?" Rommie said.

"Yeah Rom Doll?"

"Harper I need to tell you something."

"You better talk quick. It's not like we got a lot of time."

"What I have to say won't take long." Rommie hesitated for a nano second and gathered her thoughts. She never imagined it would end like this. She had always thought that she would be on board Andromeda when she finally went permanently offline. She also never dreamed that she would feel this way about someone other than Dylan.

"Harper." She said. "I love you."

Harper was somewhat stunned by Rommie's statement. He started to reply, but was interrupted by Trance.

"Rommie! Harper! There's a slipstream portal opening!"

"With our luck, it's probably the whole Dragan fleet." Harper said.

"No. It isn't." Eternity's Hologram said, as she came back online and materialized in engineering next to Harper.

"Good to see you back Eternity." Harper said.

"It's good to be back, but would you mind telling me why there's a ship on a collision course with us?"

"Long story." Harper said. "Too long. If we survive, I'll tell you all about it."

Following that, Eternity vanished and reappeared on the Command Deck.

"There's a ship exiting the portal." Trance said.

"It's Andromeda!" Harper and Trance shouted.

"No it's not." Rommie replied. "It's the Gates of Glory!"

"Gloria" Rick asked as he entered the Command Deck.

"Receiving transmission." Eternity announced.

"On screen." Rommie ordered.

"Looks like you guys could use a little help." Gloria said.

"Cut the small talk Glory," Rommie said. "and blast that ship out of existence."

"Consider it done."

Loaded with an outrageous arsenal, the Gates of Glory fired at the Nietzchean vessel.

"Captain!" Julius shouted. "A Glorious Heritage Class war ship has just exited slipstream."

"Couldn't you have just told me that the Andromeda had arrived Julius?"

"No sir." Julius said. "Because, it isn't the Andromeda."

"Not the Andromeda? Then where did…."

Captain Ranak never got to finish his last question. As Glory's missiles, various torpedoes, and lasers made contact with the Prowler's unshielded hull, it was instantly blasted into space junk.

Andromeda exited slipstream just in time to see the Prowler being destroyed.

"Andromeda?" Dylan asked. "Am I seeing things, or is that another Glorious Heritage Class ship out there?"

"You're not seeing things Dylan." Andromeda informed him. "If I'm not mistaken, that ship is the Gates of Glory. She used to be a good friend."

"Used to be?" Becka asked. "Did something happen?"

"No." Andromeda said. "It's just that I've learned not to get my hopes up when meeting old friends."

"Andromeda contact Eternity and the Gates of Glory." Dylan said. "Let's find out what happened here."

The moments that followed, Andromeda's crew were informed of Rick joining the Eternity's crew and of the events leading up to the destruction of the Nietzchean ship.

"That's all very interesting." Dylan said. "I particularly find the part interesting about Admiral Stark being on that ship, and the fact that it had many characteristics that resembled a High Guard vessel."

"Dylan." Andromeda said. "I hate to interrupt, but I'm detecting a slipfighter in the wreckage."

"Any life signs?" Dylan asked.

"One, but it's weak."

"Becka, bring us into position and launch bucky cables."

Becka brought Andromeda in position and the bucky cables were launched. Shortly afterwards the slipfighter was brought safely into Docking Bay 2.

When Dylan arrived in the Docking Bay, a medical team was already standing ready to assist the injured pilot.

Dylan and Rhade both drew their force lances as they opened up the slipfighter's hatch.

Sitting in the pilot's seat, Dylan saw a familiar face.

"Admiral Stark." Dylan said. "You're under arrest."

"The Admiral started to protest, but suddenly lost consciousness."

"Rhade escort the medical team to Med Deck and stand guard. As soon as he's awake let me know. I have some questions for the Admiral."

"As do I." Rhade said, as he left the Docking Bay with the medical team.

A few hours later, Harper and Rick had finally finished bringing all of Eternity's systems back online. The first thing they did was to launch the communication disruptors. After the final Disruptor fell into a steady orbit around the Earth, Harper activated the Disruption field. He could only imagine the confusion that was currently taking place on the surface of the planet.

"Rick." Harper said. "I have a question for you."

"What is it Harper?"

"It's about Gloria. How did she pilot the through the slipstream?"

"That's something I'm not entirely sure about Harper, but I think it has something to do with my parents. Dad was the one that repaired Gloria, and to tell the truth, I'm not the engineer that dad was."

"Are you saying that your parents somehow found a way for an AI to navigate the slipstream?"

"It appears so." Rick said.

"Well, that would explain why the Ubers went to such extremes to try to get them back."

Harper and Rick returned to the Command Deck.

"Harper." Eternity said. "Andromeda is hailing us."

"Put it on the viewer." Harper said.

Dylan's image appeared on the main viewer.

"Harper. We just recovered a slipfighter from the wreckage out there. Inside it was Admiral Stark."

"Was he still alive?" Harper asked.

"Yes, but he's badly injured." Dylan replied. "He's currently being treated for his injuries. When he's able to, he's going to have a lot of questions to answer. I thought you might like to be present."

"Thanks Dylan, I would like that that very much. I'd also like to talk to you about our plans for freeing Earth,… that is if your being here means what I think it does."

"Yes Harper." Dylan answered. "We're here to help, but there's something I need to discuss with you as well, concerning the result of us being here."

"Let me guess." Harper said. "The Common Wealth didn't sanction you or Andromeda's decision to come here. Am I right?"

"Yes and no Harper. Recent events may change things, but I'd rather talk to you in person."

"I understand. How about I bring Eternity into one of Andromeda's empty Docking Bays, and ask Gloria to come over in a slipfighter. Then we can discuss you being here and our plans for Earth."

"Sounds good Harper, but who's Gloria?"

"I'm sorry Dylan." Harper said. "I forgot to tell you earlier. Gloria is the Gates of Glory's Avatar."

"Very well. I'll see you in approximately thirty minutes."

"See you later Boss. Oh yeah, before I forget," Harper said with a mischievous grin. "Tell Becka her timing could have been better. I mean, if Gloria hadn't showed up when she did, I wouldn't be here. I thought she was a better pilot than that."

Harper quickly cut the connection.

"Why that ungrateful, snot-nosed, little runt!" Becka shouted. "Just wait till they dock!"

"Now Becka," Dylan said. "You know he said that just to tease you."

"I know, but what fun would either of us have if I didn't react accordingly?"

When Eternity finished docking, Harper, Trance, Rommie, and Rick stepped out onto Andromeda's deck. There to meet them was Dylan, Rhade, Lena, and what looked like a very upset Becka Valentine.

"Hello Harper." Becka said in a menacing tone. "Remember that flowered surfing shirt you used to wear?"

"You mean my favorite one with the yellow flowers and blue trim?"

"Oh. Was that your favorite? Well…. I guess you can find another one to be your favorite. You see, I was washing some of your things, and I guess I left it in the dryer too long or something, because when I took it out it looked like this."

Becka held up a very tiny flowered shirt about the size of a flexi.

Harper just stood there staring at the shrunken shirt, with his mouth hanging open.

"Becka,… H… How could you?" Harper asked, with more sadness in his voice than Becka anticipated. She expected him to be angry with her, not devastated over losing a silly shirt. Becka considered ending it, but finally decided to go on with her plan."

"If I had only taken it out earlier. It would have been ok." Becka said, feigning sorrow. "But you know how lousy my timing is."

Harper knew that she would do something to get even with him. He just didn't think she would destroy his favorite shirt.

"Becka, how could you." Harper asked again. "Do you have any idea what that shirt means to me?"

"I'm sorry Harper, but it's a loud tacky shirt. You can buy another one the next time we reach a drift."

"It won't be the same Becka." Harper said. "Do you have any idea why this shirt is so special to me? Can you remember me ever being without it?"

This caused Becka to stop and think. The fact was, she couldn't remember him without it. In fact, thinking back it was the very shirt he was wearing when she first met him.

"I… I don't know Harper. Why is this old shirt so special to you?"

"Because,…" Harper said softly. "It was my father's."

Now Becka felt very bad. Harper was right. She had no idea that this shirt was that special to him. She decided to tell him.

"Harper,… this isn't your shirt." Becka told him. "Your shirt is still in your room. I found this at a shop a few months back. I'm sorry. If I had known this would effect you this way I wouldn't have done it."

"It's ok Becka. Serves me right for what I said earlier. You do know that I was only playing right? I mean, there's not a better pilot in the galaxy than you Boss."

"Yeah. I know." Becka said.

"You know that I was playing, or you know that you're the best pilot?"

"Both." Becka replied.

"Becka!" Trance shouted joyously. "It's good to see you again."

"It's good to see you too Trance." Becka said. She then turned to Rommie. "Hello Rommie. Welcome back."

"Thanks Becka." Rommie said. "It's good to be home again."

"Everybody." Harper said. "This is Rick Styvers. Rick, this is Captain Dylan Hunt, Telemachus Rhade, Lena Jenson, and you already know Becka."

"Uh,… hello Becka." Rick said.

"Hello." Becka said, and promptly slapped him across the face.