Epilogue
On returning to the Pridelands, Tyber, Zira, and everyone who'd gone to the Ark were hailed as heroes. They had to drive through streets lined with crowds welcoming their heroes back home. They could barely walk through the crowds at Pride Rock. When they got to the throne room, Simba, Nala and Kovu were waiting, and so was, to Kion's surprise, Rani. Rani squealed with delight and ran to embrace Kion, eliciting smiles from Simba, Zira, and Tyber. Tyber approached Simba and snapped off a sharp salute - which was returned by Simba. "I'm going to assume you were successful," Simba said with a slight chuckle.
"Affirmative, sir," Tyber said. "Phospho is no more, his fleet is crushed, and the Ark is ours."
"I imagine you have plans for it?" Nala asked.
"The main thing with the Ark and us is, we need to have a garrison there to ensure it can never again fall into the wrong hands," Tyber responded. "Beyond that, we can set up on the Ark, get our people used to the idea of living on other planetary bodies - natural and otherwise - and look into colonial efforts."
"And speaking of which," Kiara spoke up as she cast a knowing look at Kovu, "I spotted several great-looking beaches on my way out, Kovu."
Kovu smiled and chuckled. "You're bringing the ice cream, dear," he told her. The two kissed tenderly, and then embraced. Simba put a hand on Tyber's shoulder.
"The kingdom waits to hear from you, Prince Tyber... Lord-Admiral of the fleet," he said, gesturing outside to a recently-set-up podium at the edge of the overlooking rock outcropping. Tyber walked slowly out to it, with Vitani, Simba, Zira, all his new family, close behind. The mic was already active, whining as he approached it, and he stared out at the crowds below him. He wanted to say something inspiring, maybe something bold, or something that cemented his place as a newfound Prince and certainly as the Lord-Admiral. But, in the end, he decided on something else entirely.
"For us," he spoke into the microphone, his voice being echoed across the Pridelands, "the storm has passed. The war is over... but let us all never forget those who ventured into the howling dark, and did not return... for their decision required courage beyond measure, sacrifice, an unshakable conviction that their fight... our fight, was elsewhere. Let us never forget those who gave their lives to protect those of us at home, those who faced long odds and did not falter or break. But most importantly, let us honor those of us who took up arms to defend king and country, against an enemy who would see it all destroyed." He boldly pointed out to the still-active Slipspace Portal. "As we start to rebuild... that portal, and the hills surrounding it, shall remain barren. A memorial to heroes fallen, and to those of us who fought the Pridelands' first Interstellar War. They ennobled all of us, and they shall not be forgotten." Tyber paused, then offered a salute. Much to his surprise, the crowd clapped and cheered. There was a short, single-shot three-volley salute fired from military personnel as a salute to heroes fallen and those that were fortunate enough to return home. The celebration that followed lasted well into the night, where there was feasting, drinking, and celebrating. But as the Pridelands celebrated, Tyber excused himself and headed to the very top of Pride Rock. There, he leaned against the railing and looked out on the Pridelands. He couldn't remember the last time he just looked out at the vast kingdom before him and just admired it. He never, in his vast imagination, thought he'd ever call the Pridelands home. He never thought he'd actually go to space, or visit the Ark - or fight in a war. So many things he'd gone through here, and so much yet to experience.
"Been a long journey, hasn't it?" Simba said from behind him. Tyber had been up here thinking, he hadn't sensed his newfound family follow him up here.
"Yes," He finally replied, "It has. I've come a long ways - literally, and figuratively, as well. And I owe it all you you and yours, Simba."
"I still remember when you first came here," Vitani remarked, leaning against the railing next to him. "Broken, angry, mistrustful. Now, look at you."
Tyber smiled as he added, "Let's not forget that none of you ever gave up on me. Not once. You all had faith in me, even when I didn't. Every one of you believed in me, even when I didn't believe in you. Everything I am today, I owe to you."
"You're one of us, Tyber," Nala said.
"You're family," Kiara added.
"And in the Pridelands, family is everything," Zira continued.
"You commanded legions in battle," Kovu pitched in.
"And defeated enemies even Simba has never faced," spoke a very familiar voice. Appearing nearby was the spirit of Mufasa. "But, your greatest adventures yet lay before you. And having come through so much, Prince Tyber, you are ready. I feel proud to count you among our family."
"So tonight, we celebrate," Simba said. "But there's still a lot to do. And I know I can count on you to help us."
"Indeed," Tyber agreed. "For the first time in my life... I feel confident and ready to face what's ahead."
{{{{{ }}}}}
In the months that followed, many things happened. The most immediate were two weddings - one between Kion and Rani, the other between Tyber and Vitani. Both weddings were so widely known, there was difficulty fitting so many guests in the venues. Following that were strengthened ties between Humanity and the Pridelands, following their victory at the Ark. Humanity and the Pridelands and their states joined together as they began soldiering upwards into the stars.
Zira took command of the Ark, and commanded the garrison there, a duty she took very seriously, ensuring the Ark could never again be used to hold the galaxy hostage. Through the Ark's superluminal communications array, contact was established with several major groups, and Simba and Tyber learned of some important facts: The Covenant, whom they feared in this 'verse as a major threat, was actually very much different than the one Tyber was familiar with. They certainly knew of the Forerunners, and they still studied their technology, the Covenant in this 'verse did not worship the Forerunners as gods, much to Tyber's relief. Through Lord Cytharat, now Zira's XO on the Ark, contact was also established with the United Sith Alliance, who willingly banded together with the Covenant and the Human-Pridelander Coalition to form a Triple Alliance. With this newfound strength and unity, the galaxy became a much larger place.
Even though Tyber's wife, now, Vitani furthered her knowledge of the Force from holocrons found in Nuka's possession and others found elsewhere, and trained with Tyber using her late brother's lightsaber. As unlikely as it seemed, Vitani quickly grew to rival her husband in terms of power in the Force. Eventually, she changed the crystal in Nuka's lightsaber to one that produced a deep blue blade. This served to diminish the memory of Darth Phospho, and help Vitani remember Nuka for the brother he once was, rather than the Sith Lord he became.
But hidden away in the depths of space, other threats would emerge - and Tyber would be forced to acknowledge that age old question of war: If someone is trying to kill you, are you not to rise up and kill them first?
(And that concludes this particular story. It was a thrill to write this to its conclusion. Now let's hope I can finish some of my other works, eh? If anyone wants a sequel, let me know. -CDA )