Author's note: There's a sequel! It'll be up in a couple of weeks, all going to plan...

In which we come to the end

"…and finally, B Squad. You successfully let the counter-strike that cleared all hostiles from this building without outside leadership, rallying all cadets to follow you. Cadet Carson, while injured, refused to release vital information, and Cadets Delgado, Drew and Tate fought valiantly. Cadet Landers successfully oversaw the entire operation. Cadets, SPD is proud of you."

Cruger turned to Kat, taking a box from her arms. Opening it, he displayed the contents. "SPD is proud to award you our highest honor."

Lifting the medals from the box, Cruger draped them around everyone's neck. Jack smiled, lifting the medal to study the design on it.

"Atten-tion!"

Every cadet in the room came to attention at once. Jack thought sadly that the number was less than the previous week; some cadets had quit in the wake of the attack, and two others had been quietly dismissed.

"Cadets, I give you your Rangers!" Cruger boomed. The room erupted into cheers and applause, and Jack laughed, turning to hug Z and grin at the rest of the squad. Bridge, still a little shaky on his feet, smiled when he caught Jack's eye, and Syd and Sky were hugging.

As the debriefing broke up Jack saw Joanne turn away from her seat at the back of the room and slip out. Catching Z's eye, he gestured after her and began making his way through the room.

He wouldn't have caught her, but she got held up at the desk while the officer on duty checked her authorization so that she was just pushing out through the doors when he reached her. "Joanne!"

Sighing, she turned around. "What."

"You got some attitude, you know that?"

"Yes." she answered immediately, then made a face. "Look, if you're going to tell me Bridge really does want to talk to me and I shouldn't give up on him then don't, Ok? I've heard enough of it."

Jack shrugged. "Fair enough. Stay out of trouble."

"Thanks, Jack." She smiled at him. "Be safe."

She had made it all of five steps before Syd erupted out. "Joanne!"

"Oh god." Joanne muttered. "Should I just wait here for the others?"

"Might be easier." Jack agreed. Throwing her eyes to heaven, Joanne sat on the edge of the fountain.

"Tell me something." Jack said after a moment.

"You ask, I tell." Joanne said mock-cheerfully.

"Singer?"

"Yes?"

"No, I mean why Singer?"

"Gah…" Joanne grimaced, rubbing her temple. "Too broad, Jack. Narrow it down. Fast."

"Why does Bridge call you Singer?" Jack enunciated carefully.

"As a term of affection. My parents were theater actors, they used to think I'd join them…they thought I'd be a singer, even when I proved tone-deaf. They used to call me Singer sometimes, as a joke, and Bridge picked it up from them. Only he uses it now."

"Bridge met your parents?" Syd asked in surprise.

"My parents met Bridge. He got a bit overwhelmed and vanished after a few minutes. But we used talk over the comm; he knows them well enough." She caught Jack's eye and repeated, "It's only for him to use."

"Got it." Jack agreed quietly. "No calling you Singer."

"So," Joanne said, abruptly cheerful, "is it true Cruger made you wash all the windows one time? And Sky had to scrub the whole place with a toothbrush?"

"Who's been telling you tales?" Jack demanded in mock-outrage.

"Z, Boom, Syd, those two C Squad cadets, and someone from the ceremony who thought I was a cadet." Joanne answered promptly, looking annoyed.

"Rhetorical." Jack muttered.

"Wasn't." Joanne answered. "I can tell the difference. I don't have to answer rhetorical ones. Is it true?"

Jack grinned, launching into a very entertaining and almost true tale of the invasion of Dru Harrison.

It was about ten minutes later and they'd been joined by Sky and Z…the latter dragging the former, admittedly. Joanne had fended off three more rounds of 'he wants to talk to you' and now they were exchanging variations on 'don't get killed.'

Joanne glanced at her watch. "You know, I really have to go. I'm gonna miss my flight."

Z looked over her shoulder. "You might want to wait for a minute."

"Why?" Joanne slewed around on the bench.

Bridge was standing just outside the door.

"Um…right." She stumbled to her feet. "Hi."

"I called your father on you."

"Yeah. That would be why I'm leaving."

"Don't go yet."

"Bridge…" she bit her lip. "I kind of have to."

"Oh." He took a step back, fiddling with his glove. "Ok."

She grinned suddenly. "But, you know, I'm new in Newtech and I'm not sure I know the way to the airport. Would you, um…walk with me?"

"Yeah." Bridge agreed. "I'm pretty sure I'm free. Jack?"

"Well, I'll have to…"

"Great." Bridge cut him off. "Ready?"

"All yours." Joanne grinned at the others, fell into step with Bridge, and they walked away together.

"Jack, are you going to let…" Sky started.

"Let them go, Sky. Bridge needs this." Jack grinned, stretching out. "So who feels like running the mud course instead of me?"

Z glanced at Sky, raising an eyebrow. Jack was awfully close to the edge of the fountain, after all…