Ship's Log: 11 March 2643; ASV Aurora. Captain Julia Andreys reporting. The Aurora has finished repairs necessary to bring us back to an Alliance universe. Given the presence of a hostile alien empire in this universe, now designated G0L9, we have only remained long enough to ensure the Castle of Lions has completed repairs to its wormhole drive. We are due to jump back to Earth L2M1 shortly.

While we wait, other crew matters can now be attended to.

Julia and Meridina were waiting quietly in the conference room. Outside the window the Castle of Lions kept its place adjacent to the Aurora. Julia couldn't help but admire the Altean vessel's form and felt pleased they had saved the vessel.

She turned her head and noted, with a similar pleased feeling, that the color was returning to Meridina's face. She seemed at ease now. "It's good to be out of the Fracture, isn't it?" Julia asked.

Meridina nodded quietly. "I was learning to adjust, but still… yes. It is."

Any further conversation ended when the door swished open and Leo entered with Epstein. Julia motioned for them to take seats. "Did you find out what happened?" she asked. She needn't specify.

Epstein nodded to Leo in deference. Leo sighed and looked to Julia. "Zack's blackout wasn't directly caused by alcohol intake, although there is a relation."

"Oh?" Julia wondered what he meant by that.

"It was a side effect from a drug he was taking," Leo said. "Niltox."

Julia frowned. "Wait, Niltox? Isn't that a de-toxicant?"

"It's the most powerful one that you can replicate," Epstein said. "And the most dangerous."

"Most de-toxicants require you to take them before you imbibe alcohol," Leo explained. "They work by keeping the body from interacting fully with the alcohol. It ends up going through the system unabsorbed until it comes out the only way it can. That's why using them always ends up putting you in a bathroom stall for awhile."

"Yes, I'm familiar with that."

"Niltox is different. Niltox forces the brain and nervous system back to normal. It can make you completely sober in high enough dosages." Leo shook his head. "But like any medication, you can take too much of it and suffer side effects. Going by what I've seen, Zack has been taking it quite often and in unsafe dosage levels. The blackout is, honestly, an early warning sign of neurological damage."

"I see." Julia was openly frowning at the news. "So, basically, Zack's been drinking again, and he's been using this stuff to cover it up?"

"Most likely," Leo said. "The fact that it took this long means he hasn't been drinking heavily, at least…"

"That doesn't make me feel any better about it," Julia remarked. "And I'm not sure what it changes in this situation."

Leo shrugged. "A measure of responsibility, at least. Zack knew better than to go on duty under the influence. The Niltox was a way for him to sober up quickly. He just didn't realize that his body couldn't handle the repeated high dosages. It's probably why he ignored the automated warnings."

"With his emotional state, and the influence of the alcohol, his judgement on that was certainly impaired," Epstein added.

At this point Julia sighed in frustration. "It doesn't alter the fact that Zack knowingly continued to drink even when on deployment on the Koenig. When he's supposed to avoid anything like that. I'm not sure this will save him."

"Nothing will save him unless he wants to be saved," Leo noted. "There's no changing that. He needs counseling, not a court-martial."

"There is a psychiatrist in your staff, correct?" Meridina asked.

"Yes. Doctor Ewing. But I'm not sure he has the experience to handle Zack's case. For that matter, I'm not sure Zack would even open up to him."

"He'll have to," Julia said. "I've tried to be patient with him, but it's clear Zack can't be allowed to make this choice anymore. I'm going to order him to report to Doctor Ewing."

"I'm not sure it will work, but it's certainly got to be tried," Leo agreed. "In the meantime, I'm signing for him to be taken off-duty for the time being. He's not fit, mentally or physically, until he recovers from the Niltox and gets a handle on himself."

"He has awoken?" Meridina asked.

"He's woken up a few times, yes," Leo said. "He's not being very conversational though."

"I shall speak to him," said Meridina. She glanced toward Julia. "It may be best if it were me."

Julia didn't say what she was thinking. She assented with a nod before looking at Leo again. "Before you go, anything more about our casualties?"

"No fatalities. A few injuries. Lieutenant Marlua will require light duty for the next two weeks due to a head injury."

"Right. Well, thank you both for seeing me on this matter. You're all dismissed."

Leo and Epstein stood and nodded to her before departing. Meridina stood as well. She walked several steps toward the door before turning back toward the table. "You have something you wish to ask?"

Julia looked up at her. "I wasn't projecting my thoughts that loudly, was I?"

"No. This was not from my mindwalking."

"Ah." Julia nodded. "Alright. I get the feeling that you know about Zack's… feelings for me."

"I do. And I have known for… some time."

"And you think it'll be easier for him if you're the one who speaks to him about all of this?"

"I do, yes," Meridina said. "And easier for you as well."

Julia immediately considered turning her down. It was on her second thought that she realized this would be for the best. Zack's emotions were in enough turmoil right now without her lecturing him. "Alright," she said. "I'll leave it up to you."

Meridina nodded and continued on her way.

Talara returned to the bridge of the Castle of Lions and found Allura sitting on the floor. "Princess, Coran and Lieutenant Lucero have nearly finished the teludav repair. And we have finished detaching the interuniversal transceiver. We'll be returning to the Aurora shortly." When there was no reply she walked up and sat beside Allura. "I'm sorry. I… can't imagine how it feels."

"She would come back if she could," Allura said. "Whatever keeps her from coming back… it has to be important."

"It probably is," Talara said. "But if it were my mother, I know it would still hurt."

There was silence for several moments. "You saved us," Allura said. "Myself and Lieutenant Lucero. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Highness."

Allura's expression betrayed some confusion. "I'm just not sure how. To do what you did, you had to interface with the system. That's only possible if you have the power of the royal bloodline."

"But it ended when you had no children," Talara pointed out. "So maybe it's something else."

"Or maybe the bloodline continues in your people. Maybe your ancestors were distant relatives of mine?"

"Doctor Gillam might know. I will ask." Talara looked around at the bridge. "I do wish you could come to Fala. My people, our people, have so much to learn about what our people were before the loss of Altea."

"When Zarkon is defeated, I will, if it is possible," Allura promised.

Talara nodded. "When Zarkon is defeated."

The door to the bridge opened. Pidge walked in, out of her armor now and back in her normal clothing. "Are we almost ready to go?"

"The teludav should be operational shortly," Allura said.

"Oh. Well… before we go, I'd like to do something first."

"Oh? What?"

Sometimes Humans still surprised Allura. She never imagined one could make a sound quite like the one that came from the Aurora Science Officer.

Lucy, for her part, had a wry, amused grin at the sight of Caterina squeeing while hurriedly operating her omnitool. She kept moving around to take in the full sight of the Castle bridge. "This technology is amazing," she said. "Some of this stuff is even better than what the Darglan had!"

"You've got some pretty amazing things too," Pidge said.

"I wish I had days to look this ship over!" Cat examined the control columns for Allura's station. "So this draws in the life force power stuff, right? To operate your FTL wormhole drive."

"Well, yes…"

"I can't believe something like this exists…!"

The scene continued until Coran returned to the bridge. "Well, that's all done," he said. "The teludav is fully operational!"

"Good. We can get the others then," Allura said.

"Then it's time for us to go." Lucy stepped up beside Cat. "We're probably overdue ourselves."

A sigh of resignation was Cat's initial response. "Right," she said. She looked to Pidge. "Thank you for letting me come over. This is wonderful."

"I got to see your ship. It was only fair." Pidge smiled back. "Maybe one day your Alliance can come here permanently. I'd love to see more of your Multiverse."

"Well, there's a lot more to it than the Fracture," Cat said.

"Yeah, that's not exactly our best tourist spot," Lucy added.

"And I hope we get to come back too," Caterina continued. "There's so much more about the old Altean technology I want to learn."

"Anyway, we had better go." Lucy gave Cat a meaningful look. "Although first things first…"

Cat caught the look and nodded. Pidge noticed it as well. "What?" she asked.

"Oh, just something we have ready to be beamed over," Cat explained. "Can you take us to your kitchen?"

Their departure left the bridge to the three Alteans. "It was an honor to meet you both," Talara said to Coran and Allura. "I look forward to the day when you visit Fala."

"So do we," Allura assured her. A bemused look came to her face. "And take care of yourself. I know how hard it can be to look around and see all of those hideous ears that Humans have."

Talara giggled at that. "Oh, they are hideous, aren't they? Sometimes I wish I had been assigned to a vessel with a Dorei majority crew. Their ears are too long, but at least they're the right shape."

More laughing came from all three.

"You know, I don't think Coran is going to like this," Pidge said.

"It'll be our little secret," Lucy answered, grinning.

Pidge gave her a look. "You've never met Hunk and Lance. Between those two, there's no way this is staying secret."

Cat giggled. They were standing in a corner of the kitchen where Lucy was presenting to Pidge a portable replicator unit. "Anyway, you'll have to keep the reserve of raw material up. Actually, that green goo stuff will probably work just fine."

"So it'll take the goo and reorganize it on a molecular level into something like real food, right?"

"Pretty much." Cat nodded. "It could be a long time before you're back on Earth, any Earth, so at least this way you get to enjoy Human food."

"Coran will still make that face of his when he finds out," Pidge said. She was still grinning widely. "So I suppose this is it. We need to get going so we can pick up the others."

"And I'm sure Julia's tapping her foot waiting for us to beam back so we can jump out." Cat nodded. "So this is goodbye."

"For now, anyway." Lucy grinned. "I have a feeling we might be back one day."

"A feeling, or one of those vision things your powers can give you?" Cat asked.

"A little of both? I think." Lucy set her hand on Cat's shoulder. "Come on, Cat, time to go home."

"Alright." Cat nodded to her before looking to Pidge. She held her hand out. "It was nice meeting you, Katie."

"It was great to meet you all." Pidge took Cat's hand with her own. "And for future reference, my friends get to call me Pidge."

"And my friends call me Cat."

"Good luck out there, Cat."

"Good luck, Pidge."

As soon as their hands let go, Lucy tapped her omnitool's comm button. "Lucero to Transporter Station 3. Two to beam back."

Cat and Pidge waved goodbye. The transporter pulled Cat away in a burst of light mid-wave

"I really wish we had those," Pidge sighed.

On the Aurora bridge, Julia stood just before the image of Allura, Coran, and Pidge appeared on the holo-viewscreen. "Good luck, Princess, everyone," she said. "Whatever the circumstance of our next meeting, I hope to hear that you've beaten Zarkon."

"Thank you, Captain. We intend to. And we wish you the best in your own conflict with the forces of evil. Farewell."

The call ended. The holo-viewscreen showed the Castle of Lions turn away from them. A large blue portal, or wormhole, formed in front of the Altean ship It entered the portal. Moments later the wormhole closed.

"Now that was one of our stranger encounters," Locarno said. "Not to mention one of the closest."

"Tell me about it," Angel muttered.

"But we still walked away from it," Julia observed. "Not to mention learning even more about the Fracture. Although I've had my share of that place. It's time to go home."

"The jump drive is still fully functional," Jarod said. "Setting coordinates to L2M1."

"Jump us out when you're ready, Commander."

"Aye Captain," Jarod said.

The Starship Aurora made a slight turn in space. Moments later a green vortex formed, leading their way home.

Meridina walked up to the doors to Zack's quarters and knew immediately he was present. And that he was not in a good place mentally. She settled her spirit and prepared herself for any of the reactions his condition might lead him to before she touched the chime control.

After several moments of no response she touched it again. She was on the verge of a third try when the door slid open. She stepped into Zack's quarters and nearly lost her breath to the sense it gave her. Guilt, shame, sorrow, it all permeated the environment.

Zack was sitting on the couch. The undergarment she had been told was known as "boxers" was the only thing he was wearing. Despite his condition mentally his body was still generally in shape. It was, perhaps, not quite as athletic as it had once been, when his lifestyle had been more active, but the curve and lines of muscle still showed on his torso and arms. His hair was not combed at the moment, giving it a wild look. And his eyes…

That was the sign of his condition. They were red, bloodshot, and rimmed with dark coloration from insufficient sleep.

"I'm being relieved, right?" he asked. "You're taking my ship away."

Meridina shook her head. "I do not believe that is the way to describe it."

"But it's what's happening. I'm being relieved of duty because I screwed up." Zack looked toward the table. A bottle of amber-colored fluid was there. "Leo tells me I've been damaging my brain by taking the Niltox."

"Yes."

He nodded. "Fitting. I didn't have the courage to admit to anyone I was falling back into the bottle. The Niltox seemed the best way to hide it."

"Why, Zachary?" Meridina asked. "Why hide it? Your friends are here and would gladly help you in your grief."

"Oh, of course they would." A bitter tone came to his voice. "It's about all I'm good for. Being helped. Being pitied."

"Your sense of shame is misguided, I believe."

Zack looked intently at her. Meridina sensed the turmoil within him. She felt worry at the way his guilt and shame and humiliation were building into a great reservoir of self-hatred. "Because you don't know how it was for me, not really. Growing up, then after school… being pitied by everyone. I was the guy with the drunkard dad. I was the kid who lost his mom to it. The guy who lost his sports career to his Dad's drunken fuckups. Everywhere i went, I'd see the pity in their eyes. That's how people saw me. Pitiable." He shook his head. "And here I am again. 'Oh poor Zack, he lost his girlfriend, he needs me to cheer him up…' All when it's my fault she's dead in the first place."

"Is it?"

"Without me, she'd have stayed home in Kansas. Found a good guy, someone who actually loved her and would be there for her. Someone whom she wouldn't have to go into space for."

Meridina took the seat opposite from Zack. She could smell a faint trace of alcohol in the room. "You speak as if you did not love her," Meridina pointed out. "But I know you did. I felt it within you."

"I didn't love her as much as I should have. As much as she deserved," he countered.

"You mean your affection for Captain Andreys."

"Affection?" He laughed harshly. "I've been in love with Julia since we were in middle school. Elementary school even." He returned his eye to the bottle of alcohol still on his table. "All of that time Clara was giving me her whole-hearted devotion, I was in love with another woman."

"You did not act upon it."

"That doesn't change the fact of it." Zack picked up the bottle. "Maybe I've been lying to myself this whole time, Meridina. About love, about my place in the universe." He looked into the amber fluid, as if he were divining the future in it. His future. A future with no happy ending. "Maybe the best thing I can do is just go away before I hurt someone else I love."

There was a moment of silence in the room. Meridina could think of nothing more to say. It seemed that no matter what, Zack was determined to suffer. There was just too much shame and guilt inside of him to get through to him. The incident on the Koenig and his blackout at such a critical time made that sense even worse.

"The Captain… Julia… will have to report what occurred."

"Good."

"You seem unnaturally determined to assign all blame to yourself," continued Meridina. "You offer no room for compromise or reason on the matter. I would almost think you want these things to be true. That you would prefer it."

Zack stared at her for a moment. "You know, I… well, you've been around. I've always struggled to find my place out here."

"And yet you have," Meridina said. "You have garnered the respect of numerous officers and commanders for your actions on the Koenig. You have long since proven yourself a capable commander."

"I never tried to be," he answered. "The Koenig… I always loved flying her. Then they made it where the only way I could was if I was the guy captaining the ship. I would've been happier just sitting at the helm…" He shook his head. "And yeah, I know I did good. At least, until I lost control of this." He held up the bottle. "I should've left this stuff here. I thought I could control it. And I ended up putting people I care for in danger by losing it." Zack quietly stood from the couch and walked over to his desk. Meridina watched him look through a small stack of digital readers. He pulled one of them out and approached her with it. "The truth is, Meridina, I'm not worthy of that kind of respect. I mean, look at me. Clara dies and I fall apart. She'd be pissed if she saw me here like this."

"Most likely," Meridina agreed. "But yet, something inside of you broke that day."

Zack shrugged. "Maybe it was the facade that broke. The illusion that I was everything she and the kids and everyone else believed me to be. Maybe I was never the hero they thought I was. I'm just some jerk from Kansas who was pretending to be a space hero so people wouldn't see what I really am."

"And what are you?"

"Nothing." He handed her the pad and turned away. "I'm a nothing." He walked to the door of his bedroom. "And it's about time I stopped pretending I was anything else." Once he reached the threshold of the bedroom he turned back partly. "Please go. That pad has everything you need."

Meridina glanced down at it. A touch of her finger activated the screen and displayed file. "Zachary," she murmured in quiet sadness.

Attention Admiral Maran,

I resign my command of the ASV Koenig and my officer commission.

Sincerely,
Zachary T. Carrey

For Cat and Violeta, it was dinnertime. For Cat herself, it was a chance to make up for the previous few days. All of her projects were on hold and the entire night was completely clear for the two of them, starting with their dinner.

Hargert brought said meal to their table. Sirian-style noodles and sauce for Violeta while Cat was given a dish of specialty enchiladas. "Specially made for you both," he said, "by request."

"Thank you, Hargert," Cat said in reply.

"Ah, but we are not done." He set down glasses. "A fine port as well. It took me some time to find the right wines to fit the palate of your meals."

"Excellent as always," Violeta assured him. They watched Hargert fill their glasses and step away. As each went for their food, Violeta said, "You didn't have to arrange this, Cat."

"I did," she insisted. "You deserve it."

The smile Violeta made at that caused Cat to blush. Making her girlfriend happy felt good. It was a warm, fuzzy feeling that she wanted to experience more of.

"So I heard that the lion pilot was just a fifteen year old girl," Violeta said. "What was she like?"

"Pidge? Oh, she was cool. I mean, she was… well…" Cat shrugged, giggling to herself. "Actually, I think she was a lot like me. I mean, those lion ships pick their pilots or something, and it reacted to me too… so I guess we're a lot alike."

"Somehow I doubt anyone could be as adorably nerdy as you, Cat," Violeta answered, grinning. She pushed her fork into the long strands of pasta and the creamy sauce covering it. Cat used her fork to take off a piece of her meal. "That had to be one of our strangest missions."

"Yeah. And on top of all that, finding out the origins of the Falaens like that? I mean, the Falaens are really awesome people, and then you find out someone once tried to wipe them out… it's horrible."

"Yeah." Violeta took a bite and started chewing. The look on her face told any observer how much she was enjoying Hargert's efforts. "The survey mission is over now, right?"

"Yeah. Admiral Maran wants us back for debriefing. They'll send another ship to complete the areas we didn't get to. Hopefully one without anyone on the crew with mental powers or psionic capability."

"The Dorei on the ship are certainly happier." Violeta took a drink of her wine while Caterina chewed a bite down. "When we're done, did you want to make a go at the Dragon King again?"

"Yeah, definitely," Cat said. "Angel said she'll be there."

"Did you ever talk to someone about joining as a healing class?"

"Sorry." Cat winced and shook her head. "I haven't."

"Oh well. We'll think of something."

Their dinner progressed on for only a couple of minutes before they both heard "Excuse me". They looked up to see Talara. "May I sit? Just briefly, I don't want to interrupt your meal."

Cat nodded to Violeta, giving her the choice. "Sure, I guess," Violeta said. "Shouldn't you be resting for your shift tonight?"

"Actually, Doctor Gillam has me off duty for the next 48 hours," Talara answered. "He wants to make sure I'm fine after using that device on the Castle."

"I heard you saved Allura and Lucy," Cat said. "That was great."

Talara blushed slightly. "Thank you. I don't want to keep you from your meal, I just wanted to ask you something about the game."

"We're planning on trying again tonight," Violeta said. "You're welcome to join us."

"Oh, I will love to. But I wanted to ask you… that Potion of, what was it, Introspection? What does it mean by the term 're-spec'? I'm not sure what that words is in your English language."

"You must be reading online guides written in gamer vernacular," Violeta said. "They're talking about changing your powers. The Potion of Introspection lets you pick a different class of character."

"Oh. Well, that sounds useful."

"Oh? You want to change your class?" asked Cat.

"I had fun as the Dragon, Dragoon, I mean. But when I examined your rules I found a class that I think will work better for me."

"Well, that's what the potion is for. Which class did you want to play?" asked Violeta.

"Well, I was looking through your systems, and I found this one…"

The Falaen, or rather Altean, brought up a stat screen on her omnitool. Talara let them get a good look at it. It depicted a humanoid in shining white armor hefting a sword. A shield was slung over the figure's back.

"That's the Paladin," said Talara. "I would like to choose this instead."

"A frontline fighter," Violeta noted. "Armored melee fighters with Light-based magic powers. It would change your role on the team. Your entire point is to protect the rest of us by drawing enemy attention and defending with your armor and shield. I mean, you can do damage with your sword, but you don't hit as hard as everyone else does."

Cat let out a little laugh. "Don't forget the healing ability. The Paladin has a healing ability, right?"

"A few." Violeta gave Cat an amused look. "Although I didn't think you would be interested enough to know about it."

"Well, I know it doesn't fit me, but I was thinking of who else might want to play and what classes would fit them." Cat was still smiling. "I figured Rob would be a Paladin if I ever got him to play."

"You mean Captain Dale?"

"Yeah. I mean, it sorta fits him…"

"Well, you're right about the healing. And it's the one role we really need in the party for the Dragon King fight." Violeta turned back to Talara. "So that's it? You want to use the potion and become a Paladin?"

"Yes," said Talara, grinning. "I rather like that title, honestly…"

Tag

Julia read the digital pad again and let out a sigh. "So that's it," she said.

"It is." Meridina nodded.

"Do you think I could talk him out…"

"I do not believe anyone could change his mind right now, Julia," Meridina said. The informal name use came from their private surroundings in the captain's quarters. Julia was at her desk in said quarters, clad in a cherry red bathrobe from shoulders to midway down her thighs. Meridina's arrival had found her fresh from her morning shower. Meridina herself was in uniform and now seated in a comfortable chair in the living area adjacent to the desk.

"He's throwing away everything he's built over the last two years." Julia tossed the pad onto the desk. "Damn him."

"I am at a loss with him," Meridina admitted. "He is so full of shame and guilt. He is challenging everything he has become since he took command of the Koenig."

"But he'll turn to the damn bottle!"

"That, I believe, is the greatest source of his shame." Meridina shook her head. "He is humiliated by his inability to control his urges. He is comparing himself to his father."

"Yeah. And that would make him feel horrible." Julia rubbed at her eyes. "I don't want him to resign like this, though. Not when he's impaired."

"He is certainly impaired emotionally."

"I'm going to talk to Maran about it. With what happened on New Caprica, Zack is a psychiatric casualty for certain. We just took too damn long to find it out."

"Nevertheless, he will not remain on the ship. And I do not know where he will go."

"I know. And I can't make him stay. I just have to hope he doesn't get into trouble." Julia set her hands back on the desk. "Thank you, Meridina, for handling it. I'm sure Zack's problems don't make him pleasant for you to be around."

"I have experienced far worse in the way of troubled minds," Meridina replied.

"Still, I'm sorry for any discomfort it caused you."

To that Meridina grinned slightly. "Compared to our problems in the Fracture, Julia, Zachary's thoughts and emotions were no difficulty."

"I see." Julia reached for a mug of replicated coffee. "Speaking of the Fracture, I'm sure you're glad to be out."

"I am, although I also find myself… perturbed."

"Perturbed?"

"So much happened, and my swevyra feels a cloud over the events," Meridina said. "The purpose of our attackers, and the source of power that came to our aid. I cannot help but feel that we have come to the attention of very powerful forces."

"Well, yeah." A thought came to Julia. "Do you think that NEUROM might be behind that strange assassin that tried to kill Angel and Jarod?"

"I do not know either way. And our information seems insufficient to make a guess."

"Right." A thought came to Julia. "Do you suppose Admiral Gal-Nazad and Squadron Leader Tissim are in big trouble for our escape?"

"Quite possibly. The Ministry of Fate seems unkind to those who fail its objectives. Although I feel there was something more to what occurred."

"Whatever happened, I'm just satisfied that we got out of there." Julia frowned at her desk. "Those people are nasty. I actually feel a little sorry for Gal-Nazad and Tissim."

"True." Meridina said nothing more. But she couldn't help but wonder at the sensation of dread she felt when she thought of NEUROM, its Ministry of Fate, and what had just occurred. There was more to the situation than felt apparent.

EIther way, she knew Julia was right to feel sorry for the two NEUROM commanders. Her feelings told her that they were unlikely to trouble the Aurora crew again.

In the heart of NEUROM space, deep within the Fracture...

Inside the cavernous hall, everything shone in gold, gold reflecting gold... Massy gold, gold plate, mirrors reflecting gold—there was gold over blue and gold flooring, gold around the windows, gold in the ceiling, triangles forming a set of false-arches and converging on triangular points in the roof, lighting rectangles projecting down, light gentle but white and stripped of natural colouring. It tended to wash out the view from outside, and fade the rest of the colours, the tapestries, the furniture, the elaborate wooden desk with brass fittings, the reclining couches covered in rainbow quilts.

The massive gold-plated doors, covered in tesseract patterns, slid open and two women strode through them. One had white hair in a mess of disorder, hidden under a cloak. Her skin was dark and unnatural, and her eyes red. The other was a tiny mouse of a woman, dark curly hair with dusky skin that had been bleached by countless aeons far from exposure to the rays of a sun. She wore a practical spacer's suit surmounted by a black cape, and her eyes were concealed with a pair of massive, completely opaque sunglasses.

Sitting on an open-backed couch, a third woman was the only original occupant of the chamber. Her legs folded in lotus, she sat quietly, draped in piles of furs. Her eyes looked away from them, toward the visage outside the windows. There, the brilliance of the sun washed out the view of the immense landscape curving around its glow – the lakes, the rivers, the farms, the cities. The huge mountains that rose until they seemed to touch the sun.
The white-haired woman stepped in front of the figure in repose, her boots smacking on the tile. She made a neat, precise bow which belied her look as so much of a homeless bag lady. Her shorter companion followed suit.

The woman blinked as if she had not noticed them before and looked to them both. "Tisiphone. Megaera."

"Master, you called us both at once. That is rare, and I am concerned," the woman called Tisiphone answered levelly. "There was a disturbance in the Force within the Fracture."

"We both felt it," Megaera agreed. "You surely know more."

"You sensed a technology," replied the Alekto, something like a woman bedeviled with a headache, "which briefly visited us. A threat to the Force, I believe, draining, disrupting."

"It is not necessarily true, Master," the elder woman replied, sparing a glare for her younger counterpart for a moment. "The Rakatan used such technology as that which I infer you speak of."

"It's not quite the same, though certainly this is your area of expertise, not mine." A dry smile, laced with bitterness. "That's not what concerns me, however; that would be the denouement. The Lady of Admirals permitted one of her servants to intervene against us. That is what happened. A War Cruiser effected the escape of the two ships—the one using the Force crystal and the Alliance ship..."

"The Aurora?" Tisiphone jerked, her hand reaching instinctively for her belt.

"The Aurora," the Alekto agreed. "Sidney's pet project. You remember the orders that I gave to CORTEX." It was not a question.

"Yes, they were to absolutely not attack or interfere with the Aurora in any circumstance whatsoever, no matter the price that we paid for it," Tisiphone agreed.

"He disobeyed, didn't he?" Megaera asked.

"Yes, my son disobeyed. As he often does!" The Alekto's calm voice turned into a snarl by the end of the statement. "He gave explicit orders to the States Reserve Fleet which led to them attacking the Aurora and need I spell out to you how utterly deadly that could be to the entire universe should the worst occur? If he is right, reality itself might start to destabilize and our only hope would be to get on our knees and beg to the Useless Fop! ...Or take ourselves through the Darkness to another universe cluster and abandon all we have created here to annihilation."

The weaker two of the Erinyes exchanged a glance. Anything to do with the titular 'Lady of Admirals' always put their mistress into a foul mood, no matter how trivial. They both knew there were real grounds for fear, though, when it came to the Aurora.

"Master, you should assume direct control. It is the only way to prevent these kinds of incidents, and if the Lady of Admirals is willing to risk the truce so blatantly..."

"You are being kind to me. To us. This was our fault. Our side's violation." Gloved hands crackled knuckles, the Alekto's eyes opening to gaze downward. "Direct control. Like you've wanted me to for centuries?" The Alekto smirked. "Come now, you can't hide it from me."

"Master is the most powerful being in this universe, and I am being modest," Tisiphone answered, dropping to one knee in a gesture that Megaera did not follow. "You are the ultimate weapon. Forget but assuming direct control of NEUROM; even the Imperator Byzon would bow to you within a year of your fleets going forth."

"You would create some beasts to conquer the surface of the worlds for me, I imagine? I suppose even the legendary strength of the Bragulans would be little use against a terentatek... No, no wars of intergalactic conquest."

The elder woman sucked in her breath with a hiss, and shot daggers as Megaera paraded slowly around to massage the Alekto's shoulders and adjust a multicolored rainbow shawl that was draped over them. "You are an ambitionless cur and disrespectful to the one who trained you," she shot at Megaera. "Do not tempt our mistress into inaction again!"

"Don't fight," the Alekto interjected, a dangerous glint flashing in her eyes. "This is no matter of personal pride. It's objectively true the All-Father is imperiling something far more important than anything the past games have. He certainly has an ulterior motive. A message must be sent, and a plan drawn up to assume control for the purpose of containment and holding NEUROM together if he does not heed the message."

The hands on her shoulders stopped, as the woman behind them grew more pale. "...Of course, Alekto. It's true that we cannot let the All-Father continue to pursue this course. When we were discussing matters with the Tal'kona'sha it was clear that with the end of the Ancients, with the Old One having gone beyond the rim, that we would have little in the way of reliable allies against these kinds of events. If the Lady of Admirals were to decide the truce had been violated… We are still the weaker power."

Tisiphone smiled. "So you both see. We must act, Master."

"So we must." She folded her arms out. "Take the appropriate measures to make it clear to my wayward child that he is not to act against my explicit decrees. If the hand offends, strike it off!"

"The Fates are already attending to other tasks..."

The Alekto nodded quietly and raised a hand. "Very well, go yourself with my leave and deal with all those who disobeyed our instructions. It is time for CORTEX to undergo a cleansing."

Triumphant, Tisiphone bowed, turned, and departed with her cloak fluttering behind her. As the doors opened, she called out to one of the red-skinned courtiers beyond: "Prepare my ship!"

The arrival of an unmarked craft of unknown type with the energy/mass ratio of a heavy attacker never boded well in the fleets of NEUROM. Less so when the vessel in question had just returned from a failed mission. Much less so when the occupant disappeared from the internal scanners the moment they arrived…

...And then appeared, hooded, cloaked, in rough, black leather garments over a disorderly dark pair of boots, hands likewise encased in black. Her skin seemed almost black, too, gray and blackish and off-coloured like a rubbing of dirty ash with a shock of disorganized white hair. She turned to face Admiral Gal-Nazad, the hood no longer concealing, and her eyes were red.

He dropped to his knees, and slowly, then quickly, the rest of the bridge crew of the Tatrin's Bane followed.

The woman's red eyes gleamed. "My Master does not tolerate disobedience!"

"But, Excellency... This mission originated from the Palace of the All-Father himself."

"Admiral Gal-Nazad, you are the ranking officer, and the responsibility is your's! The All-Father had no authority to order this mission and do you understand what that means?"

"Oh, Fates..." His voice hoarse, he closed his eyes and cast them downwards, body stiffening as his mind revolted at what that meant. A memetic imprint from his childhood seared across his features, in absolute terror.

"Cross the Fates and face the Furies, Admiral," the voice was laced with glee as it invoked the old rhyme.

His face went ash pale, skin gray with fear at the hideous bedtime rhyme that was supposed to scare children, now coming to life before his eyes. She responded by smirking, gloating at him with her half-shadowed face. "The..." He coughed, choked for words, and trailed off with a gurgle in his throat. Only in his thoughts did he complete the sentence.

"That's enough speculation," she addressed a thought in his mind. "Admiral, the only thing more intolerable than disobedience to The Alekto is failure. Truly your degradation is complete, but I am not here to turn you over to anyone. We Furies are quite capable of delivering Fate ourselves."

She paused, and let hope spring in the smallest ember of the man's soul before she quashed it. "My Master has authorized your death. Personally!" With an unmistakable snap-hiss, a blade of glowing hues of ruby and crimson descended until the tip lightly scorched the deck, bringing the smell of burning grip-sealant and melting durasteel in a hideous whiff that was shortly joined by the smell of a body relaxing in death.

Right next to the severed head which toppled to the deck.

The red glow across the bridge disappeared, and The Tisiphone looked up, her eyes seeming to strip the flesh off the Flag Captain and stare into his soul. "Captain Soru, forward the recording to the All-Father's Palace."

"But, but, Excellency, He shall be..."

"If he punishes you for acting as the messenger of one of the Erinyes, the All-Father will not like the consequences, I assure you. You are under my orders and only I and my Master may punish you for them. The Tisiphone has commanded it, now obey!"

"Yes, Your Excellency!"

With a contemptuous sneer, the woman drew her cloak closer and spun about, leaving the bridge with no more than a whisper of rippling wind to mark her passage, just as she had come. She had other business to attend to, just like she had attended to Admiral Gal-Nazad.

Author's Note: These last two scenes were written by Tomyris.