"You're asking them to join us?"

"In case it's escaped your notice, Rhade, we don't have a crew. Not to mention we're in a time and place where we know next to nothing about the current climate, politically, socially or otherwise. We need them."

"Valentine and her crew, of course. Tyr, however, could be more trouble than he is worth."

Then I will leave it to you to keep him in line. Show him who's alpha around here."

"We are both alphas, but in this case it is you who should present the strongest face. You are the captain."

"And I will show it by having my Nietzschean first officer back me in all things." In short, Dylan planned to show his superiority by pretending that he had not been betrayed by the same first officer.

"As you wish." Rhade clasped his hands behind his back. "How do you wish to proceed?"

"We need to get a better understanding of what, exactly, we're facing out there. Just how far civilization has fallen and if there are any pockets of sanity to be found." Hunt braced his hands atop his desk. "Can I trust you, Rhade?"

Gaheris met his gaze dead on. "You can trust me, Dylan. My lapse in judgment is over. I stand ready to support you."

Their eyes remained locked in silence for a long time before Dylan finally nodded. "Dismissed."

There was such finality to that dismissal, a feeling that Rhade was once again fresh out of the academy. Though it was deserved, it still stung. He wisely refrained from commenting on it, settling instead for giving a respectful salute before leaving the captain's quarters.

"That… doesn't look like a black hole." Erik frowned as he tried to make sense of the scene before them. "And I can't get any closer. It seems to be pushing everything away."

"White hole, then." Claire studied the readings scrolling before her. "And not naturally occurring. Take a look at this and tell me if it looks familiar." She sent the data to Erik's console. His brow furrowed as he saw the same thing she had.

"Someone launched a nova bomb. I didn't know nova bombs could do something like this."

"Neither did I, but from the traces, I'd say they used more than one. A Glorious Heritage class warship could hold forty or more of the little buggers."

"Any chance they used all of them?"

"Can't tell from this. The white hole is constantly pushing matter away from itself. The concentrations are already thinned out." She read the scans further. "Which also means that it is very possible that if the Andromeda were destroyed, the debris might already be gone. Thought I have my suspicions."

"Enlighten me, Oh Loving Mother."

"Well, if our would be salvagers had found the ship but somehow got caught in the black hole's gravitational field, they would have been pretty desperate to escape. I don't know how they would have put two and two together to get nova bombs plus black hole equals white hole, but it would have meant a chance at surviving."

"Kind of like chewing off your own arm to escape a bear trap. Maybe we lucked out and they used all the nova bombs she had on her."

"Wouldn't that be convenient? One less sharp object with which the toddlers could hurt themselves." Erik laughed as she took a few more readings. "I'm detecting two different engine trails. They're faint, much of its been 'blown' away, but they're there. One looks like what you'd expect from the Andromeda."

"Bread crumbs. Good. Any plans on how to get the ship back once we catch up with her?"

"Not yet. We need to see who we're dealing with, first."

"Andromeda has nearly completed her download of the Maru's archives."

Dylan gave a small nod. "Good. The updated star charts and historical records will be of great help. And how is the Maru's crew settling in?"

"They are undisciplined by military standards, but that is only to be expected. They've had to fight and struggle to survive this long in the present climate. They're intelligent and capable, but right now they're more like feral cats; it will take time before they trust us enough that we can trust them."

The analogy brought a brief smile to Hunt's face. "And the Nietzschean?"

"Tyr." Gaheris gave a sigh. "He will need watching. He's clearly Alpha material, but his entire pride has been wiped out. He's an orphan who must prove himself if he is to attract a mate and thus gain a new family. He will turn on us if it will prove his superiority, but he will work with us as long as we are beneficial to his survival and can be instrumental in proving himself."

"Just to find a wife."

"Everything is about reproduction. Especially to a Nietzschean." It certainly was to him. Everything he had done was to ensure the survival of his family. His wives. His children.

How had he been so blind?

"Anything else to report, Rhade?"

"Not at the moment, but I have been considering our future endeavors. We still have damage from the battle before we were caught in the event horizon that needs to be repaired. Mr. Harper has already started working on it, but there is still the problem of not having a ready supply chain. We will need to find resources to replace ordnance, metal to repair damage to the hull, parts to keep the engines in good working order… we are at a severe disadvantage."

"Pessimism getting to you again?"

"Not at all. I'm just being a realist. And no matter how alone we are, we still have the benefit of possessing what is likely the most powerful ship in the known universe. That does increase our odds somewhat."

"That would help, of course." Rhade had known Dylan long enough to recognize the flicker of wariness deep in his eyes. The human captain was well aware of just how dangerous their situation was.

"Anything else, Sir?"

"No, that will be all, Rhade. You're dismissed."

"I'd forgotten how beautiful they were."

"I hadn't." Claire gazed out the forward window, her eyes moving over the sleek lines of the Andromeda. "Andromeda Ascendant. Heritage Class vessel. The pride of the High Guard. Oh, how I've missed you."

"You always did have a fondness for starships."

Claire's eyes moved to her son's profile. "And why not? The development of interstellar travel was a Godsend to us. You know how tricky it was to come up with new identities every handful of decades before we had the ability to leave Earth. Once there were colonies on other planets, dying and starting over was a simple as just moving to another solar system. Starships gave us freedom." Her lips curved into a smile. "Besides, I love fooling around with the engines. It's the best place to feel the torque. Even better than the old land-based automobiles."

"So you've always driven faster than sensible."

The teasing made her grin. "I used to adore a stick-shift. Too bad they all but fazed them out. Pontiac had the G6, which came in a six speed. Driving it was better than sex."

Erik gave a chuckle. "Clearly you were doing it wrong."

"Muzzle it." That only made him laugh harder. She had truly missed running missions with Erik. The ages had never dulled his warmth or his sense of humor, no matter how much pain he had been forced to live through. "They see us. We're being hailed."

"Well, might as well meet the new bullies on the block. Cover story?"

"If they figured out how to work her scanners then they're not going to fall for the old 'broken engine' ploy. Tell them we have a coupling going out on the intake line. That's something that has to be confirmed by sight." She gave a shrug. "Who knows? It might get us on board."

Erik growled. "So they can try to steal my ship as well."

"We would never let that happen. Answer the hail."

"Yes, Mother." He connected the link and an image lit up the small console to his right. "This is Captain Erik Bennett of the Eternal Vigilance." Erik always did have fun naming things. The responding voice, however, made Claire's breath catch in her throat.

"This is Captain Dylan Hunt of the Andromeda Ascendant. Is there something we can do for you, Captain Bennett?"

Claire punched in a command at her console just as Erik began to respond. A burst of simulated interference started to disrupt transmission so that she could speak with little fear of being overheard. "That's not possible." She replayed the first few seconds of the conversation on a second screen at her station. Captain Hunt's chiseled features filled the tiny space.

"Something wrong?"

"Dylan Hunt was the captain of the Andromeda when I served on her."

Erik frowned. "Someone going by his name?"

"If so, they've stolen his face, too. That looks exactly like him."

"It's been three hundred years. You think he's like us?"

Claire frowned. "Highly unlikely, but not entirely outside of the realm of possibility." She swallowed. "I'm going to try and send out a second text-only message directly to the ship's AI." Her fingers started to fly over the board even as she spoke. "You see what you can do to get us on that ship."

Erik nodded and stopped the psuedo-disruption. "Captain Hunt… are you still there?"

"There you are. It looks like you're having some trouble with your com system."

"For starters." The centuries had made Erik very good at acting. "But I'm more concerned about an intake coupling that keeps giving us grief. Looks like you have a big ship there, Captain. Any chance we could hitch a ride while we sort things out?"

"I think arrangements can be made. Dock your ship inside landing bay four. You and your crew are welcome. Hunt out."

"You are inviting a complete stranger aboard your ship?" Tyr seemed unsettled by the idea. "One who might have any number of hidden weapons or secret agendas. In case you have failed to understand us, Captain Hunt, the universe is not the friendly place you remember."

"That will be all, Anasazi." Gaheris kept his voice firm. Dylan gave an amused look between them.

"You have a point, Tyr. Perhaps you should accompany Rhade to the landing bay to welcome our guests." A chime sounded from the console where he was standing as he spoke. Accessing the screen brought to his attention was second nature to him. Tyr and Rhade were headed towards the door when he spoke again. "On second thought, stay on the bridge Mr. Anasazi. I'll handle this one personally. Gaheris, if you would join me."

Rhade kept his frown to a minimum. Usual procedure was for either the captain or the first officer to remain on the bridge in a situation such as this. Both rarely went to meet a guest outside of heads of state or high-ranking individuals. Still, he did not ask until they were outside of the bridge and out of earshot. "Captain?"

"Andromeda received a text-only transmission while I was talking to our Captain Bennett, one sent by the second life form detected on his ship. The sender was using High Guard ident codes."

Gaheris blinked. "High Guard codes?" Andromeda's voice chimed in.

"More specifically, the ident codes belonging to Lieutenant Clarice Benoit. They were deactivated upon her reported death, of course, but I still had record of them in my database. She wanted to know if I was being held under duress and asked for confirmation of Captain Hunt's identity."

Dylan matched step with Rhade as they walked along the corridor. "Which is why I decided to come with you instead of sending our very large Nietzschean friend. Besides, we're the only ones who know about… Benoit, and we should clear it with her before we let her special talents become common knowledge. She's a potential ally. We should try to keep on her good side."

"Agreed."

They made their way to the landing bay, entering after Andromeda confirmed that everything was clear. Up close the Eternal Vigilance appeared to be in far better repair than the Eureka Maru. The hull was a matte black so as to blend in with the darkness of space and there were no flaws detectable by the naked eye in her form. Whoever Captain Bennett was, he was clearly better off financially than Beka Valentine.

A door on the side of the hull began to lower into a ramp, coming to rest on the landing bay floor with a metallic thud. Only a moment later a tall, lean figure exited the ship. He stood a good six feet and five inches in height, and although his figure appeared to be well toned, his musculature was the wiry type of build that hid its true strength from those who did not know what to look for. Ebony black skin and shortly cropped, black hair contrasted sharply with the bright white of his smile as he extended a hand in greeting to Dylan. "Captain Hunt, thank you for extending the hospitality of your ship."

"The pleasure is all mine, Captain Bennett."

"Please, call me Erik. I insist."

The man's warmth seemed honest and was hard for a human like Dylan to withstand. Hunt smiled back. "Then I must insist you call me Dylan." They released hands. "This is my first officer, Commander Gaheris Rhade."

Rhade noted the barest flicker of recognition in Erik's eyes before he extended a hand in greeting to him. "An honor to meet you, Commander."

"Well, this certainly makes things more interesting." The voice came from on the ship. All eyes turned as Benoit stepped out onto the ramp. Rhade had known she was ageless, of course, but he still had could not help but be surprised at the sight of her.

She was still beautiful. The shape of her face started out round, but curved into more of an oval as it reached her chin, a combination of two classic structures. Light colored, almond shaped eyes and a cupid's bow of a mouth. Her hair was blonde, as it had been the day she had been declared dead. Gaheris had not been blind to the physical beauty of the female members of the crew, he had kept his hands to himself in part because they were not Nietzschean and in part because regulations prohibited fraternization, but he could admit that Clarice Benoit had been one of the more attractive females on Andromeda. More than one male crewmember had been saddened at her death, though there had never been so much as a whisper that she had been involved with anyone.

The perfectly balanced mouth turned up in a smile. "You two look as though you've seen a ghost." Her hands came to rest on her hips and her cocky stance was anything but military. "Last I checked I wasn't transparent."

Erik gave a chuckle. "Mother, be nice."

That snapped Gaheris out of it. "Of course; Claire Bennett and Erik Bennett. Makes sense." He looked back to the tall man. "You're one of her sons."

"I do have that pleasure." Bennett looked back to Hunt. "We heard that there was a salvage operation launched to fetch the Andromeda and thought it might be wise to try and keep her out of the wrong hands."

"We certainly didn't expect to find the original owner still had her." Claire came to a stop a couple of feet from Dylan. "It's good to see you, Captain."

"Thank you. It's… good to see a friendly face."

"I'm afraid you won't see many friendly faces out here. Not these days. Not since the fall." There was sadness in her voice, but just as quickly she banished it to frown. "I'd forgotten how tall you were. You're making me feel short."

Hunt gave a chuckle. "Sorry."

"You can't help it." She turned her attention to Gaheris. "And since our good Captain Hunt isn't completely in shock, I'm going to guess you had to spill the beans."

"My apologies, but there were events that required an explanation."

"Badly injured or dead?"

Rhade would have found the question odd from anyone else. "Apparently dead."

She winced. "Sorry about that."

"No apology necessary. Nietzscheans are geared towards survival. I am hardly likely to complain about not being dead."

Dylan cleared his throat. "As good as it is to see you, how is it that you found us? We were actually wondering how to find you."

"Like we said, we heard someone was coming after the Andromeda and thought to stop them. Or at least take the ship back." She gave a sigh and a double-shouldered shrug. "Very few people in the known universe these days could be trusted with a ship like this one. Too much power to be in the hands of idiots. And, believe me, the universe has no shortage of idiots."

Rhade gave a nod. "It never did." He glanced over at Dylan who seemed unable to disagree as well.

"I don't suppose you would be willing to consider staying on board the Andromeda and lending us a hand."

Claire tilted her head to one side. "In staying alive? Sure, I can do that. As it so happens, I recently had to ditch my last identity and need to start again. I hadn't even really thought about what name to use. I might just go back to being Claire Bennett, but if it will help you remember what to call me, I have no problems being Clarice again."

"The choice is completely yours, of course, but I was thinking something more than just staying alive. We intend to rebuild the Systems Commonwealth."

Both of the Bennetts blinked in surprise, exchanging a look between themselves before Claire spoke again. "You're… going to restore the Systems Commonwealth? By yourself?"

"Well, I would hope that you would be willing to lend a hand. You've watched the degradation of known space since the fall. You would have a better idea of which planets would be the most likely to join up first."

"I… think you're going to find that a hard pill to get most to swallow. I mean, although there are plenty of worlds who would like the whole 'safety in numbers' thing, you've also got a lot of bitter, angry people. They've been forced to do for themselves for so long that few are going to be willing to trust enough to put their faith into a centralized system of government."

Gaheris suspected that she was right, but this was Dylan's show. Hunt clearly considered her words, but he was nothing if not an optimist. "That is why we need you, Claire. That's why I need you."

Bennett studied Dylan in silence for an extended moment before turning her gaze towards her son. She and Erik seemed to communicate silently before he shrugged. "It's your call. I have no pressing engagements. I'll stand by you no matter what you decided, just as I always have."

She gave a smile. "Scratch what I said about Charlie being the better behaved one. You just moved back up to the top spot." He laughed as she turned her attention back to Dylan and extended a hand. "Clarice Benoit, planet Earth. It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain. I stand ready to assist you in any way possible in regards to your current insanity."

Dylan accepted the hand. "We're not going to use 'Claire'?"

"You can call me 'Claire' for short, but I can't be a 'Bennett'. Erik's already introduced himself by that name, and we don't really look that much alike." She leaned in a bit conspiratorially. "He took after his father."