The Glasses Come Off

A dozen TSAB battlecruisers surrounded the inactive supergate, with more on the way. On the bridge of the Arthra, Chrono sat in conference with the other captains and the Admiral, holographic screens arrayed around him.

"We cannot afford to delay," one captain said. "We must seal the inactive portal now. The Ori may open the connection at any time. The sealing will be impossible with the portal open."

"All that would get us is a delay," another argued. "The Midverse Ori already know about us. They'll try again, and we won't know where. I say we leave the portal operable and establish a blockade."

"I see no reason for the Ori to leave their beachhead unguarded, save for them simply having no means to guard it," Chrono put in. "They were not expecting word of our existence, and by all accounts the Ori hoard their power. It will take their followers time to build ships and weapons sufficient for an invasion."

"And while they do, you propose we just sit here and wait for them?" a captain demanded. "If we can open the portal from this side, we can strike while they're still scrambling to muster."

"Fly brazenly into the domain of hostile gods?" another scoffed. "There are no checks on the Ori's power, there. We simply do not have enough S-rank mages to have any hope of facing a totalitarian theiarchy in their own territory. We cannot depend on their unwillingness to expend their power to protect us."

"Captains," Lindy said. "You all raise cogent points. However, for better or worse, the decision falls to me."

There was silence as Lindy paused.

"Sealing the portal buys us time, but we won't know where the next one will come. Venturing through when we may not have the strength to hold the portal on the other side would be suicide," Lindy said. "I believe our most viable tactic will be to lay an ambush, here and now."

The lights were low, and a holographic schematic of an Ori warship hung large in the air. Hayate and her knights. Nanoha and Fate. Madoka and Homura. All of them were pouring over videos of battles from the Anteverse, and reports on the Ori ships.

Homura squeezed Madoka's hand as she watched her parents' ship ripped apart by an enemy attack ship. It hurt to watch it, but not all that much more than just thinking about it. No, something else was on her mind. A possibility she'd never dared to let herself fully consider, before.

Homura looked over at Madoka, drinking in the sight of her, brilliant golden eyes focused intently on the screens in front of her. It was a risk either way, and if Madoka hadn't made love to her mind, Homura would never have had the courage.

Madoka loved her. Madoka was worth it.

Homura shut her eyes. Opened them. She brought Madoka's hand up to her lips and kissed it. Madoka looked over at her.

"I'll be right back," Homura said.

Madoka smiled at her and nodded, and Homura slipped away.

Homura went to their quarters, raised her gloved hand and released Skjoldur. She thought of the New Aln, and of her parents.

"I won't let it end that way," Homura promised. "As long as it takes. I won't stop until I'm sure."

Homura raised Skjoldur. A blacklight Circle unfolded under her feet, and the flat masculine voice of her Device announced, PRECOGNITION.

(Sorry for the super-shot chapter, but I was stuck on this for a while, and when I finally figured out what I was going to do, this chapter just came out short.)