On the Nemo, Mon, Imra, and Eltro had dinner together. "Excuse you?" Eltro wondered.
"I asked...," Imra repeated.
"We heard you. What makes you think we're suffering from a lack...of sexual activity?" Mon asked.
"I'm a telepath. I know how many times you're having sex and with whom. I'm also aware of how many times you jerk off per day," Imra said with a deadpan expression.
"Well, have you been suffering?" Eltro shot back.
"I brought a collection of toys when I came onboard," Imra assured him.
"Why so curious?" Mon asked suspiciously.
"I just wanted to lower the tension on this ship," Imra said defensively.
"In my experience, sex only increases the tension," Eltro said wide-eyed.
"You think we need our tension eased?" Mon asked skeptically.
"Efficiency is down three percent," Imra reported.
"Holy shit," Mon said stunned.
"Perhaps the crew should take shore leave," Imra suggested. "I took the liberty of finding a suitable planet filled with a humanoid culture of prostitutes and sexual deviants. It's called Risa. It's tropical with pristine beaches"
"I get the distinct impression you're trying to stall us from our next conquest as a way to pander to your Titan superiors," Mon said.
"And you're not wrong," Imra admitted. "You can conquer Risa if you wish. They have it coming."
"Well, okay then," Mon agreed.
On the bridge, Eltro was ready to plow the field. All the Insane officers were in their ceremonial Insane armor to impress the women on Risa. "How does my armor look? You think I'll get noticed?" Eltro asked Imra.
"The Insane have historically elicited fear and dread in the galaxy. If you really want to score, I suggest taking it off," Imra said honestly.
"When the time comes," Eltro said obviously. "What's your itinerary, Sir?"
"I think I'm going to pass. Being a married man, it's not really suitable for me," Mon said with false sincerity.
"There's nothing wrong with getting massages from 200 Nubian masseuses all at the same time," Eltro told him.
"He does have a point," Imra chimed in.
"Your attempt to get me off this ship so you can sack it and take off with it has not been lost on me," Mon told her off.
"Incoming transmission from Earth," Imra informed him.
"Fawk," Mon said annoyed, and then went to his quarters.
Mon received the video transmission from Kara on his computer. "Sydne Ardeen is the head Titan ambassador. She was on Manzar recently but it's imperative she be taken off that planet as soon as possible," Kara said seriously.
"Sounds like not my problem," Mon said disinterested.
"The nearest Titan ship is a week away," Kara continued.
"Do you intend for me to ship her ass all the way to Titan?" Mon asked incredulously.
"You'll rendezvous with a Titan ship in three days. They'll take her for the rest of the way," Kara explained.
"What's the emergency?" Mon asked curiously.
"Might come as a shock to you, but the Titans are not talking," Kara said dryly.
"I'll be sure to give her every Insane hospitality," Mon promised.
The Nemo headed toward Manzar instead of Risa. Mon announced to the entire crew the reason for the detour and the cancellation of shore leave. The entire crew was noticeably pissed. Mon, Imra, and Laurel met at her quarters. Laurel had just finished packing her stuff. "Thank you for volunteering your quarters," Mon smirked.
"I'll be sure to have a lot of fun sleeping with the male enlisted," Laurel said as she walked out.
Human crew members started placing helmets, shields, swords, and spears into the room. "The fuck is going on?" Imra asked confused.
"I heard the ambassador insists on a Spartan environment," Mon grinned as the room was filled with Spartan artifacts.
"It's sufficiently Spartan," Imra rolled her eyes. "Here are the protocols you will have no intention of following," she said giving him a datapad.
"Address the ambassador frequently, shake hands, and laugh in her face," Mon eyed the protocols. "Your continued use of reverse psychology on us amuses me."
"If you let her be, she'll meditate the entire time and won't be a problem for you," Imra said.
"Here's the problem. I want to fuck with her. She's ruining our vacation," Mon reminded her.
"My mother must be really desperate to enlist your help," Imra said seriously.
"It would appear so," Mon agreed.
The Nemo came upon Manzar, an Earth-like planet. The Manzarites appeared humanoid except for gill-looking folds that went from their eyes to their ears. As soon as the Nemo arrived, the Manzarite High Council sent them a transmission.
"Prince Mon-El, are you ready to receive Ambassador Ardeen?" the Manzarite magistrate asked.
"In more ways than one," Mon smirked.
"The ambassador is already on her way to your ship," the Manzarite magistrate informed him. "I assume the Titans have told you the urgency of this matter."
"The Titans don't tell me shit for reasons I cannot fathom," Mon admitted.
"Ambassador Ardeen has been expelled for abuse of her office and criminal misconduct," the Manzarite magistrate revealed.
"What a naughty girl," Mon smiled amused.
Sydne's shuttle entered the launching bay of the Nemo. Mon, Imra, and Eltro greeted Sydne as she exited the launching bay. "On behalf of my Insane officers and human crew, I welcome you to the USS Nemo," Mon said respectfully. "This asshole over here is my chief engineer, Commander Eltro, a distant descendant of mine," Mon introduced.
"And this is your daughter, Imra Ardeen, my science officer, who I am not sleeping with," Mon introduced her. Mon and Eltro declined to shake hands with her.
"I anticipated Insane manners before coming aboard. Your performance has not disappointed," Sydne said to Mon.
"Shall we have dinner together?" Mon asked.
"I would be delighted," Sydne said with false sincerity.
The four of them ate dinner in Laurel's former quarters. "I hope you like your quarters. We tried very hard to anticipate your needs," Mon said dryly. Sydne gave a WTF look to all the Spartan artifacts but quickly recovered.
"Fortunately, my needs are few," Sydne assured him.
"A low-maintenance woman. I like that," Mon said pleased.
"I am curious. Who previously occupied the cabin?" Sydne asked.
"Laurel Gand, our communications officer. She has the lowest seniority because she's a woman," Mon said obviously.
"I was hoping I could thank her in person for disrupting her routine," Sydne said awkwardly.
"She's having way too much fun with the men right now if you catch my drift," Mon said. "I understand you negotiated a treaty between the Titans and the Winathians on some border dispute."
"The Winathians require a firmer hand when it comes to the negotiating table," Sydne nodded. "But I was younger then. That was before we even made contact with Earth."
"You'll find you'll need an even firmer hand when it comes to the Insane," Mon said, using an obvious sexual innuendo.
"So...how old are you?" Eltro asked curiously.
"Eltro...the fuck?" Imra scolded.
"Forgive him, it's perfectly Insane to go around asking women their age, height, and weight," Mon excused.
"Insane humor will get a little difficult to get used to," Sydne said dismayed.
"I hope you take the charges against you seriously, Mother," Imra said abruptly.
"Of course, I do," Sydne said seriously.
"How do you intend to defend yourself?" Imra pressed.
"There is no defense," Sydne said flatly.
"Are you saying you're guilty then?" Imra asked outraged.
Mon and Eltro watched intrigued as mother and daughter fought over the dinner table. "May I speak to my daughter alone?" Sydne excused herself.
"By all means," Mon said even as the whole ship was bugged. Mon and Eltro then eyed the four plates in front of them. "More for us, I guess."
Sydne and Imra walked the corridors of the ship away from others. "I find these Insane officers to be quite unpredictable. I'd be interested in reading your mind on your experiences with them," Sydne said conversationally.
"I'm not mating with them," Imra said defensively and tried to take off.
"Imra!" Sydne stopped her. "I sense your anger," she said to her.
"It isn't anger. It's just shame and disappointment, really ashamed, really disappointed," Imra said and walked off.
Imra went down the corridors only to be intercepted by Mon. "Is there a problem I should be aware of?" Mon asked curiously.
"I assume you mean my mother," Imra stalled.
"Well...no shit," Mon nodded.
"I'm not apologizing for being abrupt with her. It's a family matter," Imra deflected.
"Is something bothering my Titan pet?" Mon asked condescendingly.
"It's uncommon for a Titan to commit a crime and unheard of in her position," Imra said.
"What did she even do?" Mon asked. "Did she not pay her parking tickets?" he mocked.
"It doesn't matter. If she were innocent, she would have insisted on staying to defend herself," Imra reasoned.
"I assure you, if I put someone on trial, guilty or innocent, they would desperately try to escape from me," Mon said darkly.
"My mother inspired me during my school days to be an ambassador, myself. Now, I am for better or worse the face of the Galactic Federation," Imra said shocked and appalled.
"It's never easy when your parents let you down," Mon said knowingly.
Mon and Imra then entered the bridge at the same time a Manzarite ship intercepted them. "Manzarite ship approaching at fifty thousand kilometers and closing," Dax reported.
"They're hailing us," Laurel said
"Put them on," Mon allowed.
"My apologies, captain. There's been a change of plans with Ambassador Ardeen," the Manzarite captain said.
"I wasn't told," Mon said skeptically.
"We've been having some trouble with our long-range communications," the Manzarite captain lied.
"That sounds like bullshit but continue," Mon entertained.
"The magistrate believes we let the ambassador go too quickly. She's needed for additional interrogation and some torturing," the Manzarite captain smirked. "If you drop out of warp, we can dock with you, and bring the ambassador aboard our ship."
"I'm not really into docking. I don't swing that way," Mon objected.
The Manzarite captain chuckled amused. "I'm just a transport captain that happens to be heavily armed."
"I'll have to consult with myself," Mon said arrogantly.
"There really is no need," the Manzarite captain insisted.
"Well, in that case, you can go fuck yourself," Mon smiled. The video feed then ended with that. "Open communications with Earth," Mon ordered Laurel.
"Can't get through. That ship is jamming us," Laurel said.
"They're charging weapons," Ol warned.
"Drop out of warp and cloak us," Mon said quickly. The Nemo immediately dropped out of warp and started switching to cloak. The Manzarite ship followed the Nemo and started firing. The Nemo then fully cloaked itself. The Manzarite ship fired blindly hoping to get a hit.
"Return fire," Mon ordered Ol.
Ol fired torpedoes at the Manzarite ship but it merely exploded on its shields. "No effect on their shields," Ol reported. The Nemo was hit again as the Manzarite ship fired on the location where the torpedoes had been fired.
"Direct hit to engineering. We're taking damage," Imra reported.
"Switch to laser canons and fire," Mon ordered Ol.
The Nemo fired several times on the Manzarite ship with multiple laser canons on the different sides of the ship. "Their shields are failing," Ol reported.
"Fire on their engines but do not destroy them," Mon ordered.
Ol fired torpedoes damaging the Manzarite's engines. "They're dead in the water." The Manzarite ship continued to fire wildly hitting the Nemo.
"Not dead enough," Laurel pointed out.
"Get out of range, regain the cloak, and circle around them," Mon ordered. Mon then turned to Imra. "Well...remind me to thank your mother for that entertaining battle."
Mon and Imra met with Sydne inside her quarters. "At first, this assignment made me annoyed and bitter. I'm not in the business of transporting ambassadors around like some damn taxi. But that battle made it all worth it," Mon said pleased.
"Do you have any idea who they were?" Imra asked.
"Obviously not sent by the Manzarite council," Sydne assumed.
"Then, who sent them? I want to fight more of them," Mon pressed.
"I have no answers for you," Sydne refused.
"We're here at the request of the Titan High Command. There's no reason to withhold information from us," Imra said gently.
"There are diplomatic matters at stake here that do not concern you. To tell you anything more would put your ship and crew at greater risk," Sydne evaded.
"Don't threaten me with a good time," Mon smirked.
"I'm sorry," Sydne refused.
"You're leaving me no choice," Mon said somberly. "Dax, keep circling that damaged Manzarite ship. Hopefully, his friends come to assist him."
"Fuck yeah, Sir," Dax radioed.
"You're to be transporting me to the redenvouz point," Sydne said outraged.
"Yeah, but this is too good to pass up. So long as you're on my ship, you're the perfect bait for these assholes," Mon grinned.
Mon went to his quarters and had a video chat with Kara. "The Titans are pissed," Kara informed him.
"Yeah, well, I don't give a shit," Mon said honestly.
"Look, it's your call. Just know...there will be repercussions," Kara narrowed her eyes.
"I'm shaking," Mon mocked.
"Have you talked with the ambassador?" Kara asked. "Maybe...she brought this on herself. What if the charges against her are true?"
"I don't even know what the charges are," Mon rolled his eyes.
"Have your fun but it would be quite the disgrace for the Prince of all Insane to be defeated, captured, or destroyed by some transport captain," Kara mocked.
In the mess hall, Imra couldn't help but overhear Eltro and Ol chatting it up. "Those Nubian prostitutes have twelve fingers...per hand. Do you know how many fingers that is for each hole?" Eltro said amazed.
Imra ignored their immature chatter and went up to Sydne and Laurel looking out the window. "Am I interrupting?" she asked with false sincerity.
"We were just talking about my quarters," Laurel said.
"Why they were decorated with Spartan artifacts," Sydne clarified.
"There was a language confusion," Imra rolled her eyes.
"Thank you for the use of your quarters. You'll have them back soon enough," Sydne said to Laurel.
"Hopefully, not too soon," Laurel smiled and then left.
Imra and Sydne were now alone. "Have you tried iced tea?" Sydne asked.
"I don't care for it," Imra admitted.
"Prince Mon-El certainly does," Sydne smiled.
"That's because he spikes it with vodka," Imra informed her. "Speaking of which, Mon-El is a most orthodox Insane man. If you do not tell him the truth, he will get us and many others killed."
"Will you join me?" Sydne asked gently as she sat down at a table. "I understand how awkward this must be for you: loyal to your family, your race, but also loyal to your captain."
"I have no loyalty to Mon-El. I'm simply trying to survive and make the best of a bad situation," Imra said dryly as she sat down.
"Do you believe Mon-El can be trusted?" Sydne asked.
"I trust that he will always commit to the most Insane course of action," Imra replied. "He is resentful of Titan High Command and Queen Kara for keeping him back from committing genocidal warfare across the galaxy."
"Sounds like we have good reason to keep them back," Sydne said obviously.
"The Insane are like rubber bands. Stretch them far enough and they will snap," Imra warned.
"I have worked my whole life with many races with various temperaments by earning their trust," Sydne reminded her.
"I meant no disrespect," Imra said with false sincerity.
"Of course not. You're just speaking your mind," Sydne said condescendingly. "You were quite the presumptuous child when you were young."
"I'm not apologizing," Imra refused.
"Now that I understand the situation better, I must tell you something," Sydne said seriously.
Mon waited in his quarters patiently for another Manzarite ship to come to the aid of the damaged one. Imra came in to report. "I spoke with my mother for the last two hours and...," Imra began.
"She's quite the remarkable MILF," Mon nodded. "But it doesn't affect my decision."
Imra gave him a WTF look but quickly recovered. "I think it should. She's not guilty of the crime she's accused of."
"Why? Because she told you that?" Mon scoffed.
"The charges were fabricated to get her off Manzar and to divert attention from her actual mission which she can't reveal," Imra said.
"Sounds like bullshit," Mon doubted.
"She's convinced me her mission is critical," Imra said.
"Well, that makes one of us. I'll need more than that," Mon said skeptically.
"If we return her to Manzar, she will be killed," Imra said seriously.
"By whom?" Mon asked curiously.
"She wouldn't say," Imra said flatly. "We must return her to the Titan ship."
"You're asking me to take all of us out of the danger zone, to safety, and to follow our orders," Mon said seriously. "Now...that I can't abide."
"Prince Mon-El...since I have served on Nemo, I have never asked you for anything. I'm asking for this now. Stop this game. Take her to the rendezvous point, please. She's my mother," Imra said seriously.
Mon felt conflicted but then finally gave in. He nodded to her. "Thank you," Imra said appreciatively.
Mon took the Nemo to warp to the rendezvous point but the Manzarites quickly caught up with them. Now, there were three Manzarite ships firing at them. "They're targeting our engines," Imra reported.
"Drop to impulse and use our canons," Ol suggested.
"Let's see how fast they can go," Mon said curiously. "Dax, ridiculous speed!"
"Aye, ridiculous speed," Dax said as he worked the controls.
"They're still closing," Ol reported.
"Damn, give me... ludicrous speed," Mon ordered.
"Aye, ludicrous speed," Dax said as he pushed in the command. The ship shook as it went to Warp 5.
"Manzarite ships are steady behind us," Ol reported.
The force of the speed planted everyone in their seats. The crew began to experience the effects of the speed on their bodies. "I don't think we can hold this for long," Dax warned wide-eyed.
"Okay, stop this thing," Mon ordered.
"It's too dangerous. We have to slow down first," Dax protested.
"Bullshit, just stop this thing. I order you! Right now!" Mon shouted.
The Nemo took an abrupt stop as it dropped out of warp. The Manzarite ships sped past them. "Now, give me cloak," Mon ordered. "It will take some time before they figure out where we are. So, everyone take a five-minute break."
"What the hell is going on?" Sydne asked as she entered the bridge.
"Not sure but I'm totally willing to risk all of our lives on stunts like that," Mon said to her.
"In that case, I need to speak with you," Sydne said urgently.
Mon and Sydne spoke in his quarters. "I have to consider the possibility that this mission could fail," Sydne began.
"Well...fuck me," Mon said insulted.
"Not your mission. You've been doing great. I mean to say my mission," Sydne clarified.
"Continue," Mon allowed.
"I'm on orders to keep things from you, but I also don't trust you. I also think I hate you for what you've put my daughter through. I have always been fascinated with the Insane but worried as well," Sydne admitted.
"You don't know me," Mon scoffed.
"You had just conquered Earth and then you felt fit to join the interstellar community instantly. It was premature in my view," Sydne said honestly.
"Nothing about me is premature," Mon said defensively. "A few good years of good behavior hasn't changed your mind at all?"
"Good behavior? You've been conquering worlds, using medical treatment as leverage, arming rebel factions, exposing our surveillance secrets to the Winathians," Sydne said shocked and appalled.
"So, are these Manzarites pursuing us the good guys or the bad guys?" Mon asked condescendingly.
"They're criminals, a faction that has infiltrated all levels of government, making themselves wealthy and powerful at the expense of many innocent victims. Their methods are eliminating anyone who stands in their way. Many Manzarites desire to purge this corruption. They asked the Titan High Command to help expose these criminals. They knew with our telepathy it would be all too easy. I have been gathering evidence against them. In three months, I will be called to testify. It was decided that until then, I would be safer on Titan," Sydne explained.
"Any reason why you wouldn't tell us?" Mon asked annoyed.
"Your way of justice is to just assassinate all those accused without a trial, without evidence, just your gut reaction," Sydne critiqued.
"And you're not wrong," Mon agreed. "So, why did you give everyone the impression you were a total criminal?"
"It was believed that if my reputation went to shit, they wouldn't go after me," Sydne said naively.
"Obviously, they saw through the ruse," Mon said condescendingly.
"The corruption is deeper than I thought," Sydne excused.
"I appreciate you telling me your truth," Mon allowed.
"I can no longer endanger your human crew. Please lift the cloak. I plan to surrender myself to them," Sydne said sacrificially.
"You're to give us the names of everyone you think is a bad guy," Mon insisted.
"Alright," Sydne agreed.
"Then, I'm going to put explosives underneath your clothes that will go boom as soon as you enter their ship," Mon continued.
"Ah, I see. You're just fucking with me, aren't you?" Sydne sensed.
Mon stared her down with hungry eyes. "It hasn't come to that yet."
"Captain, come to the bridge," Imra radioed.
Mon and Sydne came onto the bridge. "They're right on us," Imra reported.
"Interesting how they keep managing to find us," Mon mused.
"They're hailing us," Laurel reported.
"Let it through," Mon allowed.
The video screen showed the Manzarite captain looking slightly irked. "Captain, ambassador," he addressed.
"What do want?" Mon asked annoyed.
"The fuck? The same demand as before," the Manzarite captain said incredulously. "We have no quarrel with you. Give us the Titan and you'll be free to go."
"I have a better idea. Instead of the ambassador, how about I tell you to go fuck yourself? You want a fight? Go to town on us! Go to town!" Mon said to him.
The three Manzarite ships exited hyperspace and pursued the Nemo. "Keep us on impulse. They can't outrun us on impulse," Mon ordered Dax. As it happened, the three Manzarite ships fell farther and farther behind the Nemo. One of the three ships broke formation, went to warp, and then appeared ahead of the Nemo.
"Clever girl," Mon said genuinely impressed.
The Manzarite ships fired in the general location of the Nemo with accurate shots. The two ships traded fire as they danced around each other. "They're somehow able to get through our cloak," Imra reported.
"You've done as well as could be expected, captain. It's time for me to turn myself over to them," Sydne said to him. "W're undone, destroyed. This battle is over!"
"It's over when I say it's over!" Mon told her off.
"The Manzarites have us surrounded. Our shields will fall," Sydne reasoned with him.
"Insane, prepare for glory!" Mon said to his Insane officers.
"Glory? Have you gone mad? There's no glory in this. All that is left is retreat, surrender, or death," Sydne said to him.
"Well, that's an easy choice for us, Titan. The Insane never retreat, never surrender," Mon lectured her.
"I don't think the humans under your care will agree," Sydne shot back.
"Ask every man under my command to search his own soul and while you're at it, search your own," Mon challenged.
"This was a mistake," Sydne realized.
"You're going to Sickbay," Mon ordered.
"Sickbay?" Sydne wondered.
"You're obviously suffering from depression if you're not having as much fun as we are. Get yourself checked out," Mon ordered.
"The fuck is wrong with you people?" Sydne asked the entire bridge crew.
"Trust me," Mon said softly. Once she was gone, he addressed his Insane officers. "No retreat, no surrender...that is Insane law. We may engage in a tactical retreat but we will always stand and fight...and die. A new age has begun. An age of absolute rule, religious superstition, and warmongering. And the galaxy will know that this crew gave their lives to defend it!"
"Hooyah!" the Insane crew shouted.
The Nemo was then hailed. "On screen," Mon allowed. "So...how can I help you?"
"Give us the Titan, asshole," the Manzarite captain ordered.
"I'm actually quite impressed with your performance. I haven't had a good chase in a long time," Mon said sincerely.
"Put the ambassador on a shuttle and take her to our lead ship," the Manzarite captain ordered.
"So, you can play target practice with my shuttle? I think not," Mon refused.
"Then, prepare to be boarded," the Manzarite captain threatened and then signed off.
"Barney, deactivate the tracking device," Mon ordered. The Manzarites had placed a tracking device on Sydne so they could track her movements even while cloaked. What the Manzarites didn't know was that Mon was aware of this and was just fucking with them.
"Tracking device disabled," Brainiac 5 reported.
"Let's go to work," Mon ordered his crew.
The Nemo expertly used their cloak as they fired on the Manzarites with rapid-fire laser canons for two-second bursts and then cloaked again. This time, the Manzarites couldn't get a lock on their position. "Dax, get behind their rear. Ol, keep firing," Mon ordered.
Occasionally, the Manzarite ships would get a lucky hit on the Nemo. "Hull damage at thirty percent," Imra reported.
On the bridge of the lead Manzarite ship, the captain was in a state of dismay. "When they fire, they're visible," he said to his men.
The Nemo went after the lead ship. "Launch torpedoes," Mon ordered. The torpedoes hit the lead ship blasting it apart and killing the son-of-a-bitch Manzarite captain. The Insane officers cheered the explosion.
The Nemo was hit again by the other two ships. "Hull damage to sixty-eight percent," Imra said worriedly. The Nemo and the two surviving ships traded fire until a Titan Cirrus-class cruiser exited hyperspace.
The Cirrus-class cruiser had 3x the armor, 5x the shielding, and 1.5x the weaponry of the Nemo. It also matched the Nemo on impulse speed and was capable of Warp 7. The ship was a beast, relatively the same size as Earth's Athena-class destroyer at a few hundred meters in length. At this time, it was the strongest most advanced ship in the Galactic Federation. It had two long prongs in the front with an open middle section for its docking bay and two large engines to its stern. Its bridge was not positioned in a specific spot but was a narrow band across the width of the ship toward the stern. The ship was thinner in height toward the bow and progressively became bulkier toward the stern.
The Titan ship fired on the Manzarite ships easily disabling them. The Titans would then interrogate them with their telepathy for any useful information. "We're being hailed," Laurel said to Mon.
"Put it up," Mon said, disappointed the battle was over.
"Prince Mon-El, are you in any danger?" the Titan captain asked condescendingly.
"In danger of being bored. Take your ambassador off my hands," Mon replied and then signed off.
Mon and Imra escorted Sydne to the airlock where the exchange would be made. "I'm sorry for the trouble I have caused your human crew," Sydne said sincerely.
"They're used to it," Mon said dismissively.
"I sense great mistrust and skepticism between our two cultures," Sydne said.
"Well...no shit," Mon agreed.
"I hope one day we can form a bond of trust, respect, and friendship," Sydne said half-heartedly.
"Just give us more targets to kill," Mon requested.
Sydne then turned to Imra. "Don't delve too much into the atrocities and mayhem these Insane men have done across the galaxy. Instead, reflect on how much worse it would be without you."
"Thanks...I guess," Imra said awkwardly.
"For even though I am absent from you, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your life," Sydne said to Imra. The two embraced by putting their foreheads together and then Sydne departed for the Titan ship.