Tabitha would have tried to stop him. But they were busy with bridge duties and getting up to speed with their new command. Saito knew it was the perfect opportunity to slip away. To here. He took a deep breath to ready himself before he knocked on the steel door of Louise and Siesta's room. Unaware of the prick of irritance felt on the other end.

The door hissed as it opened to the side, and whatever expressions were on the girls' faces before beholding his visage immediately soured upon meeting his gaze. He looked away shamefully.

"What do you want?" Siesta asked, curt and with a hint of threat.

"I-," Saito found it difficult to speak. As guilt clutched his throat.

"Out with it," Siesta snapped.

"Louise? Siesta? Who is this?" a blonde woman that Saito did not recognize spoke up. Upon looking at her he saw the shade of her irises and immediately surmised connection to Louise.

"He's-," Siesta was hesitant to answer, and opted simply to keep scowling at Saito.

"-a friend of Tabitha's," Louise hastily finished, her tone not dripping with nearly as much venom as Siesta radiated.

"Oh. Did Tabitha send you?" Eleonore asked, arching a brow.

Saito shook his head, then he looked directly at Louise, "I needed to talk to you about something."

"These things take time, you can't just-."

"It's alright, Siesta," Louise said, cutting off her wife by taking her hand, which did appear to immediately soothe her more acute aggression as her expression softened. If only slightly.

"I know," Saito said, shamefully, as he cast his gaze to the floor once more, "But… I have to start somewhere." He reached into his pocket on his right side. Then, annoyed that he didn't place it there, reached over with his one hand to his left and produced the Ring of Andvari.

Both girls regarded this with saucer-like eyes as he offered it to them. "Tabitha said you'd know what to do with it."

Louise reached out and gingerly took it from his hand before he let his arm drop by his side, looking at them with a growing sense of shame that was showing on his countenance. A moment of silence hung over them while Saito stewed. Finally, he found some words.

"I'm sorry. And before you say anything, I know that doesn't even begin to cover what I've done. I admitted and will always admit that too much of what I did was in my control. But I'll still say it. I'll say it as many times and do as much as I can to show that I mean it," Saito breathlessly apologized as he did his best to look at the couple before him.

"Do you even know what you're sorry for?" Siesta glared at him, clenching her teeth.

"For tormenting your sleeping moments. For throwing Penny-"

"Juliette."

"What?"

"Her name is Juliette," Siesta growled.

Saito blinked, "Oh. Right. Yes, for throwing Juliette down a well. And trying to kidnap her."

"And what about mutilating her body? Shoving that thing inside her?" Siesta was alight with indignant rage.

"I didn't do that. It disgusted me, too," Saito sincerely, defensively explained. If Siesta were not blinded by her wrath, she would have sensed his honesty.

"It doesn't matter! You were party to it!" Siesta yelled.

"I know!" Saito shamefully admitted.

"And you think you can just come here and say you're sorry and think that fixes anything?!" Siesta accused.

"No!" Saito vehemently denied, giving Siesta a look of conviction, "I know what I did and what I participated in was horrible. I know that. I'm not here to beg for a second chance. Or beg for your forgiveness. I'm here to offer my apologies."

Another moment of silence fell over them, broken only by Saito's deeper than normal breaths.

"I won't defend myself. Not very much. There's no defense for what I, personally, did," Saito said. That was when he realized there was another figure in the room behind them. Nearly invisible amongst the shadows of the room. He steeled his countenance. "But, aside from my personal apology, I'm here for a much more important reason," he said as he looked beyond them. To the Protoss in the room. The girls and their sister turned around to regard their teacher as he rose and fully revealed himself to Saito, towering over him.

After the harm you have inflicted on my disciples, the thinness of my patience for you cannot be understated, the Protoss growled in his head. Saito felt a sharpness to his words that seemed to cut at his very mind.

"I know, but I also know you can sense there is more," Saito said.

I cannot sense you, and I have very little desire to, the Protoss snapped.

"Then let me open myself," Saito closed his eyes, relaxing the guards he had been trained to keep up against this kind of probing.

Another moment of silence passed as Saito allowed the Protoss to roughly sift through his mind.

I may not fully understand Terran humor, but I feel strongly that even this would strain that definition, the Protoss scoffed.

"What are you talking about? What did you feel?" Siesta asked as she turned enough to look up at him, but still keep Saito in her peripheral vision.

He comes to plead for the lives of the Zerg, the Protoss said, thrusting an accusatory finger at Saito. The girls both glared at him.

"They asked me to," Saito said, "and I owe it to them. If not for them I would not have my freedom. They granted me the smallest measure of control. To resist-," Saito still hesitated to speak Joseph's name, "him." He gave the Protoss a desperate look. "Please. We've bonded. And if not for them we would not have won against Joseph."

"At what cost?!" Siesta shouted. Saito shamefully cast his gaze to the floor, "How many people had to suffer and die just so you could be free?! The streets of this city were DROWNING in blood! What makes you so worth it?!"

Saito felt his breath hitch with guilt, "I'm not." His gaze remained locked to the floor. "I told Tabitha to stay away… To let me go…" His voice was weak. Wavering. "I just… wanted to be free. I wanted them to be safe. Even if I had to go down with him. I wanted it to end. So he couldn't make me hurt anyone anymore. Make me hurt Tabitha anymore." He paused, clenching his jaw to bite back tears.

"But," he met their gaze once more, "No matter what you think of them… Omega would be a valuable ally in what is to come."

Omega?! The Protoss' voice rang at a volume and with a ferocity that made everyone present jump as he pushed past the three women and grasped Saito by his jumpsuit, throwing him against the wall beyond the room. So… that is the Zerg you plead for? The one who led the Queen of Blades on a bloody swath of destruction against my people? The one that made me have to kill my own matriarch? Your arrogance is truly legendary. As is your foolishness if you think I would abide such a request. As if ANY of my people would!

Though Zeratul did not know the cerebrate by name, he did not need to. It was clear that this entity was named after its greatest victory against the combined arms of his people, the UED, and the Dominion aboard the eponymous space platform.

Saito did not struggle against his captor. "I know this will be an understatement. But I understand your… misgivings," he said sympathetically. "I knew it would be a difficult ask. But I promised them I'd try just the same. And, think about it, if you know them as such a powerful foe, don't you think they'd also make a powerful ally?"

No power they could offer would make me overlook their sins against my people, the Protoss snarled.

"You don't have to forgive them," Saito said, "just let them live. They are content to give you a wide berth. And leave this place. If you let them live." Saito had fudged the details of this compromise he offered. But he hoped Omega would find it acceptable. In exchange for their life and the lives of their children.

The Protoss did not immediately respond. Eventually, he dropped Saito, who grunted in pain upon his seat hitting the metal floor.

You tread dangerous waters, Terran, the Protoss growled at him, mind you do not drown.

At that, the Protoss disappeared in a cloak of shadows.

Saito, still rubbing his behind, stood up, and gave a blank look to the three before him.

"I'm sorry," he said once more before taking his leave, leaving the girls in stunned silence as to what happened.

You will never be forgiven, a new voice echoed in Saito's head that gave him pause. He recognized it as the one from his nightmare.

He furrowed his brow as he continued walking forward, They don't have to. Whether or not they will isn't the point. The point is that I'm going to try.

Pathetic ramblings of a weak, naive child, Amon taunted him

Maybe, Saito replied, but I'm still going to try to be better. For me.

He felt the presence dispelled from him as he embraced hope.

There was a lot of work for Tabitha. All command codes may have been transferred to them, but they still had to do a triage of the critical infrastructure failures that now plagued the UED. So few officers were left. They didn't think twice about it when it happened then as it happened so fast… but the swift transfer of command to them now made perfect sense.

The UED were desperate. And the spine of their organization was broken.

As Tabitha was making a catalogue of officers and their service records, Kirche was just outside the door, being stopped.

"Authorized personnel only beyond this point," a marine gruffly informed the irritated redhead before him.

Kirche furrowed her brow at one of these two blocking her path.

"I'm a close friend of the Admiral. Is that not authorization enough?" Kirche said, indignant.

"Authorized personnel only beyond this point," the marine repeated in the exact same tone.

Kirche stomped her foot.

"Dammit! At least let them know that I'm here and ask for me!" Kirche demanded.

The marine seemed to ignore her. The other one put a hand to the side of their helmet. Kirche had no idea what was going on as she could not see their faces.

"The Admiral will see you," the other marine said as he pressed a button on the console beside the door, causing it to hiss open.

"Thank you, darling," Kirche said to that marine before shooting a glare at the one who stoically blocked her way. She stepped into the room, the door hissing shut behind her. She regarded the surroundings with awe. At least a dozen more consoles that glowed with green light filled this elongated room. And at the center of it all, Tabitha, their gaze focused on a console attached to a glowing table before them.

Upon entering, Tabitha briefly glanced at them before turning their attention back to the console.

"Told you to stay with Saito," Tabitha said in their usual monotone way.

"Hmph," Kirche dismissed with a toss of her hair as she approached Tabitha, "he's a grown… man? Boy? How old is he, anyways?"

"About our age," Tabitha said with a shrug.

"Right…" Kirche said, unsure, but also uncaring. "Anyways, I just came to check on you."

Tabitha paused as they looked up at them. The same stoic, unreadable look upon their face that they ever had.

"All good," Tabitha said, still monotone.

Kirche gave her partner an unconvinced look while staring at them in silence. After a moment, Tabitha looked at them again.

"Stay with Saito," Tabitha said in a tone that threatened to be an order, causing Kirche to furrow her brow at her partner.

"Nuh-uh, you don't get to order me around like that. I'm your girlfriend, not your subordinate. And if it's really so important that he's not alone then why's he not here with you right now?" Kirche interrogated.

Tabitha twitched. It was so slight that no one but Kirche, who knew them best, could both see and interpret it.

A sympathetic look grew on Kirche's face as she drew closer to Tabitha's side, now speaking to them in a hushed tone.

"You're scared, aren't you?" Kirche asked.

Once again, Tabitha twitched, confirming Kirche's suspicion.

"You think he might be different. That you might be different. And that'll ruin whatever… you two had?"

Tabitha twitched.

"Hey," Kirche said as she took one of Tabitha's hands, causing them to finally break away from the console. She gave her partner a look of purest sympathy and reassurance, "Just talk to him. I bet he's dying to talk to you, too."

Tabitha's eyes widened ever so slightly at this.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. I could see the way he looked at you. The way he clung to you. No matter what it is, I'm sure it'll be okay," Kirche reassured her.

Tabitha drew in an almost imperceptibly small, sharp breath as they averted their gaze from Kirche.

"What if it's not?"

"But what if it is? Did you consider that?" Kirche soothingly interrogated their insecurities.

Tabitha felt them begin to dispel as they found the courage to look up at their girlfriend. With the smallest of smiles curling their mouth.

"This is why I love you," Tabitha said, a tiny giggle escaping their mouth.

"I love you, too, Tabs," Kirche sincerely replied as she leaned down to kiss them, chastely. "Will you need me there?"

Tabitha considered for a moment before shaking their head. Kirche patted their head and smiled down at them.

"I guess I should let you get back to it," Kirche said.

"Yeah. Lot to do," Tabitha admitted, slightly sheepish, as they turned back to the console while Kirche began walking away. "Hey," they suddenly called out before Kirche reached the door, turning around as she heard her partner's voice. "Thank you."

Kirche gave them an exuberant smile before leaving the room.

Just then, a chime on the console before them had them regarding it with confusion. They tapped to accept the incoming transmission, being surprised to see a Protoss face on the other end. A completely unfamiliar one that looked almost like it had a beard.

"Oh! Hello, there," Tabitha was taken aback by the Protoss' exuberance. "I am told you are one of the Executor's close allies, yes?"

Tabitha raised an eyebrow, going through their head to discern what the Protoss meant by that. Eventually, they felt they figured it out as they nodded.

"Excellent! Then I assume you would also be close with the Akhundelar Siesta," the Protoss confirmed.

Tabitha, now fully understanding, nodded.

"Hmm… could you say something? I worry we are having issues receiving audio from you," the Protoss requested.

Tabitha began finding this amusing. "Something," Tabitha said.

"Ah! It appears there is no issue. And-Oh! Was that a jest? I am afraid I am not well versed in humor. Infinitely moreso for Terran humor," Tabitha couldn't help but crack a small smile at this strange Protoss. "Moving on. I wish to send you specifications for a project I wish to collaborate on."

Tabitha regarded the Protoss with confusion.

"Do you understand? I am sorry, but I am not terribly familiar with Terran facial expressions."

"Understand. What project?"

"See for yourself," the Protoss said as it tapped on its gauntlet, with a notification appearing on Tabitha's screen a second later that they opened. They were no engineer, but this project seemed ambitious. Their eyes widened just slightly upon taking in its details. "I can also provide you with preliminary holographic images."

Tabitha nodded. Then remembered the Protoss' admitted handicap, "Of course. Send all information." The Protoss nodded back before tapping its gauntlet once more.

"Oh, and forgive my rudeness. I am phase-smith Karax," Karax finally introduced himself.

"Admiral Tabitha de Orleans," Tabitha responded.

"Well met, Ally Tabitha," Karax replied as more notifications of files coming in appeared on Tabitha's screen.

Tabitha had finally finished for the day. The work itself was not completely finished, but a dent was made, nonetheless. As they approached their room, they saw someone waiting outside it that gave them pause.

"Need something?" Tabitha asked Louise, who stopped her anxious fidgeting upon hearing Tabitha's voice and looked at her.

"I… I need to ask you something," Louise began, her tone heavy with anxiety.

Tabitha raised an eyebrow as they approached, putting a hand on her shoulder and giving her a look of sincere reassurance.

"Whatever it is," they began with a smile on their face, "I'll try to make it happen."

Louise calmed as she smiled back at Tabitha, but soon turned her gaze to the floor.

"It's… about my sister," Louise said.

"Something wrong with Eleonore?" Tabitha asked, concerned.

"No," Louise said, shaking her head and growing visibly anxious again, "My other sister. Cattelya."

Tabitha regarded her with confusion and gave her an imploring look.

"She's… sick. She's been sick for a long time. And after being in the infirmary here and seeing how… advanced your medicine is? I wanted to know if you could help."

Tabitha furrowed their brow in conviction as they nodded.

"Anything for you, friend," Tabitha reassured her. A wide, relieved smile broke out on Louise's face as she took Tabitha in a warm embrace, which they returned.

When they separated, Zeratul manifested beside Louise, who turned to him.

"The Spear of Adun's scans. How much detail do they collect?" She asked.

I am unsure. I would need to consult the phase-smith, Zeratul replied.

Louise pursed her lips and placed a hand on her chin, "I hope it will be enough… When we do get the results. Can you somehow… share it? With this ship?"

Zeratul nodded.

We have long since found ways to share information with Terran systems, Zeratul assured her, which caused a hopeful smile to break out on her face.

Louise was given access to one of the consoles on the bridge. The moment she touched it, she was able to figure out how to use it to do exactly what she wanted as she hailed the Spear of Adun. Not long after, the image of Artanis appeared before her on the screen.

"Executor. I trust you are doing well?" Artanis asked. She still found it strange to hear his voice but not hear it ringing in her head.

"Indeed, Hierarch," Louise spoke with a formality that felt foreign to her. As though her words were being interpreted from her intentions before they came from her mouth. "I wish to speak with the Phase-Smith."

"It will be done, Executor," Artanis' image disappeared into static before the image of Karax appeared.

"Oh! Executor! I must admit, it is a surprise to hear from you this way," the exuberant phase-smith greeted her.

Louise smiled at him, "Karax, what is the depth of the information the Spear of Adun collects on the beings aboard it?" Again, she knew the words were coming from her mouth, but somehow her intentions were being translated into perfect "Protoss speak".

"Oh! Well, it goes down to the atomic level. We have blood counts, a list of known chemical compositions, bio organisms, honestly, Executor, would that you had asked for a list of what information is not collected, it would be much shorter," Karax informed.

Louise nodded, "I wish for you to forward all gathered data on the Terran in stasis aboard your vessel to this one." Why couldn't she say Cattelya? Why couldn't she at least say her sister? The feeling was becoming unwelcome in Louise.

"By your word, Executor," Karax dutifully replied as his image disappeared into static. A moment later, a new screen appeared that was showing the information that Karax mentioned. She turned to face Tabitha, who was just behind her this whole time observing the conversation before turning back to the console.

"I am having this data stored in your system until such a time as it is needed," Louise said, pressing a few buttons on the console and getting it stored and properly catalogued away before turning back to Tabitha. "I hope you will find what ails my kin."

Tabitha arched a brow at her. Louise would have done it to herself, as well. The moment she let go of the console, the whiplash of having that much contact with that much knowledge briefly made her falter, causing Tabitha to look at her with concern.

"Are you alright?" Tabitha asked.

Louise nodded as she took a moment to take a deep breath to gather herself.

"Yeah, I don't know what that is. When I touch certain things like that on the Spear of Adun the same thing happens. I get a rush of knowledge of how to use things like it's second nature. And… it's like I can properly express all my intentions really fast. Like… I don't even have to think about how to say things. I just… can."

Tabitha narrowed their eyes at Louise. In curiosity.

Under the light of the twin moons, two black-robed and armored elves were hastily making their way to an oasis nearest the border of Nephtys, one supporting the other as they limped and bled into the sand they trudged through.

"Come, Alya, we don't have much farther," one of them spoke with a masculine-sounding voice as Alya faltered once more.

"I-I don't think I can make it, Vorschz, please… leave me," Alya pleaded as she further slumped in Vorschz's arms.

"No, we live together, we die together, my friend," Vorschz declared as he redoubled his efforts upon his ailing friend.

They could hear the sound of heavy footfalls in pursuit. Growing closer. Vorschz, trying to ascend what he hoped was the last dune, lost his footing and came crashing down with his friend, heaving effortful breaths as his hope began to fade.

"Alya," he said, desperate and solemn to his friend who now lay beside him, clutching at a cauterized wound in her gut and struggling to breathe. "I'm sorry… I failed."

Alya weakly shook her head, "No, Vorschz. I know you did everything in your power to save us. To save me. You fought with honor."

"What good is honor if we lose what we love?" Vorschz solemnly said.

"Y-You love me?" Alya asked, disbelieving.

"I might as well say it before we perish. I don't wish to go to the afterlife with any regrets," Vorschz stated with conviction as he took one of Alya's, who was averting her gaze from him, hands.

Other than her ailing, labored breaths, she remained silent.

"Well?"

"Well… what?"

"Do you have something to say to me?" Vorschz asked in an imploring tone.

Alya shifted uncomfortably, "I, uh-." Gods I hope they just kill us before I have to answer him, Alya thought.

Unfortunately, the moment was a bit too long and Alya groaned in exasperation, "No, Vorschz, I don't feel like that about you."

Vorschz faltered as if he'd been struck.

"Sorry, I just… never looked at you that way. You've been my best friend and best partner in training, but…" Alya's voice trailed off, feeling too awkward to continue.

She was surprised to hear him sigh. In what sounded like relief.

"Thank goodness," he said, causing her to look up at him in confusion while he stood up. "At least I have my answer, and I will not meet my fate with any regrets, my friend!" He stated with a tone that was now as confident and resolved as his face.

Alya, pleasantly stupified by his response, chuckled and nodded at him. He reached out a hand to her to try and help her to her feet, and, with great effort, the two were successful. They each met each other's gaze with solemn determination before looking ahead to see the approaching forms of three Tal'darim Zealots charging at them.

"To the bitter end?" Vorschz offered as he flicked his wrists to ignite his red warp blades.

Alya smirked at him and nodded. "To the bitter end, my friend." She flicked her arms to ignite her own red warp blades to prepare to meet their fate.

Just as the Zealots were upon them, their pursuers were thrown back by a red wave of energy from behind and above them. They turned to behold their savior, and their eyes grew wide.

Above, silhouetted by the moons, was a feminine elven form. Much shorter than they were. Their body-length golden hair gracefully billowing in the moonlit desert wind. And their eyes glowing and crackling with crimson.

Both elves knew this could only be one figure.

She leapt forward and over the two, placing herself between the two elves that were just saved and the recovering Zealots.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes," Vorschz said in disbelief. "Are you… Sasha?"

She looked back at them with a deadpan, serious look. "Head for the oasis. I will deal with these interlopers."

The petite elf turned around and began marching towards the Zealots, who were almost ready to charge at her.

"But shouldn't we-?" Alya was cut off by a hand on her shoulder from Vorschz.

"No. If anyone is in danger… it's them," Vorschz said in a low voice as he ushered Alya to move up the dune to the oasis.

Sasha's eyes were alight with power, and she began gathering some into her limbs to enhance her speed and strikes. Such an immense amount of it that her fists and feet had swirling, crackling red energies emanating from them.

As the Zealots charged forth to strike, a wide, sadistic grin broke out on Sasha's face.

"Good, I was getting hungry," she growled with anticipation as she shot forward with blinding speed, leaving only a trail of red from the light of her extremities and eyes.

The first Zealot was slain without even registering they had been attacked. As red streams of energy flowed from them and seemed to absorb into the elf, she gave the remaining two Zealots, who were now turned away from the two fleeing elves to face her, a confident grin.

"Come, Tal'darim," She taunted them, "You shall make a fine meal."

They never stood a chance.