we had been back on O-4 for three days when we were finally told we could go see our ships again. Beth, and Jay had gone back to their rooms to put on their uniforms, I didn't care, I wanted to see the real me. it felt like it had been forever since I had seen myself.

I rounded the last corner I needed to, in order to go from quadrant four to my dry dock, quadrant one. I was originally in two, but they switched mine and Jay's bays in the second year of construction, something about bay two being easier to get the large computers through the maintenance doors for his suite.

as I approached the airlock that separated me from, well, me; I noticed the airlock had been repainted. it was no longer drab plain white, with a simple 'Bay 1' in the center of the door. 'Bay 1' was now painted at the bottom, in six inch tall black, block letters, the doors slid apart in two sections, the inner sections that connected to lock it, was still painted white, but in the center, was painted 'USF-00 Tsunami'. the number was block, but my name was in cursive lettering. the outer portions of the door had been painted the same color blue as I had seen in the waves of the beach. I felt a little giddy at seeing it.

I took a few steps toward the door, and it opened for me. Heather, and her new First Officer, Commander Allyssa Oliphant were standing there, in full dress uniforms. My new tactics officer was also there, Lieutenant Gregory Whitman. The two new faces were proudly wearing their Starcarrier Service Badges under their nametags, and here I was in civilian clothes. I walked between the two new faces, and gave Aunt Heather a one armed hug around her waist, as I walked past her toward my ship, that was now, no longer painted in yellow and brown primer, but instead was painted gloss white, and the sea-wave blue that was on the airlock door.

I thought she looked beautiful. My airlocks had been painted the same way as the bay door had been, but on the ship, in the same script writing, in black on the long white plate, was the scripted word 'Tsunami'. I was pleased with it.

"This is the reason the Admirals didn't want you to see them yet. This wasn't quite done yet." Aunt Heather told me, as I was still staring at the five story tall letters that covered the side of the real me, declaring to all who I was. This twelve story tall, ten kilometer long, half a kilometer wide ship, was now ready to declare herself to the world; and she is the real me.

"Is this real?" I asked, I couldn't believe how beautiful I looked now that I had some color on me. the Sea-wave blue was a beautiful touch, and was used as an accent paint all over the ship. the ends of the MACs, the turrets of the coil gun mounts, the edging of the hangar bays. even the drones that were being loaded were painted to match me, and had my name, and number on them, as well as their own numbers. most of the fighters and bombers now had the names of their pilots painted on them as well, and were being moved onboard with their respective gantries and lifts.

"Very much so, Susan." Aunt Heather said to me, I felt the other two move closer, so I looked at them. I already knew who they were, and they had been approved by Admiral Dixon to serve aboard, and they had been vetted by Lowell and Heather. "Ally, Greg, this is my daughter, Susan. any order she gives, while on the ship, is to be followed as though its my own. I will let you know, if and when, this changes." they both nodded, with smiles on their faces.

Wait. Heather just introduced me as her daughter. I looked at her in shock when I realized what she had done.

"What, Susan?" she asked with a grin

"That's the first time you have introduced me as your daughter."

"Well, I may not have given birth to you, but I am in charge of your well being, and your new papers say I am your mother. So that makes you my daughter."

"The adoption was finalized?" I started getting excited, if the adoption was finalized so was my citizenship, and that would mean I wouldn't be as vulnerable, and had full protections if someone found out. Allyssa stepped forward and handed me a packet in a yellow envelope. I opened it, and slid its contents out.

it was all my legal paperwork, the Adoptions, a real birth certificate, with my full name on it, everything. I know some of this was the work of Admiral Dixon, so I will have to thank him later for it.

"There are two more things I need to tell you Sue. One is your task for the day, and the other, you may not like, but it wasn't my call this time. which do you want to hear first?"

"What am I not going to like?"

"Admirals Dixon and Bradford thought we should be aware of who you really were, and informed us." Allyssa told me. she was right. I didn't like that.

"That's not his secret to tell." I commented.

"We wouldn't have been able to properly do our job otherwise, Susan." Greg stated. "We might have official titles aboard the ship, but we were actually brought in to be your bodyguards. So that Heather could pay attention to the things she needs to as a parent, and a captain, its our job to ensure your safety, and our positions aboard the ship will allow us to do that, even while you are working." when he finished I understood, I still didn't like it, but I did understand it.

I pointed to the ship behind me, "So then you know, that is me, the real me." they both nodded to me, then pulled out their security credential cards, it was black with purple lettering, and had the starcarrier logo on it. they weren't lying at least. During my month long leave I had overheard a conversation on the beach about the card I was looking at. apparently this particular color scheme was reserved for a select few, and the person I was overhearing, although worked in intelligence, had never seen one, but commented that he had seen eight orders go across his desk for people to receive them, and that in his ten years at his job, they were the first orders for them he had ever seen.

"I'm Guessing Beth, and Johnathan's new staff members are the same?" They nodded.

"So what is the other thing?"

"The three of you are going to choose Armageddon's Captain today." I heard Heather say. I slid my paperwork back into the folder, and handed it to heather, as she had her hand out, and I knew she wanted the paperwork. "And you will get these back when you come of age."

"Why don't we wait until Armageddon does what we have done?" I asked.

"She already has." Allyssa said. now this was surprising.

"She needs to be a part of the process then." I rebutted.

"Alex narrowed down who She was interested in, but didn't want to make a final decision, she wanted it to be up to her siblings." Greg responded.

"And She needs a closer relationship with whoever her captain will be. As she didn't make a body as Young as you three." Heather pointed out, and looked at the airlock door toward quadrant four that had just closed. A blond teenager stood there in a track suit. she had almost perfect posture, and looked like she had just gotten done running. "Hello, Alex." Heather finished when I saw her.

"Hey, Captain." she stood at 'at ease' as soon as Heather addressed her. her eyes glanced at me, and I saw recognition in her eyes. I recognized her as well. This was the symbiont for Armageddon. Beth and Jay entered the room behind her, and whatever conversation stopped, as they realized as well, we were looking at our new sister.