The engineers and Tinkers in the allied fleets struggled to repair their crippled vessels, restoring life support and stabilizing their engines, while others searched for life pods, or fought to rescue individuals trapped within the broken ships. There was no respite for the medical staff as the stream of incoming wounded continued nonstop, though as the hours went by, it eventually slowed to a trickle. There were no idle hands to be found in either fleet as personnel and resources were shared, going where they were most needed. The Terrans and the Alliance worked in concert, side by side, saving who and what they could, mourning those they could not.

Reinforcements from the Alliance worlds began arriving within the next few hours, bringing much-needed supplies and supplementary crew, while the worst of the injured were evacuated to nearby worlds with larger and more specialized facilities. After more than two years of war, fighting against both the Troika and Yīqún, it was a dance that those involved were all too familiar with. But with the worst of it now behind them, the Alliance fleet radioed the Terrans to transmit their goodbyes.

“Centuries from now, people will speak in awe of this day,” Paygan Xeing smiled. “A new dawn greets the Perseus Arm, as those long enslaved can finally breathe free.”

“There’s still a lot of work to be done,” Admiral Van Aalst countered. “The Troika may no longer exist, but there’s still the Empire, Suzerainty, and Hegemony to contend with. They’re still in control of several worlds, and I doubt they’ll be going away anytime soon.”

“Not to mention rebuilding what the Yīqún have destroyed,” the Paygan agreed. “It will be many long years before we can truly celebrate.” He paused, regarding the human. “And your people?” he asked carefully.

“I suspect we’ll be rather busy for a while,” the Admiral sighed. “It’s a lot to process, what with an entire system to explore. And Terra alone knows how long it will take us to master even a small fraction of what the Precursors left behind.”

The Paygan nodded gravely. “If I may offer a small token of advice?” Van Aalst inclined his head in agreement. “Do not force this next step. Take the time you need to thoroughly assimilate what you learn… and to be fully cognizant of the ramifications.”

“We’ll be careful,” he assured him, though he could sense the Ixian still had concerns. “And I promise, we won’t forget who our friends are.”

“Nor will we,” the blue-skinned warrior smiled. “I wish you and your people good fortune, and hope that we will soon meet again. After all, there are still stories to be told, songs to be sung… and the pleasures of life to savor.” He grinned fiercely as slammed his fist against his chest. “Yuutsah’Zhoz, Admiral. Farewell.”

“Fair winds, and a following sea, Paygan,” Van Aalst replied, rendering a salute of his own as the pair signed off.

His XO materialized beside him. “Orders, sir?” he inquired.

The Admiral settled back into his chair. “Captain… take us home,” he said softly.

A string of shuttles gently touched down on a verdant field beside a still lake of cobalt blue. An ancient city stood close by, a sentinel filled with crystalline spires awaiting their arrival, while an orange sun rose slowly in the morning sky. One by one, the hatches opened, the newcomers taking their first steps on this brave new world, filling their lungs with its air, tasting the exotic scents upon the wind. They stood and marveled at what it offered, still somewhat hesitant, yet eager to discover its hidden treasures.

From the lead shuttle, four individuals stepped onto the ramp, two men and two women, carrying a metal casket, the body of their fallen comrade. They strained at the weight, for Isi had been a large man, yet none faltered or complained. Remi, Xuilan, Slavko, and Mairead took careful, even steps as they stepped off the ramp, their faces carved from stone, bearing their friend to his ultimate resting place.

The captain looked up in surprise as someone appeared at their side, taking a portion of the load. Samara nodded as she fell in beside them, carrying her share with ease. Others moved to join the pallbearers; Rúna, stepping in opposite the Protean, with Diggs a heartbeat behind her. Genvass joined them as well, while Prash filled in the empty slot. Blye held onto Maggie’s elbow as she led the entourage, with her son strapped to her back making cheerful baby sounds as she leaned on her staff for balance. Behind them, Rúna’s squad carried a digital storage device and display for the Avatars, with Alphad and Raven observing the funeral while a haunting rendition of “Amazing Grace” on bagpipes played in the background.

Blye came to a halt, turning to face the others. The casket was carefully set down upon the blue-green meadow, the mourners taking their places while Amar joined up with the Valkyries, exchanging hugs and greetings, though they still called him “Doc”. They formed a rifle party off to one side, their weapons at port arms as they stood at attention and waited. A stand supported the Avatar’s equipment, the music coming to a close as the Knight smiled at those in attendance.

“We come here today… this very special day… to honor the life of Isi Pasternak, of the Corsair ship Gyrfalcon.” Xuilan began snuffling at that as Remi offered her a hanky. “Isi touched many lives, including all those standing here. I know I speak for all of us when I say he will be deeply missed, as he begins his journey to the stars that gave us birth.”

Mairead silently wept as she and the pilot held on to one another for support. Slavko struggled to keep his own tears from flowing, though Remi remained stoic as always. The attendants wrestled with their own emotions, as all who’d known him had liked Isi. Even those that hadn’t could feel his spirit hovering nearby, as well as his absence, as Blye abruptly strayed from the eulogy she’d originally planned.

“Five years ago, we met as strangers,” she reminded them, “flung together in the desperate hope of finding a new home.” She turned up her head and smiled, feeling the sun upon her face, as other smiles appeared amongst the throng. “Ours was not an easy passage, filled with danger and mistrust, though as we look back I know that for many of us, what came next was even harder.”

Despite her best efforts, Rúna’s chin quivered, though Maggie quickly presented a shoulder for her to cry on, while Diggs shyly took her hand.

“None of us realized that day what we‘d signed on for, or what we’d find, and certainly none of us could have imagined the secrets we’d uncover.” Samara chuckled at that, though Alphad’s reaction was much more melancholy. “But as we stand here today, on the soil of New Terra, I have to believe the sacrifices we made were worth it.” She stepped forward, resting her palm on the metal coffin. “And I hope Isi did as well,” she said softly. The Knight cum Priestess-in-training paused for a moment, allowing the congregation time to reflect before raising her head once more. “Captain Hadad has asked to speak a few words,” she murmured, stepping aside and making room as Remi stepped up to face the assembled audience.

“Isi was like family to us,” he began, only to shake his head and start again. “Scratch that… he was family. He was the glue that held us together, the living, beating heart of Gyrfalcon. And I honestly do not know how we will go on without him.”

Slavko broke down at last, sobbing along with his crewmates. “Isi was the best of us,” Remi continued, “always with a sympathetic ear for those who needed it, or a special treat to bring a smile to someone’s face.” Diggs blushed and bowed his head, despite his continued dislike for the messenger, remembering fondly the sweets Isi gave him during the mission. “He was a part of my crew, a dear friend, and a brother… and I am going to miss him.”

A grim visage came over him as he gazed out at the crowd. “I wish I could say that the emotion I’m experiencing is grief, but that would be a lie.” Several of the group looked at him with surprise. “No, what I’m really feeling right this moment is rage. An anger so deep, so filled with bile that it’s all I can do to keep from vomiting it out.” He, too, placed his hand on the casket, just as Blye had done. “Isi deserved to be here today, and not as the fucking guest of honor. He should have been able to breathe the air, gaze up at the clouds… and know that finally, he had come home.”

Heads were nodding in agreement, though not all. “Instead, they stole that chance from him, just like they did to so many of us over the centuries. Blye is right,” he said, giving her a nod, “what came after the mission was worse. Everyone here has lost someone, or even many someone’s, I’ll bet. I look back, and I see the ones we lost fighting the Yīqún, as well as the Troika, going all the way back to that first battle alongside Freya.” Once more, he gazed at the crowd. “We’ve all lost, every one of us. Lost those we cared about, people like Isi who never got the chance to plant their feet on New Terra.”

“... like Kai,” Rúna spoke up, tears in her eyes, drawing glances from the others. “Kai, and Tawfiq, and Rivka, and all the others who died fighting on Sonoitii Prime.”

“Zeno, Persephone, Kalypso, and Gideon,” Samara intoned quietly, picking up the thread, “not to mention all the innocent lives stolen while the Troika peddled in human flesh.”

“Joona Grec… and Spata Zhai,” Blye said wistfully, “and all the refugees murdered by the Troika at Taing’zem.”

“The crew of the Katabasis,” Maggie spoke up, “and my mentor, Master Schnoebelen.”

“The Chell,” Alphad said suddenly, drawing glares from many of the others. “They may not be human, and Terra alone knows how many of us they’ve killed over the years, but they’re as much victims as we are. Maybe more.”

There were a few begrudging shrugs at that, even as Remi took back control of the service. “For two hundred years we’ve wandered, fought to survive, fought amongst ourselves, and what did we get for our troubles? ‘Move along, you filthy Terran, move along’. ‘Cause it wasn’t just the Troika or the Yīqún that turned their hand against us… it was everyone. Were we welcomed anywhere in the Perseus Arm?” he demanded, as many of the others shook their heads. “Even some races that joined the Alliance had taken turns kicking us when we were down, and we should never forget that.”

“Captain,” Blye said frostily, appearing at his elbow and interrupting his tirade, “I understand you have lost someone dear to you, but we are here today to say goodbye to Isi Pasternak, and to celebrate our newfound home. We are not here to start another war.”

Remi glared at her, even as it failed to land because of her blindness, though knowing the Knight as he did, it was likely she wouldn’t have been moved even if she had seen his scowl. “Of course, Chevalier Tagata,” he said stiffly, “as you have just reminded me, I have come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.” The reference went right over most of the crowd’s head, but Blye’s reaction as she recognized the quote was all he could have hoped for.

“Blye’s right,” he continued, scarcely missing a beat, “we should celebrate our new home. Look around you,” he urged them, “and see what this world has to offer. A place to live in peace and raise our families, with fresh air and sunlight, safe from our enemies… for this is the one place in the galaxy they are forever barred from entering. Take a good look at those towers, built with technologies we can scarcely imagine. Who knows what other secrets our ancestors can teach us?” His feral scowl suggested much, and promised more.

“I said that’s enough,” Blye snapped, putting her foot down. “I will not let you desecrate the solemnity of this occasion with your thirst for vengeance. You’ve had your say. Now step aside.” Though she stood many centimeters shorter than he did, the way she gripped her staff and stood her ground made it quite clear just how far she was prepared to go to make her point stick.

His nostrils flared, but after several tense moments, he bowed his head, acquiescing to her demands. “That’s all right. I’ve said what I came to say.” Briefly, he touched the casket once more. “Goodbye, Isi,” he said quietly, “we’re going to miss you.” Making a fist, he rapped the coffin’s lid three times, before finally moving away and rejoining the others.

Blye waited until the crowd relaxed for a moment before resuming the service. “We as a people have been through a great ordeal,” she said gently, “but our courage, our steadfastness, and our integrity have seen us through the darkness, and into the light.” She stretched out her arms, embracing them all. “So let us rejoice, this day, for while we have lost one dear to us, our days of wandering are finally at an end, for at long last… we are home.”

A squadron of shuttles flew overhead, ferrying another batch of Terrans down to the surface. Somehow it seemed a fitting sentiment, as Rúna glanced over at the rifle team and gave the sergeant commanding it a nod.

Becca immediately snapped to attention. “Rifle team… atten-shun!” she barked, as they instantly obeyed. “Pre-sent, arms!” she continued, as the Valkyries lifted their weapons to their shoulders.

“Take aim, fire!” Many of the crowd flinched from the intense “Crack!”, as they discharged the volley. Twice more the command was given, and twice more the riflemen obeyed, performing the ancient ritual.

As the echoes of the last salvo slowly died away, Becca gave the final command, “Or-der, arms!” as they returned to their starting position.

Smiling, Blye reached out to them once more. “This service is concluded,” she informed them. “May Holy Mother Terra bless and guide you as we face the challenges ahead. We as a people have shown we can bear any burden, so I look towards the future with hope. Welcome, all of you,” she told them, lifting her head to the sky, “... welcome home.”

With the funeral now over, the audience began breaking up into smaller groups, greeting old friends and swapping stories of their lives. Maggie, with Diggs in tow, approached Blye, touching her elbow even as she smiled at the baby on her back, now upset and fussing after all the noise.

“He’s adorable,” the Tinker pronounced. “What’s his name?”

“Joona,” the Knight said softly, stroking his cheek, trying to calm him down. “It seemed fitting, somehow.”

Maggie’s eyes grew misty at that. “Kid’s got a lot to live up to,” she husked, wrapping a protective arm around Diggs’ shoulders. “This world is really somethin’,” the Tinker continued as she gazed around them. “I wish you could see it for your ownself.”

Blye just smiled.

“... I already have.”

Remi stood at the foot of Isi’s casket, deep in thought, as Samara sidled up beside him. “Nice speech,” she told him.

The Corsair grunted in reply. “Blye certainly didn’t think so.”

“She’s a healer,” the Protean reminded him, “not a warrior.” He nodded in agreement as the pair silently regarded the coffin. “I’ve been talking with Guardian,” she said at last. “He’s got some interesting ideas about the future, including where we might build a few ships. Ships with Precursor technology… and all that implies.”

Remi slowly turned to face her.

“... tell me more,” he said with piqued interest.

THE END