[color=gray][color=white][i]"The 7th is aboard, Captain. First Company had packed up and is leaving the moon's atmosphere now."[/i][/color] one of the adjutants briefed.

Alexis nodded slowly and looked over the holodisplay. The large station connected to Jehan was exposed, it'd be a prime target for the Lincoln and the 7th. She was about to order the attack on the facility before she felt a pressure on her head. She brought her hand up to the source of the pain, finding her head injury she took when the engagement began to be tender. The blood was dried and the injury was scabbing over. With her adrenaline wearing off, she became very light headed. Her eyes were heavy and realized that she was hungry, very hungry. Aston knew the look, it was battle fatigue sure, but more than that, it was a concussion. The captain's XO stepped up onto the platform and rested a hand on her shoulder, [color=white][i]"Alexis,"[/i][/color] he said quietly, [color=white][i]"I can take over here. You're looking pretty worse for wear. Somebody needs to look at that injury."[/i][/color]

Alexis held her hand on her wound and nodded, stepped off the platform. Ardin studied the captain, [color=gold][i]"You did well, captain. You've earned some rest."[/i][/color] The admiral looked to his lone serviceman who seemed express more concern for Alexis than the rest. Ardin nodded to him, [color=gold][i]"Take her to medical, then to her quarters."[/i][/color]

The serviceman nodded and guided the captain out. Ardin stepped up onto the platform next to Aston. He stared at the display and the station on it. [color=gold][i]"If stations and elevators weren't valuable enough, the planet below is of some great worth as well. We wont attack it."[/i][/color] Ardin had definitely wanted some payback for the Coalition's attack on Ulysses station back at Cerol, but he couldn't let emotion dictate his decisions.

Aston nodded, [color=white][i]"Then I would imagine we're done here, admiral."[/i][/color]

[color=gold][i]"We are. Helmsman, take us back to UEE space so we can muster with the remains of the fleet."[/i][/color] Ardin said.

There was a silence, and then the chief engineer called in, [color=white][i]"Admiral. This engagement has done a number on the hyperdrive, we simply weren't ready to decelerate when we were pulled out by that Coalition cruiser. Our hyperdrive has suffered some damage, we don't have the range to return to UEE space."[/i][/color]

Ardin sighed, [color=gold][i]"Is there an alternative point we can jump to?"[/i][/color]

[color=white][i]"There is. If our navigational computers haven't been damaged, we are within range to jump to FEZ controlled space."[/i][/color] the engineer responded.

[color=gold][i]"Then that is where we go. Once we've reached a safe distance I will transmit Jehan's coordinates to high command. Helmsman, you have our destination."[/i][/color]

Once the marine detachment was aboard and secured, the hangars sealed and the ship began to speed away from Jehan. Jehan's gravity well weakened as they made distance. Once the well was cleared, the Lincoln jumped out. It was a hard fought battle and many had died. The damage on the ship wasn't severe but certainly widespread.
__________

Alexis lay on the bed in the medical bay, her arm draped over her forehead. She stared at the roof, her eyes struggling to stay open. The imperial serviceman sat next to her quietly as a medical officer approached. The officer was reading off of a datapad as he whistled, impressed by something. [color=white][i]"You're tough as nails, captain. Tough. As. Nails."[/i][/color]

Alexis turned her head slowly to look at the doctor, her world swirled as she did. [color=white][b]"How so?"[/b][/color]

The doctor prodded away at the pad, [color=white][i]"Reports from Mary-Ann show that you have only slept a total of three hours since we left Cerol. I don't suppose you know how long ago that was?"[/i][/color]

Alexis shrugged, [color=white][i]"A day? A day and a half?"[/i][/color]

There was laughter, from both the doctor and the imperial serviceman, but his face was unreadable behind the featureless mask. The doctor corrected Alexis, [color=white][i]"Three days, terran. I'm unbelievable how fast time flies when you're fighting for your survival. Adrenaline has a profound effect on the human body. But aside from being awake for over seventy-two hours, you've also done all that with a concussion. I'm amazed you even managed to stay standing."[/i][/color]

[color=white][b]"It's as you said, doctor, adrenaline..."[/b][/color] Alexis sighed long.

The doctor looked over more information and nodded, [color=white][i]"Well luckily for you, the Lincoln is equipped to deal with worse things than a concussion. We can have that dealt with, but you're going to be bedridden for a day."[/i][/color]

Alexis took in a deep breath and let it out as she spoke, [color=white][b]"Being bedridden for a day was my plan after all this anyways, doctor. Patch me up."[/b][/color]
__________

When Alexis opened her eyes, she was in her personal quarters. The room wasn't spinning and she could actually focus on things. Had it been another day already? Where did time go? Without lifting herself from the bed, Alexis grabbed her datapad from the bedstand to her right. Looking it over, she saw that the Lincoln was still in hyperspace. They were headed for an FEZ station still about two days of travel away. If it weren't for the invention of the hyperdrive, the journey would have been impossible.

She looked over a list of the crew, so many had died in the last battle. Some of the crew she knew on a first name basis, ones she had mingled with since when she was a MAS pilot. Her throat tightened, but she couldn't hurt past that. War had desensitized her. She scrolled the long list of crew in silence.

[color=gold][i]"It's good to see you're awake."[/i][/color]

Alexis gasped and sat straight up. Ardin was sitting in the black leather chair at her desk. He had a glass filled with some of liqueur that Ardin had undoubtedly pillaged from her nightstand. To confirm her suspicions, the bottle was opened and sat atop her mahogany desk. An empty glass beside it. Ardin sipped the drink as she studied the medals and other honors in the office. [color=gold][i]"You impress me, captain."[/i][/color]

Alexis leaned forward and pinched the bridge of her nose, still groggy from her long rest. [color=white][b]"Thank you, sir..."[/b][/color] she mumbled.

Ardin chuckled, [color=gold][i]"Oh don't be so formal. The whole ship is getting some R&R while we're in the tube. Aston has the bridge."[/i][/color] he paused and got back to his point, [color=gold][i]"But really, Alexis, I am thoroughly impressed. Despite the tense arguments we had at the beginning of it all, you have shown extraordinary skill."[/i][/color]

[color=white][b]"Everybody did. The crew, the marines, the 7th. I can't take all of the credit."[/b][/color]

Ardin sipped from his glass to finish his drink off. He reached for the bottle to refill it and also fill the other glass. He handed it to Alexis, she hesitated to take it but eventually relented. [color=gold][i]"You're right. I've never seen finer men and women of the UEE before that battle. But as history goes, it's always the leader who will garner the most recognition."[/i][/color]

Alexis drank some of the liqueur, she remembered how much it relaxed her after a battle. [color=white][b]"Wouldn't that make you the famous one?"[/b][/color]

[color=gold][i]"Me? Normally yes, but I hardly had a hand in orchestrating that desperate defense. That was all you. I'm sending a report along with Jehan's coordinates to high command once we reach the FEZ. I've put in word of a commendation for you, possibly even a promotion."[/i][/color]

Alexis bit her lip at that comment. Instead of replying, she just took another sip of the liqueur. The captain looked at the admiral, he was slouched back into the chair, one foot kicked out. He didn't give of that aura of authority any other man of his rank would. His coat was draped over the back of the chair, leaving him in his dress shirt underneath, the tie loosened and the neck button undone. He drank more of the liqueur and glanced back to Alexis, [color=gold][i]"I wondered why they call you the Fox. Obviously it wasn't because of your red hair. But I see now. You're keen, and you have the ability to outwit even the sharpest of hunters. The way you struck that battlecruiser, firing the WMG -through- the moon's atmosphere. It's never been done before, let alone successfully. And setting up the firebase on the surface to act as an invisible rearguard. Ordering your escort to power down, only to provide covering fire after the EMP hit. I must say, Fox is a suiting nickname for you."[/i][/color]

Alexis had finished her drink, Ardin was already moving to refill her glass. The captain nodded her thanks to him and took another sip. [color=white][b]"We could have used those marines I sent to the moon aboard the Lincoln when the Coalition boarded us..."[/b][/color]

[color=gold][i]"But the deed is done, we're alive to fight another day, and we have vital information on the Coalition superweapon. All things considered, Alexis, I would say this mission is a success so far. The stakes are too high to call our losses grave."[/i][/color] It was a cold way to put it, but he had a point. Alexis didn't say anything in response.

Ardin took a deep breath and reclined the chair back, closing his eyes. Alexis studied him some more, she didn't know when Ardin turned from the downright despicable man to the respectable one. She supposed that he was an admiral for a reason, he had to command respect, but he had to enforce his will as well. Off duty, Alexis really didn't mind Ardin all that much. But she knew that it was a rare moment to see men and women from high command in such a light, the burden of command required they be stern. Alexis understand that enough as captain of the Lincoln. With those thoughts in mind, it made her more apprehensive about the prospect of a promotion. She didn't feel ready, she was only captain of the Lincoln for six months, having elevated from a simple MAS commander. She didn't know if Rear Admiral would suit her yet.

After a long silence in the room, Ardin spoke, [color=gold][i]"Are you married, captain?"[/i][/color]

That question made Alexis go wide-eyed, [color=white][b]"Excuse me?"[/b][/color]

[color=gold][i]"Are you married? Is there somebody in the UEE you look forward to seeing again? Some significant other?"[/i][/color]

Alexis just shook her head, that was an odd question, [color=white][b]"No. And I don't plan to. Not as long as this war rages. I couldn't take the risk of never coming back and leaving somebody behind. I couldn't take it if I was the one left behind."[/b][/color]

Ardin nodded slowly, [color=gold][i]"Ahh yes, a common dilemma during wartime. You're wise beyond your years, Alexis."[/i][/color]

Another silence, Alexis and Ardin both sipped from their drinks slowly. The captain spoke up this time, [color=white][b]"And what about you?"[/b][/color]

[color=gold][i]"Me? No. But I'm sure that once I ascend to the throne and become emperor, I'm going to have to pick an empress. The bloodline must continue and all that mumbo-jumbo."[/i][/color] he waved his has he spoke, [color=gold][i]"He's dying, you know."[/i][/color]

Alexis looked up from her drink, [color=white][b]"Who is?"[/b][/color]

[color=gold][i]"My uncle. The emperor. Old age and all the sickness that comes with it. He has no living son, so it makes me the heir. It's not common knowledge. During wartime, people need to believe that their emperor is strong... Doctors say he has maybe a year left in him before he goes and I ascend."[/i][/color]

Alexis took in a deep breath and raised her glass, [color=white][b]"To the fallen and the emperor."[/b][/color]

[color=gold][i]"To the fallen and the emperor."[/i][/color]

They drank.[/color]