[color=gray][color=white][i]"The 7th is aboard, captain!"[/i][/color] Aston began, [color=white][i]"All MAS units have been locked in and the hyperdrive is primed."[/i][/color]

[color=white][b]"Helmsman, warp in three... two... one!"[/b][/color]

The lights flickered, the holo-display powered down and Alexis could feel her stomach twist in that instant. Once power came back on, the display switched to a status report on the hyperdrive. The ship's AI chimed in after its announcement to the crew, [color=royalblue][i]"We are away. Hyderdrive performing nominally. Speed: One point six three lightyears per hour. Drive power consumption: twenty-three percent. Now assessing ship dama-"[/i][/color]

[color=white][b]"Perform a roll-call on all stations. I want to know how many we left behind and who."[/b][/color] Alexis said as she leaned over the bar, face in the palm of her hand. She never liked losing those under her command and knew more than most people that others always died under when in an officer's hands, but that fact was never a good consolation.

The bridge was quiet as the AI spoke, [color=royalblue][i]"All crew, a roll call is in effect. Report to your superiors immediately."[/i][/color]

Aston looked down at his holopad as named started turning from yellow to green for those that were present, and others going from yellow to red for those who were confirmed killed on the Ulysses during the initial attack. Those that were still yellow were missing, it was likely that they were left behind on the Ulysses and were alive when the Lincoln warped out, their fate was never known but it was already assumed. Aston ran a hand along his balding head and sighed, transferring it to Alexis's own pad. [color=white][i]"The numbers are higher than I'd like, captain..."[/i][/color] his tone was grim.

The captain lifted her head from her hand and looked at her pad, seeing that the ship had been missing three hundred and forty individuals, some of which she knew personally. Alexis didn't even need to go through the entire list and see who was missing where, every station had lost a comrade or two. Her hand holding the pad dangled over the rail, Alexis shook her head. The entire bridge was silent save for the low hum of the hyperdrive throughout the ship. [color=white][b]"Cerol... What's the status at Cerol?"[/b][/color] she waited for the AI to report.

[color=royalblue][i]"Cerol's defense fleet has been almost entirely eradicated. The fifth fleet has withdrawn to a safe distance at only twenty-two percent strength. The Ulysses has been heavily damaged and its orbit is decaying, it will make planet fall in four days. The Coalition fleet has begun surface bombardment on key locations and ground forces have touched down. UEE forces are holding but without orbital support, it is likely that Cerol will be lost. Collateral damage is minimal at thirteen percent but rising, the Coalition is targeting military and government facilities."[/i][/color] the AI kept on telling everybody aboard the bridge what had happened, and Alexis hated every bit of it.

She turned to face Admiral Ardin who was standing quietly but didn't seem as affected as the rest of the crew. [color=white][b]"Thirteen percent..."[/b][/color] she started, [color=white][b]"Only thirteen percent of your devoted subjects on Cerol have perished..."[/b][/color] Alexis pinched the bridge of her nose.

Ardin smiled, [color=gold][i]"That's good news then!"[/i][/color]

Alexis clenched her teeth, Hark and Aston both knew what was playing in the captain's mind, and they both knew that it could lead to bad things. They were about to comment on something to redirect the tension, but it was too late. Alexis spoke, [color=white][b]"Do you know how many people live on Cerol, admiral?"[/b][/color]

Hark bit his tongue, not even he wanted to go where Alexis might end up. Marquis persisted, [color=white][b]"Four billion people. Do you know what thirteen percent of four billion is? Five hundred and twenty million."[/b][/color]

Ardin's guards of the Imperial Service stepped forward to receive Alexis for her insubordination, but the blueblood lifted his hand and waved them off. [color=gold][i]"And you expect one carrier with some hot shot pilots to have saved all five hundred million of them, captain?"[/i][/color]

[color=white][b]"Not all, but more could have lived if we had joined the main battle."[/b][/color] she paused, [color=white][b]"If we had retreated with the rest of the fifth fleet and launched a counter atta-"[/b][/color]

[color=gold][i]"Enough! Captain Marquis, you continually fail to see that more will die if we don't apprehend the Coalition super weapon. Welcome to the war. Welcome to a life where nobody ever gets what they want. If you can't realize that, then I am certain I can find somebody aboard this ship who can."[/i][/color] the admiral glanced over to Aston, who was avoiding his gaze. [color=gold][i]"Now, I think you've had enough stress for one battle, Captain Marquis, you are dismissed."[/i][/color]

The crew looked at the two in dead silence. Aston planted a hand on Alexis's shoulder, [color=white][i]"Get some rest, captain. The admiral and I can run the numbers for a bit."[/i][/color]

Alexis looked like she was practically fuming. Even Hark swallowed a bit, Marquis was as much a soldier as he was, hell she had been his squad leader back in their MAS days and she wasn't a pushover. He worried about how this might play out and when he noticed the soldiers of the Imperial Service look a bit more on edge than before, he stepped forward. [color=firebrick][i]"I agree with Aston, captain. This news has hit home for all of us and we need you of all people at your best."[/i][/color] the marine sergeant placed a friendly hand at her back and led her out of the room.

As she was leaving, the captain looked at the bridge crew, [color=white][b]"Get back to work! I don't want to see or hear of any slacking on this bridge!"[/b][/color]

The crew shaped up and turned their consoles and interfaces, [color=white][i]"Aye, aye, captain!"[/i][/color]

[center][color=lime]__________[/color][/center]

As Alexis and Hark walked down the hallway and after what seemed like an eternity, the sergeant began to chuckle. Alexis raised an eyebrow and looked over to him as he went from chuckling to laughing. [color=white][b]"What?"[/b][/color] Alexis asked, her voice still a bit grim.

The sergeant kept laughing, [color=firebrick][i]"You've got more balls then most men on this ship, Alexis Marquis. You just stood up to not only an admiral, but one of the imperial family and his elite guard. For a moment there I thought you were gonna get spaced."[/i][/color]

Alexis thought about what he just said, and it made her realize what she had done. [color=white][b]"God, what was I thinking?!"[/b][/color] her hands to her head like she just did the dumbest thing in the galaxy.

Hark gave Alexis a comradely punch to the arm, [color=firebrick][i]"And you still have your pins! Honestly the look on that man's face was great! I don't even think he was mad, I actually think he was impressed somebody consciously spoke against him!"[/i][/color] his laughter got harder.

[color=white][b]"I don't think [i]'consciously'[/i] is the right word for what I did back there."[/b][/color] Alexis bit her lip, thinking about what might play out because of her outburst.

[color=firebrick][i]"Nevertheless, captain, I think the good admiral is tired of being treated like he is untouchable. You probably just found the chink in his armor."[/i][/color] Hark paused to laugh some more, [color=firebrick][i]"Not that I'd recommend you to keep talking to him like that."[/i][/color]

[color=white][b]"Noted, sergeant."[/b][/color] she nodded slowly as they arrived at the door to her quarters. She couldn't help but laugh with Hark now that she thought about it more. [color=white][b]"Shit I can be stupid sometimes..."[/b][/color]

Hark smirked at her choice of words, [color=firebrick][i]"Shows you're more human than the rest of the brass running this war machine."[/i][/color] he pointed at the insignia of the UEE on his armor.

With a nod, Alexis opened the door and stepped in, [color=white][b]"Or just one step closer to being one at the very least."[/b][/color] she shrugged, [color=white][b]"Dismissed, sergeant."[/b][/color]

Hark saluted and walked down the hallway to see his marines. Alexis could hear him still laughing and chuckling as he moved away. The captain sighed and ran a hand along her forehead as she leaned back against the door. [color=white][b]"What am I doing here?"[/b][/color] she asked herself before shrugging it off and stepping toward her desk.

The captain's quarters was easily the most spacious of all the living spaces in the Lincoln. The door to her quarters led into her office. In the center was her desk made of mahogany, a black leather chair behind it. The wall was decorated with medals, pictures, a UEE flag, model ships, a small table with a chess board and two seats on either end of it. There was a shelf with many books and devices on it, as well as a filing cabinet right next to it. The door behind her desk led into her private living area, a double bed made neatly to bounce a quarter off of it was against the wall opposite to the door. There was a closet next to the bed and her parade uniform hanging from the coat rack in one of the corners. A rifle was propped up against her bed in case of an attack and her pistol was on the nightstand on the other side of the bed. A door in the other corner led into the bathroom with a standing shower and all the other essentials.

Alexis went to the night stand and leaned down to open the cupboard in it. Inside was a collection of wines and other alcoholic beverages that Gerard had given to her time and time again. She took a glass and filled it with a creamy liqueur, reaching into a small ice bucket and putting two cubes into the glass after. With another sigh, Alexis went to her desk and sat in the chair. [color=royalblue][i]"Would you like for me to start your music playlist, captain?"[/i][/color] the AI asked.

Alexis took a sip from her drink and shook her head, [color=white][b]"No, thank you... What's the 7th's status?"[/b][/color]

[color=royalblue][i]"All are well. Lieutenant Commander Trapp is giving the after action report now."[/i][/color]

She took another sip, [color=white][b]"Give me audio, don't let them know I'm listening in."[/b][/color]

[color=royalblue][i]"At once, captain."[/i][/color]

There was a momentary pause and then she heard Trapp's voice through the speakers in her office. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, bringing the drink up for a sip every so often. She took in Trapp's words and nodded slowly with them. They were wise words, and very truthful. Alexis knew that Tori's death still rung in the heads of the team, so she was glad that Trapp was trying to bring them out of the aftershock. It was admirable, smart and Alexis appreciated that Trapp was doing it rather than herself. When the time came for Trapp to call for a drink, Alexis raised her glass and finished what she had left in it. It was in that moment of silence afterward that Alexis began to think of the numbers that the Lincoln's AI spoke of, five hundred and twenty million dead and counting. Three and a half billion others that could die in that assault alone. Countless billions more that could follow if they didn't stop the Coalition. For what it was worth, Ardin was right. She hated to admit it, but damn was he right.[/color]