And So It Begins: Space

[Órlaith]

Moments later the Vendicator exploded into a ball of flame along with several other Ajem'dasis ships. The Alliance fleet now had the upper hand.

Ignoring Angel Órlaith kneeled next to the body of her mother. She held the lifeless body in her arms as tears streaked down her cheeks as she repeated softly, "I'm sorry mama. This is my fault, but I couldn't follow you."

Monica who had been holding down the engineering station on the bridge leapt into action sitting down at the helm. "Aye, ma'am, adjusting course. Captain Morris and medical services have been notified."

[Angel Ryder]

"Thanks..." Angel said as she waddled back to the Command chair and sat down and breathed deeply. "I'm really not ready to give birth, it's way too soon." she closed her eyes. "I must say this under armor I developed has worked like a charm, my back is fine, my knees which have always been prone to giving out are doing alright... made it through the whole battle without a hypo of a pain killer." she looked over at Orlaith and Bellatrix and whispered to Monica. "And let the Morgue know we'll have a body minus a head, get Dr. Sa'raiah. She may have been our enemy but we do respect the dead." it still shook Angel to see the lifeless body of a woman that looked so much like her mentor. A woman she loved as much as a mother and a best friend. It was... jarring. Plus the hormones racing through her body were not making matters any easier. The battle adrenaline was starting to wear off and the combat 'mode' she put herself in was slowly slipping and she started to realize just how close all of them came to not making it out of this alive. Between the rescue of Ang to this whole battle... and the loss of life and damage... she's sure it's going to be high.

Reaching into the console of her chair, she touched a small piece of metal, it was the bit of Borg shrapnel that almost killed her, if it was 2 millimeters closer to the artery, she would have bled out and died before she was rescued the day a dying Borg shattered both her knees and almost made her a paraplegic. It was something she kept in every command chair, no one knew about it, but it reminded her of how easy it was for a fight to go wrong and yet... ever since she took that bit of metal, she always made it out of a battle with only scrapes and bruises. It was a 'lucky' charm of sorts.

"Captain... we're being hailed from the surface of Terra Alpha, audio only. It's the President." The science officer announced.

"Put... ngh... put him through." Angel winced and closed her eyes. "Hello Mister President..."

"I had a feeling this protocol would put me straight through to you... your father set it up... I wanted to inform you that Dominus is dead and that we're mopping up the remaining Scions and Clone forces, we could use more air cover, do you still have your fighter wing?"

"Yes... most of it... we're in multi vector mode right now so I could divert them back to the planet. Is... Is the Naval Medical Center still standing? I really need to see my grandmother." Angel said and rolled her eyes. "I may be going into early... very early labor."

"Well bloody hell... yes of course, it was damaged but nothing too serious. Unlike the Compound... we're set up in AlphaTek Tower." Jon pulled on a pair of glasses as he looked at some of Nick's notes. "And we're doing Protocol... 738 Alpha Sigma. Your father had some very scary protocols set up, I knew he was paranoid but this is bloody next level paranoia... "

"He was a futurist and yes... very paranoid. And sir... Bellatrix is also dead. I have her body on my bridge with her daughter. Who I am battlefield commissioning to Ensign and putting on my security team." Angel said firmly. "The girl... the woman... handled herself admirably."

"You're in charge up there... whatever... wait... Orlaith? The girl that was living with Clint and Liara? That daughter? She's a child... but... I suppose I shouldn't be shocked, I have a 16 year old Chief of Staff..." Jon teased as he glanced at James Cross.

[Órlaith]

"I'm not a child!" Órlaith snarled the emotions of the moment bubbling over. She immediately regretted the outburst, but she was tired of everyone treating her... well like a child. She wasn't, and she supposed she never had been.

She used the ijulna to enhance her strength, and picked up Bellatrix. Órlaith despised her mother. She knew the woman had been evil, and deserved everything she got, and more... but she was her mother. Órlaith loved her.

With back straight and face fixed to emotionless, "Ma'am, permission to take mo-... Bellatrix to the morgue personally."

[Angel Ryder]

"Denied. Not without an escort." Angel said as she tapped a few controls. "She may be a fallen combatant, but she still has the face of someone many of us care deeply for." she nodded her head. "When the security team arrives, you may join them. Despite her darkness, that woman still resembles my mentor. She deserves at least that much respect. And she gave us you."

[Órlaith]

Órlaith reluctantly nodded, "Yes Ma'am. Of course."