Epilogue: Goodbye

Maniac was looking over the wreckage of Blair's ship the next morning. He had found a black box in a side compartment and was having Anderson decode and decipher its contents. From what Drake and Anderson were able to discern of it already, it contained the locations and coordinates of every Nephilim Hive and shipyard.

Bitch, Waborita, and Rapier were sitting in the Medical Bay next to Chameleon's bed. Bitch was holding her hand, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Rapier sat silently with his head down. Waborita had his Omega package out and had poured a shot into Tracer, Princess, and Midnight's shotglasses. He was working carefully and meticulously on sealing up their shotglasses with the liquor still inside.

"What are you doing?" asked Bitch.

"Making my own personal Drink for the Dead," replied Waborita.

"What for?" asked Rapier.

"So that when we drink a toast from now on," said Waborita. "They're still drinking with us. I know it sounds stupid."

"It's not stupid," said Maestro from the door.

"Major Garrett," said Rapier standing.

"No don't get up," said Maestro. "I just came in to be with her."

"What did Commodore Marshall say when you spoke with him?" asked Rapier.

"That we're headed back to Earth now," said Maestro. "He wants me to tell you that you're all being put in for commendations and promotions."

"That's big of him," said Bitch.

Waborita set his stuff down and looked up. "I get the feeling that certain key details of our whole mission will be left out of the final reports," he said.

"He did mention something to that effect," agreed Maestro. "He and Drake think it would be best to remember the Maverick as the hero of the Kilrathi War, not as some Bug who killed a lot of good ConFed pilots."

Everyone got silent for a moment and, as they all looked around the room, they could see in each other's eyes that they too agreed with Maniac and Drake.

Maniac, Drake, and all of the remaining pilots gathered together in the lower bay for the memorial service to those who had fallen on this tour. Everyone was in their dress uniforms and in formation by their squadron and rank. The three Omegas who were able to attend were in the row closest to the conveyor that moved all of the coffins to the air lock.

"Attention!" Maniac ordered. Everyone snapped to attention and faced forward to look out into space. Drake began to read the name, rank, and callsign of every pilot that had been lost as the long procession line of coffins moved towards the airlock. The last three names she called were those of Midnight, Princess, and Tracer.

Just as their coffins were beginning to pass by, Rapier spoke, "Omega Squadron! Eyes right!" Bitch, Waborita, and Rapier turned their heads in unison and privately saluted their fallen friends. Maniac smiled despite the seriousness of the situation.

Once their coffins had passed, Rapier spoke again, "Omega Squadron! Eyes forward!" All three of them snapped back to attention with the rest of the assembly so that they could watch and silently say goodbye to those they called friend.

The End.