Admiral Stonefist sat alone in his office. His plans were ready. He took a deep breath.

Today was the day. Whatever happened, he could take it. He was strong enough.

That's what he told himself, anyway.

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Kinnit popped out of bed at her usual time. She brushed her teeth and prepared her morning coffee.

She smiled and hummed as she caught up on a few messages on her scanner as she sipped her coffee. Nothing of real import came across her messages.

She relished her morning coffee as she sat at her desk in her quarters.

It was going to be a great day, she could feel it.

A tone sounded, bringing her to full alertness. Who was ringing her bell at this hour of the morning?

She opened her door to find a large box in the hallway. She cocked her head as she read the label.

It was addressed to her. The return label showed it was from "Ecliptica Lines, Inc."

She puzzeld at it for a moment, then shrugged and dragged the box into her quarters.

She sliced through the tape with one claw, then carefully opened the box.

She gasped.

Kinnit reached in reverentially, and carefully lifted out the beautiful ballgown she'd worn on the Ophir. Its delicate structure had been carefully preserved.

With a happy squee, she hugged the dress. Then she carefully hung it in her closet. It dominated the small closet, pushing aside her uniforms.

She was tempted to put it back on. Just to see what she looked like in it again.

But it was getting time for her to get to the office. Maybe later.

The box also contained the horn danglers and sandals, along with the luggage she'd brought on board the Ophir. At the bottom of the box was a smaller box and a letter.

"Dear Miss Kinnit," the letter read.

"We are pleased to return to you your personal effects from your recent voyage. We deeply regret the unfortunate incident that cut short your time aboard the Ophir."

"Please accept our apologies, for the incident. Enclosed is a voucher a free cruise on any of our ships for you and one guest anywhere in the galaxy that we offer service."

"Additionally, as thanks for your actions on board the Ophir to secure the safety of the crew and passengers, please accept a lifetime VIP membership to our cruise lines. We are pleased and honored to welcome you on board our cruises at any time."

"Sincerely, Ecliptica Lines, Inc."

Kinnit smiled at the letter, then opened the box. A small crystal figurine of the Ophir was nestled inside. Her eyes lit with wonder as she drew it out. Its cunningly crafted facets caught the light, spraying dots of colored light around the room.

She spent slightly too long trapped in wonder at the little figurine. She realized she was going to be late to the office. She cackled with glee as she carefully packed the figurine back in the box.

She bounced to the office, a huge smile plastered across her face. She cheerfully greeted everyone she passed.

She arrived at the office and opened the door. As usual, Grimthorn was already there, hunched at his terminal, tapping away determinedly on the work of the morning.

"Good morning, sir!" she cried lustily. She skipped over to her desk and unpacked the little figurine. "Look what the cruise line sent me!"

He looked appreciatively at the little figurine.

"That's very nice. Good craftsmanship. This looks like Darcian crystal. Beautiful."

She beamed and set the figurine on her desk. She looked at it for a bit, then moved it to the other side of her desk. Then she moved it back again.

"Light's better over here," she said.

"Did you see what else came in?" Grimthorn asked. He pointed to the wall behind her desk.

She popped to her feet. Hanging over the desk was her commendation from CenCom, printed on rich slip stock and framed.

"Oh! Thank you, sir!" She paused to read it through again, a smile splitting her features. She nodded with satisfaction and sat down at her desk to start her day.

They worked for a few hours. She noticed that Grimthorn seemed preoccupied, and looked a little worried. She made a mental note to follow up ask him about it later.

The ceiling flashed. Lunchtime.

Admiral Stonefist stood.

"Kinnit, would you care to join me for lunch?"

"Certainly, sir!"

They walked down to the mess hall and chatted lightly as they went.

"Lucy, good to see you," Grimthorn said as he walked in. "What have you got for me today?"

"We've got Reuben sandwiches today, hon."

"Fantastic. Load me up."

Admiral Stonefist and Kinnit got their food and sat down. The mess was crowded and boisterous. Several people flagged Kinnit down to say hello to her.

"So what's the occasion, sir?" she asked.

"I've got something to show you after lunch," he said. "I thought maybe we could take the afternoon off."

Kinnit paused with her sandwich halfway to her mouth. She was suddenly very curious. Grimthorn had a strange look about him. On anyone else, she might have thought it would be nerves, but Admiral Stonefist only looked... incredibly intense.

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"Is... anything wrong, sir?"

"Wrong? No, no, of course not."

Kinnit nodded and bit into her sandwich.

After they'd eaten, they cleaned up and Kinnit followed Admiral Stonefist out of the mess. She was nervously keeping an eye out. The last time he'd had something for her after lunch, she'd been stabbed with a Qhall blade.

He didn't seem any less distracted this go-around.

But this time, instead of traveling up to the storage areas, the lift took them down to the docking bays.

He began speaking as they walked.

"It occurred to me," he said, "that it would be helpful for us to have our own transport. For quick jaunts around the fleet."

"Sir, did you--"

He paneled open the door to the docking bay. A freshly refitted and re-painted utility torpedo shuttle sat in the small bay. The craft designation "D16-63R" was painted on the side.

"Digger!" Kinnit cried, and ran to the little shuttle. She hugged it awkwardly. Shuttles are not naturally constructed for hugging, but Kinnit managed.

"It's been updated to operate in atmosphere, though it won't be fast. The torpedo tubes are still operational. They're loaded with probes at the moment."

"Thank you, sir!" she said, still hugging the shuttle.

"I might recommend you bring a pilot with you next time, though."

She laughed and boarded. The interior had been re-worked to add a couple comfortable seats in the back, along with a small storage area.

"It's perfect," she said, sitting in one of the seats. "Digger's a good shuttle."

Grimthorn grinned.

"I'm glad you like it," he said.

"We should go somewhere!" she said, bouncing in the seat.

"Perhaps here soon," he said. He stepped down out of the shuttle.

"Kinnit, can I show you something?" he said quietly.

"Certainly, sir!" She closed the hatch and laid a proprietary hand on the shuttle. "You're a good shuttle," she whispered before following Grimthorn to the lift.

Kinnit watched him as they walked. He still seemed off, somehow. Was he having a bad day? She hoped not. She was having an amazing day, and she hoped she could help him have a day at least half as good as hers.

"Thank you, sir," she said. "For Digger. It really means a lot to me."

Admiral Stonefist smiled and looked back at her.

"I'm glad," he said. Then he looked forward again and his smile vanished.

They wended their way back to the storage areas.

"Where are we going, sir?"

"I... I want to show you my favorite spot on the ship."

She looked around.

"Down here, sir?"

"Well, you know how there are little gaps in between modules on a ship? I guess you do. Many years ago, I found one and... well, let me show you."

He walked to the corner of a hallway and vanished. Kinnit gasped. She slowly approached. His head popped back into existence and she squeaked.

"It's an optical illusion. It looks like a corner, but really there's a gap here. Come and see."

She approached, and sure enough, there was a narrow gap right at the corner. She followed Grimthorn.

The gap went straight back about ten feet, then turned sharply to the right. There was a section with a low ceiling, which then opened out into a long, narrow area. It was just tall enough for Grimthorn to stand up in, but roomy enough to move around in easily.

It was warm and inviting. A rug had been laid down, and there was a sofa against one wall. Kinnit wondered how in the world Grimthorn had managed to wrangle a sofa through the tiny entrance into this area. A small table held a few books-- actual, printed books, a luxury on a spaceship. A small lamp cast welcoming yellow light into the room.

Most shockingly, there was a long portal on the wall opposite the sofa. It showed all the glorious universe in grand splendor, stars winking.

"Sir, this is amazing," she breathed. "How on earth did you find this? And why is there such a large portal in here?"

"I found it mostly by accident," he admitted. "After I was first assigned to the Swordheart, I wanted to reorganize some things. The previous Admiral had been a bit sloppy, and left some cargo in the hallway. I was cleaning up, dragging a crate around when I chanced across it. As for the portal... I have no idea. I don't know what combination of bad engineering or sloppy construction left this here. But I've been glad of it, over the years."

He gazed intently through the portal.

"This has often been my refuge," he said. "When everything got to be too much, I'd come back here. It was the only place I had to escape from... everything. But I haven't been back here since you've come on board."

Kinnit marveled at the cozy space.

"This is beautiful, sir. I can see why you'd love it. But why are you showing this to me?"

Grimthorn took a deep breath. Kinnit realized with growing alarm that he was nervous. Admiral Stonefist. Nervous.

The man had faced down an Insectoid fleet riding nothing but a cruise ship, and hadn't popped a bead of sweat. He'd taken on a dark conspiracy that threatened the entire Imperium, with nary a hair out of place. He'd gone to battle with other Admirals of the fleet, risking his career, and everything he'd worked for, and never once acted as though the outcome was in any doubt.

And now he was nervous?

"Kinnit, I-- here, take this."

He handed her his scanner. She scrolled through the data.

"Sir, these are transfer orders. For me."

"I've already sent them to your scanner. They're all three very fine positions. Captains Hennis and Baric are part of the Ninth, if you want to stay in the fleet. Captain Rann is in the Fifth, if you want to change fleets. Admiral Cora Din is-- perhaps a better Admiral than I'd realized. Of course, if you would rather go back to Captain Hawkins, that can be arranged as well. They've already been approved. All you have to do is sign one and the transfer will go through, without issue."

Kinnit's throat closed up. Was he getting rid of her? Now?

"S-sir?" she asked, her voice on the edge of tears. "D-do you want me to go?"

He faced away from her, looking at the stars. His hands were clasped behind his back, but his fingers squeezed each other nervously.

"I most emphatically do not," he said quietly. "But I'm going to tell you something, and I want you to know that no matter how you react, it will not affect your career in the Navy. You will always have a place in the Imperium, I promise you this."

"Sir?" she said, her alarm evident.

He turned back to her.

"Kinnit, sometimes-- see, there are laws in place for good reason. I believe that, but laws are imprecise, you see. And Navy regulations, though they sometimes feel very burdensome, they're actually for your own good. My own good. And when we--"

"Admiral, what are you talking about?" Kinnit nearly wailed.

Grimthorn's rambling speech, crashed to an ignominious stop. He gazed deep into her eyes.

"Kinnit, it's selfish, but I want more between us. I've-- I've developed feelings for you."

Kinnit's world shrank in around her. Her brain hard-locked as she tried to process his words. Surely he couldn't mean what it sounded like? It didn't even make sense. But there he stood, the avatar of the Imperium, the icon of honor, the tower of strength for ten thousand species, and he was trembling, waiting for her answer.

"Wh-what?" she said.

She saw his face, the crestfallen expression, saw his shoulders sag. The she watched him steel himself and set his jaw.

"Kinnit, I love you, and I want a relationship with you."

She stood stunned, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.

Admiral Stonefist. In love. With her?

In a rush, so many things became so clear. Not just about him, but about herself. Her feelings. Even the ways she'd been acting. Her thoughts crystallized in a flash.

She crashed into him, flinging her arms around his neck and squeezing so tightly she could hear his joints crack. Her head nestled into his neck, and tears poured from her. His arms came up behind her, hesitantly at first, then with growing confidence, hugging her, pressing her to him.

"It's not lie, is it?" she said quietly, her voice unsure. "It's not a trick? Say it's not a trick."

He pulled his head back enough to look deep into her eyes. Tears pooled in them, her luminous gaze enrapturing him again as it had every time he allowed himself to look into it.

"Kinnit, I could never lie about that."

She sobbed and hugged him again, nestling into him.

"Yes, Grimthorn! Yes, and yes, and yes! I want to be with you! Forever. I love you, Grimthorn."

She felt the trembling in his arms at her words. He clung to her ever more tightly.

They spent a long moment in each other's arms. Kinnit pulled back again, and Grimthorn was lost in her eyes. She had her broad smile on, tears still sparkling on her cheeks.

"I love you," she said, trying the words on. They felt good. They felt right.

"I love you," he said back, and that felt even better.

For once, everything was right in the universe.