Kinnit sat upright in her bunk. Her scanner was displaying an adventure novel, one of her favorites, but she was staring through it.

She'd done plenty of crying in the two days since Grimthorn had told her that CenCom was shipping her back to her home planet of Takkar. Now she felt cried out, dried up, and hollow.

No more Imperium. No more Navy. No more Grimthorn.

Not for now, anyway. Grimthorn had promised to clear her name, and she knew he would. She thought of him having to struggle against CenCom and the conspiracy by himself, without her there to help, and her throat tightened. If she'd had any tears left, the thought of him standing alone would have squeezed them out of her.

She wasn't bringing anything with her except for a few clothes and her blaster. All her possessions would stay in her quarters. Grimthorn had been very firm that her quarters were reserved for her until her return. All her belongings would stay safe on the ISS Swordheart.

Her eyes wandered to the beautiful ballgown taking up nearly all the room in her closet. She smiled a little. Someday, maybe they could try taking a vacation together again. Someday maybe they could dance again.

Her door chimed. She stared dumbly at it. One the one hand, Grimthorn was on the other side. On the other hand, once she opened it, she would be escorted off her ship, sent back to Takkar.

She loved her Takkar and her people. She did. But she wanted to live among the stars.

She ended that line of thought before she could find more tears to shed. She opened the door, and there stood Grimthorn: tall, stern, and imposing.

"May I come in?" he asked.

She nodded and gestured him in. He entered and the door closed behind him. He took a deep breath, his hands clasped behind him. He appeared to struggle within himself for a moment.

"It's time," he said. "I'll escort you to your home."

"My home is here," she said softly.

Grimthorn's face crumpled at her words. He took her gently in an embrace.

"I know," he said quietly. He didn't dare say more until he could get control of his emotions.

"I love you, Grimthorn," she said, squeezing him as tightly as she could. For a minute, he could only nod.

"I love you too, Kinnit," he said once he was finally able to speak. "I'll miss you so much."

They held each other for a long while, neither wanting to break the embrace, but at long last Grimthorn loosened his hold and stood upright. He swiped at his face, and his expression settled into its usual stony gaze.

"Everything within my power," he reminded her. "Come. Some people want to say goodbye. Let's not keep them waiting."

She nodded, and did what she could to regain her composure. She slipped her scanner into her pocket, straightened her jacket and picked up her back.

"Let's go," she said.

Grimthorn paneled open the door, and they stepped out into the hallway. Kinnit's mouth dropped open.

Lining both sides of the hall was the crew of the ISS Swordheart. They held a rigid salute, all dressed in their full formal uniforms.

Wrung out or not, tears sprang to her eyes and her bottom lip trembled. She saluted them back. Grimthorn began walking down the hallway in a slow, measured march. She fell in and marched in step beside him.

They reached the lift, which took them down to the docking bay level. When the doors opened, the hallway leading to the docking bay was also lined with crew, holding their salutes. Tears flowed steadily from her eyes now as she and Grimthorn marched past everyone she knew and had worked with since she'd come on board.

Near the entrance to the docking bay, Lucy the Velspyn stood with all the assembled crew. Without warning, she leaned out and hugged Kinnit.

"I'm so sorry, hon. Those accusations are... are complete zs'kharr, if you'll excuse my language."

Kinnit hugged her back.

"I'll miss you, Lucy," she said.

"I just can't believe the Imperium would do this!"

Kinnit broke the hug and held the spider-like server at arm's length. She tried her best to smile.

"The Imperium didn't do this, Lucy. Corrupt men did. I'll be back soon, you'll see. Justice will prevail."

Kinnit stepped back and turned to face the lines of crewmen. She saluted sharply.

"All hail the Imperium!" she cried in a loud, clear voice.

"All hail!" they replied.

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In the docking bay, Sol the Assistant and Iluna Dabrini the pilot waited. They saluted as she entered.

Sol looked shell-shocked. He held himself awkwardly, thrumming with worry.

"I'm sorry this happened," he said. "I-- I'm sure you'll be cleared soon."

Kinnit took his hand.

"I'll miss you too, Sol."

He shook her hand firmly, then stepped back, unsure what else to say.

Wordlessly, Grimthorn, Kinnit and Dabrini boarded Digger. The docking bay was cleared and vented as they settled in.

"Pilot Dabrini, take us down to the surface of Takkar, please."

The little utility shuttle lifted off, departing the ISS Swordheart.

Grimthorn turned on the 360-degree portal in Digger. Kinnit smiled sadly, looking at the stars.

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"I'll miss Digger, too," she said.

"No you won't," Grimthorn said. "I'm going to leave Digger with you on the planet. You won't be able to go far, but if there's an emergency, or, or if you just want to look at the stars..."

Kinnit took his hand and pressed it her face.

"Thank you, Grimthorn."

They descended toward the planet. Dark green forests covered the surface, with hints of water or plains peeking through in small patches between the dense foliage. Kinnit's heart surged as she viewed her home.

Grimthorn cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"I thought that maybe this would be a good time to meet your family," he said. "If you're willing, of course."

Kinnit turned to him, her eyes alight.

"That's a wonderful idea!" she exclaimed. "I can introduce you to everyone. Um." She paused, looking uncertain. "If there's anything in your pockets, you'll want to leave it all in the shuttle. My people are still learning the concept of personal property. Also, be prepared for a lot of touching. Kobolds are very physically close."

"I understand," he said. He pulled out his scanner and laid it aside.

"This will be fun!" she said, beginning to regain some of her enthusiasm. "I'll show you Home Cave, and Lookout Rock, and the trophy pit. If you have time we can go look at Long Lake. I'll show you all the best sight of Takkar."

"I would love that," Grimthorn said. "Takkar. An interesting name for your planet. Does it have some significance?"

Kinnit laughed a little.

"In the Kobold language, it means 'ground,'" she said. "There was some confusion in the translation when the first diplomats made contact with our species. The diplomat wanted to know what we called our planet, so he pointed down at it and asked what we called it. We didn't understand the concept of 'planets' very well at that time, so our delegate said 'ground.' The name just stuck."

Grimthorn smiled a little at her story.

They descended through the atmosphere. The shuttle shook a little during re-entry. The wraparound portal gave them an excellent view of the flames that wreathed the little shuttle as it dropped toward the surface of Takkar.

They landed gently near a long, weathered strip of gray rock peeking out from the forest. The hatch irised open and they stepped out.

Kinnit took a deep breath of air, thick with humidity and heavy with the scent of dewy earth.

In spite of everything, it felt good to be back on her home soil. She walked along the old spit of rock, her feet finding familiar purchase on the rock's surface. It had been worn comfortably smooth by untold generations of Kobolds as they traveled out onto its length to take advantage of the commanding view of the surrounding woods.

"This is where we watch for predators," Kinnit explained as Grimthorn joined her. "At night, when the weather turns cold, they'll come out of the woods. But it will be safe now."

Grimthorn nodded, looking at the dense forest surrounding them. The tree were tall, narrow, and deciduous. Their dense foliage made the depths of the forest impenetrably dark. It looked like a wonderful place for predators to lurk.

"What lives in there?" he asked.

"Many fell beasts," she replied. She thought for a moment. "The usual predators, they're... well, there's not an Imperial word for them, but you can think of them as something kind of like cat-bears."

"Sounds dangerous."

Kinnit smiled, gazing at the forest.

"Not any more. The Imperium gave us blasters, taught us to use them. The cat-bears are powerful and deadly, but not deadlier than a blaster bolt."

She spun and bounced away.

"Come, Grimthorn! I want you to meet everyone!"

He followed her down off of Lookout Rock. They went through a small ravine, then climbed a steep hill. In the rocky face of the hill was a long, vertical crack.

"Stay here for a bit. I have to see if they'll let you join the Clamber."

Grimthorn nodded and stood aside, his arms folded.

Kinnit slipped into Home Cave.

"Kinnit!" voices cried from inside. "It's Kinnit!"

The younger Kobolds near the entrance noticed her first. They tumbled and shrieked and scrambled over and around each other.

More Kobolds boiled up from further back in the cave, bustled in from side caves, crying out, tumbling, scrambling.

Kinnit gleefully flung herself into boiling mass of bodies. She bounced on the surface of the Clamber for a moment, then she was drawn in. Dozens of hands touched her, felt her, dug into her pockets, examined the buttons of her uniform, re-acquainted themselves with her. She reached out in turn, caressed old friends and family, wrapped safe and warm in the press of bodies.

Whispers went through the clamber, carried from ear to ear. Kinnit strained to hear what was being said, what news the excited whispers carried.

"What is it?" she laughed. "What?"

The whispers resolved, came closer, became clear. Her breath caught as she recognized what they were saying.

"She's Kinnit Longlegs."

"Kinnit Longlegs!"

"Her legs were so long she could go to the stars!"

"Kinnit Longlegs!"

Kinnit's poor, abused emotions suffered another battering as she took in the import of the whispers.

"You gave me a last name," she said quietly. Pride slowly filled her chest as the import of it all settled in. "You gave me a name."

The only Kobolds with last names were heroes and legends.

"Longlegs will always be remembered!"

"Hurray for Kinnit Longlegs!"

"Kinnit Longlegs among the stars!"

Kinnit reveled in the embrace of her people and the warmth of their approval as her new name went from ear to ear, spreading throughout the cave.

"Oh!" she said, remembering. "I'd like permission for someone to join the Clamber! Grimthorn!"

The Clamber stilled as a tall shadow blocked the cave entrance.

"This is Grimthorn Stonefist," she told the Clamber. She didn't need to raise her voice; her words were repeated throughout the Clamber, carried from ear to ear until everybody heard. "He's the one that protects me among the stars."

The Clamber grew unnaturally quiet. Whispers only slowly started again, traveling through the mass of bodies, mouth to ear, mouth to ear.

"He's so big."

"He looks angry."

"Is he dangerous?"

"He's so big."

Concerned whispers circled the Clamber as hundreds of eyes stared at Grimthorn. Kinnit cleared her throat.

"May he join the Clamber?"

More whispers.

"He protects Kinnit Longlegs."

"He could fight a cat-bear."

"He could eat a cat-bear."

"Yes, a strong hunter to join the Clamber."

After long minutes of discussion, consensus was reached.

"Grimthornstonefist may join the Clamber."

"He is invited by Kinnit Longlegs."

"Grimthorn!" Kinnit called. "Come in! They say you can join in!"

Grimthorn stepped into the cave, ducking to fit. He paused uncertainly.

"Erm. What do I do here?" he asked.

"Just... kind of lie down and roll in."

"I don't want to hurt anybody."

"You'll be fine. There are lots of hands to carry you."

Grimthorn carefully knelt among the Kobolds and gingerly stretched himself out. Dozens of small hands took him and drew him into the mass of bodies with surprising smoothness and speed.

"He's so big!"

"Feel how strong he is!"

"He doesn't have any horns!"

Grimthorn stiffened as uncountable hands explored his body. They were curious, questing, probing. They invaded places where even the Navy doctor had not explored.

Nothing was off-limits to a curious Kobold.

Grimthorn Stonefist gritted his teeth and endured. For Kinnit.

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They sat outside, later, side by side on Lookout Rock, gazing up at the stars.

"It's hazier than I remember," Kinnit said, her eyes fixed on the skies.

"You can go up in Digger and look at the stars," Grimthorn said. "You can't go far, but you know how to take off and get into orbit, right?"

"I do," she said. "And I'm sure I will. But this reminds of stargazing when I was young." She sighed. "I've learned so much about the stars, but I still love their beauty."

She pointed to a constellation in the western sky.

"That's Ulther Meatbringer. He's the mightiest hunter of legend. He watches over and protects all the Kobolds."

Grimthorn put an arm around her as she told him the tales of Ulther. She leaned against Grimthorn as she talked, comforted by his presence while they waited for the shuttle that would take hime back to the Swordheart.

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Kinnit stood on Lookout Rock in the cooling night air. The shuttle lifted off, carrying Grimthorn away from her, up to the heavens, up to the Ninth Fleet, hidden from her sight.

She sighed, tears pooling again in her eyes as she smiled sadly. She already missed him badly, missed his steady, strong presence.

She would miss her people, too, because she was in no way going to stay stuck on Takkar while Grimthorn needed her help.

She pulled out her scanner and began tapping out a message.