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would have to go and see his father soon. He wasn't going to make the mistake of abandoning him again. He just couldn't deal with all of the conflicting emotions that went along with it right now.
    He tapped on the control panel beside the hatch. It slid open slowly, groaning as it did. The ship hadn't been in the best shape when they took it. The Dread's attack had only made it worse. There were dozens of doors within the ship that wouldn't open at all, and enough damage it would take their crews weeks to get to it.
    Lieutenant O'Dea was standing in the middle of the large cargo area, holding a tablet in her hands and shouting to a dozen crew members as they dug through bins of replacement parts, bolts, and screws. The Magellan had been expected to break down during her journey to the stars, and so had come with a supply of pieces to keep her running. That supply had dwindled over time and seeing the way the crew dug into it signaled to Gabriel that it was running thin.
    He had wondered if news of Soon's fate had leaked from the bridge ahead of him. He could tell by the way Daphne was working that it probably hadn't. He was proud of the crew for the level of professionalism they had shown. Most had spent their entire lives groomed to occupy Delta Station, to practice war but not to live it. They were holding up well.
    "No, we need six of the inverse capacitors," she was saying as he approached her.
    "We only have four, ma'am," one of the crew members said.  
    She shook her head. "We need six. See if you can find them in one of the other bins."
    "Lieutenant O'Dea," Gabriel said.
    She looked over at him. Her face immediately froze, paling and falling flat in a moment's time. He should have realized he wouldn't need to say anything. It should have been Soon coming to see her, not him.
    "No," she whispered, blinking a few times.
    "I think I found one," the crew member said. "Why didn't we get a decent inventory before we stole her?" He laughed for a second before looking back at Daphne and Gabriel.  
    "Sergeant Keene, is it?" Gabriel said.  
    "Yes, sir," Keene replied.
    "Take over for Lieutenant O'Dea. I need to speak with her privately."
    Keene nodded curtly, his whole demeanor shifting.  
    "Gabriel," Daphne said softly.  
    "Come on," Gabriel said, leading her from the large room.  
    He got her out into the side corridor where he came in from and tapped the door control. It groaned again and didn't close.
    "Damn door," he cursed, his own control slipping at the mishap. Soon was his friend, too.
    "What happened?" she asked, the tears beginning to run from her eyes.  
    "We were taking heavy fire from Dread Bats. Heavy fire. He was hit. He didn't have enough power left to make it out of orbit. He saved my life, Daphne. He distracted the Dread, gave us the time we needed to make it back out. He's a hero." Gabriel felt the wetness in the corners of his own eyes.  
    Daphne responded with a small smile. "I bet he made a joke while he was crashing."
    "He didn't crash. He had enough control to land the fighter. There's a good chance he's still alive."
    "If the Dread didn't capture him. Or kill him."
    "Yes. He wanted me to tell you how much he loves you."
    "Thanks, Gabriel. I already know that."
    "I don't think we should give up on him. The rebels on Earth captured some of the Dread's weapons. They're able to fight back. The tides of war may be turning."
    "What about us? What are we doing?"
    "Trying to get back into the fight. Our slip away from Earth didn't go as well as it could have, but we'll recover. Reza's a genius, and for as much as I hate Guy Larone, he's got a good head on his shoulders when he wants to."
    "We're going back to Earth, though, right?"
    "Not right away, but yes, we'll be going back."
    "You got the enemy weapon? Do you think we can use it?"
    "They'll figure it out. They have to."
    She took a deep breath, straightening up and wiping her eyes. "I was always worried he would die making a run. Knowing he has a