Arsha spent the remainder of the Endeavor’s overhaul looking out to it. She felt a great pit in her stomach as the workers continued stripping the ship of wartime weapons, bringing her down to only the essentials. As she looked, she saw a reflection in the window. It was Foresna in new clothes, more regal clothes. She turned to him with an arched eyebrow. “What’s with the duds?” she asked.
“I figured I’d spend today,” explained Foresna, “with the Royal Painter. Might as well get my portrait out of the way first, hm?”
“Where will you go for that?”
“To my family’s farm. Like Falnii and Gorfanth, I can’t forget my roots.”
“…Yeah…roots.” Arsha turned back to the window. Foresna could easily guess what was on her mind.
“She’s a magnificent ship,” he muttered. “She was home for a lot of people. …I’ll miss her too.” Arsha finally sniffled, then turned to bury her face in his chest. Foresna hugged her and let his own tears fall as hers did. They just stood there, crying in each other’s arms.
The overhaul finished and Endea woke up. She yawned and stretched before leaving the bed. The doctor nearby checked her over and gave her a clean bill of health. Endea headed back to her ship and saw Arsha and Foresna walking to the landing ramp. “Captain!” she called. Arsha looked up.
“Endea!” she returned. The two hugged each other. “How do you feel?”
“Like a great weight’s been lifted from my hull!”
“That’s good!” Arsha looked at the ship proper. “…That’s very good.”
“…Ma’am?” asked Endea.
“Changes are coming,” replied Arsha. “A new crew will join you and I’ll be stepping down.”
“I just got caught up on the messages in my system. I think we’re gonna enjoy the surprise on the bridge.” Arsha arched an eyebrow.
“Surprise? What is it?”
“Can’t say. Might as well head there and find out, shall we?”
“Let’s go, then.” Arsha, Foresna, and Endea went up the ramp and into the ship. They purposefully went on a longer route, passing the crew quarters, Barmek’s Bar and Grill, Main Engineering, the science and spell lab, the teleport room, the backup bridge, all of it before they arrived on the bridge. The lights were off. “…One would think,” muttered Arsha, “that they’d test the-” the lights switched on and the bridge crew came out of hiding.
“SURPRISE!” they called.
“What in the-?!” spluttered Arsha. Foresna was just as shocked. It looked like a small party was set up. Streamers circled the ceiling and a banner hung from the balcony that read “Good luck, Arsha Royana!” Arsha then realized what Endea was talking about. “You all planned this for just me?”
“Well, you ARE the guest of honor,” replied Nazay, “but, really, it’s for those of us that are leaving the ship.”
“One last hurrah, if you will,” said Denstra.
“I’m always eager for one last gathering of the finest bridge crew Realmfleet has seen so far,” chuckled Arsha.
“Speech!” called Thengo. The crew took up the call of “Speech!” and Arsha felt put on the spot. After a few seconds, she raised her hand and called for quiet.
“My fellow crewmates,” she began, “we’ve all been through all sorts of trials and tribulations, ranging from mere corrupted politicians to the worst that Dr. Borg and Oyed threw at us. We’ve all lost at least one family member, but we still fought against the Realm Trinity Empire. Through it all, we learned that not all of Dr. Borg’s forces were loyal. In fact, there are now Robots, Golems, and Revenants at Realmfleet Academy, some of them being assigned to the Endeavor and having reached full officer ranks! As you are all aware, I will be stepping down once I file my last report on this mission to Rokalla. With that, I am pleased to announce that, of the ones staying aboard the Endeavor, I have picked my replacement. That person already knows and has picked their First Officer, so now will be the perfect time to announce their promotions. The one taking up the mantle of Captain is…Bashoon Barmek!” Everyone cheered and congratulated Bashoon. “Now, Bashoon, I trust you’ve mulled over your choice of First Officer?”
“It’s still the same as when you told me about my upcoming position, Your Highness,” replied Bashoon. “I still choose Endea as my First Officer, if she’s willing to accept the position.”
“I’d be honored, Bashoon!” answered Endea.
“Then there we have it! The first two people of the Chain of Command have been chosen!” cheered Arsha. “With that, I would like to make a toast!” Everyone raised a glass. “To Denstra, Twirja, Jaltor, Jweltu, and Twansa Welmeva, to Dalengor Mardem, to Nazay Rotium, to Thangred Stonebreaker, to Shalvey Lunafin, and to Thengo Lortora; I wish you the best of luck in your futures as civilians. To Bashoon Barmek and Delselii Vorsholstein, to Malak Bokooru and Anya Pastella, to Marshii Borontho, to Melandra Skarenta and Falnimam Lundalii, to Endea, to Laverda Lancelor, and to Orthena Strongaxe; I wish you calm breezes and smooth travels. To the crew of the Endeavor, both old and new!”
“To the crew of the Endeavor, both old and new!” cheered the crew.
The party wound down and Arsha and Foresna returned to the Captain’s Quarters for one last night. The next day, everything would change. Almost all of Arsha’s stuff had been moved out of the room, all that was left was an empty travel case for her clothes. Arsha smiled sadly as she looked around. “Gonna miss this room,” she mumbled.
“I have to be honest,” replied Foresna, “it felt a little cramped, even when it was just one person in it.”
“Really? The Captain’s Quarters are the most spacious on any ship.”
“I don’t know, I guess I never got used to a ship’s quarters.”
“Your old room back in Rokanth was half the size of a crewman’s usual quarters, though.”
“…Yeah, it was, I forgot. Though, then again, I spent most of my childhood out in the fields. I didn’t have much room for inactivity. My room was just something I used to snooze in.”
“There wasn’t any inactivity during the War, though, and you hated the activity going on.”
“Because my life was on the line. I guess I prefer being busy when I’m ninety-five percent certain I’m gonna see the next day. The only reason I didn’t complain then was because I saw you and the others daily.”
“Fair point. Well, you won’t be seeing this room after tonight.” Arsha began packing the clothes she wouldn’t be wearing in the morning. “After tonight, we’re gonna have a bit of castle life ahead of us!”
“First the Tour’s End Ceremony, then the coronation, and finally the wedding!” Arsha chuckled at Foresna’s eagerness.
“Easy! I gotta propose to you all first! And I want to do it with everyone there at the same time.” After she finished, Arsha and Foresna changed into their nightclothes and went to bed.