The flotilla arrived and gave the crews the necessary tools and materials needed to fix the Realmgate. The Endeavor coordinated the action and saw to it that all the necessary repairs were made. Conso watched the whole operation as each component was tested. “When history looks at this,” he muttered, “they’ll say it was all a great folly.”
“History’s written by the winners,” remarked Arsha as she came up to him. “We’re close right now. We need to see this through.”
“Arsha, there’s no guarantee of that!” snapped Conso. “Face it, you’ve led us to ruin!”
“With all due respect, Sir, there’s no guarantee of your statement. You haven’t personally fought Dr. Borg. I did, meaning I know her better than any Admiral in Realmfleet, even Aldarval. Why else has she deferred to me on matters relating to Dr. Borg?”
“Because she’s a fool following a child!” Conso then got up in her face. “Arsha Royana, the idiocy of you and your fellows on that night has cost us a peace we all enjoyed! Did you even consider that maybe, just maybe, allying with Dr. Borg would give us better results and allow us to keep the peace?! She DID defeat Oyed!” Arsha closed her eyes as she tried to steady her breathing.
“…Admiral Conso Forsorna, it is taking all of my self-control not to smash your head to the floor for that insult alone! Yes, she defeated Oyed, but she’s a known criminal to the Fae Republic and proved unrepentant for her crimes! She didn’t exactly protest Oyed’s actions when he ordered cities to be bombed! She laughed with him as innocent men, women, and children died at their hands! Bowing to her would be giving her permission to destroy as she pleases! I won’t let that happen!” The silence hung in the air for a few seconds. “…Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a ship to command.” She then left Conso alone.
The day finally came. The Realmgate was back in the sky where it belonged. The bridge crew manned their stations with Elgrad watching the whole operation. “All stations report ready,” called Shalvey.
“Then it’s time,” declared Arsha. “Transmit opening instructions to the Realmgate.”
“Transmitting instructions,” confirmed Shalvey. “…It’s received them and is ready to open on your command.”
“Nazay, open it.”
“Opening.” Once Nazay keyed in the command, they waited three seconds before the familiar vortex of colors appeared.
“Elmar, status of the comms probe.”
“Comms probe is ready to launch at your command,” reported Elmar.
“Malak, calculate distance from our position to the other side of the portal for it to land. Endea, refine those calculations.”
“Calculating,” replied Malak. “…Initial calculations complete.”
“Refining,” reported Endea as her eyes turned white. “…Final calculations complete.”
“Launch probe.”
“Launching,” reported Orthena as she pressed a button on her console.
A small device was launched from the Endeavor’s starboard bow torpedo tube. It sailed through the air and entered the vortex.
“Probe is inside Realmgate vortex,” reported Melandra.
“All we can do now is wait,” muttered Denstra. And wait they did. Bashoon drummed her fingers on the walls.
“…Catchy tune,” she muttered to herself, “but damn if it ain’t an earworm!”
“What’s a catchy tune?” asked Thangred.
“It’s something I heard while we were still trying to fix the Realmgate on the sly.”
“How’s it go?”
“Well-”
“Captain,” called Shalvey, “we’re receiving a transmission!”
“Can you identify it?” asked Arsha.
“Trying. …It’s from the other side of the vortex! It’s the probe!”
“Put it through!”
“It’s audio-only.”
“Don’t care! Put it through!” Shalvey keyed in the necessary commands and a rustic man’s voice came through.
“This is Handrem Dworga, King of Rokanth,” introduced the caller. “Political I.D. 8-4-7-2. Your probe came out of a vortex over Rokanth. Please identify yourself.” Arsha motioned her dad to take the call.
“Handrem, old buddy, this is Elgrad Royana, King of the entire Mid-realm! Political I.D. 4-0-2-8!”
“Elgrad?!” cheered Handrem. “Is that really you?!”
“It’s me, old friend! How’s the war treating you right now?”
“Not so good. You remember Lord Skain?”
“What about him?”
“He’s taken the throne! We need you back now!”
“Oh no, not him!” snarled Elgrad. “Not in MY Realm! Handrem, get Mayor Hulmbark and arrange a meeting with the three of us! We’re coming home!”
“So that IS a Realmgate in our sky!” cheered Handrem.
“An Over to Mid Realmgate, to be precise.”
“I trust you have the necessary data so a new Mid to Over Realmgate can align with yours?”
“Arsha’s crew has it all!”
“She would be proud of her crew.”
“Believe me, she is.”
“…Elgrad, you’re talking as if Arsha’s alive.” Elgrad nodded to Arsha.
“I AM alive, your Majesty,” she revealed.
“…Arsha?! But how are you…are you a-?!”
“No, no, I’m not a Revenant. Oyed just botched killing me, against all odds.” Handrem cheered.
“PRAISE THE ONES, SHE’S ALIVE! Elgrad, Arsha, we’ll have a feast ready for you when you get here!”
“Save the Victory Vice for when we save the Mid-realm from Skain,” urged Arsha. “We can’t have that slaver polluting the throne a second longer.”
“You’re right, we haven’t won yet.”
“We’ll set out once this call ends. Have a landing area ready for the Endeavor.”
“I’ll have to squeeze you in. The majority of Realmfleet ships ended up in the Mid-realm. We’ll be ready for your arrival. Handrem out.”
“Good luck, Handrem!” called Elgrad. The call ended and Arsha turned to Nazay.
“Nazay, take us through! Nice and easy!”
“Aye aye, Captain!” As the Endeavor moved forward, Bashoon grinned.
“Now that song’s REALLY appropriate,” she remarked. She then pounded her fist on the wall to set the rhythm. Once she pounded enough times, she started singing.
“There once was a ship flying through the skies
Bringing hope to war-weary eyes.
The war raged on, her weapons did fly,
Fight, ye warriors, fight!
Soon may the Endeavor come
To foil the last of Dr. Borg’s fun!
One day, when the fighting is done,
We’ll take our leave and go!” As she sang, morale all across the ship reached new heights when the crew saw that they were finally leaving the Over-realm.