Test of Faith - Epilogue

Test of Faith - Epilogue

CCS Ilsa Hyung

Styk System

Capellan Confederation

1 August, 3075

     Faith was awake, but did not open her eyes. She had already woken up several times before, and she started to find that waking up to look at the clock only served to make time pass more slowly as she lay in bed in the medical bay of the Capellan Warship Ilsa Hyung. She knew that Acadia was there watching, but she did not move or give any sign that she knew. She just lay back and relaxed. After a few minutes, she heard Acadia turn and begin to leave.

     "Not so fast, kiddo," her voice was still somewhat weak, but it had improved. She opened her eyes in time to see her daughter turn and return to her bedside, taking hold of her left hand.

     "Hey mom, how are you doing?"

     Faith grimaced. "I think somehow every part of my body hurts right now, all at once. But I'll survive. How are you?"

     Her daughter smiled. "Fine. We're still about 12 hours from the next jump. At least a couple weeks from Sian."

     She squeezed her hand. "It will be good to get back to everyone." Acadia looked down as Faith mentioned returning. "You are mad at your father, arent you?"

     The younger woman pursed her lips. "No."

     Faith sighed. "Not only are you a lousy liar kiddo, but remember who you're talking to here. I was the queen of being pissed off at your age." She paused for a moment. "You should cut him some slack."

     Acadia tensed. "Why? Why the hell shouldn't I be mad at him?! He was going to do nothing, he was just going to leave you to whatever those crazies wanted to do to you. He didn't even give a damn."

     At that point, Faith cut her daughter off. "Knock it off. Your father and I have been fighting beside one another longer than you have been alive. Don't tell me he didn't give a damn, because I know him better than that. And you, for someone who did such a selfless thing, risking it all, you are being damned selfish when it comes to your father."

     Acadia gave a huff in response. "Selfish? How do you figure that one?"

     "Your dad and I are the best of friends. We have been through hell and back together. Don't you think for one second that he didn't want to come after me, that it wasn't tearing him up that he couldn't. But he couldn't. Sometimes it's about more than one person. It's about the unit, and the people in the unit. How was he supposed to go to the husbands and wives and kids of the people who would have died coming after me and tell them, sorry, but your loved one was less important than me getting one person back. Tell me that."

     Acadia stood in frustrated silence.

     "And then on top of that, he has to deal with his only child being mad at him for making the only choice he could. How do you think it made him feel letting you go off on a suicide mission, knowing that what was probably the last time he would see you that you were hating him? How do you think that felt for him?"

     The young woman flailed her arms wildly. "He didn't even know. He wouldn't have let me go, I had to go on my own."

     Faith raised her hand. "Bull. You think he didn't know the whole time that you were going to do what you did? Why do you think Cat agreed to come along with you? How do you think you guys found out about the CCAF raid timing? How do you think there was a shuttle with Death Commandos waiting to extract you guys? Just like he couldn't choose to go himself, he knew he couldn't choose to stop you if you were determined. So he let you come after me because he knew you had to for your own sake, and he risked losing you because of it. And you are mad at him after all that? So yeah, you are being selfish."

     Acadia stared at the floor for several minutes in stubborn silence. "Look, I'm sorry. This whole thing has just been insane, that's all.

     "I understand, kiddo. But you did great. I owe you everything."

     Acadia smiled. "Nah. You brought me into the world, the least I could do is keep you around in it for a few more years, right?"

     "Well, when you put it that way...Now, go on. Get out of here. Let this old lady get some sleep. I have to get back into ass-kicking shape"