Disclaimer: Joss, Fox, Universal Own em’. I’m just playing. No money being made. The situations come from my own twisted mind as do my original characters.

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AN: Getting closer to the end of the arc folks. I'm guessing two or three more to finish this up.

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Quest - Chapter Twenty Six

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It was getting late. Simon and Jack had been working on Sylvia nearly four hours. Twice, Sherri had entered Tranquility's infirmary for nearly half an hour to assist. The second time, returning with an additional nurse from Navajo's medical staff. Later, a runner had brought three units of whole blood from the destroyer's supplies.

On Admiral Henderson's orders. Captain Suzuki had called in a disaster relief team from Aberdeen to handle the newly freed slaves. They would arrive in ten hours.

Monty's crew, along with Jesse Cobb had been relived of their guard duties by Navajo's Marine detachment.

As for the Admiral himself. He sat on a crate outside of the infirmary while Simon and Jack did their work. His once impeccable uniform, ragged and dirty from the battle. He stared at the door to Simon's domain. Praying for the best but accepting that the worst might happen.

He looked across to the sofa. Derick Marsh sat there, head back asleep. His girlfriend, Rachel Cobb tucked up to his side. Melissa was similarly asleep in the big recliner. The rest of the crew were either napping in their quarters or waiting impatiently in the galley. Mal made an appearance every twenty minutes or so.

Steven sighed. If things had worked out. Derick might have been his stepson. Instead, he had let his career get in the way of his happiness. He had been the one to break off the relationship that had bloomed between himself and Sylvia.

Now he was a Rear Admiral. Chief of the Bureau of Ships. Essentially the Chief Engineer for the entire Alliance fleet.

He'd trade it all to save Sylvia's life.

Steve nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand came down on his shoulder, “Steve?”

The officer looked