Empyrean Iris Story Collection

Commander

Captain Vir stared out the window of UNSC headquarters watching as a mass crowd of people trickled onto the staging ground. His ship sat over the horizon, large, dark, and imposing, Christened the U.S.S Harbinger for all military purposes, though it would always have a different name in his heart. He had made it a point to paint over the U.S.S Stabby BEFORE landing back on Earth, and he was glad that he did. He wasn't sure how the president of the UN would have felt about the moniker dubbing a military vessel after a two thousand year old meme. When he came back for the ranking ceremony, he had assumed it would be a small affair in front of UNSC, GA, and military representatives. But it looked like most of North America had shown up to watch. The entire staging ground had been surrounded by towering stadiums.

He was already beginning to feel nauseous.

"Forgot to mention that we invited a few other people." Captain Vir turned around to find Vice Admiral Kelly standing behind him hands resting lightly behind her back in her ramrod straight uniform. Behind her stood another woman, tall, dark skinned, and grey with age but with hard steely eyes. He quickly snapped to attention, for the Fleet admiral. In recent years it had become necessary to fuse air-force and navy into one body. Sure they were flying, but they were using ships to do it, but Vir understood the meaning of Fleet Admiral as much as he knew the meaning of those five stars on her uniform.

"At ease." She commanded, and he feel into an at-ease position as easily as he would have during his days at the flight academy. They waved him down, and he turned back to the window, "A few people?"

A hand rested on his shoulder, and he looked up to find the Fleet Admiral standing next to him staring out the window, surveying the seen like a hawk or an eagle, "Captain, you are a folk hero at the forefront of a new age, ushering in changes that we have no experienced in thousands of years. At this moment in time you belong to the people weather you like the idea or not. Your success or failure may well be an indicator of the success or failure of humanity."

He felt the blood drain from his face. He was having sudden and aggressive doubts, "That's flattering, but I..... I'm not some folk hero. I'm not exceptionally brave, or smart, or... or anything else. I'm just lucky, and sometimes I'm...."

She held up a hand, "Captain, I said you were a folk hero not infallible. That Luck of yours may have ushered you here in a golden carriage, but now you have to prove to these people that you are worth something beyond that, so buck up and stop being modest....." She stepped in front of him and looked him in the eye. He reckoned she was actually a little taller than he was, and her personality was quite imposing, "Tell me captain, can you handle this assignment?"

He took a deep breath standing a little taller, "Yes, Admiral."

"And why?"

He paused, "Because I am the most experienced man on the fleet." She seemed to be waiting for something else. He took a shot in the dark, "And.... I am an excellent Captain."

The corner of her mouth twitched, "There it is. Now, down to the staging area with you. The ceremony is ready to commence." He did as told executing an immediate about face and almost crashing into a doorframe before scuttling, flustered out of the room. The warm flush on his face and the ringing in his ears was enough that he had trouble distinguishing if he heard a chuckle or not

It turned out he did, and behind him, the Fleet admiral was shaking her head in mild amusement as was the Vice Admiral. Captain Vir was a strange man. A good man, but a strange man.

***

Sunny was standing by the door when captain Vir came down with her clan of warriors. In one of her hands she held her mother's massive war staff, and she had clad herself in Drev ceremonial armor like her other counterparts. Captain Vir had to admit she looked very impressive, regal even, better than her mother had. Other members of his crew were there as well, but they would be reading themselves for the staging grounds. No one really knew where to put Sunny and her clan, so he had suggested a course of action.