Terran Alliance: The Odyssey

Chapter 15- Til We Meet Again

Chapter 15- Til We Meet Again

(July 28, 2041)

In the town square of New Callistan's capitol, a massive gathering is being held. Today is the day that the Hood is finally departing from New Callistan to resume her original mission in the Unknown Regions.

When the news had been flashed across New Callistan and among the crew, it had, as expected, caused a lot of sorrow amongst the crew and the Callistans. As expected, the news of the crew having to leave behind their new home and friends had been very difficult to deal with.

Pellaeon had had to record a message for the entire crew of the Hood, explaining what was happening, with the Hood leaving to resume its original mission. However, one thing he had made explicitly clear was that any crew member who had a family here on New Callistan would be free to stay behind on the planet with their family, though with the option of eventually being brought back to Earth if the Hood can find the way back to the known galaxy. At the same time, anyone who wanted to continue the mission who had a family would be able to bring their family along aboard the Hood.

Within 48 hours of the message going out, a full accounting of the crew and their intentions had been compiled. Of the around 14,000 crew of the Hood and 21,000 soldiers from the embarked Army units, around 2,300 crew and a thousand soldiers had decided to stay on New Callistan with their families. However, the rest of the crew who had families were cleared to bring their spouses and children aboard the ship. The spouses and older children would even help operate the ship during its travels by assisting with the easier, less specialized tasks aboard. Thankfully, with the number of crew and soldiers who had died during the battle with the Eclipse and the number of droids who had been destroyed in the battle or shut down since to make room, there was room enough for the families to come aboard.

For the last few days, the Hood and its crew and the people of New Callistan had been preparing for the Hood's departure. The Hood had been loaded up with food supplies to sustain the crew and the families for months. Any additional supplies needed were loaded aboard as the engineers worked triple time to get the final repairs to the hyperdrive completed and fully refuel the hyperdrive and the reactor. Now, the Hood is fully repaired. The only thing that could not be repaired was her communication systems. But she is fully mission capable and ready to resume her mission.

The crew and soldiers have all gathered in the capitol city to allow those who are going to bid goodbye to their comrades who are staying behind, and to allow the Callistans to bid goodbye to the crew of the Hood. The Callistans were very sorrowful to know that their saviors who had come to their rescue all those years ago and saved them from annihilation were finally leaving them.

In the main square, Admiral Pellaeon is watching the crewmen staying behind and their families exchanging goodbyes with those who were going. Many emotional handshakes and embraces are being exchanged, and there are definitely tears flowing. At the same time, Lord Sharlin and some of the Callistan leaders have also been making their way through the crowds of crewmen, bidding them all goodbye. In the streets surrounding the town square, more goodbyes are going on as well as civilians celebrating the Hood and its crew as a farewell gesture.

At last, Sharlin and his fellow leaders approach Pellaeon, who is standing on the steps of the Council Building with Ronen, Strickland, and Shevchenko. As Sharlin approaches them, Pellaeon can see genuine emotion on the face of the Callistan leader.

Sharlin comes to Pellaeon first of all. He reaches out and clasps Pellaeon on the shoulder, a gesture that Pellaeon returns. The two men smile at each other before Sharlin says, "Admiral Pellaeon, you have been a good friend for 16 years. We are eternally grateful for all you have done for our people. Whether you are able to return here one day or not, just know that you will always be a friend to us. We will miss you greatly, my friend."