Gone

42.

Once Stone is cleared she returns to the base with her unit as the new units that arrive take over the aftermath of the humanists. Stone spends her new found freedom staring off into space.

"I know we aren't friends, but I need a women's advice." Leo jumps when she sees Amoura laying on the sofa.

"How about three?" Leo's friends walk in after her and Stone nods.

"I'm not the romantic type nor do I believe in going to heaven and hell for a person in general, much less for someone your sleeping with, but if you find someone who is worth it would you still keep the same limits?" Amoura asks them as they all settle in.

"Well first off is that all you see him as? The man your sleeping with." Leo speaks up first.

"No. He's more than that, I just don't want it to be." They sigh.

"So then it depends if he's worth the risk. Would you rather live your life without him?" Leo's friend, Rai hands out her opinion.

"No, I wouldn't, but I don't want to be Commander either." Stone blurts out.

"What?!" Leo blurts out so Stone explains everything to them.

"What are you going to do?" Lamp Rouse the third friend asks.

"I have no idea but taking a command like that just to be with a guy seems selfish, and irresponsible. But it also seems like I'm avoiding being with him and that's not it."

Stone looks at them as she slouches deeper into the sofa, "are you avoiding being with him?" Leo asks her.

"Stone are you avoiding taking the position just so you don't have to confront your feelings for him?" Stone sits up.

"I'm not avoiding my feelings I know how I feel about him, I always had, even when I didn't like it. That's not the issue the issue is I don't want the position because I don't want to in Command of so many people."

"So you're passing up a promotion you earned because you're afraid? Is that really the way to live Stone?" Rai asks her as Stone grows more confusion.

"Don't reject the job because you're afraid of it's responsibilities but take it because you believe you earned to be at the top." Stone looks at them as that comment clears her head.

"So Captain it is," Amoura clears up.

"Stone!" All three call her out.

"I honestly don't believe I've earned the title. I honestly don't see any qualifying markers. I don't know who'd be crazy enough to recommend me. Not only that what if I screw up and get people killed?" Stone asks.

"What if you succeed and make the S.I.D.O better? You'll never know unless you try. And just because you have better control in a six men team doesn't mean you'll be able to keep them all alive."

"With my luck, that won't happen," She gets up and returns to her room and ponders what to do next. Amoura never planned to stay away from home this long.

Its been about four and a half years since she left home, Amoura pulls the box of things she collected from the housing apartments in Canada. She opens the gifts, a bracelet full of miniature weapons, with the inscription, 'these are what weapons look like,' on the inside.

A cookbook of the pastries Luna knew how to make, "nice try Luna but I don't think I'll ever be good at cooking." Stone mutters as she continues going through the gifts.

A painting was done by Lee, its Stone looking at the full moon, with longing in her eyes and a wolf in the forest below.

A little robot from Roy along with a phone that disables frequency boxes. A chess board and all its pieces carved from wood made by Cullen. Pure silver daggers, with decorative sterling silver hilts from Wisokey.