If any of them had helped to rescue the man he was currently standing beside.

“It really is something,” Calvin Fender whispered.

He had shown up not long after Kat left. The reunion had been marked by tears and running noses and awkward pauses mixed with apologies and we-can-talk-about-that-laters. He told his boys how proud he was of them. He brought chocolate bars, one for each of them, breaking off pieces for Leo as if he were a toddler incapable of feeding himself. While they indulged, Dr. Fender caught them up on all that was happening. How the UPE was investigating the attacks from five years ago. How the Djarik were still menacing other allied planets across the galaxy. How the Aykari were threatening strong sanctions if Earth choose to sever ties and leave the Coalition—though there were already rumors that Aykari High Command was willing to cut their losses with humanity and just let the planet fend for itself. You don’t hang on to the empty carton once the milk is gone, after all. You toss it and go get another.

Leo’s father told them that it would take time. Time for humans to reconsider their place in the universe. To reevaluate their commitment to the Coalition. To figure out how best to rebuild their world . . . especially now that all the ventasium was gone. “But at least we have that chance,” he said, looking dead on at Leo. “At least we still have a planet to rebuild.”

And here they stood, the three of them together, staring at it.

“When does our shuttle leave, again?” Gareth asked.

Their father took up Leo’s wrist and glanced at his watch, which seemed to be working just fine now, no more glitches, no more Searching. . . . “Three hours,” he said. “Though we still have to pack.”

“I’m packed already, as you can see,” Gareth said, indicating the clothes he was wearing with a sweep of his hands.

“Me too,” Leo said, holding up the stuffed rabbit, recently christened Copperfield, wincing only slightly from the effort.

Dr. Fender grunted. “I suppose I’m all packed too. Somehow we’re coming back with even less than we left with.”

But still with everything we need, Leo thought.

They stood like that for a moment, Leo glued to one side, Gareth leaning against the other, their father’s arms around them both. Leo noticed his father’s cheeks were sunken, his hair streaked with gray, his expression pinched. He suddenly seemed so fragile. So much so that Leo wondered if he and his brother weren’t the ones holding him up.

Dr. Fender sighed deeply. “You know, I had this dream once,” he began. “A whole galaxy brought together, everyone able to come and go as they please. No borders. No sides to pick. Everyone sharing their knowledge, their technology, their art, music, history, culture. No more fighting. No more power struggles. Just everyone working together to make the universe a better place.”

“Sounds like a good dream,” Gareth said.