His worries proved to be groundless a moment later, when the gleaming white ship settled in for a feather-light landing, its lights flashing in a pattern he didn’t know as its reactors powered down.

Above the orbiter, two sleek and lethal-looking fighters hovered in what the admiral was certain was meant to be every bit as menacing a display as it appeared. The nose of each fighter was actually pivoting the barrel of a rather large weapon, giving the craft an angry appearance as it swept over the field.

His eyes were torn from the fighters as the orbiter lowered a plank to the ground and two figures in armor that matched Ithan Chans’s marched down and took up positions on either side. Only then did he see his first unarmored human from the Odyssey, though Tanner supposed he hadn’t seen many armored ones, for that matter.

Two men stepped down next, one wearing a white uniform that matched the gleaming surface of the orbiter, while the other wore a more utilitarian dark blue. Admiral Tanner was suddenly conscious of his own uniform, which was the same as every other member of the Colonial Merchant Exploration Fleet.

He threw back his shoulders to match the stance of the man in white.

“Captain Weston?”

Weston looked down at the man he recognized as Admiral Tanner. He hadn’t realized just how small the man was over the screen, and it was a surprise that he stood nearly two heads taller than the admiral. He didn’t let the emotion or expression cross his face, however, and stopped with a click of his boots on the obsidian surface, throwing a textbook salute. Beside the admiral, still in her powered armor, Milla stood quietly. He nodded once to her, but focused his attention on the smaller man standing before him.

“Admiral.” He held the form for several seconds, then dropped the salute and nodded gravely. “I’m pleased to meet you, sir.”

“No more than I,” Tanner said. “I…My world, we all owe you a debt. Anything you ask, I am certain we can work something out.”

“For the moment, Admiral, I’ll settle for some O-two to top off our supplies and a little help with repairs, if you can,” Weston replied. “In the long term…Well, I would appreciate if your people gave consideration to sending a representative with the Odyssey when we return home.”

“As to repairs and O…two?” Tanner frowned. “I’m sure something can be worked out…once I know what O-two is.”

Weston smiled involuntarily, shaking his head as he tapped the link on his jaw. “These damn things mess up the oddest words. O-two is oxygen. We lost some of our air during the battle.”

“Ah, air.” Tanner smiled. “That, I believe, we can provide in plenty. Next, as to a representative, I will have to pass that along to the council. However, I believe that you may be assured that it will be given…a most serious consideration.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Weston replied.