Dylan strode down the corridor, eyes bright with restrained happiness. Grasped lightly in his left hand, the force lance hung loosely secure in his grasp. Beside him, Raa strode, stride for stride. Together they flowed into a matched step with all the precision of doing it for years. Together side by side they stepped onto the bridge.

* * *

Rommie stared around Dylan’s living quarters. Drones 312, 314, clean up everything except the dining area. 313 come with me. Rommie walked over and examined the debris of the dinner. It was no different from any other dinner date that Dylan had had except usually those dinner dates were with Gaheris or Sarah. Examining the leftovers, she finally chose some half-eaten milsi stalks, the wineglasses, and the linen napkins. Silently directing 313 to gently store the samples, she turned and led the way out of the Captain’s quarter. A parting direction for the other two drones to finish cleaning and return to their alcoves, she led 313 to the BioSci lab.

* * *

"What is it, Tyr?" Dylan demanded, as Raa took his place at a station behind Tyr.

"On Screen now, Captain." Tyr replied.

Positioning himself in his normal point, he looked up as the star view disappeared and the startling blue face of an alien appeared. Taking a moment, Dylan examined the face on the screen. Short blue fur covered the entire face, a small foxlike muzzle projected from the center of the face and small, white, sharp teeth showed when the alien grinned. The alien in the front had its hair dyed a light lavender reaching from the crown of its head to its nape. "Identify yourself or be destroyed."

"I am Captain Dylan Hunt of the Commonwealth Starship Andromeda Ascendant and you are the Valu."

That toothy mouth opened again, "Yes, Captain Hunt, welcome. We had to make sure it was you. When we contacted you earlier, a... Nietzschean answered."

"Yes, Tyr, my Tactical Officer."

"You have a Nietzschean as your Tactical Officer?" The Valu questioned.

"Yes, two Nietzscheans, one is my Tactical Officer, the other is my Navigator and Resource Officer." Dylan answered, his grip tightening on the force lance.

"Well... we see, Captain, one moment please." The Valu turned to its crew. Soft growls whispered through the air. Finally a sharp bark ended the discussion and the Valu turned back. "You are trying to reestablish the Commonwealth, yes?"

"Yes."

"And this Second Commonwealth... would be, as the first, justice for all... including the Nietzscheans?"

"Of course. The Commonwealth always gave a second chance. In fact it was this forgiveness that startled the Nietzscheans into attacking. They didn’t want the Magog to be allowed membership into the Commonwealth. However, if we listen to their reasons and apply them to the Nietzscheans themselves, they not only wouldn’t be allowed to join the Commonwealth, but we would hunt them down. That goes against everything the Commonwealth ever stood for. When we reestablish the Commonwealth it will be justice for all. Nietzschean, Magog, Valu, Humans, Vedrans, Perseids, even Nightsiders. Justice, not vengeance, justice for all." Dylan stated.

"I see, Captain... We are the starship, Brkisom. On board is a delegation from the Valu, we would like to join the Second Commonwealth."

"Well... yeah... sure. Do you want to come over to the Andromeda?"

"We would be honored." The Valu bowed and the star view returned.

Dylan turned towards Tyr, "You did good, Tyr."

* * *

Rommie looked at the results in amazement. "Rolf."

"Yes, Andromeda?" Rolf appeared on the main screen of the BioSci Lab.

"Gavain Raa is Gaheris Rhade."

"Oh."

* * *

"Raa, you have the bridge. Tyr, come with me." Dylan turned and walked off expecting Tyr to follow him, "Since you were the first to talk to them, I thought you would like to meet them. You have enough time to get dressed. I’ll meet you outside docking bay 12, ok?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Good. Personally I think an ivory shirt will bring out your eyes." Dylan said before he went off to shower and freshen up for the Valu’s visit.

* * *

"Rolf, who would clone Gaheris Rhade? I know where they got the material. Every Nietzschean who devotes their life to living on a ship leaves some genetic material on a planet. Usually their home planet. And then it begs the question, why? Why did they clone... Gaheris? And why was he planted here?"

"I don’t know Andromeda, but I do know we must just find a way to protect Dylan."

* * *

Tyr turned as Dylan’s footsteps came closer. He was dressed in dark brown leather pants, topped with a cream shirt, over it was his usual mail shirt. His force lance hung from is belt. Dark leather half gloves covered his palms. His braids were held back with a cream leather tie.

"About time you got here, they’re docking." Tyr pressed the doorplate. As he turned, Dylan saw Andromeda’s emblem attached to the center of the leather hair tie.

"Well then, let’s go." Dylan said. Walking up behind Tyr, he tapped Tyr on the shoulder. Tyr turned towards him. Dylan kissed him lightly, "Come on, Tactical Officer Anasazi." Taking his hand, Dylan walked forward just as the Valu opened their ship.

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