$b GTD $b Nexus
$b 1 $b hour $b after $b Battle $b of $b Aeon $b XII


$b Miles: Well, well, if it isn't our defected Cerberus commander... Welcome back, Mairead. What brings you to the Nexus?

$b Nesbitt: You could just say that the Blindwind's hangarbay collapsed when it was hit by a Guali's bomb and so we landed on the Nexus to rearm and repair our fighters... but the main reason I'm here... is you... Or, more precisely, the promise you gave me aboard the Blindwind. A promise to finish our talk. 

$b Miles: Well... there's much to discuss. A lot has changed since we last talked. We were fighting for our lives, the Wolf's Fleet was in retreat from a besieged Spica. Now... we're going on the offensive. We finally have chance to beat our enemies and to end this war at long last. And we now know more about our opponents as well. 

$b Nesbitt: Yes, we do. Ever since Adrealon's speech was published, I began to see the Nightmares... differently.

$b Miles: Wait. You saw it? How? 

$b Nesbitt: Yes. One more advantage of joining the Wolf's Fleet. I was allowed to watch the video.

$b Miles: And? What's your conclusion? 

$b Nesbitt: I'm not trying to justify their invasion on the Wolf's Group, Miles, but I see their point of view. They lost everything. They lost their entire civilization, their mighty empire. They became the Nightmares as they saw no other way to stand against the Shivans. Now vengeance is their only purpose. And it's the only way they know how to live now. 

$b Miles: When all you have is still not enough...

$b Nesbitt: Precisely.

$b Miles: I saw the video as well. And I started to have doubts. I wonder if this entire war wasn't a result of a... misunderstanding. Or rather a plot created by Ovadiah. The Nightmares don't need to be our enemies. They're trying to find a way to meet the Shivans once again. They could be our allies. 

$b Nesbitt: What i am sure of is that Ovadiah made a deal with the Nightmares. He needed them as much as they needed him. He allowed the Nightmares to return to the Milky Way. He gave them the Wolf's Group as a tribute.

$b Miles: But what does he expect in return?

$b Nesbitt: I don't know, Miles, I don't know. But I'd really like to. You've been to Andromeda. What was it like?

$b Miles: It was a graveyard. Hundreds of hulks, huge cities burned to the ground. Once living proof of the power of Ancient civilization. I felt a great sense of sadness seeing that. And I believe the same sadness is what drives the Nightmare on their quest for vengeance. 

$b Nesbitt: I heard you'd fought very bravely in the battle. You and your wingmen survived a real swarm of the Nightmare fighters and cruisers with no casualties. 

$b Miles: You embarrass me, Mairead... We had to deliver the cipher and that's what we did. Nothing no other pilot couldn't have done. We accomplished the mission and that allowed the truth to be revealed.

$b Nesbitt: Nathan?

$b Miles: Yes?

$b Nesbitt: You impress me. When I was watching your career in the Wolf's Fleet I saw how great a mistake joining Cerberus was. Remember our last fight in Spica? I wanted to get out of the warzone and hide in Delta Majoris, nothing more. But a single pilot, a squadron leader, said: We're not leaving, there are civilian convoys that need our protection. So we followed him. We fought side by side with him and his squadron. 

$b Miles: Mai, I just...

$b Nesbitt: No, Miles. It was you. You and nobody else. You've shown us another way to serve humanity. A way not marked with death and destruction, but honour and sacrifice. 

$b Miles: Well, I... thank you, Mai, No one has ever said something like that to me before... I feel... appreciated... not just as a squadron leader, but as a man.

$b Grizzly: Hey, Miles! I just wanted to let you know that... Oh, hey, redhead! Anyone told you that you have beautiful big... you know... eyes!

$b Miles: Grizzly, didn't anyone teach you how to knock?

$b Grizzly: Ok, sorry, Commander. Bye. Have fun!

$b Miles: Idiot...

$b Nesbitt: No, Miles... he's very kind... he just... tends to be... a bit... slow-witted.

$b Miles: Well, I got used to it. But he's got lots of qualities, including one that's special.

$b Nesbitt: And that is?

$b Miles: He knows when I agree with him.

$b Nesbitt: And do you agree with him now?

$b Miles: Oh, well, you... have beautiful eyes... and...

$b Nesbitt: Do you think Greene may have a mission for you in the next hour?

$b Miles: He may... 

$b Nesbitt: So we have to make it quick, let's say, half an hour. Calm down and relax, Nathan. I want the next half an hour to be ours alone...

$b Miles: Ok... this is going to be the most interesting of my missions aboard the Nexus...