	*I think I'm going to be sick.*

	Those were the only words to pass through Veronica's mind.  The doors to the flag officer medical bay on board the GTM Delores hissed open and it was a sight very much similar to any medical bay in the entire fleet.  What was spread out before her eyes was proof that no one was beyond the reach of the Shivans, even admirals.  Some of the patients weren't even recognizable as human beings any more, some kept alive purely by artificial means.

	*And this is what they look like after they've been stabilized.  I must be one of the only flag officers left in the fleet that got out more or less untouched.*

	Her left arm was broken in three places, and she had more cuts and bruises than she'd care to count.  Believe it or not, that was considered to be more or less untouched.

	*Karl's in here somewhere.*

	She walked down the centre row, passing by clusters of instruments that were keeping people she called friends alive.  Commodore Jahlani Boparai, a brave soldier that would never breath with her own lungs again because of inhaling dense toxic fumes.  Captain Christopher Sinclair, he managed to save his corvette along with a handful of survivors but suffered third degrees burns to over ninety percent of his body, he wasn't expected to survive the night, but here he is two days later.  Colonel Kirsta Brenden who boarded an entire regiment of marines into a Ravana, planted explosions, got out and blew the Ravana into oblivion all while fighting with a fractured vertebrae, she'll never walk again.

	Then Veronica arrived at the person she came to see.  Commodore Karl Wittman took the GTD Illustrious and her battle group against another Shivan battle group of double the strength and emerged victorious.  However, as important as his victory was, the entire front end of the Illustrious was now caved in from ramming a Demon and would require extensive repair before she be consider combat worthy again.  Karl was in the same situation as his ship, beat up and absolutely out of active duty.

	She gently touched his hand, just to see if he was awake.  His closed eyes fluttered opened and he smiled.  She could tell that his smile was taking a great deal of conscious effort.

	"You look like shit." she said bluntly.

	"I feel like it." he spoke in a raspy voice.

	Veronica sat down in the chair beside his bed.  She took a glance at his vitals, noticing that they were all normal and sighed in relief.

	"How's my ship?"

	Ever the officer.  "Karl, your ship has seen better days.  Right now she's being held together with duct tape and good intentions."

	"And my crew?"

	"Good intentions, remember?  You trained them well.  Your first officer is still insisting that the Illustrious should be put on blockade detail.  Brahms even had to threaten him with relief of command before he'd shut up."

	"I take it that Drake shut his mouth after that?"

	Veronica laughed.  "At least to admiral at any rate."

	There was a long silence after that one.  Karl closed his eyes, but she knew that he was still listening, waiting for her to say something again.

	"Nothing has come out of the node since the GVD Sokar made transit.  That was a day ago.  We've detect some power signature in this system and we've sent out scouts.  We haven't a clue as to what they are, too weak to get a confirmation.  I'll let you know when we find out."

	Veronica stood up, patted Karl's hand reassuringly and walked away.

	Karl looked up and spoke as loud as he could.  "Don't do anything I wouldn't!"

	She stopped, looked at him and cast a mischievous smile.  "Don't say that too loudly.  The crew of the Eternity might hear you and then I'll never get anyone to work in the bow section ever again."

	They both laughed, and it felt good.  It had been far too long since they had had a good honest laugh.