Honor Harrington felt herself returning to consciousness slowly,
but eventually the slim brown haired young woman stirred slightly in the
comfortable bed. She opened her eyes, blinking a bit sleepily, then
those brown eyes widened in honest surprise as she took in her
surroundings.
The chamber that she lay in was enormous, stretching off into
the distance impossibly far. All around her advanced medical equipment
was set up, and her skin had an odd dampness to it, almost as if she had
been out swimming.
"I see you're awake," the voice said as the redheaded woman
dressed up in a nurse's uniform walked towards her. It was her height
that had kept Honor from recognizing Washu immediately, the normally
tiny woman standing well over five feet.
"Washu," Honor blinked, trying to get her thoughts in order.
"You're aboard the Washu's Revenge," Washu said cheerfully as
she checked a screen floating in the air beside Honor's bed, "we brought
you here when we found out that ordinary regeneration methods didn't
work on you."
Honor's eyes widened as memory rushed back, trying to push
herself up as she said, "The Queen and Ryouko, are they...?"
"They're fine," Washu reassured her as she touched a few keys,
nodding in satisfaction, "and both of them are very grateful."
"I'm glad they're all right," Honor sighed.
"Before I forget," Washu said, "thank you for saving my
daughter." She smiled slightly as she continued, "I just finished doing
the last scans, your shoulder wound is fine." She offered Honor her hand
and asked, "Shall we go?"
Honor took it, mildly surprised by the strength Washu showed as
she easily tugged Honor to her feet. "I hope the attack didn't delay the
signing," she frowned, noticing that she was just wearing a skimpy
hospital gown.
"Your Queen was right," Washu smiled back slightly as she gently
steadied Honor, "she said that you'd not want it to be delayed. Basilisk
is now officially part of Manticore and you all get to call Ryouko your
Empress."
They fell into step together across the black, glossy floor as
Honor noted with a smile, "From what I've seen the Empress may have the
harder time adapting."
"You may be right," Washu agreed, opening up a locker door that
seemed to appear from nowhere. She pulled out a Basilisk uniform and
passed it to Honor, "A replacement for your damaged one, it should fit."
"Thanks," Honor said, pulling on the uniform gratefully. Washu
watched curiously as she changed, a slight smile teasing her lips.
"What?" Honor asked, adjusting her uniform cap.
"I was just thinking of our ships being manned by crews in those
uniforms," Washu admitted. She had shrunk when Honor wasn't looking,
turning back to the redhead that was nearer to a young girl than a grown
woman.
"We'll all get used to it," Honor smiled slightly, finishing off
with tightening her tie. She smiled at Washu as she added, "I have to
admit I'm looking forward to serving aboard your ships."
"Serving," Washu raised an eyebrow as she opened a door out into
the ship with a wave of her hand, "not commanding?"
"I'd like that too," Honor admitted as they went into the
brightly lit hall, Washu leading the way, "but I'm barely senior enough
to command a Basilisk ship. I have no idea how I'll rank in the merged
fleet that we'll be creating."
"Maybe," was Washu's simple answer. The two reached an unmarked
door that she opened as Washu added, "You have a few friends waiting."
"Honor!" Michelle was up from her chair like a shot, running
across the room to throw her arms around her. Nimitz leapt from her
shoulder over to Honor's even as he scolded his human loudly, the three
of them reunited once more. Michelle eased up finally, her eyes
glistening with tears as the dusky skinned woman said, "Don't do
anything that stupid again, please."
"I'll try," Honor murmured, shaken by her friend's tears,
wishing that she wasn't the cause for them yet feeling oddly
complimented, too.
"Try hard," Ryouko said, the blue haired woman walking towards
where they stood. Instinctively Honor tried to kneel but she stopped her
with a gentle hand on the shoulder, "None of that, please. And no
calling me 'Empress' please, just Ryouko."
"But...." Honor blurted.
"Let it go," Michelle quietly advised with a impish smile, still
keeping a tight grip on Honor. She smiled slightly, "I know that
Elizabeth does the same for her friends and advisors."
"I don't know if that man could have killed me," Ryouko
admitted, "but you put your life on the line for me." Seriously she
continued, "I won't forget that, not now, not ever."
Poor Honor's face went bright red at that, her mouth hanging
open as she tried to find something intelligent to say.
"That goes for me as well," Minagi said from where Ryouko's
scarred twin casually sat on a nearby couch, "I know my life would be
boring without my big sister around."
Ryouko studied Honor a moment, a slight smile on her face. "We
won't embarrass you any more," she said gently, "let's get you updated,
instead."
"Washu said we're on your ship?" Honor asked.
"Yes," Ryouko agreed as she led them to seats, "when we found
out that you were resistant to regeneration we brought you up here for
treatment."
"It took about a day," Washu said from the float chair she was
perched in, "but I finished patching you up as well as giving you a
complete physical."
"How complete?" Michelle suspiciously asked as they settled into
their seats, the other woman still refusing to let go of Honor's arm.
Washu smirked, "Why? Wondering if I took vids?"
"Myah," Ryo-ohki scolded Washu, the cute little cabbit sitting
curled up in her lap.
Ryouko chuckled softly at that then she looked at Honor and
said, "We're already talking to your admiralty about integrating our
forces."
Minagi looked visibly amused as she said, "About half of your
commanders are happily cooperating, the other half are stonewalling."
Honor groaned softly. "High-Ridge, I'd bet on it," she muttered
softly. She tilted her head to the side, "Go over their heads if you
have to, I know the Queen will step on them firmly if necessarily."
"Actually I went to the next meeting myself," Ryouko smirked,
"the objections trailed off quite nicely, thank you."
There was a soft thump, and Honor blinked in surprise. "Looks
like the shuttle landed," Washu noted cheerfully.
"We're on a shuttle?" Honor blinked, looking around the
comfortable room in surprise. "I never even felt the artificial gravity
shift...."
Ryouko lead the way out of the room and down a set of steps to a
small landing pad that Honor didn't instantly recognize. There were only
a few figures waiting for them on the edge of the pad, the palace of
Basilisk rising up behind them. They walked towards the group, Honor
looking around her in honest confusion.
"This is the Queen's private landing," Michelle explained.
"Honor," Queen Elizabeth looked at her intently a moment then
the dusky woman smiled, "you're looking much better than when I last saw
you."
"My Queen," Honor tried to kneel again when the Queen stopped
her, a gentle hand resting on her arm as she smiled gently.
"You didn't tell her, cousin?" Elizabeth looked at Michelle with
a raised eyebrow.
"I didn't have the chance," Michelle smiled. She looked at
Honor, "The palace has this entrance so that the Queen can avoid the
typical formalities that a public appearance require."
"Manticore doesn't have that sort of tradition," Ryouko smirked.
"Don't gloat," Washu scolded her daughter.
Elizabeth fought back a smile, the group walking inside as they
talked softly. "Try not to panic," Michelle murmured softly.
"I'll try," Honor sighed.
"You really scared me, you know," Michelle slipped her hand into
Honor's once again, squeezing it gently.
Honor blushed a bit under that warm gaze, looking away shyly.
"I'll try not to do that again," she answered quietly.
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