In the End by Seanchaidh February 28, 1998 "And in the end, the love you make, Is equal to the love you take." -The Beatles, "The End" from "Abbey Road" The paperwork said that there just wasn't any real reason to keep the millennia old ship around. There were plenty of battlestars in the fleet, with more on the way. Why keep a ship that had more scars on it than a asteroid- pelted moon? Those who served on the ship knew the reason. Legend. There were more histories, myths, stories, and superstitions attached to the ancient vessel than anything else, and the officers knew that. They respected it, and they felt honored as they walked her decks, knowing that the great had once walked there before. Even so, the orders went through. The aging behemoth was to be put to rest; given an honorable decommissioning worthy of a craft of her status. Unlike most other ships, she wouldn't be used for scrap; doing that would only incite bad fortune upon whatever the parts might be used for. Instead, it was decided to give the ship an end that would befit her legend. The yahren was 7852, and the Battlestar _Galactica_ had come to end of her journey. Put on an auto-pilot, and a huge fleet gathered about her, waiting for the ceremony. It was like saying good-bye to a beloved grandmother, who had spoiled and loved her grandchildren like nothing else. Tears were shed by all those who were attending the ceremony, some because they had served aboard her; others because a piece of their history and of themselves was being laid to rest. Prayers were said, in all the religions, and all the languages. Speeches were made, dedications, and then, finally, with a grandiose farewell echoed by everyone, the ship was sent on her way. Slowly, the _Galactica_ made her way toward the sun, alone on her final voyage. She was empty of living beings, but her decks and quarters were filled the memories of the millions who had served aboard her during her lifetime; faces of men and women, some of them remembered, most forgotten. Her bridge was dimly lit, a stillness settling over the stations and equipment that wasn't even disturbed by the dull vibrations of the thrusters that had accompanied her movements since the first time she left the orbiting building yards around Virgon's industrial moon. The sound was her heartbeat, and as long as it continued, she was still alive. If a ship could feel loneliness, then the _Galactica_ did as she traveled. Never before had she been without human occupation, the warriors whose lives she'd protected while taking them to and from battles; the small "city" she housed when the Colonies were taken. The loneliness was unbearable, from the depths of her deserted bays, to the abandoned quarters and labs, to the solitary celestial dome on the top of her hull. The feeling permeated her decks, and she cried out not to be left alone on her journey. Somewhere, someone listened. She became aware that the ship wasn't truly empty; she wasn't alone. On her bridge, and all other parts of the ship, her ethereal escorts took their stations, guided by the love of the ship who had protected them during their lives decades, centuries, before. Their faces were a blur, the combination of the dozens, even hundreds who had served at the position in question. They went about their duties; they worked at their stations, in their labs, in the bays. Time stretched to an eternity as they made the preparations. Fighters, models long outdated and long ago destroyed, sat in the launch bays, their pilots ready to catapult into space to accompany her. On the command deck, supervising the proceedings, were the commanders, the dozens of men and women who had guided her from the very first yahren. Great individuals, few aware of the legacy they were passing down. Adama, Tigh, Apollo... and countless others. Their names were memorized in history, their deeds the subject of legend. Very slowly, the bridge brightened as she neared the sun. The intense light cut through the blended figures, but they held fast, determined to make it through to the end. The commanding figure at the top gave the order, and multiples of fighters launched, and squadrons commanders gave the order to take up positions. The _Galactica_ watched as the fighters took up their spots about her, their lithe transparent bodies joining her on the last part of the journey. The whispers of the pilots were heard over the comlines, words and sentences overlapping into a steady comforting stream. They gave their laughter; their love. Ahead of them lay the sun, its compact sphere waiting; its writhing fingers reaching out to greet her. How many before her had met ends that looked like that? Fiery, instantaneously gone. In the depth of the helium and hydrogen, the faint outlines of sister ships, long gone, beckoning for her to join them at long last. But was she ready? She could feel her hull ache, the warmth making her feel comfortable for the first time in a long time; even so, she felt reluctant. There was so much to do; who would keep those who were left behind safe? Infinity continued to be stretched out as all the occupants seemed to turn to watch her; their multitudes of eyes, showing the compassion at her doubts and indecision, waiting for her. The murmurs over the comline quieted, the officers paused. All were silent, expectant for her decision. The heat increased on her hull, and she could see the other battlestars, more distinct than ever. She found herself moving toward them, feeling eager to join them; it had been so long since she had seen any of them. The _Atlantia_, the _Columbia_, the _Pegasus_.... it was like coming home to family. The commanders, still keeping watch, nodded in approval; she knew she was making the right choice. The hesitation vanished, and she continued on. Whispers came back over the comline, this time of joy and encouragement. The space between the _Galactica_ and the sun decreased, and for the last few microns, time snapped back into perspective. Straightening herself to a semblance of the ship she was centuries before, she prepared to greet them, her crew behind her as they waited for her to enter the corona. With a graceful glide, the _Galactica_ summoned up all her pride and courage, and before she could retreat, she surged forward. Her crew was smiling.... In the gathered fleet, the humans watched as the piece of their heritage disappeared into the nuclear crematory. Breaths were held, then expelled in a rush of sadness as they realized that the _Galactica_ was gone. With gentle sighs, they turned away from the sun, knowing there was nothing more to see. They could never imagine that there were squadrons of fighters dancing about the photosphere, diving and dipping and weaving in invisible victory maneuvers. Pushing past their grief, the ships turned about and made their way back to where they were supposed to be. Coming, going, leaving, fighting, protecting, they all left the sun behind, and with it, they continued the legacy of the ship they'd left behind. The sun laughed as they left. Another battlestar was about to be born, only needing the last parts of her hull, and needing a name. The man stood above the ship, watching her as she was cradled in the building yard. His dark eyes studied her, his hand on his chin as he pondered their future together. He was to be her commander, the very first. It was an honor that could rank with the honor of being the last commander of the legendary _Galactica_. He'd had no choice in her death, but he did in this one. _What will we call you, little one?_ he thought, watching as the technicians worked, then his eyes wandered to the empty nameplate on the two bays that jutted out from either side of her. _What name can I give you that will echo down through the centuries like your predecessor's did?_ Thoughts whispered in his mind, the way they had when he was deep in thought on the _Galactica_. He liked to think that it was the guidance offered by those who had commanded before him, and he listened to them now. The image of the star he had left behind only a few cycles before came to mind, and the glimpses of something more than solar energy played around its sphere. He smiled as looked at his new ship. _Mysteria_. The word formed in the whirlwind of his thoughts, and the ship seemed to spring to life for him. He smiled, reaching out to touch the transparent tylinium that separated him from the construction beyond the hovering shuttle. _That will be your name,_ the commander decided, his smile gentle. _With that name, you will gain the wisdom of the _Galactica_, and the love and the respect that she earned. You will be your own legend, _Mysteria_, but you will continue the _Galactica_'s legacy." The stars seemed brighter, and the man nodded as he sensed the ship agreeing with him. With a final tap of his hand, he turned to leave. The _Mysteria_ laughed, knowing that he would return, and she settled back to wait until he did. The End