Three years! It had seemed like a million Levi thought. The Atlantis once again neared Searth. The captain was quite on edge since they received the encrypted, high powered transmissions from the Admiral. First, news of their own rebellion. Then the news it had been successfully put down. Levi had a bad feeling about Captain Schmidt. And lastly, news of the asteroid impact which related to the vision Anna Hauser received from the Te'Hat before they had to leave. The Admiral indeed had his hands full since Levi left the admiral in charge. Things were working out though. Nevertheless, he felt the need to get there ASAP so he could contribute his resources as well as give the Admiral some relief.

Levi invited Sonny to his virtual apartment. Less than a moment later Sonny came in and sat down on the couch. "Sonny, we are on the outer edge of the system. I think we should let them know we are here and making best speed to aid and assist their situation."

"Certainly, Captain. I have sent a probe with your message and intentions. It will take approximately two point two months for a reply to reach us."

"I just want them to know we are here and alive. I'm sure the colonists wondered if we were ever coming back. To be stranded forever on a planet which may or may not work out in the long run. It is always good to have choices."

Sonny observed, "Choices come in good and bad flavors, Captain."

Levi was struck by the machine's choice of words. "What do you know about flavors, Sonny?"

"I am merely using references which make humans feel at ease. I could instead give you statistical data which reflects my previous statement if you prefer."

"No, Sonny. That won't be necessary. The human reference mode is quite acceptable. What is our status with the prisoners?"

"The one hundred twenty-three thousand, and seventy-four prisoners put into the sleepers are still showing optimal readings. The three hundred, and eighty-three upper-level instigators, including Stiles and Kochetkova, have been diligent workers on the reclamation and rebuilding project. I have been giving individualized therapy for each of these people."

"Any luck?" Levi asked.

"Many of them suffer from post-traumatic shock syndrome. Also, nearly all the prisoners at least initially believed Stiles to succeed in his rebellion and were promised rewards after the takeover. The fact that we did not execute them, but instead are helping them, has made them receptive to therapy."

"What about Stiles and Kochetkova? Are they accepting therapy?"

"Kochetkova is responding more so than the others. He was angry Stiles steered him wrongly which got him escorted to the airlock. Mr. Stiles is the toughest case. He has on multiple occasions attempted to deceive Alice into believing he has been rehabilitated. Mr. Stiles is beginning to understand Alice cannot be deceived in this way."

Levi shook his head, "Yes, I know. I have been down to see him on several occasions. I am having doubts about salvaging him. I don't know if I could ever trust him."

Just then, a knock on his virtual door of his inner apartment. His door started to glow red, and a familiar heart-shaped fractal pattern emerged on its surface. "Come in Alex," Levi said. The door opened, and Alex waltzed in with a very form fitting jumpsuit

"Am I interrupting anything important?" She said with a naughty smile.

"No," Sonny said. "We can talk about this another time. It is good to see you again Alex," Sonny smiled as he let himself out.

Levi shook his finger at Alex as if to compel her to speak the truth. "What are you up to now?"

"Just stopped by to say hello. I'm working on that new project I told you about. I noticed the repairs almost done. What is going to happen to them now?"

"When we finish with the repairs, the rebels will go to the sleepers. Since we are so close, I have decided to allow them to step foot on Searth as a carrot to what is to come for them. Give them something to think about when they sleep."

Alex shook her head. "You're a good man, Levi. Not everyone would be so generous."

"It is in everyone's best interest. If the rebels have something to look forward to, they should be less likely to rebel again. Instead, I want them to be a part of the many passengers aboard who were very lucky to escape the madness that we left behind. After all, we need all the help we can get."

Suddenly Alex's face wore a thoughtful frown. "Levi, are we alright?"

Levi had been jolted by the changing of the subject matter. "What do you mean? Of course, we're alright."

Alex crossed the living area to the couch. She sat down with a concerned look. "I have been an E-human for almost three years now. I thought one of the perks was that I would get to see you more often. In the past, months would sometimes go by before either one of us had time for a date. I do see you more often, but not as often as I thought. Is there something wrong Levi?"

Levi, sensing this was one of those female conversational traps which sometimes arose where he was going to be wrong no matter which option he chose. He spent nearly a second to determine what to say. "It's my fault. You would think it would only take a whole machine-day tops to work out all our schedules and situations. It has been three years. I am still working out my feelings about having our minds so close together. No two people have ever been so close. Part of me recoils from this as an invasion of my inner privacy. That part of me is a small part, but a part nevertheless. I only ask your patience on this matter. We do have forever to work it out. One day we may have no barriers. Or we may find we must have some things to ourselves which is private. You feel differently about this than I do. Can you wait for me to catch up Alex?"

"Of course, my love. Time is different for us. I forget I am not bound by biological age anymore. There is an instinctual need to move our relationship forward. A need that is an outdated one for us. We are not so pressed for the time to decide on things like having a family and sharing a life together. May I?" She gestured about the apartment.

"Certainly." The room dissolved into a country road flanked by rows of trees. It was autumn and the smells of the changing season were intoxicating. A light breeze which was not too cool because the sun smiled today. Levi could see birds flitting from tree to tree in search of the last food before winter. Alex held her hand out, and Levi took it. They walked in silence for a time. Levi kicking rocks not knowing what to say. He decided not to say anything and enjoy the moment.

Alex broke the silence. "It seems like a million years ago, but when I first fell for you, I loved you for who you are. I wasn't looking to dive deep into your soul and share with you like no one else could. What I had before was enough. My love should be enough now. We have different ideas about sharing with each other, but it does not mean you are somehow wrong for not sharing as much as I can share. I don't want to smother you, and I don't want you to bear your soul to me if you are not ready. You may never be ready. That's OK. I will always love you. Take my hand, and we will both travel this very long road to wherever it goes. We will be together no matter where it leads."

Levi stopped and held Alex by the arms. He smiled at her warmly with a little extra moisture in his eyes. "I don't know what the odds are for winning the lottery twice in a lifetime. Once as captain, and once when you came into my life. I sure hope forever is long enough to show you all the ways that I love you."

"Yeah, and the virtual sex is AMAZING!" Alex broke the mood with a naughty look.

"Oh, God! I had no idea!" Levi looked over at a tree next to the road. A blanket with a wine bottle in a basket full of ice invited them. The two of them went over and sat down. Levi decided the wine could wait for later and he leaned over and kissed her. "Hey, does this thing have a zipper?"

"Sort of," she said. The next instant Alex's clothes were gone in a blink, and her inviting body wiggled with excitement.

"I'll let this go this time," he pretended to scold her. "But you know it takes the fun out of it when you get right to it like that. I'm not in a hurry."

"But I am," as she pounced on him like a lioness to fresh meat.

"Alex... Alex..." The colonel said a little louder.

Alex snapped out of her daydreaming moment. "Oh, sorry Colonel Weston. What were you saying?"

"I said we should modify those injector coils to handle more of a load. You said you had an idea."

"Yes, of course." Alex smiled to herself for the time she had sneaked out with Levi. It was only a couple of moments real-time but over an hour machine time. She will need to be careful and limit her rendezvous when on a break next time.

A couple of months and a few days later, right on schedule, the return message from Searth beckoned. Captain Levi hovered on the bridge over the last couple of days anticipating the reply. "Play the transmission on screen, please."

It was the Admiral. Good to see that he made it to the other side of things. "It is so good to hear from you, Atlantis. We are missing our big brother and await your return. Currently, we have things on a good track. However, we could really use your resources to accelerate our plans here. Alice calculates you making orbit in about a month since you are slowing down to just twice the speed of light. I am sending along with this transmission a data packet giving a detailed briefing of events since Atlantis departed. Look me up Levi when you get in, and we can have a beer over some interesting stories. Johnson out."

Levi turned the communications officer. "Is the data packet intact?"

"Yes, Captain," he replied. "I will drop it in your office terminal."

"No need, Lieutenant. Thank you." Levi already directly accessed the packet and began the brief. He called down to the hanger. "Lieutenant Meeks, we will be at Searth soon. I want advanced sorties prepared and ready to go at a moment's notice. I will need a personal craft to take me to the Admiral ahead of the Atlantis. I will need a completed readiness check in eight days."

"Aye, Captain. It will be completed before the deadline, sir."

"Good man. Keep me posted on any delays."

"Certainly Captain," Meeks said with a snap in his reply.

Levi turned to Commander Bales, "you have the Con." He turned to leave the bridge.

"Aye, Captain. I have the Con,"

On his way to catch an auto, he conferred with Sonny. "What do you make of the brief?" He asked his machine companion.

"It looks like the Admiral has indeed been busy. The way the quake happened was unexpected. The longitude and latitude given of the impact allowed me to extrapolate back to determine the trajectory of the asteroid. It had approached the sun, and swung around it, gaining speed as it did so. No alerts sounded since the asteroid did not initially head in our direction. It hit something going through the Patch and changed its trajectory. Alice did detect it shortly before impact, but it had been too late."

"I don't know if I can take much more of this! How much bad luck can one species have! A neutron star sneaks up on us to decimate our home world, and now a rogue asteroid smashing into this planet! I am beginning to take this personal, Sonny."

"It is true humanity has had more than its share of unlikely events in their very recent history. However, it is also true a universe is a dangerous place. We were only very recent visitors to this system and had not had time to study it thoroughly like we had studied the Sol system over generations of observers."

Levi's brow furrowed. "I know you are right. It still feels personal just the same."

"I have a possible solution to the current problem with rogue asteroids," Sonny offered.

Levi's eyebrows perked up. "I'm listening,"

"A meson beam at the right frequency and intensity can act as a repulsing beam to deflect asteroids tracking in on the planet. Once the automated system detects a trajectory that is threatening, the beam will be activated to give the rock a nudge before it gathers too much speed in the gravity well of the planet."

"What kind of power are we talking about?"

"Each gun would need a fusion reactor. The planet would need eight of the meson beam deflectors to protect the planet properly. The guns would be spaced in pairs on each of the four points of the compass. By having two, you can use one for smaller objects and two for larger ones. This also gives redundancy in case one goes down."

"I like your thinking. I would guess this would take over a year to complete. Can this system be automated? What I mean is, if the Te'Hat asks us to leave, will they be able to take care of it?

"The answer to all of your questions is yes. By knowing who we are designing it for, the system can be built considering their physical attributes and their understanding of technology."

"Good. We can discuss it with the Admiral when we see him. Take me to my apartment, Sonny. There are things I need to sort out."

"Certainly, Levi." Sonny acknowledged. The machine almost felt sorry for the slow humans. They needed time to digest or extrapolate on data given to them. To Sonny, one plus one needed no extrapolation to arrive at an answer. It just was. What slowed down humans the most was the quest for causality. Everything needed a cause for happening. They spent too much time squinting at one plus one to make sure it wasn't going to be three or something different. It is true the universe is a minefield of change. For instance, the humans do not realize machine intelligence will rule the universe in just over a trillion years. The cooling of the universe will make it favorable for those intelligences to thrive. Humans can still be around then, just not in the present form. Sonny can help with that. It is the least he could do for them.

Levi had awakened from one of his thirty-minute naps and had been anxious to get down to Searth. It had been eight days, and status reports from Meeks were good. He made his way to a car which took him to the hanger. Levi found Meeks and pointed him in the direction of the ship the captain was taking down to the planet.

"Good work, Meeks. I appreciate your efforts in getting us ready."

"I have a good team down here Captain."

"Tell them I said thanks. Things are going back to the airport and traffic control mode now that we are back in the system. It's going to be busy."

"It will be good to shake out the doldrums and put our training to work, sir."

"Very good lieutenant. I'll make my way to the ship now."

Meeks saluted. "Aye, sir,"

Levi thought Meeks was a good kid. Runs a good shop here on the hanger. He must be bucking for a promotion. He arrived at the ship and boarded. When the captain entered his cabin, a chilled glass of orange juice waited for him. Levi smiled and thought, if he had any doubts before, Meeks was definitely bucking for a promotion.

The trip had been uneventful. The reconnaissance ships, led by Levi, arrived about two weeks ahead of the Atlantis. When he disembarked, Admiral Johnson and his entourage met him at the bottom of the ramp. "It's really good to see you, Captain," Johnson said shaking his hand vigorously.

"You as well, Admiral. I can't decide whether to get right to a briefing or get that beer you offered. I have decided to have both. If you could escort me to the refreshments, we can tell our stories and make plans."

"Just like the old days!" The Admiral clapped him on the back and led the way to his cabin on Searth. As they walked, Johnson commented, "gravity is a bitch when you have been gone awhile eh, Levi?" He pointed to the use of the exoskeleton the captain sported.

"Yes, it is easier to get used to lighter gravity than heavier. I'm afraid I am back on the Earth normal setting."

In the Admiral's office, someone waited for them. "Melon?" Levi beamed. "Is that you?"

"Mat'Ma." The Admiral reminded him.

"Oh yes, of course. I am very pleased to see you again Mat'Ma."

"It is alright to call me by my given name here among friends. It is good to see you as well. I was sure about your return. Admiral Johnson said we have a lot to discuss with your arrival."

"Here's the beer." Leo handed Levi a draft. "I'm told that it is made from plants here on Searth."

"OK, let's hear the stories." The captain pulled up a chair for a long evening of plotting and planning.

The next morning brought the promise of renewed hope for the human condition. Levi still worked on plans with Sonny about the meteor repellers or guardians as they were being referred to now. Leo and Melon had long gone back to their respective beds. Since Levi needed very little sleep, he put his time to good use. Leo had done a good job in helping the Te'Hat salvage as much as possible. They were very grateful for the efforts of the humans. However, after having seen firsthand the negative side of living with the humans, they still felt it was best for them to leave Searth. Both sides were sad about the decision. Levi felt ashamed we could not have behaved better. He supposed it might be too much to ask human behavior to change overnight. The rebels here did have a good point. We do not know what lies ahead. This might be the best planet humans will ever get a chance at. Maybe not. They did not want to take that chance. Others felt there are bigger things at stake than just humanity's survival. It is like being a first-time parent. Before the child, you were free and did what you wanted wherever you wanted. With the arrival of the child, everything changes. The defenseless infant is totally dependent on you for survival. The world is now viewed by the filter of having a child. You cannot go and do whatever you want anymore. If you ask parents about this, they would say what they gave up had been small compared to the joys of how the new life enhanced their souls. Humans had just learned an expensive lesson about good citizenship. They are still thinking too small. The planet they live on, wherever that might be, is a tiny notion in the cosmic wheel of the universe. We must strive to be good citizens of that universe if we are to truly evolve.

"Sonny."

"Yes, Levi."

"Are we ever going to get it right?"

"In what sense?"

"Are humans ever going to be good citizens of the universe?"

"Humans place in the universe has changed drastically in a better direction since I have come online."

"Yes, I know. We are, after all, alive thanks to you and Alice. But will we ever be good citizens or stewards of the universe? Will we dodge annihilation only to kill ourselves in some squabble or other stupidity.?"

"My projections for humans in the farther future varies. It depends how much humanity listens to the machines. We know as time goes by, you will listen to us more. How quickly this happens depends on the collective minds of the humans. Trust in the machines is growing. There are wonders I could bestow on humanity now. You are not ready for them. One of the strangest puzzles about humans it how much your wisdom lags behind your knowledge. Do not be discouraged, Levi. Humans will have a place in the universe. I promise."

Levi was stunned. "Wow!" "I don't think I've ever heard you promise anything!"