By the time Elias had woken up, the battle above New Haven had already concluded.
Although the 2nd Fleet had emerged from the battle victorious, the cost of that victory had been steep. Even now, at this very moment, Colonial forces were doing their best to get an accurate assessment of the death toll of this conflict. In all honesty, it was the kind of hard-fought victory that left a sour taste in your mouth when it was all over. The kind that Elias knew was necessary in order to maintain peace in their little slice of the cosmos.
As he looked out into the stars, those distant points of light that had always drawn him in as a child, Elias vowed to remember the sacrifices of everyone who had fallen here today. The ones who would never again get to see the everlasting beauty that was known as outer space.
In any case, the battle was now over; that's what really mattered at the end of the day. The people of the colonies were once again safe to live their lives as they saw fit. And that was more than enough for Elias. That being said, this brief war had certainly left its mark on Elias, both physically and emotionally.
'Marida is going to have a heart attack when she finds out about this.' Elias couldn't help the grim chuckle that escaped his mouth as he rubbed the stump that was once his left arm.
To be perfectly honest, the fact that he now only had one arm hadn't quite set in yet. And the more he looked at it, the more Elias felt like he was experiencing some kind of state of denial. This was officially the second time he ended up having to donate a piece of himself to the safety of space and its citizens. And to be honest, the man really hoped that this would be the last time that it happened.
"I guess I'll have to look into getting a prosthetic whenever I get the chance. Hmm...I wonder if that place that made my eye will make me one?"
All things considered, Elias was lucky that the only thing he had lost was his arm. And more importantly, everyone in his crew was alive and well. That alone made the loss of his left arm more than justified in his eye. His sacrifice was a small price to pay to make sure that everyone made it home safely.
-(o)-
The weeks following the battle had been a blur for Elias and the crew of the CSS Victory.
For starters, the political fallout of the Rift Marauder conflict was in full swing. And the governments of both Earth and space were frantically trying to find a way to spin the entire situation in their favor.
However, in a strange twist of fate, the colonial media had decided to hail Elias as a hero for his actions during the battle.
"Commander Elias Thorton: A leader, an inspiration, and a symbol of Colonial strength!"
The press painted him as both a military prodigy and as a man who was so committed to the ideals of the Navy that he had sacrificed his body for the good of the colonies. In the eyes of those who ran the show behind the scenes, Elias served as a perfect icon to rally behind. The poster boy for the military strength of the Colonial Federation and a shining example of what the men and women who put on the uniform were willing to do to protect their people.
The story of the Victory and her crew was broadcast across all the major news channels for days after the 2nd Fleet had returned to their home base on the colony of Lowestoffe. Deep down, Elias was well aware of the fact that it was all just a way for the politicians and media to craft a beneficial narrative. It was simply the way of the world. However, he would be lying if he said that a small part of him wasn't enjoying all the free press that he was getting. And the free meals he got from some of the local restaurant owners in the colony weren't so bad either. So for now, Elias was content with the way that the Federation government wanted to portray their military. And if they needed him to be a beacon of hope in a solar system wrought with unrest, then so be it.
That being said, Elias couldn't shake the feeling that the story wasn't as simple as certain groups made it seem. The Rift Marauders had certainly been a serious threat, but their destruction didn't suddenly erase the social fractures that were still very much present. Sure, the war may have been over and the threat was neutralized, but the underlying issues still remained. The economic disparity between the people of Earth and space was still there. And it was clear to many that much was still bubbling beneath the surface. The Rift Marauders may have been gone, but that didn't mean everything was fixed.
'Wait...why am I even worrying about stuff like that?' Elias shook his head as he straightened out his uniform in the mirror. Such things were way above his pay grade. The last thing he needed to stress himself out over was humanity's greater political issues. All he needed to think about was being a dutiful sailor and exploring the stars. Everything else was wholly unnecessary.
"All right, let's get this show on the road...." The man said as he exited his temporary room and made his way towards the auditorium.
-(o)-
The award ceremony was truly both a spectacle and a moment of pride for everyone involved.
As Elias, Lieutenant Herrera, and the rest of the Victory's crew stood on that stage in front of a massive crowd, each one of them held their heads up high as their new medals were pinned upon their chests. The "Cross of Valor", a platinum cross with the Federation insignia placed directly in the center of it, was the single highest military honor that any sailor, marine, or soldier could receive. It was an award given for extraordinary heroism in combat, an accolade that very few among their ranks would ever be given.
And now, each member of the crew was part of an exclusive group that could be considered the very best of what the colonial military had to offer.
And in addition to such a remarkable achievement, as an added bonus, the recipient of such a prestigious award was given an automatic promotion to the next highest rank.
This meant that as of this very moment, the green-eyed man was now Captain Elias Thorton of the Colonial Navy. Making him only the third youngest person in history to be given the rank.
"To Captain Elias Thorton and the crew of the Victory!" Fleet Admiral Kara Howell's voice echoed throughout the hall amidst the flashing lights of the press' cameras. "You have all exemplified the finest qualities of the Colonial Navy. Your courage, brilliance, and unwavering commitment to victory truly embody the values that we strive to achieve every time we set out into the stars. And I know that I speak for everyone here when I say that we are all proud to call you heroes!"
The applause that followed the end of the woman's speech thundered throughout the entire building. Elias held his composure as he took a moment to glance at the members of his crew. They had all been through hell, but they had survived. And the fact that all of them were here to receive such an honor together meant quite a lot for the young Captain.
And then, amidst all the honors and fanfare, the realization of the moment finally hit Elias like an oncoming meteor. He really was a Captain now, a senior officer within the ranks of the Navy. It was a responsibility that he wasn't sure he was totally ready for yet.
For a brief moment, the man began to panic as he wondered what this all meant for his future. However, as he looked out into the crowd, Elias noticed his wife and parents cheering him on from the front row. And the mere sight of those he loved was enough to calm him down enough to avoid having a panic attack right there on stage.
'What a hell of a day....' The man then thought to himself as the President of the Colonial Federation walked on stage and began shaking the hands of each member of the crew. 'But to be honest, I wouldn't trade it for anything else.'
-(o)-
A little over a week after the ceremony, a representative from a newly established prosthetics company, named Rockwell Cybernetics, visited Elias at his home while the man was on vacation. And as it turned out, the company in question just so happened to be run by his wife's family. A fact that even Marida wasn't aware of until that very moment.
The company representative, a plain-looking man who was in his early forties, had come by to offer Elias an advanced prosthetic to replace his lost arm. One that was much more capable than the other models he had been researching over the past few days. The offer served both as a way to show appreciation for the new "hero" of the colonies, as well as a way to drum up some publicity for the company. And the fact that Elias would be getting first dibs and the new product due to his close relation to the company's owner wasn't lost on the green-eyed man for even a second.
At first, Elias wasn't quite sure about the whole thing, but Marida had convinced him to take the deal after the two took some time to weigh their options.
"I don't see why not." The raven-haired woman said as she rubbed her hand over her stomach. "The Navy's only going to give you a basic one. And besides, I'd prefer you to have two working hands to help me out when the baby finally arrives."
Elias agreed with the woman's reasoning before accepting the offer. And within days, he was the proud owner of a new mechanical arm. And although it didn't quite feel the same as his original, the man liked to think that it made him look cool in the eyes of others. So it was an overall win for him at the end of the day.
-(o)-
Later that night, Elais found himself alone on top of his roof, staring out through the window of the colony like he had done so many times before. Even now, as a man who had fought in wars, lost comrades, and seen the edge of humanity's reach across space, he still felt the same sense of wonder when gazing upon the stars. Those distance beacons of light that still called out to him as symbols of both limitless potential and adventure.
After a few minutes of stargazing, Elias began to wonder once again about his future. He still had so much that he wanted to do, and even more that he wanted to see. And that was excluding the fact that he was only a few weeks away from becoming a father. For the first time in a long time, Elias has no clue what the future has in store for him. And for some reason, it made him feel excited.
"I'll guess we'll see what happens..." Was all that Elias could say as he leaned back on the rooftop and simply enjoyed the never-ending view of space before him.