Joe woke up feeling groggy from his light slumber, running his fingers through his untidy hair- it took him a few seconds to realize Asha was gone after reaching out a hand to touch her. Still feeling the warmth of her soft body next him, with the sweet smell of their love making lingered in the air around him, Joe embraced it for as long as he could before he reluctantly got out of bed. As quiet as a hunter she left him, and Joe knew the next time he saw her would be up on the bridge and he had to pretend nothing happened between them.

Dressing quickly back into his uniform he had only ten minutes to be back on the bridge, he felt more refreshed than he had in ages. Sometimes I miss just transmuting into my uniform. He thought as he did up the silver clips up on his knee length black boots.

* * * *

"Gently Charlie...don't need to go in at a break neck speed to make a lasting impression on the docking crew." Joe grinned knowingly at his helmsman. He liked a Charlie- an older Ameris man had a need to land the ship quickly on this run for some unknown reason.

"What? Don't ya trust me boss?" He said as he slowed down. "I just wanna make ya last landing memorable."

"I just don't like dents on my ship..." Joe scolded him lightly. "She's precious to me." Joe said trying not to look at Asha, even though he caught glimpsed of her in his peripheral vision. She kept her on eyes staring directly on her screens for which he was grateful.

"Yep she sure is an amazin ship boss, something special...and we're gonna miss you in her Command seat." Charlie said sincerely. Tenderly the ships helmsmen brought them in gliding gracefully into their docking like a wedged tail Eagle coming into land.

A murmur echoing Charlie's sentiments went throughout the bridge. Pride in his crew swelled up inside of Joe as they shouted three cheers for him. They truly respected him as a Commander, something he felt he earned over the years. Warming his heart that he could bring a team together almost as good as Ken. Despite his eagerness to be back on Earth he was going to miss them- and the friendships form in that time- Especially Asha, but then she held a special place inside of him and he was missing her already.

The ship came to a standstill in the docking bay along side another ship called ‘The Indy' a few hours ago. Joe didn't like the Commander of ‘The Indy', the man seemed to think the missions were some kind of competition to see who is the better ship and Commander on the results brought back in. The man's insecurities annoyed Joe immensely, especially when he started comparing his own helmsman to Ryu in skill level. Joe noted a few large dents that had occurred during a simple docking procedure that could have easily have been avoided a few months back. The man was no where near as skilled in the pilot's seat as Ryu or Ken.

"Time to depart. Good as always everyone...And I'm going to miss you lot too, try not to give my replacement to much of a hard time." Joe grinned wildly remembering his early days in the Command seat and some of the mistakes he made in trying to get people to do what he wanted them to do, until he realized he could be intimidating. And a change of some of the bridge crew helped.

Standing up he caught a glimpse of Asha, she hadn't uttered a word when the rest of the crew talked about his departure. Silently she continued making copies of data to give to the command centre information department. Keeping her emotions hidden from everyone, he could see through the cracks in her armour, he had come to know her well over the past two years. Did he love her? Joe drew in a deep breath and quickly left the bridge. Yes he did he had fallen deeply in love...but he still had to leave her, he couldn't stay just to be close to Asha, he had a promise to keep for his son, and this time he intended to follow through on it.

* * * *

"Commander Asakura...come in." General Bistow stood up from his desk to clasp hands with Joe.

"Would you like something to drink...coffee...tea?" He offered looking at his personal assistant standing at the door. A young male officer waited for his next order or dismissal.

"No thanks..." Joe declined. General Bristow dismissed the man and closed the door.

"I hear you not going to take on even another year is that correct?" He asked sitting down behind his desk.

"Sir, I have son and a promise to keep. I've already let him down a few times over the past few years." Joe explained. "He needs me more than you do."

The General acknowledged Joe's response with a brisk nod and then turned his laptop around- it had the image Joe had told Asha to send. "Joe I'm concerned about this object and the description you gave it. Nothing has ever come up about Galactor in almost five years. Not since the Science Ninja Team gave their lives to defeat them. But you identified this as being a Devilstar ship?"

"The shape is familiar. As you know I worked in the army at the time and go a close look at one these ships. But I could be wrong- it just might be a similar design being used by an alien species we don't know about yet." Joe mused staring at the object. "We know Spectra already has inhabitants, occasionally we've even ran into a few. They're hostile, and don't want anything to do with us."

The General agreed with Joe's statement about Spectra, the federation ships had orders to stay away from the unfriendly planet to avoid any more skirmishes, so far in the past year no one had any encounters with them.

"I still don't want to let you go Joe...I don't like losing good Commanders, especially one of your quality. You can make a real difference here if you stay, maybe end up a General." General Bistow stared hard into Joe's face to see his reaction.

Joe stood up shaking his head smiling at the compliments. "Sir, I can make a difference in my son's life...I will be raising him myself like I should have been doing for the past four years. I can always come back...eventually." He indicated. Yes...he could...Asha's exquisite beauty flashed before his eyes.

"I can see I can't convince you..." The General let out a deep sigh. "Well I've chosen a replacement for your Command."

"Who?" Joe asked, wanting to know the name of his successor.

General Bistow began talking. "I'm promoting Lieutenant Asha Sarin to her first command position. I know it's a big jump but I feel she's up for it. You're second in command Bolivar is going to another ship. He's not ready to take command...I can see that in your reports. I think he won't handle not being offered the ship, so I'm sending to the Indy for a while. I'm allocating a new second in command that would compliment Asha's style. I made a mistake not making her your second in command when I should have. I see that now. She would have been a better for you than Bolivar."

"She's level headed General- her intelligence and good intuition has served me well since she became part of the crew. I know she won't disappoint you." Joe spoke the truth. Asha could easily take a command position now. He couldn't think of anyone else who he'd feel more confident in taking his place. 

General Bistow folded his hands behind his back as he formally addressed his departing Commander. "Good, I'm glad to see you think the same as I do about it...she's outside. Just tell her to come straight in on your way out."

Joe nodded sharply and opened he door to leave when the General spoke again. "Joe, all the best, if you're son's anything like you like your quality...he'll be someone worth having on a team one day."

"Thank you sir.." Joe responded and he walked out the door to look straight into Asha's pain filled eyes.

Everything about her stance and facial expression remained professional immaculately groomed from head to toe she projected the air of an officer ready to take the helm of her own ship. From the way she looked at him no one would know they had been intimate only a few hours ago. Her eyes gave it away to him. Her sorrow evident in the way she looked passed him as she headed into the Generals office.

"Asha...meet me on the ship later. I have to pack my bags." Joe whispered urgently wanting to steal another moment alone with her if he could- just one last time together.

"I'll try Commander..." Her voice broke," this is hard for me too." And she hurried passed him into the office to learn about her promotion.

* *  * *

Asha didn't come to him when he was in his quarters packing up his belongings. Sadly he figured she wouldn't, Asha had already said good bye to him hours earlier. Joe wasn't really all that good at saying goodbye himself, so he knew this was for the best.

Picking up his precious photo's of his friends he took a few minutes to look at their faces. Ryu and Jinpei on their trawler bringing in a net of fish. Ryu's wedding to Sianetta in his home village... A pregnant Jun glowing with the anticipation of her child coming birth, and the short letter she sent saying Ken wouldn't leave her belly alone always wanting to feel for feet and movement. He felt the love and warmth in her words and figured she wasn't really that annoyed by his over excitement.  And the updated photo of the growing family.

He's be seeing them soon, Utoland was his first stop before he headed to the Caribbean Island resort Jason's foster family were on vacation at to start the transition process for him to come and live with Joe.

Picking up his bag, he looked over at his small bed to see the light catch something glittering sitting in the middle of it. Gently he picked up a fine gold necklace that belonged to Asha. The delicate golden Angel from her native land, hanging on a deceptively fine gold chain was heartbreakingly beautiful, just like its owner.

A piece of paper sat next it. Remember me...I will never forget you... was all she wrote. Her way of saying I love you...

Clasping it in his hand he closed his eyes fighting back the unexpected tears and the pain of anguish that filled his heart. "I won't forget you..." He whispered. "Good luck Asha...you'll make a good Commander, take care of our ship."

With the golden Angel still in hand Joe picked up his bag and left his ship to board a transport leaving in only a few minutes that would take him home...