The bridge was a flood of activity, women yelling numbers back and forth, technical jargon spouting from them as if they were fountains. Lights flashed on and off; tones played, seemingly not in any rhythm.

William stood at the top of it all, observing what would appear to an outside party to be pure chaos.

Holding his hands behind his back, he began to speak.

" You know, before this ship was remodeled to match contemporary design code, the bridge was structured differently," he said.

" Is that so?" Nova replied, not especially following.

" The technicians were on an open lower level, and there was a flight of stairs that led to the Admiral General's office," William said. " It looked out from the front of the ship into space, as well as over the bridge."

Nova looked at the ceiling, far above them. He had grown accustomed to the DASS's wide, open floor plans, he realized. Everything on his own ships was dense, narrow, dark.

" Why was it remodeled?" he asked.

William, not moving, spoke again.

" Have we not spoken about it before?" he asked.

" We have not," Nova said.

" It was partially destroyed in battle and then salvaged," William said. " You should remember. The flagship of the 13th Fleet. The Technologica."

Some sort of strange feeling crept up Nova's spine. It turned into realization, coldness, dread.

" I suppose there are many things we haven't spoken about, aren't there," William continued.

" Yes," Nova answered. " But we have plenty of time for that, don't we?"

" Yes," William said. " Plenty of time."

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