Ariel was the mind of USS Los Angeles when I first met her out at Epsilon Reticuli. She went by the name Gabrielle back then, and she was a beautiful ship. A good ship. A tough ship. Me and my Cowboys were picking who we wanted to escort into battle and I was lucky enough to choose her. We killed a lot of Shang and Chinese together, my fighters covering her against missile fire and her point defense returning the favor. I figure she saved my life more than once. And my people did it right back. It was an honor to fight with her. Then Hurst Family politics ended that partnership forever. It was wrong, and I wish I’d been able to stop it, but they had too many connections. She lost Los Angeles, they drummed her out of the Navy, and it was all my fault.

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