Southern Cross by Windstar

It's not fair. We should have another two years, not four months. Sweet Maker, help me, how are
we going to do this?
"Darrien, can we be ready by then?"
The other Guardian hesitated, and Emily could almost feel the large man's mind whirring as he
thought through everything once more.
"Not with the current battle plan, no."
That's what she had thought as well.
Shit, I hate being right sometimes.
"We'll have to use one of the contingency plans then."
Neither of them mentioned that the contingency plans weren't as likely to succeed.
"Four months give or take a few days, that's the best we can firm it up so far, Emie. They have to
have gotten another signal that narrowed down their search patterns a lot. The Bak'ra are heading
in a nearly straight line toward us now."
"Well, shit."
"As the humans say, Amen to that."
The sound of liquid being poured caused her to open an eye to see what the other Guardian was
up to. She grinned faintly as she watched him pour two shots of Vodka and wordlessly accepted
the glass that he offered to her.
"Maker, that's awful stuff."
"Put hair on your chest, First Guardian."
"Oh yeah, that's a real good selling point, Darrien."
They were both silent for a moment, each taken up in their own thoughts. Emily herself was
thinking of a certain red-haired human, and wishing she was nearby. Sighing, Emily sat upright
and held out her glass for a refill, eyeing the other Guardian.
I miss you, Julie, and you've only been gone a few hours. How can that be?
"So what do we have?"