The room fell into an absolute, suffocating silence.
For thirty years, my father had filled this house with his noise.
His bitterness.
His endless lectures about a career that had stalled out decades ago.
Now, he had nothing left to say.
Admiral Bowmont turned slightly, coming to a formal attention right beside my chair.
He raised his right hand and executed a crisp, flawless salute.
“Commander Larkin,” Bowmont said loudly enough for the whole room to hear.
“Thank you for your service to the Fleet.”
“And thank you for saving my flagship.”
I stood up straight, squared my shoulders, and returned his salute with absolute precision.
“My honor, Admiral.”
Bowmont lowered his hand, turned back to my father, and reached for his dress coat.
“Vincent, thank you for the coffee,” Bowmont said dryly.
“I believe I’ll take my leave now.”
“I have an early briefing tomorrow with the Commander of Fleet Forces.”
He paused at the doorway, looking back over his shoulder.
“You spent thirty years looking for a hero in this family, Vincent.”
“You just never bothered to look across your own dinner table.”
The front door clicked shut behind him.
My father slowly sank back into his chair, staring blankly at the polished silver he had spent all morning preparing.
Bradley reached across the table, his voice shaking.
“Sloan… I… I had no idea. I’m so proud of you.”
My mother stood up, walked around the table, and pulled me into a tight, quiet embrace.
“I’m sorry, Sloan,” she whispered into my hair. “I’m so sorry.”
I patted her back gently, grabbed my blazer from the coat rack, and headed for the door.
My father didn’t say a word as I walked past him.
He couldn’t.
He had spent my entire life telling me to be quiet.
Tonight, he was finally the one with nothing left to say.