Chapter 14 - The Final AuditBack at the estate, the final bureaucratic hurdle of Project Orion was cleared. The Department of Defense officially inducted the communications shield into standard operational deployment across all active combat and extraction divisions.
An official commendation ceremony was held at the Pentagon. Due to my advanced pregnancy, I declined to attend in person, but Colonel Vance arranged a private, secure video link to my study.
On the screen, the Secretary of Defense stood before a podium adorned with American flags, speaking directly into the camera. "To Mrs. Sarah Carter," the Secretary announced with solemn reverence, "your brilliance, resilience, and unwavering dedication to the armed forces have fundamentally transformed battlefield safety. In honor of Lieutenant Michael Carter and his devoted partner Sarah, Project Orion will forever stand as a testament to love, duty, and sacrifice."
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As the virtual applause echoed through the secure speakers, my father-in-law, sitting across the room in my study, raised a glass of sparkling cider in a quiet toast. "To Michael, and to you, Sarah," he said, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "You saved us all."
I smiled, raising my own glass of water, feeling the powerful kick of my baby against my ribs as if he were cheering right along with us.
