Chapter 22
The flight back proved uneventful, on the flight back I got to know the Fussilers, they had all volunteered for different reason some wanted the chance to see action which was unlikely within the Imperial military, some to see the galaxy, the Grey’s so they could serve on the same ship as a married couple. They only thing I did before we arrived was to send a message to Ashley to promote corporal Ozawich to sergeant before we landed and officially integrated the fussilers into the ship structure. She had proved herself well in the operations so far and the new rank would reflect her accomplishments and the role I expected her to play going forward.
Once we got everyone signed onto the ship ironically since I wasn’t paying them for now they were labeled supernumeraries, making over a fifth of the people on board technically passengers. It was dinner time by the time we finished and after the meal I called it an early night. The fussilers began to explore the ship and I nodded at two that happened to be behind me when I reached my quarters and went to bed.
The next morning I was surprised to see two fussilers standing outside my quarters when I stepped out and they began following me as I went towards the mess for a cup of coffee. I stopped a few steps into our trip and looked over my shoulder confused for a moment confused I stared at them for a moment then it clicked. “Household Guard, so your ah guarding me?” the private on the left simply nodded at me. “ ooookay then, well its to early to process this, lets head to the mess hall.
An hour later and after getting a second cup I headed to my office to do some paperwork my two shadows posted up outside the office. I had just finished reviewing the report Private Moore had submitted for selling the supplies from our raid and his restock list. I checked through my contacts and he would have gotten about three precent more profit then I would have, he missed a few items on the restock list but nothing critical. I authorized the sales sent the restock list back with my amendments and a meeting request. I had decided I would promote Private Moore to the quartermaster position. It would be its own separate duty post paid similar to a chief but reporting directly to me.
I hit send and was about to select another report when my Comm.D buzzed looking at the caller I.D. I toggled it to my PC. “ hey Alex whats up?” I asked my favorite and only male cousin. “ Hey Ben the company has a request for your ship, its a bit sensitive can you swing by the office?” I was intrigued I knew the company wasn’t ever involved in shady dealing so this kind of hush hush request was very abnormal. “Sure I can be down there in around an hour? Can my shuttle drop me on the roof?” Alex laughed “hahah youve come a long way since we had to borrow grandpas shuttle for the weekend. Sure see you then and see if Emily wants to come down.”
We signed off and I messaged Emily to see if she wanted to go down and see the family, she agreed and I stepped out and was reminded I now had guards. I looked at the private who had nodded at me earlier “I’m headed down to the surface to meet with my family do you need to tell anyone or anything?” he nodded “ yes my lord, thank you for telling me.”
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he keyed his mike and I could hear his end of the conversation “, Alpha this is Bravo 3-2, the lord is going planet side, roger.” he turned back to me. “The Luetenant requests that you give him five minutes to get ready?” I nodded “thats fine Emily will probably take that long to reach us.” we walked to the elevator and took it down to level two and walked into the hanger bay. The hussar was open and the Lt. grey’s were chatting with Johnson and Conrad.
Emily was climbing down off the Pirate fighter and was animatedly discussing something with Lt. Carlson who appeared just as excited “ Ben, this fighter is a travesty its a Vulcannion someone tried to turn into something like our two Cockatrices!” she said waving at our two surplus league fighters. “Its a Vulcannion Ben a Vulcannion! What kind of numbskull would do that! I need 3 no 4 thousand credits to fix it! Let me fix it!”
I understood her frustration the Vulcannion was a relic from the end of the Theocracy War. it was the penical of frontline fighter. Slower then the Panther but more heavily shielded it sported a centerline plasma cannon on par with a gun boat. With harh points for 6 missles or two torpedoes it was the first and probably the best multi role fighter. All the ones since have made to many trades for versatility. The Vulcannion’s heavy shield could probably survive five or six missile impacts. The fighter in front of me had been heavily modified the heavy plasma gun had been stripped and another engine mounted to the back and extra pylons had been added removing the benefits that were gained from the extra engine.
I sighed “ok go ahead just charge it to the ship that fighter really is a travasity” Emily excitedly hugged me and dragged a beumused and now slightly embarrassed Harriata Carlson onto the shuttle pulling up parts and equipment on a shared Comm.D shuttle. Kiara and Nick Johnson saluted then stepped away leaving Derek and Norman with me. “Sir we are ready to go down I dont think we need a fighter escort today as we are in your home system. so just myself and a squad of the Fusielers will go with you.”
I didn’t think it was necessary but it wouldn’t hurt anything to let them do their job. “Very good thank you Luetenant. Lt. Grey do you know where we are going?” Lt. Grey nodded yes sir Morrison company HQ roof flight plan is already filled” ,I smiled “ excellent lets go folks!” the last of us loaded onto the Hussar, the flight down was smooth as we dropped through the atmosphere of the moon. A few minutes later the over head speaker came on “two minutes out the Hussar is heavier then the average civilian shuttle with your permission sir I’ll do a hover” I spoke to the empty air knowing my Comm.D was automatically on the shuttles net and would re transmit what I had to say. “Go for it Grey we will be ready” with that I stood up and grabbed the over head hand hold straps.
The others around me did the same, even emily paused her design software and slipped the viewing screen she used for detail work back into its belt holster. I felt the shuttle stop moving and the ramp dropped to just a few inchs over the building roof. I ran down the ramp and onto the roof everyone else right behind me. My earpiece kicked on and I could barely make out Dereks voice over the sound of the engine spooling up.
“ I’ll return to the orbital holding pattern till you call for me, Captain.” I hit the acknowledgement button on my Comm.D, a quick double chirp on the channel, and Grey closed it. With the shuttle gone, we all stood up from our instinctive crouches and walked to the door. I was about to call Alex when the door opened. A blonde missile flew out and crashed into me with a quick hug before letting go and angling away towards someone else. The mystery was easily solved by Emily’s exasperated shout, “MOM!”.
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