Chapter 32
I stared at the shuttle that was in the process of unloading a squad of humans wearing clunky power armor. They looked around in a way that spoke to their experience. It finally ended with them staring at me. They seemed to be wary thanks to me also wearing power armor; the grips on their guns grow slightly tighter.
I simply stared at them while I tapped my finger on my thigh with none of the jerky motions that their armor had. I guessed I was looking at Class II or III medium power armor.
Then I watched someone with a build that looked almost too thin for humans slowly walking down the ramp trying to look like he had all the time in the world. My head tracked him as he finally reached the ground. This whole situation makes me feel more than a little annoyed at his actions.
"Mother, can you tell me about this arrogant idiot?" I asked Mother for an ID while keeping up his slow pace making everybody wait for him.
"Yes... his name is Alek Stris, he is currently serving as the adjutant to the rear admiral that guards this system."
I had my MID send a word of thanks just as he finally arrived a step behind the people in navy blue power armor. I assume by the lack of any customization or individual flourishes on their power armor these are a step above average soldiers. Mentally I mark them as some form of special forces for the navy.
This then devolved into us staring at each other for a few minutes. This would only favored me thanks to Mom feeding me a list of responses for questions.
This carried on for a bit until he registered that I was more than happy to keep staring at him. Eventually he finally grew tired of this game drawing a frequency into the dust with his foot.
Taking a moment to connect them through Astro Dawn in case they want to try and attack or stun me through my armor. Thankfully nothing was amiss but I still connected the Astro Dawn.
Soon a surprising, deep voice spoke, "Identify yourself and state your intentions in landing at this location." His impatient and annoyed tone made it clear that this was more an order than a request.
I gave a sigh but answered nonetheless, "sigh My name is Lilith Runethari, I am the system governess of the newly discovered system Beta Charon. My intentions when landing here was to investigate an anomaly my sensors had detected on entering this system."
The man grew increasingly less certain of himself as I identified myself. A fact I'm sure is made worse by him wearing only a padded eva suit. I relax moving my weapon a little farther away trying to stop any possible misunderstandings. Not that I would use the Aeth on them when I had a void ship just behind me.
"How were you able to detect an anomaly more than twenty AU away at the ZF-3 hyperlane? Of course that is assuming that's where you entered this system."
I could only imagine he already knows the answer. He is doing this just trying to make me reveal it myself trying to flex his authority over me. A fact I did not like one bit, but nonetheless couldn't complain about it seeing as it's the truth.
"My void ship has Class V sensors capable of even detecting Tachyons. That is to say it's capable of sensing even a slight anomaly across the system nearly at the same time as it occurs."
He seems to take a moment to answer though. His tone made it clear he doubted me, "You really think we are going to buy that you own a class V void ship? Stop with these misdirections!"
'Wow I really must have stepped on a nerve with that.' I stare at him for a second before responding this time with an audible sigh. "Then why don't you have that corvette you have floating above us confirm it? While they're at it, why don't we talk about what I discovered nearby."
I can see him look back at the ship clearly ordering someone to do exactly what I suggested. A moment later his head snaps back to me.
"And what might this discovery be? We haven't detected anything besides rocks and dust for kilometers."
I change my posture to something more serious and wait a moment letting some tension enter the void.
"I have just now discovered a ruin that seems to be a storage site for one of the precursors. I actually just exited it after receiving the report about your corvette jumping into orbit. Now who should I report this too for a reward, assuming I qualify?"
I ended it with a voice a bit colder than desired. I doubt they noticed though as they froze in place the arrogant adjutant included. Not a moment later my armor detected a large amount of radio waves radiating off this group.
"They seem to be ordering a second shuttle to confirm your claims. The scout shuttle will arrive at Logistics Depot #01MIL-MNT in a few minutes."
I heard Mother's alerting me to what these humans were talking about. All the while I deceived myself into thinking I didn't care about handing over a site once belonging to the Runethari, and to humans of all things.
"If that's the truth then we request that you hand over anything you found inside the ruin." I immediately glared at the man, my stance of confidence turning into one that was ready to start fighting. "If you took anything that can be classified as class V tools or weapons you will have to hand them over."
I immediately returned to my confident stance, a fact that only the bodyguards seemed to notice. Though the weapons in their hands remained just short of preparing to aim at me.
"That is fine, just make sure you don't appropriate any as some "tax." I know everything I took from the ruin. Now where would you wish to perform this search?"
It seems they would perform it right here, a guard stepping forward and taking the bag from a warbot. They clearly didn't like that, but I didn't exactly care for the idea of being within punching range of someone in power armor.
For the next minute they took everything in my bag. In rows stood all the data crystals I collected arrayed from largest to smallest. Besides the crystals were six Sovra I found during my light search. They were all scanned before being put back into my bag with delicate care.
The adjustant looked back up from the items that laid on the ground. He seemed to be a little dazed from how he slowly looked back towards the "relics."
"Now may I go ahead and leave this place now that I can assume the military will search the rest of the ruins?"
That brought him out of his daze. "Not before you give a reason for why you took all the precursor crystals. There were surely many other things more valuable than them!"
I shook my head, my hand resting on my head to emphasize my disbelief. "Didn't you just say that anything that could be used and learned from would be forfeit? I would be quite ignorant to believe that I wasn't going to be searched for exactly that. My reason for taking these crystals was I simply wished to collect them. Call me weird or delusional but I like to think of every crystal as a unique treasure."
"... Fine keep the damn things, but you will stay here until we verify your claims of a ruin. If this is true then you can expect a reward in a few days. Now describe anything you found inside and any dangers the investigation should be wary of."
I barely resisted exclaiming my frustrations at this circus I found myself in. Looks like I will be with these inferiors for longer than I would've wished. I locked my armor's joints so as to be a little more comfortable as I described what little I saw inside.
----------
TIME:
2 HOURS LATER
LOCATION:
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
ASTRO DAWN
I look back at the image of the rear admiral who seemed to be unable to muster even an ounce of anything besides stoic apathy. He looked old for a human, hair turning white from age, and a facial expression that I believed humans call resting bitch face. Though it was clear he just hardly cared about this video call; though I feel that might not be the case.
"So I'm going to be blunt as I can imagine you wish to go back to doing your job patrolling the hyperlane exits, instead of sitting out in the void between worlds. What did I do to be told at Orenthia Primary to go to this extremely out of the way location? I don't believe I did anything warranting this... meeting."
Despite being a bit rude to the admiral he never so much as twitched. I was currently about a thousand kilometers from his battlecruiser—by human standards— so the conversation experienced little time lag. The reason for why I am here has yet to be clarified. I was just told to come here as soon as possible.
Finally after a moment of silence the rear admiral spoke with a tired and clearly previously abused voice speaking just above a whisper. "... I asked you to come here for no other reason than I wished to meet the rumored class V captain."
I raise an eyebrow at that, I was the subject of some rumor? I stood there confused. I only really ever visited Garnet station with any sense of regularity. Even that was me going back and forth to deliver supplies to the listening post that were needed for repairs, or to source blood.
My look of confusion must be obvious as he sighs, his tone getting even more dull. "I assume you don't know this for whatever reason, but you've been the subject of gossip as far away as the capital. The beautiful and yet arrogant woman piloting a class V vessel by herself. While even using it as little more than a cargo hauler.
"I too will be blunt with the following, Lilith there are many in the capital who complain at your usage of a "venerable" class V vessel. The know-it-alls at the R&D bureau are actively trying to lobby for the seizure of your vessel. There are many who would also like to see your Astro Dawn in their care."
By this point I was scowling at the man who dared to thre– "This is not a threat nor some attempt at coercion. I do not want the white elephant that is your voidship. I am simply wishing to inform you that you're more popular than you probably believe. The colonel has his eyes on you with the intensity of a starving man seeing his next meal. I however do not wish to see my fleet engage something like your Astro Dawn. Your ridiculously downsized relativistic cannon would make whoever tried to take it from you meet an almost certain end or it would end up blowing up the prize. Additionally I would expect your craft possesses class V stealth and EWAR capabilities and something that is adept in their usage. You would do well to bring on more crew where ever you go by the way. Whispers of your vessels having only one person overseeing it have made even the most moderate of the R&D bureau rabid."
"Why are you telling me this? Couldn't you gain more from just keeping silent?"
The man looks at me tired and beaten, eyes losing their light as he drifts off into some memory. Eventually he speaks, "I am warning you because I would hate to see more young soldiers fed into the jaws of some politician's petty war, that would only serve to empower some businessman or commander at the cost of our nation's defenses. You could also call it a sense of patriotism. If your ship is half as dangerous as I suspect from its unconventional weaponry and the odd lack of a hyperdrive heat trail. The lack of that trail alone would make seizing it difficult or outright impossible. Then if they fail I doubt you'd not seek revenge, and from what I've heard about your personality I further doubt you would not feel the need to spare those unrelated. Lilith I don't know what the future entails but with how the pirates have been getting bolder with their movements; I suspect we would need your proven expertise and the hypothesized abilities of the Astro Dawn. Even if your personality has much to be desired."
I feel my face shift into a stoic mask, I got the feeling that this man seems to know me rather well given his snide remark. What he said about revenge isn't wrong, I would gladly sling asteroids at planets to make an example. I too eventually let out a tired sigh as I looked at him feeling sorry for the man so untouched by the basal desires of mankind. He clearly cared more about his people than his own nation's schemes.
"I will take into account what you have alerted me to. But I would also like you to know that whatever happens, the ship will likely die with me."
The old human simply nodded, not a hint of surprise showing on his face. The silence stretched for a minute but eventually I decided to hang up.
My mind caught up with itself as I realized something. 'He definitely deduced MARA's existence. That makes it even more surprising that despite what he could gain from staying silent and reporting her existence he instead warned me. That bastard is definitely dangerous and cunning yet I can't help but be thankful...'