The Enduring Hope for Justice pulled out of the mountainous rim, the opening resembled a dilated pupil, expanding as a ray of light guided his exit before it blasted off, moving over the Procellan skyline.
Leaving the Storm-Wall in its wake, the craft's path traced an arc above the lunar colony on its way to Camp Insularum. Vronica, was seated outside the Leonis Biomancer Clinic, waiting on Ridge to arrive.
Her interaction with the technician still echoing an uncomfortable possibility. And yet, when faced with a choice, she decided to hold onto her beliefs, so why did she feel so overcome. Why did she feel so conflicted?
Looking at her data slate, the confirmation of a payment for forty thousand credits brought a sense of shame to the Pygmy.
A shudder ran through her while she waited.
Not a chill from the breezy Luna's winds or from the torrent of thoughts swirling about her mind, it was something familiar, a calming pull, the tethering of a connection growing taut.
Soon after, a communication stream opened up. From Vronica to Captain Gage, before the stream began.
"V."
"Captain, can I help you?"
"Where are you?"
"Sir. I am on my way to Camp Insularum."
"Please find me on the Observation Bay A."
"By the Alphus Sphere, sir?"
"Yes."
Ending the brief messaging stream. Marking the end of the conversation, the EHJ hovered over the clinic, waiting to pick Vronica up. Inside the ship, she found only Ridge at the helm, wearing a look of concern.
"Sergeant Essern."
"Vronica, how was your check-up?"
Ridge got up from his console to greet her, while she explained how her visit went, he looked her up and down like he was searching for something.
'You don't look like you're missing anything or like something unwanted was attached to you' He mumbled to himself as he wandered over to her console to retrieve an access cable underneath.
"Sergeant?"
"C'mon. We'll run a quick diagnostic check and then we'll get you started with your data sync."
Ridge moved about the stationary ship like a man pressed for time, when she held his hand, taking the cable and asking him plainly if everything is alright.
"Yes…I'm just glad you're okay. I know you were unsure about going to the clinic so I would have beat myself up if something happened to you while you were there. They might look at you like you're just a piece of sophisticated military hardware."
The last point he made brought out a mild chuckle from her before she composed herself.
"But you're still a part of our squad."
"Thank you, Sergeant."
She said, taking the cable and plugging herself in. While she moved to seat herself behind her console, Ridge stopped her.
"It's okay, EJ can fly the ship for now. Just sit back and relax."
Ridge was sweet and earnest, but he was also too worried to hide.
He knew that something was going to happen between the Captain and Vronica, he just hoped he was wrong. So he wanted to put her at ease, for whatever may come their way.
But Vronica felt none of the concern that burdened Ridge, still her mind was not idle, it danced with a single thought in mind. Both she and their Captain hoped to share something, both of them were expecting things to be different.
Both of them were going to be disappointed.
Observator Bay A overlooks the VG Facility, as known as the Variable Gravity Centres of the Alphus Sphere.
From the height of the platforms, one could see the entirety of the Lunarian Gardens, Procella and Camp Insularum down below. It was a part of Luna while feeling like a space all its own.
It was a favored place of Pierce. It's where Captain-General Kord knew where to find him training to the point of absolute exhaustion.
It meant the world was that much quieter for him. But today, she found him on the deck, waiting near the railing. Instead of looking at the training recruits in the Acceleration Rooms, he was staring out at the glassy blue marble above.
"Captain Gage. I'm here." Vronica stepped out from the transport elevator that brought her to the platform from the base station on Camp Insularum. Standing at attention.
"V. Thank you for coming so promptly."
"Sir, I have something to share with you."
"And you can, but I have to tell you something."
"Yes sir."
"Are you aware of the regulations regarding the number of Pygmys that can operate within a Sword Company?"
"Yes sir, no more than one. Unless of course, we are co-operating in a joint mission. That could require more than one Sword Company to operate as a single Sword Chapter, hosting multiple Pygmys."
"I see. S.C.A.I.R Officer Rene has asked for your removal from our Sword Company during our next mission. She has been approved to allow her own companion to accompany us. Since she leads the command of this mission, she has asked for your removal."
"Why sir?" Her face flushed, and her brow furled, not with rage, but a deep need to understand.
"I don't know."
"No, Captain. Why are you telling me this? I am your subordinate, whether I accompany you or you dismiss me, that is a decision left to you. The reasons are all your own, I am owed nothing."
She gave a bow, as if she was asking to be dismissed.
"You once asked me to always remain honest with you."
"Then allow me to ask. What was your decision on the matter?"
Her violet eyes began to pulse, with low hum and a gentle beat while she waited for his next words.
"The Silver Command has empowered Officer Rene to make her decision. It is my responsibility to–"
He clenched his fist, while his face showed no change.
"Ensure that my squad functions as an asset to her mission."
"I understand." The glow from her gaze dimmed.
"Please report to Silver Command. You will be reassigned until our return."
"Captain Gage, will I be allowed to see everyone before I am sent away?"
"Yes." He let out, cold and blankly, before going on ahead to leave the platform.
The moment the Captain was gone, the violet glow stopped entirely, returning the silver hue to her iris. For a moment, she stood there, like she just stepped out a trance before she turned to her data slate.
On the screen scrawled a large input of biometric data, title: Real-time Bio-Analysis: Subject P.G.
The flurry of data points, digits and codes organized themselves into a shape that had Vronica at a loss for a moment. The result, of processing all that information, she, instead of falling at her dismissal simply said:
'Captain Gage, why would he lie?'
Her voice shook not betray but uncertainty. Her Captain was hiding something, but she couldn't find out why, not while she was stuck on Luna while was elsewhere.
'I need to find Thella.'
She rushed to the elevator while trying to establish a data stream with her.
Her eyes flashed with determination, for what? Only she knew, but it was enough to temper her mind and her heart against what had just happened.
"Ridge."
"Yes. Captain. Oh, I know that look, how did things go?" Ridge pressed his Captain on the video stream that was growing in volume.
"I told her."
"And?"
"And now we prepare ourselves. We will speak in the morning, there is still much to do before we leave." Still his hand was shaking from the tension but his mind was not willing to acknowledge it.
After the meeting, Captain Gage retreated to his quarters, Ridge remained with the ship, calibrating and optimizing as if keeping busy could stay the concerns in his mind.
Rayce had taken his time enjoying the night life of Procella, knowing that this would be last break for some time.
And Thella—
The doors to her quarters slide open with a smooth hiss. Greeting Vronica in a salmon coloured robe and a charcoal black face mask. Ready to meet her guest, after letting them in, she showed them to the living room, before offering them a drink.
"No thank you. Sergeant."
"No, the correct answer is thank you, Thella. I'll enjoy this delicious tea that you had prepared when I interrupted your time of leisure."
Her voice fell sternly on Vronica's ears. Urging her to pick up one of the cups holding a warm, auburn liquid.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Thella returned to the room, dressed in her military fatigue and no face mask in sight.
"I have not said anything?"
"You're going to do something careless that's going to get you into trouble." Thella scolded her before taking a sip of her drink.
"Captain Gage was clear with his instructions, but—"
"Oh, then why do you sound so unsure?"
"I was like he did not want it to be the case. He…hesitated." The idea was simple, said with her normal tone, but it had Thella stunned, hanging on her word.
"The Captain? Then—all the more reason to listen to him, it probably wasn't an easy decision to make for him"
"I do not believe that it was, and yet, I have to do something." Thella paused, before she put her cup down.
Holding her thoughts back before she could retrieve from the mix of confusion stirring in her head.
"If I told you to stop, would you leave this alone? Could I trust you to stick by the Captain and my word?"
"Sergeant Oswin, I will heed and obey your command." Thella let out a half-heated laugh.
"Well at least I know you have guilt. I'll have to be wary of that in the future."
"Sergeant?"
"All right, I'll help you. If we're both involved, I may be able to shake some of the heat from you."
"Are you going to help me?" Vronica asked with unmatched hope.