Moon let his gaze drift across the lounge, taking in his fellow candidates, the Surpasser captains stationed among the teams, the general atmosphere of the vessel as it carried them all toward the war zone.
His own team was coming together, slowly.
As his eyes drifted around the lounge, surveying the orbital and its occupants, Moon suddenly heard a girl's voice beside him.
"It's beautiful, isn't it? The latest orbital model, the Alpha-325. Not only does it boast the fastest known orbital speed of any vessel, but it can also withstand Ascender-level attacks for a sustained period. A fortress and a racer in one. The Association spared no expense for this operation."
Moon turned toward the voice and found a woman watching him with an easy smile. She had shoulder-length blonde hair and striking blue eyes, her expression warm as their gazes met.
"Impressive craftsmanship," Moon agreed. "They don't deploy something like this unless the stakes are reallyhigh."
