Towards the Hyperion Ice Showers

B3-004. Status: Operational.

Objective: Secure Ozrickt Flynn.

Task: Completed.

A camouflage airship drifted over the diner, immersed under the cover of darkness giving no sense of its presence to the citizens below, carried a figure who seemed to be wearing a shimmering cloak. Answering with quick and short statements over their comm, while the pilot continued to circle it.

"Understood. B 3-004 will return to Luna and report to Silver Council with the prisoner as soon as possible" The doors of the craft closed as the figure made their way into the cockpit before they took off, leaving the diner while two people also headed off into the night after hailing a cab.

Seating himself, the figure's gaze looms over at the pilot, and the cigarette lit in his mouth. The pilot only noticed his passengers' scowl after they had moved deeper into the city where the emerald lights lit up the cockpit.

"I've told you this. No smoking on the job"

"You and everyone's mom are on my case about that. Again, if you don't want me smoking, don't have me working overtime"

"Fine. Just don't do it inside. We're supposed to be investigating the Blanks in the system. If we start indulging now, we'll never get done."

"WHATEVER. What did they say?"

"No need for further intervention on our part, the B3-004 will return with the prisoner and that will be the end of that"

"Why do I feel like there's more you're not telling?"

"...We don't have to shuttle the prisoner back to Lua, but we do have another job"

"Don't say it...because I told you we should have shot him down when we had the chance...but you wanted to wait for the order"

"It doesn't matter anymore. Jackboot James got away and the Council wants us to–"

"The council can shove it. The only reason I left the Belt was all because of your lies" The pilot flicked the emberred bud at the figure in annoyance.

"All I said is we have orders to track down a Blank on Titan. All you heard was Titan, and began daydreaming about a holiday that was never going to happen" The figure replied while reaching into his pockets and pulling out a container.

Passing the container to the pilot with a raised eyebrow as took notice of him. Prompted by his insistence, he takes the container, swishing it around.

"Damn you. ..."

"You know you can't have the Council detecting any substances in your body"

"What's it to them? Our metabolism can easily process whatever we put in. One cigarette on a single shift won't hurt anyone"

"At the very least drink it, if nothing else to keep all that crap in your body from wrecking your augments" Insisting for the last time, before the pilot held his breath and down the strange solution.

"Blegghhh, it never gets better"

Back at the diner.

The trio left behind had secured a corner booth for themselves. That seemed well suited to accommodate the more humanoid customers. Thella would return to her seat where she saw an exhausted Ridge fast asleep with one of the contraptions he was tinkering with still one hand and a multitool in the other.

A curious smile appeared on her face as she sat nearby, leaning him against the arm rests and putting his tools to the side.

In front of her, Vronica seemed to be working as hard on the same report as their captain. Since he left an hour ago, she hadn't strayed from the task.

"Vronica" Thella called out to her, with a gentle wave of her hand.

"Yes, Sergeant Oswin. Do you need me?"

"I just wanted you to know that you can take a break"

"I understand, however the Captain made it clear that this report was important to complete"

"Sigh. Just because he likes to work himself half to death doesn't mean you she follow him head first"

"But I would be better suited for this task since I do not tire nor do I need to spend time on leisure activities"

Thella watched Vronica's blank expression as she answered her while the dataslate continued to fill with text.

When an interesting thought came to her mind, she took hold of the slate , snatching it out of her grasp and meeting her doll-like gaze with her own.

"So then, what do you think the Captain would say to see you work so hard?"

"He would ask how long said task would take to complete and if I needed any additional resources to complete it effectively"

"Right, but knowing the stubborn workaholic that he is, tell me what he would actually do?" At this point what Thella was looking for appeared as vividly as she watched the Pygmy hesitate before answering. Her pupils turned violet and flickering while her forehead creased.

Understanding his actions always eluded her, nothing substantial could be gathered from her observations. Which is why she was poised to scan him at every opportunity, hoping to gain more definitive insight on this strange man.

"With all the time you spend watching him...you can't tell me that you don't know what he's thinking?"

With no formula, algorithm that could reason their Captain's decision on the best of days, the thought that she could make sense of his actions that often offered no explanation behind, left her with fewer options than to simply give up.

"He focuses on the mission and that means we all need to be in good condition to do our job but..."

"But?" Vronica wondered with curious eyes looking onto Thella, expectedly.

"But despite being what he is, he doesn't hesitate to put himself on the line before any of us. Trying at every opportunity to ensure none of us are in harm's way"

"Don't you find it strange that someone so cold and indifferent considers other people's lives so crucial. Try as he might to hide it," Handing over the slate. Thella decided that it was time to get some rest and heads off with Ridge to the Chrysanthemum.

Vronica took her time, thinking about her words, looking at the data slate, but not adding to it.

'Captain Pierce, see us as people, does that mean me as well" She thought, holding the slate tight, the violet glow growing dimmer until her eyes would only shimmer from the emerald street lights illuminating the dinner.

—Ping—

'Incoming Transmission. Subject: New Orders from the Sol-Branch of the Silver Council. Do you accept this transmission?'

Hearing the commanding of the voice that chimed inside her head, she instantly resolved herself, as if she had been waiting for this call.

'Accept Transmission' Lightly pressing against her temples as she responded to the request. Before one of her in-built sensors let out a pulse through the dinner.

Waiting for a few seconds, before the sensors in her brain pinged, notifying her that there was no one near enough to overhear her conversation. With that certainty in hand, she finally allowed the transmission stream to begin.

"Sergeant 4HM-U02 on standby." Raising her hand to her head to salute at the figure constructed by the projection streaming from her eyes.

"At ease, Vronica" A stern yet calming feminine voice let out.

"Captain General? This is a little unexpected"

"Am I interrupting something?" She asked, knowing full well what Vronica's response would be.

"Only with a report on our latest mission."

"I look forward to reading it once you are back on Luna"

"The Captain said as much, right after we apprehended Ozrickt."

"Of course he would. He probably understood the dangers involved in leaving someone like him on Titan, rather he remains in our custody."

"I see." She said, smiling with a sense of relief.

"See to it that you and the rest of the Cloud Jumpers return to Silver Council Command as soon as possible. We shall conclude your mission upon your return."

"At the moment, Captain Pierce and Lieutenant Rayce are watching over Ozrickt while he is still in the Enforcer's custody. The locals are convinced that our involvement in the matter is over."

"They would like to think that, wouldn't they? Since when did Enforcers on a Monastery world start thinking they have the kind of authority to impede the work of a Blade"

"Our lack of stealth upon our arrival and during our investigations may have been the cause."

"...Of course, your Sword Company wouldn't be what it is if you all completed a mission without raising the local collateral bill for the Council" The officer shook her head after hearing Vronica out.

"..."

"Fine. Before you do something else to give me more wrinkles, return to Luna."

"And the prisoner?"

"Should be well on his way to your ship, if I have anything to say about it. Gather your crew and prepare to depart. I need to get started on some damage control" The figure waved her off as the transmission ended.

–PING–

The violet light coming from her eyes dimmed, before the began to glow again, as she contacted Thella.

"Hey Vronica, what's going on, I was just about to get some sleep."

"Sergeant Oswin, Captain-General Thalia contacted me tonight, with strict instructions that we return to Luna immediately with the prisoner."

"What, now? But the Captain has it handled. They're watching over him until we decide to leave."

"I don't think that will be the case for much longer, from what she mentioned, he should be shuttled off to the ship by the time we get there."

"...."

"Thella!"

"...Huh...Oh yeah, I'm awake, I'm awake. Well fine, at least let me take a shower before we get going, you can let the Captain know in the meantime." In the background, Thella could be heard waking Ridge.