“He belongs with me, you overgrown pretty boy!” That was most certainly not what I expected to hear as soon as I got close enough to actually hear what they were saying to each other. I was just glad no one else, the little guy aside, was close enough to hear them.

“No, his talents will serve the Military far better than they will you, you glorified backstabbing assassin.” Alright, so much for not interfering with their duties. What the hell was this about. When I was finally noticed, they both turned to me, Fernando looking somewhat ashamed, and Nova looked...frightening. What the hell did her eyes turn glowy for?

“Now, what in the bloody hell is this all about?” I may have subconsciously stepped toward Fernando, Nova’s eyes were really creeping me out at the moment. The little man lifted his arm like he was asking a teacher for permission to speak. I was about to ask him who he was when Nova started talking.

“Him, this man, I want him for the Star Base. He has talents uniquely suited for what I will need.” Fernando butted in shortly after, glaring at her, but maintaining a calmer demeanor. “Sir, this young man is Caspian Draal. A very talented Scientist specializing in weapon research and application. I believe he would be better suited for the Military under my command.”

I could almost hear the unspoken ‘The Ghost was granted the Star Base, all I wish is this man’ that his eyes all but screamed at me. Multiple questions ran through my mind, chief among them being what I had done to suddenly deserve this much-focused attention. “Well, how about you two go back to screening people and I speak to the young man, who is clearly terrified right now.”

Fernando opened his mouth, but closed it soon after and gave a smart salute. Nova, however, just stared at me. Crossing her arms under her bust slowly and waiting. “Nova, would you please go with Fernando to screen the Civilians? You still need to gather more men I’m sure.” Please, please let the suddenly focused and frightening woman leave. She was hard enough to deal with after the whole smiling incident in my quarters.

“Pierce has it under control, I would rather stay here with you and Caspian. I will remain silent while I wait, Damian.” Yea, the way she said my name was not helpful here. I frowned but steeled myself. “No, go screen them properly. The poor kid looks more frightened of you than anything.”

She finally looked at Caspian, how he all but trembled in fear. Her impossibly bright eyes lost that glow, returning to their blue beauty, and she left with a short apology to the young man. I watched her leave, thankful I wasn’t sucker punched with a smile again, and then focused on Caspian.

He really was very young, he couldn’t have been more than twenty-five at the most. Curly red hair adorned his head in a strange little afro, bifocals to large for his face sat on a narrow, freckled, nose. Small build, looked like your typically nerdy shut-in back home. His eyes held intelligence though, along with that fear. Why on earth was this scaredy-cat here on Mar Sara?

“Walk with me, Caspian. Explain what that was about, please.” he jumped slightly at the sound of my voice, making me worry he wouldn’t actually be able to talk now. At least he was following along behind me though.

“I-I- I’m a s..scientist, your liege...Sir...Um, C-Can I write it down?” Oh. My. God...he was a fucking stuttering mess. “If that will make it easier, but wait until we reach the Command Center and my quarters, son.”

He nodded, pulling out a datapad from somewhere inside his worn and torn white coat, I realized it was a lab coat now. Jesus, it was a ginger Stetmann. He was moving his fingers over the pad at a speed that honestly amazed me.

When we did arrive at my quarters, he stood awkwardly in front of the desk, ignoring the chair that had popped up out of the ground. That one had made me jump, I didn’t even know it could do that. I shook that shock off and extended my hand to his tablet. He handed it to me, shaking like a leaf the entire time.

Hello, I’m Caspian Draal. I am a Scientist specialized in weapons research and application. I have personally been involved in multiple, theoretical, design concepts that led to a few of the weapons the Confederacy uses today. Stealth Suites are among those.

The uhm, complication outside was because I gave a thorough document, in the hopes of avoiding human contact as much as possible, to the big man in the Marine Armor type 4. He read it and then moved me to the side, trying to recruit me. That’s when the pretty lady in her armor, never seen it before and would like to study it, came over to see what the issue was. Then they began arguing over who would take me.

I am...not good with people, and would very much like to NOT be placed under either one of them, I think they would try to eat me somehow.

I lifted a single brow after reading that and looked at him. Needless to say, this method of communication was long, taxing, and highly annoying. I did it all the same though because he was someone we desperately needed right now.

The high points consisted of me gaining a ‘Head of Development’ for my people, basically a glorified researcher. He came with the building schematics for both an Engineering Bay, and a Science Lab. Though it was meant to be built onto the Engineering Bay, which was odd. I also seemed to have gained his eternal gratitude from saving him from the ‘Glowy-eyed monster with the armor he wanted to study’. The kid was nice enough at least, just an extreme anti-social.

“Alright, Nova and Fernando have first dibs on all Scientists, you excluded, after that we can discuss advancing the number of people assigned to you, beyond yourself. The buildings you need will have to wait for now as well. I simply don’t have the resources, quarters can be provided for you in the Command Center so you can have solitude, or a personal house can be assigned later by Fernando. You will be checked on frequently, however.”

He nodded, though I knew he hated the last part a lot. The cost of his freedom from people he would help greatly, and that I was forced to tell neither would get him. I hoped Fernando took this Upgrade Card as recompense instead.

When I finally worked up the courage to face those two again, the sorting had been finished. Fernando had five people off to the side, looking uncomfortable as hell, while Nova had fifteen additional men and women with her.

When I made it to them, Fernando looked at me silently, and Nova had a little glow starting, seriously, what the fuck was that?!!!

“Caspian will be under neither of you, his talents should benefit everyone. Not just one division in our Military.” Fernando actually nodded, agreeing with it. He introduced the five individuals with him, three women and two men, as Scientists that were adept in their respective fields. One of them was even a horticulturist, which made me happy.

Nova reacted a bit differently than Fernando, she had angled herself away from everyone, me aside, and pouted. I blinked, blinked again, and then chose to wholly ignore what I had just seen in case I was not meant to see it at all. I liked my nuts where they were, after all.

Her people were ten soldiers with the potential to become Ghosts, though they would undergo unique Marine training until she felt they were ready, and five Scientists. She also told me that the Star Base, now named Orion, was being brought down just outside where the Refinery was to fill it with the Vespene Gas it used as fuel. When she quoted the number I nearly shit myself. It took a whopping two-thousand Vespene Gas to fill that fucker. Thankfully it was half full, and she would fill it up slowly over the next few days.

I was pleased that it seemed highly fuel efficient though, only burning about thirty-five Vespene Gas an hour while actively moving planetside, and far less while actively moving in space. Thank God for small miracles. “Fernando, start allocating resources slowly toward the construction of the Engineering Bay, and the Science Lab it needs. Also, see about having your Scientists train others in their fields. I have a feeling we will need more. Work on expanding our Marines as well as the Medics. I want a fighting force ready for anything that comes knocking on our door.”

He saluted, and then went off with his people to finish whatever it was he needed to do for the time being. Nova was waiting to the side, speaking with her new people as she directed them to follow Pierce and the others toward where their new base of operations would likely be for now. The fact I could actually see the fucking blob that was the Orion spoke at how huge that thing was as well.

When we were alone, she turned toward me, cocking a hip to the side and smiled. No, not again! Thankfully I retained my sanity. “Damian, I heard that there will be an event on Tarsonis in the near future in regards to this Planet. I am formally requesting to attend. My Family may no longer be around, or if they are I have heard no word, but I know how to move through the circles that will be in attendance. It will be useful to you.”

Not what I expected, I was trying to remember what the backstory had even entailed, but was drawing a blank. All I knew was she was from a merchant like family with a lot of clout and she had siblings. The last thanks to her status, which I refused to check anytime in the near future. I was afraid of what I’d see.

“Certainly, I was going to use your new base, the Orion, as my mode of transportation there. I am curious how you found out though?” I tried to lead it into an actual conversation with the disturbingly beautiful woman.

“I read through your personal files while you were asleep, of course.” The fact she said that without pause, and while smiling was frightening enough. What the fuck did full Loyalty and Trust mean to a female Hero exactly? The implications made me feel dirty and excited.

“I’m not really sure you should be doing that, I might have personal things on that computer not meant to be seen by women.” WHY THE HELL DID I JUST SAY THAT!!! I wanted to go hide in a corner at this point, the fuck was wrong with me?

“Hmmm, perhaps I don’t mind learning your preferences.” That brought me up short, and I stared at her in open shock, at which point she laughed, a deep sound that traveled up through her belly. “Damian, I am joking.”

Of course, no way in hell a woman that attractive would be into my idiotic ass. “Right, moving on then.” I coughed lightly before continuing, walking at a fast clip in an attempt to run from my shame. She kept pace effortlessly.

"Why the Orion?” I finally asked, feeling less ashamed.

“I picked it based on what you would likely have myself and everyone under me doing. Hunting down enemies, dispatching threats from the shadows. Orion was a Hunter, according to old Earth Mythology. It seemed fitting.”

She certainly put some thought into that name then, though I wasn’t sure how I felt about assassination at the moment. Sure, it would likely have to be done or at least defended against, but actually ordering her to do it seemed kind of wrong to me.

“A fitting name then, but why assume I’m going to send you out to kill people for me? Maybe I’ll do that on my own.” As if my Psionically crippled ass would be able to do anything solo right now.

She looked at me out the corner of her eye as we walked aimlessly toward the Command Center, taking our time. “I’m a Ghost, I excel in information gathering, assassination, and spying. Using me for anything else would be somewhat foolish...You wouldn’t willingly do something foolish again, right?”

I felt a chill travel down my spine. “No, Nova, no I would not. You’ll be the first to know if anything along those lines needs doing. You already know you have near complete freedom in the matter.”

We spoke a bit more before she parted ways to head toward the Orion, and I went into my quarters, telling Fernando, on the com, to meet me there when he wasn’t occupied. It was time to upgrade the man with this card. I’d give the Equipment Card to Nova when she had things more settled.

I sighed, thinking about her. I disliked how the System had insured all my rewards were returned in regards to her but I was glad at the same time. Her...change in attitude was creepy, but it was fun as well. Who would have thought a man my age would fucking flirt with a woman who was at least ten years younger than me and have her appear to flirt back.

I shook myself from those thoughts though. I needed to focus on things not involving a blonde haired, blue eyed, woman. More so when Fernando finally showed up, looking irate. Being the target of that little glare was a bit disconcerting but I took it in stride.

“Fernando, thank you. I have something for you.” I took out the card, still wondering what it was they actually saw, and then continued. “It may not make up for Nova gaining the Orion, and Caspian being denied you, but I hope it is a start.”

“Sir...This is more than I ever hoped for.” He actually spoke with such feeling, it made me REALLY want to know what they saw in place of that card. I crushed it, and the System notified me of the changes.

Congratulations Player! You have successfully used a Hero Upgrade Card on Hero Unit - Lieutenant Fernando!

Lieutenant Fernando has become a full Hero Unit!

All skills have been increased one rank.

Hero Unit - Lieutenant Fernando - has obtained the passive skill Precision!

Precision - Passively increases the attack speed of all units under his command by ten percent!

Congratulations Player for turning a Minor Hero into a full Hero Unit. Awarded one Save Card! (Usable only in Campaign Maps)

I stared at it, smiling a bit. “I hope it helps you, Fernando, you earned this and then some for always going above and beyond what’s asked of you. Thank you.” Positive reinforcement! Judging by the small smile playing at the edge of his lips, and his distant look he hadn’t heard a word of what I just said though.

I shook my head lightly. As long as he was happy, it was fine. I dismissed him, and he left, still looking distant. That passive of his would be a huge buff to any soldiers that he personally led. Considering I planned for him to lead all the ground forces, Nova’s aside, that was going to be a really massive help.

It left me with time to think, being alone again. The face of Greer flashed before my eyes briefly, causing me some pain. I regretted it still and would continue to do so. I had to remember, no more idiocy. At least when it came to what I did. I’d start training tomorrow, hit the firing line, move with Fernando and learn to use the Marine Armor fully. I still had no idea where my own Stealth Suit was, but I’d figure that out later. I needed to be more adaptable, more flexible in how I approached everything in this fucked up reality and the Campaign Maps.

For now, that meant relying more on Nova and Fernando. They were the linchpins that would keep me afloat until I was ready to stand on my own fully. I Sighed, the first order of business was to see about expanding our SCV Rigg numbers, I needed more resources. I’d eventually make a trip out there to see how much there was within my area. I needed to work with Fernando on how we would expand the Civilian living areas, as well as the farming areas. I had no doubt the settlement would continue to grow and I did not want to always be playing catch up.

I’d see about adding another Barracks in the future, because I knew I’d need to increase the size of the forces under my command, sooner rather than later. The first priority was that Engineering Bay and Science lab for Caspian though. The improvements he will make for my forces would be a huge relief, once he started. I personally hoped he already was, since he chose a set of quarters inside the Command Center that no one was using.

Of course, this led me back to Nova and wondering just what the hell her background was. I knew enough about StarCraft Lore to know I’d be dealing with the ‘Old Houses’ on Tarsonis, a matter I was nowhere near ready for. It led me to the assumption that perhaps her family was a part of that somehow, or she has just been raised in an environment prior to becoming a Ghost that prepared her for it. I’d get further if I asked, but I didn’t wish to pry either.

I went over paperwork, surprised I had any at all. I realized after reading some of the gibberish that it was from Caspian, and he had already begun sending me rough ideas for weapon and armor improvements that he felt required my approval for resources allocation and testing.

He really did work fast, holy shit. I glanced at them, trying to make sense of what he sent. All I could really gather were the names though. ‘Gauss Rifle 287’, ‘Marine Armor mark 4B’, and ‘C-10 rifle Mark V’. The last surprised me a bit. That was an upgraded version of my own rifle. I vaguely wondered if he had somehow gotten ahold of it in the time I was away and he had set up, but I doubted it. I sent a quick message back informing him that it would take a few days before resources would be allocated to his research, but to keep up the good work.

Today had been surprisingly long, and full of surprises. Good ones, for once. It made me wonder when the shit stick was going to smack me upside the head.