“Tauri Bridge huh?” Said Novak while stroking his chin.

Santángel and the other crewmates in the meeting room were nodding their heads in acknowledgment as well. I looked at Lai for some kind of answer but she just smiled shyly and turned her face the other way.

“Do any of you mind not being pricks about it and saying it clearly? What’s wrong with the place?” I ask annoyed. I called a meeting with officers to discuss the details of the mission and explained to them what I learned, including the stuff about rescuing the Valdari and whatnot.

“The official version, Commander, it’s annoying to travel in there” An officer said. Aelid Dzhabrailov was her name, a colony-born soldier who was also our chief gunner. Honey colored eyes, short brunette hair and an eye patch in one of her eyes. She told me her story when we spoke on Nemea-05, she lost an eye during an attack on her colony, and that was actually her reason to join the Union’s military, and she refused to get an artificial one because, according to her, her aim is better this way.

“And I'm guessing there’s an unofficial version” I added.

“Yeah, we are usually not sent to the T-Bridge because… well, a bigger military float means stricter access and a stricter customs office for all those companies there, even the Alarian ones… we are usually not received with...eh, enthusiasm” I blink at her answer. So, they don’t want a bigger presence from the authorities because it… enforces laws? Isn’t that the reason there’s an authority in the first place?

It seems my confusion is notable as they are looking at me like I'm some kind of newborn. Being the mature person I am, I only activate Eyes of Dominion on the whole room. Some of them start choking, some become lightheaded, and some actually handle it pretty well but still avert their eyes. I cancel the effect after no more than a couple seconds, just wanting to show my feelings about being looked down upon and to assert my position in the meeting room. Not being petty, at all.

“And what’s that about being annoying to travel in?” I continue asking stuff. It’s a bother when the topics get so convoluted but on the bright side, i only have to ask once, as later i can just rely on good ‘ol Hallie for memory recordings.

“The gravity pull from most of the planets and asteroid belts in that system is greater than the standard, and it’s even worse near both its stars, it’s a helmsman nightmare” Answered Santángel, while looking at OOD Rovers. The boy is sitting here with a grim look in his eyes, but when he notices i’m looking at him, he manages to force a smile.

“Noted... looks like a place we’d rather avoid, but well… you heard the details already” I shrug “ I understand why the apprehension of going to Tauri Bridge, but there’s nothing we can do, not right now at least; i mean we could become pirates and sail through the universe while plundering booty… but let’s be real, if you are on this ship you probably prefer being a soldier, you’ve had enough chances to desert”

Everyone nodded their heads. They’ve had countless opportunities to abandon ship, and there’s been not one desertion. Almost all of these guys have had some sort of trouble in their careers, from insubordination to drug use, hell there was a guy that spent some time in the brig because he got too drunk and pissed the walls of a corporate building. But, now, look at them, some even looking proud in just a few days. Guess the army really went to shit in a hundred years.

Ah fuck me, i’ll get all political and emotional if i go that way. I want to shove an arm up van der Mann’s ass, but I'm still too green for that. Let’s play their game for a while, use the fact they are at least sending me to some actual military work and not just suppressing minorities.

“Alright people… let’s get this straight” I say while raising up a hand to get their attention “We go to the Bridge, find some pirates, kill said pirates, rinse and repeat until we find a Valdari named Van’hil Blackfang and we get out of there, mission accomplished”

They all nod their heads without a word.

“Let’s get this done, shall we? Everyone, to your posts, Rovers, set course to Tauri Bridge”

“Yes ma’am! We’ll arrive in five earthen days”

Five days… guess i’ll have to find something to keep myself active. Plenty of options though.

Hallie!