Fleet Admiral Rashad, the Commander of Celia's Love, met them at the cargo bay with an entourage of his officers and some household staff carrying tables for a dinner meeting. Max had almost forgotten how in love with the trappings of Nobility and Civilized Society the Cygnus Officers were, and while he was only considered a Minor Noble in Kepler, he was now a Reaver Company Commander, and Nico was both an extremely low-ranking Princess and his Subcommander.
The Officers would see it as incredibly rude for him to refuse their hospitality, but at least as career military Officers, they would have a decent sense of humour and enough combat experience to understand what Max had been doing out here in the Koleska Territories.
"Commander Keres Max. It is an honour to have a living legend aboard my ship today. And Lady Tarith Nico, you are as lovely as always. Is that perhaps the dried blood of your enemies you're wearing as perfume?" The Admiral greeted them as they disembarked.
His smile was infectious, and while the rest of his delegation looked scandalized, Nico was smiling back at him.
"Unfortunately not. I was in a bit of a hurry and didn't have time to find out how to juice an Arisen." Nico replied with an exaggerated sigh and an annoyed flick of her hand as if waving away an unwanted thought.
The staff had the tables set up in seconds, complete with embroidered tablecloths, silk-cushioned chairs, and real silver silverware.
Not that it was any more difficult to make real silver anymore with the Replicators, but it was a Cygnus Noble tradition, and it seemed that Fleet Admiral Rashad intended to keep to traditions in culture to the very end, even though his thoughts said that he was the most excited one in the group about the prospect of getting to see a new Mecha design in progress.
With that in mind, Max mentally prepared to host the man for at least one meal a day, giving him a chance to talk to Nico about the upgrade progress since she was sure to kick him out of the bay and disable the security cameras as soon as she got to work.
"So, what sort of repairs and upgrades are you looking to make that couldn't be done in the hangar bay of your ship?" The Admiral asked curiously once they were seated and the first glasses of Rum were served.
"Mobility upgrades for Space Combat. Shattered Pride was designed as a terrestrial Mecha, and while I have done some upgrades to her, the chassis is falling far short of what is necessary for this mission.
So, while I need to keep the Mecha intact and operational to serve our role here with the Koleska, I intend to make another one-off chassis specifically for fighting in space." Nico explained, and the man's eyes lit up in joy.
"So, does that mean we might see another new pattern of Titan Class Mecha?" The Admiral asked.
"That is debatable. I prefer a smaller Mecha, so it might not end up classified as Titan Class, though its firepower should put it solidly in that category. The final design size will be determined by how much I am able to miniaturize the systems that I need for the design and balance that with the multiple roles which it is likely to see in the future.
It might end up close to forty metres tall, but ideally, I would prefer it to be closer to thirty so that I can use the size difference against the Command Walkers, which the Arisen Army fields. They are spindly things, and their narrow limbs make terrible shields, but even more so for a Mecha as large as Cleansing Light.
You can nearly get two of them shoulder to shoulder in front of Commander Max's unit, so he has to rely on his own skills to avoid incoming fire, whereas a smaller Mecha can more easily dodge behind another Arisen unit.
They are not known to hit each other with friendly fire, so their precision targeting can be exploited." Nico explained.
Admiral Rashad nodded in understanding and sipped at his Rum while the first course of dinner was placed in front of the guests.
"I have been remiss. These are my Command Staff, all fine and hardworking officers on their way up."
As the Admiral made the introductions around the table, Max realized that only his Subcommander was introduced with a title, as the Admiral's own Niece. The rest were introduced by their rank and position, which meant that they held no Noble Title. That was a very rare thing for a Cygnus vessel of this calibre, and it made Max wonder if it was a peculiarity of the Fleet Admiral himself.
Max politely greeted each in turn and got all of the preferential treatment which the Cygnus commoners reserved for their Nobility.
"That is an interesting makeup for a Cygnus Command Crew," Max told the Admiral with a smile once everyone was properly introduced.
"Indeed. It is an initiative of mine, you see. Cygnus is expanding, and we have taken many losses in combat, so there is a need for talented members of the younger generation like yourself to be raised up in rank.
So, I thought, why not start from scratch? Without the family trappings, we can really see how skilled they are and who has a mindset worthy of military service." He agreed.
Nico smiled at the fresh faces around the table, then turned back to the Fleet Admiral. "It looks like you have done well for yourself. The Reavers promote in very nearly the same way, and it has been working well for them for generations. Might the choice of officers have a relation to the unique name of the ship?"
The Cygnus staff began to laugh, and Max hid a smile as he learned how the ship had gotten its name from their thoughts.
"Oh no, dear girl. You see, Celia is my ever so well-bred wife, arranged by our parents when we were children to align the families, and she loves nothing more than knowing that I have buggered off to the far side of the universe. So, I named the ship that took me there Celia's Love."
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