The thing that shadowed The Swift, was a giant a Colony Carrier Class space ship. These types of ships are used to haul around large Colony, which to put it into scale they are like dung beetle and the colony is the dung. As for the crew capacity, it can be piloted and maintained by a ten person crew, five on the deck and five on the engine. And I am looking at it with awe.
"You like it?" Celestine asked."That's the Frontier, it's a Scientific-Carrier Class. Instead hauling around colony, they haul knowledge"
"It was good moment until you ruined it with your joke." I replied.
"You had more cheesy jokes than me if I remembered correctly"
The room was filled with sharp stares. We approached the Frontier which opened up its hangar door. We passed through a force field that prevents ships from being accidentally thrown out of the carrier.
"Where do you want me to park this thing?" I asked.
"Just park it right there" She pointed on the middle of the zone.
I did as she instructed. As we landed, she opened the doors and stepped outside. I followed her, some of the crew smiled when they saw her but they scoffed when they saw me. A personnel approached her.
"Ms. Celestine, so good to see you" He said in a polished manner.
"Good to see you to Doug" She replied.
"I assume you are Ms. Celestine's associate?" He reached out his hand. I shake and nodded.
"Is M'Khari here now?" She asked.
"Yes, he came in a few minutes earlier than you. He's in the briefing room"
"Thanks. Oh and before I forget, my uniform is fixed right?"
"Yes it is, I made sure they dropped it off to your locker." He told her.
I am a little speechless by the number of vehicles and ships that is hanging around this place. I try to take it in silently, and I can actually see that this is why who ever hired Celestine was not hesitant to give me half a million credits right of the bat.
"You didn't tell me that you work for someone rich" I told her.
"Well it's not one." She replied.
"What?"
"Briefing, later." She told me.
We walked in to the entrance. I could say that without any knowledge on how the hallways work, you could get lost. Right now I am sticking closely to Celestine like a kid following his mom in the mall. We walked past different people, some she greeted, others she walked past. It gave me an impression that this carrier is to wide for anyone to know everyone.
After a while we stopped to a door, she entered and I follow but she stopped me. She pointed her finger upward on the sign that says 'Female Locker'.
"Wait for me, I'll be just done in a minute" she said.
I stood there and thought to myself I should have said no. The feeling being put into something bigger than yourself is overwhelming, and most people would be question their purpose. But not me, I have no regard for that as long as I get paid. Besides in my perspective these types of job, a freelance one, requires little to no interaction with anyone. Sure it gets lonely but it means no can breath under your neck, and I like it.
Celestine walks out, dressed in the same uniform as I am, looking fresh and beautiful. She nodded and we moved to the hallway near the briefing room. I did not remember the way from the hanger up to here mainly because I trust Celestine enough that she could be bring me around.
"Oh before I forget, here's the ship's evacuation plan. And you're cabin arrangements. but knowing you means you'd rather sleep in your ship right?" She told me as she passed the information on my holowatch. "Well this ship has nice cabin, and individual beds no less... So I think you'll like it"
"I'll consider." I replied.
We entered the briefing room, and it was not what I imagined. As soon as the doors open you can see the podium for whoever will give the briefing, and behind is a giant screen. In front of the podium are about six holoprojector integrated tables and four stools.
Celestine walked to one of the tables and sat down, she offered a seat. I took it and we waited.
"We have to wait for the others. M'Khari will give the briefing." She told me, I understood.
A man walked in the room, the one with the turtleneck earlier, only this time he is wearing the same uniform like ours with an exception of a shoulder pin that has a weird symbol on it. Celestine walked towards him and signaled me to follow. I did as she gestured.
"Rover, may I formally introduce you to M'Khari, project head" She pointed at the man.
He reached in for a handshake. "My name is M'Khari, and you must be the famous Rover?"
"I am" I replied.
"I'm sorry that Celestine had to keep the mission details a secret for you, we just need to keep everything under lock and key. To prevent any forms of opposing opinions... if you know what I mean?"
"Clearly." I replied coldly.
Three persons walked in the room, one female and two male. M'Khari looked at them and introduced us to everyone.
"Ah, before I forget. Rover this is Tves" He pointed out the man.
"This is D'Carki. And lastly this is Luther, He's an android" He pointed at the female, who looks like someone of an Italian descent , a short muscular man, and at the android respectively.
We exchanged pleasantries. "Alright, settle down. Time for briefing." He continued. We sat back and M'Khari stood on the podium.
"Good day everyone, as I have introduced myself, I am M'Khari and I will be the head of this operation... For those of you wondering about this mission, it is simple. Our race, the Zypherias have been living on a space colony for hundred of years now due to our planet's core overloading making it inhabitable. But recently our scientific division has found a blueprint from the ancient civilization of a terraformer. One capable of making our planet habitable again... You will be divided into two teams, Alpha is me, D'Carki, and Tves. Beta team is Celestine, Luther, and Rover. All you have to do is retrieve these components" He said and the components were flashed on our table. There were four displayed, each designated with numbers.
"There are four items, and there's six of us. Which clearly means we are undermanned." I stated.
"Each of these items were found on dangerous systems, that is why we needed two teams of experts. Items 1 and 2 was found on our planet and its moon, and since no one knows our planet better than us, Alpha team will retrieve items one and two."
"Which means items 3 and 4 is Beta's responsibility" Celestine interjects.
"Yes, but unlike 1 and 2. 3 and 4 are quite far from each other. I have placed the coordinates on your ship, which will all leave in twenty minutes... Now remember this mission is to save my planet, meaning this is a time sensitive mission... so please make sure you retrieve all these pieces fast. Questions?"
"I have one. What's with our tools and specific time frame?" I asked.
"You will be provided with the most advance tools and ships this universe has to offer. And for the time frame... We have a week to do this, my planet grows unstable everyday. I just hope we could use the terraformer before my planet turns to dust. Anything else?"
Everyone looked at each other with added pressure. All were silent. "Very well. Dismissed!"
M'Khari's team went out the prepare for their mission. I approached M'Khari to give a little suggestion. Celestine followed me, Luther went along to prep.
"I'm sorry to jumble your mission plan. But I prefer to use my own ship if you don't mind?" I told him. Celestine looked at me.
"Apology accepted. Request rejected" He replied.
"You told us that this is time sensitive. I think its best to use the fastest ships at our disposal. And quite frankly I can't do my job properly without my ship"
"This mission is time sensitive in nature, but we have precise tools"
"Your tools are precise, no argument there. But it's the ships I'm concerned"
"As his team leader, I think The Swift has its strengths and if the pilot will insist on using his ship. It only means he is willing to give his all for this job" Celestine suggested.
"I trust your judgement and choice for picking him on this mission. Tell me what else do you need" He said to her.
"I think it's better if we do a diagnostics on The Swift if we want this mission to work out." She replied.
"I'll notify engineering to diagnose and repair the ship if need be." M'Khari said as he walked out.
"What the hell was that?" Celestine berated.
"I took a peak at the ships, it's too slow for my taste... And I don't trust guys wearing turtleneck" I replied.
"You are unbelievable." She told me as she walked out.
I followed Celestine to the armory to stack up on gear which I was informed that were top of the line. I tailed her while still looking at my map just to make sure I wasn't lost. A few minutes of walking, Celestine came to a halt, she looked at me.
"Do me a favor, don't drool." She told me.
"Oh please..."
She opened the door and I couldn't control myself. I was flabbergasted by all the tool and weapons I only dreamed of. From the finest drills, cutting tools, lock picks, to even the highest caliber of guns were present.
"Get your gear, make it quick." She told me.
I looked around to see what are the best tools and expensive hoping that when the mission is over I could 'damage' them to the point they'll give it to me for free. I stacked up a few drones, lock picks, rescue apparatus, and lots of guns. Celestine looked at trying to find a good burn for me but decided not to.
"We only have a few minutes left so I grabbed each for the team" I told her.
"We already have our gears prepped."
"Contingency then"
I can see that she approved of it. We exited the armory she was confident and I was mentally preparing myself for this world saving job.