Only a week or two after the Senate hearing the crew are back on Morza in the Alicus shipyard. Preparing the Dibits for war with heavy guns on the side. Since Jeffers is away Victoria sits in the Captain's seat with Beta in secondary while Heidi is standing up on the bridge overlooking the maintenance that is going on outside.
"Has the Dibits ever been armed for war?" Victoria asks
"It's only been in a combat situation once before in the episode Rings around Roxa. Where some rogue Hondras Admiral was planning to annihilate Morza's twin planet Roxa so the Dibits was outfitted with heavy weaponry to help repel the attack." Heidi answers
"Really that sounds awesome." Victoria says
"Yeah it was, too bad you'll never know." Heidi replies
"Ah"
Victoria then asks
"Heidi what happens if we die?"
"We cease to be living media, we lose our consciousness and free will, but our character will still exist on the show. It just won't be you anymore." Beta says
Heidi explodes enraged
"She was talking to me Beta!"
"Well you were going to lie to her." Beta retorts
"So it wasn't your business."
Heidi says
Victoria comes in saying
"Heidi, you should've just told me the truth."
"Why you little-"
But before Heidi can finish that sentence the door to the bridge opens up and Admiral Smithers walks in holding a standard female PA uniform, which is a blue jumpsuit and some heeled black wedge boots.
"Hello, sorry to bother you guys." he says
"Oh no problem Admiral." Heidi says
She then sees what he has in his hands so she asks "What are those for?"
"About Victoria, the girl. I have no idea how she got here." he says
"No one does." Heidi responds
"Anyway, you can't just have a non affiliated member of the PA on board one of our ships. So Victoria I hereby appoint you a member of the PA and a crew member aboard the United StarShip Dibits" He says
Victoria is ecstatic, with this news.
"Oh thank you! I'm the first person on my planet to become a member of the PA. I can even be considered a diplomat." she says
"Yeah whatever."
"What's my rank?"
"Ensign, now try it on." The Admiral suggests
Heidi erupts saying
"She already has a jacket, she doesn't need a uniform!"
"That's the jacket you gave me." Victoria says
"Fine put on the uniform then." Heidi says
"I will." Victoria responds
Victoria walks out of the room and is gone for a little while as she takes off her casual clothes and puts on her new uniform. When she eventually comes back she drops jaws. She walks through the door and she looks as beautiful as ever. The sleek design of the uniform makes her breasts pop out and the high heel boots make her look taller, as she walks in she asks
"How do I look?"
Admiral Smithers, Beta and Heidi are stunned at the sight of her in the uniform.
"You look amazing." Beta says
"Excellent." the Admiral adds
Heidi just stands speechless for a while until Victoria says
"Heidi how do I look?"
Heidi snaps at her saying
"You look exactly like the higher ups want you to look. Attractive" she says
"Well I reckon I'll need a laser like you have Heidi." Victoria says
"Beta! Hand her your blaster!" Heidi shouts
"Affirmative Captain" He says in reply
Beta then throws his blaster to Victoria and She catches it
"Nice" she says as she admires it.
#
Meanwhile at the Royal Palace Jeffers is planning on meeting the Princess. He uses his credentials as a Captain in the Planetary Alliance to make it through the door and up to her living quarters pretty easily.
Knocking on the door he says
"Princess it's me Captain Jeffers. You remember?" He says
Princess Reya who is on the other side of the door says
"Yeah, the Captain who plunges us into war. How could I forget."
"Hey, it wasn't me who blew up the Hondras ship, it was Heidi."
"So, you're throwing your beloved First Mate under the bus." Reya says as she opens the door.
"No I didn't mean it like that, it was an accident."
"Uh, Whatever come in Anton." she replies
"Didn't know we were on a first name basis."
"You call me Reya, it's only fitting I call you Anton."
As Captain Jeffers is walking into the room he notices the sweet aroma of the drug Merci aforementioned in an earlier chapter.
"You do Merci? Didn't seem like something you would do." Jeffers says
"It calms my nerves in these times of crisis. You should try some." Reya says as she grabs the bong and offers it to Jeffers.
"I can't, the Hondras could come at any minute and I really don't want to be ordering my crew to shoot at targets that aren't there." Jeffers says
"Nonsense, the effects wear off pretty quickly. Besides in the Stellar Odyssey canon Admiral Smithers did exactly that when he was young."
"Fine I'll take one hit from it."
Jeffers takes a hit from the bong and he immediately begins hallucinating. Reya then does the same and they both start hallucinating together. One thing leads to another and when they both come to they are both lying naked under the cover on the floor.
Jeffers has a headache "Ah" he says
Reya looks over to him and says
"Well that was relaxing."
"Maybe for you it was."
"What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing it's just-" Jeffers is interrupted by the telecomm when it comes to life with a message.
"Attention all PA personnel, a fleet of Hondras ships have been detected in the vicinity. Approximately A hundred enemy ships. The PA will intercept the fleet at Sivom. All personnel report to their ships immediately."
"Oh, no" Reya says as she begins trembling in fear once again.
"Hey, calm down. There's no way they can beat us." Jeffers says
"Easy for you to calm down Captain, you're a soldier."
"Well princess I'm not technically a soldier"
"Don't get into semantics with me Captain!" She shouts
"Look Reya, I know you're scared we all are but we can do anything if we put our minds to it. The PA is the best fighting force in the galaxy. The Hondras will soon see who they're messing with." He reassures her
Reya got emotional screaming
"Of course Captain we probably could beat them, we have a fleet of 5000 ships! But they're spread across the galaxy! They'll never get here in time!"
"Calm down Princess, how many ships can we get?" He asks
"Only 160" she answers
"That's good we outnumber them. Alright now I must go, the Dibits is awaiting her Captain's return." He says
"Ok" she says
As Jeffers got up and began putting his clothes on.
Jeffers radio then goes off
"Jeffers, it's Heidi where are you?" She asks
"I'm at the Royal Palace but I'll be there shortly." He answers
He then cuts off the radio.
"You coming?" He asks Reya
"Of course the USS Royal will rendezvous with the fleet shortly now go." She says
"Ok but one thing first." Jeffers bends down and leans in to kiss Reya on the mouth.
"In case I don't come back" he says just before he runs out of the door headed towards his ship.