"Colonel Lyn when is your Ensign scheduled to finish her training at the Academy?"
Colonel Lyn was taken by surprise by the question but took only a moment to regain her composure.
"In six months, Commander. It was our plan to return her to the Academy when we were sidetracked by the attack on our ship that ultimately brought us to Agadir; the home of the Marrakech."
"Ensign Alita will be promoted to Junior lieutenant and assigned as an aide to Taisen who will be temporarily commissioned as a Commander of the UN navy and given operational command of the UNS Arctic."
This time Colonel Lyn could not hide the shock.
"Sir, with all due respect… those are extraordinary measures."
Commander Zhang maintained his still and brooding pose. He was unfazed by the question. The decision had been made already.
"Well Colonel, these are extraordinary times."
***
From the moment Lieutenant Alita and Commander Taisen left the office of Commander Zhang, all eyes were firmly trained on them. There were very few aliens in the navy and it was a rare sight to see alien officers but what was downright impossible was the sight of two alien officers that leapfrogged the entire system to gain their own command of a ship. Alita had no doubt that the gazes were hostile.
Taisen ignored everyone and held the side of his head in obvious distress. Ever since he stepped foot on Boettia, the pain had started. Alita knew that she could give him permanent relief but that meant that he would have to let her in.
She waited till they were alone to air her thoughts.
"Don't you see?" Lieutenant Alita demanded. Her voice was stern but gentle. Her hand gestures on the other hand were sweeping and expansive. In place of her words, they demonstrated her anger and frustration. "If you keep ignoring these episodes, they'll keep getting worse."
"I'd rather my head split open than have you rustling through my mind," Taisen replied.
"You're stubborn and arrogant."
Just then the Colonel returned. Her eyes flicked back and forth between the two of them.
"You're damn lucky that Commander Zhang has taken a liking to you. Though why, I can't quite put together. She paused to observe Taisen as if half expecting an explanation but he stayed silent. He continued clutching the side of his head. "What the hell is wrong with him?"
There were times that Alita had learned that it didn't pay to say anything. This was one of them. For better or for worse, her future was now tied to this dark-skinned man. His success could help her free her people from the invaders and beyond that, he could help her gain a place amongst the ranks of the UN navy. He had already shown his value to her by having her promoted to junior lieutenant six months ahead of schedule and the only downside was that she had to call him 'sir' and once he was sworn in, she would have to answer 'Yes, sir' to any depraved request he made. She slowly swallowed as she imagined what he would order her to do.
"Just a migraine, ma'am."
"Ensig- Lieutenant Alita, you have been tasked with giving him a little orientation in military procedure, protocols and equipment. This should take at least two years but for obvious reasons, you have from now till he is officially sworn in. You had six months to complete your own training but you won't get any time to do that. You'll have to adapt on your own."
"Thank you, ma'am."
And just like that, Alita's life was completely upended. Especially since her time would now be spent studying and also fulfilling every desire of a man she didn't know very well.
Alita knew that she had to do well because if he failed, she would also fail with him.
***
Commander Taisen and his aide; lieutenant Alita made their way to the bridge of the UNS Arctic. It was a Star Destroyer, one of the most powerful ships in the UN Naval roster and the pinnacle of naval success. "I don't understand," Taisen said, his usually impassive face looked troubled. Alita rarely saw him confused.
"What's there to understand?" Alita replied. "You were told that you would be taking over the UNS Arctic. Everyone knew that Captain Reginald would be pushed out to accommodate you."
"Everyone?"
"Mostly everyone. It's just naval politics. Business as usual. Captain Reginald supports one of the factions that opposes Commander Zhang so he had to go."
"But it flies in the face of tactics and reason. In the surprise attack on Earth Captain Reginald acquitted himself well and his actions saved lives."
"If it makes you feel any better, the communique says he was permitted to retire."
"Does that make a difference?"
"No."
"Then no, it doesn't make me feel any better. I'll have to work extra hard to win over his crew."
Alita knew that the conversation wasn't really about Cpatain Reginald. For all his bravado, Taisen was apprehensive about other people. He learned surprisingly fast and had memorized UN Navy protocols and terminology at a rate that was hard to believe but he had no clue about people and their motives.