"Understood. I will meet you at the Spaceport." Grabbing her data slate, Vronica made her way to the counter before placing her hand on the scanner on the table.
"Thank you, and please come again" The server said, as she watched the payment of credits get approved, waving her patron off as she walked out of the doors.
Stepping onto the sidewalks, with the chilly Menrvanian breeze fluttering her silver hair, shimmering under the emerald lights, she didn't have to wait very long before a cab stopped by.
Travel within the city was a lot easier to do with the trams or cabs, with trains taking passengers from within the city to its limits where they could find the spaceports. Outside of the city, your best bet for getting through the harsh terrain would be with the use of airships or exocrafts that could brave the outskirts.
To make the trip to the Enforcer Hall, where the local arm of the Silver Council's policing force was working out of, Vronica needed only a thirty minute cab ride north of the central business district.
A massive tower that jutted out from the bay from one of the three main seas on the moon, the Rhean Sea was a marvel of teal and cyan tones with the ice from the Hyperion Showers giving them a twinkling appearance during most of the day.
The tower looked like several trees were grown alongside the core of a single more massive one. The several columns rose to an impressive height before ending at different points, giving the structure the appearance of being topped with a crown. The various grooves running along the columns formed a cross-hatching pattern that only ended by a small opening at the base of it.
It didn't matter what system, planet or moon you found yourself on, if the Silver Council's influence reached it, then one of these towers would be found there, with the only real difference between them being the size.
The cab parked itself by the blackstone courtyard illuminated with the emerald criss-cross lines from the tower. One Vronica got off, the cab made its way as she headed for the opening.
"How long do we have to wait here?"
"Until we are told otherwise." Pierce watched Rayce snicker as he pulled out the container carrying all the condensed beverage capsules. With each capsule he pulled out, the Monocerian's expression of frustration grew.
"They could at least have the good stuff for their guests, what do we look like to them?"
"...."
"When you said we came here to watch over that guy, the last thing I was expecting is this" Tossing the whole container into the garbage bin.
"I didn't even know you drank coffee."
"As long as it's organic then I don't really mind. A lot of your human settled systems seem to lack the ambient sustenance I'm used to so I have to settle for your sub-standard coffee."
'Even aliens have coffee snobs, interesting' Pierce thought, never having moved from his seat since their arrival.
After they arrived at the Enforcer Hall, they were admitted to the surveillance room, where they waited until an announcement was projected into the room, stating that they had no business with the prisoner anymore.
However much like Pierce had said before, with the support of the disgruntled Rayce, both reminded them that they would only answer to the Silver Council.
Their protest ended with a second announcement that they would wait in the room until they were addressed.
That was twenty minutes, and now with Rayce having consumed all the snacks in the room, Pierce knew that they had a time limit that was fast approaching.
The young man got to his feet before retrieving the container and looking through the capsules.
"What are you doing with that trash?" Rayce blurted out, tapping on horns out of boredom.
"While you may find some of these sub-standard, you can actually create a better drink with the right combination of them." Peaking his interest, Rayce got up to look over Pierce's shoulder while he worked.
"With most of these machines you just place your capsule inside and the drink is dispensed. However."
Pierce pulled out three cups, alongside a bottle of milk from the refrigerator. The first container was filled a third of the way with the caramel capsule. The next was the cappuccino capsule and in the last, he added one part milk and another a shot of espresso.
"You spoke highly of your metabolism so guessing this much caffeine shouldn't be a problem" Combining the mixtures into a single cup, he stirred the drink and placed it off to the side before clearing the counter.
"Now that should tide you over" pointing at the drink before returning to his seat.
Leaving the drink in front of Rayce, he wondered where all those new scents were coming from.
Despite lacking any visible features that would make you think that he had a sense of smell, all Monocerians have a bony faceplate that covers most of their face aside from their mouth. The plate extends to form horns out of the side of their face.
And it's this bony plate that's believed to give them their superior senses.
To Rayce there was a birth of flavors and smells from the drink that couldn't have existed on their own. Taking up the drink and holding it in front of him.
"I don't know what you did, but this substance you have just created..." Taking a sip of it. A moment passed as the steel blue pigment of his skin adopted a crimson tinge below his face plate.
"I would like the recipe. I don't believe they taught us this kind of application for chemistry" He said with a grin, before drinking more of it.
"Knowledge from my time before I was a Blade"
"Back when you were still a regular human" He teased.
"That may have been true. Someone I once knew was the one to show me. Though I cannot remember her name"
"Hmmm" Rayce looked as though he had more to probe Pierce about, but his curiosity was short-lived at the sound of a knock on the door.
The pair fell silent , when the door slid open.
Stepping through the threshold, an unlikely figure met the pair.
Standing just a head under Pierce himself, they found themselves greeted by a blonde figure, whose hair ended in cheek-length bangs while the rest of it reached down past her shoulders.
Despite a seemingly delicate frame, she possessed an athletic build that demonstrated a kind of discipline not expected from the Enforcers of a peaceful Monastery World. All of this coupled with the unique features of her uniform piqued Pierce's interest.
'Well suited and form fitting uniform, three golden tassels on her shoulders, standard Enforcer uniform doesn't come with gloves like that. That coat is not standard with the officers uniform either...Hmmm, those stars' Pierce thought as he watched her
With golden-hazel eyes, she took a glance at Rayce before looking up at Pierce. With a moment of silence filling the room, she stepped forward, until coming to a step in front of Pierce who was seated.
The two maintained fierce eye contact while Rayce took another sip of his drink, waiting for something to happen.
"Apologies for making the both of you wait. I am Major Illyanova Zoya. You may consider me the one in charge of this base and by extension all of Titanea Planetary space. Now, who might you be?" Despite her stature, she managed to look down on Pierce with the weight of her presence, who still hadn't shirked his gaze.
"Lieutenant Rayce Vaun. And you should be sorry. Do you have any idea how valuable our time is?" Rayce answered.
She only turned back to give him a momentary glance before facing Pierce once more, expectedly.
"A pleasure. I am Captain Pierce Gage. And Lieutenant Vaun is part of my Sword Company. I recognise that we have come unannounced, however our presence here was urgent."
"Is that so. Do you mind explaining to me why that is?" Crossing her arms against her ample breasts.
"Because your subordinates are not properly trained to handle a criminal this dangerous, I cannot leave such a task up to them."
"I see..."
"Yeah, so, if you don't mind we want to see the prisoner" Rayce stepped and grabbed the Enforcer's shoulder. Gripping the golden tassels of her uniform.
When in one swift motion, her boot was planted into Rayce's side, sending him into the collection of chairs nearby.
"I haven't given you permission to touch me." Turning away from Pierce and approaching the downed Rayce, using her gloved hand to retrieve a cloth from her pocket to dust off her coat.
"Now, be a good little dog, and sit" Rayce tried to throw a punch but she easily caught it, looking as though she was preparing another fearsome blow, Pierce took action.
As she threw her own punch she found her fist was frozen, only to look up and find Pierce, holding onto the sleeve of her coat:
"And I have not given you permission to harm my companions"
"Do you believe getting in my way is wise?"
"I do not care. However if you interfere with my subordinates and our mission, I'll be forced to act" Despite gripping so little fabric, she found herself unable to free herself.
"It seems you are every bit the monster my subordinates said you were." Standing up only for him to let her go.
"Can you get up?" Watching Rayce dust himself off before grabbing his drink and leaving the room.
"As I stated before, I hadn't given you permission to touch me" Standing close enough to be within Pierce's shadow.
"That is why I only held your uniform"
"...Only ever in my eyes, do you even see the rest of me" She wondered, with her gaze still maintaining its fierceness.
"With all due respect, Major, I would like to see the prisoner."
"Well Captain. That's exactly why I came here. You see it seems that the higher-ups requested that the prisoner be sent to Luna, along with those who apprehended him." She said as she sat on one of the chairs. Crossing her arms while she spoke.
"I would be lying if I said I was surprised."
"Well I'm just so happy for you. The prisoner has already been sent to your ship. You can find him there"
"I see" Pierce made his way to the door, only for Illyanova to stop him with her arm, baring the door.
"But here's the thing, this entire mess with the prisoner started in my home, and I don't feel comfortable just watching you leave with him."
"Then bring up the matter with the Silver Council"
"I'm not talking to the Council right now, I'm talking to you. Or does that distinction not even exist for someone like you?"
"Do you really think you can stop me from leaving?"
"Most men would"
"Lesser men would"
"Lesser men indeed, so why haven't you dealt with me?"
"..." A curious grin grew beneath her golden eyes, with a rosy tint rising to her cheeks all the way to the tips of her ears. What for?
Pierce had remained silent as he stepped to the door and raised the Major's arms before reaching around her and bringing his face close to hers.
"Because I have to return the prisoner to Luna" He said before lifting her up and placing her on the stack of chairs.
"I can't let you leave after this, I cannot make you stay, and I cannot convince you to leave the prisoner here."
"With all due respect Major Zoya, that is far from my concern."
"Not quite" She said, holding onto his jacket with her gaze just as firm as her grip.
On his way out, Rayce meets up with Vronica, who asks about the captain and tells him about the call. Complaining for a bit before he tells her where he is.
"Hold on there little Droid" Holding her back from heading down the corridor.
"Lieutenant?"
"Let's hang back for this, the Captain will find us outside"
"But..."
"Not butts. I'm way too pissed to deal with the kind of mess coming from you getting involved with them."
"Them?" She said, her voicing almost falling with a tone that quickly had him pushing her along towards the doors.
'He better hurry up, I don't want to spend anymore time working, when there's fun to be had.' Rayce lamented as he used all his strength to usher Vronica outside.
Back in the surveillance room, Pierce stood between the doorway, held back by the seated Illyanova:
"To ensure that the prisoner arrives to meet the Silver Council's judgment, I will be coming along"
"No you will not." He said in a flat tone.
"Have you forgotten all the chaos that's befallen us since all of you arrived in Menrva?"
"How do you think the citizens will respond when they find out that we simply let him walk away with a bunch of strangers?" She said.
"..."
"Trust in the Silver Council will only worsen if word of how you handled this event were to spread. I only want to reduce any more needless havoc, both for the Council and my own people" Finally letting go of him. This time her fierce expression softened a little as she spoke.
"This is not an order, Lord knows I don't have that kind of power anymore. But I do implore you, Captain. Allow me to accompany you"