Bowin had a bit trouble with finding the briefing room, he was told that it would be in room E21, but the closest room to him now was B07. He didn't know were the hell he was. He would go to one person ask the direction and follow the given path before being lost again, then he had to repeat.
He checked his wrist that had a electric watch on it, he had to be there in 5 minutes or else he would miss his first briefing. He wanted to cry, he was never late and now that could become a reality. Even in his previous life his latest arrival would be a minute before he had to be there.
Then, by some luck he saw a familiar face in the distance. Sench, his hands in his pockets, was walking in the distance. Bowin rushed to him like a baby duck finding his mother.
Sench saw him coming, he didn't seem fazed or anything, he just watched as Bowin came.
"Your lost," he said, "You know you could have followed Stanley, he know his way." "I lost him when we left the infirmary." Bowin responded a bit embarrassed.
They began walking together until the arrived at a place that had 4 elevators, one of them opened and they shared that one alone.
Bowin couldn't find the courage to say anything while Sench seemed unbothered by the company. What do I even say?
It was silent for a moment longer and Bowin started asking himself when they would finally arrive on their floor. Then he remembered, Sench, thanks to his accomplishments in the previous battle was promoted to a section captain, which meant that in greater battles he could be responsible for more men than just the ones on his ship. "Congratulations on your promotion!" Bowin said eventually.
"I'm glad you didn't kill yourself." Sench responded, he really knew how to cut to the chase. "Oh… yeah, thanks." Bowin responded.
"Now you just need to stop being a coward." Sench said, that sentence sounded so familiar to Bowin, something about the way Sench said, something in his childhood.
"What?"
"If you keep acting like the way you do, you'll die unhappy." The elevator opened and Sench walked out, Bowin followed eventually they arrived at the briefing room.
It was like a classroom, with chairs in rows of 4 on one side and a screen on the other side. This screen was holographic and seemed to float right infront of the wall. Nothing except a bouncing ball could be seen on it though.
18 people were already there, most definitely the other squad leaders. Most of them already sitting down and conversing with the other people there. Stanley was leaning against the wall, Retter was already sitting down in a chair. When he saw Bowin and Sench enter the room he nodded his head to them.
"The ship leader is here!" Retter announced, the other squad leaders started sitting down in the chairs.
It was then when Bowin noticed that there was a woman in between the men, his eyes widened. She was the only thing he could see for several moments keeping his eyes glued on her as he sat down in a random chair.
When her eyes flicked towards him he quickly broke the eyecontact, immediately staring at Sench that was at the front of the room, his face hot. Black hair, shoulder length and straight, her eyes were pretty big seeming unnatural, her lips were red like they were just smeared with blood. Her face took a permanent place in Bowin's memory
His shoulder was tapped, "she looks nice right,but be careful, the SSL can be quite cold." SSL, a acronym for second ship leader, meaning that she was the next important person after Sench. When Bowin turned his head he was face to face with a giant smirk.
He was white haired, with a long nose, his face seemed weird somehow.
"I don't think we met before, Seal." Seal stuck out a hand, Bowin shook it, "Bowin."
"I know it's strange, one of the only girls you'll see in her position, she doesn't even look like a man, we're lucky." Seal started, "But don't even try to make a move, she likes strong men, so Sench catches her eyes now. Your a first time squad leader right, you gotta prove your worth, but if you pay attention now you'll be fine."
"Thanks," Bowin said a bit overwhelmed with the sudden introduction. Seal sure liked to talk a lot.
"I already like you more than that other newbie, he seems a bit full of it you know." Seal subtlety nodded his head towards Stanley that now sat behind them.
Bowin said nothing, still flustered, Seal on the other hand lent back in his chair wobbling on it.
"Yoooo Sench, give the great plan for the next great battle."
Sench tapped on the screen and eventually a map of a city appeared, it had great metallic walls completely covered the city like a dome, with on it cannons.
"This is Santos, also known as the gateway," Sench started, "a pivotal location of the war, since if we want to take any other planets this one will be integral. The next inhabited planets are almost 3 million light years away from our own planets, but if we take santos it will be only 1 million light years. Taking this planet is important for our future supply lines. Which gives us a greater chance of retaking Unkar."
The map expanded showing that planet and then the closest ones to it. The ships needed to do combat in space needed fuell, repairing and more, but traveling 3 million light years back to their own territory would be too far.
The map zoomed in on Santos again, three green dots appeared on various locations of the of the map outside of santos city.
"Leuitenant Mikel has grouped us up with
60 other breaching ships which adds on to 3000 men on 3 different fronts. All of us focused on taking santos."
Bowin felt sick, 3000 thousand men was a 300 fold more people than before, this battle would be serious. Sench then explained that on their front of the battle a thousand men would be stationed, these would be split in four and lead by individual section captains.
"THAT'S RIGHT!" Seal screamed like a lunatic, it drew the attention of everyone in the room, Bowin was slightly startled by the sudden sound. Seal stood up, Sench seemed slightly annoyed with the man, his left eye twitching from the frustration.
"Our great Ship leader here has been promoted to a section captain. Everybody give him a round of applause."
"To our great ship leader!" Retter yelled from the back, standing up firm and clapping like it was all he wanted in life.
"I honestly forgot, oh well." Said some guy, he was all the way in the back of the room, his face hidden by the shadow of his hoodie.
"Guys, guys, thank you let's get back on topic." Sench said, he seemed as unbothered as ever.
Bowin also clapped, just copying his colleagues. The clapping continued for a bit, totally ignoring the wishes of the captain. They started chanting his voice and through all of this the captain cracked a smile.
Then a feminine voice struck through like thunder, "Enough!" It was the SSL, her voice seemed regal and was surprisingly soft. But the clapping stopped immediately.
"Everybody sit down, the captain still has a a lot to discuss." She continued, the men did as she asked and order was returned.
Bowin couldn't get his eyes from the female: she was by far the shortest person there at 165 centimeters tall, around 16 years of age. Even with her height her appearance was very tidy and mature compared to most of her male counterparts. Bowin couldn't explain why he felt like this, it was as if he was in love.
It must be these teenage hormones I inherited he forced himself to look away and focus on Sench again.
"Thank you Sani," Sench thanked, "where was I, oh yeah, after scanni- "
"But I also have something to say in regards to the captain's promotion." Sani interrupted. Her voice was like honey to Bowin's ears.
"Since the captain has been promoted, I think a small party must be in order, together with all the shipmates." She said eventually. The other squad leaders erupted in cheers at the idea.
"For the captain, we never had a party for him before."
"He deserves it."
"Who cares?" One voice in the back yawned, it was that same guy in the back with his hoodie. At this notion the other squad leaders started shouting at him.
"Of course it's you Kelp" one said.
"You also forgot that he got promoted, so disrespectful." Another said.
"Let's throw him in space." This one was Retter.
"Guys guys," Sench came in, "There wil be no party, there is a lot that needs to be done."
"All work and no play, you are a boring man captain." Sami said folding her hands, pouting slightly.
"Please keep in mind that I'm a human with feelings, there is no need to be mean." Sench said in a playful fashion.
"Then how about you act like a human and throw a party for your grateful crew."
"Maybe in a few weeks you can ask me again… then I'll tell you no."
Sani and the captain held eye contact for a moment before she sat in her chair again. Bowin couldn't help this feeling of disappointment, it was very obvious that Sani had feelings for the captain. It was like his previous life when the girls in his class liked other boys and never even batted an eye to him.
A very familiar feeling, Bowin accepted the state of things feeling defeated, and payed attention to Sench again as the captain explained the plans.
"Hmm, oh yeah there I was, after scanning the location and thinking up plans me and the 3 other Section captains have found a fatal flaw in the great city wall." The map zoomed in on one spot of the map that showed a sewer exit.
"This will be the easiest way to break in the city and open its walls from the inside."
He continued to explain that there would be a separate squad of 40 men that would be deployed to take infiltrate the sewer exit lead by Sani. And Bowin's squad would also be apart of that group