Which got delivered to him In seconds by a drone.
The merc didn't waste time In unpacking It, just as he put In a fusion cell and powered It up.
The lazer rifle exploded In his hands causing him severe burns.
We could hear the furious and pained cursing of the newbie merc and the laughter of veteran mercs.
"See?"
The manager asked In that sultry voice of hers.
After witnessing the unfortunate incident with the newbie mercenary and his faulty lazer rifle, we exchanged wary glances.
The lesson was clear: trust nothing you buy without first inspecting it in person.
"Noted,"
I said to the manager, who gave us a sultry nod before we turned and headed out of the guild.
"So the spaceship first or our gear?"
Airid asked as we stopped In place for a moment.
"Spaceship"
I decided as I did we started navigatIng the winding corridors of the citadel, passing by a myriad of xenos and humans.
The diverse inhabitants of the station moved with purpose, their various conversations creating a hum of activity.
As we walked, the advanced technology and intricate designs of the citadel continued to impress us.
"This place is really something else,"
Paul muttered, looking around at the seamless integration of displays and control panels into the architecture.
"No kidding,"
Julian replied.
"Makes you wonder what else they've got hidden around here."
Our destination was the spaceship district, specifically the UNOE Aegis Mega Corporation showroom.
As we approached, a sleek building with large, holographic advertisements for various ships and equipment came into view.
The doors slid open with a quiet hiss as we entered.
Inside, a stunning human female receptionist greeted us.
She wore a professional sales uniform that accentuated her curves, and her eyes sparkled with the confidence of someone who knew she was good at her job.
"Welcome to UNOE Aegis Mega Corporation. How can I assist you today?"
She asked, her voice smooth and welcoming.
"We're interested in the Aegis-class corvette,"
I said.
Her eyes lit up with recognition, and she nodded.
"Excellent choice. Please follow me."
We followed her through a series of corridors until we reached the exhibition area.
The space was enormous, with countless spaceships of all shapes and sizes parked in neat rows.
Each ship was displayed with a holographic information panel detailing its specifications and features.
"This is the Aegis-class corvette,"
The receptionist said, stopping in front of a sleek, utilitarian spaceship that looked like an enlarged dropship with four maneuverable chemical thrusters.
The holographic display beside it floated In the air showcasing its specs.
The Aegis-class corvette was an impressive sight.
Its hull was reinforced with a nanocomposite alloy designed to withstand heavy fire, and its sleek design hinted at both speed and maneuverability.
"The Aegis-class corvette comes equipped with a small-sized mass accelerator turret, a fission warhead space torpedo two slots silo, point defense laser cannons, two small-sized deflector modules, a fission reactor, a type one hyperdrive, chemical thrusters, and a radar"
The receptionist explained.
"It also includes a six passenger sized dropship with all necessary facilities for prolonged space travel such as showers, gym, recreational area, armory and personal quarters ."
As she did we stepped inside to inspect the corvette, the interior was just as impressive as the exterior, though the utilitarian design dominated every aspect of the although rather big In our eyes spaceship but In reality rather cramped Interior.
"Let's check out the bridge,"
Airid said, pointing to the forward section of the ship. We moved to the command center, where a large, panoramic window provided a clear view of the space outside.
"Not bad"
I said, nodding in approval.
"What do you think, guys?"
"It's got everything we need more or less"
Paul agreed, inspecting the weapons console.
"Just enough to put up a fight against pirates."
"The dropship is a nice touch too,"
Robert added, peering into the small hangar bay.
"Makes it easy to get in and out of hotspots."
Darius and Julian both gave their nods of approval, impressed with the overall design and functionality of the ship.
After thoroughly inspecting the ship, we walked back to the reception desk. The receptionist, still wearing her professional smile, awaited our decision.
"We'll take it,"
I said confidently.
"Excellent choice,"
She replied.
"I'll just need to process your payment and finalize the paperwork."
I pulled out my holo phone and authorized the transaction. The amount was significant, but worth every credit for the capabilities the Aegis-class corvette offered.
"Transaction complete,"
The receptionist said, handing me a small data chip.
"Here are the keys to your new ship, welcome to the UNOE Aegis family, all you have to do Is pick a name and we will do the rest"
The receptionist added as she opened up a holographic window ready to kee In the ship's name.
"Suggestions?"
I asked, glancing at my battle brothers.
"How about Iron Fang?"
Darius piped up.
"Has a nice ring to it, and it ties into the whole Fenrir thing we have going with Terranum Imperium."
"Not bad,"
Robert mused, rubbing his chin.
"But maybe something that reflects what we're going to do, not just who we are. We're heading into unknown territory, looking for work, danger... and fortune."
Airid looked up from his holo-phone, where he'd been scrolling through some data on the ship.
"What about Stormbreaker? We'll be breaking through whatever storm gets thrown at us, whether that's pirates, rival mercs, or whoever else thinks they can stand in our way."
Paul, who had been unusually quiet, chimed in with a suggestion that surprised all of us.
"How about Revenant?"
We all turned to him, and he shrugged.
"We're back from the dead, aren't we? Woke up after almost 170 years, starting over. It's got a certain... fitting vibe to it."
Silence fell as we considered it. Revenant, It did have a certain weight to it, a sense of purpose.
We were once soldiers, once thought lost to time, returning to carve out our place in the galaxy. The name felt like a declaration no matter what came our way, we'd endure. We'd survive, but It still felt lacking to me.
"How about Invicta"
I said offering a suggestion.
"In Latin, It means unconquered a defiant spirit refusing to be defeated by anyone just like our Iron bond which would break first before bending."
"Hmmm I like It"
"Yeah lets go with that"
The others voiced their agreement. The decision was unanimous.
"TIS Invicta it is,"
I declared, turning back to the receptionist.
She smiled and entered the name into the holographic window.
"A fine choice. The ship will be registered under the name Invicta. You'll receive confirmation within the hour, and it will be ready for launch In one of the citadels docking bays within 24 hours."
With the ship's name secured, we stepped out of the UNOE Aegis Mega Corporation, the feeling of ownership settled in, and I couldn't help but grin as I imagined the Invicta flying through the stars, her name written across her hull only for mine and my battle brothers stomachs to growl In protest all of a sudden.
"Food?"
I asked glancing at my battlebrothers.
"Food"
All of them said In unison as they did we headed to a nearby fast food joint to grab something to eat.
The place was a dive, with dim lights and a rough crowd, but the food was decent enough. It reminded me of the hole-in-the-wall joints we used to hit after a long day of training or a deployment.
Sitting around the metal table, trays of greasy burgers and fries in front of us, we started discussing the procurement of our gear.
"Well,"
Airid said, taking a big bite out of his burger before continuing.