I also added a message requesting their debt information or anything else we could help with, including a reminder that their loyalty to the Iron Fenrirs would be absolute.
"Alright,"
I muttered, leaning back in my chair.
"Four down, 9,996 more to go."
Darius chuckled darkly.
"Better you than me."
As I continued grinding through the applications, accepting and rejecting based on the criteria I set, the enormity of the task weighed on me.
We were building an army, one loyal enough to be shaped into something powerful.
Once I hit the necessary numbers, I fired off messages to each of them with their instructions: Arrival at the Citadel. Readiness for brutal training. Be prepared to leave your old life behind.
I closed the final screen, exhaling as the flood of notifications finally died down.
"That's it,"
I said, rubbing my temples.
"We've got our crew. Now we just have to make sure they survive long enough to become one of us."
Julian cracked a smile.
"That's where you come in, Drill Sergeant from hell. Let's see if you can mold them into something resembling soldiers."
Paul clinked his beer bottle against mine.
"To a future of breaking in some poor, desperate souls and turning them into Iron Fenrirs."
I grinned, but deep down, I knew the real challenge lay ahead.
The people we accepted were broken, desperate, and fragile.
It was up to us to rebuild them, to turn them into something unstoppable.
...
2202.02.24 almost three months later.
I stood with my battle brothers on the observation deck of the Citadel's hangar bays, all of us dressed in our freshly Ironed out black space uniforms and the sight in front of us was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
There she was, our new frigate Invicta named the same as our last ship.
A massive beast of a spaceship, held in place by gravity beams, its sleek hull painted in black, red, and white military camouflage.
The name Invicta was clearly visible, engraved proudly along the side.
Every line, every weapon mount, every feature screamed power and precision.
"Damn,"
Paul muttered beside me, running a hand through his hair.
"That's one hell of a ship."
"She's beautiful,"
Julian added quietly, his eyes gleaming with appreciation.
Darius crossed his arms, staring up at the colossal vessel.
"Took nearly three months, but it was worth every f*cking credit. This thing's going to be unstoppable."
I couldn't help but agree.Invicta was more than just a ship; she was a statement.
A fortress, bristling with the latest level 1 tech, armed with fission torpedoes, mass accelerator cannons, and everything else we requested. Even more than that, she was home.
The best part? We'd installed the old Invictas computer server into her, upgraded and fully operational.
It felt right to keep the name, keep the spirit of the ship that had carried us so far.
"Alright let's christen her,"
I said, pulling a champagne bottle from a crate we had brought up.
One by one, my battle brothers grabbed their own bottles.
We approached the docking bay, where a section of the frigate's reinforced armor plating was exposed for the ceremonial christening.
I could feel the tension, the anticipation building in all of us.
We lined up, the bottles in hand, and after a moment of silence, I raised mine.
"To Invicta. To our future."
The others nodded in agreement. I saw Darius grinning like a kid at a candy store, Paul already aiming his throw, and Julian, calm as always, ready to launch his bottle.
"To Invicta,"
They echoed.
I cocked my arm back and flung the bottle with all my strength.
It soared through the air and shattered against the frigate's hull with a sharp crack.
The others followed, and the sound of glass breaking filled the air as the ship's armor absorbed the hits without a scratch.
The champagne ran down the hull in glistening streams, a stark contrast against the matte black, red, and white camo pattern.
Paul threw his arm around Darius' shoulders.
"You think she'll handle as well as she looks?"
Darius snorted.
"Better. She's got enough firepower to level a moon if we felt like it."
"Well, let's hope we don't have to do that anytime soon,"
Julian added, though there was a mischievous glint in his eyes.
I stood back, admiring Invicta for a moment longer.
The gravity beams held her in place, like a titan resting before a storm.
Everything we had worked for, fought for, led up to this moment. We weren't just mercenaries anymore.
We were the Iron Fenrirs, commanding a warship that could let us put up a fight in any sector we entered.
"Time to get to work,"
I said, turning back to the others.
Darius cracked his knuckles, grinning.
"Time to break her in."
"Don't forget the crew,"
Paul reminded, gesturing toward the incoming shuttle that was bringing the first batch of recruits from E*rth.
I nodded, my mind already shifting to the task ahead, most of them were corporate s*aves, debt-ridden and desperate, they weren't warriors not yet just a bunch of scarred s*itless civies and It was my job to break them down to thousands of pieces and mold them back Into proper warriors.
But standing here, staring up at Invicta, I knew one thing for certain.
They were going to be part of something bigger than themselves. We were going to make them strong.
"Poor schmuks don't know what they're in for,"
Airid chuckled, flinging his bottle with a little extra flair.
Julian shook his head with a faint smirk.
"Just wait until Drac gets his hands on them you're gonna see some broken men and women by the end of the first day."
The shuttle touched down, and I could see the fresh recruits disembarking.
They looked nervous, eyes wide as they took in the sight of Invicta.
Some of them looked tough at least they tried to but their micro movements that betrayed theyre true states didnt escape my eyes, others were shaking.
All of them were about to get a crash course in survival.
"Time to whip them into shape,"
I said, smirking as I adjusted my collar.
Paul cracked his neck, already looking forward to the chaos.
"Guess it's showtime."
We stood there, side by side, staring at our new home and the future we were about to build with our new crew.
The galaxy didn't know what was coming. The Iron Fenrirs were just getting started.
"Let's get to work, boys."
We headed toward the shuttle bay to meet the recruits, the sound of glass crunching beneath our feet as we walked away from the freshly christened Invicta.
The future was waiting. And we were ready.
...
Yin and Yang's Perspective.
The shuttle ride had been long and tense. Yin sat rigid in her seat, clutching the small bag that contained her few personal belongings.
Across from her, Yang mirrored her tension, staring out the shuttle window as they approached the massive structure of the Citadel.
Both twins wore the same threadbare clothes they had since leaving their old lives behind second hand garments that had seen better days.
As the shuttle approached the docking bay, a soft hum filled the cabin.
The recruits around them were quiet, some whispering nervously, while others sat in silence, eyes wide with anxiety.
Yin felt the knot of fear in her stomach tightening with every passing moment.
Yang glanced at her sister, her voice low but firm.
"This is it, Yin. We're actually doing this."
Yin nodded, her throat tight.
"No turning back now."
The shuttle landed with a soft thud, and the door hissed open, revealing the cold, metallic interior of the Citadel's shuttle bay.
The recruits shuffled to their feet, gathering their meager belongings as they prepared to step out into their new reality.