[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/2rzyA1k.png[/img][color=crimson][h3]Annona Colony Docks[/h3][/color][/center][hr]

"Commander on deck!" 

There was a rapid shuffling, followed by a crisp almost uniform stomp of feet clasping together, and salutes flying to the brows of the men and women that made up the bridge crew of the HMS Nyx. Victor waited a moment before giving a slight nod, allowing the crew to return to their posts and continue their duties. 

He made his way to the center of the bridge, a large, modern and open space unlike the older ships of the Zern navy. The center of the bridge was open and clear, save for a single console in the center that doubled as a tactical/operational map. A raised platform behind it held the Captain's chair, along with two others for either Executive Officers, Advisers, or VIPs. The rest of the stations were around the edge of the bridge, sunk slightly below the platform to keep the space open and allow an impressive view out the viewing windows of the bridge. 

Tesserarius Aston nodded and stepped over to make space as Victor stepped into the center of the bridge, arms clasped behind his back. [color=goldenrod]"Goings are a bit slow, the Caliban is a new ship class so the docking crew are still getting used to its dimensions. Connection points are standard though, so we should be secured in but a moment."[/color] Aston reported without prompting. 

The two had a fairly easy to understand relationship. While Victor was technically in charge and understood his command and its abilities well, no one understood a ship like its own Captain. As a result, Victor trusted Aston to take charge and control the ship as he saw fit, allowing Victor to focus on more macro level details- or mirco, as Victor generally preferred to lead from the front and deploy in his own mobile suit when the goings got tough. Not that things got that tough these days. 

[color=crimson]"Excellent. I'll leave you to preparations then. The Caliban will be participating in the parade during the upcoming Expo, so we'll have to make sure the ship is given a proper scrubbing, the Venunsian dust ring hasn't been exactly kind to us these last few months."[/color]

[color=goldenrod]"Aye boss, not to worry, I know how to clean up a crew for parade duty."[/color]

[color=crimson]"Izumi should have a list of pilots being assigned to parade duty, she should get that to you soon. I should probably remind her to put Torren on the list."[/color]

Aston's face fell. [color=goldenrod]"I understand that this could be seen as a punishment, but I'd rather not have the man who crashed his mobile suit into my deck on parade duty."[/color]

[color=crimson]"Oh come now Aston,"[/color] Victor replied with a chuckle, [color=crimson]"Its not like the mobile suits need to move at all. They just stand there and look nice."[/color][hr][center][color=crimson][h3]An Hour Later[/h3][/color][/center]

With the Nyx now docked, despite docking procedures taking longer than usual, Victor and Ayame made their way off the ship and onto the docks proper. The dock itself had been cleared of all non-authorized ships, and anyone entering and exiting were on a short list- the Nyx luckily, was included on this list. This was the emptiest Victor had seen the dock in the few times he'd been on Annona since his deployment, and with good reason. Princesses Asallia and Sheena were among the Royals from the Venue that were set to arrive today- they had seen the massive ship from the viewports of the Nyx, so he wagered a guess they were coming in soon.

[color=crimson]"Looks like we've made it just in time."[/color] Victor said in a slightly bemused tone to the commander of his mobile suit squadron, as his eyes scanned the docks. His eyes rested on one noble in particular, Gilbert König, a noble that Victor had worked with a few times in the past. [color=crimson]"Lucky for us, looks like König is in charge of proceedings here. By far the least insufferable noble I've dealt with- He has his head on straight, which is more than I can say for some of them." 

"Still, should probably be on our best behavior, huh Izumi?"[/color] Victor said with a chuckle and wink.

Victor made his way over to König, who was likely waiting for the Royals to arrive, snapping a short salute before falling in line beside him.

[color=crimson]"Sir,"[/color] he said quietly, as a greeting. [color=crimson]"5th Battlegroup appearing as requested."[/color]

He gestured to Ayame and gave her the briefest of introductions, [color=crimson]"Commander of my mobile suit squadron, Ayame Izumi."[/color]

To his memory, Gilbert had never been a man of many words, at least not with rank and file soldiers like himself. Not that Victor minded. After dealing with countless nobles that loved to talk, command, whine and whinge, it was nice to be able to communicate with clear, concise and short orders. With that, Victor clasped his hands behind his back and breathed out. Nothing left to do but wait for the Royals to arrive.