He wouldn't lie and say he hadn't had similar thoughts, both on the Captain and the rig stuck there on the moon. "From the look of him, I didn't know if he'd ever been in an extraction." Kaiden relayed, shaking his head inside his helmet. "You know, I've always noticed Micha being nervous at weird times, but I chalked that up to different reasons than cowardice. I think that might be the case though, as much as I'd hate to admit it." 

That didn't spell well for the ship, if this attack was the beginning of a full scale war. And there was no reason to suspect these were rogue agents acting outside any alliance chain of command. 

"You're right, though, about the cruiser. It's..." He sighed. "It's our duty as Cinnabar Officers to see it doesn't rise again, regardless of the Captain's misgivings." 

"What are you saying?" She asked. 

"I have an idea." 
[hr] 
[i]Hours later[/i]. 

"That was the most flagrant disregard of my command, my crew, and the bloody republic!" Micha screamed, his face so red Kaiden thought he was about to break out in hives. The crew that happened to be on the bridge watched silently, the tension in the air so thick it was hard to breathe. The two Lieutenants didn't shirk from Captain Micha's wrath, Kaiden fully acknowledging that it was likely earned, no matter if they did the right things. Many courts in the system could consider what they did an act of mutiny or even treason, at least out of context of the situation. "I should have you both stricken from the military, or at the very least demoted! In fact that does not sound like a poor idea in my ears. Starting a war, not only by attacking a peaceful scouting party, but engaging a foe that cannot fight on the ground!" 

Micha was skipping over the space battle and tight maneuvering they had to pull off in order to destroy the cruiser, using a gambit of missiles and a faux retreat to catch the Alliance ship off guard. Through Kaiden's plan and Sabatine's brilliant ordering of the crew, they had won the day without any further damage, though it did lead to what Kaiden knew was a defining moment in one or two of their three careers, meaning he, Sabatine, and Micha. 

"With all due respect sir, I don't think you quite understand the seriousness of the situation." Kaiden said coldly, piercing eyes boring into the Captain. 

Micha guffawed, unable to contain his sheer amazement at the statement. "What the hell do you think I've been yelling about!?" 

"The Alliance situation, sir. Not ours." The prince iterated dangerously. "Every man and woman on this vessel understood and faced the situation with bravery, Captain. None shirked their duties, save you." He could have mentioned Ensign Enrique, but he did not fall under the category of cowardice or shirking duties. Kaiden had to admit his orders had been so outrageous to the normal ear that anyone would have given pause, and the time simply did not warrant delay. Enrique was many things, but he was neither coward nor insubordinate. "Why do you think the crew went along with my and Lieutenant Hickoring's idea despite your misgivings?"

Micha ground his teeth, puffing up like a fat dog raising its hackles. He looked flummoxed, but too enraged to think clearly. Not that he'd likely have a good explanation after being given a moment to cool off. "That is it! I cannot believe I saw potential in you. Someone send a transmission to command and Commodore Welkins! I want these two detained and off my ship!" He cried. No one immediately made a move, so Micha continued. "You can count on your father hearing of this, Lieutenant." 

Kaiden winced, despite his resolve that they did the right thing. Sabatine knew better than anyone that bringing up Kaiden's father was a sore subject. The Prince disliked the man at the best of times.