[h2]Captain Mika Ganishka[/h2]

Mika sat in her smaller captain's chair a level lower from the Prince's, her lack of professionalism compared to the other people on the bridge being rather noticeable. Her uniform was ruffled and had the upper buttons undone, she had also sank in her chair while fishing some kind of nuts from one pocket and casually cracking them open to eat their content as a light snack before putting the broken shells on the pocket on the other side.

She looked as bored as the prince but also had an annoyed air to her as well as she listened to Prince Cassian, Lucia and other officers of the bridge talk. This was... not optimal. She had yet to get used to Imperial command protocols and even if she did, although Cassian sat in an admiral's chair, he was both more and less than that. If anything it felt like having a political commissar watching over her shoulder and Mika wasn't sure where her authority ended and where Cassian's began. After Lucia was done briefing the Prince however, Mika also decided to swivel her chair around and pitch in.

"Yeh, I'd say there's a 70, 80% chance it's a trap. The jamming's good, but if we had caught them with their pants down scanners would have detected... engine plumes and other stuff while they moved in to secure the prize. Pirates don't just retreat and regroup for a second strike. Well, maybe against a whole convoy, but not a a single grain ship. Plus who steals bulk foodstuff? You don't starve out a cow you intend to milk. 90% chance something's up."

She swiveled back around to look at the bridge as she cracked another nut. "Maintain cruise speed, once we enter main armament range slow down and turn 20 degrees starboard, lower elevation by 15 and plan an approach that leads is port of the [i]Venture[/i], lets leave time for the Lancers to enter the debris field and confirm there are no anti-ship mines waiting for us before cruising in. Maintain us at main battery range."

As she spoke, Mika kept her eye on one person with a seat close to the Prince's aide. Lieutenant Gale Crow, the ship's executive officer and the creme of the crop of his graduation at the naval academy. Without missing a beat, the XO turned around to look at her with a frown. "Captain, if we keep this distance we will not be able to effectively screen the lance!"

Mika rolled her eyes and seemed to sink lower on her seat before answering. "Lancers are big boys and they'll manage. We're not getting closer until we get confirmation that this ship hasn't been filled to the brim with explosives waiting to detonate as soon as we get too close. If I wanted to destroy the Indomitus that'd be the cheapest trick I'd try."

This answer did not seem to satisfy the XO who instead looked up to Cassian. "Your majesty, imperial doctrine dictates that-"

Mika immediately straightened herself and threw the nut she had in her hands at the XO's face as she looked at him furiously. "SHOVE IT UP YOUR FUCKING ASS! I'm the Captain and doctrine says follow the chain of command! If the boss has an objection he can very well make it himself!" Having said that, she turned her head a little to glance at Cassian to make sure 'the boss' didn't have any objection before facing back toward the bridge.

"Good. Relay my orders and get me Barbokis on the horn." The XO did as asked, relaying the navigation orders but then hesitated toward the end. Indeed the entire bridge began looking at each other in confusion. Mika rubbed her forehead as she understood the problem. "Please open communications with captain Aiden Barbokis of the auxiliary vessel Blackbeard." She said with a sigh, already tired of her life in the imperial navy. With her orders clearly relayed, the communication screen showing a large black man with an impressive beard smoking a cigar appeared shortly. Rather than the military discipline of the Indomitus, behind him through a haze of smoke a bunch of guys could be seen lounging around, drinking or taking a nap with their feet up on their console. They had imperial uniforms now of course, but they certainly didn't wear them according to regulations.

"Whatsup Boss?"

Mika munched on another nut before answering. "Tell the others to look alive, we have a stranded cargo and the big boss wants to look good for the sheep. I want you to stay back while we stroll in and give a show."

The man took a long draft of his cigar. "Rapid reinforcement?"

Mika shook her head negatively. "Pursuit. This brick should be able to handle some action, if we can help it I'd like our first encounter to say 'don't fuck with us' loud and clear."

Barbokis smiled and nodded. "No survivors. Aye aye boss."

Communications ended and silence fell on the bridge, only broken by the indistinct chatter of the bridge crew as some people eyed her and the prince. Mika was acutely aware of these looks but she ignored them. She knew this was her chance to prove that she wasn't just a country yokel from the edge of human space and actually deserved to sit in this chair. Her stance straightened as she moved her complete attention to what was happening around her.

[h2]Baron Wilhelm[/h2]

The Baron was looking down at sheets of papers. His war memoirs, the little project he worked on when he had free time. As the old man held his pen in silence, his eyes closed and he slowly began to lean forward until suddenly, the alert began to blare out. "ALARM!" He yelled out as he immediately stood up fully alert and at attention, his chair being thrown on the ground behind him. Without a second to spare he rushed to put on his flight suit.

When his aide Corporal Zachary Lemane entered his room to help the old man prepare, he was practically pushed out of the way by the Baron who walked brisky toward the elevator with his cane in hand, forcing the corporal to run to catch him back before the doors closed.

"Status report!" The old man blared as he finished adjusting his collar. "Uhm, I-I don't know, the alert was just given, w-we don't have anything yet." The young corporal said with hesitation, wincing as he expected to be chewed out for his lack of information. Willy merely nodded without saying anything further however, he had asked Zack to report what he knew and he had done so, what more could he ask?

The doors opened on the hangars and people could be seen scrambling left and right. As he walked on the gantry, the Baron smacked the railing with his cane to signal his presence as he walked toward his mech. "What's taking everyone so long, did you all think your instructors drilled you every morning just for fun? I'll get on the radio and tell our Prince that his soldier needed five more minutes to get out of bed and get their thumbs out of their asses! Come on, move, move!"

He finally arrived at his Black Knight and stepped into the open cockpit as he had done thousands of times before. This time however for just a moment he felt himself lose his footing and stopped himself in the middle of his movement. Having seen what had just happened, his aide stepped into the cockpit as well and extended a hand to help him in. Wilhelm slapped his hand aside as he more carefully finished his movement and settled into his seat. "Our Prince does not pay you to stand around like a scarecrow Corporal Lemane, carefully look around as we prepare for the sortie, I'll quiz you once I'm back!" She said with some anger not at the corporal, but at his own failing body as he closed the hatch.

---------

The Baron managed to make it first to the assembly point for the Lancers and opened communication with the other members and the Prince. "Ironside ready! Your majesty, I request to take the vanguard as we approach the Venture!"

Wilhelm's eagerness was obvious but was this the best idea? The vanguard was the first mech in and thus the most likely to be ambushed, it honestly would make sense for someone with better reflexes and a better mech to take point, but the Baron still stared at the prince with hope and determination.