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Book 1: Chapter 43 – Preparation

Finally, as the day began to wane and the Blitzkrieg had finally stabilized, Ubel returned to the canteen in the ship where he had told the Demonic Monkeys to gather and meet him. They were being served with food and drinks by the droids. As he entered, they greeted him eagerly, their voices mingling in a chorus of welcome. Ubel’s gaze swept over the gathered faces of his crew that were seated scattered in the establishment. It seemed that his crew had taken their comfort already in the canteen.

“We didn’t know that your ship is a city inside.” The familiar voice of Orphel welcomed him. “How many establishments and pleasure establishments were you hiding here for yourself, Ubel?”

Looking around at the assembly of his crew, taking note of each familiar expression. Mei, Marus, Orphel, Linus, Eris, and Bastille greeted him with nods of acknowledgment. However, it was the presence of Aela, Ursa, Mucker, Zinc, and Tepra that caught him off guard when they appeared on the list of the crew who joined Creed and others. These were the ones who had threatened him with betrayal way back, yet here they were.

He approached them, his demeanor a mix of curiosity and amusement.

"Well, well," he said, his tone laced with sarcasm. "I must say, I'm pleasantly surprised to see you all here."

Aela, the group's unofficial spokesperson, stepped forward with an unreadable expression.

"We may have had our doubts," she admitted, her voice steady. "But in the end, we decided that sticking with you was the best course of action."

Ubel raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her response.

"And why is that?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Aela hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Because despite everything, you showed us what you are capable of," she replied, her gaze meeting his. “Despite your… appearance and quirks.”

"We may not always see eye to eye and it's no argument that you’re the better option from all of the candidates that we had in mind. And besides..." Ursa added to Aela’s statement with a dry smile. "...where else would we find such excitement and adventure?"

Ubel couldn't help but grin at her response.

“But of course, unlike others here, we still don’t trust you. In fact, we don’t trust anyone in our lives to be competent most of the time. Just as we have told you before, we won't hesitate to jump to a better candidate.” Aela reminded him.

"As what you should do," he said, clapping Aela on the shoulder.

They were a motley bunch, a diverse mix of individuals from all walks of life, united by their shared desire for adventure, wealth, and opportunity. Then he turned to the majority of his crew while standing at a table to gather their attention. Bastille, beat his table with his arm to silence the others as Ubel started his talk.

"Good to see you all again," he said, his voice carrying easily over the murmur of conversation.

The crew nodded, some offering words of agreement or affirmation.

“Yes, commander,” Creed answered for them.

"Excellent. Alright, everyone." Ubel announced, his voice commanding attention. “I have something for all of you.”

The crew members shifted their focus entirely to him.

Ubel mentally ordered his droids to enter. His crew suddenly went silent in caution which made him laugh as he remembered what he did to them previously when he was the one who joined them. He couldn’t blame them when he used droids back then to restrict their potentially mutinous tendencies.

But instead of applying the same ‘loyalty poison’ again, the droids this time were carrying boxes for each of the crew and left. Curiosity piqued, and the crew members had anticipation evident on their faces. With eager hands, they opened the boxes to reveal sleek, futuristic, cybernetic suits nestled within.

“Ulysses Armor.” Ubel introduced the armor suit to them. Then he explained further. "These suits are designed to enhance your performance in the field. They're lightweight, flexible, and can equipped with metal plate modifiers that can be attached for added protection."

Excitement rippled through the crew as they eagerly donned their new gear, marveling at the sleek design and advanced technology woven into the fabric.

"These suits will be invaluable assets on your boarding and close-quarter combat," Ubel declared, his voice brimming with confidence. "With them, you’ll be faster, stronger, and more formidable than ever before."

As the crew members slipped into their new gear, a palpable sense of excitement filled the room. They marveled at the sleek design and quality that were woven into the fabric.

"These suits are incredible," exclaimed Marus, running his hands over the smooth surface of his armor.

"They're so lightweight," remarked Mei, testing the flexibility of her suit with a series of agile movements. "I feel like I could take on anything in this."

The crew members exchanged excited glances, their enthusiasm growing with each passing moment. The prospect of venturing into the field with their new gear filled them with a renewed sense of confidence and purpose.

"I can't wait to put these to the test." declared Orphel, a grin spreading across her face.

Ubel nodded in satisfaction, pleased to see his crew responding so positively to the new equipment. With their spirits lifted as they were now equipped with the latest technology.

"Get acquainted with your gear," Ubel instructed, his voice carrying a note of pride. As the crew members continued to adjust to their new suits, Ubel's words brought a moment of solemnity to the atmosphere.

"I want to be clear." Ubel began. "These suits weren't cheap. I've invested a considerable amount of our funds to ensure that each of you has the best equipment available."

“Wait a minute.” Mei’s loud voice interrupted. Her words prompted a sudden realization from the crew which they had missed.

“So does giving us these combat suits mean that… you’re accepting us?” Marus asked with an anticipating grin.

Ubel made a crumpling face as if he didn’t want to say it outright and also at the same time, cringed.

“Well… technically… more or less… yeah.” He tried to say it indirectly but this came out as a sudden confirmation of what they were waiting for him to hear and screams of laughter and cheering erupted. Ubel could only grin awkwardly.

“Ehhh… the commander is embarrassed to say it but had no problem in forcing his way on others? Ehhh?” Eris teased Ubel loudly as she remembered how he had forced others to accept his usurpation of the Demonic Monkeys previously.

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Mei and Marus also followed with the teasing which Ubel just gave them a flat smile. He couldn’t deny that he didn’t know how to say the right words and that he was accepting their request to join. He decided to misdirect the topic and return to the combat suits that he had given them.

"Anyways! These suits will serve us well, but they're only one piece of the puzzle. We still have much work to do if we're going to achieve our goals."

His words were met with a chorus of agreement from the crew. He began to lay out his plan to the crew, outlining various opportunities for plunder and profit across the Sol System. From raiding cargo transports to hijacking valuable shipments, Ubel had a multitude of schemes in mind to fill their coffers.

"We can start small, hitting easy targets and building our reputation," he explained. "Once we have enough funds, we'll expand our operations, acquiring more ships and crew to join."

The crew listened intently, nodding in agreement as Ubel outlined his ambitious plans. They were eager to prove themselves and establish their place in the cutthroat world of outlaws. But amidst the excitement, Ubel remained mindful of his outstanding loan. He knew that paying it off would free them from any lingering debts and allow them to operate more independently.

"We'll need to be smart about our finances," he cautioned. “And a remake of our command structure and doctrine.”

He also asked for their suggestions on what they wanted in his command structure.

"I think we should allocate our resources based on each member's contribution to our past endeavors. That way, everyone receives a fair share and feels valued for their efforts." Mei spoke up first.

"I agree. It's important to recognize the contributions of each crew member and distribute the resources accordingly. We need to maintain fairness and transparency in our decision-making process." Leon, the skilled engineer, nodded in agreement.

"But what about future raids? Shouldn't we consider the specific needs of each operation and allocate resources accordingly? We need to be flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances." Aela raised a valid concern.

Ubel listened intently to their suggestions, considering each viewpoint carefully. He knew that their success depended on finding a balance between fairness and practicality. After a thorough discussion, they reached a consensus on a partition plan that took into account both past contributions and future needs. He outlined the structure of their operation, detailing the roles and responsibilities of each crew within their fleet.

"We need to establish clear lines of communication and coordination between our ships and the crew." Bastille began his suggestion. "Each vessel should have its own designated tasks and objective based on its capability in every raid."

The entire crew nodded in agreement, ready to take on their respective roles within the fleet. Others have been assigned to oversee navigation and logistics with the guidance of the droids, ensuring that their ships traveled safely and efficiently through space. Then others would also be trained by the droids to be responsible for the maintenance and repair of their vessels, ensuring that they remained in optimal condition for their missions. He explained the minor restructuring, detailing how certain roles within the crew would be adjusted to better streamline their operations and maximize efficiency. The crew listened attentively, absorbing the information and mentally preparing themselves for the adjustments ahead.

Ubel realized how vulnerable his fleet which was dependent on droids, like on pure chance, he encountered a strong Neuromancer like him, which would be extremely problematic. As such, he decided to prioritize the training of his crew on making them equal or if possible better than the droids in terms of precision in steering and commanding the ships. He would use his new three freighters as a training camp for his motley crew.

As Ubel continued to delegate tasks and assign roles, the crew members listened attentively, absorbing his instructions with focused determination. They understood the importance of their contributions to the success of their fleet, and they were ready to fulfill their duties with unwavering dedication.

With their organization formalized and their roles clarified, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation and excitement.

“That is where my purchases also come in.” He paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink in before elaborating on his preparations.

"I've purchased trucks, armored personnel carriers, armor suits, weapons, and armaments," Ubel explained. "These are not just for show. They're essential for what I have mentioned."

Ubel revealed the extensive array of equipment he had acquired by giving them data through their holo feeds. Their eyes widened in surprise after opening the flood of information that they received.

"You've certainly been busy," Bastille remarked his tone a mixture of awe and admiration.

"We can't just rely on hit-and-run tactics anymore. If we want to establish ourselves as a serious group in the galaxy, we need to show that we're not afraid to take on the big challenges." Bastille agreed with Ubel and explained.

Creed nodded in understanding, recognizing the strategic importance of their upcoming venture.

"So, we're going big," Mei remarked a hint of excitement in her voice. "I like it."

Ubel nodded, his gaze sweeping over the assembled faces of his crew. The room erupted into a buzz of excitement as his crew absorbed the magnitude of his plan. For many of them, this would be their chance to make a name for themselves, to carve out a place in the galaxy as fearsome pirates.

"Good. But on the way, you all need to train to a different type of combat doctrine. I need to reset your way of fighting. It's wasteful. Simulations will help deal with those." Ubel replied. "This won't be easy. But with all of us working together, I'm confident we can pull it off."

The crew cheered in response, their enthusiasm echoing off the walls as they raised their glasses in toast.

"That’s just it, everyone," Ubel announced, his voice carrying across the room.

"To new beginnings!" Bastille declared, lifting his own glass high.

"To new beginnings!" the crew echoed, clinking their glasses together in celebration. Ubel also raised his as he drank.

“By the way,” Ubel playfully mentioned. “I already told Bastille and Creed about letting you all decide on the new name of Godright. So… Creed, I trust that you have finished what I assigned you to do?"

“Actually… we still have not decided yet, we are still discussing the name at the moment,” Creed answered.

“Fine, I will give you more time to discuss it among all of you. And you should also decide the name of our small group. I’ll be in the other room to take a rest. I need some sleep. Tell me what you will decide tomorrow when I wake up.”

Ubel left them as he disappeared into the stairs and headed to the bedroom on the upper floor and knocked himself over. Leaving his celebrating crew to their enjoyment.

Bastille and Creed gathered their crew together, eager to brainstorm ideas for a name that would reflect their unity, strength, and sense of purpose.

"Alright, everyone," Creed began, his voice steady and commanding. "We have the opportunity to redefine ourselves and our ship Godright with a new name. Let's put our heads together and come up with something good."

The crew members exchanged looks as their minds buzzed with possibilities.

The first to yell a suggestion was Eris.

"Black Vanguard!”

“Boneyard!" Orphel joined in.

"Ironclad," Bastille spoke his recommendation.

"Starfire Syndicate." Mei offered.

“Helldrivers!”

“Iron Legion!”

“Golden Armada!”

“Lazuli Flotilla!”

As ideas flowed freely, the crew engaged in lively discussion, weighing the merits of each suggestion and offering their interpretations. They sought a name that would inspire fear in their enemies and instill pride in their allies. After much deliberation, Creed and his crew still weren't able to reach a consensus. And decided to list down all the names and let Ubel decide the best name instead.

Then Creed stood again with attention and addressed his crew again.

"Ubel has tasked us also with renaming our ship, Godright."

With that, Creed dismissed the crew to deliberate and brainstorm. Throughout the ship, crew members gathered in groups, their voices alive with energy as they debated and discussed potential names. They drew inspiration from their past experiences, their hopes for the future, and the bonds that united them as a group.

After hours of passionate discussion and debate in drinks and over food, they reconvened again ready to present their ideas. Each member took turns sharing their suggestions, offering explanations for why they believed their chosen name captured the essence of their ship and their vision as corsairs of the void. Some proposed names focused on strength and resilience, while others drew inspiration from the stars themselves.

As the crew listened to each suggestion, they nodded in approval, recognizing the significance and power behind each proposed name. After considering all the options, they put it to a holo vote, allowing each member to cast their ballot for their preferred choice.

In the end, one name emerged as the clear favorite among the crew. And they were excited to introduce the new names when Ubel woke up.

With that, the mood in the bar shifted, anticipation and excitement filling the air as they began to discuss their plans in earnest. With the tables laden with sumptuous food and an array of fine wines, they continued with their feast.

And as they raised their glasses once more, the festivities continued and the energy in the room buzzed with excitement.