Time had seemingly passed without much progress towards the plan, leaving only a day for completion before they arrived at Aourus.
Nervous, Zephyr paced around his office with a hint of a plan for the summit. Racking his brain on what to do, he was deep in thought when Ayame suddenly walked in.
Zephyr instinctively moved closer to her, grabbing her arms gently. "Ayame, gather the Rider team, please. I need your help," he requested with a hint of urgency, his mind buzzing with newfound ideas.
Startled by his sudden move, Ayame blushed and quickly pushed him back, asking, "Ok, Ok, but why are you so jumpy?"
Zephyr rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, his lips forming a sheepish smile. "I finally got an idea for the Battle Plan to retake Prospecta!" he exclaimed.
Ayame's eyes lit up with excitement. "Really? That's great! I'll go call everyone immediately," she said with anticipation, eager to hear the details of his plan.
Before she left the room, Zephyr shouted, "Call Doctor Mitsuki and Chief Engineer Vikentiy too, please."
Ayame gave him a thumbs up and rushed towards the stern of the Rigel to gather the crew.
On the other hand, Zephyr took a moment to collect his thoughts. He knew the plan needed refining but was determined to impress the admirals.
As he finished finalising the plan, the Rider team assembled in Zephyr's office. Ayame stood beside him, her face filled with excitement and anticipation. Mitsuki and Vikentiy took their seats, ready to hear the revised plan. The rest of the team gathered around the desk, with Mariya standing at the forefront, her curiosity evident.
Zephyr's fingers danced across the keyboard, and a 3D hologram of the space near Prospecta materialised before him. Small blue figures represented the UN Expeditionary fleet warships, while rounded red dots symbolised the mysterious alien ships, their designs primarily unknown.
Enlarging the hologram, Zephyr diligently explained with a steely gaze, "This is the target system Prospera." He pointed to one end of the hologram, his voice solemn, "And this is where we will make our entry."
Zooming in on the Rigel, he continued, "We’ll be performing a penetration strike on the alien fleet." He moved the Rigel into the centre of the alien armada, accompanied by a cadre of smaller craft, and pointed at the alien super dreadnought. “The Riders will act as the primary craft to sabotage the enemy capital classes while receiving protection from fighter squadrons.”
The plan surprised the two adults in the room, leaving them surprised by the audacity of Zephyr's proposal. Although lacking experience in this field, Mitsuki knew she had to voice her concerns. With an anxious expression, she stood up and spoke with worry, "Captain Zephyr, this plan is not viable. It's too dangerous to attempt and risks the Rigel too much to be feasible. Please reconsider."
Hearing the doctor's worried voice, Zephyr felt astonished at the immediate rejection of his seemingly well-thought-out plan, but he didn't want to change it as it had resulted from countless hours of hard work.
Vikentiy's frustration was evident as his jaw tightened, hearing Mitsuki express her concerns, still holding himself back due to his respect for Zephyr.
But Zephyr stubbornly kept arguing, "But this way, we can disable the super dreadnoughts immediately. I think it's worth a shot!"
Finally, the old Russian engineer snapped and rushed over, shouting directly in Zephyr's face, "Are you trying to get us all killed, boy? This plan is as reckless as charging into a gunfight with a knife! What world are you living in to think up such nonsense, you stupid brat!"
Zephyr felt the weight of everyone's gaze on him, and a mix of frustration and embarrassment washed over him. Although he maintained his calm, Vikentiy's outburst had hit a nerve.
He took a deep breath to steady himself and replied, "I understand your concerns, Doctor Mitsuki and Chief Engineer Vikentiy.
But suppose I use any traditional strategies and go by the book. In that case, it may lead to the Admiral preventing us from leading the mission and jeopardising our goal of demonstrating the Rider’s capabilities."
Vikentiy shook his head, his anger still apparent. "I understand you need to be bold, but this is sheer recklessness! There must be a better, more strategic approach to the battle while managing to impress the Admiralty."
Though he maintained his calm, Zephyr felt increasingly frustrated by the plan's rejection. "I've considered different approaches, and this plan has the highest damage potential," he stated, locking his eyes with Vikentiy.
As Zephyr kept trying to justify the plan, Ayame's eyes softened with concern. She knew how hard he had worked for it, but this was not the right decision.
Noticing Ayame’s saddened expression, Mitsuki interjected gently, "Zephyr dear, I understand you spent considerable time on this, but we must also consider the crew's lives. We're a team, and every decision affects all of us."
Zephyr nodded, feeling the weight of his responsibility as captain. "I know that, Doctor. But if we don't take risks, there’s no guarantee of saving the people on Prospecta."
As the tension in the room became suffocating, Ayame finally stepped up. She had been silently observing Zephyr struggling through the last few days. With a deep breath, steeling herself, she said, "Zephyr, I believe in you," Ayame said gently, her voice unwavering, "and I know you're doing your best for all of us, but it would be best in our best interests if we take a step back and consider other methods to approach the battle."
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Zephyr gazed at Ayame saddened by the fact even she didn’t support him, but thought, "It seems my stubbornness got the better of me. Even Ayame realised that this plan is too much of a stake to be feasible."
After a moment of reflective silence, he breathed a heavy sigh and spoke, "You're right, Ayame. I was being stupid. Let’s revisit the proposal and see what can be done."
As the group discussed various scenarios, Ensign Azaria Rivera, their onboard comms operator, entered the office.
Notorious for being overworked, she wore a loose shirt and drowsily rubbed her eyes, her glasses hanging low. Sympathetic to her exhaustion, Zephyr let her lie on a nearby sofa, allowing her to rest while still participating in the discussion.
After much banter, they finally arrived at a newly improvised plan after carefully reviewing the UN fleet's composition and positioning. With a glint of determination in his eyes, Zephyr unfolded the grand strategy, his voice resonating with unwavering confidence. "We'll begin with reconnaissance, deploying drones to gauge the enemy fleet's capabilities and size."
As Zephyr laid out his plan, the rest of the crew listened intently, some nodding in agreement, while others exchanged glances filled with curiosity and concern. He could see the eagerness in Mariya's eyes as she focused her attention on him, eager to grasp every detail.
"After confirmation from us," Zephyr continued, "a decoy fleet of fast automated warships will distract the enemy, allowing our main fleet to strike their vulnerable points."
Before Zephyr could finish, Mariya hastily stepped forward, remarking with a hint of disdain, "So, what, we don't use the riders at all?"
Zephyr reassured her, "Mariya, let me explain the whole plan, and then you can ask any questions you may have."
Feeling embarrassed, Mariya realized her timing was off, but she composed herself and nodded, taking a step back. She sat beside Azaria, who was seemingly fast asleep, undisturbed by the discussion. However, she overheard Azaria murmuring something unusual.
As she leaned closer to listen, she heard, “Hehehe! If I go to Captain, would he accept an old woman like me? I’ll seduce him if it means I can get a chance to tinker with alien equipment!” Azaria's face twisted into a creepy smile as she spoke.
Hearing this, Mariya was taken aback. She thought, “This hag, she’s planning to seduce Zephyr,” and fumed at the thought, though she didn't understand why she felt that way but deciding not to dwell on it she continued listening to Zephyr.
"Now, for the final strike,we'll deploy the riders carrying nuclear charges, with the Phalcon as the vanguard. Its auxiliary thrusters will allow it to charge into their formation swiftly, followed by the American drone swarms crippling the fleet. While the enemy fleet is busy dealing with the confusion, we’ll sneak dropships onto the planet with covering fire from the expeditionary fleet and begin securing Prospecta.”
As Zephyr finished explaining, Mitsuki gave him an affirmative glance, followed by Ayame bobbing her head, showing her recognition. Zephyr felt relief wash over him; he had finally created an acceptable plan.
Feeling a newfound sense of humility and confidence, he stood up and bowed in appreciation, realising how important it was to consult others when planning operations on such a scale. He reflected on his previous arrogance, but a sudden thud from where Azaria had been resting interrupted him.
Azaria was now groaning in pain at the foot of the sofa. "Caaaptain! Help, I can't... get up, please!" she cried, unable to move, her voice hoarse from three consecutive all-nighters fueled by coffee.
Seeing her pathetic condition, Mariya rushed to her aid, accompanied by Hui Ling, of all people, who silently joined Mariya, gently helping Azaria to her feet, and supporting the exhausted ensign.
Azaria managed to sit upright on a nearby chair, a mischievous smile gracing her face as she adjusted her glasses. "Captain, I would really appreciate it if you could give me a chance to try and hijack the alien systems. If they operate anything like us, I might be able to take control of their propulsion and make our landing much smoother."
Zephyr pondered her proposal momentarily and then nodded in response, remarking, "Sure, why not? If you're confident in your skills, I don't see any issue with at least suggesting the idea to the admirals."
Upon hearing his words, Azaria, unable to contain herself, jumped onto Zephyr in a burst of joy, pushing him to the ground, and started crying in happiness. "Uwaaah, thank you so much for actually listening to me! Nobody ever bothers to talk to me; they just pile on work and walk away."
Observing the scene, Ayame and Mariya rushed to pry Azaria off Zephyr, shouting at her in exasperation, their faces tinged with jealousy. "Hey, you roach-like creature, get off him!"
Shocked by Azaria's sudden change in demeanour, Zephyr dusted himself off and walked towards his desk to compile the plan into an official document. Meanwhile, Azaria apologized profusely. “Please forgive my rudeness, Captain. I let myself get carried away due to excitement.”
Zephyr, noticing her regret, simply said, “It’s not a big deal, Ensign Azaria. I don’t mind it too much since it’s a private setting but do not repeat it again. Clear?”
“Crystal, Sir,” she responded, saluting Zephyr and quickly walking to the door, hoping to forget what she had done.
The moment the door closed, Mitsuki couldn't contain her laughter at the situation that had just unfolded. Even Vikentiy, typically a stern officer, couldn't suppress a snicker at the rather comical scene.
His unexpected reaction caused Mariya's face to flush with embarrassment. Both she and Ayame shouted in unison, “Why are you laughing?”
Instead of responding, Dr. Mitsuki gave a smug grin and declared, “It seems our job here is done. We should take our leave now.” She then walked towards the door, with Vikentiy following close behind.
As she crossed the threshold, Mitsuki left the trio with a parting remark, “Best of luck!”
Once they had left, Zephyr ushered Mariya out of the room. Now, with only Ayame and himself remaining, he began working on the presentation for the expeditionary fleet command.
With the room now quiet, Zephyr turned his attention to the holographic display on his desk. He began to compile the details of their revised strategy into a comprehensive presentation, his fingers dancing across the keyboard. The room was filled with the soft hum of the computer and the occasional click of keys being pressed.
Ayame, who had remained silent throughout the discussion, now moved closer to Zephyr. She watched as he worked, her eyes reflecting the glow of the holographic display.
After a moment of hesitation, she finally broke the silence. "Zephyr," she began, her voice soft, "you did well today."
Zephyr paused, looking up from his work to meet her gaze. He gave her a small, appreciative smile. "Thanks, Ayame. I couldn't have done it without everyone's input, especially yours."
Ayame returned his smile, a warm blush spreading across her cheeks. "We're a team, Zephyr. We're in this together."
With that, they returned to their work, the room once again falling into a comfortable silence. The only sounds were the hum of the computer and the distant thrum of the ship's engines, a constant reminder of the mission that lay ahead. As they worked into the night, the ship steadily approached their destination.
…
TBC