If that wasn’t all, she peeked at his closet, not only did he not have proper clothes, he only brought along a uniform, his replica suit, some weapons, and personal effects. Forcing her to realize he was either poor now or a poor planner..
“I’ll make the proper arrangements, and while I’m there.. clothes, bedding, and everything else for that matter. Don’t worry I’ll be paying-”
Anora humorously reassured, before becoming rather curious about something and whispering into his ear, prompting him too to become curious as he checked his tablet.
[Welcome back! Ferris W Welsh]
[Checking Account: 5,125,615,664 CR]
[Savings Account: 73,946,798,892 CR]
[Shares: 87% The Fareach Conclaves. Valued: 1,954,892,534,768 CR. 37% Alliance & Freestar News Networks. Valued: 91,721,887,854 CR. 17% The Federation Reserve. Valued -500,000 CR. 9% Earth Bank. Valued 599,758,367,854 CR. 100% Federation Expeditions. Valued: 5 CR.]
“...”
Anora was too stunned to speak..
His shares and accounts were.. bizarre to every sense of the word that not even Ferris could remember the last time he checked his bank account?
[Confirmed & Updated! 100% The Federation Reserve. Valued: 956,548,477 CR. 100% Federation Expeditions. Valued 59,865,989 CR. 100% Federation News Network. Valued: 0]
[Updated! Checking Account: 4,099,987,737 CR]
It took Anora a moment to gently push his tablet down..
“I’ll pay for it..”
Subsequently, she chose to pretend she didn’t see what she just saw. In turn, she chose to pay the several thousand credits lest Ferris chose to invest into something even more ridiculous.
What she didn't know however was the fact that The Federation Reserve & Federation Expeditions, and much of their treaties, trade agreements, tax exemptions, and overall ‘benefits’ were still albeit ‘partially’ legal and valid to this day.
The Curators & Arcadians never did bother to ‘nullify’ either, or remove them from their markets. It's just that, their value never validated the need to publicly share that information..
While the trademarks, copyrights, and everything in regard to the two came with it. Their vaults, outdated archives, and the ability to legally reclaim, have priority salvage rights over said ships, facilities, and assets lost to time from either.
After all, there was a reason why both were no longer in the negative, however that is for another time as Anora would soon depart, and Ferris would tidy himself up for the diplomatic banquet.
As for his prepared attire.. as he had rarely ever shown his.. uniform from underneath his suit, he believed it would be fitting? After all it came with The Chardonnay?
Ironically enough, it was based on a Federation Era Explorer Uniform, which despite how it may appear was more of a ceremonial but casual variant of an Admiral’s Uniform only with a difference with rank?
As to why that was, The Federation Explorers were funded by The Military Complex and Ancient Houses of Earth and supported by The Admiralty & Highlords to make first contact, showcase human power & luxury and give off a proper introduction to humanity.
Some called them Rogue Traders as they were granted the warrant of trade, diplomacy, and war. That aside, they were mostly explorers who had the power to defend themselves or request fleet support and contain an irrational enemy or primitives?
Naturally there were protocols when it came to primitive life? The first of which was to leave them alone.. unless they were similar enough to humanity, and had at the very least sent items into space.
After all, The Cabal or rather The Covenant weren’t the only ‘aliens’ in the universe, there were dozens of other races that were absorbed by The Federation, so much so that The Curators left them be, and as a result they focused on themselves and tourism.
Some were vastly ancient but due to similar dark ages to that of humanity chose to keep to themselves?
There was one race in particular that turned out to be another strain of human? They were called The Ethereals, or rather that's what they called themselves and they were almost as arrogant as The Aldara only they ‘were’ human.
The Only differences being their porcelain-like skin ranging from white to the palest of blues, glowing blue or golden eyes. Hair ranging from the variety tones of white, blue, or violet, and they were partially psychic, they could hover or use energy to redirect a moving blade.
They also had Ascendants but too few to truly consider, however they were vastly more ‘unique’. And they also had a monarchy of all things and some ties to The Aldara who too shared their hatred for The Curators, only for different reasons?
The Aldara hated A.I, The Ethereals hated The Curators, while there were other humanoid races but those were for another time as Ferris took a moment to shine his insignias and uniform buttons as they were ever so ornate.
After doing so he fixed the wrinkles and looked at himself in the mirror..
If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
The uniform, much like the ship, was seamless, and offered an old-world class, and naval privilege. His insignias born of the ship, his mother’s family insignia, his rank, and his role as Planetary Governor of New Harvest.
However, as he stared into his mirror in a daze, his corpse as it was in the cryo-pod stared back at him as his vision began to blur and he calmly sighed and unwrinkled his uniform before entering his empty quarter’s that resembled something more comparable to that of a luxurious penthouse apartment..
After ending his sigh and opening his eyes he was greeted by the sight of Calisto standing before him, prompting him to calmly note to himself to undergo a mental evaluation? Dreams and nightmares he could naturally ignore, this? Not so much.
“I’d prefer if you stayed in my dreams. Now if you don’t mind.. I’ll be waiting for.. my Calisto.. not another hallucination wearing her face”
Ferris calmly remarked and ended it with an exhausted sigh as he exited his quarters and made his way to the labs. Naturally, he was partially humoring himself at his own expense.
However, such thoughts were brief as after his visit to the labs, he was given a clean bill of health, and ‘unofficially’ given an additional treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder in the form a stem targeting against hallucinations, nightmares, and several other side effects of note.
Any other treatment would reveal he had it, and he simply would prefer a steam every three months than reveal as much.
…
Soon enough however, Helen began squinting at him shortly after boarding the shuttle for Admiral Haze’s Flagship.
“Anora tells me you own thirty seven percent of The Total Shares of The Alliance News Network..”
Thankfully Anora had only informed her of that particular ‘little’ detail. As to why.. no one knew? Naturally Ferris didn’t truly care in regard to that specific revelation, leaving him to only nod as he opened his eyes revealing an especially stunning Hellen in her formal attire..
“I’ve never attended a shareholder’s meeting if that’s what you wanted to ask, I prefer to keep anonymous in that regard? You don’t happen to desire to forgo your career in favor of becoming a news anchor? Then If so-”
Ferris calmly humored before abruptly being waved off.
“I just thought you should know The Alliance News Network are actively covering Admiral Haze’s Tour of The Freeworlds-”
Helen’s revelation was a surprise, however Ferris wasn’t all too concerned.
…
Shortly after entering the hangar they would soon disembark their shuttle as they were soon greeted by the red carpet treatment..
Something of which neither had expected as they were soon escorted onto a tram by a bridge officer is ceremonial alliance ware.
“The A.N.F. Resurgence is one of the largest ships in the fleet with the complement of five thousand souls on board. At a staggering four thousand meters in length The Resurgence is packed with state of the art systems, including four slipspace drives and eight reactors-”
Commander Roselyn optimistically explained and after ten or so minutes she asked if they had any questions.
“Yes, Captain Welsh? Did you have any questions?”
Evidently, Commander Roselyn wasn’t very fond of Helen as she was abruptly ignored in favor of Ferris?
“My compliments to The Resurgence & its crew. If you don't mind, can indulge me a moment-”
Subsequently, her favor ended with that..
“No questions? We should be arriving at the banquet in only a moment!”
Commander Roselyn blatantly ignored, prompting Ferris to glance Helen’s way and her to only frown.
…
After disembarking from the tram and being escorted to the banquet, Commander Roselyn deliberately took a few 'wrong' turns before finally entering the opulent hall. This grand space boasted its own observation deck, bars, tables, and lavish buffets.
The Alliance Marines, clad in their ceremonial uniforms, marched along the red carpet. News drones, anchors, and the prominent display of Alliance Heraldry enhanced the formal and luxurious atmosphere.
And after entering the opulent hall, they were finally stopped after verifying they were on the list?
“Welcome Pirate Captain! Oh, and I didn’t forget about you traitor-”
The young host optimistically blurted out, surprising everyone present including The Alliance Marine by The Ensign’s side who took a moment to look at her tablet..
“I’m Captain Welsh of The N.H.R. Chardonnay, and this is Director Jarvis of The New Harvest Research Institute-”
Ferris curiously humored, before abruptly signaling someone who he had recognized to come over.
That someone being Governor Amberly, one of the three governors responsible for the conclave incident, and a Former Steward. From the fragments he could remember, Ernest proposed making use of her before ultimately disposing of her for her involvement in the conclave.
Subsequently, he passed on that decision to Ferris, who in turn chose to spare her after growing tired of the unnecessary deaths. As a result, she was evacuated sometime after the main fleet, which would explain why she was alive..
From what else he could recall, her full name was Amberly Price, and she was formerly human until she attempted a bio-transferred only to become an A.I after failing to do so, as a result she worked with The Stewards before ultimately cutting them off.
Evidently, those were her words, at least as much as he could remember after being shot in the head? Her involvement with the two other governors in The Conclave Incident was predominantly funding and cloning research.
In the end she was called a Steward and got the short end of the stick, leading to her eventual evacuation? And from the looks of it, she was now a member of The Alliance Admiralty Board.
Ironic considering the similarities? Naturally, Amberley after noticing Ferris was in fact alive calmly came over and whispered to the nervous marine, prompting him to whisper what had transpired leading to Amberley signaling him to take the ensign anywhere else to sober her up.
And as The Ensign walked Ferris he could smell the pina colada, unfortunately, as he prepared to speak with Amberly, Ensign ‘Bakes’ pulled him by his collar and brought him into a very short but equally passionate kiss leaving him stunned as another marine was forced to pry her off of him.
Causing quite the scene as Amberley signaled another marine to help the other two, only for Ferris to slowly turn around and watch, before taking notice of a Freestar Captain alongside his wife also attending?
“It could’ve been you..”
Ferris humored, prompting the captain to take a moment before he realized what Ferris had meant, and by then the unlucky fellow could only let out a chuckle before he was rather unceremoniously elbowed by his wife.
However, as if taking lessons from The Freestar Captain’s Wife Helen would elbow Ferris in the very same manner leaving the two captains to share a look before Amberly signaled Ferris to follow her.
“It could have been you..”
After repeating himself a second time, The Freestar Captain couldn’t help but laugh, forcing his wife to follow up with yet another elbow while Helen was soon led by a Marine to Admiral Haze’s Section..