By the time they arrived at their destination, almost all the Corvette Class Pilots had met Max’s standard to finish the training in the Line Mecha, and some of the Line Mecha pilots who joined them for training were getting close to it.
That second group could easily pass the Corvette Class examination right now, but it wasn’t within Max’s authority to issue the exam. They weren’t members of his unit, only visitors to their training regimen. With some luck, most of them would be allowed to advance by their own Commanders soon, possibly even at the end of this vacation period, but even if they didn’t, those Pilots would be the elite among their peers.
They also now had a much more rounded fighting style than the training they got in the academies which heavily preferred ranged fire over melee.
[All hands to stations. Docking with Comor Station in 10 minutes.] Came the announcement of their final approach to the vacation destination..
“You heard the computer. Get your gear ready, we are in the first wave of units off the ship. Grab only what you need for the day, until you have clearance to leave the Station you will need to report back to the ship at night or pay the exorbitant rate for an Orbital Hotel.” Max announced, getting his troops in order.
Everything seemed to be in order, and everyone was accounted for, but one particular Pilot looked very depressed and not at all eager to start their vacation. Max made a note to send a counselor to their bunk, but Nico was already headed over to see how she was doing.
The two women chatted for a while and joined the lineup with Nico’s arm around the Pilot’s waist in a friendly embrace. It was only when they got closer that Max realized what the problem was. The Pilot was Breckenridge, who was previously bunked with her stepbrother Murphy. They were inseparable from the moment they joined the unit, even though they fought constantly.
Max hadn’t noticed them bickering for some time now, and it finally dawned on him that her brother was not with her. Max didn’t recall him being lost in combat. They were both assigned to Alpha Squadron, which lost mecha but no pilots during their deployment.
Max searched the unit for Murphy and found him further back down the line, giving his finest effort to an attempt to suck the tongue out of the mouth of one of the infantry soldiers. Max couldn’t see who it was, but he knew for sure that he wasn’t getting in the middle of that relationship mess. If Nico could solve it, he was happy to let her. If not, either the professionals could deal with it or he would do it himself if it became an issue while on duty.
Unlike many other armies, the Kepler Military only gently discouraged intimate relations within the ranks, they didn’t have an official ban on the practice. The only time it became a disciplinary issue was when it affected operational effectiveness. The siblings had three months to work things out, and if their fallout had already happened while they were on duty, they kept it out of their work, so no rules were broken. The only time it would become an issue was when it involved favoritism from a commanding officer. A complaint that a bed partner was unfairly promoted was a serious allegation.
In their finest dress uniforms, the Stalwart Special Tactics Unit prepared to disembark and join the crowds of the Space Station. The facility itself was not exclusively military-run like most others, it had two separate wings, serving military forces and private vessels. The central area of the Station was a mingling ground for all walks of space-faring life. Everyone from corporate vessels with bulk cargo to pleasure yachts and cruises joined the massive military transports and the sleek gunships aboard the Station, giving the crowd a more urban vibe, where the multiple cultures mixed randomly.
“Max, come join us. Breckenridge here is in need of a proper adult beverage and some dancing.” Nico demanded, grabbing his hand and pulling him along towards the exit of the ship.
“Did you say drinks and dancing Major? It would be our honor if we could join you.” One of the pilots in line, who was part of the Noctem Regiment’s Special Forces, asked politely, sneaking glances at Breckenridge.
“The more the merrier.” Max agreed, drawing the man and his friends into their group.
It was barely lunch by the Station’s time, so there was a good chance the dance clubs would be totally empty when they arrived. But if they could round up more soldiers, they could make a proper party of it.
Nothing could have prepared the Pilots for the shock they received when they stepped off the ship and onto Comor Station though. The design was incredibly luxurious, but very strangely styled. The theme seemed to be Steampunk, but the thick carpets, real original paintings, and crystal chandeliers gave off a very expensive vibe.
Before becoming part of the Kepler Empire, this Station was Comor’s gateway to the world, a private station for their region of the Galaxy’s most wealthy of private guests. Even now it maintained that aesthetic, and the Military only sent essential patrols and a small number of elite guests to the Station annually as a reward for exemplary service.
There were four other stations around this planet alone, with three of them being strictly military in nature, so troop transfers and repairs would be done there. The Comor Station was strictly for vacation.
Seeing this, the soldiers’ mood brightened, and even Breckenridge started looking forward to what a dance hall on Comor Station might look like.
Nico was the only one that knew where they were going, the ship didn’t have a map of the Station aboard, mostly for security reasons agreed to in the treaty with Comor. But she had gained access the moment they were in communications range and gathered all the necessary information for the first few day’s outings.
“Welcome Soldiers of the 43rd armored and the Noctem Regiment to The Pit, Comor Station’s most eclectic dance club.” A clearly augmented human greeted them at the door, wearing some form of a steampunk butler’s uniform with a pair of bouncers in plain black suits standing behind him.
“We have been expecting you. Please, come in, the party never stops in here. After all, every ship is operating in a different time zone.” The man’s airy voice seemed like snobby was its natural state, but he was being very polite to them, even more than their Station and ranks demanded. But if they were getting in and partying, Max decided that it wasn’t worth thinking about.