Last Chapter Recap: "Good judgment," Selana said, nodding approvingly. "Now, we've arrived at the lower hanger. Please be careful pilots like to play around with gravity fields." She warned, her tone serious as we approached the area.
NOW
Like all cruisers of the Alliance, the Goliath is equipped with four standard-class fighter space jets. These machines are responsible for protecting the ship from smaller enemy vessels.
Each of those fighters is piloted by a human, a very difficult job. The average service expectancy of a fighter pilot is only four and a half years. They die by the dozens in every battle.
"If it isn't, Captain!" Pilot Rose.
"Who's that? Fresh blood?" Pilot Daisy.
"Wowww, he's so handsome! Why can't HQ send some more cute boys?" Pilot Ruby.
"Undisciplined as always..." Selana muttered, rubbing her forehead in exasperation. "Where's Ensign Natasha? You three— I need to talk to her."
"I am right here, Cap," the woman said, appearing suddenly.
'Whaaah, another beauty.' Adam thought, his gaze lingering for a moment. 'Her pilot suit really emphasizes all the sexy curves of her body... and that baby face, it's really something else.'
"Ensign, this is Ensign Natasha, commander of our strike force," Selana said to Adam, "She's often a guest at the desk, so you'd better get along with her."
"Pleased to meet you, Ensign," Adam said to Natasha, offering a polite nod.
"Call me Natasha, we're of equal rank after all," Natasha said with a smile.
"Not during active duty, Ensign," Selana said firmly.
"Na ha, isn't our Cap strict with the rules?" Natasha said to Adam with a playful smirk. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."
"Really, Natasha..." Selana sighed, her hand resting on her forehead in frustration. "If you keep this up, I'll need to find another commander."
"And where would you find someone as good as me?" Natasha said, folding her arms with a confident smirk.
"You're that good, Ensign?" Adam asked.
"You bet I do. I have more kills to my name than some carriers," Natasha said confidently, her smile never wavering.
'Considering some carriers host hundreds of fighters... she must be Real ace of aces.' Adam thought, his respect for Natasha.
"Your skill is one thing, but discipline is another, Natasha," Selana said, her voice firm as she looked at the commander with a mix of warning and authority.
"Oh, come on, Cap. You yourself said a good pilot has to be a little crazy," Natasha said, scratching the back of her head.
"Yes, and I regret those words now," Selana said to Adam with a sigh. "Ensign, do not even think of excusing her behavior."
"Good intelligence officers are easier to find than good pilots, ha ha," Natasha said, while laughing hard.
"I'll keep that in mind, Captain," Adam said to Selana, his tone respectful.
"Good. And Natasha? Have your girls on the lower desk before we depart," Selana said, her tone authoritative as she gave Natasha a pointed look.
"Hey, who do you think I am, Cap?" Natasha said, a playful smirk crossing her face. "You heard Captain Selana—girls, move out!" she called to the other pilots, her voice filled with command.
'Huh, turns out those girls do have some discipline in them.' Adam thought, observing the pilots quickly springing into action. 'I wonder if that attitude is typical for experienced pilots...'
"Sigh... I'll have Heidi sort them out later," Selana said, shaking her head slightly.
"May I have a question this time, Captain?" Adam asked, glancing back at Selana.
"That's the point of this tour, Ensign. What is it?" Selana asked, her tone curious but still composed as she looked at Adam.
"How many men are there in this crew? So far, everyone we've seen are women," Adam asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"Surely you understand the situation the Alliance is in. Do you have a problem with female soldiers, Ensign?" Selana asked, her tone sharp as she regarded Adam, waiting for his response.
"Absolutely not, I just thought it is... unusual," Adam hurriedly said.
'Even in the current situation, males make up the bulk of deployed manpower in the Allied Government. Women have always preferred rear or production duties.'
"Certainly, compared to other ships, the Goliath might be less feminized," Selana said. "When I selected my initial crew, I worked hard to choose the best of the best. It just happened that most of the male specialists were unavailable."
"I see," Adam said, nodding as he absorbed Selana's explanation.
"Answering your question, there are sixteen engineers under deck, plus two senior officers on the upper deck. We're about to visit one of them," Selana said, motioning for Adam to follow as she led the way.
"Understood," Adam replied, falling in step behind Selana as they made their way toward the next part of the tour.
"Chand should be just about around the corner... ah, here," Selana said, her eyes scanning the area before settling on the person she was looking for.