Path to Becoming the Greatest Space Mercenary

When Avery and his troop arrived at the Storren Corp. headquarters, they were enthusiastically met by Ardesen who had dropped everything he had been working on to come meet them.

Not only had Avery promised him a hefty budget to be spent on building a new vessel for Kaiden, but there was also someone amongst their group that Ardesen was very eager to meet.

Without so much as addressing Avery or the others, he rushed right up to Vi'ivando.

"I've heard very much about your work Sir Vi'ivando. Your research on particle transmission devices was groundbreaking."

"Thank you for the kind words. But you are no slouch yourself, Sir Ardesen. I've heard of your work as well. The linked multi-core ship reactor design of yours was ingenious. It's output and efficiency are impeccable."

As if the two were already close friends despite meeting for the first time, Vi'ivando and Ardesen started babbling about all manner of technologies and theories that Avery, Kasandra, Jasmine, and Kaiden could hardly understand at all.

Of course, there was one other individual present that was just as much of a technological enthusiast as the two of them, and a quick introduction from Vi'ivando brought Grito into the conversation as well.

"Okay, there will be time enough for a leisurely talk later. Now is hardly the time or place. We've got business to discuss, and I hardly think out here on the street in front of Storren Corp.'s main office is the best location." Avery said, interjecting into the enthusiastic conversation between the three Baccigans.

"I suppose that your right. This is hardly a place to greet guests and customers. Follow me inside. We'll continue this in my office."

Leading them into the building, Ardesen's presence allowed Avery's group to circumvent any wait time or security. They were with one of the top officers of the cooperation, so there was no one that was going to be stopping them.

A few minutes later, on one of the upper floors of the building, Ardesen placed one of his hands on a scanner outside of his room and then typed in a series of passcodes before finishing with a retinal and DNA scan.

"That's quite the security you've got set up here." Kasandra commented as the thick metal doors to Ardesen's office opened.

"Well, you were there when it told you about the theft involving the SCXD-011. That incident forced the entire company to increase security measures anywhere sensitive data or products might be stored. Considering that I'm the Chief Technology Officer; there are plenty of items here that need to be kept secret."

Avery and his companions wondered if it was alright for Ardesen to be letting them in so casually then.

They were not particularly affiliated with the company and merely mercenaries looking out for their own interests. It was plausible to believe that they might try and steal something for their own gain.

Nevertheless, Ardesen seemed almost too trusting in them, not even warning them against doing something along those lines.

'Well, it's not like we plan on stealing anything anyways. There would be no point in souring our relationship with Storren Corp. when we want them to build more ships for us.' Avery thought as they headed into Ardesen's office.

Inside they found that the place was less of an office and looked far more like someone's personal lab.

Several tables and shelves had been set up, and what looked like multiple projects were strewn about the place.

Avery was unable to make heads or tails of it, but Grito and Vi'ivando were glancing around excitedly at everything on display.

"Oh ho. Now that's a very rare antique. I've only seen a Verdeovion Drive in pictures before." Vi'ivando said, rushing up to a large cylindrical piece of technology that had been mostly taken apart.

"You've got a good eye. I managed to get this beauty at scrapyard where old ships and such are taken apart for their materials. I find that sometimes old technologies can hold little secrets in them that can serve as inspiration for innovating our current devices. You could say that it's a hobby of mine."

Sensing that that things were about to get off track again, Avery urged the two of them to save this for later and hurried them over to a desk set up in the corner of the office that looked like it was actually meant for the work that was supposed to be done here.

Once they were all seated, Avery let out an internal sigh of relief. Now they would be able to get down to business.

"My ship, it's ready right." Kasandra said enthusiastically before anyone else could get a word in.

She had been keeping her excitement under control up to this point, but she was ready to have her own vessel again. Even though it would mean she would be spending less time with Avery.

"Yeah, we can start with that." Avery said, knowing that Kasandra was not going to wait any longer.

"Well, considering that the job came through me, I've personally overseen its construction, and I have to say, it all came together better than expected. I think that you'll be more than satisfied with it, considering all of the extra upgrades."

Kasandra looked confused at first hearing about features that had not been initially discussed when purchasing the vessel.

She became even more baffled when its specs and a holodisplay of it was pulled up.

"What happened?! I thought that the credit limit was going to be thirteen million Krenin! But this ship looks like it had to cost at least twenty-five million!"

Understandably, Kasandra was shocked by this discovery. She had truthfully already planned on using a large portion of the money she had made being Avery's co-pilot for some extra upgrades, but there was no need for that now. Her new craft was already top of the line in nearly every regard.

"Well, I wanted to make this a surprise, but I actually made a deal with Dorris and Ardesen a while back to increase the credit limit. They were more than happy to nearly double the amount since I gave them some very useful information on one of their competitors." Avery explained.

The data he had Grito and Vi'ivando copy pertaining to Snyder Heavy Industries had served as a bargaining chip with Storren Corp.

He had happily handed over the information to them to upgrade Kasandra's ship. Fortunately, the Storren Corp. executives had been more than happy to make a deal, and they had used the intel on their competitor to sully their reputation and force them to drop out of the upcoming coemption for the major Alliance Police contract. A huge win considering all it cost them was a bit more credit in the creation of a custom medium-sized vessel.

"Now, since we did need to spend more time building it than expected, it's not here yet, but it's construction has been completed. It's currently at our main shipyard and in the process of getting ready to be moved. It should arrive here in a week and a half at the latest." Ardesen said.

Kasandra's expression turned sour for a moment since she would have to wait a bit longer for her ship to arrive, but she could not stay mad for long as she looked at the holoimage of it and the impressive capabilities it possessed.