"Introducing Sir Max and the Lady Nico, from Kepler Terminus." The herald called out when they finally reached the front of the line, drawing the attention of a few who followed military activities. Both names were mentioned in the Cygnus surrender documents after all.
What nobody expected was how young they both looked. Cleaned up and dressed in their very best, with the horrors of war mostly faded from their eyes, they both look like the fresh recruits that they should be. There are some whispers about the two of them, but once word spreads among the locals that they are in the same unit and not romantic partners, the first of the noble daughters comes to speak with Max, drawn by his striking profile and his noble title.
Max gestures for Nico to save him, seeing exactly what they have in mind practically screaming at him from their thoughts. It is an issue he has had before when others are thinking intensely enough about him, his System Skill will activate itself as a form of defense against aggression. Only this form of aggression is not a threat to his life, but to his chastity and dignity. No wonder the men of Bravo Company were so eager to go home if this is how the women of Kepler 111 are.
Nico steps forward gracefully, greeting the incoming socialites with a gentle smile and open arms, embracing each in turn and greeting them by name, as if they have known each other their entire lives. Max is stunned until he notices that Nico's eyes are a turquoise color today. She is wearing digital contacts and pulling up everyone's data so that she isn't caught unaware by anyone.
The young ladies know the routine just as well, recognizing that they must get past the gatekeeper if they hope to get anywhere in their endeavors. It is only when the band starts playing an upbeat tune that they see their opening.
"Might the Hero of the Cygnus intervention do me the honor of a dance?" One of the ladies asks politely, barely beating out the others, who are forced to bite their tongues and keep silent to avoid coming across as uncouth.
"Sir Max, I do believe your dance card has an opening. Meet Miss Mariessa, daughter of Count Verboten of the seventeenth industrial sector here on Kepler 111." Nico introduces them, and Max extends his hand politely, leading his partner to the dance floor.
He learned the basics of a great number of local and popular formal dances for this event, knowing that all he had to do was understand them and his increased physical attributes would cover the rest. His current dance partner doesn't appear to have activated the system at all, so Max isn't concerned that she will want to do anything too complicated for him to follow.
The dance floor is filling with young nobles, eager to dance, so Max isn't put on the spot, and the dance they have chosen is one that Max did study for this event, so he manages to lead his giggling partner through the song, before the tune changes and one set of delicate hands is replaced by another.
Max looks over at Nico who is grinning at him, lining up more dance partners for him, while deftly avoiding the young gentlemen who are trying to catch her attention through the crowd of socialites.
'I might be able to see all their thoughts, but I have been defeated in the tactical thinking department this time. I'm going to have to excuse myself for a drink to break her rhythm.' Max thinks as he dances with his new partner, her pink ruffled skirts fluttering as he leads her through the lively flamenco dance.
Once the song changes, Max puts his plan into action, acting quickly to politely excuse himself to get a refreshment, and stepping off the dance floor into the shadows of the ballroom.
"Very smooth." General Tennant congratulates him as Max finds a glass of some sort of alcoholic juice, a local specialty.
"Thanks. Nico wasn't happy to have to socialize and I think she is intending to punish me by dancing me to death before the night is over." Max laughs.
"Isn't it the duty of a second in command to see to the Commander's needs? Perhaps she's just being a good wingman?" The General counters with a smirk.
"Be glad you can't hear what they're thinking. I've seen a few things in this life, but I wasn't ready for that." Max sighs before the amused General turns him around to introduce him to someone else.
"Meet Duke Orleans, Government leader of Kepler 111. He has been looking forward to meeting you." General Tennant introduces him to a tall and powerful man that Max realizes is the father of the troublemaker from his unit. The two look nothing alike, this man is over two meters tall, and either puts a lot into his physique or has high system compatibility with a Strength Primary bonus.
"It is a pleasure to meet such a dashing young war hero, Sir Max. I must ask, have you had a chance to meet my youngest son yet? He was assigned to your unit, but I haven't heard from him all day." The Duke greets Max.
"So I did. My unit had a team-building exercise earlier today, where we all got acquainted. Unfortunately, as this is a critical time for developing interpersonal bonds, all outside communication has been blocked. I'm certain he will have a magnificent tale to tell of his military exploits the next time you are in contact." Max answers the concerned father, seeing that he personally disapproved of the alterations of the boy's records to make him a pilot, preferring him to be moved to a safer station for the duration of his term of service.
The Duke has many other children, but this time one of them got selected for service, instead of just puffing up his academy record and ending up running a local corporation and bragging of what could have been, if he had been selected to serve.
That works out well for Max, even if the boy manages to get a message home, he is unlikely to find a sympathetic ear. All Max has to do is have Nico recommend that the boy be moved out of a combat role on a skills recommendation instead of as a punishment. That way it looks good on his record and he is still out of their hair.
They are in the middle of a conversation about the planet's agriculture when the Duke's eyes go hard and he moves towards where Nico and the socialites are standing. There is a very large, very drunk man standing by her that looks a lot like the Duke, and Max guesses that it is one of the Duke's older sons or perhaps a much younger brother. The man is casually touching her, brave on his part, given that she isn't one of the local socialites who will easily give in for a chance at his rank.
The conversation clearly isn't going well, and Max recognizes the smile on Nico's face as the one she gives him when she knows she has him during a sparring match. That smile that promises great pain if he makes one more misstep.
"I'm certain the Major can take care of herself," Max assures the Duke, right before the young man lands a heavy slap across her face, ringing through the entire room, and bringing the band to a stop in shock.
Her head snapped to the side, but she is stable again, and the smile is still in place, only this time even the Duke and General Tennant can see the promise of violence, sending them running her way. They're not fast enough though, Nico kicks the back of his knees and punches him in the stomach, knocking him down to her height then sneers at him as his father and the General arrived.
"General Tennant, welcome. We could use some advice here. What is the punishment for an officer of the planetary defense force who strikes a Senior officer?" Nico asks and the Duke shakes his head at his drunken son, who is trying not to vomit from the stomach strike.
Nico knows very well that the punishment is fifty public lashes with a military regulation leather whip, and so do most of the guests, who look horrified at the prospect.
"Unfortunately, my son is no longer a member of the Planetary Defense force, Lady Nico. If you would like to file a complaint, might we take it out of the public view? I'm certain we can come to an agreement." The Duke says, making sure his assistant knows to file the paperwork stripping his son of rank and discharging him immediately.
Max and General Tennant follow the trio into a side room where the Duke waits for the door to close before slapping his son unconscious with a single blow.
"What will it take to settle this quietly?" He asks and Max gets a genius idea.
"We have had some paperwork errors with this intake. Perhaps the wrong son was sent aboard? I believe the scullery department will find they are missing a recruit." Max suggests.
"That's a bit extreme." General Tennant points out and Max shrugs. The Scullery department isn't part of his unit, so he would never have to see the man again.
The thought of spending a decade doing dishes on board a transport ship is enough to send the drunken noble into a panic and Max recalls the story of the man who tried to space himself through an airlock. Maybe he did go a bit far.
"How about you two excuse us and we will work out the details while you socialize? It's your last chance to catch up with the departing officers after all." General Tennant insists, ushering them out of the room.
