Chapter 169: | 169 | Installation 02 Vulcan
In the bridge of the UNS Trinity of Solace, Vice Admiral Charlotte quietly observed the busy western port of the Construction Yard, also known as Installation 02 Vulcan. The technology of Vulcan was much more sophisticated than the Port of Dawn, this she already realized.
Nonetheless, it was a piece of good news. With the installation around, the United Navy would grow much more stronger than ever before. So, she wasn't that bothered by the differences in technology.
'Though... Things have gotten much complicated than I previously thought.' She quietly thought to herself while staring in the distance. Beforehand, she met with dragoness, who had given her a ridiculous proposition. It was so astounding that she felt the need to grind the problem dragon's head.
But, it was intriguing to say the least.
...
"Stone-faced girl, he's now open." While Charlotte prepared for her voyage with the fleet admiral into the newly-emerged Construction Yard, Laplace appeared inside her office out of nowhere. The vice admiral didn't flinch as this was the usual when dealing with the problem dragon.
However... The words of the problem dragon confused her.
"Open? What do you mean by that?" Charlotte questioned the dragoness, wanting the problem dragon to clarify what she had said. Laplace merely smirked and shortly responded. "I meant that I meant."
Hearing her, the vice admiral finally understood what the problem dragon meant. Yet, she furrowed her eyebrows, wondering what had happened between the two. Did they fight while she wasn't around? Well, it has been a while since spent some time in the Port of Dawn.
So, things might have happened while she remained ignorant to them.
"Did the two of you fight or have some disagreements?" Charlotte asked since fighting and disagreements was normal. It was a significant part of loving someone and could blossom a relationship into something deeper.
Laplace leaned on an office table and replied with a smile. "Well, we didn't fight to say the least. But we did have some disagreements." She shook her head as though the problem was too troublesome for her.
Charlotte raised an eyebrow, curious as to what the disagreements were.
"You see... My Abraham is too much of a charismatic man. Even I have to say, someone of his qualities need more. You and Mercedes... I can see it clearly, and he pretends to be dense about it." Laplace coolly explained, but Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows.
It was as though she had been unknowingly insulted.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Laplace." Charlotte decided to turn her attention to what she was doing beforehand, not caring about the following words of the problem dragon. Wasting her time into such useless things wouldn't do her any good.
"Charlotte... I know you as much as Abraham knows you. Perhaps more, because I was closer to you in the first months of the United Navy. Don't you think it seems suspicious? Someone who doesn't want to do more than necessary keeps doing more than what is needed."
"It's as if you are avoiding spending more time in the Port of Dawn. Even Abraham noticed your peculiarity. While you might say you wouldn't let your emotions affect your duty as the Vice Admiral, I can see where you are releasing it."
Laplace spoke nothing more than the truth. Ever since the beginning of the various operations in the war against the Colonial Dominion of Terra. After she and Abraham had consolidated their relationship as lovers. The stone-faced girl has been partaking in several operations without stop.
Charlotte stopped her preparations and turned her head towards the problem dragon. For the first time, Charlotte was glaring at the dragoness with anger. Though, her glare was the final proof of Laplace's words.
"It seems that I was right."
"Well, I didn't come here to discuss about your feelings. What I'm trying to say is that the competition isn't close." Laplace smirked and patted her wrinkled uniform. She walked away from Charlotte, heading towards the door.
But as she was a foot away from it, Laplace heard something that made her excited.
"What I do isn't something for you to bother about. And I don't need your permission to chase after him." Charlotte declared to the dragoness, who merely chuckled and exited the vice admiral's office.
"I expect a lot from you." She waved her hands and soon disappeared from Charlotte's sight.
...
"Why did I even say that." Charlotte shook head and couldn't help but think that she actually got played by the problem dragon of all people. 'But nonetheless, I guess I can't keep running away from it.'
She had previously thought that getting herself busy would be enough to take care of any lingering feelings she had towards the fleet admiral. She thought that admitting defeat would make it fade from her heart.
However, the more she thought of it, the more she became distracted. She always wondered what would happen if it was her in the side of the fleet admiral. Spending time with him, learning more about his feelings, and understanding it deeper with him.
'The problem dragon struck first and won. Though, it seems the fleet admiral challenged her. Otherwise, she wouldn't do something as foolish as this.' Charlotte lightly chuckled and decided firmly inside her heart. Fleeing from her feelings wasn't doing her any good.
It might even put a wench between her and the fleet admiral.
With this in mind, there was only one path she could take. And that was forward. The flickering light within herself was beginning to grow stronger. It began to demand more from herself.
It gave her passion.
"Vice Admiral, is there something wrong?" An intelligence officer stood beside Charlotte and calmly asked. When she heard him, she merely smiled and answered. "There's nothing wrong. I simply realize that path I wanted to take."
"I should apologize to you and everyone else in the United Navy. Things would become complicated later in the line. Who knows what kind of drama would emerge." Charlotte lightly chuckled and felt satisfied with her current self.
On the other hand, the intelligence officer was confused as to what the vice admiral meant.
...
Back to Installation 02 Vulcan, Abraham rode the railcar and went through the railway network of the Construction Yard. In the distance that was getting nearer was the central sector of Vulcan, the industrial city of the installation.
"Steel Fortress..." He couldn't help but quietly remark as the industrial city reminded him more of a fortress than anything else. But he quickly shook his head and calmed his heart. Though, out of nowhere, he felt a strange feeling in his heart.
He raised his eyebrows and gazed back to where he came from. He looked at the direction of the western port and wondered what may have happen to bring a strange feeling into his heart. But since the lieutenant commander appeared to be relax, it looks like it wasn't anything bad.
"At any rate, what an industrial city you have here, Lieutenant Commander Ruman. This must be where the materials needed for the construction of warships are made." Abraham remarked, not hiding his admiration of the Construction Yard.
"As expected of the fleet admiral's wisdom,"
"The central sector of Vulcan is known to its inhabitants as Fornax. It is where everything from the tiniest and biggest parts of a warship are built. It is connected to every port in the coastline of this island, ensuring that every one of them gets supplied the needed amount of materials required."
Ruman patiently explained to the fleet admiral since it was always admirable for the highest authority of the United Navy to have an interest to their installation. He wasn't hoping to get a bigger budget, but simply wanted to fleet admiral to know more about them.
"I see... I guess Fornax is the heart of the Construction Yard, pumping its blood through its veins known as the Rail Network Apparatus." Abraham easily understood the symbology of the installation, which brought a smile on the lieutenant commander's face.
It didn't take long before the railcar entered Fornax. It passed through the industrial city's interior, giving the fleet admiral a grand scenery of the central sector. Though, the destination of the railcar was at the industrial city's very center.
The branch office building of Vulcan, which also had an office of the fleet admiral inside.
The railcar soon halted in the rail station inside the branch office building. Its metallic doors slid open, unveiling the fleet admiral to the futuristic-looking interior. Several management personnel saw the fleet admiral and swiftly saluted to him.
Their eyes were filled with admiration as they couldn't believe that the fleet admiral was actually visiting their installation.
"Quite a cool-looking abode you have here, Lieutenant Commander." Abraham smirked while stepping into the branch office building of Vulcan. It looked entirely different from the government-aesthetic of the Port of Dawn. It was more akin to a futuristic administrative building of the future.
"It was through the hard work of every personnel in the Construction Yard that brought Vulcan to where it currently stands." Hearing the words of Ruman, Abraham smiled, remembering his past self of being humble of everything.
Though, it was not like he had changed. He was more or less the same, though maybe less merciful. The assassination had changed his perspective in life. It made him realize how someone would be willing to go so far as to simply kill him. It wasn't even out of anger, but mere annoyance of his existence.
"Whatever you say, Lieutenant Commander. I'd like to explore more of Fornax. I want to know where our vital ship components are being built and how the logistics of this place work. Perhaps, I'll learn something important." Abraham wanted to have a deep understanding of the installation.
So, he wanted to explore its nook and cranny.
"Allow me to guide the fleet admiral." Ruman lightly bowed.