Last Chapter Recap: "If you're looking for Major Aurora," a voice came from behind, "she's doing inventory in the lower decks."
NOW
Battery Room
"Ah!" Adam startled by the unexpected voice, quickly turning around.
I almost jump, scared by the sneaky appearance of the lt. Brody.
"By God!" Adam said, his heart racing. "You almost gave me a heart attack, Brody!"
"It's your fault for not paying attention," Brody said with a shrug. "Besides, what are you doing here? I thought I'd find you in the canteen."
"I had a small business with Major Aurora..." Adam said, then paused. "Wait a second, you were looking for me, Lt. Brody?"
"As a matter of fact," Brody said with a grin, "I was wondering if you'd join me for a drink."
"That's quite an interesting offer, Lt. Brody," Adam said, considering it for a moment. "However, my break will soon be over..."
"I'll take it to the captain myself," Brody said with a confident smirk. "What I want to talk about is somewhat... job-related."
"Uh-huh, in that case," Adam said with a slight smile, "I'll take up your offer, Lt. Brody."
I want to reset my brain. And every time I have a longer chat with him, I learn something new. This guy is surprisingly loose-lipped, for a member of this crew.
Canteen
"I have a feeling you want to ask about my old homeland," Adam said, taking a sip of his beer, his tone a mix of curiosity and caution.
Although military-approved liquor lacks the kick, it does a relatively good job at facilitating conversations. A few sips, and I already feel like old buddies with this guy.
"I guess everyone's interested in that, huh?" Brody said with a slight chuckle. "But no, I've already heard enough on this topic."
"That's good," Adam said, his tone a bit cold. "No defector wants to talk about the place he escaped from."
"Figures," Brody said, taking a sip of his beer. "And speaking of defection and escapees... Lt. Chad also didn't want to talk about his past."
Uh-huh. I had a feeling it's be about that guy.
"Considering how he reacted to me," Adam said, his tone thoughtful. "I can imagine he didn't have good memories of the place."
"Yeah, as antisocial as he was," Brody said, shaking his head. "He'd always be eager to curse the masters and tyrants of Neo-Society..."
As if waging his words, lt. Brody makes a pause, then take a good mouthful of drink.
"In the end, though," Adam said, his tone sharp. "He ended up acting as their pawn."
"Modern technology can be scary," Brody said, a dark chuckle in his voice. "You never know if your brain isn't already infected with one of those nanomachines."
Heh.
"We have tests, don't we?" Adam said, his tone reassuring. "At least, I'm pretty sure none of our crew has that crap in our brains."
"You never know..." Brody said, his voice low. "Neo-Terran can be quite insidious."
Having finished the first glass, lt. Brody pours us both another round. Judging by his movements, he's quite used to this. He must be quite a drinker.
"The Lieutenant was a special case, believe me," Adam said firmly. "I'm a specialist."
"I have no choice, do I?" Brody joked, raising an eyebrow. "Otherwise, I'd have to ask the captain to arrest you on the spot."
Even though lt. Brody obviously jokes, I feel something not rights.
"Please, Lt. Brody," Adam said, his tone earnest. "For the last few days, I've done my best to gain everyone's trust... I know the captain has her demands, but even she—"
"Ah, don't take it to yourself," Brody said, offering a reassuring grin. "The captain values your skills highly, believe me."
… Adam.
"Look at Ensign Natasha," Brody said with a knowing chuckle. "She might be the second-best pilot in the whole alliance, but the captain often scolds her for various minor offenses."
"That's a problem with Ensign's character," Adam said, his tone thoughtful. "Not her trust or skill..."
"Exactly," Brody said, taking a sip of his beer. "Captain might be strict, but in the end, she's there to make sure we all perform our best when the situation arises."
I had this feeling before, but the way lt. Brody speaks about captain is a bit too…
"Well," Adam said, taking a sip of his beer. "She does have her reputation."
"She certainly does," Brody said, nodding. "Everyone on this crew looks up to her. Even Princess Tila respects her."
"Legendary hero of the alliance, huh?" Adam said, taking another sip of his beer. "And all of that before her thirties. Honestly, I'm jealous of the guy who Married her."
"What about you, Ensign?" Brody asked, raising an eyebrow. "Do you have a sweetheart back home?"
"Define home, Lt.," Adam said with a slight smile, the hint of amusement hiding behind his lips. "But no, I don't have anyone like that."
"Heh. Heh." Adam thought, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "I thought about someone, but I can't really hide it after hearing the girlfriend laugh."
Lt. Brody finishes his third glass, and throws away the cup. Meaning, the drinking session is over.
"Thanks for humouring me," Brody said, finishing his drink. "It really feels better to drink with a guy..."
With a smile on his face, lt. Brody leaves the canteen, while I can't help but ponder his words.
Oh well. At least this conversation made me forget my old worry. I can finally think with a clear head.