After the stunning revelation that one of the Empire's most revered war machines was being put into retirement, and all that followed, the trio returned to the party, where Sister Lilith was waiting for them with drinks in hand.

"I didn't bother putting alcohol in yours Nico, it's a fruity energy concoction, made into a slushie. There are a lot of partial conversions on the research team, so they can process this much more easily than a normal drink, plus it tastes amazing." Lilith explained, handing out the drinks.

Nearly a thousand researchers were here, all celebrating the end of a project, and the possibility that they would be transferred to somewhere outside the lab. Active duty was terrifying and dangerous, but most of them were researchers and not combat certified, so they would be staying aboard whatever transport they were assigned to, doing the data analysis of the new Mecha's engagements.

There was still some risk, but there was also the hope that they would be able to contact family, see the Galaxy during the testing, and not spend more years confined to the hab city. It was a nice city, but eventually, many of them wanted to see more, even if it was just the nature reserves on Comor they would have been happy, but during the development process even that was too much of a security risk.

It didn't take long before the entire crowd was in full party mode, with all sense of decorum forgotten in favor of looking toward the future with drunken optimism.

"Max, come quick, we have a situation," Lilith called, drawing his attention to where Nico was consoling a very drunk Moonie. That couldn't be good, but her thoughts were so scattered by alcohol that Max couldn't make sense of them, so he couldn't determine why Moonie was crying, but he did hear his own name.

"There he is. The greatest man ever. Did you know that he is an amazing chess player? Like really amazing." Moonie rambled to Nico, who was carefully leading her toward the edge of the room.

"What set her off?" Max asked Lilith quietly, so he wasn't overheard over the beat of the music.

"Something about the deployments. I think she's worried about being left behind when everyone else leaves because she's a new researcher and this is her first assignment." Lilith explained though Max could sense it was about half guess and half interpretation of her outbursts.

"Why are you taking me away? He's that way, take me to that marvelous dick. Have you ever seen it, it's so beautiful." Moonie called, making the researchers around her laugh at her single-minded devotion to getting what she wanted.

"We went through the academy and three battlefields together, and we both work in the lab as Pilots, the only person who has seen him naked more times might be his mother," Nico confirmed, making Moonie pout, but renewing the laughter of the other testers, who all changed together every morning.

"That's not fair. I should have asked to be a Test Pilot. Did you know that they didn't even let me practice in the Mecha after learning my System Functions? It's total bullshit. I would have been a great Pilot." Moonie complained, and Lilith pulled Max over before the girl could embarrass herself anymore.

"Alright, we brought you the handsome man with the beautiful dick. Now how about you two take this key and head to the Hotel on the next floor up to sleep it off?" Lilith suggested, giving the key to Max.

"Make the best of your time in life, you never know what tomorrow holds," Nico whispered in his ear before handing him a small package and picking up Moonie to place her in his arms.

"Oh, there you are, we were just talking about you." Moonie cheered when she realized she was being carried by Max.

"I heard. Now, let's get you upstairs and into bed." Max chuckled, nodding goodbye to the people he knew as he left the hotel.

Max was quite certain that he hadn't gotten more than two hours of sleep when he woke up to the feeling of Moonie shifting positions on top of him and the sound of two wrist devices blaring out the urgent alert notification that wouldn't end until the message was read and confirmed.

Moonie was an energetic drunk, and even after they reached the room she had spent hours showing Max just how much she would miss him if they were separated by the new deployment. Max wouldn't complain, but he certainly wasn't in much of a condition to accomplish anything the next morning.

No, make that afternoon, the morning had already passed by the time Max checked his message.

[Major Keres Max,

Please be notified that as of receipt of this message the entirety of the Heavy Mecha Development teams will be transferred from the Mecha Development Lab on Comor Prime to the transport vessel Abraham Kepler, currently docked in wing C Bay 4 of the Comor Orbital Station.

Your Duty Status has been reinstated at A1, Combat Ready, and fit for service as of this message.

You have 48 hours to gather your belongings and report to your new duty assignment.

Regards,

Central Command]

Usually, these messages are quite personal and don't refer to anyone else, but if they are mentioning that the entire team is going, then their deployment isn't meant to be kept secret from the other members that are going. The news that everyone is going is also good news for him because there is a cute little blonde passed out on his chest that he would hate to have to leave behind.

"Moonie wake up. You have a Duty Assignment message on your wrist device and it needs to be read and confirmed to make the thing stop beeping." Max whispered in her ear, before giving it a gentle bite to wake her up.

"No, I'm not getting dressed," Moonie complained before Max handed her the wrist device.

"Don't get dressed then, you're perfect the way you are. But you need to read the message." Max tried bargaining.

"My heart isn't ready yet. Give me ten more minutes." Moonie whined, but a quick smack at her backside made her take the beeping device and open her messages.

"We're going into space. All of us, for live combat testing." She gasped in astonishment and then gave Max a big hug.

"I'm sorry I'm like this, I don't know what came over me." She whispered to him, making Max smirk.

"I can think of a thing or two, but I will let Lilith fill you in on what happened at the party when you meet up with her later."