Your name is Ruby Xiao Long, you are a second lieutenant in the atlesian navy and you are currently in a bit of a situation. As you sit waiting for your transport to arrive in the crowded anchorage you try to busY yourself by reviewing your orders on your data band. After getting yourself into some deep trouble over a minor infraction due to some "non-regulation" military maneuvers while running an anti-piracy raid you have been reassigned. You've been reassigned and it's not a fun one. Effective immediately you and your type-19 are being sent to nearly the edge of the Atlaseian dominion to run security on some sweltering mining world. Worst of all you have been placed under the command of the Schnee Interplanetary Mining Company.

You know about their shady dealings and use of xeno labor and you can't say you are excited about working for them. But, orders are orders and you would much rather be stuck working for some questionable mining mogul than have your darling Crescent Rose taken from you!

Looking up from your data band you quickly scan the bustling spaceport. It seems that a transport has just dropped out of warp and is making its approach now. That's your ride! Making your way over to the designated section while simultaneously trying not to bump into anyone. You would think your uniform would cause those around you to at least try to avoid running into you, but either they just don't care or are too busy to put an effort into it.

You arrive just in time to see the ship dock. It doesn't look like a standard transport that your aware of, certainly too large for one occupant and no other military personal are joining you. The extra space could be for Crescent Rose, but even then she only weighs about 25 tons, she's one of the lighter mechs a pilot of your caliber can operate effectively, but this ship is massive! It must be at least 70 meters, maybe more! As it comes to a stop and the docking clamps extend outward you audibly gasp as you finally catch a glimpse of the ships make. "No way, a beacon class! Oh man oh man! I've never seen one in person! Ahhhh! This is so exciting oh my gosh!" Some people stop to stare at your enthusiastic display but you don't even care! Now you're excited you rush up to the boarding door, itching to make your way inside the ship and see everything for yourself. Unfourntanerly your enthusiasm is stymied by the doors refusal to yield to your joyful hyperactivity.

A console flickers to life and beeps before giving you its dutiful request "please present a valid identification citizen"

Collecting yourself you walk over to the scanner and allow it to interface with your data band. The console takes its time, but eventually releases your arm and flashes a bright green apparently satisfied that you are supposed to be here. The voice that comes from the console now is female and seems almost, bubbly? You aren't exactly sure, but it seems nice. "Salutations second lieutenant, my name is Penny, I am pleased to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too Penny, is this really a Beacon dropship?"

"Indeed it is, in fact-"

"Wow! Is it fully stocked, is this the a model or b model, oh what generation of shielding is it equipped with, how many combat mission has-"

"There will be time for me to answer all your questions later lieutenant, and I'm happy to see you so…jubilant, but we really need to be disembarking soon, the governess hates tardiness."

Oops you did it again, you feel your cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment "sorry about that, I just uh, I just really like weapons."

"Apology accepted, please follow the indicators to your quarters, your battleform is being loaded along with the required munitions as we speak, I'll let you know when we are ready to depart."

You nod before making your way inside, following the blinking red indicator lights like Penny described. The interior of the ship is immaculately clean, your boots clank off the polished metal flooring as you stroll along the ships corridors. The indicators have led you to a bunk room with numerous beds inset into the slate grey walls. It can hold a LOT more people than just you. Setting your knapsack onto the closest bed you begin to stretch and try to loosen up, being in your stuffy uniform all day makes you feel all constrained, you wish you could put on your neuro-suit, but you aren't supposed to wear it unless you actually are about to head into combat, and you've gotten into enough trouble as is. Though from the looks of things, maybe you should get into trouble more often.

All your previous concerns about your reassignment seem to have gone right out the airlock as soon as you saw the ship. You try to recall everything you've read about them on the net. They're the newer model designed to replace the old signal class, they're about twice the size of the signal class but only one third the mass! Some new polymetal alloy you think. Oh man, you can't wait for Penny to come by so that you can ask her about the ship.

Actually where is Penny, you assumed she would have been here already. Just then a ceiling mounted holoprojector bursts to life and a the a blue girl wearing an atlesian uniform appears before you.

The suddenness of her arrival causes you to jump and you scramble to your feet.

The girl seems distressed by your reaction, and begins to apologize, "sorry so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you like that!" It takes a second for your heart to beat normally again but you manage to squeak out a short "It's fine." She doesn't seem very convinced but presses forward "it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance second lieutenant, my name is Penny!" She gives you a polite smile, and you stare at her dumbly for about three seconds before you realize you are being rather rude.

"Oh, yes hello Penny it's nice to meet you, in the flesh I mean, or uh in the, um light?"

"Likewise!"

Penny continues to stare at you and you stare back.

This is getting a little awkward, maybe you should say something.

"So, uh what are you?"

Not that Ruby! Jeez how rude can you get. However Penny does not seem to find the question rude at all.

"I am an artificial intelligence created by the atlesian military in collaboration with Oz dynamics. I was specifically created to run this ship and to aid in atlesian military operations and currently that includes helping you second lieutenant Ruby Xiao Long!"

She smiles and you can't help but smile back, you like Penny's attitude.

"Speaking of which second lieutenant, I have some important things to brief you on, but we can do that later, I believe I can help you by answering some of your many questions."

Oh yeah!

"Oh, yeah right my questions, well um now I might have a few more questions added to my list."

"That is perfectly reasonable, we have four days until we arrive at our destination so you may ask quite a few questions before we get there. I believe you asked about the armaments and equipment, I can give you a quick rundown if you would like."

Nodding your head vigorously Penny continues on "I am equipped with the new top of the line X3 Aura-tech shielding and a new hyper dense poly metal coating."

Wow! The X3, you could slam right into a Faunan Corvette and come away unscathed!

"I am also equipped with twenty-four Hypersonic 90 megaton S-11 missiles, as well as two plasma banks for anti-spacecraft and anti-missile defense."

You haven't been aboard something this powerful since your early combat training, and while you (probably) don't have the authorization to fire any of the missiles, the amount of raw destructive power is enough to make your mouth water.

"But the feature I think you will find most impressive second lieutenant is my hanger. I can hold up to three hundred tons of equipment and I am fully capable of assisting in the modification, refitting, and repair of any model of atlesian military hardware!"

Your jaw is hanging open and you think might actually be salivating, but you don't care! And then Penny says something that makes you weak in the knees.

"Would you like to see it, second lieutenant?"

"Y-yes please."

Hey guys this is my first fanfic so, I don't really know what I am doing! Please if you have any advice, either grammatical or story wise please let me know, also let me know what you think of the story itself, I have more planned and will probably have the next chapter up tomorrow.