Chapter 20: Watch Out

Harrison Gates, dressed in a military uniform, took the lead, standing on the deck in front of the officers, pilots, and ground crew. They all looked very serious, and their eyes lit upon the sight of them.

"Well done, Captain." Harrison Gates gave a salute to them.

After saluting Harrison solemnly, Zach relaxed and started laughing.

Harrison looks at Emerald, still with a hint of disdain on his tough face, "Warrant officer, your performance was okay."

"Thank you, Colonel. I will try my best." Somehow his "okay" compliment softened and amused her.

"Colonel, you are too harsh on women."

Zach was not satisfied with Harrison's words. "Emerald has done an outstanding job."

"We all saw the fight video." The First Officer came forward. "Emerald was very calm, so I arranged an assessment for her. Emerald, are you ready?"

Emerald was shocked.

Zach, Bruce, and all the other pilots were shocked. After a brief silence, everyone bursts into cheers!

"Damn, Fierce Emerald is true to your name!" Someone laughed loudly. "You'll pass the assessment after only training for six months. You're a genius!"

"Way to go, Emerald!" Zach raised his hands to lift her up over his shoulder. Two other soldiers helped to lift her up on two pilots' shoulders.

She blushed, sitting on the top of their shoulders but couldn't help smiling at the cheering crowd.

"A bunch of idiots." Harrison looked at his men with contempt and smiled at the First Officer as they looked at each other in agreement.

The strictest assessment for pilot training in the human alliance had been created with the efforts of lots of excellent officers for the air force in the war against the Zerg 20 years ago. During peaceful times, those rules were not always complied with. However, Harrison had enforced those rules meticulously in his worship, which was why the Phoenix was the strongest warship in the alliance.

Normally, all new trainees had to complete one year of training. Passing the test meant they were qualified as pilots and could fly alone. Zach had only taken three months to pass the test and now was a role model for the young soldiers. Emerald, who had only been training for six months, was also quite excellent.

Emerald completely focused on the assessment that day. After finishing a set of compulsory moves, she needed to pilot the single-seated Snowberg on her own and fly through the debris belt, with three Cheetahs lying in the dark and attacking her, which was the toughest part of the assessment.

Zach was the wingman to help her fly. Emerald and Zach smile into each other's eyes through the cabin window when the two silver-white Snowberg leaves the deck one after the other and go into the dark space.

They didn't know that this would be their first and last time flying side-by-side.

Emerald couldn't help but think of Kenzo when she saw the millions of rubble scattered on the synchronous orbit. She had mixed feelings for Kenzo, hatred, fear, obedience, and gratitude.

Remembering that her efforts were not only to keep her promise to Kenzo but also to change her life, those feelings vanished, and she tried her hardest to succeed, and now her hard work was paying off.

The Snowberg had formed a stable arc in the debris belt like an arrow breaking the sky. The judges at the Phoenix were silent while the other pilots who watched the assessment by radar were complimenting her skills.

Emerald had successfully "hit" three planes and covered over half of the orbit. She knew she was only one step away from success.

In the Phoenix, the First Officer said to his men behind him in front of the control panel. "See, her flying track is getting more and more beautiful."

"Which means?"

"Rather than becoming nervous toward the end of the assessment, she is gaining confidence and flying even more stable." The First Officer smiled. "That's why she can pass the assessment in such a short time even though she's physically not as strong as men nor extra-talented."

"I see."

"Save your jibber jabbers." Colonel Harrison suddenly interrupted. "A pilot who can control the situation is a good pilot." He whispered to the First Officer, "I will call Harvey McAdams. This child must stay on my team."

Emerald, who was in space, had no idea what was happening in the mothership. She was flying in the most dangerous debris belt in the back of the planet, far away from the Phoenix. Her assessment was over if she passed this debris belt.

That's when she suddenly heard the alarm from her headphones. A target out of nowhere appeared on the radar!

Out of nowhere?

The vessel could only appear on the radar if it jumped in a velocity faster than light. She looked up, unable to think about anything.

There was a purple, round Zerg vessel floating silently in space.

It is the vessel belonging to the bandit of the Zerg, but why was it in the vicinity of humans?

Emerald felt anxious when she saw the rows of gun muzzles on the surface of the vessel through the telescope.

All bystanders heard Emerald's clear voice. "Ten kilometers ahead is a Zerg bandit spaceship. Preliminary anticipation is that they'll invade through the FTL jump. Request for shooting."

"Agree. Snowberg is preparing to take off to support you."

Instantly, Zach, who originally had been flying outside the rubble belt, said. "Emerald, follow me."

"Okay!" Emerald drove the plane inversely to go over the rubble belt. She saw Zach's Snowberg passing by her, which looked like a shining dagger inserted into the huge rubble belt.

Surprise, Emerald saw the giant ball radiating light from where Zach's Snowberg had just come by. It was like a giant firework sparkling in space and almost lighting the whole universe.

Emerald instantly knew that this beauty meant danger.

When the light disappeared, a dark outline emerged -- that was another Zerg spaceship completing a space jump just now.

"Watch out!" Emerald shouted and simultaneously set out to fire missiles at the Zerg's plane.

The two missiles shot almost simultaneously and sparkled in the rubble belt like two parallel lines. Behind the light and smoke, Zach, who wasn't prepared, and the Zerg spaceship, which was intending to attack, were both shots!

The two planes both dropped straight into Moon Sally right outside the star from the forceful impact of the missiles.

Nearly at the same time, Emerald's Snowberg changed its direction and flew to the Zerg spaceship!