(What the fuck just happened?)
Feeling like he had done nothing more than blink, Mike found he had been suddenly translocated from his pilot seat in the Wyrm to a bed inside what seemed like some sort of luxurious hospital room. Just by looking around, Mike noticed he was under the effect of some sort of drugs, his head felt fluffy and he was clearly hallucinating because there was no way Jessica was currently sleeping with her head resting on his lap. Within a minute or so Mike realised he wasn't hallucinating and Jessica actually was resting her head on his lap, with that realisation came a conundrum that could very well end his life.
(Must… Not…. Headpat…)
Struggling with his own desires while fully aware that fulfilling them would lead to a very painful death, the logical side of Mike's head that was keeping him alive was impaired and rapidly losing as he struggled to keep his hands in check.
Within seconds Mike's hand found its way on top of Jessica's head, and her large, soft ears slowly started to react.
(Welp, it was a short but fulfilling life… I can die without regrets now…)
Watching Jessica starting to wake up, Mike still didn't feel like removing his hand and by the time her green eyes were staring back into his own, Mike had fully prepared to die with a smile on his face.
"Ah! Mike, you're finally awake! I'll go get River!"
Getting on her feet and bolting out of the hospital room before Mike could comment on anything, Jessica disappeared out into what was clearly a very busy hallway with her ears still clearly showing.
(What the fuck just happened?)
Feeling like he had already asked that question before, Mike had no choice but to wait a few minutes until River barged into the room together with Jessica and a nurse Mike didn't know.
"Okay, so what the hell is going on here?"
"... Apparently you were shot multiple times when we were getting to the Wyrm, while your bulletproof suit helped the first few times it eventually cracked."
"You had multiple lacerations on your legs, lower body and arms, from those lacerations we pulled 92 fragments, furthermore multiple impacts to your torso resulted in 5 cracked ribs all with multiple fractures. It is only due to the fact that emergency aid arrived as fast as they did that you're still alive."
As River started explaining, the nurse took over with a blank look on her face as she started blatantly staring at Jessica's ears in the middle of her explanation. Reading the room after her explanation, the nurse quickly checked on Mike's vitals before she left the room with a bow.
"Okay, that explains the amount of painkiller I'm currently on, but I'm still seeing some major gaps here."
"Apparently the Solar empire royal guard were preparing an ambush, and we led the Eden forces straight to them. What's more, the Solar navy was already aware of the work we had done for them so they came in peace and completely ignored Jessica and took care of you after I made it very clear to someone high up in the food chain that losing you would mean losing the population of this entire planet."
While Mike could follow along with some of what River was saying, he still had one massive problem with everything.
"Right, that explains some parts, but what about that?"
Pointing to Jessica's ears 'flying freely', Jessica herself explained before River had a chance to do so.
"Because it quickly became clear that I wasn't the enemy. When River explained that you and her had saved my life you apparently became even more popular by the day."
(By the day?)
"Wait how long was I under exactly?"
"About 2 weeks, in that time the Wyrm has been fully outfitted and planetary evacuations are almost complete… But get some more sleep for now, you're going to need it going forward."
Although Mike had regained consciousness, he was still high on painkillers so he wasn't about to say no to extra sleep, even though River's slightly ominous comment did make him a bit worried the soft hospital bed quickly reaped his consciousness.
Getting back on his feet after a day's additional rest, Mike found himself busy getting back up to speed.
"It is good to see you back on your feet Mike. My name is Simon Thorson, commander of the solar empire royal guard, that was some extremely impressive flying you did a few weeks ago."
On his way to a flight simulator, Mike was suddenly blocked by a large, grey-bearded man in military uniform, apparently the commander of the force that had used Mike as bait instead of just fighting for their people.
(Well, when it comes to war, reasons are often quite complicated… Not that an excuse like that is going to stop me from being pissed.)
Meeting the commander's handshake, Mike did his best to put on a smile.
"I just do what I do best, nice to meet you, commander. I was just on my way to your flight sim to knock some rust off, you're quite welcome to join me."
"I'm afraid that'll have to wait, I'm here to summon you to an audience with my mistress, the royal highness of the Solar empire."
"... I'm guessing I can't turn that down."
"Correct."
"Lead the way then."
Going from what was apparently a military hospital complex, Mike took a shuttle transport together with the commander to the massive castle installation where the commander split off from Mike and he was swarmed by a small army of maids to make sure he was presentable to royalty. Succeeding in fighting off the maids once they started messing with his hair and trying to trim his barely noticeable nose hair, Mike was put before a group of tailors and yet more maids and put into a 3 piece black suit before he finally got to a waiting room where he met Jessica and River who still somehow wore casual clothes.
"Fuck that entire process… How come the maids haven't gotten to you two?"
"Because I made it clear last time that I would start breaking things if they tried that shit again. As for Jessica, she scratched the face of a maid when she started touching her ears."
"I see, so what kind of situation are we in here?"
Having been out of the picture for a while, Mike wanted to be prepared for what kind of summoning they were headed into.
"As you expected this entire planet was translocated into another galaxy populated by the Eden theocrasy, we were placed in a stable orbit around a main-sequence star with no other satellites, as for Eden forces there has been no other contact that the initial raid that was repelled. By my suggestion a planetary evacuation has been steadily underway, the Solar Empire is packing all the people and supplies into all available crafts in preparation to escape from this galaxy. That's properly how that evacuation will be accomplished, I imagine that's what we've all been summoned here to explain."
(Right, I never did explain that, but given there've been all these translocation events it's clear that the gateways are activating… Still, these people are way too thrusting.)
With nothing more than hope and some vague explanation, it seemed the Solar empire was willing to stake every single life of their capital planet on Mike and his friends. Either they were just that desperate, or just naive to a fault.
(Either case isn't great, but it seems like we can work with them to a limit.)
"Well, there's still hope I guess."
Within a few minutes, a maid arrived to inform the trio that 'her royal highness' was ready for their audience and led them to an indoor flower garden where fleet commander Simon stood behind an elderly lady that was drinking tea in a relaxed manner.
"It is quite good to see you have recovered Mike, although it is sudden there are things we would like you to do in return for your care."
Although she seemed to be around 70 years old, the monarch of the Solar empire was in all likelihood much, much older. With that age came wisdom beyond imagination, clearly seen in her eyes as she inspected Mike from head to toe.
"First of all, we would like to know the source of your knowledge, how come you can communicate with not only the Eden forces and the young lady behind you, but also know so much about these recent events?"
"Believe it or not I came into contact with some kind of relic, while that relic almost killed me it seemed to have been some sort of database and that database showed me a lot. Counting this galaxy we find ourselves in now, the one we're from and the one Jessica is from there are multiple others, these galaxies were once part of a single joint power with technology almost indistinguishable from magic. For reasons unknown, this power faded from history, but their artefacts didn't and are now waking up again, that would be the translocation events we're seeing, if not already the gateways in the centre of each of these galaxies will soon reactivate, giving us a way home, but also a way for the Eden theocracy and things much worse than that to invade. If we are to survive all that, we need to work together, not just across all humankind, but also with others."
Half spinning up a story to hide his true origins, Mike used his knowledge of further events from Interstellar online to explain how they would be getting out of their current situation, but that it was just the start of things to come.
"... While that didn't seem to be the entire truth we do thrust your judgement, Mike. Regardless of prior circumstances, your fate is now tied with ours, as such we find it fit to offer you and your companions a job you cannot refuse."
Having seen completely through Mike's lies but also ascertained enough of his character, the Empress saw fit to go ahead with her plans for him, regardless of Mike's opinion on the matter.
"Given I have no other options I hope we'll be properly compensated."
"Of course."
While the commander behind the Empress was ready to tear Mike apart for the insolence of demanding something of his mistress, the Empress herself hardly flinched at Mike's suggestion and rapidly agreed before she stated the terms.
"Mike we hereby use the powers vested in us by the Solar Empire to promote you to the temporary rank of captain within the solar empire royal guard. You will be deployed to take command of the cruiser Valourant until we've returned to our own borders yet again."
(Wait what?)
While Mike had expected to serve as something like forward scouts or even among the rank and file in some sort of navy armada, becoming a captain taking command of a battleship within the royal guard itself was outside expectations.
"Her royal highness wants me commanding a cruiser?"
"Do you object with our assessment of you Mike?"
Noticing the commander was about to crack a tooth, Mike hurriedly corrected himself.
"Of course not, I just believe I would be able to do more good inside a fighter. If you put me inside a simulator-"
"We have made our decision, you are fully capable of this undertaking, are you not?"
"... I am. I look forward to receiving my payment."
With no way out Mike begrudgingly accepted the job forced on him by the Empress before he was dismissed. Outside the flower garden stood yet another small army of maids who hurriedly caught Mike and stripped him out of his suit and into military fatigues and his repaired vacuum suit that was now adorned with his new rank on both shoulders. Finally escaping the maid's clutches again Mike was met by a young lieutenant commander.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Captain, my name is Jake and I'll serve as your XO for the term of your deployment in the royal guard."
"... It's a pleasure to meet you, Jake, just call me Mike."
"No can do Captain, that would be disrespectful of your rank sir."
"Well seeing as you have mountains of things to do 'captain' we'll take our leave."
Barely able to hold it together, River took her chance to retreat with Jessica as Jake bought Mike up to speed on his responsibilities.
(Well this is going to be about as fun as dragging my balls through shards of glass…)