Captain Planck and his pirates didn't mourn the deaths of all their comrades for even a second.
...Well, the Firekiss Mercenary Group certainly counted as one of the most elite and disciplined outfits in the underworld, so they really weren't in the same league as these typical pirates.
At least when it came to surrendering, they seemed to have undergone some rather rigorous training, which allowed them to follow orders to the letter.
Under these circumstances, the woman who was still standing ramrod straight really stood out. She was probably the first mate of this ship.
But since she'd become a pirate and still wore the uniform of the Alliance Space Fleet, perhaps she was very proud of her past as an Alliance officer? And was she now planning to show me a bit of a soldier's mettle?
Just as this suspicion crossed Yu Lian's mind, the woman suddenly snapped to attention with perfect seriousness. She even clicked her heels together, then gave him a standard Alliance salute and said solemnly, "General Yu, I am Major Luojia Larlan, a second-grade investigator with the Free Stellar River Alliance Military Intelligence Bureau, codename 'Fantine.' I salute you! As an active-duty Alliance service member, I am willing to uphold the joint counterterrorism agreement between our two nations and report all intelligence to you. I will also accept your orders and direction in all matters, even without authorization from my superiors!"
She spoke with the strict formality of someone delivering an official report.
So there were still people like her around?
Yu Lian marveled at the sight. Of course, he wasn't the only one. Captain Planck and his little crew were all wearing expressions of utter shock and disbelief.
After his initial astonishment, Captain Planck's face shifted to one-third sorrow, one-third hatred, and one-third