Ben, Kaya, Marianne, Nojiko, Raki, Mikita, Zala, Robin, Vivi, Maya, Honey, Conis, Saphir, Alvida and Kalifa gathered in the Dining Room. HQ and PR were all in the room.
Ben sat down. Zala and Saphir sat next to him. Zala leaned towards Ben. Her large breasts touched his shoulder.
Ben looked around. "Is everyone okay?" he asked. He thought for the most part they all looked fine. He thought they were strong, mucher stronger than before and each battle was helping them grow. However he knew there were even stronger people out there. They had to get stronger.
"We are my love," Alvida responded.
"Yes Ben, I checked even Kalifa and she is fine," Kaya added.
"Captain, I was okay," Kalifa responded. She thought she had tougher battles than that.
"Since Kaya said you are okay, I am okay," Ben responded. "I expect all injuries to be reported. I care for your well being," Ben added as he looked at Kalifa and smiled. "All of you," he said as he looked around.
The girls all smiled. Kalifa felt her heart beat skip. She was truly a changed woman.
Ben leaned back. "I think we'll stay on this island until Shimagame reaches her place," he said. "It'll give us time to complete the quest," he added. He thought it would give them time to relax here and also get the reward.
Kaya's reaction was instant, a teasing remark slipping through. "Pervert," she remarked.
The girls giggled. They all looked at each other and smiled. They knew what was next on the quest.
"There's the Hidden Lab as well. Usually, the quest relates to the island we're on," Robin remarked.
"Are we thinking the lab is on this island?" Maya asked.
"It is a possibility," Robin responded.
Honey tilted her head. "I wonder what it'll be this time," Honey said out loud.
"We'll see," Saphir said as she smiled. She always thought the labs were cool. She knew her sister loved this stuff.
Zala leaned forward. Her large breasts touched his arm. "Speaking of seeing, did we see that giant robot?" she asked.
"BGB, it was called," Mikita nodded as she recalled the name.
"Yeah, I think Ratchet said something about it," Ben commented.
"So did Nipthal. He said he created it apparently," Mikita added.
"That guy again," Saphir said. She thought he was annoying and dangerous, a problem that refused to disappear.
"He went flying again, thanks to HQ and Mech," Mikita said as she looked at HQ. HQ smiled back.
The girls laughed.
Zala leaned back. Her large breasts went further into Ben`s arm. "Serves him right," she remarked.
"He was not a good person," Marianne added.
"Yes, you're right. He talked about a black market, and that he was behind it," Mikita said.
Nojiko furrowed her brows, recalling something similar. "Very Good talked about a black market as well," she said.
"Those Neo-Marines said they were going to capture and take the black market leader. He was making robots and selling them," Raki said as she crossed her arms.
"The robots we fought?" Honey asked. She had fought a few of them with Conis.
"I think so," Raki responded.
"We destroyed those robots," Maya remarked.
Conis's voice was quiet but firm. "We fought well, but I saw the Marines and others falling, they had no hope against them," Conis said.
Ben exhaled, arms crossed. "It did get crazy with the Marines, Cipher Pol, Pirates and Neo-Marines on top of Nipthal`s men. The Marines didn't have their heavy hitters," he said. "It was fortunate for us, but not for them," he added. He thought if a Vice-Admiral or two was here, it would have changed everything.
Vivi nodded. "For an ordinary person, fighting those robots would be terrifying," Vivi said.
"The Neo-Marines were after him, could be their plan to mass-produce those robots for themselves," Robin said as she leaned forward, her thoughts already connecting larger implications.
Saphir tilted her head as her eyes narrowed slightly. "But what's their true goal?" she asked.
"Cipher Pol Intelligence didn't have much data on them, but in a report it was mentioned that they had slaughtered a group of pirates," Kalifa replied as she adjusted her glasses.
Ben's eyes darkened slightly. "Their ultimate goal might be to replace the Marines entirely, to become the new authority, killing pirates under their version of justice," he stated.
"Do you think we'll face them again?" Maya asked.
Alvida responded instantly, "We've crossed paths with them twice already, we will again,"
"Their leader is General Z, better known as Black Arm Zephyr, a former Marine admiral," Ben said. He then paused. "His family was slaughtered by a pirate," he added.
"That's… cruel and horrible," Vivi said.
Nojiko's voice was calm. "Pirates can be," she said. She thought back to Arlong. It made her mad then she looked at Ben and smiled.
"We are pirates," Zala said as she smirked slightly.
"But we're good ones," Saphir countered.
"I don't think there are good ones," Robin chuckled.
Kalifa looked at Ben. "Captain, Cipher Pol didn't know this either, but you did," she said. She leaned slightly forward, adjusting her glasses. Her large breasts jiggled. "You're impressive, Ben," she said.
Ben's expression didn't change, but the weight of Kalifa's words was felt across the room.
"An admiral, hmm? We'll be ready for him, my love," Alvida said.
"We will be but not yet," Ben said as he looked around the room. His crew, his lovers all watched him. "We still need to get stronger, much stronger," he stated.
They nodded. They all thought about Aokiji and what he did.
Marianne turned toward HQ and PR and smiled. "HQ, PR, thank you for your support from Miss Love Duck. The shells rained down and helped us out," she said.
"Yes, the King Cannon gave us a lot of suppressing fire," Zala followed up.
"It was important, we needed that support." Raki agreed.
"Master, neither I nor PR fired the King Cannon," HQ responded.
"Then who did?" Saphir asked as she raised an eyebrow.
Ben smiled. "I think I know who did," he said. He leaned back. His thoughts drifted towards a girl holding a hammer who was wearing a sailor coat. "Thank you… for helping," he shouted.
The girls all smiled.
Alvida cleared her throat. "Now my love, it is getting dark and it is your Captain Duty time," Alvida said.
"It is," Kalifa was about to say.
"My turn," Saphir said as she shot up as she grabbed Ben`s arm.