[Thewhitesoverign (Felinia 7): I remember that movie; it was really good. Maybe I should ask Adam for a ring too.]
[OrangeeyedStace (Felinia 7): …]
[OfficialLorelie (Felinia 7): …]
"So you do understand the significance of what you're asking for?" Adam asked.
"Are you saying that I, your wife, don't deserve a ring, which signifies marriage and unity on your planet?" Rowena asked as she finally looked at him with narrowed eyes.
[LadyErkath (Deverinian Prime): See, I told you she would milk it.]
[AlamoMatador4thewin (Earth): Is this some weird indirect way of her forcing her way into the harem by capitalising on the fact that they're playing a married couple?]
[OfficialAphrodite (Felinia 7): I wouldn't put it past her.]
[Gunlovergirl (Earth): I can't decide if I'm impressed with how scheming she is or pissed that this will probably work.]
[Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): Probably both.]
"No, I'm not saying that, but can't we discuss this later?" Adam asked with a sigh as he figured out that Rowena had led him into a trap and that he had no choice but to agree if he didn't want to reveal that their whole relationship was actually fake.
"No, I want to go buy one now," Rowena pouted again.
[Noobkiller9000 (Earth): Is she really over 2000? Because right now she's acting more like she's 5.]
[Whitehorn (Darah 5): She only acts like this with those she's in a relationship with.]
"Fine," Adam conceded in a defeated tone.
"Good, then let's go buy me one," Rowena replied with a triumphant look.
[DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): He never stood a chance.]
[Lizziethetruepower (Palaxia): I guess the 2000-year age gap is too much of an advantage for him to overcome.]
"Any chance you can recommend a good jewellery shop?" Adam asked while turning to Shalendra.
Shalendra nodded before asking, "What's your price range?"
"I have no idea; I'm still learning how much things cost in the universe," Adam replied while shaking his head.
"That will make recommending a suitable jeweller difficult," Shalendra replied with a frown.
"Take us to the best jewellers in the city." Rowena suddenly proclaimed, surprising Adam and Shalendra.
[1000yearsofdeath (Earth): I think she is trying to milk the streamer for all he's worth. Kekeke.]
"Don't look so concerned, honey. I already transferred you the credits that Koki paid me for that information, right? Well, those credits more than cover the cost of one small ring," Rowena replied with a smile before adding, "In fact, now that I think about it, you should probably pick up a ring for your other wives while we're at it, we don't want them getting jealous after all."
[OrangeeyedStace (Felinia 7): Nice of her to finally remember us. 😠]
[1000yearsofdeath (Earth): She's remembered you the entire time she's been teasing you. Kekeke.]
"Then I hope you're ready to help me pick out some nice pieces. I have never purchased jewellery before," Adam remarked.
"Now, where would be the fun in that?" Rowena replied with a smirk.
[Justiceistruth (Earth): Oh, he's so screwed. There's no way he's going to pick something decent if he knows nothing about jewellery.]
[OfficialLorelie (Felinia 7): I'm happy with anything he gets me.]
[Justiceistruth (Earth): Of course, you're going to say that, but I'm sure you would prefer your gift to be something you really like.]
[OfficialLorelie (Felinia 7): …]
"Alright, I'll take you to the best jewellers in the city, the one the queen makes most of her jewellery purchases from," Shalendra stated as she led them towards the university exit before hailing a taxi.
Universal year 3247
Multiple Catonian and Caninian ships were stationary within the vicinity of what remained of the Felidae Galaxy jump gate.
Aboard the Catonian flagship, several officers sat within the ship's meeting room as several holographic screens displayed the remains of the jump gate and Drot's ship.
"Begin the report, Commander Erra," the captain of the flagship, who sat at the head of the table, ordered.
"Yes, sir," Commander Erra replied before standing up as she began to speak.
"We have conducted an extensive scan of the area, including what remains of the jump gate and the Bounty Hunter Guild's ship.
As suspected, the jump gate is beyond repair and a new one will need to be constructed; however, that is not the main concern."
"You don't think the urgent need to construct a new jump gate is a major concern?" Another officer asked with a frown.
"I never said it wasn't a major concern, I said it wasn't the MAIN concern," Commander Erra retorted.
"Enough!" the captain at the head of the table said authoritatively before asking, "What is the main concern?"
"The cause of the jump gate's destruction, sir," Commander Erra replied.
"I thought the first ship on scene, the Taiki, reported that Diva Lorelie's boyfriend claimed the jump gate had been overloaded because of the Bounty Hunter Guild's ship?" The captain asked.
"Yes, sir; however, I believe that is only half true," Commander Erra replied.
"Oh, explain," the captain said with interest.
"The fact that the jump gate overloaded is undeniable; however, I believe it was the mech that Diva Lorelie's boyfriend was piloting that was responsible for its overload," Commander Erra explained.
"You're suggesting that one mech is capable of causing the jump gate to overload?" Another captain of one of the ships asked doubtfully.
"If that mech was capable of firing off a Planetary Annihilation Beam similar to what was used by the Black Knight during the Siege of Fenix Nest, it's possible," Commander Erra replied.
"Excuse me?" The captain replied as he and everyone showed surprised looks.
"Allow me to explain," Commander Erra stated.
"Yes, I think that would be wise," the captain responded.
Commander Erra fidled with the console in front of her before another holographic screen appeared above the table filled with sensor data as she began to speak, "The sensors of the Taiki that encountered and spoke with Diva Lorelie's boyfriend was able to pick up the residual energy of ship and mech weapons as well as attacks from a dragon, presumably White Dragon Tephe as well as a Levithen."
At this point, Commander Erra selected the largest energy signature on the holographic screen and enlarged it further before continuing, "This is the energy signature that we believe is responsible for the destruction of the jump gate, since no other residual energy signature would have been powerful enough to overload the jump gate and the attacks from White Dragon Tephe and the Levithen are not at the location of the destroyed jump gate.
We initially believed that this energy signature came from the Bounty Hunter Guild's ship firing its main cannon; however, after we cross-referenced the energy signature with our own database, we found no match."
"That's not surprising; a race can't have every energy signature ever recorded on file. That's why the shared military technology program allows sharing of such information," a captain replied.
"Indeed, sir," Commander Erra replied before continuing, "Since we found no match in our own database, we expanded it to the shared military technology program database and found something interesting."
Commander Erra once again used the console before her, causing another holographic screen to appear that showed another energy signature before saying, "This energy signature is the one recorded by the Phoenix fleet when the Black Knight used its planetary annihilation beam to destroy the Herpolisk fleet during the Siege of Fenix Nest.
As she finished speaking, the two holographic screens overlapped, and a new small holographic screen appeared next to them with a simple message:
[97% Match.]
"A ninety-seven percent match?" The captain at the head of the table asked in shock.
"Yes, sir," Commander Erra replied before stating, "I believe that the mech Diva Lorelie's boyfriend used during the UMB Cup opening ceremony match and after is in fact the real Black Knight from the Siege of Fenix Nest."
"I thought the Black Knight and its mothership were supposed to have suddenly disappeared after they saved the Phoenix race?" A third captain asked.
"At least that's the story the Phoenix race told us," a fourth captain stated with a frown.
"Are you saying that the Phoenix race lied about its disappearance?" the third captain asked.
"It's a possibility. If I were in their position, I would want to keep such advanced tech to myself," the fourth replied.
"With all due respect, sir, I don't believe that to be the case," Commander Erra stated.
"Why not?" the third captain asked.
"First of all, both the Phoenix race and the Herpolisk race have made all their sensor data from the Siege of Fenix Nest public after the Universal Senate conducted an investigation into the Herpolisk's actions and ordered them to do so," Commander Erra answered.
"Not that the Herpolisk race had much sensor data left after most of their ships were destroyed, but you can't know for certain if either race didn't hold something back in secret," the third captain stated.
"True, however, the senate investigators were happy that they had indeed been provided all sensor data," Commander Erra replied before continuing, "And then there are the Dragons. They arrived to assist the Phoenix race shortly after they received their call for aid and they claim they saw no sign of the Black Night or its mothership, and we all know how fast Dragons can travel in subspace, especially when both the Phoenix and Dragon race share the same sector of space."