Once everyone was done celebrating the two wins, Lana announced her dinner reservations.
"Sam, I hope I'm not jinxing anything but I would like to invite you and your friend to the dinner as well. This is if he's available, of course. The reservations are for Thursday after the event is over. It's my treat. This has been a very interesting week already and its only Tuesday!"
Lana then got a message on her watch to meet Mona Bree so she left her friends to do so.
She declared herself as she did the day before and was allowed up. Mona met her in the hallway, outside her door. "Are you sure you want to purchase this planet? There's no going back after this."
Lana nodded.
"Okay, Oscar White the Supreme Commander is waiting in my quarters," Mona stated as she opened her door and swept her hand for Lana to enter with a big smile on her face.
Upon entering the room, Lana noted the man was wearing red-tinted glasses. His hair was greying and he had a few patches of facial hair. Next to him was a female in a pony tail. On the other side of him was another general she had never seen before. He looked a little younger. Lana couldn't help but be nervous despite Mona being there with her.
Mona introduced her to Oscar. Lana made sure to bow appropriately.
Oscar was the first to speak. "So you're the first-year who wants to by a red-portal planet?" as he eyed her up and down. Her watch said 5 which made him look even more skeptical.
She gulped but steeled her nerves, "I am, sir."
"General Mike informed me they wanted to send a team there to investigate the dalki fortress to see if it was truly abandoned. If it is, he wanted to return it to orange and go back."
Lana realized she was not invited to sit so she remained standing. "General Mike is a fool if he thinks that. Let me ask you. Are there king-tier beasts on green-portal planets? How frequent are advanced-tier beasts on green planets? Do you send second-years after king-tiers? Sergeant Fay is the one who said dalki. Sergeant Leo said "as strong as a four-spike" not that it was a four-spike. He said that and everyone went on the panic. What tier beast is as strong as a four-spike?" she raised her eyebrow at the Supreme commander knowing she had now taken on a scolding tone. "As for me, while Del was leaving his students for dead, I was saving them." She pulled Caser out of her shirt where he was sleeping. "I rescued this little guy who was just born and deserved the chance at life. Understand, the beasts on this particular planet are plant-based. I killed 35 intermediate beasts without ever engaging in combat on at that planet. My ability is geared for just such a place. While caution is still required, of course, if I'm going to make something of myself, that is the place to do it. I plan to be a traveler for a while to gain more experience then move there and do my thing."
Oscar looked at Mona who was smirking. He looked back at Lana, "Mona told me of a deal you wish to broker. Buy the planet and we protect it for a few years for you. What level of protection are you looking for?"
"For now, I need it protected from the dalki."
"What if they are simply returning to their fortress?"
"According to the plants, they have never been on the planet. I suspect, they stole the technology from another people that maybe they conquered."
"Interesting theory Miss Plantwell. We have no intelligence to think that at this time."
"No offense, Supreme Commander, I have seen the level of intelligence displayed by some of your generals. I don't think "intelligence" is a strong suit of your fighting force. It's more like "let's see how much brutality we can deal and it doesn't work, just increase the brutality." Lana heard a scoff and tried not to smile. "Sometimes a kinder hand will get the job done much better than violence." She had locked eyes with him at this point.
Oscar smirked, "we have written up the contract in accordance with what Mona has stated your desires are. If they have not changed, please sign the document."
She nodded then signed.
The lady with the pigtail then asked for her to hold out her watch to scan. The total taken was 1.5 million credits. She looked to Oscar surprised. "Call it a student discount. If you need additional services in the future, we can charge you based on what is needed. I also find that settlement odd." Her watch then dinged as a copy of the contract was sent to her.
Oscar then looked to her, "I want you to understand the reason I agreed to this is because Mona is backing you and, while her presence is probably a significant part of this, you were able to speak your mind to me. For one so young, that is impressive. Now, please. Go enjoy yourself."
Lana smiled and walked out in a daze.
***************************
In her room, she changed out of her uniform into something that covered less and she prepared food for Caser. She bought 5 dresses for herself. Only two were meant to be seen by the public. All were red since it was his favorite color. This selection barely covered the front with fabric going around her neck down her breasts and a short skirt. There were three chains on the front but were just for decoration. The top one was between the breasts, the bottom was hanging just above her belly button. The third was in between the two. The back was bare and scooped low enough to see her butt crack. The fabric sparkled like stars.
She was just finishing preparing Caser's food when she heard the door open. Her back was to the door. She poured it into the bottle as the arms enveloped her and she heard a whisper in her ear, "what are you wearing?"
She giggled, "a dress."
His hands went up and down the front of her, "you call this a dress?" as he kissed the side of her neck.
She let out a soft gasp, "yes, My Love. One only you can see. I have more as well to show you over the next few days." She placed her hands on his and relished being in his arms.
He backed off hesitatingly. "Did you have fun with the girls today?"
She turned around and allowed him to feast with his eyes. "I felt great after the spa but I didn't like all aspects. It felt wrong getting a massage. It wasn't your hands on me. I won't do that again."
He was truly feasting until she said the word "hands". "Male or female?"
"I chose the female. The others had to have the males."
Sil nodded, "good."
She chuckled, "It still felt wrong."
"You mentioned dresses? What did you get for the dinner?"
She started to go to the closet.
"On second thought, show me tomorrow." He picked her up, wrapped her legs around his waist and headed towards the bed. There wasn't even a need to take off her dress. Caser attached his tentacles to her upper arm and ate while his human mom enjoyed the company of his human dad. There was never a happier deadly-kitty.
The next morning after a shower and breakfast for the three of them, because Caser insisted on joining the shower as well, Lana showed Sil the two dresses she bought that she'd be interested in wearing to dinner, putting each on, so he could help choose which one should be worn the next evening. Of course, he chose the one that showed the least skin.
"Vorden is asking what you got for jewelry."
"I didn't. I know nothing about jewelry, so I was thinking about going without unless you want to help me pick something out, or if Vorden wants to help. If I get something, I should get something for the girls as well."
Sil shook his head, "NO! I should be the one buying your such things!"
Lana sighed and took his hands in hers. "We discussed this. There is no way you've got enough saved up from the military's payments on that card of yours. If you use your gold card, someone else could find out. For now, you need to be satisfied in helping me pick something out."
Sil looked frightened at the mention of him but sad at the same time that he was unable to purchase things for his girl.
"I need to message the girls and have them meet us in the lobby to go for jewelry. We have hair appointments tomorrow morning." She sent out the messages then looked him in the eyes. "What do you think of me going back to my natural hair color? Getting rid of the pink and green?"
"I like it. It's different."
She nodded, "But it's not professional." She looked at her hands, "I bought a planet last night. I don't want to give any details on that to anyone just get, especially because I don't want to risk someone finding out. Eventually, I want to start my own family and teach my ability. I need to look the part. I only dyed my hair like this because of how crazy I had to dress in the orphanage. With the clothes you bought me and now these nice dresses, I think it's time I change my hair to match the style we picked for me."
Sil smiled, "I'll miss the colors but if the change will make you smile, I'll agree."
Lana smiled really big then got into her uniform. Time to go spend more money!
In the jewelry store, the girls got sticker shock. There were some cheaper varieties, but they didn't go well with the dresses bought the previous day. Lana helped Kattie pick out a simple necklace that was diamonds instead of beast crystals, which were far more expensive. The diamonds looked just as nice to the girls as the more expensive pieces. Layla simply couldn't pick anything at all. For both girls, she ended up having to agree the jewelry belonged to her and she was lending it to the girls for the night. Lana got tired of Layla not picking something and asked the attendant to allow her to try a diamond choker which would go perfect with her dress and short hair. Lana saw it on her and instantly told the clerk that was the one.
While Lana helped the girls, Vorden was busy looking for a set for her. Ultimately, he asked the attendant to allow her to try two sets. The first set she looked at had a necklace, earrings and a bracelet and was designed after flowers. This didn't do anything with her dress so she set it aside. The second was simple, elegant, and interchangeable. The earrings and necklace had magneted parts. She could have studded hearts on her ears or 3 dangling rows of diamonds that went from her ear to half an inch from her shoulder. The necklace was a short chain that worked the same way as the earrings. The bracelet was 3 rows of diamonds which were connected at the sides with intermittent hearts and there was an anklet that was the same. There was also a ring that had a diamond heart. This one was more expensive, of course, but also more versatile with future dresses. The clerk made sure the ring fit then packed everything up. They decided just to put it all in her bag for now.
What she didn't know was that Vorden also made a purchase.