Chapter 26: Dress Uniforms

"Well, there it is," Danny said flatly, gesturing at the screen. He had to ruin the moment, even if he was still a nerd. At least he was good at his job. Unlike someone else I knew. Cough, Ryan, cough. Was that even Ryan’s fault? Probably.

"Alpha Centauri," Emily whispered, her voice soft, like she was talking about a ghost. Her eyes were fixed on the model of the solar system. I couldn't help but want her to want me as much as I wanted her. I found myself wanting to take her hand, to share this with just her.

The holographic display slowly resolved into a basic representation of the system. It was beautiful, even if it was so simple. Alpha Centauri A and B spun in their tight binary orbit, surrounded by their planetary entourage - a collection of dots and lights that somehow made us feel both incredibly small and unbelievably significant. Proxima Centauri lingered farther out, a faint, single dot. It was all a bit anti-climatic, but still…

"So… what are we looking at?" Joey asked, squinting at the screen. Idiot.

Danny sighed, his focus intense as always, clearly not in the mood to explain the basics. “Three stars. A and B are binary, and Proxima’s orbiting the pair, but we knew that already. The planets…” He sighed again.

“Sixteen of them,” Ryan interrupted, jumping in before we could all breathe. He pointed at the data feed, looking so damn proud of himself. “Sixteen confirmed bodies so far, plus moons and asteroid belts.” Sixteen… that's a lot of exploring to do.

The room went quiet for a moment, the enormity of it sinking in. I could feel it too, a thrill of anticipation, and yeah, maybe a little bit of nervousness. I wanted to grab Emily, be with her, alone, to share this. For centuries, this system had been a distant dream, and now, it was no longer just a theory. That made it all the more real, and for the first time, I truly felt the weight of our mission. We were really here, right on the edge of discovery. What were we going to find? And what were we going to do if we found something dangerous?

“Proxima Centauri b,” Zoe said, pointing to the faint dot near the third star. “That’s the one we’re after, right?”

Danny nodded. “That’s the theory. Likely in the Goldilocks zone, but we’re not going to know much until we get closer and run more detailed scans.”

Emily crossed her arms, her brow furrowing. She always looked so powerful when she was thinking. I was starting to realize that she was not what I thought she was, that she was so much more than I had given her credit for. “So basically, we’ve got numbers and dots,” she concluded. I found myself wanting to know what she was really thinking, what drove her.

“For now,” Danny admitted, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. He was practically vibrating with excitement. This was his element. “This is just the first pass. The good stuff comes when we get closer and start doing orbital surveys.” I grinned, already imagining what we might uncover.

Joey leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. “Well, it’s not exactly the sci-fi poster I was expecting,” he commented.

I smirked. "What were you hoping for? All three stars lined up with planets orbiting like clockwork?" I was suddenly so damn tired of being the captain, and yet, it was also, probably the best thing that had ever happened to me.

“Maybe some epic space dragons,” Joey shot back with a grin.

"Alright, let's not get carried away," I said, straightening up. A grin tugged at my lips. Space dragons would be a hell of a discovery. "Danny, Ryan, keep parsing the data. Prioritize orbital patterns and radiation levels, especially around Proxima b. We need to start planning the next phase before we get too close." It was time to get to work, but my mind was racing with possibilities. And with how much I wanted to get Ryan alone and punch him for that battery stunt and for beating me up like a bitch.

“Looks like we have a destination,” I said. “And a potential payday.” The IFC had supported our voyage and had financed a large portion of our ship and supplies. They would be paid a bonus for finding new habitable planets, resourceful asteroids, or other strategic locations, like high-level portals or new technology. My team had been the first to be awarded the finance for this project because of our max level 60s and the fact that we had acquired the right FTL drive to make this trip a possibility. We were going to make them pay us for it.

“According to mission protocol, we need to send out our communications probe now that we’ve mapped the system,” Chris stated, always with the rules. “In case anything happens to us, we have to make sure our data gets back to Earth.”

“Good call, Chris. Ryan, Danny, let’s get the logs ready and organized,” I instructed.

“We also need to do our first recording,” Emily added enthusiastically.

“Ugh, I completely forgot about that,” I groaned, though a part of me was excited to document this moment. “Where should we set up for it?”

“The observation deck is the best spot, lots of room to pose. Let’s change into our recording outfits!” Zoe exclaimed.

“Change? Aren’t these uniforms enough?” I asked, looking down at my bodysuit. I had gotten so used to wearing it that I didn’t even think there were other options.

"No way! We can't be seen in these outfits, these are just for us." Emily replied. "Captain, Zoe and I will distribute the dress uniforms. Everyone meet us in the observation deck in two hours." Dress uniforms? What the hell are those going to look like? I swear, if they make me wear something ridiculous, I'm blaming Ryan. It's always his fault.

I scanned my team, assembled on the observation deck. It felt surreal, like a scene ripped from a movie, or maybe a bad dream where I'm suddenly in charge of things and have to give speeches.

God, I hated public speaking. But, a small, ambitious part of me thought maybe, just maybe, I could get good at this. Imagine, commanding the masses, announcing our future discoveries to the world. Yeah, that’d be awesome, the great captain Luca and his crew of lunatics.

I caught the little touches that Zoe and Emily had clearly obsessed over in our uniform selections. They were really proud of their work, and honestly, it showed. Emily stood beside me, her infectious grin and sparkling eyes showing just how much she was enjoying this moment.

She caught my eye and winked. Great, now I'm blushing. Focus, Luca. The new dress uniforms were definitely a step up from our usual bodysuits. They did look good, even if I felt like a complete impostor in mine. And damn, Emily looked good in hers. That skirt was doing things to me.

The guys wore crisp white shirts under sleek jackets, the pins denoting their officer roles: Engineer, Scientist, Medical Officer, and so on, gleaming under the observation deck's soft lights. Our blue slacks were tailored just enough to look professional without feeling restrictive.

I adjusted my own jacket, feeling a strange sense of formality I hadn't anticipated, especially given the observation deck's official function; this was our designated make-out spot. Especially about all the times I'd been up here with Emily. I’m pretty sure this was a favorite spot for Zoe and Danny too, probably Chris and Joey too, I just hoped kissing was all they’d done up here. Oh god, where’s the blue light?

Zoe and Emily had opted for flowing skirts that added a formal yet practical flair. And damn, did they both look incredible. Zoe, all curves in all the right places, even if she was a bit flat, but with legs and an ass that went on for days.

And Emily, just... fuck, she was stunning. We all looked sharp, almost like the kind of crew you'd see stepping off a naval vessel docked at some high-profile port. It was a good look, one that spoke of professionalism and unity, even if it felt a bit out of place in a room more known for stolen kisses than official business.

God, I hope no one brings that up during the recording. I felt a surge of pride for everyone, even myself, though I still wasn't entirely sure how I ended up in charge of this whole operation.

The observation deck had been transformed. It was the best place on the ship for a romantic rendezvous under the stars. The view of the stars was phenomenal.

Tonight though? Ryan had hooked up a large screen on one wall, currently displaying the logo of the Triumph Initiative. The camera was set up on a tripod, its red recording light blinking like a watchful eye. It seemed almost sacrilegious to be using this space for something so… official. I half expected the speakers to start playing mood music.

I nodded to Ryan, who stepped forward and pressed a button on the console, probably enjoying the hell out of this. Show off. A soft chime indicated the start of the official recording.

I cleared my throat, the silence of the observation deck amplifying the sound, making me feel even more awkward. I hate this. Why did I agree to this? Oh right, mutiny. It was time.

"Alright," I began, my voice surprisingly steady, despite the tremor in my hands. I gripped the edge of the console, trying to project an image of confidence I definitely didn't feel. Don't screw this up, Luca. I looked at each of my crew members, their faces a blend of excitement, nerves, and determination. Even Joey's, the party pooper.

"This is it. The first humans in history to travel to Alpha Centauri." I paused, letting the words hang in the air, the weight of them settling upon us.

The gravity of our achievement wasn't lost on me, nor on anyone else, I could see it in their eyes. This was it, the moment we'd all been working towards, the culmination of years of saving, training, sacrifice, and dedication. And here I am, Captain, because no one else wanted the job.

"And we've already made discoveries that go beyond what any of us could have imagined,” I said, hoping we found something useful out here, for the IFC's sake, and for ours. We needed a win. Also, Dad would be proud. I hope he and the boys were doing okay back home. Focus, Luca, grandiose speech.

I gestured to the screen behind me, which switched from our gorgeous Triumph Initiative logo to a breathtaking infographic. It displayed our findings so far: 16 planets orbiting the three stars, their estimated sizes and orbital paths, moons orbiting their planets, and asteroid belts weaving paths through the system.

The visuals were mostly estimates, thanks to Danny's handiwork, we needed a hell of a lot more data. Please, let there be something valuable out here.

"We represent the best of humanity," I said, correcting myself smoothly when I nearly defaulted to 'America.' We weren't supposed to use America anymore, just the United Earth Republic or UER; that was the warning we'd received from Karen; it was propaganda for unity or whatever. Since they funded the project, we'd be their little mascots. My voice carried a weight that matched the occasion, a solemn pride that resonated within me, even if I felt like a fraud.

"We are explorers and adventurers, driven by need to push the boundaries of what we thought was possible." I looked at my crew. Each of them had earned their place here, and I couldn't be prouder to lead them, even if I'd rather be doing literally anything else.

There was Chris, all muscles and diplomacy. Ryan, who I wanted to punch half the time, especially after he beat me up, and he fucked with Emily’s thermostat, and the battery incident and god knows how much other shit he’d pulled. Zoe, a complete knockout, who could probably kick my ass. Danny, the freckled nerd.

And Joey, the only one who seemed remotely mature, even if he was a buzzkill sometimes. Emily… need I say more? I could feel a swell of anticipation in my chest, a shared sense of purpose that bound us together.

"Together, we'll uncover the mysteries of this system and carve our place in history." I actually believed it, despite my doubts. We were going to make history, to leave a mark that would last for generations. Or at least, that's the plan. And maybe, just maybe, I'll get good at these speeches.