In order to keep the Alien Defense Directorate operating at full capacity, it needed to have their agents perform their contracted obligations and ensure all of the alien investors keep satisfied. This included several assignments in which agents get rented out to high-profile VIPs and playboys as bodyguards, companions, courtesans, or perhaps all three consecutively. The jobs are high paying and low risk, but are usually reserved for the more veteran agents as there are plenty organizations who would like to see the client dead. It took calm nerves, alertness, and a certain degree of sexual prowess to get one of these assignments, so there certainly must have been some whispers among the agents when Minerva Rocha reported to Haiphong en route to meet with the Arcturan Scientist Guild for a month contract under Doctor Tannenberg.

Minerva wasn't the first ADD agent to be assigned to escort duty with the good doctor. He was a humanoid, silver haired, wrinkly, yet certainly animated when he had to be. There were rumors swirling about that since his organization's merger with several main competitors that it was not safe for him to travel through the regular planetary routes. He owned a space yacht, a state-of-the-art modified research vessel which combined the luxury of an entire fleet of space liners with the defensive firepower of a battle cruiser. Twenty crew was needed to operate it, and all of those were specially chosen by the Professor. Seemed like an easy gig enough, and the last agent assigned to him did mention to Minerva that he simply adored women in uniform.

Was this too good to be true? Only the coming month would tell.

Lieutenant Minerva Rocha was not sure how she had managed to land this gig. She was used to getting some of the worse assignments of the Alien Defense Directorate had. Still she had been assigned to what seemed like a fancy escort mission. She was to Haiphong to meet a scientist from the Arcturan Scientist Guild. The Guild was in strong supporter of the Directorate’s activities and often provided scientific research and funding when the Directorate really needed it. For this escort the doctor was going to provide a yacht of his own choosing. The yacht was heavily armed enabling to chase off anyone that it could not out run. It also seemed to be have very luxurious accommodations, which it turn would make it a very tempting target for any pirate. Of course assuming they could get past the ship’s defenses.

The Lieutenant waited patiently at the dock. The redhead was wearing her standard red dress uniform. As was typical for the independent minded agent to the she wore a pink mini-skirt that was non-regulation. The agent felt it was a good way to accent her outfit while still being part of the ADD. She tried to coax that one tuff of hair into place but despite her best efforts it stubbornly refused to cooperate. The agent had heard from a fellow comrade that he preferred his escorts to be in uniform and so Minerva would make the trip in full uniform. She hoped the good doctor would show up soon so they could begin their voyage.

The launch pulled up at the dock, a visor-helmeted ASG guard piloting the small craft. He gives Minerva a proper salute, probably helping to boost that ego. "Officer Rocha? I'm Clemens, the professor's head of security." He gestures for the agent to follow. "Thank you for stopping by at such short notice. It's been an unusual month to say the least." He leads her onto the launch, casting off, weaving the craft through the space dock, giving her time to sit and relax, perhaps ask some questions or two...

Soon a launch pulled up to the dock, with what appeared to be a visor-helmeted guard piloting it. The redhead returned to the salute. “Greetings Clemens. It is good to meet you.” She steps on to the launch, as soon as she was on board it cast off heading back to the cruiser. She takes a moment to run her hand through her hair. You say it has been an unusual month. What makes you say that? The mission it was suppose to be a fairly easy, still she needed to keep an eye out for anything unusual…

"Probably heard a few samples of it on the vid nets." Clemens pilots the vessel, though it's no secret he's sneaking glances at Minerva in one of the mirrors as she gets comfy in the u-shaped sofa alcove where the passengers sit. "The boss had two big science summits and at each there's been an assassination attempt. There was another one last week at one of the merger hearings. You'd think folks would give the guy a break by now. He's well over a hundred. Let nature take its course, give the fellow some peace and quiet..."

The security officer was piloting the vessel back through the spaceport, though with him continuing to look at Minerva as she sat of the sofa the redhead had to wonder how much he was piloting and how much that was taking in the sights. Please, keep your eyes on the road. So you say there has been two assassination attempts both at science summits. It sounds like someone really wanted him dead. At there is no summit on board the vessel, and at least we can control who goes onboard.

Clemens nods. "Certainly...certainly. The professor has a few month layaway, and the only people who'll be on the ship are us three, the two ship pilots, and the cook. We've refitted the vessel to the specifications you sent, and we've arranged a private wardrobe for you as well." He smiled a bit under his visor. "It's been hell for me and my security detail, so you can understand how relieved I am to get some help, and from someone as..." He pauses, remembering to keep eyes forward. "Yeah, you'll have to excuse me, it's been a while since I've met such a beauty like you..."

The security officer nodded as he continued to explain exactly who was on board the ship in addition to the ship’s security. He explained that there was private wardrobe for Minerva, though she had no idea what kind of outfits were waiting for her. Clemens explained that he was quite glad to have her on board the ship. And judging that he kept wanting to check the agent out, it had been indeed a while since he had met anything like her. Thank you, I appreciate the complement.

Clemens set the autopilot, drawing away from the wheel. He takes the helmet off, finally, shaking out a mane of blonde hair rarely seen out of eighties space anime. It's a wonder how he kept it all in his helmet, to be honest. Brown eyes flecked with gold regard Minerva carefully as he sets his helmet down, sitting across from her, being sure to keep her comfortable. "Surely you had a few more questions. That's why I'm here after all." He pauses. "No questions about the hair though. Trade secret."

Minerva was a bit surprise to see him step away from the wheel, hopefully setting his autopilot. Any thought about though was temporarily distracted by Clemens removing his helmet. He shook loose his long blonde mane of hair that he had somehow had kept in his helmet. He quickly sat down and asked her if she had other questions. Umm, the hair would have been my first question actually. But I guess I can get back to business, you said that there were assassins. Do you know had sent them?

"It'd be simpler to say who HADN'T sent them, to be honest." Clemens looks out the window. "Since the merger, there's plenty of people who've been left out in the cold, not to mention several planets who are still saying they haven't been compensated by the Guild after some of our...accidents. Touchy stuff." He glances back to Minerva. "I've checked out the crew personally, so we'll know they're clean at least."

The security chief explained that it was simply going to be impossible to narrow down who could be after the scientist. Well it sounds like it we have our work cut out for us. At least you have made sure that the crew won't be a problem. How is the ship's defenses?

Clemens picks up another data pad, sitting right next to Minerva as the shuttle was on autopilot. He lays it in his lap, scrolling through the ship blueprints. "We have the twin linked lasblasters standard, complete with the ion cannon as you requested. The neutronium plating tests as sufficient, and the security suite is only waiting for your biometric scan." He looks up, giving an assured smile. "Might be a while before we dock. I'm sure there may be other things you wish to do in the meantime."

Clemens grabbed another data pad, as he sat down right next to the redhead on the shuttle. He placed in his lap as he began to show the agent the blueprints of the vessel they were protecting. He quickly showed that all the weapons upgrades that she and the ADD recommended had indeed had been added and even better the security had a biometric scan to ensure only security could use it. It was then he asked if she wanted to other things. Minerva ran her hand through her hair, What did you have in mind?

Clemens looks bolder now, leaning in, breath hot along Minerva's neck, hand drawing along her stockinged thigh, fingers drawing near the hem of her skirt, slowly drawing the index finger on the inch or so of exposed skin. "Perhaps a sampling of your talents before the VIP gets his hands on you? Might give you an idea on what's in store."