It isn't a threat, so they'll open talks.

"... FV, are you sure these readings are correct?" Rebecca had been tensed up for a confrontation, but immediately after entering the airspace over the strange tower that seemed to be the only structure on the planet, she could feel the puppetmaster wasn't what they were dealing with. The energy signature below the tower was off the charts... But the composition made no sense. It wasn't anything she'd seen before.

"There is no error. The makeup of this crystalline compound does not exist in our universe." FV's calm voice came over the speakers. "There is- Captain. A mechanical signature has been detected."

"The Empire!" The captain put her hat on and prepared to go to battle stations.

"No, Captain. It appears to be a single fighter craft. An organic life signature has been detected."

"Oh?" Rebecca took her serious business cap back off. "Bring the image on screen... That's too small. Zoom in please, FV... More, please... Huh. It's a bug... FV, what is the size of this craft compared to the Figurehead V?"

"Approximately one to a thousand, ma'am."

"And to Figurewatch?"

"Approximately one to five, ma'am."

"Huh... it's kind of cute," the Captain admitted, resting her cheek on her fist. "Those eyes make it look angry, though. Anyway, we've spoken and made peace with more hostile looking creatures before. Open a channel, FV."

"At once."

No sooner had she opened the channel than the transmission was accepted, Mekanee's smirking mug appearing on the main monitor. Rebecca immediately noted that the speaker was wearing a fancy officer's uniform that was clearly no pilot suit and had no helmet. "Hail! You must be the captain of this great glimmering eyesore, is that so?"

"I am the Captain of the Figurehead V, Rebecca Astara." The captain let the insult slide, having dealt with more effective provocations with diplomacy before. Still... there was something unusually irritating about this alien. "We come on a mission of peace. As a show of good faith, our weapons are powered down and our shields are inactive. We mean you no-"

"Your shields are down? Haha, dummy!" Mekanee giggled. To the captain's shock, she saw the demon immediately press a button on the joystick she was clutching with her thumb, causing an obnoxious sci-fi laser noise to broadcast over the comms. "Who lowers their shields in the middle of a fight?!"

"Enemy craft has engaged fire," FV's voice spoke, displaying completely green hull integrity readouts on the monitor. "Damage negligible."

"On behalf of the Human Survival Mechanized Squadron, I will forgive your warning shot as a token of peace," Rebecca spoke, her grin tightening. "Now that you understand combat with the Figurehead V is pointless-"

"Enemy craft is continuing fire," FV interrupted. "Damage negligible."

"Ahem, NOW that you understand combat is pointless-"

"Continuous fire. No damage detected."

"Can I just get your name-"

"No damage."

"FV!" Rebecca shouted, gritting her teeth. "Requesting Minimal Guidance mode! Please alert me when there is actual damage to be concerned about."

"Minimal guidance mode is strongly cautioned against in a combat situation-"

"This doesn't qualify as a combat situation, FV," she said with a sigh, waving the AI away as she faced her cackling opponent on the monitor with less patience. "Whoever you are, please stop firing for one second and speak like a civilized being! You cannot damage the Figurehead V."

"Foolish captain," Mekanee replied with a smirk, confident her strategy was already bearing fruit. "You haven't noticed I've been attacking the same point over and over, have you? Even your thick armor will eventually be penetrated!"

"The output of your lasers is trifling. The standard wear and tear of space travel inflicts more damage on our hull," the captain replied with a bit of a cocky smile of her own. "As much as I'd love to discuss trading weapons technology, shouldn't we reset the conversation?"

"Stalling for time, hm? That's what I'd expect from an inexperienced little girl of a captain! A rookie mistake!"

"A what?!" Rebecca shouted, rising to her feet. "Excuse me, but we appear to be about the same age! Gah, perhaps a civil conversation will be easier with you in our brig!" The captain mashed the console to bring up Haruka's comm line. "Ensign, please prepare to apprehend the bogey pestering my ship!"

Haruka's head had been hung in an inactive state. She sparked to life upon being addressed. "Captain, the Figurewatch has not been fully resupplied-"

"You don't need supplies for this, Haruka." The captain gripped the bill of her cap with impatience, even for her friend and protector. "Just fly out there and grab that little bug!"

"I'll depart immediately," Haruka agreed, firing up her unit's thrusters. She had to admit, she had been growing a bit restless with the lull in the fighting. A quick warmup sounded like just what she needed.

"Figurewatch, you are cleared for launch-" Rebecca began, before a loud warning alarm blared, filling both the bridge and the hangar with red light.

"WARNING. CAPTAIN, THIS COURSE OF ACTION IS NOT ADVISED-"

"Miiinimal Guidance, please!!" The captain stomped her boot on the metal floor, then pointed her finger dramatically forward. "Launch, Figurewatch!"