Chapter 586 - 586 Meeting the In-laws

Avery had planned on heading out immediately.

His Company's ships and crew were battered. They needed to return to a safe location to rest, recover, and mourn their losses.

As much as they had gained from the job Cerise had offered them months ago, it had not come without a price. People had died and cherished vessels had been destroyed. It would take time for Avery's people to bounce back.

However, messages from a few members of the Kaizer fleet had delayed their departure.

While the entire fleet was not present, the ship Liesel had grown up on was among them.

Her parents were obviously onboard the vessels and had sent over several worried transmissions to the Intrepid. They wanted to see their daughter, and meet with Avery.

The other messages were a lot more formal. One came from Liesel's aunt, the woman who was captain of the ship Liesel's parents worked on.

Finally, the most important came from the leader of the fleet. The seven star mercenary, Matthias Kaizer.

He wanted to meet with Avery to congratulate him on accomplishing such a difficult mission and discuss potential future business. At least, that was what the message had said.

Avery felt that there was more to it than that.

Obviously, he could have just ignored the transmission and gone on his way. He doubted that the Kaizer Fleet would try to use force to stop him.

Of course, there would undoubtably be consequences for doing so.

The Kaizer Fleet had a lot of sway within the Mercenary Association.

Not only were their leaders all ranked five stars or higher, but the first Kaizer was one of the founders of the current Mercenary Association. The family was entrenched in the organization.

They could make Avery's life a lot harder if they wanted to.

Plus, he knew that when he had taken Liesel as part of his crew, and especially after he married her, that he was one day going to have to meet with her family. He just had not expected it to come so soon.

He knew that the current situation was complicated, as Matthias was looking to appoint his successor and retire within the coming years.

That was one of the major reasons that Liesel had joined his crew instead of heading back home.

She had tried to make a name for herself and build her own team to have a faction behind her, but after the competition in the capital system, she realized that it was just not for her.

Getting Marcus and his company behind her was the last shot she took, and when that failed, she decided that she would rather join up with him than go back to her aunt where she would likely be used as nothing more than a tool to prop up her cousin.

'Hopefully we can avoid any of that drama.' Avery thought as he showered.

When he had asked Liesel what she wanted to do, she said that she wanted to accept all of the meetings.

First with her parents, then her aunt, and finally her great grandfather.

Avery was trying to keep his nervousness down, but thoughts of his first meeting with Jasmine's mother kept coming to mind.

Regina was a very strong-willed woman, and had he and Jasmine not held firm, she could have steamrolled them into her plans.

Thankfully her motherly love had overcome her political mindset in the end, and they had been able to find common ground.

Avery had no idea what to expect with the Kaizer Family though.

From what Liesel had told him about her parents; he did not expect any trouble there. At least, so long as they liked him. Which he hoped they did.

Though in the back of his mind, he did not know how they would react to the fact that he was married to two other women.

Liesel had mentioned that some of her family members took more than one spouse, but her parents clearly were more in favor of monogamy.

'There's nothing I can do about it if they do have a problem. I don't plan on abandoning any of my wives.' Avery thought, slapping his wet hands against his face.

Soon he was out of the shower and then drying off.

Though, that was when the next problem presented itself.

He was looking through his closet trying to decide what to wear.

That's when Liesel showed up, a look of exasperation on her face.

"We're just going to be meeting with my parents in their quarters for lunch. You can wear something casual."

Avery tried to explain that he wanted to make a good impression, and that looking his best was part of that.

"Sometimes you worry about the stupidest things." Liesel said, shaking her head. "Here, this one will be fine. Put it on and let's go. Being late will spoil their impression of you more than if you wear the 'wrong' clothes."

She shoved an outfit into his arms and waited for him to get changed.

It was just some of his light and causal mercenary clothing. Though, while he normally preferred darker colors, this outfit was primarily white with some orange accents.

Liesel watched him as he undressed and changed, and when he was done, Avery asked, "Did you enjoy the show?"

"Yes, very much."

The two joked around with each other for a few more seconds before heading out.

They made their way to the Intrepid's hangar and boarded the Dauntless.

Avery wished that he could have hosted on his ship instead, but Liesel's family had invited him over to theirs, and he knew that it would be rude to try and change locations. It would essentially be the same as Avery saying that he did not trust them.

Soon they left the Intrepid's hangar and were out in open space.

As they approached, Avery took a good look at Liesel's aunt's ship.

It was one of the larger vessels in the fleet. Which made sense considering that most of the time her aunt was leading her own team.

The Kaizer Fleet only ever fully came together for large jobs, with the current war certainly counting as one.

"We've received permission to begin docking."

Avery nodded his head and pressed the button that initiated the autodocking sequence.

After less than a minute, the Dauntless' airlock was connected to Liesel's aunt's ship.

When the doors separating the two vessels opened, Avery immediately noticed the two figures waiting on the other side.

With only a quick glance he could tell that they were Liesel's parents.

Her mother had the same white hair as her daughter, though her face was rounder and her features softer.

She was also a lot shorter at only around one point six meters tall.

Her blues eyes also stood out in contrast to Liesel's striking red eyes.

On the other hand, her father was a giant who had bulging muscles.

When Liesel had described him, Avery had expected a more bookish type. He had eschewed becoming a mercenary in favor of becoming an engineer instead after all.

Yet, the man was easily two meters tall and built like a professional fighter. Had he not known any better, Avery would have thought that the man was a veteran mercenary.

It was his eyes that drew most of Avery's attention though.

They were the same red color as Liesel, and apparently a characteristic of all of the direct members of the Kaizer Family.

'Yeah, there's no deny it. He's glaring at me.' Avery thought, reading Liesel's father's expression.

The look was not quite murderous, but it was definitely that of a protective father. One that wanted to beat up a boy for stealing his daughter away. Which Avery kind of could not refute.

Liesel might have been a bit pushy in joining his crew, but he had allowed it. And after she had won Kasandra's and Jasmine's approval, he had pursued a romantic relationship with her. Where he found that got along together quite well.

"Liesel, you have no idea how much we were worried about you and missed you." Liesel's mother said, opening her arms wide for a hug.

For just a moment Liesel hesitated before stepping forward and accepting the gesture.

"I can take care of myself mom. And you both knew that I was going to have to head off on a journey to make a name for myself as a mercenary. Its part of the family tradition."

"Yes, and we were ready for that. But not for you to send some vague messages saying you were joining another mercenary company and getting married to the leader."

While Liesel was catching up with her mother, Avery approached her father.

"Good to meet you, sir." Avery said a little too stiffly, before offering out his hand.

"Likewise. I've been waiting for us to get aquatinted with each other." Liesel's father responded in a gruff voice.

He then took Avery offer of a handshake.

Though it became evidently clear that the man was putting a bit too much force into it.

If Avery had still been a normal human, his hand definitely would have ended up crushed.