I'll be returning to the command ship presently

[GoldfishLord]

Duran: Captain, we’ve located the Psi Disrupter. Shall we plant the explosives on it
Ghost: Lieutenant Duran, we’re here to relieve you. We’ve come with orders from Admiral Stukov himself to facilitate the Disrupter’s disassembly.
Duran: Very well. Take it away. Captain, I’ll be returning to the command ship presently.
(Reference: https://starcraft.blizzplanet.com/blog/comments/ruins-of-tarsonis-starcraft-brood-war-terran-3 )
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1. I'd like to know why the present continuous is used in "be returning".

 

[GoesStation]

It describes an action that will occur in the near future. The adverb "presently" reinforces this.

 

[GoesStation]

More precisely, "presently" sets the expected action a little further away in time. "I'll be returning to the bridge": I expect to do so nearly immediately. "I'll be returning to the bridge presently": I expect to do so after a brief delay.

 

[GoldfishLord]

I'd also like to know what the difference between "I'll be returning to the command ship presently" and "I'll return to the command ship presently" and "I'm returning to the command ship presently" is.

 

[GoesStation]

I'd also like to know what the difference between "I'll be returning to the command ship presently" and "I'll return to the command ship presently" is.

The captain may be thinking more about the physical move to the ship with the continuous, but in most contexts, there's little difference.

 

[Skrej]

I'd like to know why the present continuous is used in "be returning".

This isn't present continuous. The full verb phrase is "will be returning', which is future continuous. One use of the future continuous is for parallel actions happening at the same time in the future. In this case, Duran will be returning to the command ship while the Captain is doing something else at the same time.

I'd also like to know what the difference between "I'll be returning to the command ship presently" and "I'll return to the command ship presently" and "I'm returning to the command ship presently" is.

The first is future continuous, explained above. The second is simple future. It has several uses, including promises, predictions, voluntary actions, and spontaneous decisions (the prediction sense wouldn't apply here.) Your last example is present continuous, and could either be an action in progress or speaking of the very near future (depending upon which sense of 'presently' is used).

All that being said, as Goes mentioned, there's often not much difference.

 

[jutfrank]

It seems to me this is future continuous for a scheduled/arranged action.

Duran is stating a course of action that is part of a carefully thought out plan, likely arranged at least in part by people other than himself.