Kiko walked out of the cargo bay with another bow and headed for her quarters to change into something more suitable for target practice.

"Taisa...if they are using my design, the system relies on wormhole technology to siphon hydrogen from the core of a star for stellar-grade fusion. Anti-Wormhole missiles should force them to switch over to Aether or recycle helium into their reactors for backup power. It would also disable the Link Device weapons. I can't tell what other upgrades they may have installed, though we should assume they expanded the Production and Repair Bays to service that many ships."

Yaichiro pondered his next words carefully, and selectively.

"...I've also become suspicious of an information leak of some type regarding our missions, but have never found conclusive evidence. The odds of that CFS collision happening mission before last were functionally infinitesimal unless the enemy craft knew exactly where we would be and when in our flightpath and aimed for us. I admit to mild paranoia regarding intelligence security, but I just think we should be on guard that much more...and being selective as to just who is aware of any second Task Force mission.

We also might want to send a warning to the Fourth Fleet. The scout we encountered from Bizankro may potentially have been probing their southern line. If I were the NMX, and a Star Army fleet lost their Taisho, I'd prepare to hit them hard while they were weakened if their borders were accessible...and if the NMX are truly using these places as cloaked staging areas for an invasion, they could attack the UOC core systems on one side as you suspect...or just as easily the weakened Fourth Fleet on the other. I guess it depends on if they want to finish taking over the UOC before assaulting the Fourth Fleet or not."

Medical Center

Takeyu accepted the KS card and then looked at his sister. "Thank ya sir, it'll help her out, though I had already planned on giving her access to my account, with a limit of course," with that he slide the card into his pocket, he would show it to her later after Layven had calmed down.

He looked at her and just had to wonder how much pain and torture she had gone through, then again, perhaps he didn't want to know. Not knowing is sometimes better, and easier, than knowing, he thought to himself as he carried Layven over to the bed and set her down. He planned to spend the next hour or so talking to her, and calming her down further, before taking her out to a nearby park.

Medical Center

Sune looked at the two siblings, and a brief pang of pain came when he thought about there never being a happy reunion for him and Raia. He dismissed the emotion, and made sure to keep his face neutral.

"Well, every little bit will help, its not like I have much to spend my salary on.

If the two of you are free, I would like to invite you to dine with me this evening. Say 1900hrs at the Blue Lotus Restaurant." Sune offered as he turned to leave the room.

Medical Center

"Thank you sir, we'll see you then," Takeyu said as he placed his hand on Layvens shoulder and attempted to calm her down with a few words.

Calming down for just a little bit, fighting back the flow of tears. She looked over at Sune. "Umm t-t-thank you," she said nervously.

Medical Center

Sune smiled and with a brief wave walked out of the room. As he made his way through the medical center though his mind was working on a problem. Far too often the Medbay was either destroyed or access to it cut off. There needed to be a way to strategically place the supplies to save lives elsewhere on the gunship.

Once he left the building, he set off to find a clothier. He figured while here he would expand his wardrobe.

Cargo Area

Hanako nodded seriously to Helen and Yaichiro's suggestions. "We should discuss this more when the crew is assembled, prior to relaunching the ship," she said. "In the meantime, it has also come to my attention that I may be under investigation for the loss of so many ships under my command. Should I have to stay, rank dictates that Yaichiro would be in charge of the ship, with Helen as second in command. In the meantime I will be doing some shopping to rebuild my belongings."

The thought of being in command again made Yaichiro...apprehensive, to say the least. The first crew he'd ever commanded had to be left behind in the UOC, while he returned to the Star Army on an otherwise completely empty ship. Furthermore, since the mission might involve fighting enemies abusing his own work to slaughter and subjugate, he worried about if he could be objective or not. Part of him wanted to go to Mitsuya again and try to destroy that station, but it was not tactically sound...

"If it comes to that, I'll do my absolute best, Taisa...oh, and remember that those kimonos I got you are to be replaced as needed. That was part of the gift -- for when things like this happen."

"Taisa, since it seems that the majority of the responsibilities involving the Eucharis at this time focus upon engineering, a subject which I am not well versed in, may I accompany you during your shopping venture?" Helen asked, it seemed like the polite thing to do, after all, she was intending to do it herself as well.

Bridge of the YSS Yamato

Sorano walked onto the bridge, one of the security personnel near the door called out "Admiral on Deck." as he came to attention.

"As you were." She said crossing over to Chiyo who stood up as she did.

"Morning Taisho, what brings you to the bridge? Is there a problem? We have a shuttle ready to take you over to Chiharu per your request." He said in a calm voice.

"Ikeda-San, I am concerned about our security here. So I want you to position the following vessels at a point beyond the FTL sensor drones along the flight path of the Eucharis, and the other Task Force vessels.

I want the carriers Shōkaku, Shinano, battleships Defiance, Hlíf along with six of our Eikan-class Cruisers and six of the Chiaki Escort Destroyers. Have them underway in the next hour, and keep them at those coordinates with hourly status reports to the Yamato."

"Are you expecting an Attack Taisho?" he replied.

"No, but it occurs to me that the NMX might have decided to follow the Task Force back. I just want to make sure none of them get here. Most likely there will be no sign of the enemy in which case the carriers can use the time for drilling their pilots.

You can reach me via the Chiharu's AI Kontan should anything come up that needs my attention." Sorano replied, then turned and left the bridge. Five minutes later she was seated on her shuttle bound for the Star Fortress.

-------------------------------------
Shopping Sector

Sune found his way to the shopping sector of the Star Fortress before he had come up with a viable solution to the problem of storing medical equipment elsewhere safely.

He stood in front of the directory of shops. Looking at the legend he was able to find where most of the clothes shops were located. So he took the closest sliding sidewalk and enjoyed looking around at the people. It was almost like visiting a shopping center back on Yamatai. The only obvious difference was the absence of children and teenagers.

As the shops went by he spotted a bookstore, he had never been one invest in hard copy of books but he decided that perhaps he would pick up a couple to check out after he was finished shopping for clothes.

Sune noticed that the shop he wanted to visit was coming up, so he prepared to step off the slide walk. He did so with practice ease, and walked up to the shop. He stood for a minute or so looking at what was in the window displays.