YSS Sakura II Symbols and History

The YSS Sakura II's fleet and symbolism data can be found below. Its history can also be located here.

The ship patch is one of the few ship patches to actually bear its own name – “Shades of Sakura”. The patch features a simple gold outer edge and a blue field with the YSS Sakura II overlapping its predecessor YSS Sakura, in turn overlapping the same Sakura emblem used in the original Sakura's patch. Simple white text matching the font used on much SAoY hardware dictates the name and IRN of the ship.

The emblem has a dark blue field, a secondary Star Army color, with sakura blossom in the background. Two Mindy M2 Power Armor taken from the Star Army Hinomaru guard the ship while a banner with the motto “All Ways Able” graces the bottom. Of note is that the pictured vessel in the emblem is not the Plumeria-class YSS Sakura II itself, but its famous Sakura-class predecessor the YSS Sakura. It is not the same image as the ship's patch, another oddity worthy of recognition.

The YSS Sakura II's Imperial Registry Number is NG-X1-395. This indicates that it is the 395th Nekovalkyrja/Naval Gunship (NG) in the First Expeditionary Fleet (X1).

An interesting bit of trivia is that the IRN of the YSS Sakura (360) and the YSS Plumeria (390) are divisible by both three and five (or fifteen). The YSS Eucharis (408) has a registry divisible by three, while the YSS Sakura II (395) has a registry divisible by five. While lost on most, the YSS Sakura II's CO interprets this as a branching of the legacy between the two ships. It is his hope that one day, a future YSS Sakura III will have a registry divisible by fifteen again, unless the YSS Eucharis or a successor ship to her still exists. In this case, a YSS Sakura III should at least have a registry divisible by five.

The YSS Sakura II's' motto is “All Ways Able”. This links the YSS Sakura II not only to her predecessor, the YSS Sakura with the motto “Quality, All Ways”, but also to her sister ship the YSS Eucharis whose motto is “All Ways Superior”. Though the YSS Sakura II has the YSS Sakura's name, the YSS Eucharis is considered the true successor to the YSS Sakura's legacy.

The meaning of the motto has a dual meaning, being “always” “able” to serve the Empire, and in “all ways”.

While the ship has inherited the flower-derived nomenclature of the Sakura and Plumeria classes of ship, the YSS Sakura II has a distinction beyond being named for the cherry blossom. She is named for the YSS Sakura, which is one of the most famous and successful ships fielded by the Star Army of Yamatai.

The following lists of events are in chronological order.

• The YSS Sakura II was built at Gemini Star Fortress by Ketsurui Fleet Yards as the sixth vessel of her class to be created as such rather than refitted.
• Taisa Rufus Sydney assumes command of the YSS Sakura II.

• Taisa Rufus Sydney transfers to the YSS Illustrious.
• YSS Sakura II assigned to the Third Squadron as the lead ship.

• The ship underwent a refit at Gemini Star Fortress to add new weapons and engines, bringing it up to the more modern 1D standard.
• Taisa Kage Yaichiro was assigned to the YSS Sakura II as commanding officer.
• Shoi Suzuki Akira joins crew as Infantry
• Santô Hei Kyoto Sekai joins crew as medic
• Third Squadron is deployed to the Himiko area to take on injured and destroy a building adrift in space containing SC Agent. They encounter a Yui-class Scout, Privateer Variant, and engage it in combat. After overwhelming the craft's defenses and causing it damage, the bridge area is blown out from within by Rei Tanaka who escapes in her shuttle and meets the YSS Sakura II while survivors from the Yui-class are stored aboard the YSS Unicorn II.
• Kotonoha Miyako, Takadaroga Amelia, Lolion Reglo, and Motoyoshi Kaoru join the crew of the YSS Sakura II.
• A Christmas party complete with a dare lottery is started.

• Rei Tanaka, Yamashiro Sakura, and Sigria Tokito join the crew of the YSS Sakura II
• Sigria Tokito and Kyoto Sekai leave the YSS Sakura II
• Third Squadron is briefed on a mission to UX-10 I, an operation mixing infantry and starfighter to prevent the raiding of ruins by hostile raiders. A number of the crew are late for various reasons and degrees of legitimacy.

The following are this plot's scores from plot audits.

• 2012/08/31 - 92 A
• 2013/01/14 - 76 B-
• 2013/04/14 - 86 B