RP: YSS Aeon Crew Interviews

[Nashoba]

Rinako Takamura

Kyoten Starbase in Orbit over Veronica Star System
ON
Katae was sitting in the Warm and Sweet Coffee Shop on the starbase. She savored the aroma of the coffee and made a mental note to see what she could acquire in the way of new stocks for coffee for the ship.

She finished her coffee and left heading to the office space she had requested to conduct the interview with potentially the newest member of her crew. She adjusted her Type 30 body suit as she took her seat and waited for the arrival of Rinako. She was looking forward to the opportunity to have two dedicated technicians. It had been years since she had two.

Rinako worked her way through the bustling starbase until she found the address she had been instructed to report to for her placement interview. The young Neko was dressed impeccably in her Dress uniform, the heavy black coat spotless, the large brass buttons polished to a brilliant shine. Her thick, dark brown hair was pulled into a tight bun on the back of her head, every hair tucked neatly in place. She found the office space and entered, bowing deeply to the woman sitting behind the desk.

"Santo Hei Rinako Takamura reporting for duty, ma'am." Rinako bowed again and snapped smartly to attention.

Katae had watched the Neko with her green eyes. Inwardly she was pleased that the soldier in front of her had not saluted in the Nepleslian fashion. While she knew that regulations allowed it, she personally found it to Nepleslian to be comfortable with it.

Well at least this interviewee knows how to maintain their uniform. This should not be too long of an interview, after all she is a newly released NH-33. she thought.

"Nicely done Takamura-Hei, kindly take a seat and we can begin shortly."

Rinako smiled, inwardly relieved that she had pleased her senior officer, and took the proffered chair. She absently smoothed the wrinkles from her skirt as she sat down, her fingers moving of their own accord.

Katae took a sip of water as she mentally reviewed the young soldiers service record. "So, what was your reason for choosing to become a technician and one day an engineer Takamura-Hei?"

She picked up the glass of water she had on the table and took a sip. So far she found the recruits body language interesting. She was much more calm than most newly graduated manufactured soldiers.

"Questions, ma'am, to be completely honest. During one of our exercises a simulator malfunctioned and I found myself more intrigued by the malfunction and the correction of said malfunction than by the repetitive laser fire and screaming of various alarms. Working on solving problems excited me like nothing else. It was clear to me that answering questions was something I should focus on and this lead me to be a technician." Rinako finished and folded her hands neatly in her lap, awaiting her next question.

Katae considered Rinako's reply. "So you are saying that you became distracted in a training scenario and choose to ignore the training? Are you telling me that in the heat of battle when I need my crew to be alert, you could become more interested in a problem than doing your duty." Katae said her green eyes narrowing just a bit. I do not need another distracted technician. The last one who was that way was almost more of a menace to the ship then a help. she thought.
Rinako cringed inwardly as she realized how her answer sounded.

"No ma'am, I am fully capable of performing any task required of me, I approached my instructor after the simulation was over. I wanted to prevent the fault from happening again and by default assist my instructors and fellow cadets."

"That's a more appropriate answer. Now this one may be a bit more difficult for you given your age. But have you thought of any long term goals? What would you like to be doing a year, two, five down the road." she inquired.

Rinako paused and thought, her mind moving through her training, through her experiences both within and without the Star Army. She really had few thoughts or plans, for another two and a half years she was honor and duty bound to the service and so she had never put much thought into what her time after that would be like.

"Honestly ma'am, I don't really know. I am fascinated by theoretical astrophysics and how the universe works, I would love to be part of a research group in those fields. I would like design better starship engines, engines that use the knowledge that could be gleaned from better understanding of the laws of the universe to make them more efficient, trustworthy and better able to transport our brave soldiers and pioneers across the universe. But all of this probably sounds rather silly. I think I would like to have children but I have never known the company of a man and the thought of it both frightens and excites me. Not a very clear answer I am afraid, ma'am."

Katae leaned back in her seat. This was an unexpected response. It was not the usual rhetoric that most manufactured Nekos tended to spout. "Actually, for one of such brief life experience. That is a better answer than I had hoped for. You have a long term goal, that offers a plan for growth skill wise and on a personal level. I like your answer." She paused to think for a moment.

"Takamura-Hei, I am going to give you the opportunity to ask me a question. Is there anything about the Aeon, her mission or myself that you would like to know?" she offered.

"No ma'am, if you believe I will aid the Aeon and the rest of her able crew then I don't have any questions, at least, none that come to mind. I am sure whatever happens on the Aeon will allow me to learn and grow as both a technician and a person." Rinako replied, remaining seated perfectly still and upright in her chair.

Katae considered Rinako's reply. It had a maturity that was as refreshing as it was unexpected. She smiled as she sent a mental command to the Starbase's MEGAMI.

"Very well, Takamura-Hei. I believe that you will make a valuable addition to the crew of the Aeon. I just have basic expectation of all my crew. Always give me your best and I will give you mine. For now, see the station manager to get visitor quarters, and I will ensure that Eterinity is made aware that you will be onboard when we ship out. " she replied

"Yes Ise-Taisa, and thank you ma'am, I hope I do not disappoint you." Rinako stood and bowed deeply before returning to attention, her face twisted in an anxious expression.

"Permission to speak freely, ma'am?" She asked nervously.

"Proceed." Katae replied.

"Ise-Taisa, I," Rinako cleared her throat, her face twisting with anxiety as she tried to put into words the thoughts whirling around her head.
"How do we, I, the Nekovalkyrja, do we fear death, ma'am? We are grown, for lack of a better word, at least I know I was, created in a tube, given some rudimentary training and released into a service that I trust and have vowed to protect but that has no true meaning to me. I think on these things and they, they confuse me, ma'am. I just, I just want to know that I belong in the universe ma'am."
Rinako blinked, her dark brown eyes brimming with tears as she stood before her commanding officer.

Katae took a moment to consider the question, and how best to answer it. "To my way of thinking, it does not matter what our origin. How we deal with the prospect of death is important. First you must realize that in our culture, there are two forms of death. Death of the body, and death of personality. Death of the body is in most cases a temporary but inconvenient event. Our soul transfer or mental backup technology ensures that we can restore a person to an earlier instance of themselves. Frequent updates to a person's mental backup helps to minimize the disorientation of restoration.

Now death of personality is a much worse event. Because it is in fact true death. It means that the person has died without a viable mental backup. This can happen if the individual chose to not create a mental backup, or their mental backup was lost. For example a soldier who dies on a mission, and the ship which stores their backup is destroyed. Then a death of personality has occurred, the true death from which their is no return.

I have seen both in my career and my life before the military. The most tragic was aboard the Aeon during the first hours of this war. We had taken on some Infantry men to bolster our numbers on planetary expeditions. There was not time for mental backups to be performed when we were caught in the Battle of UX25. I watched several bright-eyed soldiers die that day. Knowing that each one of them was forever gone from us.

So do we Nekovalkyrja fear death? The answer to that is yes, but only the true death or death of personality. Because that death means that all we have experienced, our loves, our fears, our achievements are forever lost. To me that is a waste and something to be avoided. This is done by ensuring you have a current backup, and that we keep the Aeon safe. Plus crew members can request to have their backup transferred to our starbase for safe keeping. But that means if they die on a mission, we can not restore them until we return to the Kyoten.

Death of the body is not to be feared, but that also does not mean one should be reckless. When we go into battle we have the knowledge that who we are will be preserved. But allowing ourselves to be killed means that we are not there to stop our enemy, and in the time it takes for us to be restored, those enemies could do great harm to our Empire, and our friends and families. That is why I prefer to fight as if I do not have a backup, that everything I am is on the line, and that I choose to stand in harms way to protect others."
Rinako steeled herself and calmed her raging emotions.

"Thank you ma'am, I will do my best to serve you and my fellow crew members." Rinako bowed again and awaited dismissal.

 

[Nashoba]

Mikael Harris

Kyoten Starbase in Orbit over Veronica Star System

ON

Katae walked through the part on Kyoten. She paused to admire the carefully tended garden. As well as the addition of several vegetable patches. The only thing that bothered her was the lack of new and unusual species. This war was keeping her and the Aeon from doing what they were originally commissioned for... Exploration. But she knew there would be time enough for exploration once the accursed war was over.

The MEGAMI of the Kyoten informed her of her next appointment, she left the park and its serenity and made her way down to the office she had reserved for her use when the Aeon was docked. When she entered there was a carafe of coffee, she poured herself a cup and tasted it, it was not as good as the coffee aboard the Aeon, but it was passable.

Shuttle Bay

It had been a very long time since Mikael had been assigned to a starship. And his previous assignment on the Eucharis was not exactly a glamorous one. But much had also changed for the former Nepleslian. The black panels of his Type 30 duty uniform as he hefted his duffel bag over his right shoulder being the primary change. As he proceeded towards the main corridors of the starbase, he couldn't help but not look around.

For one SAINT instilled into him a certain level of paranoia he has never been able to shake off. He had been stuck at an analyst job for months, but even there one could never be to care. But it was also his first time on the Kyoten. Each station has its own little quirks.

Station

As he was paying attention to his surroundings, he approached an information terminal.

"Where is the location of Taisa Ise?" Mikael manually inputted his request. A map of the the station appeared on the display, placing a dot on the location of where he and his destination were located. Memorizing the directions, he made his way towards the office. Once he arrived he knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter.

Katae had been reviewing the service record of the incoming crew member. She was surprised that he came from the Aeon's sister ship the Eucharis. That he was from SAINT was not a major concern for her, she'd dealt with SAINT personnel before.

Upon hearing the door chime she dismissed the display with a wave of her hand, and instructed the Kyoten's AI.

"You may enter when ready." Ishi replied.

Upon receiving permission to enter, Mikael opened the door to enter. He dropped his duffel bag right next to the door before taking a few forward and bowing.

"Itto Hei Mikael Harris reporting." Mikael said once he resumed the position of attention.

Katae took a moment to assess the soldier before her, a Nepleslian recently upgraded to the new Minkan lifeform. She gave him a few points for not saluting, or giving an overly boisterous report. She had to admit that he had her curiosity. She had a few questions about his various assignments, but there would be time enough for that.

"Take a seat Itto Hei, and we will commence with the interview." she said keeping her green eyes on him.

Mikael did as he was instructed, keeping his gaze on Katae as well. After a minor adjustment in the seat, he kept his posture straight and rigid. He kept both of his hands flat on his thigh.

"At ease Hei, this is an interview not a board of review. My chance to ask you some questions to help me form a mental image beyond what is in your service record." Katae said.

"So let us begin with a simple question, Why did you put in for orders on the Aeon?" She asked.

Mikael only relaxed a little bit but leaning back a bit and crossing his arms. "Well ma'am...I need to get back to something resembling action. I can do analytical work for only so long." He then uncrossed his arms.

"So are you looking to serve as an Intelligence Operative? Or as an Infantrymen or some other capacity. What role are you hoping to fulfill aboard my ship?" She asked.

"I am still and infantryman at heart ma'am. But being an Intel Operative now, I can analyze the best way to function as infantry, an investigator, and as a scout. All three aspects I do believe you can put to good use." Mikael answered back.

"I like how you think. Can you briefly summarize why you transferred to the various ships prior to this assignment?" She inquired.

"I guess to get a change of perspective within Shosho Ketsurui's squadron. And then I applied and was accepted into Star Army Intelligence. The rest is history ma'am." Mikael responded. He shifted a little in his seat when he noticed the legs were uneven.

"Okay, fair enough. I have a question for you. I am aware of how SAINT operates, but I want you to understand how I operate. My ship and crew are not convenient chess pieces. I care about both, and strive to keep them alive. I expect every one of my crew to have similar attitudes. I expect each person to give me 100 percent. Is that going to be a problem for you?"

"Hmm.." Mikael thought to himself. He had never completely seen eye to eye with the higher levels of SAINT. He supported the goals of the organizations, but he had to much of a conscience to utilize some of their tactics. He sat there mulling over how to convey that without raising to many concerns. After all while SAINT was aware of this, they are always watching.

"No that should not be to much of an concern." Mikael managed to answer back. "The mission will always be completed, but I will not lose my soul in the process."

Katae listened to Mikael but was also paying close attention to his body language as well. "I can accept that. Well, since we have a clear understanding between us. I see no reason to not take you on as a crew member. I will have your transfer paperwork completed shortly. Welcome to the Aeon." She said sliding a ship patch across the table to him.

Mikael eyed the ship patch for the moment before reaching over to accept it. Putting it to the side, he stood up and bowed.

OFF

 

[Nashoba]

Kurusu Misaki

Veronica Star System
Chiharu Star Fortress

ON

Katae sat in one of the many temporary offices that the Star Fortress had for transient officers. She was very surprised when she had received word from Star Army Personnel Management that they had a candidate for her First Officer position.

She had the candidates service jacket before her on a volumetric display. She was surprised to see that this candidate had served aboard the Eucharis. It was apparent that war was most likely responsible for the delay in her revival.

Sitting at the metal desk, she paged through the various reports, and sipped her cup of coffee. It was her preferred coffe made for her by Sachi the Aeon's cook.

She took a moment to contact Aoi Hasu and advise them to add an extra place setting, just in case the interview went well. Of course she seriously doubted that she would find fault with an officer from the Eucharis.

Shuttle Bay
A T7 Shuttle arrives from Yamatai.

Misaki swallowed down another butterfly as she waited for the hatch on the shuttle to open. Once it did, and she smelled the air of the station, her nerves calmed. Since her death inside one very similar shuttle was still fresh on her mind, the young woman had to fight the slight tug of anxiety that came with traveling on one for such a long trip.

Once she slung her duffel bag over her arm, she felt her stride return. Feeling somewhat awkward to be in her new uniform, it nonetheless fit with the ruthless precision Logistics Command demanded when fitting to someone fresh from a tank, which is exactly where she had been what already felt like another lifetime ago to her, but was in reality only about a few standard days.

Linked in to the station, the light-haired officer soon found herself keying the entrance chime for the temporary office she was ordered to report to, emitting one last cleansing breath in anticipation of the interview. There were a thousand questions still to be asked, none of which there were any time to answer in wartime.

Duty came first.

Kontan the AI for the Star Fortress notified Katae of the arrival of Misaki. Well she is punctual, a very good trait. she thought as she gave a wave of her hand to dismiss the volumetric display. Shifting slightly in her seat, she sat upright watching the door to see how this Misaki entered the room. She signaled the door to open, in a clear forceful tone she called out, "Enter."

Smoothly walking through the door as it opened just enough to allow her, and the large duffel over her shoulder through, the newly revived officer walked a smooth, and careful line to the other side of the desk, stopping two paces in front, she dropped the bag without ceremony, and came to attention to bow properly, her cadence maintained through her words when she spoke.

“Kurusu Misaki Chusa, reporting as ordered.” Poured from her lips smoothly, and when she heard herself say it, the former Eucharis officer felt better already about things, staring forward against the wall, she waited for the Taisa's order, breathing very evenly with a neutral expression upon her face.

Katae's green almond shaped eyes followed every movement of Misaki. She noted the conservation of movement and control. She noted the appearance her potential crew member, one would find it hard to believe that she had traveled from Yamatai in a shuttle in the same clothes.
She returned the bow with a slight one from her seated position. "Please be seated Kurusu-Chusa." she said indicating the chair to the left of Misaki.

Kurusu sat with an ease of movement, shifting into the seat to hold her knees together simply, and rest her hands in light fists upon her thighs. She kept an even profile in the seat, not quite reclining into the back, to not appear lazy or that her attention had possibly waned after one simple report.

“Thank you, ma'am. I apologize for not arriving a few minutes earlier. I am at your disposal.” She calmly replied, somehow feeling better the more and more she was under orders again, not held in the limbo she had been for the last few days, a feeling she was very unused to going back to the first war.

"At ease Chusa. You made excellent time navigating the corridors of Chiharu. This is mostly a formality, I have seen your service record and it speaks well of you. So I will be asking questions to help me understand how well we will work together." Katae said.

"Thank you again, ma'am." Kurusu Chusa replied, and finally came to rest in the seat, tucking one of her feet behind the other ankle as she relaxed, "It was-I helped the pilot some, but I was not eager to sit around and wait for a larger ship to come this way, ma'am. I am glad to hear you are impressed by my dossier, but please ask any questions you want and I will answer. Nothing is too personal for soldiers under the same command." Promised the other officer.

"Well, to start with, you need to understand that the Aeon has been without a First Officer for several years. The crew is used to coming to me directly, so there will be a period of adjustment. But as for questions, my first is simple. How was the working relationship between and Ketsurui-Shosho?"

"I have not encountered something like that before but it is not something that surprises me, ma'am." Kurusu replied softly, dipping her head forward a moment in thought, she came to the other question after some time, "I was the first officer assigned to the Eucharis that was not a Sprite, ma'am. We worked very well together, but I do well with all Ketsurui, though she is not difficult to be under command of anyway, I hope she would remember me fondly now." The Chusa admitted smoothly.

"I was also personally commended by Ketsurui Taisho for an operation, it should be in my dossier ma'am." She finished, looking towards the desk a moment, her intense eyes raised softly to look back at the Taisa after a heartbeat passed.

"Yes, your dossier has all of those commendations and citations. But I am referring to command style. For example the Aeon has maintained an Infantry presence. We were at full squad strength until recently. As such I give the Squad leader a great deal of autonomy when it comes to running the Infantry. Now that you are here, that would be Tsubei-Juni would on away teams be in charge of the Infantry, and she would report to you. Do you think you would have a problem with that?" Katae explained.

“I am sorry, I misunderstood.” Misaki replied evenly, before she turned one of her hands over in her lap, “I have served in infantry duty with no issues, ma'am. It might be deeper into the dossier, but this included recovering my CO from enemy hands, but I am proficient enough, and proficient enough to trust a capable squad leader on the field of battle, ma'am. It is a matter of professionalism to be capable and trained as an XO, to accompany away teams and combat units when ordered-in other words if you are...confident in her abilities, I am not going to question them unless shown I should. She will have them do what is needed, or you would not have asked me that, I assume?” The officer asked curiously, going over her own service record in her head, to try and guess where the question came from.

Katae smiled, "No need to apologize I just wanted it clear that in all things related to the ship, you are my second. But that the Infantry enjoys a bit of autonomy. It works, and I do not want to mess with success. It was not my intention to imply that you had no experience with Infantry.

I must say I look forward to having a First Officer that I can depend upon. For my next question, how are you at dealing with crew member personal issues? This war has been waging for most of my command, and some of the crew have understandibly been having some issues. Those with families have suffered with the Battle of Yamatai, and for the Nekovalkyrja there is the issue of fighting other Nekos created by our enemy."

“Personal issues can weaken the command, it's best to take care of them whenever and however you can, within reason ma'am. I will always have my hatch open if they need to speak to me, though it may take some time for it to happen it sounds like. Smaller crews depend more upon one another, so it is imperative that we address the problems of our subordinates. In that thread though, I will also offer my private counsel to you as well, the XO should be a full package if you've read my manual you know I feel that way. I hope that does not impose, I will not mention it again if it bothers you, ma'am.” Misaki replied, wanting to make it clear that not only did the rest of the crew have her attention and care, but that her diligence went above her as well.

“We are a grand sisterhood, it is a very trying time to fight alone, ma'am. Err..brothers also.” She amended in afterthought, clearly used to a majority Nekovalkyrja crew.

"Actually I am looking forward to having a fellow officer that I can use as a sounding board. After all a Commander has to maintain a certain perception. The axiom is Command is a lonely job. But I am not a machine, so having someone I can share my thoughts and feelings with from time to time is something I look forward to. I am familiar with your book so I know what to expect, and I full expect you to speak your mind, respectfully of course in front of the crew. In private, I will be truthful, I prefer simple candor."

She paused to take a sip of her coffee.

"Our next mission is going to be challenging. We are going to assault Higflan. The Nepleslians made an attack awhile back, but they did not finish the job. The 7th Squadron is going to finish the job. Have you had an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the new equipment that has come into the inventory since your last mission?"

Misaki felt herself smile at the Taisa's response, partially in relief she wasn't going to be upset that she offered herself to be so familiar right away, though the rest of it was due to the fact she was actually looking forward to it. “Do not worry, those things are often better left in private anyway, at least between a CO and her XO, ma'am.” She assured her.
Ducking her head after a moment, and raising her own arm as if she could see through her jacket, the veteran nodded simply, “It is an interesting new form, but I was not trained to not be able to take things in stride, and our new equipment compliment does not seem too different from the old one. I was loaded with updated specifications when they reactivated me, I am confident enough to test myself in battle. It's pleasing to hear it won't be long at all until we get the chance, either. I am going to miss my old suit, that's for sure though.” A bit of nostalgia crept into her voice at that, though her eyes remained consistently on Katae.

“Is there anything specifically logistics has updated I should be made aware of for this particular mission?”

Katae smiled, "I fear there is more than just new bodies in our inventory. We have the new Mindy 2-3A's on the Aeon. We have some time so I expect that you will have looked up the new equipment and at least have a basic understanding of the differences.

As for logistics, yes, the 7th Squadron is being joined by twelve Urufu-Class Light Cruisers from the 2XF, three will be assign to each Gunship. This will give us significant fire power and infantry resources. For this mission these ships will answer to us completely. It is an extension of the tactic I used in the Battle of UX25 at the star of the war.

This mission is high profile, high risk, and I want us to succeed, that's why your arrival is so timely."

“High risk is something I am used to, ma'am. I am more worried when that is not mentioned somewhere in a mission briefing.” Misaki admitted, already thinking of the battle she died in, her eyes lost focus a moment before she nodded once, “I was using a 1H during my time aboard the Eucharis. I am familiar with the newer model MINDY though if I cannot get into another 1H I understand, and I will adapt.” The junior officer of the two replied, “Simulations won't do, but unless power armor combat has changed completely I will adapt easily, ma'am. That fleet support should, tactically speaking, give us the strength we need to add to our mobility.” She agreed, her mind already pouring over variables as they spoke.

“It will be my honor to be fighting again, I am indebted once more to be in the service of the Empire, and I really have to thank you, it means a lot to me personally to be out here again, ma'am.” She added impulsively, even though admitting it caused her to shift a touch in her seat, she felt like it had to come out sooner or later.

"I will perform more checks on the combat capability of our ground forces, and review our combat strength while carrying out the rest of my duties ma'am. It should not take very long, I am impressed with the 2-3A's updates, so far."

"Sounds good, you have several hours to go over the system, and our equipment. The crew will be having a dinner at the Aoi Hasu . It is a tradition before we go on a mission when circumstances permit the chance for camaraderie. I would like you to attend, it will give them a chance to met you and get to know you. Dress is causal, civilian preferred."

Misaki's eyes widened a moment at the last thing her new CO mentioned their plans for the evening. "I-...yes ma'am. Of course. I'll just store my personal effects on board then go try to find something suitable for the evening. It is best if they get a good chance to meet me before I step into power armor and they have to worry about someone they do not recognize. Soldiers are soliders though, eating together is important." She noted, sliding to her feet.

The Chusa grabbed her bag again and bowed forward, coming to attention as she waited to be dismissed.

"I look forward to seeing you. The meal is of course on me. Cabin one is at your disposal, its been unoccupied since the last XO left. Feel free to make it your space." Katae said, she walked around to the front of the desk. "Welcome to the Aeon Kurusu-Chusa, I look forward to working with you. You are dismissed."

Misaki nodded once, and slung her bag back over her shoulder, tugging her coat back into place at the sleeves with some pause, before she stepped back one pace, performed an about face, and exited the room crisply. Outside, she let out another puff of air, and thought about the last time she was in her 1H, the thoughts lingering with her as she moved quietly down the large corridor to find the Aeon, and her new home.

That, and there was the outfit for dinner to think about.

OFF

 

[Nashoba]

Vostok, Garret

ON
Location: Chiharu no Iori, Veronica Star System.

Katae was sitting in an temporary office waiting for the arrival of the newest candidate for the Aeon. She reviewed the service record that had been transmitted to her. There was no indication of what specialized training the crew member had. It was strange so she had requested that Star Army Personnel retransmit the record. The results on the second one was the same.

I had specific requests, and I get a soldier who has no specialization. Do they expect me to do their job? Katae wondered.

The door chimed, and the AI informed her that is was the cook from the Aeon. Katae told Kontan that she could enter. The door opened and a brown haired Nekovalkyra entered. The aroma of coffee wafted in before her. Sachi walked in and gave a bow to her commander even though it was not truly necessary.

"Good day, Ise-Taisa, I thought you could use some good coffee instead of the generic stuff they offer." Sachi said with a smile.

"Bless you, the coffee has improved but it still does not hold up to yours." she replied.

Sachi poured a cup from the carafe that she held and put it down in front of her commander. "There you go, just the way you like it. I'll leave the rest her on the table for you."

She walked over to the small utilitarian table and put it down. "See you later ma'am," she said bowed and then walked out.

A T-7 shuttle from Yamatai arrived at the star fortress landing in one of the smaller bays. Once it touched down the rear doors opened and a Nekovalkyrja wearing with the rank of Jôtô Hei stood up. "Okay folks, everyone out. Be sure to take all your gear when you leave. Check with Kontan the station's AI for where you need to go next."

When the shuttle reached the star fortress, Garret was afflicted with what could only be described as an unforgiving anxiety. This is the first time he would come into contact with a senior officer outside of training - any mistake could easily ruin his future. Even more so in this situation, since it was an interview and he was never put under such a stress before.

"Calm and quiet, answering only with exact phrases. There are no mistakes when you plan ahead."

At this moment he realized that almost everyone had vacated the shuttle. He hurried and took his belongings - all compromised of standard issue equipment, and made his way to the station proper.
More properly, he was about to when he realized that the station was a complex structure in and of itself. He would have been worried, if not for the fact that even maps in this day and age are outdated.

"Kontan...?" He spoke, as calling to the station itself.

"Yes, Vostok-Santô Hei? How may I be of service?" came the AI's voice from a near by intercom.

He approached the source of the voice, and spoke after only a brief pause: "Kontan-san, could you tell me the location-"

An audible beep came from Garret's communicator. "Directions have been downloaded to your communicator as well as floor plans for the station. If you require additional assistance engage any intercom and I can assist. Ise-Taisa has been notified of your arrive and awaits." the AI replied.

Garret's plead was answered before he could even finish it properly.

"Thank you, Kontan-san." He opened his communicator and inspected the map. "There it is." He though, and headed to his destination. As he advanced however, his anxiety only grew. "It is not the time to ruin everything I have worked for." He tried to reassure himself, in vain.
The corridors were busy but given a facility the size of the star fortress, it was not hard to navigate. The station the size of a small city had all the features of such. Most people where just walking through the passages no sense of urgency.

Eventually he reached the office in which he would be interviewed. "May I come out with no regrets." he thought, and proceed inside. A female senior officer was sitting behind the desk; he stepped forward until he was in front of the desk.

"Santô Hei Garret Vostok reporting in, Sir!" He was about to bow, but then noticed that the senior officer was a neko. Instinctively, he made a dishonest, but formal, salute instead.

While waiting for an answer from his superior, he inspected her. Not in a meticulous, or other appraisive manner; rather, his eyes looked at her in a strange form of disgust. "Her eyes? No, they are fine. Her face? Completely normal. But those... Ears... There is something... Something wrong about them."

It was a fortune that his thoughts could not be read, else he would have effectively made a complete fool of himself. Or so was his thinking. All the while he carried out his visual analysis he limited his eyes to a fixed position. While in other circumstances this would have been difficult, the way he placed himself upon entering enabled him to keep his decorum... But his mind was still wavering.

Katae watched the soldier enter, her green eyes taking in lots of details. His stance was unusual, she could see tension which was not unusual. She could identify a number of micro-expressions being displayed. After waiting a moment, she returned the salute. "Take a seat Vostok-Hei. We will get started momentarily." she said in a voice with no emotional tone.
"As you order, Sir." After his thoughts settle in, Vostok is able to keep his tone. Any personal feelings come after duty, he knew that much. He took the closest chair and sat on it. He closed his eyes for half a second, and managed to quell down his feelings for a moment.

He lacked the skill to be a detective, but running a background check was no big deal to him. "After all, the YSS Aeon was designed for war, and her commander was forged by war." Thinking about the Empire and it's vast glory always seemed to put him in awe.

It was because he wanted to be part of something as awe-inspiring as the Imperial Star Army that he decided to serve in a ship. He would bring either glory and honour to his family or shame and dishonour upon himself, but there was no way he would let this opportunity pass.

"I should be honoured to serve under her, for she has served the Empire faithfully. Her skin colour should not be relevant." With that though, he set himself to remain calm for the interview. It was just beginning, after all.

Katae watched Garret as he took his seat. She had several questions for this candidate, but was patient enough to observe. Once he seemed settled she took another glance at his record.

"The purpose of this interview is to allow me to decide if you will be a good fit among my crew. As well as some insight into your personality and motivation.

The first question is rather simple, but please answer honestly and candidly. I prefer candor.

So why did you choose to join the Star Army of Yamatai? And was there a reason that you did not pursue specialization training?" She said and picked up her cup of coffee to take a taste without taking her eyes off the recruit.

"I truly believe in what the Empire represents and it is. I want to protect it, and if that means I have to die, so be it. I am ready to make that sacrifice, so that my family and others can live in peace. Ironically, I disdained such peaceful live myself. Administration and scientific study, while beneficial for the Empire, did not appeal to me.

But war is not everything, and the best war is the one in which no lives are lost. Even if I am never sent at the front lines - even if I never see war, I wanted to see the stars. To explore unknown worlds, to see things that none have seen yet.

Such reasons are also why I choose the Imperial Star Army."

He answered the first question without pausing first, almost immediately after it was asked. He did not want to appear as if the answer was formulated; alas, it was the truth. Or what he believed to be the truth.
He did pause for a moment before answering the second question, as the reasons for that were more complex.

"...I did not want to be limited to a single role. Even if in the end I am given a specific task. If an emergency occurs, I want to help where help is needed most."

Katae listened to Garret's responses. He has definitely given this some thought.Admirable, but just a tad naive. But then who is not when they first join. she thought.

"While I laud your desire to be able to help where ever, We need people to also have specific roles on the ship. So that everyone knows where everyone is supposed to be. Your current level of training qualifies you to work with the Infantry members of the crew, we could use a medic to go with the Infantry, an extra technician to help in engineering, and help with maintaining the power armor. Give it some thought and we will return to that subject.

As part of joining the Star Army you had the option to upgrade to a Minkan body. Obviously you chose to remain a Geshrin. Do you have any problems with mental backups and being brought resuscitated in a new cloned body?

"In essence, she wants me to do what my parents wanted - but in a spaceship." The irony of the though was enough to provide him a strange feeling. It could only be described as a strange mix concocted with drops of disenchantment, anger, and amusement.

The next question was the real problem, however. An honest answer was a risk, but his conscience would punish him if he gave a false reply - and he was pretty sure that she would notice it.

"...Yes." He choose to tell the truth. "I believe risking one's life should not be taken lightly. Even if death can be reversed, I choose mine's to be permanent." He made a brief pause to breathe.

"As good sounding the prospect of a backup may be to others, I know that it would do me more harm that good. I fear that knowing my memories and habits are safe, I may decide to take unnecessary risks. And while life may come back, mission objectives do not.

I am not asking for martyrdom. But I want to at the very least be remembered for serving the Empire with honor, not recklessness or even... Hesitation at a critical moment."

Katae was unsure how to take Garret's answer. She thought for a moment, This was definitely an uncommon mindset, especially within the military. But she was going to abide by his decision.

"Everyone on the Aeon is required to have a mental backup before each mission. It is my policy and compliance is mandatory. However, under Yamatai Law you have control on how that backup is used. So you can leave a standing order for non-resuscitation. Naturally should you change your mind later you have that right. It is my hope that you will eventually change that decision, because it is easier to restore a trained and valuable soldier than to have to train a brand new one."

She reviewed the roster in her mind, "I am going to start you working with one of our technicians, Murasaki-Heisho, and our ship's nurse will also spend some time training you on more than basic first aid."

"Acknowledged." His voice returned to it's initial, formal state.
He had his doubts about the "soul backup" technology, but he did understand her point of view: From a strict military standpoint, it is much more benefical to keep a highly-skilled officer in charge, than risking a new one taking over.

Still, that did not ease him. On the oppossite, it made him feel somewhat commodified. But at least for now, he would have to tolerate a copy of himself in a database somewhere.

"Very well, the Aeon is currently undergoing some repairs, so the crew has twenty-four hours of leave. I will have our MEGAMI Eternity make arrangements for you to have temporary quarters here on the Star Fortress near the rest of the crew.

One last question, do you have any questions for me.?" she offered.

"Only one, if I am allowed to ask it." He would have smiled, but doing so would have defeated the purpose of the question. "Was it required of you to clone your body and use a mental backup at some point?"

"Actually when I joined the service I was born a Geshrin, mental backups were necessary. Casualties were high back then so restoring a soldier in a few hours was the logical way to maintain strength.

I underwent a body transfer to an NH-29 back in YE 29 because of the Species Restriction Order. It was upgrade to that body or leave the military. I chose to remain in the service rather then go civilian. Then back in YE 33 I upgraded to the newest Nekovalkyrja form the NH-33." Katae replied.

"A respectable reason to do so, Sir. But it does not answer the question I intended to ask.

If you allow me to rephrase: Have you ever experienced death?"

"Yes, three different times while I was in the Infantry. Being resuscitated was always for me a learning experience. It was disorienting to wake up in the Medical Center, and not have any recollection of the mission I died on, or how I performed my duty. For me it became a matter of pride to avoid needing to be resuscitated, but to me to suffer true death would have been a dishonor not only for me, but for my family. I am the last in my immediate family, and if I die, who will carry on the legacy."

"I see. Thank you for answering my question, Sir. I look foward to serving under your command - even the meaning of the words honor and sacrifice are different to each other." He once again held a smile. He did not want to appear arrogant, but smiling after such a reply would carry that implication.

He expected such a kind of answer, even if the words to pronouce it were more and the sentences longer. "A confident 'yes'. A shame this opens up a... Philosophical dilemma." He was deliberating on his mind once again; but he snapped out of it quickly. "Just a little more." He thought, and waited for his superior's reply.

"You are dismissed Santo-Hei, but one last thing. I prefer ma'am over sir. I am not a male." Katae said with a grin.

"Acknowledged, ma'am." He said as he performed a final salute, then departed the office.

 

[Nashoba]

ON
Location: Chiharu no Iori, Veronica Star System.

Katae was seated in a rental office on the Star Fortress. She was waiting for her next crew member to arrive. The previous one was an interesting person, but she still did not quite know what to make of him. Time would help her.

She pulled up the service record for her next interviewee. "Dipaolo, Vergil, hmm, a Yamataian. I well that is better than an Geshrin. Wonder why this one did not upgrade when they enlisted. That will be a question for this interview as well." she said to herself.

Kontan the stations AI had notified her that the recruit was on a shuttle and would be arriving shortly.

Star Fortress Hall Way

Vergil looked out the window as he walked, today was a very important day, it seemed that all his hard work had finally payed off. He longed for his dreams to be realized but the long path to glory can only be achieved by the littlest steps. Steps however are a funny thing he realized as he stared out into the cosmos, even the tiniest of steps can have the biggest influence on the universe.

His interview would begin shortly and he did not want to be late, Vergil walked towards the room labeled as the rental office. Knowing he was in the right place Vergil entered the room, the first thing he noticed was how the air was so much different in here than in the hallway, perhaps it was because he was nervous, he could not mess this up. Fixing his white hair he walked towards two guards dressed in military garb "Diapaolo, Vergil reporting for an interview" the men stared him down eying him in case of any form of treachery, when they decided he was telling the truth they let him enter the room.

Vergil looked around the room, it was very tidy and neat, across from the room sat a desk with a chair directly in front of it. The occupant of the chair behind the desk was a woman, the Captain. "Ise-Taisa" his voice carried the same strong sense of pride and confidence he had carried his entire life "Vergil Diapolo reporting as ordered ma'am." he salute her in respect and walked towards the desk. His posture was straight giving him an air of confidence, he stood next to the chair, he would not sit himself that would be rude. She could be his superior officer and she deserved the respect given.

Katae watched the white haired, blue eyed soldier enter the room. Her bright green eyes looked at him, taking note of his stance, From reading his service jacket, she had a good idea of what the instructors thought of him. Now it was time for her to decide for herself.

She returned the salute, suppressing the urge to wrinkle her nose. Hand salutes just felt Nepleslian to her. She dismissed the volumetric display with a wave of her hand and picked up her cup of coffee. She took a sip all the while keeping her eyes on Vergil.

"Be seated DiPaolo-Santô Hei. This interview is a formality, but I find it effective helping to determine how well a recruit is going to fit." she said.
Vergil nodded and sat himself in the chair in front of the Captain. He smiled and nodded replying "yes I understand Taicho- Taisa, it is a good idea, I do hope I meet the standards of you're self and the rest of the YSS-Aeon". Vergil was nervous but he made sure not to show it, conducting some mental exercises to try and keep his mind at ease, he could not afford to slip up now, especially when he had come this far.
"Okay, we'll start with the easy one. There is no correct or wrong answers to the questions I am going to ask. But I do want you to answer them with candor.

What was your reason for joining the Star Army?" Katae asked.
Vergil stared towards the captain; the question was an obvious yet simple one. However simple questions were always the more difficult ones to accomplish. Vergil's mind clicked into action picking what he thought was the appropriate answer. "I want to join the Star Army because I wish I protect people" Vergil's voice wavered a bit as unwanted memories quickly flashed by "there are problems with this universe and I want to become stronger, to make changes so people don't get hurt. Joining Star Army is the beginning of that route for me"
Katae listened to Vergil's answer. It was a refreshing change from what she had been hearing repeatedly. It also seemed to her, that this recruit had some long term plans in mind. That sat well with her.

"With the hostilities against the NMX starting to wind down, we are most likely going to be moving to a more exploration role. So how does exploring new worlds, and encountering new life forms and the like sound to you?"

Vergil smiled at the answer "Even though my family did have some money we never really got to go off world" Vergil nodded to the answer "you see In order to change our world we need to take a better look at the other worlds out there. Millions of Systems with different life forms are out there, all with their own different cultures and religions. I hope to take back the best parts of each, and hopefully, one day I can use what I learn to benefit our own world"

Of course he had his own long term goals in order to help make a change in their world, a change that he thought was desperately needed in order for their survival "As a child I have seen some conflicts of the past, the pain that people suffer is unbearable, I do not want us, as a people to have to go through those ordeals ever again"

Katae smiled, "Well, you will have a chance to meet one of those aliens very soon. We found one stranded on our last mission. We're going to drop an OGP in a star system to the south, and then we are going to head galatic east and see if we can not find her home. So we are looking at a definite First Contact situation." she picked up her cup of coffee and took a sip, the coffee was just warm enough to still be palatable.
"The infantry team is going to be part of that effort, because we will probably set down on a few planets along the way. We'll need security when we touch down.

Tsubei-Santô Juni is the squad leader, so you will should go and introduce yourself to her."

She slid over a pair of patches. Welcome to the Aeon. Give me your best and we will get along just fine." she said with a grin.

Vergil nodded, he seemed excited and happy "I have always wanted to meet a new life form, it's almost like being a kid, y'know all the adventures you have in you're head" he was even more excited when he saw the badge slide over to his side of the desk. He grinned and took the badge eyeing it for a moment. "Thank you Taisa!, I promise I will not let you down!'

 

[Nashoba]

Destin, Eli

Location: Veronica Star System
YSS Aeon Docked to Kyoten Starbase
ON

Katae was putting up some recent acquisitions from her shopping. Some additional casual clothing to wear during the upcoming mission went into her closet. Next the newest members of her book collection went up on the shelf and she secured the webbing. In the background some instrumental music played. Katae was humming along with the music, Finally getting to do some real exploration. Looking for the home of alien race. Challenging and rewarding. she thought.

"Ise-Taisa, pardon the intrusion. There is a Tenba-Class Transporter arriving with the latest crew member. Shall I give them permission to approach." Eternity the ships MEGAMI said across the speakers interrupting the music.

"Yes, our last bit of work before we get underway. I am looking forward to something other than fighting the squids Eternity. Two wars of them, two wars of blood and destruction. I long to do something constructive."

Katae crossed over to her bed, and picked up her tunic for her Type 35 Uniform. She secured it and put on her belt adjusting it as necessary.
She walked over to the other side of her office, past the byobu she used to divide her work space from her living space. She took a seat at the desk and waited.

The Tenba Transporter had dropped out of hyperspace and was approaching the planet. It passed the Chiharu Star Fortress. Adjusting its course it turned towards a much smaller structure an Ikoi starbase. The monitors in the passenger section showed the approach, and a distinctive green and grey starship was docked to it.

A few minutes later the docking was complete. A red headed Nekovalkyrja stepped into the passenger area. "We have arrived Santô Hei, time for you to take you bags and board your ship.

Eli nodded to the red headed Neko and lifted his bags up after taking a moment to stretch. He wasn't used to sitting still for long periods of time, but he had been getting better at it lately. With a smile and a nod of thanks he walked onto the ship and made his way through the airlock.
When the airlock opened, a Nekovalkyjra with light blue eyes was standing on the other side with a clipboard. She looked at Eli with her purple eyes, taking note of his wings. Elysian... well that will make things interesting. she thought.

"Welcome aboard the Aeon. I am Shina Kim-Nitô Heisho, Ise-Taisa is waiting for you in her cabin. You can leave your bags here by the door, and I will lead you there."

Eli bowed politely in response, trying not to call attention to the large difference in size between the two. "Thank you Kim-Heisho" He inwardly cringed a moment as he tried to verify his behavior. In an introduction, was it the family name first? He had made similar mistakes more than once in basic and was painfully aware of the protocol breach getting an honorific wrong entailed. He took a quiet breath and forged onward with introductions. "I am Eli Destin-Santô Hei." He rose, trying to avoid the impulse to check his head against hitting the ceiling.

Kim smiled, "Actually it is Shina-Heisho, Shina is my surname. Follow me." she turned an made her way down the hall. Walking with a grace that made it seem as if she were floating. "I am the Aeon's Logistics person. So if you need anything supply wise, feel free to contact me, or send a message to me via Eternity, our MEGAMI."

"Er, I appologize." he sheepishly replied, thankful for Shina-Heisho's amused reaction versus an offended one. Still, it was embarrassing and he took a moment to examine his surroundings to avoid showing his flushed face. There seemed to be an unusual mix of old and new on this ship, with battle scars adjacent to the polish of unscuffed metal components. He considered asking the petite girl at his side about what could have caused the need for such large scale remodeling, but thought better of it.

Kim walked down the hall to zero-g, "We go up from here. So you are an Elysian. What world are you from? The Aeon has been my home since I left training. We have been through a lot together." she said touching the wall. "Hopefully now that the war is winding down, she will get a chance to get a complete overhaul inside." She stepped into the hall floated for a moment, and then started moving up. "Mind your wings." she said

Eli nodded absently at the warning before answering the question, and glanced up after her into the zero-g. He took took a deep breath; he still wasn't entirely used to zero-g movement yet. He stepped through, his voice becoming somewhat distant as he concentrated on movement.
"Elysia Novus." he paused briefly before he began his ascent. The Aeon has been my home since I left training he mentally repeated, likely the only one she ever had. Eli marveled at that fact briefly as he rose between the cold metal walls. He mentally compared it to the graceful architecture of Elysia Novus and for the briefest of moments he doubted himself. Would he ever be able to glide up this corridor as gracefully as the girl before him or grow used to his surroundings and the cold metal walls?

"Elysia Novus, the Aeon was there during the start of the war. We had to rescue our sister ship the Eucharis. I had hoped that we would have gotten to visit. But that did not happen." she responded.

"Interesting. It's a shame you didn't get to visit, it is quite a beautiful place, but to be honest..." he trailed off, trying to think of a polite way to say this. "the city tends to be rather closed off to foreigners."

"Still would have been nice to see the planet before the battle started. We never got close, we rescued the Eucharis, then it was off on another mission." Kim replied.

Eli nodded in response as he felt excitement grow within him over his earlier feelings of nervousness. It was just beginning to set in that he was likely about to get his first assignment. Basic had become a blur of exertion and cramming and he hadn't really had the time or emotional bandwidth to properly anticipate being assigned to a ship. Despite his best attempts at remaining stoic, he couldn't prevent a wide grin from showing up on his face until he looked up and realized he had fallen behind.

Kim was waiting several floors above standing in the entrance to the Second Deck. "Ise-Taisa is a good commander. She cares about her ship and crew. Since you are an Elysian, I would suggest that you salute Elysian style, she is not too fond of Nepleslian type salutes, and those of us who have been with her a while, know she prefers bows." she said smiling as she waited for his arrival.

"Thank you for the advice.", he smiled as he responded. He was pleasantly surprised by her knowledge of Elysian custom. Eli suddenly realized that he had barely spoken much to her other than polite responses so far and felt a little guilty. "Sorry", he apologized, completing his own thought. "I don't mean to be rude, this is all quite a bit wonderfully overwhelming. How long have you served on this ship then Shina-Heisho? You seem to be quite fond of it." He reached her just in time to finish the question but only after an effective but less than graceful exit from the zero-g elevator. During basic he thought he did alright, but seeing Shina-Heisho move so effortlessly in the environment he made a mental note to practice when he had the chance.

"I have served on the Aeon since late in YE 30. So that makes four years, six months. She is the closest thing to a home I have ever known. And the crew is like family. Not perhaps like a real family like you would have, but close enough. There are six of us who have served since the Aeon launched." She walked down the hall and into the lounge.

Eli contemplated those words as the woman continued to speak. Four years dedicated to a cause and not knowing much else. There was something beautiful and sad about the concept to him.

"This is the crew lounge, above us is the wardroom. Crew cabins circle the lounge. You get through the interview you can pick one. We go forward, and take the corridor that goes around the bridge. That is where the life pods... I am sorry. Here I am telling you how to get around. Have you reviewed the Plumeria-Class Gunship before you arrived?"

"Briefly. I also took the chance to review the basic layout on the trip over here, but obviously there's a world of difference between a map and actually walking around. So please don't feel embarrassed, it definitely doesn't hurt."

"Okay, well, once we get around the bridge, that is the door to Ise-Taisa's cabin. As for checking out the specifications for the the Plumeria, the Aeon is pretty much a standard D type. The only differences are upgrades to the bridge, and medical."

Kim lead the way to the Taisa's room. "Here you go. Take a minute to check your appearance and breath. When you are ready press the intercom. Good luck Destin-San. I will be in the cargo hold. Inventorying our last shipment." She smiled and turned around and made her way aft.

"Thank you Shina-Heisho. I appreciate the escort and the tour." Eli returned the smile as she turned to go.

From down the corridor, "Just remember we were all new to the ship. You make it through, I will show you around the rest of the ship." Kim's voice replied.

"I'd appreciate that." he replied, turning his attention to the door and intercom in front of him. He took a deep breath to calm his excitement. It was definitely starting to hit him now. Tempering that excitement though was the knowledge that he wasn't there yet, and that even assuming the interview went well and he was assigned a ship, he would be facing challenges of a scale and scope unlike he had ever experienced in his life before. He had always lived being expected to do great things, but for his entire life he always had his family's reputation to fall back on. He was completely in charge of his family's honor and reputation here and nobody had any expectations of him yet. The thought was a little exhilarating but more than a little terrifying.

Of course, he knew there would be another challenge as well, as he glanced at the comparatively diminutive Nitô Heisho receding from view. Before basic, he could probably count the number of non-Elysians he had seen in person on one hand. Now he would be the exotic stranger here with all that would entail. His wings were already starting to feel a little stiff trying to keep them closer than usual to avoid knocking into anything. He would get used to it. He took another deep breath, smoothed some feathers that were fine and pressed the button for the intercom.

Katae sat at her desk, she had a volumetric image up that showed Eli's service jacket, and the other was showing footage of him at various points in the hallway.

"Well so far Taisa, Destin-Hei, seems to have no problem dealing with Nekovalkyrja." Eternity said just before the buzzer.

Katae pressed the intercom control on her desk, "Enter Destin-Santô Hei." she said, and a second later Eternity opened the cabin door. Katae had her green almond shaped eyes looking at the open door so she could evaluate Eli's entrance.

Eli opened the door and walked through, his earlier signs of nervousness covered to the best of his ability. He stepped through and quickly tried to evaluate how much space in the office he would have for his wingspan before approaching the captain's desk and bowing crisply, folding his wings out behind him. "Eli Destin Santo-Hei reporting for duty, Taisa."
Katae watched Eli's entrance, she wondered how well he could handle the small space. She resisted the impulse to smile but thought, Nicely done.. She leaned forward in her seat, and nodded her head in response to the bow.

"Kindly take a seat Destin-Hei, and we can being your interview." She said pointing to the chair that was near her desk. She rotated her seat to face the other chair.

"Yes Ma'am" He rose, perhaps a little slower than usual as he accommodated himself to the space. He did feel something akin to a giant on this ship, but he would get used to it. He slid the chair back and sat in the chair across from the Taisa while doing his best to inconspicuously look smaller.

Katae gave a brief smile seeing Eli move around the room without wreaking havoc. She did a final glance at the service jacket, then with a wave dismissed both images.Another non-specialized soldier.

"Okay, I am going to skip my traditional first question. I may choose to come back to it, but I want to know why you chose to pursue an assignment with only basic training; instead of staying for specialization?" she asked

Eli considered his answer carefully, as if trying to pick words one by one and arranging them in his head. "I had a few motivations ma'am, but to be honest ma'am I was hoping for a chance for practical learning, and I suppose as rash as it may be, I grew a little impatient. I have been learning through Elysian schools my entire life." He rubbed his chin slightly, the truth of the matter was, he had no particularly good answer. He acted on instinct first and started rationalizing it later. He added, "additionally, I felt my physical capabilities were adequate for basic soldiering, and I was hoping for a chance to study IT under somebody experienced."

Katae listened to Eli's response, she liked his directness. Not concerned with giving her what he thought she wanted to hear.

"I can accept that answer Destin-Hei. Just for the record, I prefer my crew members to be candid with me. I value everyone's opinion. Not looking for puppets." she answered.

"Okay, this next question has a direct bearing on our current mission. How comfortable are you with dealing with new races, or other species. We have Geshrin, Yamataian, Minkan, and a new species member that we are going to look for her home system? I ask only because I want to make sure that we are not going to have personnel issues, because we do not know when we will be returning to Yamatai space."

Eli's face visibly lit up at the mention of a new species briefly before he quashed it to return to his former professional stoicness. It was a rather blunt question, but definitely a fair one and deserved an equal response. "I do not expect any issues Taisa, but my life on Elysia Novus has left me with very little personal contact with other races beyond those encountered in basic." He debated with himself internally about continuing this line of thought before deciding the Taisa deserved the truth. "I would appreciate if this was kept in confidence, but the Elysian reputation for intolerance is well deserved, especially in the heart of the republic. We believe that we are inherently superior to all other life.in the universe. I am not entirely exempt from this belief myself to be honest, but I do not share the beliefs of many of my contemporaries. I believe Elysian culture is the pinnacle of achievement, but I would imagine that the feeling is akin to the Taisa's own sense of patriotism and pride in the empire. Furthermore, I don't believe that other cultures can't have their own beauty and wonderful elements and I believe we can all learn from each other. To walk into another culture and insult or disrespect it would be rude, counterproductive, and unnecessary " He paused for a moment, it was somewhat difficult to put into words and he was worried that something was getting lost from the transition between idea and sound. He considered elaborating and using a metaphor to expand on his thoughts, but deemed it an unnecessary theoretical exercise. The Taisa wasn't particularly interested in his views, not really. She simply wanted to know if his presence would cause a problem. The thought had occasionally crossed his mind before basic, but it had never been a problem then, and he quite enjoyed the walk and conversation with the Heisho.

"On a more immediate level, despite my lack of personal contact with other races and cultures, I've always held an interest in them and I can honestly say I am very excited to meet new ones, and the idea of meeting an entirely new species is a more exciting prospect of a first assignment than I could possibly have hoped for." he smiled, a hint of genuine warmth showing behind his professionalism. "At the end of the day, I feel the individual is more important. You may notice that I never had any issues with my instructors or other soldiers in basic and I am actually looking forward to meeting the rest of the crew. I believe I will have no issues getting along with them or any guests." he finished. He knew this question was important and he felt comfortable with the answer given.

Katae listened to Eli. This was a question that she normally did not ask, but Elysian culture and mindset were well known. She smiled listening to his response. It was refreshing to hear, she would give him a chance to prove himself.

"Okay, that is a very good answer.

Last question, what personal trait or ability do you think bring to my crew?"

"I am confident in my core physical abilities and my ability to learn quickly. Secondly, I believe I can bring an outside perspective which may be helpful when encountering new cultures. Finally, I have a strong sense of honor and duty which I am confident will aid in ensuring that I will do my performative and ethical best for this ship, its crew, and its mission."

Katae looked at Eli for a moment and said nothing, She was thinking about the discussion, and weighing his responses. She then looked at her desk and entered a series of commands into the integrated keyboard.
"As for your desire to train in Information Technology, the Aeon does not have a dedicated IT person. I handle most of the IT stuff when dealing with Eternity and the primary systems.

So, for your training, we will have to use online curriculum and then practical exercises. That means I will overseeing that part of your training."

She opened a small drawer in her desk and reached in with her hand. "The only thing wrong at the moment is you are out of uniform." She withdrew her hand and extended it. In the palm of her hand, were a pair of Aeon ship patches. "You are missing your ship patch. Welcome aboard the Aeon Destin-Hei."

Eli smiled broadly, relaxing his demeanor slightly. "Thank you ma'am. I look forward to serving under you. I will not disappoint." He reached and took the patches. "If I may make an additional request Taisa?"

"If at all possible when exploring a new planet, I would very much like the opportunity to visit the surface of said planet at some point, provided doing so does not interfere with the rest of my duties at the time." He realized it was a rather selfish request and didn't expect it to be granted, but it was worth asking.

Katae smiled, she was glad that her new soldier felt comfortable to make a request. "When it comes to exploring planets, typically the Day Shift members are selected. So I will keep you in mind when an Away Team is being assembled. Any other questions Hei?"

He thought for a moment and realized given enough time he could probably come up with hundreds, but decided that it would be best to try other crew members before wasting the commander's time with unimportant questions. "None at the moment, Taisa"

"Very well. Then consider yourself dismissed. I am going to be meeting with the crew in the wardroom shortly. Once you select a cabin, and stow your gear and join us. If you need assistance, Shina-Heisho can assist you." she replied

"Thank you, Taisa. It will be an honor to serve under your command." he stated and stood up from the chair, bowing once more before pushing the chair back to it's original position. He turned to leave, but not before the beautiful Byobu caught his eye briefly. He would have to examine it more closely during his next meeting with the Taisa. With that he left her presence and proceeded down the hallway, eager to begin his service.

OFF