- RP Date
- 46.7
- RP Location
- Empress' Palace, Kyoto, Yamatai
Planet Yamatai
Empress' Palace
Below the carpeted halls of the Empress Palace, away from the gilded chandeliers and wood paneling, were even older levels where opulence gave way to glossy metals and blinking lights in the Uesureyan styles. There lay a massive and powerful base, protected by Zesuaium, where the heart of the Empire's operations were safe, and the location for the Empress' medical facilities and backup bodies lived. In this mysterious lower level, one of Ketsurui Yui's bodies came to life as she downloaded herself into it from Ketsurui Star Fortress in orbit. Taisho Yui took a look around, and quickly went to a locker, which opened to reveal a folded Type 35 uniform and a golden NSP. She got dressed and headed to a nearby conference room to for a face-to-face meeting.
The interior of the conference room was taken up by a large circular table and the walls were covered in massive flat panel displays that most read "SYSTEM: THIS STATION IN STANDBY MODE" in teal letters on a black background. Above the table was a circular set of lights in the stereotypical "war room" style. As Yui grabbed the tallest seat at the table and moved it, she connected to the system and the circle in the center of the round table began to fill with a map of the surrounding mega-city of Kyoto, and a volumetric jack-o-lantern shaped candy bucket suspended in the air above it.
The Candy Festival. An annual tradition, the Candy Festival originally started as a test of the efficiency with which the Star Army of Yamatai could use the Yamatai Star Empire's advanced tracking systems and SAINT intelligence to find all of the Empire's citizens and residents, and to provide them all with a candy that symbolized something vital such as a vaccine to cure some virus—zombie or Mishhu or a new Great Plague—and a test of the Star Army's ability to pull off an incredibly large logistical challenge. For this task, Yui had the right people for the job in mind, and they were close to home...
With the YSS Kaiyō II in port between missions and all of the festivals that filled the final months of Yamatai's calendar year, Ketsurui Aiko was home in Kyoto without duties. Though this youngest of Taisho Yui's daughters almost compulsively filled some of her leisure time with charitable services and honorary visits in the name of the Empire, she spent many hours in her quarters here at the palace and so was on hand for Yui's summons today.
Aiko arrived at the conference room precisely when she was asked wearing a white paneled Type 35 for the occasion. Known for her impeccable style, on any other day Aiko would have donned a stunning kimono or something more fashionable, but meeting with Yui demanded military attire. Her uniform only adorned with her own gilded sidearm and Order of the Blazing Sun, Aiko quickly made her way across the floor toward Yui at her place standing in command of the table.
Alongside Aiko came her captain, Taiyou Hoshi. The princess had encouraged the Kaiyō's commander to come along for the task. After all, the pair had in past years participated in less grand parts of the Candy Festival and worked well together whether fighting Mishhuvurthyar or pleasing Yamatai's citizens with their graces. The captain's white panels of her Type 35 matched Aiko's, though Hoshi wore a white captain's hat that she removed to bow to the Mistress Taisho.
Yui walked over and respectfully returned the bow followed by a firm Nepleslian-style handshake and a hug for both Aiko and Hoshi. "Welcome, come in. Thank you for coming," she said. "Can I get you any tea?" she offered. From a side door, a pink-paneled caretaker came out with a wooden tray that had a glass tea kettle on it and some glass cups and saucers, along with sugars and so on.
"Of course, we are at your command," Aiko said back, taking the hug in the way she usually did—with a red blush blooming across her nose and a bashful wince as she returned the gesture, slipping her arms around Yui's waist—before stepping away and bowing to Yui more deeply than the Taisho had to her. She nodded over to the caretaker as a courtesy but continued to address her mother. "Yes. I would welcome a pour. No sugars or cream, please."
"I'll take it the same way," Hoshi said with a pleasant smile to the caretaker and a nod of thanks. Looking to Yui and the glowing pumpkin bucket they sat around, her face grew more serious without losing the hints of friendliness at the corners of her eyes . "What matter have you called upon us today, Mistress Taisho? Though, I believe I can venture a guess."
Yui had a green tea with a jagged brown sugar cube and a spoonful of Velanese honey in it. The delightful aroma of their drinks filled the air, a pleasant change from the somewhat sterile air of the palace's underground base. "The annual Candy Festival is quickly approaching and as recent war heroes and given your backgrounds in finding the immpossible to find and achieving the mission no matter what, I feel like this could be your time to shine and run the Kyoto part of the candy festival, in terms of creating activities for public, working with Star Army Logistics to distribute the candy, and to oversee safety and security. Kyoto is the Empire's largest population center and will be flooded with visitors for the festival so this is the most important position on the festival night. Can I count on you two to take on the task?" Yui asked Aiko and Hoshi.
"Of course, Taisho," Aiko responded straightaway, but not in a way that sounded over-eager or hurried. "Kyoto will remain secure for the festival."
"Excellent," Yui smiled, flashing a glimpse of those old school Nekovalkyrja fangs she still had. "I think this will be a way to give the public a close-up experience with you instead of simply hearing of your exploits--if they can be made public--from afar."
"Will her Excellency the Premier Hanako-taisho be present?" Aiko asked. "Her long history at the forefront of Kyoto's celebrations is a feat to live up to, and I will endeavor to keep space for her traditions in the course of any planning. I would not want her to feel diminished."
"Yes, Hanako will absolutely be there," Aiko nodded. "Not only is the morale of Star Army Personnel part of her role as Director of SAPERCOM but also as Premier it's super important to her to show herself in action helping everyday Yamataians and to make sure they're enjoying life in the Empire. I was going to ask her to be here but she's out doing inspections in the ships of the First Fleet."
“I feel my ship’s 'time to shine' is usually when against the enemy, so I can’t say I’m fully confident we’ll be at our best with this task. But it’s a challenge—a new one at that—and we’re never one to balk at such. There is usually a theme to Candy Festivals, is there not? Has one been chosen this year?” Hoshi asked, having been quiet for a moment as she thought over this new-to-her type of mission.
"I don't think a theme has been selected but it might make sense to have something that in some way promotes the war effort," Yui replied to Hoshi, giving a little shrug. "I also had a more personal question for Aiko."
"We performed admirably at the International Relations Conference, Hoshi-taisa," Aiko said, not quite catching up to Yui's last statement for a moment. "This will be similar but with costu—" she continued until halting her thought and stiffening up a bit while her face grew red again. "Yes, Yui-san?"
Having gotten her answer and with a quick smile to Aiko, Hoshi nodded and brought her hands off the table, as if trying to give space for the two.
"Lately there's been some talk about the Ketsurui family name being changed back to Kitsurugi, and I was wondering what you thought about it," Yui told Aiko. "You know, between us, since you're here."
Aiko looked somewhat relieved to hear the question. Her alabaster skin's rosy flush quickly faded to its pale luster, and the little bit of tension in her posture fell back to normal. It wasn't nearly as personal as the younger Ketsurui expected.
"What you decide we are called will be acceptable to me in any case," Aiko said. "And should be to anyone else. I was not yet born when you made the change for us the first time, but as I understand history and those residual emotions imparted to me upon creation, we are 'Ketsurui' to honor someone you felt admiration and a touch of guilt for, if I may say so. Correct me if I am mistaken, it is a fleeting feeling," the princess admitted. "I have already been called 'Kitsurugi' when serving alongside Uesu's Nekovalkyrja, so the moniker does not bother me. Ketsurui or Kitsurugi, I remain Aiko, and will bring honor to our name's heritage as protectors of the Star Empire."
"Mmm," Yui nodded, rubbing her chin. "Yes, well Emperor Uesu certainly has his opinions as well," she noted. "I believe he's already made his choice. Anyway, I will be pleased to see you in action again. The Kaiyo is one of the Star Army's finest ships in any fleet, not just the First Fleet, and I trust you to get the job done."
"What exactly does logistics need from us," Hoshi asked, back to planning for the end of the month's celebration. "And can we expect to be able to give little tasks or ways for Candycorn to interact with the public?"
"I believe we will need to set their guidelines for candy procurement and distribution, Taisa," Aiko assumed. "And we will need to coordinate supplies for those security forces on hand."
"It's easy to see how you ran the IRC without a hitch," Hoshi said out of the corner of her mouth, as if sharing in a secret the whole room could hear.
"Only with your help, Hoshi-san," Aiko added sounding too genuine for Hoshi's obvious statement. "This will be simple. More citizens, but less devious than all of those diplomats," she said with a wink to her captain.
Yui grinned, "Ha, you remember Candycorn!" she laughed, referring to the Candy-Festival themed mascot Nekovalkyrja. "Yes, she'll be there for you to work with and yes you can delegate tasks as needed. It's a big job and many hands will be needed. You will have thousands of extra personnel on duty from all corners of the Empire, such as ship crews and Rikugun soldiers from Fort Minori."
"We will make sure they feel included in the festivities in Kyoto despite on duty being so far away from their home ports and stations, Taisho," Aiko nodded.
"Who can resist the comfort of sugar, chocolate, and dressing funny?" Yui chuckled. "You two should try to have some fun too, it's work but it's good work and very rewarding. I've overseen some of the past Candy Festivals and it's always nice to see the Star Army doing something positive for the people we serve instead just fighting war out of their view. I especially like seeing the happy kids. I would have liked to have known that when I was raised, but you don't pick the circumstances of your birth, right? At least not the first time."
- - -
OOC: JP by Wes, Raz, and Ame
Empress' Palace
Below the carpeted halls of the Empress Palace, away from the gilded chandeliers and wood paneling, were even older levels where opulence gave way to glossy metals and blinking lights in the Uesureyan styles. There lay a massive and powerful base, protected by Zesuaium, where the heart of the Empire's operations were safe, and the location for the Empress' medical facilities and backup bodies lived. In this mysterious lower level, one of Ketsurui Yui's bodies came to life as she downloaded herself into it from Ketsurui Star Fortress in orbit. Taisho Yui took a look around, and quickly went to a locker, which opened to reveal a folded Type 35 uniform and a golden NSP. She got dressed and headed to a nearby conference room to for a face-to-face meeting.
The interior of the conference room was taken up by a large circular table and the walls were covered in massive flat panel displays that most read "SYSTEM: THIS STATION IN STANDBY MODE" in teal letters on a black background. Above the table was a circular set of lights in the stereotypical "war room" style. As Yui grabbed the tallest seat at the table and moved it, she connected to the system and the circle in the center of the round table began to fill with a map of the surrounding mega-city of Kyoto, and a volumetric jack-o-lantern shaped candy bucket suspended in the air above it.
The Candy Festival. An annual tradition, the Candy Festival originally started as a test of the efficiency with which the Star Army of Yamatai could use the Yamatai Star Empire's advanced tracking systems and SAINT intelligence to find all of the Empire's citizens and residents, and to provide them all with a candy that symbolized something vital such as a vaccine to cure some virus—zombie or Mishhu or a new Great Plague—and a test of the Star Army's ability to pull off an incredibly large logistical challenge. For this task, Yui had the right people for the job in mind, and they were close to home...
With the YSS Kaiyō II in port between missions and all of the festivals that filled the final months of Yamatai's calendar year, Ketsurui Aiko was home in Kyoto without duties. Though this youngest of Taisho Yui's daughters almost compulsively filled some of her leisure time with charitable services and honorary visits in the name of the Empire, she spent many hours in her quarters here at the palace and so was on hand for Yui's summons today.
Aiko arrived at the conference room precisely when she was asked wearing a white paneled Type 35 for the occasion. Known for her impeccable style, on any other day Aiko would have donned a stunning kimono or something more fashionable, but meeting with Yui demanded military attire. Her uniform only adorned with her own gilded sidearm and Order of the Blazing Sun, Aiko quickly made her way across the floor toward Yui at her place standing in command of the table.
Alongside Aiko came her captain, Taiyou Hoshi. The princess had encouraged the Kaiyō's commander to come along for the task. After all, the pair had in past years participated in less grand parts of the Candy Festival and worked well together whether fighting Mishhuvurthyar or pleasing Yamatai's citizens with their graces. The captain's white panels of her Type 35 matched Aiko's, though Hoshi wore a white captain's hat that she removed to bow to the Mistress Taisho.
Yui walked over and respectfully returned the bow followed by a firm Nepleslian-style handshake and a hug for both Aiko and Hoshi. "Welcome, come in. Thank you for coming," she said. "Can I get you any tea?" she offered. From a side door, a pink-paneled caretaker came out with a wooden tray that had a glass tea kettle on it and some glass cups and saucers, along with sugars and so on.
"Of course, we are at your command," Aiko said back, taking the hug in the way she usually did—with a red blush blooming across her nose and a bashful wince as she returned the gesture, slipping her arms around Yui's waist—before stepping away and bowing to Yui more deeply than the Taisho had to her. She nodded over to the caretaker as a courtesy but continued to address her mother. "Yes. I would welcome a pour. No sugars or cream, please."
"I'll take it the same way," Hoshi said with a pleasant smile to the caretaker and a nod of thanks. Looking to Yui and the glowing pumpkin bucket they sat around, her face grew more serious without losing the hints of friendliness at the corners of her eyes . "What matter have you called upon us today, Mistress Taisho? Though, I believe I can venture a guess."
Yui had a green tea with a jagged brown sugar cube and a spoonful of Velanese honey in it. The delightful aroma of their drinks filled the air, a pleasant change from the somewhat sterile air of the palace's underground base. "The annual Candy Festival is quickly approaching and as recent war heroes and given your backgrounds in finding the immpossible to find and achieving the mission no matter what, I feel like this could be your time to shine and run the Kyoto part of the candy festival, in terms of creating activities for public, working with Star Army Logistics to distribute the candy, and to oversee safety and security. Kyoto is the Empire's largest population center and will be flooded with visitors for the festival so this is the most important position on the festival night. Can I count on you two to take on the task?" Yui asked Aiko and Hoshi.
"Of course, Taisho," Aiko responded straightaway, but not in a way that sounded over-eager or hurried. "Kyoto will remain secure for the festival."
"Excellent," Yui smiled, flashing a glimpse of those old school Nekovalkyrja fangs she still had. "I think this will be a way to give the public a close-up experience with you instead of simply hearing of your exploits--if they can be made public--from afar."
"Will her Excellency the Premier Hanako-taisho be present?" Aiko asked. "Her long history at the forefront of Kyoto's celebrations is a feat to live up to, and I will endeavor to keep space for her traditions in the course of any planning. I would not want her to feel diminished."
"Yes, Hanako will absolutely be there," Aiko nodded. "Not only is the morale of Star Army Personnel part of her role as Director of SAPERCOM but also as Premier it's super important to her to show herself in action helping everyday Yamataians and to make sure they're enjoying life in the Empire. I was going to ask her to be here but she's out doing inspections in the ships of the First Fleet."
“I feel my ship’s 'time to shine' is usually when against the enemy, so I can’t say I’m fully confident we’ll be at our best with this task. But it’s a challenge—a new one at that—and we’re never one to balk at such. There is usually a theme to Candy Festivals, is there not? Has one been chosen this year?” Hoshi asked, having been quiet for a moment as she thought over this new-to-her type of mission.
"I don't think a theme has been selected but it might make sense to have something that in some way promotes the war effort," Yui replied to Hoshi, giving a little shrug. "I also had a more personal question for Aiko."
"We performed admirably at the International Relations Conference, Hoshi-taisa," Aiko said, not quite catching up to Yui's last statement for a moment. "This will be similar but with costu—" she continued until halting her thought and stiffening up a bit while her face grew red again. "Yes, Yui-san?"
Having gotten her answer and with a quick smile to Aiko, Hoshi nodded and brought her hands off the table, as if trying to give space for the two.
"Lately there's been some talk about the Ketsurui family name being changed back to Kitsurugi, and I was wondering what you thought about it," Yui told Aiko. "You know, between us, since you're here."
Aiko looked somewhat relieved to hear the question. Her alabaster skin's rosy flush quickly faded to its pale luster, and the little bit of tension in her posture fell back to normal. It wasn't nearly as personal as the younger Ketsurui expected.
"What you decide we are called will be acceptable to me in any case," Aiko said. "And should be to anyone else. I was not yet born when you made the change for us the first time, but as I understand history and those residual emotions imparted to me upon creation, we are 'Ketsurui' to honor someone you felt admiration and a touch of guilt for, if I may say so. Correct me if I am mistaken, it is a fleeting feeling," the princess admitted. "I have already been called 'Kitsurugi' when serving alongside Uesu's Nekovalkyrja, so the moniker does not bother me. Ketsurui or Kitsurugi, I remain Aiko, and will bring honor to our name's heritage as protectors of the Star Empire."
"Mmm," Yui nodded, rubbing her chin. "Yes, well Emperor Uesu certainly has his opinions as well," she noted. "I believe he's already made his choice. Anyway, I will be pleased to see you in action again. The Kaiyo is one of the Star Army's finest ships in any fleet, not just the First Fleet, and I trust you to get the job done."
"What exactly does logistics need from us," Hoshi asked, back to planning for the end of the month's celebration. "And can we expect to be able to give little tasks or ways for Candycorn to interact with the public?"
"I believe we will need to set their guidelines for candy procurement and distribution, Taisa," Aiko assumed. "And we will need to coordinate supplies for those security forces on hand."
"It's easy to see how you ran the IRC without a hitch," Hoshi said out of the corner of her mouth, as if sharing in a secret the whole room could hear.
"Only with your help, Hoshi-san," Aiko added sounding too genuine for Hoshi's obvious statement. "This will be simple. More citizens, but less devious than all of those diplomats," she said with a wink to her captain.
Yui grinned, "Ha, you remember Candycorn!" she laughed, referring to the Candy-Festival themed mascot Nekovalkyrja. "Yes, she'll be there for you to work with and yes you can delegate tasks as needed. It's a big job and many hands will be needed. You will have thousands of extra personnel on duty from all corners of the Empire, such as ship crews and Rikugun soldiers from Fort Minori."
"We will make sure they feel included in the festivities in Kyoto despite on duty being so far away from their home ports and stations, Taisho," Aiko nodded.
"Who can resist the comfort of sugar, chocolate, and dressing funny?" Yui chuckled. "You two should try to have some fun too, it's work but it's good work and very rewarding. I've overseen some of the past Candy Festivals and it's always nice to see the Star Army doing something positive for the people we serve instead just fighting war out of their view. I especially like seeing the happy kids. I would have liked to have known that when I was raised, but you don't pick the circumstances of your birth, right? At least not the first time."
- - -
OOC: JP by Wes, Raz, and Ame