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RP: LSDF Val'ta [Expedition 1] - One from Another

LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

With a breath of air, Menelik actually nodded. For all of his desire to not cause or create a problem, Ix'ion was right about it all: Menelik couldn't keep running away from problems like Akemi, and hiding like this would just spur the cat on to act more brazenly. Which... With a breath of cool realization, the marine stopped worrying about whatever Akemi got up to. It wasn't his problem, and any Lorath woman that the cat bothered could handle herself without any help from him. So why should he care?

With a puff of air and the dimming of the single purple eye, Mene removed his armor's helmet with a smile back on his face. "Thank you, Sir. I needed a kick in the ass." He started walking, moving past Ix'ion and back to the gathered away team. "Time to, as my people say, nut up and stop being a pussy." Despite his vulgar language the meaning was clear as crystal, the words' speaker patting Ix'ion's shoulder as he went by. The Nepleslian actually did seem to have his confidence back as he made his way back into the group, stance proud and upright.

"Sorry about that folks, I had to take care of something real quick." He looked around, right at Captain Porrim and then Doctor Kalopsia.. "I think I should actually introduce myself to people. Captain, Doctor?" He snapped a curt salute at them both. "Private Menelik Berhane, NSMC. We haven't actually met, but your reputations precede you; Lieutenant Idoqu has admittedly told me much about you both." He quickly glanced over at Ji'xa and gave the short engineer a curt nod, before focusing back on the Captain and the Doctor(?).

"My'ean's taken it upon herself to train me in Frame Running, and I hope to be more useful to you in the future Captain, beyond just a grunt.
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

After being warned Akemi began to wonder what to say next to maximize the amount of amusement he got before they finally landed. A great idea suddenly came to him. "Hey Aran'ya," he said, absolutely brimming with excitement as if he had the perfect dirty joke to send everyone reeling in disgust. At the same time he had a ridiculously idiotic, innocent smile plastered on his face like that of a nervous child caught stealing from a cookie jar. "I heard you guys lay eggs." The Neko tried his best to sound smooth and natural as if he had no idea what he might be getting himself into. "Could I have your unfertilized ones? Have you ever eaten one of your own or swapped with your buddies?"
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

"What the... Did you just say what I think you said?" Those were the last words of Trade out of Ix'ion's mouth as his jaw dropped open. That which should never have been said, from someone... no, something that hadn't any business letting something so revolting, so utterly insulting out of their mouth. Anger began to well up within the Fyunnen, as he already had trouble dealing with the cat's antics as a whole, but for something like this... it was just beyond all reason.

Ix'ion was well fed up, having reached his limit and points well beyond with the extremely poor taste in commentary from the male Neko. "I simply can not believe something so vile would just casually escape their mouth. Am I really expected to believe that Akemi really knows not any better?" Ly'thir flowing from Ix'ion with a distinct sharpness that couldn't do his outrage the justice it deserved. His right hand moved to the hilt of Resolute, beginning to draw the blade as he advanced toward Akemi. "Captain, permission to put the disrespectful cat down, as well as relieve us of any further misery." The seriousness in his voice was matched only by the intensity of the movements of his body, unmistakably threatening toward Akemi.
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck
Porrim didn't even have the time to enjoy having her neck stimulated by Er'red when she heard every word of what Akemi said. Ix'ion was the first to call out, but Porrim wasn't going to let someone draw a sword on their own. "Sword down, Ix'ion!" She moved in, holding up a hand for calm, but her previously elevated mood.

"Koga Akemi," Porrim said, her usual smile absent, "what you told me about you being vaguely competent when there's work to be done is beginning to wear thin. I am beginning to think you are actually competent at lying, and shooting your mouth off." She sounded legitimately disappointed in his behaviour, and she had the perfect simmer of motherly disapproval in her voice, brow low and expression disgusted.

"You can't claim ignorance about customs like this, and expect us to roll with it forever. I have the feeling you're being deliberate. One more faux pas, one more Moon Drop-scale fuckup in public, and you will be reprimanded, discharged dishonourably and sent back to Yamatai." There was the looming implication that he could be sent back in pieces.

She leaned in a little, not far enough for her neck to be visible, but close enough to let him know she was in charge. "And between you and me, you'll leave this ship a virgin. Have I made myself clear?" The ship's ARIA was already logging the incident down. Akemi's file had a red mark on it, a symbol that looked like an M and a T put together with a line through the middle.

Some of the New Tur'lista and Fyunnen who were responsible for pit crewing the Whirlwinds levelled icy stares at the Nekovalkyrja. They were going to wait for him - no, it - if they left on mission after all. "Briefing will start in two minutes." Porrim announced, still residually bitter with all the buttering Akemi had done earlier. She felt like she needed a shower to get it off of her now.

-

[And this is a legitimate warning. Akemi's chances of survival socially are looking grim. First and only warning before consequences.]
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

Akemi crossed his arms at stomach level and stood as Porrim gave her warning. After what Porrim and Ix'ion said he couldn't care less about offending either of them or the others besides Aran'ya. If they couldn't handle words then it would be a good thing to be sent packing as they had no right to suspect him of being incompetent given the lack of logic or discipline indicated by their reactions. Why should he trust anyone with his life or with making important rational decisions if they so easily let themselves be ruled by emotions? To Akemi that was possibly just as disgusting as they felt his words were. In his mind if this reaction was an accurate reflection of how most or a very large portion of Lorath thought he reasoned they were doomed to failure. Perhaps several moons dropping on them would be a mercy killing and the best thing to happen to such a species. The idea caused him to suppress a grin. All the warning basically did for him was make it clear Porrim wasn't worth investing time in if she personally took such great offense and wasn't simply acting the way she did to stop others from escalating and to represent their feelings. If they were actually this bad in general he might as well be morally obligated to sabotage their mission so their intolerance didn't oppress and infect others.

The Neko really hoped Aran'ya was different. If not he'd be one sad kitten. As a result he had turned to expectantly look up at her with a cute little frown and fully down turned ears. Would this poor, little, innocent cat be left out in the rain? Part of him felt like throwing himself on his back and rolling at everyone while pawing the air.
 
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LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

"I look more confident?" Ny'za smiled at hearing that, she didn't like the impression that she often gave but there was nothing she could do about it. "And yes, I'll be collecting some fauna for research and bringing back to Yabeu if they're safe. Of course that comes after making sure the planet is safe though. I'm really eager to see what we find, wildlife documentation was not that in depth before they had to evacuate."

Her attention turned toward Er'red, seeing that he was done with the captain. "Doctor? Can I get the field service unit?" She wasn't paying enough attention to realize that he was embarrassed, but she could tell he was kind of zoned out and could use a little push back into the present. However before she could get the unit she heard something that made her pause and her whole body tense with anger.

Akemi's offense had gone much too far and before she knew it her flaws had already come out. Well within range to rend Akemi's face to shreds, had she not been the more passive sort it'd have happened before either Ix'ion or Porrim had a chance to say anything. She held back however and only planned, many horrific and unfortunate accidents, most of which didn't look all that accidental. The images were satisfying her urge to harm someone, but with Akemi trying to make himself look cute and helpless, her rage was not able to simmer and she instead growled rather vocally at Akemi, fangs bared like an attack dog ready to strike.
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

Aran'ya was trying enjoy a nice conversation with an old friend, but it seemed she wasn't going to be given that luxury for long. The verbal admonishment issued by Captain Porrim and the sound of a Searing Blade being drawn by Ix'ion on Akemi let her know that what was merely annoyance before suddenly got a lot more serious for the prankster, as he threw himself down at the Medic's feet for some kind of mercy.

Now, the insect-aspected L'manel could easily stand Akemi's constant attempts at showboating, groping, stealing a kiss from her or what have you... and certainly had proven up till this point she was able to match his half-witted, incensing comments with those of her own. But what had come out of his mouth a moment before had crossed a line between trading insults and something that offended the race as a whole. Unfortunately for him, the Lorath woman also was pretty pissed off already about the perceived snubbing by Keib and to throw this at her right in front of a growling Ny'za was just asking to catch some thunder.

Widow's shifting irises burned a ruddy orange as she reached down to grab the groveling Akemi at the scruff of his neck like the mischievous kitten he was, the enhanced musculature of the WIND suit making it a simple task to toss him around like a rag doll if she wished. Her fangs came out and her skin took on an chitinous sheen, giving him an imposing stare that might kill all by itself as the six-foot-tall medic lifted him clear off the floor to bring his face right up next to hers.

"The only egg you're getting is the one all over your face right now, cat," Aran'ya hissed in that predatory tone with venom on her breath, "You just single-handedly ruined any kind of goodwill you had left with the Captain and this crew. Hell, you're one inch away from giving a trigger happy Lorath the perfect reason to paste you like the disgusting Nekovalkyrja freak everyone else thinks you are. You really want to cause an international incident here for your selfish goals and sense of fun?"

There was a tiny degree of pity and concern somewhere in the monstrous gaze, as she felt in some way responsible for the antics of the Nekovalkyrja since the events of the briefing, and he had to be put in his place now to avoid the worst possible outcome. She didn't quite care if she was going to be reprimanded for putting hands on him like this to do it, either. "So, go ahead, Akemi... keep pretending this is some fucked up cartoon show and you're the wisecracking hero who can do no wrong. When that big hammer comes down on you hard -- and we both know it will -- your little adventure will come to a messy end. And I won't be there to scrape you up from the floor... got it?"
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

The wait before the briefing and sortie was one that Mirage had been largely enjoying a chance to settle and relax. Thoughts on the snow dusted landscape below and the pleasant task of being a watch dog for the infantry and specialists had been all that consumed her mind while the others chattered. That had changed with the words the male cat had dared to utter.

The Corporal she had met earlier was the first to respond, a decision that she wasn't about to contradict only halted by a firm command made by their Captain. For her part the Captain was keeping her cool, though gone was the casual, whimsical, joy that had carried the woman in all instances prior. The display was inspiring in a way, showing a firmness to the L'manel captain that Mirage had quietly doubted existed, after all she seemed so care free. Not necessarily a trait that was welcome in a commanding officer on who their lives might all depend during difficult decisions.

Even so Mirage's attention was focused not on the cat, nor the Captain, but instead she directed the Whirlwind's sensors to observe the Medic known as "Widow" it was with her that the true weight rested. Would she brush off something that had offended the crew, and perhaps should be viewed with scorn by all Lorath? Or would the L'manel revoke her patience? The response would affect the woman almost more than the offending cat, after all at this point it was expected of them to be crude and uncivilized.

The fury that answered the unspoken question was appropriate, it left nothing to mystery and made it clear that even the most tolerant among their number felt that the cat had stepped over a line. A line that they were unlikely to be able to retreat to the safe side of any time soon. Warnings had been given, the ultimatum was made clear. Either the strange Nekovalkyrja would toe the line and act with respect and professionalism, or they would be removed from the crew one way or another. Strangely Mirage found that she couldn't summon her own fury, instead worry plagued her. Worry that the crew might treat the other foreigners poorly because of the actions of one of their number. Would innocents be harmed as a result of the actions of one? Were they truly innocent?
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

Refusing to be cowed into submission Akemi kept his arms crossed and smiled smugly, eyes glinting with contentment. To him this was just an opportunity to make the medic feel indebted and guilty towards him in the future when they actually faced some real adversity together and needed each other's help. "Sure, and I'll still be kind, moral and responsible enough to save you and everyone else from needing to be scraped off the floor when you inevitably have to face greater threats than cheerful banter from a fellow soldier. I'll even graciously accept your certain apology. If I could take an unkind word for you I would but sadly I can only do bullets." As he said the last part he threw up his hands in a helpless shrug.
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

He had said that he was going to ignore Akemi's BS from here on, but even his own promises had a limit. At first Menelik hadn't exactly understood what the cat had been getting at when he said what he had, but the reactions of the Lorath around him had made it clear that whatever it was had been a faux-pas. Then his brain had clicked and pieced together what the... the... What Fucking Akemi had said. For a variety of reasons it had pissed the dreadlock'd man off, and not for prevent him from introducing himself to the captain.

Menelik was never what you'd call a purely scientific individual. He had full faith in science and the scientific method, and in people who knew it better than he did, but he'd had a more religious upbringing than most Nepleslians. Even so, to any Nepleslian the idea of what was essentially killing and consuming one's unborn child or in more perhaps biologically synergetic terms, a woman's own monthly discharge? That thought was both disgusting and almost blasphemous in the implications. To someone of Menelik's faith, in which the consumption of child or immature meat was forbidden, and in which the murder of a child or unborn child in any situation other than to save the life of a mother was one of the most blasphemous crimes possible in the eyes of He Who Sung the Universe? It was a miracle that Mene managed to avoid leaping at the cat who didn't even deserve the respect of being addressed by his own first name.

"Koga." Menelik's voice wasn't exactly icy, but it had its own tinge of restrained and righteous indignation behind it. "If you keep acting the way you've been acting on this ship, and continue to act as the victim whenever someone tires of your behavior, you will not find the good times you seek. And I say this as a Nepleslian: Do not ever try to justify your actions as "I'm just trying to get in good with our hosts". To say such a thing does not only insult Captain Porrim, but it insults all Yamataian and Nepleslian persons on board." The big marine stared angrily at the cat, just as angry at him but with the anger coming from a different place.

"You are not the comic relief, you are not the person everyone likes to see to lighten their day. Stop." His head tilted to glare far less angrily, but more exasperatedly at Aran'ya. "You owe not just Trooper Ly'Cosa an apology, but every single Lorath, Yamataian, Nekovalkyrja, Nepleslian, and other assorted persons on this ship a true apology, in my opinion."
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

"That's nice," Akemi answered indifferently. "It wasn't meant as an insult. People choose to be offended whether they admit it or not. Words are just words. In my opinion it sounds like you're desperately brown nosing and repeatedly insulting people by speaking for them as if they can't speak for themselves. Last time I checked it was called a matriarchy. The women and men can defend themselves. If you can't handle hurt feelings I don't think the military is for you. I have a sneaking suspicion enemy combatants won't care about your social taboos and requests for apologies. To me it sounds like you want me to respect you less and verbally coddle you."
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

She had taken the distraction as an opportunity to worm her way away from the ship’s doctor, and into the general mix of Lorath soldiers. She ended up, this time, on the other side of Menelik again—he was large and worked as a good buffer. In fact, being a part of this particular scuffle seemed to be the only alternative to starting her own.

The nekovalkryja seemed wholly unrepentant. The smug look on his face made Ghost’s tail curl. Even as a Helashio, these comments made her want to hit him until he stopped twitching. The other nekovalkyrja had been kind, polite, and reasonably humble. This one just reminded Ghost vaguely of a petulant child.

“Shut up,” Ghost decided, quietly, thumbing the grip of her surveyor's stave. "If you're not going to apologize, at least shut up."
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

"If you don't want to hear from me don't engage me. I'll accept an apology from you too in the future. I forgive you." Akemi gave Ghost a cheery mile wide smile and a thumbs up.
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

"Goddess help me... All I want is to do is get on with this expedition and know that I need not worry about who is watching my back. Perhaps prove my worth to the crew and Captain, and not just be looked upon as a brute without any class." Ix'ion took a moment, standing with his back to most everyone in the room. The hilt of his sword firmly in his hand. White knuckled, grasping the blade like his life depended on it.

It was true, he lost his cool, but he thought it was for good reason. What else was there to get offended by if not words spoken by one without respect? Especially those things that struck a chord, against everything one such as him had ever known to be off limits. He asked himself, over and over again, should he continue to abide by someone with little regard or respect for those around them? Could he just brush things off because they don't know better, even though they should, or worse yet they do know and don't care?

He stood there with his eyes closed, a slight tremble in his form as his thoughts sifted and shifted, raking over what he believed was right and what he knew was expected of him. Slowly he moved to sheath his sword, exhaling his tension, then turned about back to the gathered members of the Away Team. For all of his youth, being younger than most Lorath on the ship, Ix'ion knew he let his emotions get the better of him. But that didn't mean he had to stomach disrespect, regardless of if it was directed at him or not.

He was a being that valued honor above anything else, and those without honor were less than the ground he stood upon. His disdain, and overall disapproval of Akemi, radiated from his form - marked by the serious look on his face and the tension his body held.

"My apologies, Captain." Ly'thir escaping his lips, no longer voicing Trade for the time being.
 
J'ann, having conveniently been absent from the fray to dress into appropriate clothing (And to hide his embarassment at getting completely chewed out by Porrim. She was right, of course, which made it all the more embarassing) came to the hangar bay to a darker atmosphere than he was expecting.

Asking somebody what's wrong here is the worst idea I've ever had, he thought, shifting slightly in his militarized winter gear. But, I didn't get this far by asking questions. Let's just play a game of follow the eyelines.

Pulse played his little game, his gaze bouncing between expressions before centering on Akemi. Why am I not surprised?

He made a point of sidling up to Ny'za, since they'd be sharing a transport shortly (if his reading-over-the-shoulder was to be believed).

"Looks like I'll be joining you today," he said to her, gremlin-smiling.
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

Ghost went about breaking his legs.

The first strike was from the stave; she gripped it with her upper hand as a fulcrum, and smoothed down with her lower for power. The thing was nearly as long as she was, but for some reason she knew this would turn it into a much more accurate weapon when controlled. This, a forward thrust upwards for the groin.

Her forward foot shifted with it. On contact, and following the veritable howl of pain, she smartly yanked left, and right, kneecapping him. The kneecaps didn’t shatter—apparently Nekovalkyrja were made of sterner stuff, or perhaps Akemi spent too much time on his knees sucking someone off who would put up with his shit—but the effect would be the same. Akemi, rolled over clutching his groin with his knees totally gone, despite whatever armor he was wearing.

Except that Ghost didn’t do it.
(Though gods, she wanted to)​

Ghost stared at him with her silver eyes, frustrated but calm and disciplined; the exact opposite of the foreign soldier in front of her, though the image of Akemi writhing in pain on the ground seemed a good one. Maybe she gripped a little harder on her piece of equipment-become-impromptu weaponry. But she didn’t use it.

She didn't hit him, didn't say anything else.

She did stare.
 
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LSDF Val’ta, Launching Bay

Had Jiji not had trauma beforehand involving the Akahar, she could’ve probably been too timid to respond to the grave insult that Akemi had just given. She slowly turned and looked at the cat for a moment and then just… frowned. She felt nothing, actually, towards the cat, not even a sense of pity. Not even dislike! She just felt nothing, the cat was a moron, and a poor example of Yamataian ingenuity. She idly wondered what type of trouble she’d get in if she hacked her way passed the Val’ta AI and fudged with Akemi’s room gravity, and oxygen to crush, or smother him.

Jiji had killed before, albeit by mistake, and it was her own prisoners. She could do the same with this cat, who was very much becoming more of an enemy than a friend. However, she shook her head gently and turned to look back at Aran’ya. This was not a luxury she would get, because once more the cat opens his mouth and treated everything like a stupid game. She slowly turned back and looked at Akemi, quietly, coldly, not that the cat cared all that much about the small L’manel who looked like a child. She finally had enough of this farce, so she did decide to say something.

“Akemi Koga, I know that you mass-produced bio-engineered waste of spaces known as Nekovalkyrja don’t have souls. I know you don’t fear death either. But for the love of all that is holy on Lor, Shut. The Fuck. Up.. Seriously, you sexist worthless soulless piece of Yamataian waste. You think that this is playful banter? You think looking down on us because we’re women is OKAY? You then even consider what eating our CHILDREN are like, daring to ask us for one of our eggs? And you think this is NORMAL? I know for fact that Yamatai doesn’t look favorably towards cannibalism, perhaps we should report the fact you’re interested in it to your empress, see how she enjoys that. Now, we will keep you from dying, we will treat you like a soldier, and fight alongside you. But socially to me at least, you are not worth the time of day.”

With that batch of insults thrown, and that threat given, however ignored it may be, the small L’manel turned back towards Aran’ya. Unaware that she insulted pretty much all of the Neko’s, nor really caring to be honest. “Now… I suppose you’re right, I could be useful on the ground, I wasn’t really thinking I guess…” She paused thinking about Akahar for a moment and then sighed. “Let’s hope that I don’t slow you down at least.” She grinned a bit.
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

Akemi wondered how long people would bother to keep whining about things not said to them just because they could. Did they have no self-esteem? If they couldn't handle this it sure seemed to him that they should strongly consider suicide as a Neko saying things they didn't care for was probably the least of their concerns in the grand scheme of things. It was pretty ridiculous to him that people complained about his lack of social grace yet here they were pouncing on him as soon as an opportunity appeared. What was the point? To stroke their egos? He'd sure be embarrassed to have such people represent his own. "You choose to be offended by something not meant to offend said to someone other than yourself. Can you not mind your own business? You seem to be the soulless one as you appear to lack the spark of individual rationality to come to conclusions beyond your social programming. Don't worry, unlike you I don't feel a need to be offended just because people have acted like it was right and proper to be in the past. I can think for myself. I forgive you and accept your eventual apology."
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

Ny'za's fury was interrupted by the send of someone moving into her personal space, turning around she noticed it was J'ann. Though her hostility remained there was enough pause to give her a moment to think whole she answered his question. "Working together would be great, are you riding with me?" It was slight but there was a bit of a smile on her face.

Now that she had gotten her wits back and took both Ji'xa and Aran'ya's hands and gave a light tug, trying to pull them away from Akemi. Of course she motioned for J'ann to follow, she didn't have a third hand though to grab him with. "Let's move over a bit." She no longer saw a point in engaging Akemi who was unrepentant and stubborn, soldiers who couldn't play nice with others never lived long unless teh captains sent them to the brig anyway. Besides the cat probably wasn't even a hand full of years old, less than an eight or or maybe even a tenth the age of Lorath present. "None of us have to work with the cat anyway so we don't need to talk to him."
 
LSDF Val'ta, Launch Deck

The first instinct that Menelik had at Fucking Akemi's retort was to get angry and beat the ever loving shit out of the cat, but he forced that down with self control. It was fine that Fucking Akemi was a terrible person who had no sense of right or wrong, it wasn't really his problem. Mene had been about to start talking to someone else when the object of the entire crew's ire actually managed to insult Bright and Elm; which as far as he went was... for some reason a very angering thing to do. The instinctual response to that was more aggressive and violent... and repressed just as much as when he simply wanted to punch the cat. As desirable as it would be to do very violent things to the cat, all it was doing was digging its own grave judging by the Captain's sudden lack of patience. It occurred to Menelik though that the best way to win with Fucking Akemi... is not to play? That Lorath pilot, Mirage was it? She definitely seemed to have the right idea, and following her example would be more than helpful.

With a look at Ix'ion that said 'Fuck this' Menelik actually started to walk away from it, following Mirage. He wasn't coming alone though, as he put a hand on Elm's back and tried to shepherd her along with him before... well, something bad happened.

"Speak for yourself, Sir... err, with Lorath, should I use Ma'am instead of Sir?" He had started to try to talk with her but he'd realized that he still wasn't sure on the correct way of addressing a superior Lorath.
 
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