RP: LSDF Akahar [Interim] - In the Cold Distance

[Luca]

All along the watchtower, princes kept the view
While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too.
Outside in the cold distance a wildcat did growl,
Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.
Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower

"Miri," Keib addressed her favourite of the Bridge Bunnies as he overlooked the Quarantine Hangar from the skybox, watching Aiesu and Vithr finish up and make preparations. "Any word from the scout ship passing by?"

"Yes, they're hailing themselves down as a troop transfer carrier, LSDF Kas'vi. They have a couple of new arrivals for you and they want to send a shuttle over."

Keib sucked on his teeth. The main hangar was in complete lockdown - but only Vathr'dral was going to park there and as far as Keib knew, he was the safest bet there.

"Tell them to use the Flight Deck for new arrivals, the primary hangar is locked down tighter than an orthodox nun's backside." Keib double checked that all of the scanners from his end were in working order. "I'm a little busy myself, could you greet them?"

"Yes sir."

LSDF Akahar, Flight Deck
The best was done to convert the flight deck into an entryway, with a technician being selective about the forcefields and providing a bubble of oxygen so the new arrivals on the incoming shuttle didn't have to wear space suits on the way in.

Miri was standing there in her uniform, checking her watch, and remaining in contact with the other Bridge Bunnies and the rest of the ship with a headset on, covering her New Tur'lista ears.

"ETA?" Keib asked.

"A few minutes," Miri replied as she waited patiently on the flight deck, "I think they're prepping the shuttle for launch."

LSDF Kas'vi, Main Hangar
"Last call, all. Who wants to go on the lowliest ship in the LSDF?" Said one of the flight personnel, standing near a friend of theirs as they looked at the Akahar from afar.

"Lowly my foot. Did you see that wreck out there? That's no ordinary wreck. I've heard its the haunted one," their friend retorted.

"The Mok'ro?"
"Yeah that's the one."
"Bullshit. Keib's chasing ghosts."
"Well, he found the ghost, hulk and all."

"The Akahar looks different," they pointed out into space and at the odd retrofits on the Akahar's hull. The way it caught the starlight was different. "I think Keib's splurged a little or someone likes him."

"Not possible, he's the bottom rung's bottom rung."

As the gossip piled up, a shuttle heading for the Akahar had its hatches open, waiting for any of its crew game enough for a transfer downwards - with severance pay and condolences for committing what amounted to career suicide. Or was it really? Rumours and gossip were just those after all.

 

[Syaoran]

LSDF Kas'vi, Main Hangar

Ny'za Hasti was looking around to see if there was anyone who would step forward and climb into the hatch to board this ship. After what she did at the frame pilot graduation she had already been assigned to the Akahar, it would be her first assignment in truth. But she was afraid to be the first one to step on with what everyone was saying. She adjusted her glasses, a bit nervous and turned to the person next to her. "Is the Akahar really that bad? I mean it is just another ship right?"

 

[Luca]

"You know what I heard," one of the flight crew said. "I heard that their bridge three primary controllers were actually former pornstars - intercaste too."

One of the other flight deck crew chuckled, covering their mouth. "So that's why they're there - but I don't think I've seen any of them in a film."

"Maybe they were wearing masks or something!" their friend chuckled with ugly laughter and kept perpetuating the little bit of Akahar folklore.

"And, you're not going to believe this but this is official - their Commanding Officer deserted them so Keib's doing XO and CO duties and nobody wants to step in for him!" Now that wasn't a rumour, but was a rumour about it was why their Commanding Officer, Ship Commander Hakahn 'Braincase' Ka'shan Fyunnen fled the Akahar. It ranged from mistreatment, politics, exacting revenge on the miscreants and heretics, opportunism, or mere abandonment.

Why the rest of the ship didn't follow and why Keib was desperately trying to keep things together was a mystery though.

 

[Syaoran]

Ny'za began to look very nervous at hearing what everyone was saying now. There is no way here parents would be happy with her being on a ship piloted by intercaste porn stars, but they'd be even more disappointed if she got in trouble for disobeying orders. She started to tremble but then took the first step forward out in front of the crowd, looking down at the floor, she couldn't be proud in such a situation.

 

[Luca]

"What's this now?" One of the hangar crew said as they watched Ny'za take the first step towards the leaving shuttle.

"Hum, guess she can either hold her stones or she's gonna pick some up," another of them shrugged as they looked over.

Looking through the hatch and into the interior of the shuttle, the interior furnishings were spartan and functional. Not much else to it and it wasn't as though the transfer shuttle was going to stay around for long on the Akahar before coming home to roost in a more respectable ship. A New Tur'lista woman with a datapad in her hand looked up at "Ny'za Hasti 'Pitch' Lmanel," she recited as she bought up her file.

"Good to see you taking the first step towards shaping yourself into a better soldier," she said as she glanced between Ny'za's eyes and the misdeeds on the datapad, "With any luck you'll go through this hell and come out the other side a better soldier," she said. The way she phrased it made it sound like Boot Camp 2.0. Graduate from this and then you're a double soldier, or something.

It was just how you sold bad news that made it softer and this lady was pretty good at it as she examined the other Lorath and Helashio personnel in the hangar. "I have a list here and I shall have you on board, or I shall have involuntary volunteers."

 

[Syaoran]

Ny'za paused at seeing the lady inside but nodded in response to her name being said. She did not look too enthused about heading to this ship not after what she heard, but the words said by the New Tru'lista female caught her attention some. "You mean...if I do well here I can redeem myself?" While she herself did not care much for being some outstanding soldier, she wanted her parents to be proud of her and not have to worry, so being in the LSDF's 'good list' was something she was interested in, even more so now that her situation is the way it is.

 

[Gallant]

"That's not what she means."

It was one of the soldiers sitting near the front - not a soldier, on second thought, but a male naval officer with a Llmanel armband and a careworn expression. One of those who were going on to another ship or assignment further on the line. On second glance, maybe even to take command of one.

"I'll give you free advice," he said. "Don't worry about redeeming yourself."

The man's voice was as gruff as his countinence, though his uniform was pristine. "When you make a mistake, the military won't forget it, and they won't let you forget it either, so it's out of your hands. Focus on your job, first, and your shipmates. Doesn't matter who they are, what caste they're from, or what they did before they came to the service, or even how good they are. You be good to them. It'll save your life, and theirs."

He turned unforgiving eyes to the rest of the crowd.

"She's got guts. Who else has guts? Didn't you grunts sign on to serve, or did you think this would be easy? Which one of you is going to have to be dragged onto that ship, instead of walk onto it with some dignity left?"

 

[Syaoran]

Ny'za looked down at hearing the Lmanel's words. If the LSDF wasn't going to forget her mistakes then everything everyone was saying about the Akahar was probably true, or maybe it was even worse than that. She knew being in the military was serious business and that she had to perform her best at all times and she didn't plan on doing anything foolish on purpose, but it still hurt to know that she'd probably be suck on the bad list until she got out. She did manage to mutter a response to the man though "Yes Sir..I'll remember that Sir."

 

[Gallant]

The boat didn't seem to be going anywhere; the Llmanel turned his attention back to the soldier. He sat leaning forward, one arm on his knee, the other palm on his thigh. He seemed to disdain the answer, somehow, as though he sensed the motivation behind it.

"Same goes for the rest of you," he stated, blunt. Then he looked at the flight crew in their jackets, and the Corporal holding the clipboard.

"Don't laugh at your fellow soldiers."

Back to Ny'za. "I am the shuttle officer. Get your gear and get on while the Corporal picks out some more of these sissies."

 

[Semjax]

Jiji found herself staring down the shuttle that was before her, which would take her to the Akahar. She quietly held close the small robot she had, pressing it between her small breasts she tilted her head lightly before stepping forward. The one that had stepped up in-front of the people looking for recruits, was a child by all looks of it. She had shoulder length white hair with red highlights streaked through it, tied up into a ponytail on the edge of the cranium. She had bags under her eyes and black marks around the said slanted eyes showing a lack of sleep. She had baby fat around the thighs, chest, cheeks, upper arms, and such only alluding more so to the fact she was a child.

She held up her hand with a slight yawn and spoke out: "I'll go too. Sounds like it would be fun." She says with a smile, her wolf like ears twitching slightly at the sounds of the gossiping from inside the shuttle. Pornstars, lazy people, there was a lot that seemed like it would be fun for her on this ship. She kept a firm grip on DOLL-3 and waited anxiously to be addressed.

 

[Syaoran]

Ny'za gave a quick nod to the officer and then turned back to grab her things from within the crowd she had already brought them along because she knew she would have to go. There was few sets of luggage and while it was not the smallest, it wasn't exactly a lot either. She noticed a small girl step up from the crowd however and was rather shocked to see them. She thought at first that maybe they were some kind of genius, but that wouldn't let them join the LSDF, so maybe they were just small she figured, but either way someone else was getting on too and that made her feel a bit better about herself.

 

[Eistheid]

Standing amongst the crowd of gossiping soldiers, a Fyunnen male watched, expression devoid of the mirth that suffused those around him as his fellow soldiers traded ever plentiful myths and rumors about the Akahar. Shifting slightly as he surveyed the crowd around him Tay'rryn repressed the urge to sigh hardly appreciating the attitude of the crowd around him. Briefly reflecting on his time spent aboard the Kas'vi, Tay'rryn was reminded that it had hardly been pleasant and most of the crew that he had the misfortune of encountering had left him quietly resentful.

Drawn from his introspection as a nervous Lmanel girl with notably large wings for her size, and two toned hair, reluctantly made her way toward the shuttle hesitating on the edge of the group long enough to earn some snide comments from those who considered themselves too valuable to be placed on a ship such as the Akahar. Wondering why someone such as her would be assigned to the Akahar, his curiosity was quickly satisfied as the New Tur'lista officer identified Pitch and passingly implied past misconduct on Pitch's part.

A new voice called out shortly after, identifiably male and colored by the tone of familiar command. Unable to see the speaker from where he stood Tay'rryn settled for watching Pitch as she conversed in short nervous segments while the male took turns addressing her and admonishing the crowd for their cowardice and reluctance to step forward for duty. Feeling the bite of the latter himself Tay'rryn shifted a little his foot nudging his densely packed bag and the sum total of his possessions and gear.

About to step forward Tay'rryn paused as a child clutching a doll stepped forward out of the crowd. Momentarily confused Tay'rryn quickly dismissed the observation as unlikely as he continued to study what he could see of the girl spotting red in her hair and furred ears that marked her as another Lmanel. Somewhat disconcerted by her cheerful declaration that joining the crew of the Akahar the bright attitude contrasting with the derisive opinions of the crew.

As Pitch moved about, likely gathering her belongings, and the new Lmanel girl waited to be addressed Tay'rryn crouched and gathered the straps of his bag. Straightening, Tay'rryn stepped forward moving out of the crowd uncaring of the eyes that his motion would draw. Soon the Fyunnen was standing before the crowd as the two Lmanel had before him. Fixing his deep set yellow eyes on the New Tur'lista in charge of those moving to the Akahar for a second before identifying himself, his tone cool and professional, "Assault Recon Tay'rryn 'Glacier' Rhos'vol Fyunnen. Reporting for service aboard the LSDF Akahar."

 

[paladinrpg]

Tay'rryn wasn't the only one present who had been getting a bit bored now with the drivel that had been constantly coming out of the soldier's mouths about the infamous reputation of the Akahar and its crew, nearly the whole way here. When Ny'za stepped forward first, it just seemed to encourage their behaviors rather than inspire others to join her. A certain Lmanel female near the end shook her head a few times back and forth at such a sight silently, a bit disgusted by what she perceived as weakness unbefitting for a soldier. Her father would have a fit if he saw some of these enlistees act like that around him, after all. Still, she did have a mission to perform, and holding back her comments any longer wouldn't help matters.

Aran'ya then took a few steps forward from the masses to become more visible, her thin, lanky figure and well-stocked field medic pack standing out against the see of more burly and tall Fyunnen infantry types in the line. Everything about her seemed well put together on the surface, though there was a certain air about her that was hard to put a finger on. Somber, and maybe a bit dark. "You know, I came here with a job to do..." she began, her even-tempered voice then turning to a sarcastic tone as she gazed at certain loud-mouthed gossips in the crowd. "But, unlike most of these knuckleheads here, I unfortunately slept through the briefing where we forgot all that soldier stuff and were told that this was one big space tea party, and running your mouths was better than running combat drills."

She then took a few larger steps forward and gave a thin smile to Ny'za, Jiji, and lastly Tay'rryn. "Yes, Thank the Goddess indeed I'm not the only one here that remembers that," she continued, emphasizing this point about their collective bravery, "Of course it could all go wrong too, but that's why you need someone like me around." With that, she completed her little diatribe with a well-practiced salutes to the New Tur'lista handling roll call. "Medic Aran'ya 'Widow' Lycosa Lmanel, ready for duty."

 

[Luca]

The Corporal with the Datapad standing near the Shuttle Officer gave the wizened officer a mean look - how dare they get in the way of their petty amusement and make perfect sense at the same time. This was the Akahar they were poking fun at - their only source of entertainment and these four clowns had the guts to stand up and make it look like they were ready to take the plunge none of them would, sacrificing their reputations and cushier jobs on patrol runs squashing pirate ships.

Maybe the bystanders knew what they were made of and were afraid to see it come to light - some unpleasant rumours about how destructive the ship could be were floating around too. They were boarded by pirates in a boarding action after all - and one of the few positive rumours about Keib begun to surface.

"...they were boarded by pirates not long ago..." Those cushier sorts begun to trade nervous glances of embarrassment as their double edged sword was starting to poke at them now. "...CO Hakahn abandoned it but Keib took control..." The unity displayed by Ny'za, Jiji, Tay'rryn and Aran'ya - who they'd once called pariah and outcast for different reasons now seemed to put them on edge. Maybe their prodding and provocation lead them to form this stronger composite. "...only a handful injured, no casualties, boarders destroyed."

"That's what I thought," the Shuttle officer grunted at them. "Some of you are so gutless I can still see eggshell in your hair." A time honoured Lorath insult directed towards the New Tur'lista corporal who had only a few moments ago been insulting those who stood forward with a pen and clipboard.

"Motherf-" the clipboard holding corporal nearly snapped their pen in frustration and bit her tongue for being upstaged. "Fine. Fine. Who else? Anyone else?"

She pointed her pen to various people, reciting "Fala... Hara... Kila... Ro..." as the pen went from person to person, eyes darting up and down between the datapad and the crowd.

 

[Semjax]

Jiji paused a moment having just remembered. "Oh right, Engineer Ji'xa "Bright" Seurik Lmanel, reporting for Duty." She said in an almost cutesy way, she put the robotic doll on her shoulder and it sat there clutching onto her shoulder, very much alive. "And this is my assistant DOLL-3, He's reporting for duty too!" She grins a bit and salutes, as does the small robotic doll. Before she looked behind her at the people mumbling and sighed a bit and shook her head, it was kinda silly to see them like that, somewhat disappointed she turned to face the people before the shuttle once more. She ignored the odd looks she was getting from pretty much everyone due to her size and form. She didn't really care what others had to think about her. She looked towards Aran'ya when she gave her a smile, and smiled back oh-so-innocently towards the other Lmanel, before looking back at the Lorath who were running this show. She nodded a bit in agreement with what Aran'ya said.

She grabbed her stuff and once addressed and told that she was good to go, she heads onto the shuttle and puts her stuff up and takes a seat next to Ny'za. She looked at her, and noticed a glimpse of worry about her she giggled a bit. "Hi, my name is Ji'xa, my friends, however small the amount, call me Jiji, now you can too! This is also DOLL-3 my personal assistant." She smiles a bit and extends her hand to her. DOLL-3 stood and saluted to her. "Its a pleasure to meet you madam." A male voice comes out of the small robot on her shoulder.

 

[Syaoran]

Pitch looked up from moving her seat when she heard another voice speak up to go, this time it was a Fyunnen male. He at least looked strong and reliable and anything but a clumsy person like herself. She wondered why it was that this man who could probably make something of himself on another ship decided to serve on the Akahar, or was he one of the ones who directly assigned there like her. Without much wait there was another brave soul stepping forward to join the Akahar, this one a Lmanel female as well. She was pale skinned and had long limbs and had a few pointed remarks for all those who were gossiping.

Seeing a group now coming together, even if it was only four individuals in total it was much better than being alone. Her tension was now gone and she could relax, her large wings spreading out a little and bumping Jiji some when she sat by her. "Oh..sorry about that.." She folded her wings over herself forming a sort of mantle that ran down to her elbows. "My name is Ny'za, and the doll is very cute." She shook hands with Jiji and then looked to the other and gave a soft bow "I hope we can serve well together."

 

[Eistheid]

A short moment after he had volunteered himself for duty aboard the Akahar, a new female voice joined those who had been talking so far, though of a distinctly different purpose. Whoever she was she was Tay'rryn noted that she wasn't too different from those who had been gossiping about the Akahar before, as seemed to take joy in deriding those who had mocked. Soon the woman done with her scathing commentary identified herself as a medic and saved him the time of looking as he learned too that she was a Lmanel.

Ignoring the shift in the content of the gossip and the brief encounter between the New Tur'lista Corporal and the Shuttle Officer, Tay'rryn took advantage of the sudden shift to business to board the shuttle after Pitch and Bright. Stowing his bag with practiced efficiency he settled into a seat near the shuttle door unconscious habit showing from many training runs in which he was dumped out of a transport to quickly assess and secure a drop zone. With little else to do while waiting for the shuttle to leave he busied himself with studying the inside of the utilitarian shuttle looking for the usual signs of use and wear.

Nearby Pitch and Bright settled together, and perhaps living up to her namesake Bright began quickly to solicit a friendship with Pitch, her tone sunny as she spoke. Some details of the interaction caught Tay'rryn's attention, including the way Pitch handled herself with her posture relaxing and the apparently unintentional collision between her wings and Bright. Also of note was the function of the so labeled Doll-3 which at the very least could talk, earning a re-evaluation of its function and possible capabilities.

 

[paladinrpg]

Aran'ya indeed seemed pleased with how quickly she had flipped the rumors on their head by her verbal mockery of the situation, reinforced as they were by the shuttle officer's use of the old "eggshell" proverb. Though some egos would be bruised no doubt, but would it be enough to get a little more manpower going here? Confident as she was in their position, if even some of the rumors were true they would need all the help they could get...

Still, her die was cast now. With a quick check of her gear, Aran'ya gave one final glance back at the Kas'vi and its legions and stepped onto the shuttle proper with the other three volunteers. Just as Tay'rryn found a door seat with an instinctual efficiency, so too did she settle into whatever seat was in a quiet corner and cross her slender legs, though not before returning Ny'za's respectful bow. She did have some words for Pitch, "You'd think with wings like that, you would fly away from danger, yet you're the first one in this tin can racing towards it. You're either very brave or very silly -- hopefully the former, though amongst pirates and pornstars, who can say?" Aran'ya seemed to be only half joking with her tone in this last part, though, her closely folded, furrier wings seeming a contrast to the enlarged ones of Ny'za.

The older Lmanel then folded her arms and leaned back a bit, casting a furtive glance at Ji'xa, and shaking her head. "Are you sure you're in the right place? You look more at home in a toy store than in this shuttle bound for an uncertain doom." Aran'ya couldn't help but be drawn to the DOLL-3 unit as it spoke, though, if only by the sheer curiosity. Something about it and its master's cuteness seemed to be in direct opposition to the Widow's darker personality... plus ever since her early years she always harbored a healthy distrust of ambulating automata.

The tall, silent Glacier seemed true to his name, earning a few long stares from her eyes as well in acknowledgment of his strength soldier to soldier. Aran'ya didn't say anything to him directly at first, as he didn't seem the type for unimportant chatter, rather waiting for him to make the first move.

 

[Luca]

Then the back of the crowd begun to part. Taking weighty steps was the ship's Chaplain, a Fyunnen man about a century and a half old but no worse for physical wear, towering in at a massive two metres tall. Every step they took was heavy with history and purpose. What flesh could be seen of them under their robe was covered in intricate runes in old Lorath holy scripture, scars and burns.

The Lieutenant did not say a word and saluted them as they started walking up the shuttle's ramp, standing aside for them and whatever Holy Mission they had. The Corporal New Tur'lista with the clipboard almost forgot to salute because they had the fear of God put into them. "...c...carry on, Chaplain," the Corporal said as they looked down at their pad and added the name 'Chaplain Ha'reiel "Himsā" Ti'rien Fyunnen' to the list. The Fyunnen in question sat down at the end of the shuttle, away from the other four arrivals.

Nobody else stood forward after that, even the Lieutenant was stunned at what happened. When a senior Chaplain wanted to move, you gave them a wide berth and hoped that you weren't the subject of the God or Goddess' wrath. "Is that everyone, then?" The Corporal squeaked as they watched the ramp retract and the hatch to the shuttle close.

"Seems to be, Corporal. Carry on," the Lieutenant said before the hatch closed. The Lieutenant turned around to inspect the five that would be transferring to the Akahar, plus their shuttle pilot who'd be making a trip around. A medic, a loner, a child, a klutz and an honest-to-God-strike-me-dead-otherwise Chaplain. He sat down with them and waited for the shuttle to take off, heading towards the Akahar.

"LSDF Akahar this is Shuttlecraft Kas'vi, Delta-03, do you read me?'
On the other end of the line, a Lmanel voice could be heard. "Shuttlecraft Kas'vi, Delta-03 this is LSDF Akahar, loud and clear."
"LSDF Akahar, requesting landing vector and position please,"

The Lmanel bridge bunny remembered Keib's order to not head into the main hangar and defer this arrival to the Flight Deck, "Head to the Flight deck on the top and drop off your troops on this vector..." the Shuttle Pilot received a vector.
"Understood and received, we'll see you in a moment. Delta-03 Out."
"Understood, Delta-03."

LSDF Akahar, Flight Deck
Miri could see the incoming shuttle coming closer to the Akahar, slowing down to approach the flight deck. It landed in the allotted flight bay, making a 180 degree turn once safe to let the new arrivals walk right out of the hatch and onto the Akahar's deck.
"Alright, we're here, exit the vehicle one by one..." the Shuttle Pilot recited as the hatch opened.

A New Tur'lista woman of five foot five inches was standing there in uniform, the rank patch indicated that she was an Ensign, and her speciality seemed to be communications and scanning, according to the left shoulder patch. She kept her white hair tied back in a bun, and seemed to be skinny in the limbs but pleasantly round closer to the torso and face. She was still wearing her communications headset and she smiled warmly as the hatch opened fully, seeing the new arrivals.

"Welcome to the LSDF Akahar, I am Ensign Miri Dilu 'Listener' New Tur'lista," She bowed to the arrivals as they exited the shuttle. "I am one of the Bridge Crew for this ship. Acting Captain Mar'zhaz Keib New Tur'lista," her words were carefully considered to the newcomers. Keib wasn't officially put into position, but he was taking the role nonetheless, "is currently busy overseeing a Salvage Away Team return, but he should welcome you in person soon," she turned around to lead them towards their quarters but she paused in place, tapping a finger against her headset. "Excuse me," she said.

The sound of rising static could be heard over the intercom and in her ear. In the earpieces and on any radio equipment a wave of static could be heard before it flattened into background noise. Miri could hear it clearest, "Wh... what's going on?" she wondered as instruments around the Flight Deck and viewscreens on the walls flickered briefly with static. Miri put a finger back to her headset, "Keib what's going on down there?" Her face then froze when she heard noises in her ear.

"Keib? Status report please!" she asked again.

Then the static faded out and a three words could be heard, clear but quiet in each of their ears unsolicited.

"I am strong."

It wasn't Keib's voice.

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT POST TOMORROW...

 

[Syaoran]

Ny'za was more than a little surprised to see a Chaplain step onto the ship, but that was a final sense of relief for her, if he was going there was no way things were as bad as everyone was making them seem. However this man's presence was somewhat stifling and it made it hard to talk on the trip to the Akahar.

They were greeted by a New Tur'lista who Pitch found to be rather attractive, especially compared to herself, with her thing frame and clumsy wings. If this Engisn Dilu was a pornstar Pitch could easily see why. However before Ny'za could say anythign to her, she started acting somewhat strange as if something was going on on the other side of her head set and not too long after equipment began acting strange.

Pitch moved a little closer to whoever was closest to her becoming more and more unnerved by the strange things that were happening and then as if to up a cap on her fright a whisper of a voice floated past her ears. This was starting to look like a horror movie and she was never good with such situations and naturally she began to back up towards the shuttle.