"No ST backup?" Kazuhiko said as she flew down the corridor toward Katsuko's quarters. "Are the medical teams there?"
Two red-paneled Nekos flew along side of her. "Yes ShôShô. I haven't received a report from them yet."
Kazuhiko banked into another corridor. She could see the crew dashing back and forth, with a large number of them headed for the lift station that would take someone to Katsuko's office. Kazuhiko was glad she'd woken early to go to the recreation facilities in one of the hangars; her mind was sharp enough to weave by obstacles and other crew. "Clear a path! Clear a path, dammit!"
The two red-panels had their NSPs drawn and began to shout and wave them at the bleary-eyed crew members. "Make way for the ShôShô!"
Kazuhiko landed running through the space between the crowd. Other officers dashed out of the lift as the white-paneled officer barged in, nearly crashing into the back of the lift. The two Nekos joined her as the lift doors closed and they went upward.
"Has anyone notified Koyanagi-Chujo?" Kazuhiko asked.
"We were waiting for further reports, ShôShô," one of the Nekos replied.
"Forget them. KAMI, issue a Priority One message from me to Koyanagi -- Motoyoshi has been shot; report to the Akuro immediately. Send at the highest encryption."
The KAMI acknowledged Kazuhiko's request.
"Heavy weapons fire would have been detected long before they reached Motoyoshi," Kazuhiko said, her mind trying to piece together the meaning of the alarm. "An assassin's pistol of some sort would have been detected too ... Izumi is the only one to have unfettered access to her quarters. Where the hell was she?"
She turned to one of the Nekos. "When we get off, contact Yomitomo-Shosa aboard the Munin. Relay this message -- 'Taisho shot. Sound battle-ready stations.' The Munin only. Understood?"
"Haw!" the Neko replied.
"Use my security clearance. KAMI will allow it this once." She turned to the other Neko. "Stay with me and put your weapon on stun. If there are violent elements left over from this, I want them in condition to be questioned."
"Hai, ShôShô."
At least something is working around here. The lift reached its end and the doors slowly opened. As one Neko stayed behind near the lift Kazuhiko and the other raced toward the Taisho's quarters. They zinged past one Neko who was beside herself crying against a wall. Not what I had hoped to see.
As they turned the corner, Kazuhiko could see the medical teams not trying to revive Katsuko. She had arrived in time to see Izumi being pushed away via the barrel of an SMG. Kazuhiko slowed herself to a walk as she saw the dimly-lit body of Motoyoshi Katsuko slumped over the desk.
"Heisho," Kazuhiko said to the Neko with her. "Help escort Izumi. Do not interrogate her yet, and let no one else do it either."
The Neko nodded and caught up with the bodyguard and her escorts. Kazuhiko came to the mouth of the Taisho's cave-like office and saw a medical officer leaving it.
"What happened?" she asked.
The medical officer, a Taii, rubbed her head. "Several shots to the head ... there's not enough left to heal." The lead officer, a Chusa, was not even present.
"ST backup?"
"None ... the Taisho's last one was lost on Taiie no Iori."
"Izumi was the responsible party?"
"Hai, ShôShô."
" ... " Kazuhiko looked inside the office. "Remove the Taisho's body and prepare it for autopsy. Alert Star Army Police and SAINT; they will want to investigate further."
The officer bowed and began to round up her crew. Meanwhile, Kazuhiko just kept staring. We have lost our Taisho ... "Taii, what was the last thing Motoyoshi-Taisho was examining?"
The Taii came close to Kazuhiko. "Fleet reports. Namiko Wing was destroyed ... only the New Anisa returned." The Taii walked away.
" ... " We have lost Murf. Our Taisho. A great many vessels and crew. And now we must decide where our fate lies.
Just what I wanted to wake up to.