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RP: 5th XF Mission 006: The Finale [All 5th XF Players]

Andrew

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Ma'am incoming priority transmission from the New Anisa...Katsuko stirred, rolling over in her bed after what seemed like an eternity within her nightly night terrors. I'll take it in my Office Freya. She arose from the bed and bare footed crossed the floor of her quarters towards her cluttered desk. She sat down and opened the communication.

"Yes Commander? What is so important that you find the need to wake me at one in the morning?â€
 
Having been on the new Anisa didn't prevent the survivors of the battle from discovering the Namiko's fate.

It felt so surreal, like a dream...or a bad nightmare; Caine stood watching on the floor of the armor bay with the helmet off wide-eyed and shock. The only thought that struck him was her ...Karou. She was gone now in probably the worst way possible, he felt something die inside of himself, it hurt...this internal pain hurt much more than anything else he'd ever felt.

Slowly he crumpled to his knees as tears welled up abd began to fall, no this wasn't happening, not now...not like this. But it wasn't the bad nightmare he tried to tack it up as, this really just happened. The only response the poor young man could mount was a loud long heartbroken wail of sorrow before crashing forward onto his hand and hit the floor of the bay a couple times before stopping and just breaking down. It might been odd to see a pilot still in a Kylie shouting and cursing some all while sobbing heartbrokenly like he was.

--- A few minutes later--

He'd been helped to the wardroom but he hadn't stopped crying, Caine couldn't but slowly he just quieted down. All he could think about was Karou, it might've brought pain but it was the natural response. He felt so dead inside until the news of Katsuko's death reached him after arriving.

First Karou...Corro....Jaq and now Katsuko...it was too much, and it only served to piss Caine off tremendously. He stills at trembling having removed the armor and was in the uniform...blood began to trickle down his arm from clenching his fists too hard. He felt ready to snap and take out all this furious sorrow on something, right now his fury mentally focusing on Izumi in the brig but Caine had not left the room yet
 
"Gott fluch es!" Camellia roared as she kicked a spare Mindy helmet that was left strewn on the hanger floor, sending it flying across the bay to land with a hollow crash. She stood there panting a moment longer before she turned to the wall, one arm raised to rest on it, her head lowered to her forehead was also resting, while her other arm was busy slamming away..."Gott fluch es! Gott fluch es! Gott fluch es! Gott fluch es!" She muttered again and again, soon her cries were drowned out by weak sobs as her fist slid down the wall, her fingers curling as she cried.

"Warum? WARUM? Warum blieb er nach? Ich erklärte ihm, daß ich würde warten... Warum?" She choaked as she slid down to rest on her knees in the hanger. English lost to her now, all she could speak was the language her parents had passed to her. "Warum Jaq? Warum ließest du mich allein...?"
 
"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.
 
Roger had just had the worst morning he'd ever had; for every single wire he replaced in the conduit pathways, two more seemed to spring up that now needed to be fixed, like some electronic hydra. He thought he was nearing the end when the alert went out.

... oh shit.

Maybe it was his old technical sentry training, or maybe it was just panic, but Roger dropped his soldering tool mid-job and bolted toward the admiral's quarters. Please don't be what I think, please don't be what I think...

It was.

Seeing Izumi being led forcefully past at gun point, by her own sentries, was just mind-blowing. "Son of a bitch," Roger lowly muttered as they made their way to the brig. He turned back to Katsuko's room, where Kazuhiko was opening the door. He began to push through the crowds with the cry of "I'm a bridge officer, let me through!" He eventually made his way in, and instantly was frozen in shock. There was the admiral. Dead. He wasn't a medical officer of any sort, but even he knew what an untreatable gunshot wound looked like. "Oh god," he said, "oh god." He triggered the comm console. "Captain, you have to get here. Now."
 
Jatsu was just about finished rewiring his section when the sudden alarm prompted him to jerk upwards and smack his head against the top of the console. "Ow, what the hell's..." He rubbed his head and looked over to see Roger dash out of the bridge, then finally noticed what Freya had been saying. "Holy shit, what?!"

He materialized a window in which he prompted Freya to give a report. Reading through it, his hand fell limply from his head to his side, and his face froze in horror. "No fucking way..." After staring in disbelief for a couple seconds, he dashed to the Communications station and put his headset back on. The radio was bustling with talk about the Taisho's murder and the annihilation of Namiko Wing. He slowly fell forward, letting his head rest against the console. "Freya," he said weakly, "I told you to let me know if anything important came up..."
 
Not a second after the alert came through the bridge, a horrifying screech sounded from the door to the hallway, as Aoiko didn't think it opened nearly fast enough and elected to help it along. Still, she did not run through the halls of the ship, rather trying to maintain a touch of dignity as she strode through the crowds up to and around the Taisho's quarters.

"Move aside. Move aside! she barked as she shoved her way through the throng to the door, and stopped short as she looked in. She stared unmoving for a moment as what she was seeing sunk into her mind. "We will fetch her Soul Transfer backup," she said calmly, only to snap her head up sharply. "What do you mean, Freya, that there is none? Why is there none?" She looked closely at the ceiling for another moment, before glancing back down at the desk. "Kard-san," she said slowly. "Do help establish some control here. I will be at Fleet Command." And with that, she whirled on one heel and, dignity aside, dashed away as soon as she was free of the crowd.
 
Chujo Kayanagi Mayumi arrived on the Akuro nearly an hour after the report of the shooting. Her usually cheery disposition was cooled by the thought that the Taisho was indeed dead. Her beloved friend, comrade and superior murdered by the very officer that they had entrusted to her safety. She cleared the shuttle bay, and ordered her aide quietly "Taisa, Have this sent to the bridge immediately, all ships are to return to Taiie immediately.â€
 
The chaos around Kazuhiko was calmed some by the appearance of the Chujo ... but not entirely. One of Kazuhiko's hands rested firmly on her old NSP.

"Hai, Chujo. She is in the brig, under heavy guard." Kazuhiko clinched her hand around her NSP. "I put one of my best near her; she will not escape her fate, the traitorious bitch."
 
Mayumi nodded "I see....â€
 
Kazuhiko waited for Mayumi to leave before opening an image panel, giving her access to shipwide communication. "Attention, flight commanders and general bridge personnel not on duty. This is Shôshô Kazuhiko Minari. Please meet in the briefing room immediately. I repeat, all flight commanders and bridge personnel not on duty, meet in the briefing room immediately. That is all."
 
When the broadcast was made, Caine looked up having calmed enough that only tears stood in his eyes. He couldn't cry anymore or he'd probably make himself sick and nobody would want that. Slowly with slightly unsure steps he got up and exited the wardroom and headed for the briefing room in silence. His once bright blue eyes were now more or less blank with a slight glazed look to them. He'd recover but it would be hard if he was kept in the stressful atmosphere of the ship; but in a few silent moments he entered the briefing room and took a seat a bit heavily.
 
As Roger entered the briefing room, it was obvious he'd been in at least one scuffle since last seen; a set of bruises was shining nicely on his face, and his uniform jacket had been ripped. Needless to say, establishing control hadn't been as simple as merely asking people to go on their way; a fight had broken out over people wanting to see what had happened, and Rog had to bust a few skulls before the point got across that no one, and he meant no one, was allowed in.

He had just sat down and was nursing his new shiners when he noticed Caine sitting silently. "Caine," he said, not knowing what to say. "Shit, man. I heard about the Namiko, about... the others."
 
Caine looked over at him and nodded with a sigh and tried to brighten some. "Well...it helps to think that they stayed behind so we could escape...It gave them something outside of the New Anisa to focuson." He said trying to remaincalm but the hurt still very evident in his eyes. "For that I want to think they died as heroes, but I'll miss her terribly..."
 
Camellia, after exausting herself of tears and words, had left the armor bay, intending on going to her quarters and locking herself inside till the remains of the fleet withdrew. Halfway there she heard the general call for the officers in the breifing room. Camellia paused and took a breath, before returning to her quarters and changing.

---Several moments later---

She entered the breifing room pausing for a second to bow to the collected members, she was wearing her sole skirted uniform, her hairstyle having been changed, her hair, instead of obscuring her face, was pulled back. Small, unassuming barettes holding her silvery white locks back like a curtain. Finding Caine, Camellia walked over and sat next to him.
 
Caine blinked sensing another presence and looked at Cam and sighed some. "Hey Cam..." he said looking inot her eyes and blushed some in surprise. "Your eyes...." he said noticing how mismatched they were. "they're really unique.' Caine offered and took her hand gently on the side of the chair and squeezed it lightly to offer comfort in both ways.
 
Camellia smiled weakly, her free hand raised to stroke her own cheek. "When my parents were having the last tests done on me after my invetro conception, they asked the doctor if they could add a special touch that would make me different from everyone else." She said, laughing weakly now. "And the end result is as you see now. Pale white skin," she said while stroking her cheek again, "silvery white hair," she said, while twirling a lock of her hair. "And a pair of eyes that don't match." She finished with a double blink of her red and blue eyes. "They got what they asked for, a daughter that is totally unique."

She then sighed. "I can't stay here..." She said solomnly, as she returned the hand squeeze. "I... We lost all our friends, Jaq, Corro, Karou... Even that Hikomaru guy we just met before the mission..." She said, feeling a fresh rush of tears, Camellia forced them back, though a few sneaked through and traced lines down her pale complexion. "This place is Naglfar, the ship of the damned." She hissed as she fought to keep her emotions under control again.
 
aine bit back a laugh. Better to be unique than nonchalant...look at me...half elf... he thought stroking his fingers of his free hand through his hair and feeling the pointed tips of his ear. "You might not know but I'm actually half elf.." he said looking at her as if it'd make her feel better. But when she went on about the losses he just went quiet and nodded.

Caine just squeezd her hand gently, wanting to hug her close, it ws the only way he knew how to comfort. His sisters always liked it and right now it was what he knew.

"yeah...that's why I'm taking leave after this...I need to go see my family..."
 
Jatsu pushed himself away from the console and rubbed his forehead. He felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned to see a Neko who simply said, "Your shift's over." He silently took his headset off and handed it to her, then turned toward the captain's chair. Oh shit, where's Aoi?! he thought.

He frantically looked around the bridge, then dashed out after he was convinced she wasn't there. I don't want to lose you, Aoi. I can't lose you! He started to yell, "Freya, where the hell is Ao-" but was cut off by Kazuhiko's announcement. He sighed, "Never mind, Freya."

He made his way to the briefing room as fast as he could, and stood in the doorway looking around. When he saw Caine and Camellia, his face changed back to one of solemnity, and his gaze drifted down to the floor. He took a step sideways to get out of the way, then leaned against the wall. He slowly slid to the floor, thinking, I'll just wait for her here.
 
Roger saw Jatsu slide to the floor and stood from his chair. Walking over to the despondent comm. officer, he knelt down and gave him a light punch in the shoulder. "Hey, Jats, you all right there? You look about ready to... nevermind." When he didn't respond, Rog reached into his jacket and withdrew a silver flask. "Here. Don't tell anyone I have this, though, truth be told, they probably all expect me to, but anyway, take a swig; you look like you need it."
 
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