ON: YSS Eucharis
Yaichiro and Helen's Quarters
Yaichiro regarded Helen, and pondered her words before taking a seat. "I don't think you're a monster because of the organization you're in or your skillset...there are places where you and your organization are very useful. I just have some problems with how the last mission was conducted, as well as how your skills have been...utilized in that situation.”
"You've been around a while, right?" Helen asked, semi-rhetorically, as she took a seat upon their bed, crossing one leg over the other as she folded her hands in her lap. "Tell me, as you remember, how did our Empire conduct operations against our enemies? How was this Empire which we serve forged?" She asked, knowing full well that it had been forged by blood, built upon the carcasses of fallen empires which came before.
Yaichiro looked to Helen, full well knowing the answer. "The Empire fought its enemies ruthlessly and without hesitation or consideration for any interests aside from its own. Just as you are...the problem is that it was dumb luck that the people aboard that station turned out to be enemies. Were they not, we'd have been assaulting a sovereign nation, and your actions would have been particularly inexcusable...your tactics work best when there are no consequences, when no one is watching...being on a ship with a Princess means things aren't that simple. Governments watch this ship, WAITING for the Taisa to mess up or to do something which they find disagreement with...see where I'm going?"
There was the initial urge to want to laugh at Yaichiro's somber nature about what went on, but it was nowhere to be seen on Helen's features, she wore the face of someone who looked regretful, and spoke with such practiced sincerity. "Yes, I see where you are going. It is very well true, a mistake could tarnish the Taisa's reptutation, more so than what it already has been. Though, what is worse... to risk a reputation, or the lives of those under my command? Hesitation could have gotten you and everyone else on that team killed, and that would have looked bad for the Taisa as well if she were to send us to die, without any clue as to what we were faced with." Helen explained as she frowned softly. "Failure looks just as bad at this point, especially after the inquiry which Hanako was faced with. They already doubt her, they already have issues with sending her out. I could not allow our mission to fail, for her sake. So I did as Yui, Chiharu, and Irim would do, I made a choice, for the good of the team, the Taisa, and the Empire."
Yaichiro gave a sigh. "It was a no win situation, I suppose...though to be honest, when you gave the order to kill instead of stun anyone in the crew cabins, you lost a lot of respect from many on the team. Things work differently after the current Empress took power. I know the need to resolve the situation...I invented the targets, and feel personally responsible for the task of seeing them destroyed, but there are better ways to do it. Part of it may be my fault -- as an Advisor, I was pulling double duty in Engineering and was unable to hear the Taisa's plans from the bridge to speak against the idea. I have made recommendations about changing that oversight. Unleashing you, however, should be reserved when the enemy is clearly known...your skills seem more geared toward extermination of the enemy."
“Yaichiro, I will be the first to say... I've done things, I've done things to earn the look which people give me. These things that I have done, and will do again, are for the Empire and to keep it safe. When I killed those people, it was for the Empire. If the Taisa made a mistake in her haste, I wanted to make sure there was no one to speak of it. Silence any voices which may rise against our Empire, there can not be an implication made, if there is no voice to speak it." These words which came from Helen were truth, pure truth, there was no deception in the slightest as she looked Yaichiro in the eyes. "If I killed anyone who was not a combatant, if I killed anyone who could be called innocent, I regret that, but I also would do it again since their deaths ensured the survival of all of us."
Yaichiro seemed uncomfortable with this, but also scratched his head. "There's another reason I am uncomfortable at the moment...but it is a recent and specific thing...I have suspicions about security leaks...Eucharis has gone on many secret missions where the enemy has been unexpectedly waiting. One even resulted in a CFS collision the odds of which were infinitesimal...it's been mentioned, but not really delved into to my knowledge. SAINT assigned those missions, I believe...so it's either a SAINT issue or a 1st XF issue. I would be on guard around any new officers aboard for a time."
Yaichiro's words caused Helen to raise her brow, of course to him it would appear as surprise, but for her it came from the fact that he was spilling a concern which he had previously kept under lock and key. "I see. From what I know, the last time SAINT had a leak was during the duration of the Black Spiral operations. Security has been tight since then, aside from changing Directors like one would change pairs of socks. In truth, SAINT's influence is at an all time low, since the Investigators have been put into place and the Empress put those new laws into place. As for how things are conducted within the First XF..." Helen trailed as she frowned a bit and shook her head. "This part of the fleet has taken heavy losses, there have been too many individuals marked as MIA to really know just how secure information within the First is. Though...that does not discount some other form of information breach." Helen invested some thought into the matter, and decided that it would be a subject worth investigating. "Have you approached the Taisa about this concern?" With that, she turned right back to her investigation.
"Yes. I believe it was shortly before the inquiry if memory serves...I believe you were present for that, but perhaps you weren't listening in." Yaichiro said, trying to recall exactly when.
"I know you spoke of that much, but... I would not be much of a SAINT operative if I did not have a gut that told me when someone is overly concerned. You're really worried about this, and I just don't think the Taisa is aware of just how much things weigh on you." Helen said, her sympathy persisting as she looked to the engineer, or more accurately, the man who longed for when he was merely an engineer.
"...Perhaps it's paranoia to a degree. When the UOC split from the Empire, it was not by the will of those who founded it. Those who did the work rebuilding the 5th XF and tried to improve the Empire were not the people who led it astray. Katsuko-Taisho was Empress, they stood on the cusp of the reforms that the founding people desired, only for it to be snatched away by the Tange who pushed for separation. I even investigated an unsolved murder that happened before the split occurred, which may or may not have been related...I don't want such a thing to happen within the 1st XF. Such a thing happening to the KMS is one of my worst concerns, though possibly unfounded.”
There was one thing for sure, Yaichiro raised some valid points, and those would certainly be part of Helen's thoughts. "Your concern is valid... the KMS is already practically its own nation ever since it was cut off from the rest of the Empire. They're entirely self sufficient, and when the former Emperor took the area, he had enough ships to arm the Empire twice over. His timing was also very questionable..." She frowned at that point, a genuine issue in her heart as she recalled just why he left, and questioned her own self about what she would do if she ever met the man in person, but that thought soon passed. "I think what you fear happening, if it is possibly happen, would be well underway and would be very difficult to stop."
Yaichiro sighed, leaning back on the bed. "He left in part because of the intelligence that Katsuko confronted him with about the Elysian Plague. I was standing there when they spoke about it."
This time, Helen could not help it, the laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head lightly. "Yes, yes, I'm familiar with the circumstances surrounding his departure, as well as the 'Elysian' plague." She frowned a bit at that point. "He would have every reason to make his own nation, you know this, right?"
The Chusa nodded sagely. "Actually seeing it was enough to shake my faith in the Empire for a time, I should confess...and gave the UOC a reason to cede. What ISN'T commonly known is that Melisson is the one who told the Nepleslians, who told Katsuko, who confronted Uesu-sama. It was a well executed and disruptive move on her part. Such an enemy can cause the Army to split with just an utterance. Knowing this makes me stay on guard."
Helen could agree with that point, after all, it even sparked a doubt in her. Of course, she had her reasons, but it was not a matter of loyalty to the Empire, it was a matter of loyalty to the clan which benefited from genocide. "Do not lose faith in the Empire over such things... they were the choices of a few at the time. Back then, such a terrible thing was done by something as questionable as a private company and a few scientists. Nothing resembling the Empire which has come about since." She spoke her own reason for remaining loyal, and not losing faith in the Empire which benefited from the deaths of so many, including her own parents.
"Oh, I figured that out on my own, or I would not have stayed with the Empire...but that does not change the fact that the Empire is more fragile than most wish us to believe. Expeditionary Fleets by nature are designed to operate independently should the Empire fall, and are well suited to separating should they wish it....and the 1st XF' has obtained a good deal of Yamatai's offices as of late, for the sake of its more secure location. I daresay that aside from the actual influence of the throne, the KMS is more stable than Core Yamatai...and that makes people think dangerous things, Shosa."
To be honest..." Really, genuinely, honest, a rarity from Helen, "I think it is a good thing at this point... anyone, even outside of intelligence, can tell that our Empire is in trouble. I hope for the sake of our way of life that the KMS, and the UOC, can prosper to ensure that if or when the NMX manage to take Yamatai, we can be sure that not all of us will end up in a lunch box."
“Oh, such is the role of an Expeditionary Fleet's holdings. The problem is when someone takes advantage of the transfer of power."
"What transfer? Power would remain within the clan. If the First assumes control, Taisho Yui would be in power. If the KMS assumes control, former Emperor Uesu would be in power. Even if the Taisa were to take control for some reason, power would remain with the Ketsurui clan. They have made sure that power will not leave their clan any time soon." Helen spoke, and it did seem to be quite the elaborate plan, enough so she could be certain that they had put it together many years ago, perhaps even before her own birth.
"I had meant the transfer from one location to the other, sorry...but I hope it is really that simple." Yaichiro said, getting up. They had to go to dinner, after all.
"Perhaps... we could discuss this more later?" Helen offered as she got up as well, and approached Yaichiro with a hand extended for a traditional Nepleslian sign of good will. "I am glad that you felt that you could still speak to me... even after what happened on the station."
Yaichiro shook her hand, accepting the gesture. "We can't change what happened...it's our job to try and keep a smooth chain of command for the soldiers -- even if it's a confusing one."
“For the time being, while I'm somewhere in that chain here, we'll work for those under us, and for the Taisa." Helen spoke, as she shook his hand, then gave a soft smile. "Now, let's get to the Wardroom, I'm starving."
Yaichiro nodded, and left the room with Helen to go eat. He couldn't taste the Taisa's cooking, but he still looked forward to it.