RP: YSS Eucharis [Mission 18.2] Into The Night

Kyoto Spaceport

On the evening of their day of leave in the capital, the crew was recalled to the Eucharis under mysterious circumstances. Hanako refrained from telling most of the crew why they were leaving so soon, but the ship was ready for them when they got back. Around dinner time, Hanako arrived with the others from the onsen and immediately went to the bridge to check on things. She got on the intercom to address the crew. "I apologize for not spending more time on leave but I have my reasons. We are going to head toward the galactic South to visit unexplored star systems and new civilizations. Please welcome back our first officer, Chusa Sune, as he returns to our crew. Prepare for hyperspace jump and for subsequent docking with the YSS Firebird. Ittô Juni Valencia please report to the bridge. Our readiness condition is three. That is all."

Next, Hanako sent orders for the Firebird to follow the Eucharis.

Kyoto Spaceport

Sune followed Hanako onto the Eucharis. He made a brief mental note of the ship's harmonics and the difference from the Firebird's. "Charisma, Jalen Sune-Chusa, coming back onboard as First Officer." he sent telepathically to the ship's MEGAMI.

He made his way to his quarters only to find that his gear had not yet been delivered. He he synched his PHC with Charisma and found that his gear had been packed but not picked up.

Hearing Hanako's announcement, "That solves the problem of my gear. I can get it when we rendezvous."

He left the overcoat in his cabin closet, and made sure the side arm he had carried was on his dominant side. He then made his way onto the bridge wearing his teal shirt, black slacks and shoes. When he stepped onto the bridge he looked at Hanako. "Looks like I will need to get my gear when we meet the Firebird, ma'am." he said as he went to Mission Ops station.

YSS Eucharis Bridge



Hanako swiveled around and went to the Systems Monitoring station across from Sune, where Blackberry was sitting. "Thank you again. Blackberry, you are free to leave until night shift," she told the purple-skinned neko, who nodded and left. Hanako replaced her in the seat in front of the control panels and displays, finding everything ready for liftoff except the cargo bay door being open.

"I want to document some unexplored star systems. I think we might start with the one close to HX-23. I also think we should get a closer look at the habitable planets in the Hanako Cluster. And there is an unknown civilization in the HX-14 system which we may be able to make first contact with. We should probably do that last."

Bridge

The doors of the Eucharis bridge slid open only minutes after Ramiro had been paged. As he entered the room he stopped in front of Hanako and bowed. "Valencia-Juni reporting for duty ma'am," he stated simply before going to the Starship Operations station and taking a seat. Pausing for a moment to let himself find a comfortable spot before opening up the standard ship controls as well as the space map.

"Current location of the Firebird, so I can plot a route?"

Eucharis


Natsumi slipped into her and Bors Cabin, more that a bit bummed out shore leave had been cut short. She stowed her new clothing and hat in her locker, then made sure her uniform was proper and headed for the bridge. If the ship was going to deploy she needed to be at her duty station.

The Shosho's announcement went out as Natsumi was walking along a corridor. She thought it was odd that leave would be cut short so suddenly for what sounded like an exploration mission.

She shrugged and entered the bridge, spotting the Shosho and and Ramiro already there along with Sune, who she was happy to see was back on the Eucharis. "Yamashiro-Hei reporting for duty" she said, bowing to Hanako, then went to work, taking the open Science station.

She quickly started bringing up systems status and readiness monitors, going over everything and helping Ramiro prep the ship for takeoff.

Bridge

Sune turned from his console to look at Ramiro, "The Firebird is currently here in the Kyoto Spaceport. Her crew like ours was on leave. They have just been sent a return to ship order. So they will be about an hour behind us. Their orders are to head to HX-23. So that is where we will rendezvous."

Engineering

Takeyu stood in front of the ships reactor, much like he always had done when the ship was launching. His engineer's eye looking up and down it for any defects, naturally none were there since the ship had been in drydock.

"So, we are moving," he muttered and looked down at the rooms deck where he could feel the ships engine reving up. He stared for a few moments, then walked over to his station and keyed it online, bringing up system diagnostics and beginning to run checks to ensure all systems were operational.

Bridge

Hanako's phone rang on her control station, and the Shosho went to pick it up. It was Victory. "The cargo door is secure and all crew members are aboard," the admiral passed on to the bridge. "Mister Valencia, please signal starport control and the Firebird we are requesting takeoff. Once we are clear of the system, set course for the HX-23 star system. Natsumi, when we arrive I want a full scan."

Meanwhile, Sune got a call from Lime: "Chusa, I did not have time to prepare dinner due to the short notice," she said. "Do you want me to distribute rations for dinner, or try to whip something up? I have some fish I might use."

Engineering

Everything seemed to be in order down in Engineering. The five-year-old ship was still performing nicely. With Cherry on the night shift and no other technicians, Takeyu was all alone with the machines. At least there was network access down there.

Bridge

Sune did a quick query of the ship's inventory. As usual there was quite a bit of random items in stock, no doubt from Hanako's supplementing the ship's larder from salvage purchase.

"I suggest holding off on the rations. We have plenty of things to make a nice cold dinner. Perhaps sandwiches using some of fish, ham and cheese with fruit salad. This is your chance to get creative." he replied.

He pulled up the log entries for the Eucharis since his departure. He was curious about the Occhestians they had and what had really happened up north. Once he had the records available he downloaded them into his PHC so that he could review them.

Bridge

Ramiro eyes scanned across a screen showing the Eucharis blueprints overlaid by the network of different systems around the ship. As the different systems slowly reported Readiness Conditions they updated his screen. While he watched this and updated the CFS he listened to the chatter behind him.

"HX-23, Aye ma'am," he sounded off as the last final systems reported Readiness Condition 3.

"Ship prepped and ready for launch!" As he said this he put his headset on and plugged it into the comms system. He then switched to the Spaceport Control channel, as well as routed the feed to the Firebird so they could hear the chatter.

"Kyoto Spaceport Control this is YSS Eucharis November-Golf Xray-One Four-Zero-Eight."

"Go ahead Four-Zero-Eight."

"Spaceport Control, requesting permission for takeoff. Over."

"Copy Four-Zero-Eight. Friendly ship inbound currently. Wait, Out."

Ramiro sighed and slouched back into his chair. About fifteen seconds later they station called back.

"Four-Zero-Eight, Kyoto Spaceport Control. You are clear for launch. Over."

"Copy Spaceport Control. Four-Zero-Eight out."

Looking back behind him he called out. "We are clear for launch ma'am. Taking her up."

Putting power to the engines, Ramiro grabbed on to the controls for the Eucharis and lifted her out of the spaceport. On the way up Ramiro flipped to the star map to begin lotting the hyperspace jump, but then Charisma chimmed in.

"No need Ramiro, I've already plotted a course based upon your usual hyperspace route patterns."

Ramiro's eyebrows raised slightly as a route appeared on his screen.

"Thank you Charisma! Shosho, route plotted through Wazu Corridor before following the Galactic North-South line past the Ran Nebula and then straight-lining for the planet from 60LY away. Transferring route image to main screen."

PA Bay

After returning to the ship and changing into her work uniform, she moved down to the PA bay and looked over the parts from her Mindy. It still had the dried blood from the last mission on it.

Slowing and deliberately she removed the abdomen plating and setting it aside. it was a painful process, she was reviewing the logs from the mission at the same time. She started tearing up when Bors to his hit, then came her indecision on what to do. As she installed the new abdomen plate, she was coming to the ambush in the hallway, she saw how if she just laid down a field of fire the ripper would have had to back back around the corner, but no she had to get in to full melee with it. He felt at stab of pain at the moment she saw herself get stabbed.

She dropped the tools and brought her hands to her face and started sobbing, "I failed them, I failed my team." She slid down the bulkhead till she was sitting on the deck crying. Her left hand moved down and felt the knotted scar across her abdomen where the aether blade slide in. They seemed to burn, though it was entirely with in her head. "How can I be trusted not to screw up again in the next operation?"

It was when she felt the rumble of the ship's engines, that she was able to get control of herself again. She looked at the Mindy and found that the plates were almost fully installed, so she finished up with that and got the PA back into it's storage dock.

She moved back up to her cabin and changed again into her duty uniform and heading to the wardroom to wait for orders.

Wardroom

When Suzume arrived in the wardroom, she could hear the sounds of Lime cooking in the galley. There was the sizzle of oil and a mild smell of freshly cooked fish, carried by steam from the bubbling water of a boiling pot. But dinner had been delayed and the food wasn't out yet. Still, Suzume could see the impromptu meal's menu on a wall display:

Lime Tilapia Fillets
Ceasar Salad
Baked Potato with Cheese
Baked Apples

Click to expand...

Bridge

"Engage hyperspace drive when ready," Hanako ordered Ramiro.

PA Bay

After returning to the Eucharis, a bit miffed that his leave was cut, Bors put his newly purchased items in his room and changed into his work uniform. Figuring he'd better do something productive he moved to the PA bay to fix his MCAS realizing that, unlike him, it hadn't been fixed up after the previous mission and wouldn't do him any good with a gaping hole in its chest.

Once in the PA Bay, Bors quickly went to work on his busted suit, by first removing the severely damaged chest plate. After a few minutes Bors set his tools down and finally wedged free his armors chest plate, taking a moment to stare at the puncture that matched the new scar on his chest. "I am too lucky sometimes.." Bors said to himself as he discarded the broken piece of armor and set to work installing the new one.

Bridge

Sune glanced at the status indicators; the Eucharis was operating well within normal parameters. He turned around so that he could observe the bridge crew performing their duties. Ramiro was in his element at home flying the gunship. Even without a SPINE interface his friend handled her well.

While waiting for the ship to fold, he pulled up the data on HX-23.

Bridge

"Exiting Hill Sphere," Ramiro reported as he brought the hyperspace controls up. Once they were an adequate distance outside the sphere he activated the drive.

"Folding!"

The Eucharis was surrounded by its usual shimmering sphere of teal before disappearing from normal space and whisking off towards its destination.

"ETA 1 hour, 20 minutes."

Bridge

"I can watch the bridge," Hanako offered. "Ramiro, Natsumi, Sune...it is dinner time. Why not go down the the wardroom and get a bite to eat and perhaps do some mission planning. We are able to roam around the southern frontier. If the crew has some stops down here on the wishlist, we can probably accommodate them; so, you may wish to ask around."

Hanako picked up her phone and dialed the intercom. "Chui Blueberry, please report to the bridge."

Bridge

"Thank you, Shosho" Natsumi smiled as Hanako suggested they take some time to get dinner. She glanced at Ramiro to see if he was coming too before setting her station to standby and excusing herself. Some dinner sounded really good at the moment and she wondered what was being cooked up in the galley.

Eucharis

Mitsuko was a bit irritated by shore leave being cut short. They hadn't even made it to the onsen yet, since she'd been so busy shopping. She'd thought they'd at least have another day on Yamatai, so hadn't been in a rush. Grumbling to herself, she returned to her room to change and unpack. Her new clothing was hung up as she changed into her Working Uniform. Slowly everything was put back where it should be, presents for the others stowed until things quieted down a bit.

Soon enough she was leaving her cabin, tidying up after herself and her roommate, meeting up with Misato again in the wardroom. "...I feel like we just had lunch, but dinner does sound good..." She giggled, smiling, trying to stay in a good mood even though they were back at work.

Wardroom

Misato's mood rose when Mitsuko came into the wardroom, "To true Mimi-chan, tell you the truth I'm not feeling all that hungry myself but I bet the food going to be good ether way." She thought over the past few days and remembered the Sho' Sho' asking her to come up with some sort of training mission, so she asked Charisma so create a few volumetric screens in the booth Misato was sitting. They appeared she started working on a few ideas she had.

Bridge

Blueberry entered the white-and-red bridge and gave Shosho Hanako a bow.

“Blueberry,” Hanako began. “The return of Chusa Sune has left the scout ship Firebird without a captain. As an officer and a sensor specialist, this type of ship would be perfect for your first command. I want you to serve me as captain of the YSS Firebird.”

The Chui gasped a little, followed by a sigh. “I do not mean any harm, but I feel my place is on this ship. Charisma is my creator and I want to be with the people I know.”

“I want you to grow. You would be the first sprite to make it to command. Think about it. You will be able to shine brighter and do more from your new position, and Charisma I will still be easy to reach since the Firebird is in our squadron,” Hanako told Blueberry. “You are my friend now and always. We have to position you where you can do the most good. I think you will like having a staff under you, too.”

“Hmm,” Blueberry said, pacing across the front area of the bridge. “Are there any NCOs on the Firebird?” she asked.

“No,” Hanako replied.

“I request that Pineapple transfer with me, then,” Blueberry requested from Hanako. “Not only will her leadership be needed, but I want someone I know. And I will need a good supply person.”

“Very well,” Hanako nodded. “You are dismissed to eat dinner and pack."

- - -

Wardroom

Lime, wearing potholder mittens on her hands, brought out the hot trays of food to the buffet line. "My apologies for the delays," she said to the group at the big table.