RP: YSS Eucharis [Mission 27, Part 3] Expanding Horizons II (YE 39)

Wardroom

Masumi looked hesitantly to Candon before looking back to Hanako and she stood.

"Hai, Shosho! I think you may be on to something there! It sounds appropriate to draw that or a similar conclusion to it. I would go so far as to say that their scientist identified the 'ancient' as being something more than the robots that were activated. Something far more sinister."

Wardroom

Meanwhile, while the soldiers discussed soldiering, the engineer meticulously scrolled through damage reports on his datapad. He began mentally ranking each repair operation by time to complete, with the more extensive and critical procedures taking priority. First, you had to make the suit work, then you could make it pretty.

Bronzi's mecha would be a bitch, but he was sure he had the tools to repair it.

Once that was done, he began creating a report on the mysterious robot-army they'd encountered. Jax didn't have much to say about them, due to their enigmatic nature, but he did manage to make a few models of the bots. He drew arrows pointing to their various weak-points, also listing what sorts of weapons would be most effective on the heavily armored beings. Off to the side, he drew several stick-Mindys with smiley-faces shooting at the bots. You know, for artistic reasons. Once finished, he sent it to the away team's assorted mailboxes for later reading.

Honestly, it would be a miracle if anyone actually read it. He spent so much time sending memes that no doubt he'd been flagged as spam.

Wardroom

Bronzi crossed his arms as Freyja said her part on the events. The girl made a mistake, she was being mobbed in the field and she reacted to it poorly, and helped to facilitate the injury of her commanding officer. But she owned it. It probably saved her career. She admitted her folly and got the Captian's mercy on the matter. Though that was official. Bronzi noted Freja'e voice and movements. Her faint synthetic scent was giving her emotional state away. No punishment would match the punishment she was giving her self, and Bronzi did not envy her for that. Things happened .

The only complaint Bronzi had now was that it was just going to be poor Freyja being punished when she was not alone. But Bronzi wouldn't say it. As much as he wished to. But if Freyja wanted to take it for the team, well that was honorable.

Wazu got an elbow tapped into his arm, and Bronzi mumbled "way about offerin to feed the rixxikor. Get more intel. One less group shootin at em next time dey go down?"

Hanger

Jax had instructed Sura not to touch anything. Sura touched everything in his absence. Though she was infatuated with SAoY equipment. The uniforms. The technology. It was all so appealing. Before long she ventured off to get her tool back and to the hanger area where the power armors had boarded. She wouldn't touch the Mindy armors, because she didn't know how to even fix them. But the Heirophant was a mess. Damage, cracks. Sura woke up her repair drones. Four crab like walker bots marched out in tandem and began climbing on the Heirophant. Sura would do what she could for it, but she'd likely need Jaxons experience and military precision to get the armor back up to 100%. Two of the duct taped robots made it back to the ship. Sura took care to have them removed and placed on a work bench for examination by the resident tech heads.

Wardroom

Freyja's eyes widened. In normal circumstances, she would have been horrified by the punishment she had just been sentenced to. In this case, she was equally relieved and thankful. She straightened from her bow and allowed Junko's hands to guide her back into her seat. She caught the relieved look on Wazu's face and blushed. Does he really care about me? She thought, somewhat surprised.

The relieved Neko concentrated on the conversation, trying to remember if she had heard anything relevant. Nothing came to mind that hadn't already been mentioned. Her ears were still slumped back in shame. Now there was just one more person she had to apologize to and she would never speak of this day again. She wondered what Natsumi's reaction to seeing her face would be. Anger would be understandable. She didn't know what she would do if the reaction was fear.

Just have to make it through this. Afterwards I can eat with Junko and just talk about anything else, she thought hopefully. The reality of the whole situation set in. After the briefing, the child that was part Wazu would come to meet the woman that could have been her mother. And yet, I would rather have to experience that pain than the one I feel right now.

Wardroom

"I suppose that is about it then," Hanako frowned, seeing that most of the reports were already delivered, the punishments were doled out, and and the team had fallen silent. "For now, we should eat, get a good night's rest, and we can try again in the morning once everyone has their equipment repaired."

As if on queue, Lime and Mango started loading up the buffet with the meal for tonight. There were pan-fried fish fillets with taco spice on them, taco shells and tortillas, freshly shredded cheese, and a small selection of toppings like pickled jalapenos, shredded spinach, diced onions, diced tomatoes, cilantro. Many of the toppings had been actually grown on the ship in the little garden shelves lining the wardroom. There was also some Spanish rice, refried beans, and some basic sushi rolls as the alternative food. Finally there was cherry jello.

Hanako looked at the food, which was not quite the spread she was used to. "Also, we finally have a supply ship coming tonight. The YSS Tomoyo will be delivering supplies and helping with crew transfers. We may have some new faces for the mission tomorrow. Also I will ask her captain to give us one of her T7 shuttles."

Wardroom

Tan looked around the table as Hanako spoke, and was so startled the debriefing was already over she lost most of her train of thought. She did recover one piece in time to speak before she lead dinner distract her, half-raising her hand to address the captain.

"I do have a... question. I am unclear on what I must do as the ship's medic when other crew members do not wish to be treated, resist diagnosis, and self-administer. I assumed that all crew members returning from away missions were to be considered 'patients', but it seems I was mistaken." It wasn't much of a query, but she was struggling to keep it further in that direction than it was toward sounding like a complaint.

Wardroom

"As the medic you have the authority in all matters that are medical. If you should have problems with your patients, you should bring it to the attention on the First Officer or myself," Hanako answered Tan.

"It's ready!" Lime announced to the crew.

Wardroom

Tan raised her eyebrows and nodded a few times, turning to look back at Lime. This was definitely something it seemed she would have to bring up... but, later. Her mouth watered at smell of the fish, and she excused herself to assemble a tortilla with beans, spinach, fillets, and rice, more for the sake of staying occupied than from having a great appetite, though she was still looking forward to biting in.

She almost gave Lime a thumbs-up sign in approval, but managed to convert the motion into a more Yamataian gesture of gratitude before its culmination.

Wardroom

Masumi nodded to Candon and without another words exchanged between the two, Masumi got up from the booth and made to leave the wardroom by going towards the stairs to the crew lounge, headed for cabin six.

Bronzi remaind silent for this part of the exchange. The medic wasn't clear on her powers. He wondered for a moment of her question was about him. His blue eyes drifted down to his wound. His body tended to mend it self swifter then any other Gart he knew...save for three. Then again he was used to Gartagen medics and their brazen dedication. Of course there was that one time with the mercinsry trope that he got injured and they took him to a vet. Still even the animal doctor seemed more enthusiastic.

Bronzi's eyes drifted to Candon and Masumi. Freyja had shown her worth...but it appeared Freyja would pay for it alone. He knew who he could count on at least.

"Arigatogozaimashita for the food Shosho-Sama." Bronzi bowed to Hanako and took a step back. Then turned and slapped Wazu on the buttocks. "Eat fer us both." He grunted as he towards the door.

YSS Eucharis, Wardroom

Candon wouldn't stop Masumi, not in public anyway. There had been enough embarrassment today and in his mind it was time to heal up the wounds. Tsuguka had her work cut out.

On the other hand, he would stop Tan before she'd reach her seat.
"Have you ever seen a mission fail because one person was hung up on procedure?" Candon asked Tan rhetorically as he put his arm gently in front of her path, his voice quiet and stern, "I have. It's funny how one person harboring hurt feelings can bring death on the crew or even themselves..."
The cold man paused only a moment to make sure he worded this right.
"Learn to let things go, Santô Hei. It just might make the difference between life and death someday. If you want to survive tomorrow's mission make the right choices. You'd be surprised just how much better things go when no one is dragging down morale. Be part of the solution... and don't dare be part of the problem."
Was that advice or a threat? With some people it was hard to tell and Candon was one of them. His serious attitude bordered on intensity despite his subtle tone and he would move on to the buffet before Tan's response came. He wasn't asking, thus in his mind there was no response to give.

With a platein hand he began taking two of everything from the buffet. It didn't take a spy to tell that his roommate needed some support.

Wardroom

"I--" Tan began to reply before Candon moved on from his introduction to the body of his speech, not realizing he had an intent beyond making conversation. She was a bit flustered when he talked over her.

She delayed what she'd planned to say and prepared a more detailed response, once she'd seemed to glean he was implying something. Unaware that she'd disengaged, she spoke to where he'd been, turned around when she couldn't locate him there, and responded with a clear unawareness he intended to disengage fully.

"If I'm understanding you at all correctly, Heisho, such an analysis seems dubious. I've only been on one mission so far--today's--and certainly it did not fail due to anyone's hang-ups. Quite the inverse. Perhaps you could spare some advice for those in more need of it? ...Or just better advice? I can think of two ways I endangered the mission, myself, and other crew, today, but this suggestion is unrelated to either of them..."

Although she was nervous, Tan wasn't aware of it, and although Candon was intimidating, she was quite literally blind to it. Tan Ann Pan hadn't earned her doctorate by means of exceptional social intelligence, and there were certainly reasons she hadn't advanced as a SAINT agent or been accepted as a medical officer that were quite independent of her professional skills.

YSS Eucharis, Wardroom

"You dont understand because I was advising you on the future. What I hate most about the past is that you can't change it. No one can change the past, but the future is what you make it. Unless I say otherwise, my advice is always focused on the future," Candon replied as he paused his culinary acquisition. He wasn't angry, but he wasn't happy either(typical). Mild but firm in words.

"Now you did marginally better than some other members of the team today, but that's in the past. At this point we need to rebuild morale so I don't want any more bad news until the mission is over, we've had enough problems without someone being upset that a crew mate under my command followed my orders at the expense of your role on the ship. You're a medic but your first occupation is soldier, and thats what we need right now. Your report can wait until it's helpful, for now I am ordering you to help get the infantry team physically and mentally prepared for our next sortie. I can't do it alone, can you handle this assignment?"

Wardroom

Tan Ann Pan tilted her head, turned stiffly from Candon to look at Hanako, then looked at Candon again, scanning him up and down. She certainly would have preferred to ignore the question and end the conversation, but she wasn't on Nepleslia anymore. It wasn't university, either, so she also had to rule out any rebuttals.

She never understood the tradition some officers had for claiming they'd made the mistakes that had been made by others. While it was certainly wrong for an officer to deny responsibility for the conduct of those under their command, in this case, and in many others, it seemed less a matter of taking responsibility for one's subordinates, and more an expression of purest chivalry, offered as freely for any enlisted the officer wished to protect as it was for their own superiors.

She breathed out, and breathed in again, slowly, during an incredulous moment of silence, then bowed to Candon.

"I apologize, Itto Heisho. I cannot adequately prepare the crew for a mission. I can only treat their injuries, and perform their physical examinations. It is bad news, but--" What was she supposed to do? Tell him she'd both do what she had to and not, at the same time? She staggered on. "--perhaps this is not the place for this conversation."

There was no place for it, so far as Tan was concerned, but it did not seem to her to be any good for morale to discuss how much harm would be caused by cracking down on efforts to restore the unit's functioning, from the top down. She was starting to lose her appetite.

YSS Eucharis, Wardroom

Candon nodded, "I understand and,if you'd, like we can speak more freely in the simulator. In fact, I would like to have a meeting with you after dinner if you're comfortable with that. It's not an order and you may like what I have to say."

Candon finished filling his plate. Two servings of everything was more than twice what he usually ate and anyone who knew him would be aware of that. Any confusion would probably be cleared when he picked up twice the utensils the common person eats with.
"I need to see someone. Please consider this and message me if you need," he dismissed himself as he headed to the stairs toward his cabin.

Wardroom

Tan Ann Pan wasn't fond of simulators, as they were almost always designed for normal (or enhanced) human senses, not for those accustomed to using air sonar as their primary sense. It seemed worth a try, though, if only because she hadn't yet encountered any conclusive reason not to trust Candon. She stayed quiet, and nodded as he left, returning to the table to have a nibble.

Wardroom

Saiga didn't pay much mind to the proceedings as the debriefing wrapped up—though he certainly picked up everything that was being said—especially after Freyja's cringeworthy admission of guilt. The incident had all been recorded, and likely reviewed by the Shosho in real time as it happened. So knowing Hanako, the blue Neko's tearful acknowledgement had probably done her more harm than staying strong and respectfully quiet would have.

Hanako's comment about "unwanted attention" from Star Army command struck him as odd, though. The SAINT operative had, of course, been briefed on a few past incidents involving the Eucharis, but still saw no reason for her concern or directive to the crew. And unlike his assignment to her cousin Kotori, Saiga's mission here didn't involve watching Hanako for any suspicious acts. He remained seated while the others got up to grab Lime's tacos, mulling over the curiosity of her statement. Plus, his wounded leg still hurt, so he'd decided to wait and get his food quickly instead of standing around in line for it, and took the time to send a quick note scheduling a post-meal visit with Tan in the medlab.

Wardroom

Junko relaxed fractionally when the meeting was fully concluded. Little surprised that no one had been barred from a full meal, but she wasn't going to complain. Tapped out the end of her report before putting her personal pad away. Mission done, aftermath dealt with and Hanako could speak to her personally if she had any further issue.

Note to self: See about getting custom Mindy helmet. If that ear kept getting shot off, may as well put the comm unit on the other side entirely.

That just left getting a meal and... unfinished business. Looked back to Freyja (Freyja-chan? Freyja-san? Yuuki-Hei?) a long moment. Owed her a lot of explanation, though she wouldn't be shocked if her fellow infantry just wanted some space to be alone. Her comfort came before Junko's own desire for closeness.

Though she did hope that, even if she didn't want to dredge up the old wound between them, she could at least be nearby.

"Did you want to, um..." She started off strong before tripping up and bumbling.

"I'd like to take and..." She shifted on her feet and looked down. For a brief moment, she at least looked the part of old Junko. Just a dumb, bashful Neko trying to work up the nerve to talk to the person who made her feel worth a damn.

"I was thinking of taking that spot after I get something. If you w-wanted to join me, I'd... be glad." She said. Little relieved she managed to actually finish a sentence. She wasn't married to that spot, but she wasn't sure she could have added any more without tripping on her own tongue again.

Armor Bay

The rest of the crew wasn't aware that the apocalypse itself was upon them, because for once, Jax wasn't hungry.

Instead, he shuffled away, back down to familiar territory.

"Sura? Still here?" he called out as he lugged a dolly into the space, ready to begin repairs on Natsumi's armor. He felt ill at the thought of his upcoming task, which would involve cleaning the blood of one of his friends from the interior. He didn't have to do it a lot, but it always made him sick to his stomach, like he was witnessing a horrific crime scene.

Armor Bay

Jax would see Sura's blue tail and butt sticking up in the air as she was face first into the back s at of the Heirophant. "Uh. Yes." She said, her voice reverberating from inside the steal coffin that was the massive and dormant mech.

She pulled her self out and shoved her self around watching Jaxon wheel in Natsumi's armor. "Lemme give you a hand" she said sliding off the Heirophant's hull. Sura skittered over to Jaxon.

She looked down at the battered armor. Noting the Yamataian blood and its scent. "Well at least this particular armor isn't Zesu..." Sura pulled out her sonic projector and began using it to break the encrusted blood off of the armor.