RP: YSS Aeon [Mission 3.0] Pickets and Surveys

"Hi, heading to cargo bay now, ... What the--!?" Kame replied. While the infantry was busy hooking up the OGSP, Kame had entered Aeon's rugged bowels known as the cargo bay to a rather peculiar scene.


In the cargo bay everything nearly looked serene--the few necessary vehicles all fueled an tucked away, the extra repair supplies all stocked and organized, and even most of the drones were all strapped and unusually restless--everything was perfectly normal until Kame look up and saw the two VMAD space drones hung upside down from the ceiling chirping like birds. No, not birds more-like giant 2 meter pterodactyls Kame corrected herself as one drones fluttered down with a swoosh came to investigate with a loud "CHEEP!," that sounded like a engine roar.

The Engineer didn't have time to even consider how they managed to get free of their straps, Kame tried several unsuccessful attempts. Mustering up her courage Kame kindly said, "Ok, you to have had your fun but it time for you two to go back to your platform and be strapped in so we can be ready for hyperfold." The large drone shifted the entire weight of it body and replied back with a, "Cheep?" "Oh come on," Kame responded as she tried to gently nudge the drone in the right direction, "you know full well you'll might get thrown around and go splat if we don't strap you in." Of course the drone, being more massive than her just sat their like an immobile rock, until it got annoyed an fluttered to the other side of the room."

Too much avail, she tried gently to continue alternate between pushing the birds and coaxing them like pets back to their platform; however, the drones soon saw this as a game of tag fled around the room as Kame gave chase. Then Kame tried using the gravity lift to tractor one of the drones; however, it quickly cried for help while the other attempted to distract her by messing with her hair and turning of the tractor beam. This "game" continued for much of the next 45 minutes as birds soon liberated the other drones that soon ran around the cargo bay with a plethora different creature like noises and beeps. After one flying drone stole her side arm, it was last straw for Kame, and she furiously whipped around and yelled illogical wag of her finger, "No, BAD DRONE! No robotreats for you! Now go back you room and think about what you done!"

The eerie silence that filled the air was abruptly interrupted as the space drone release the firearm and let out a small drone of sorrow as it floated back to it platform. The other drones still gaping in mouth-less shock, soon realized Kame was starring at them hard as if saying, anyone else wants to continue acting up. Quickly they followed suit and went sullenly back to their platforms. As Kame strapped them up, she was broken out of her ire when one of machines let out a soft sob. "Well maybe I was a little too harsh..." Kame mumbled to herself and immediately decided to pet the drones down. Before retrieving her pistol and leaving the cargo bay, she also went back give all the drones soft calm reassuring words that they still loved them and hope about adventure they would soon be going on.

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With clearly frazzled messy gray hair, Kame entered the Engineering Bay and immediately saluted her superior, Chief Engineer Usaga. "Itto-Hei Kame O'Kutsuu reporting in mam. The drones are all strapped in a ready for the trip. Shall I start up the hyperdrive in preparation for warp?

If I may be so bold as to speak freely, then I would like apologize for the delay and my unprofessional appearance, but there were complications with new more 'animal-like' AIs. Needless to say all my questions about what drones are taking on this trip have been answered. Additionally, I was sure of the status of supplies, but found that there were some recent sales for drones, so I made some inquires into the pricing of various items. In particular, I was looking at the possibility of purchasing a Lorath Sensor Drone that I thought would be a useful support asset on this and other missions. However, I thought you would have a better idea of what this ship needed, so I believe that I CC'ed you on those inquires you earlier to look over before I went to the cargo bay. What do you think, Usaga-hei?

The OGSP sensing the tow hook in proximity extended its locking mechanism and opened it. A series of blinking lights on the hook indicated the waiting status.

Asine took the other tow hook and attached it to the second OGSP. He waited a moment for the platform to cycle its locking mechanism. The unit they showed a green status indicating that the tow hook was secure.

"Oshiro-Juni, Platform two is secure and ready for towing." he called out.

Hisa looked at her coworker, shook her head slightly, it always seemed that Kame found a way to turn the simplest things into drama. "Spin up the hyperdrive and run a level one diagnostic so that we will be ready for when the Taisa gives the order."

Trowa completed his assigned task. Their course was plotted and ready to go. While he waited for the away team to secure the OGSPs, Trowa ran several tests with his new implants. He wanted to make sure that it ran flawlessly with the ship. Better get the bugs worked out now than wait until I'm in combat. The pilot thought to himself.

After Arkase had attached the tow assembly to the second OGSP, and verified both were properly secured, he led the others back into the power armor bay.

He crossed over to the intercom and dialed the bridge. "Oshiro-Heisho to Bridge. Platforms are secure. All hands are on board."

"Acknowledged. See me later to discuss Infantry training." Katae replied, and then she hung up the intercom.

"Yamamoto-Hei, take us out of orbit, and then accelerate to in-system travel speed. Once we are clear of the system defenses, engage the hyperdrive." she ordered.

Arkase quickly removed himself from his power armor, feeling that the job was done and knowing everyone was inside.

"Alright. You all do what you need to do, we'll be out of the system soon enough. Grab a bite to eat if you need to. Make some prayers to the Empress or whatever it is you do. Not too long from now we'll be back to the normal daily grind."

Asine shrugged, staying in his armor. "When do you need us back here?" He was going to stay at least for a few minutes; for some reason, his controls were handling a bit stiffly, so he wanted to check it out. "And don't forget to go get a back-up if you haven't. Even if this isn't supposed to be high danger, no point chancing it."

Kame nodded to Usaga-hei, sat down on the console initiated the hyperdrive. While she ran a diagnostic on the fold drive, engines, and sensors, she thought to herself You know spin up drive has always been an odd colloquiums. In the ancient past, I guess “spin up the drive” made sense since the engine was often a reciprocating engine or a gas turbine, so there was a blade or piston spinning. But what is spinning in a hyperdrive or aether engine? Well the power turbines are all spinning, but those are typically always spinning. hmm… Could the phrase be referring to particle themselves inside engine or hyperdrive that are spinning? But wait would they be talking about particles spin or the particles angular momentum. What would a particles spin mean classically anyways?
With a cough from Usaga, Kame snapped up from her inner monologue and with a embarrassed blushed reported, “Ah! E-Everything looks green Usagi-hei and the hyperdrive has… oh! Less than 3 minutes before its fully charged. I send a message to the bridge now.”

"Aeon to all 7th Squadron, trajectory has been transferred, follow us out." The Nepleslian sent across the comm.

Trowa brought the Aeon onto a departure angle, and began accelerating the gunship to cruising speed. Flying out was relatively a simple task, hardly a challenge, but Trowa could not help but notice that most of the inbound vessels he passed were heavily damaged.

Upon reaching the outer marker of the defense grid he sent the command to the squadron to initiate the first of several folds. Around the ships of the Seventh squadron bright blue spheres of energy formed and once complete the ships transitioned from normal space to FTL leaving behind them fading blue flashes.

Katae once she felt the Aeon jump to hyperdrive got up walked to the door, "Yamamoto-Hei, once we pass through the Sakura Gap, have Keiko-Juni relieve you on the bridge." she said before exiting. She then made her way to her quarters, and took a seat at her desk. She started reading some of the latest reports from the fleet. There was little if any good news, the most recent being the recovery of some of people aboard the YSS Freedom that had been shot down by the NMX.

Katae walked over to her book case, selected a novel and returned back to her chair, she then dialed the galley. "Nami-Hei, please bring a pot of coffee and some cups to my quarters." she said to the cook.

"Yes, Taisa, I'll be right there with your favorite blend." Sachi replied.

Kame sighed a relief, a minute after the Aeon lurched into its first fold. After all, 95% precent of all FTL-failures happened in the few seconds of entering hyperspace. After a few minutes of an placid silence monitoring the various ships systems, Kame began to fret with anxiety and curiosity about where they were headed and who the new officer was. If it wasn't for the fact that she was on duty meant she really should be asking casual things such as--What do you think of Keiko Gi. or Hey did you see the latest liveaction drama, Neko Wars IV: Return of the Samurai? or Have you heard the latest rumors that Shinja Fujita being a masochistic hentai that peeps on his employees using animal-like drones!?---stuff like that.

So instead she began to fidget a little while waiting for them to reach their destination

Usage set her consoles to automatic and turned to face Kame. "Well, we are on our way. We have lots of things we can take care of en-route. The Taisa wants us to install serveral Type 31 Lifeform Detection System units, and a Type 32 Remote Backup Unit.

Take the RBU down to the Medbay and get it installed. Take an LDS and install it near the MEGAMI. That will get us started. I will hold down the fort here until we get to Ronica."

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Sachi put a bot of Kate's favorite coffee on a tray with a couple of cups, and sugar and cream packets. After making sure that the pot was sealed she added a few croissants.

She quickly made her way to Katae's cabin and buzzed the door. When it opened she walked in.

"Here is your coffee Ise-Taisa, I also added a couple of glazed almond croissants to hold you over until dinner time." she said placing the tray on the edge of the desk.

Katae smiled as she looked at the tray, "Thank you Sachi, I am sure everything will be just fine. If you happen to see Oshiro-Heisho, please ask him to join me in my cabin."

"Certainly ma'am. I will also have the dinner menu posted in an hour." Sachi said as she walked out the door.

"An hour. But if I call in earlier than that you'd better snap to it." Arkase said.

His communicator beeped. After a swift glance, he sighed and left for Ise Katae's cabin.

"Eternity, kindly inform Ise-Taisa that I'm awaiting her permission to enter her cabin."

The door to Katae's cabin opened revealing the working side of the Taisa's cabin, "Please come in Oshiro-Heisho." Katae called out.

Arkase placed himself in front of the Taisa and bowed.

"You wished to talk about training for the Away Team, Ise-Taisa?"

"Please have a seat, and yes I do wish to speak about training. Help yourself to a cup of coffee if you like." Katae said.

The last mission the away team was disorganized, they lacked cohesion, and that leads to death and failure. Neither are acceptable in my book.

While we are enroute, conduct a series of drills with the other infantry, moving through the Aeon. As we saw with the Eucharis, intruders can happen to the best ships.

Once we get to AX-01, if there is a planet we can land on, I was thinking of having some of the other crew members play aggressors to your infantry team.

You're thoughts?" she asked as she picked up her cup and took a sip while looking at Arkase.

"Well, if you'll give me permission to take over the volumetric projection system, I can have a drill running right now." Arkase said with a grim smile.

He seated himself in front of the Taisa, not bothering to take any coffee. He didn't like the drink.

"As to the rest, I agree. We did lack cohesion, and I'm not excluding myself from all of the blame. With a crew the size of the Aeon's, even one KIA is too much. Working with better coordinated teams when we reach AX-01 will help -- especially if we make it into a competition between ships. It will give everyone an incentive to perform better if their pride and their ship's pride is on the line."

"Then we are on the same page. Feel free to conduct your drills immediately, ask for volunteers from night shift if you think it will help. I just ask that you avoid areas such as the bridge so to not disrupt our journey to AX-01." Katae responded.

Kyoka returned from the hookup rather bored, and resolved to find a hobby to keep herself busy at a later date. For the moment, however, she headed off to go get a snack from a vending machine.*

*No voyage is complete without a broken-vending machine!

The Aeon and the other ships of the Seventh Squadron traveled without incident. After five folds the squadron emerged into the Veronica system.

There were plenty of other ships in the area, the Second Squadron and ships from the 2XF were present. Katae flew the gunship into a high orbit over Ronica, and transmitted her congratulations to the commander and crew of the Aeon's sister ship, the Eucharis on their rescue of the survivors on the ill fated YSS Freedom.

The Aeon then released one of the two Orbital Geological Survey Platforms into a polar orbit, and broke orbit and moved away to resume its journey.

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The Squadron dropped out of FTL at the edge of the system designated by Katae as AX-01. The squadron then split up by rote. Two of the ships set course to explore the outer planets, the Aeon with the Integrity flying on its wing proceeded to the inner system. The Aeon altered course for the terrestrial planet outside of the asteroid belt, and the Integrity continued to the inner most.

The Aeon entered orbit over the third planet and released the OGSP into orbit. As the gunship completed its second orbital pass Eternity detected a low powered signal coming from the surface of the planet. After conducting a scan of the surface at the source of the signal, Katae called for all crew members to report to the Wardroom.

Kyoka was the first to arrive at the wardroom, entering with a polite bow before taking a seat*.


*If they don't have seats, then she stands in a respectful manner.

Arkase was in behind Kyoka, and sat down next to her.

"I assume we've arrived at our destination."