RP: YSS Miharu Mission 3: The sound of machina

Soothing music filled Masako's ears as she floated out in space nearby the Miharu, her team of four other Mindy IIs providing a defensive perimeter for their mother ship. After deploying the makeshift mines, she had placed her team into box formation around the Miharu with her floating just above the Himiko Light Escort. She had also ordered a two people remain on active alert while the others got some rest, though she acted the odd-neko-out and took a watch by herself. At the moment, it was Black Knight 2 and 4 actively (as active as someone could be with passive sensors) watching the surrounding area for hostiles.

The young neko, who didn't feel so young anymore around so many newly born sprites, watched Bowhordia through her imaging scanners with mixed feelings. She remember what that world was like and nothing had really changed from the first visit...except for the addition of warships in orbit. But the mission, so far, had been a success...she felt as if she had conquered a few of her personal demons with that bit. But worry was something in her nature. She was worried about Tom, whom had been on the Mikomi with her during Bowhordia. She was worried about the entire mission force and what they would have to face. She was worried about those newly born sprites, whom had no experience in combat at all. Maybe she was worrying too much over thinks that wouldn't become a factor. Maybe, she didn't worry enough. Kurohoshi Masako didn't know, but she did know it was her mission to keep the Miharu and her crew of inexperienced sprites, Miyoko, Yukari, and their Captain safe from any dangers.

"Hoshi exiting atmosphere," Black Knight Two messaged her, causing Masako to focus in on the designated exit point. There it was...the long dagger of the Hoshi exiting the atmosphere with a Yui-class Destroyer and Red 2 following in her wake. Seeing Red 2 made the young neko grimace as she remembered the death of a sprite she couldn't remember. All she knew was a callsign...nothing about the sprite. The old Masako from the Yamatai Self-Defense Force probably wouldn't have cared, which only made her feel guilty. Back then, they were only sprites, creations of starships that would be recycled after their duty was complete.

After spending time with Mara, Ichigo, Hinoto, and Nimura, Masako had felt a connection with them like she had with her comrades. It had made her conscious of her previous attitude towards sprites and...well, the guilt had started there. After she realized consciously, and not just logically, that sprites were just like every other nekovalkyrja, Masako had felt that she should treat them a bit more than she had other sprites previously. Sometimes, she wondered if this was what a mother felt like...worrying over their younglings or children. It was a thought that gave Masako a chuckle.

"Knight Leader to King," Masako began transmitting to the Miharu. "I'm going to start sending my team back in, but I'll stay out here with Knight Two to provide security for the rendezvous," she reported as she sent return orders to Knights Three, Four, and Five. "They probably need a break anyway."

After being dismissed Yoroko found herself numbly searching for Nyton. Every part of Yoroko wanted a break, every part down to the few hairs on her head that she spent hours trying to set just right in the mornings. A new scent had also been discovered, sweat. Had Yoroko not been so exhausted already she would have thrown up due to her new, very musky, scent. Luckily she was exhausted, unluckily she wasn't off duty yet. Seemingly without willing it to her body trudged on searching for Nyton. Finally the Heisho stumbled upon the Taii, "Sir, is there anything you need done?" Yoroko's voice had risen to hide her exhaustion, if only for the sake that he was her commanding officer. Inside her head though only one thought rang out. Please don't answer that.

After standing around awkwardly for a time, unsure of what to do, Rin looked about to see... Tom... crying? Did something bad happen? Well, something bad beyond what had happened during the mission? Perhaps something she blocked out since she had seen quite a few horrifying things, which caused her to shudder a bit.

The sprite meekly approached the head engineer. "A- ano... Freeman-Juni? Are... you okay?" she said in a low whisper as she removed her helmet. Her mental recap of the mission had reminded her to not startle the man, lest there be a chance that he shoot her.

Yukari let the volumetric-projected visor strip across her eyes like a helmet shield, a flare of electric blue fading into the black of space and speckled grey-brown of asteroids. A projected stick filled her right hand, a shaped pad of buttons below her left.

Bowhordia's star cast the slightest glare over her expansive view before she turned the ship away from it. The waypoint was marked as she brought the sublight engines online. A report from Yuzuki said the other engine was usable, but would be redamaged if Yukari went beyond 50 percent of maximum thrust.

"King," Miharu's default callsign with the addition of the Sekkou, left the asteroid field with less of the precision she was capable of. Yukari saw the Hoshi start to accept the shuttles, and Red 2 was also flying back her way. "Red Two, adopt Jester escort. Black Knight leader, affirmative. I will send sprite pilots out in those armors to maintain escort presence." Hinoto was hearing all of Yukari's traffic.

"All available personnel, prepare to assist the Hoshi after she returns to dock," Yukari said over the shipwide comm. "Prepare in the decontamination rooms. Two guards armed with BARs; other personnel should be ready to service officers, enlisted or prisoners as required. No medical assistance requested."

"Queen, King," Yukari said, talking to Hinoto again. "The engineer Juni, is he ... ?"

"...making dinner tonight? Affirmative." Hinoto's face split into a cheeky grin.

Yukari's attention was quickly drawn to another volumetric window that expanded before her, revealing Kotori. The ship's commanding officer had apparently spent her time in the nearby sensor dome.

"Shosa, trouble," the Taisa's amber eyes were narrowed as she spoke. "There were five defolds we failed to pick up earlier. I found the IFF signals of 5 chibi-MEGAMI probes which aren't ours and are signaling into five closed space phenomenons."

Combined Field System Stealth Pockets with probes in silent running, likely waiting to detect an active sensor signal.

"That's either a Nozomi or Sakura squadron," Kotori continued. "Ask Hoshi and Sekkou to generate anti-interdiction field measures and then prepare to effect an emergency hyperspace fold jump. We're taking our people and leaving."

Tom picked up Rin's voice coming from behind him, but it took a few moments and some ragged breaths to collect himself well enough to speak.

"I'm fine, Rin."

He turned around, his cheeks wet despite his efforts to wipe them. Armored hands were not good for those purposes. His eyes were red, but he wore a faint smile.

"I'm just... remembering some friends. How are you doing?"

When Kai was suddenly set upon by doctors, he was suddenly flattened out and injected with something. Too messed up to really care (he hated needles) Kai just let it happen. He didn't even notice them stripping off his armor, and the surgery was really a blur, then, what seemed like only seconds later, he was in the Hemosynth tank. As it filled with liquid, Kai realized he had nothing to do, and so succumbed to the lovely prospect that was sleep, hopefully to awake perfectly healed. Last time he was in a tank was for a broken nose. How silly using a tank for that seemed as he sat here, practically mortally wounded, in another tank.

Yukari swore in Yamataian as her fingers blurred over the glowing blue of the buttonpad. They had left their trap and paid for it by falling into another. She should have known someone was laying in wait!

"Queen, Jester, this is King." Yukari did not think about keeping her voice calm. "Generate anti-interdiction fields immediately. I will enclose you in a hyperspace bubble as soon as you are in range."

She blocked her headset mic with a thought. "Heisho-san, weapons please! I will attain a firing solution for you in the direction of new targets. We have been discovered."

Orders flowed from her mouth to the sprites below. "All personnel, previous order is belayed. General quarters. General quarters. Five enemy units. Engineers to hyperspace fold drive; ensure it does not break under stress."

Nozomi units could have fired on them by now with torpedoes. Sakura-class vessels would want to be closer, engage with concentrated beam fire to ensure destruction.

She switched to the armors and Red Two outside, already charging the hyperspace folder to create a large-enough bubble. Not enough power, not in our damaged state! "Black Knights, teleport to Multi-bay Two the moment King stops. Red Two, return to Multi-bay One at the same time. Feeding new targets to you. Do not engage."

Mental calculations came to Yukari's mind as her eyes darted to several points on her visor. Five Sakura units would obliterate them. Shields would break on the first shot. Armor was weakened. They were outside Miharu's original trap.

Speed.

Yukari was seconds away from Hoshi and Sekkou. She wiggled the stick enough to drift the stern, then angled the ship's nose toward the anomaly group in case they had to fire at something. Graviton beams were suddenly alight and at her fingertips, if she needed them.

Yukari's alarmed tone of voice wiped the grin off Hinoto's face. Before the sprite could report to Nyton, five black-hulled Sakura gunships emerged from short-lived spatial rifts and swooped toward their small flotilla like black birds of prey.

"Hostile contacts: Sakura gunships Koyryu, Tamamo, Otoroshi, Dokueki, Oiwa!" Hinoto told Nyton as she spun Hoshi around for its rear to start lining up with Miharu's. "Distance: 28 light-seconds and closing."

The white-haired sprite swallowed hard as she deployed the anti-interdiction field. Hoshi's Combined Field System could only produce minimal shielding at the moment and the auxiliary ship's dorsal armor - despite the earlier breach having been sealed - would probably not be able to withstand much abuse.

Sekkou, for its part, aped Hoshi's activation of its anti-interdiction field, though the teardrop-shaped vessel swiveled and opened fire with its torpedo launchers. Both warheads streaked out into space, missing the leading Koyryu by a rather wide margin.

"Affirmative,"Masako replied before she bit her lower lip pensively. She angled her Mindy in the direction of the new threat and tried to keep cool. "Knight Two, preset teleportation coordinates to Multi-Bay Two," she sent her order via encrypted telepathy as she took note of her armament. Her Mindy was still in Death Blossom configuration with an Armor Teleportation Unit instead of the Barrier Shield Module. She was also dreadfully empty when it came to her expendables. Only her Aether Rifle would be a use in this fight...though she hoped she wouldn't need it.

"Defend the Miharu to the best of your ability until she stops, but don't fire until they get in range" she completed her orders before setting her teleportation units coordinates. Though their range is significantly longer that ours, Masako thought irritably. "AIES, signal me when the Miharu has stopped. I maybe distracted if we are attacked," the last bit was probably unnecessary, but she had felt it best to voice her thoughts.

Listening to Hinoto communicate to Yukari was bringing a sense of closure to the mission. They were lined up and getting ready to dock so Nyton had almost eased himself when Yoroko arrived asking for orders. He supposed he should have given her some follow up orders after delivering Kai but with things happening so quickly he had not thought to. Before he could though the enemy had arrived.

"Hostile contacts: Sakura gunships Koyryu, Tamamo, Otoroshi, Dokueki, Oiwa!" Hinoto told Nyton as she spun Hoshi around for its rear to start lining up with Miharu's. "Distance: 28 light-seconds and closing."

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Without breaking poise, Nyton was again fully alert. "Mizuno, go back to the Armor bay, reload and stand by. You won't be going out in an A model DAISY but just be ready for anything." he said while getting up and rushing over to the tactical console. "All personnel, we have five hostiles incoming. Continue to man your stations until we have made our escape. Freeman get down to engineering and keep everything stable. Sekkou personnel try to take cover." Nyton announced over the Hoshi.

Bringing up the tactical display that Nyton had grown accustomed to he saw the five gunships making their approach. The Hoshi's weapons were still offline but they would have been of little use were they not. Besides which they may interfere with the docking process to the Miharu. He redirected power from the weapons to the CFS. "How much longer until we are connected?" he asked.

"Etto... if you say you're fine.... I'm o-" Rin's response was cut off with the alert of enemy ships. Hadn't they been through enough already? She just wanted to see if she could even try and comfort Tom, like he had for her when she rather broke down. But, this attack of ships... it was cheating! Or something like that.

"Ano, I'm worried now. We need to go to engineering now, don't we?" she amended and then asked, sounding quite tired and disappointed.

With a gasp, Tom plopped his helmet back on his head.

"We took a lot of hits during our drop," Tom said with an elevated voice. "And we didn't have time to assess Hoshi's condition! Let's go!"

He pivoted on his armored foot and sped towards engineering.

"Help me check everything! You have the capacitors! I'll handle the CFS!"

As he darted around people, he sent a message to Nimura.

Doshii Jun said:

"Heisho-san, switch to active scanning, please. Ensure we will not be ambushed soon."

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"... hai." As little as she liked waiting around nervously, Miyoko wasn't very fond of letting the enemy know of the Miharu's presence, either. Oh well; it couldn't be helped. The sensor specialist switched the ship from passive to active sensor mode, putting it back in contact with her array of probes and filling out the view of the system, then silently moved a copy of this feed to the corner of the main display so that Yukari could take a glance if she wanted.

"Hai, Juni. Right behind you." Rin hurried after Tom, placing her helmet on as she went.

It seemed that, once again, the pristine walls of something familiar and supposedly safe inside a Yamataian starship were turning into a death trap. Why couldn't they just be left alone? Rin was sure they had already seen and heard their share of horrible things back on the planet, and she was many of them, including herself (despite the fact that she was probably, of the armored personnel, fought the least), were tired.

Tom, Rin and Nimura (whom soon trailed behind them) ran across the Hoshi's lounge. The carpet had been incinerated across a large path in its middle, the few seats and couches about charred to a crisp, with the ceiling showing the ugly scar of a hull that had been ruptured through by a positron cannon shot and had been sealed shut by the yamataium's regenerative properties being coaxed by YARD repair drones.

The trio rushed into Hoshi's smaller engine compartment. The place boasted the noisy sounds of machinery the trio were familiar with from their time on Miharu's subdeck. Nothing seemed obviously broken down except the compartment where Hoshi's Combined Field System unit was housed: its console had multiple volumetric windows out flashing in warning of problems or malfunctions.

Upon closer view, the CFS showed obvious signs of strain from the earlier battle, with its shield bubble only being at 40% of its initial effectiveness. The field wasn't strong enough to project energy beams and the craft's FTL capabilities were currently minimal.

Another alarming thing was how Hoshi's coolant reserves were running low. The vessel's fold unit was double-timing operation by deploying an anti-interdiction field and was starting to run very hot - it could redline shortly.

Hoshi's auxiliary power, its capacitor banks, seemed more or less intact to Rin's eyes. They were running warm too, but the capacitors luckily had a higher tolerance threshold to the fold system's circuitry thanks to some prior modifications Tom had done to the system.

* * *

"That'd be a minimum of twenty... thirty seconds," Hinoto replied to the nepleslian Taii, sounding a little harried. She was trying to keep up with Yukari's maneuvers and was being left behind until she finally figured out Yukari was keeping Miharu's nose toward the approaching enemy ships.

She adjusted and then reversed thrust with Hoshi's remaining gravimetric engine along with some maneuvering thruster spurts.

* * *

Yukari immediately noticed the problem. Hoshi maneuvering had been a little sluggish due to it also having one of its two sublight propulsion drives damaged from the earlier battle, but now Hoshi was coming in full reverse - too quickly. Insertion at that speed would likely cause structural damage to both vessels - including electronic and power connections that could hardly be allowed to fail in such a predictament.

Kotori burst into the monitor room and pounced into her seat. "Tactical, load a subspace detonator torpedo and calculate its detonation point in the middle of the enemy formation."

The Taisa then tapped over Yukari's communication display and raised Masako's Mindy team. "Knight Leader, have your wing stand ready to teleport. On the Shosa's mark, your destination point is Miharu." Amber eyes narrowed fiercely. "If we fire a torpedo, you are to have one Mindy each take position inside the bridge of each unshielded attacker and then self-destruct your units over the pilot's pit."

* * *

The Sakura gunship squadron kept closing in, with the Koyryu heading directly where Miharu and Hoshi were going to join up, energy arcs running over its aether shock array. The other four spread out in an attempt to surround them.

The Ryusei bomber streaked up to Miharu's underside, the intact starboard bay lowering its platform for the bomber to ease itself over before being raised back up inside the ship, a graviton beam easing the operation.

Yukari's displays blinked a notice: the Koyryu was hailing them.

"You may want to strap yourself in sir. This could get bumpy." Nyton told Wazu.

"That'd be a minimum of twenty... thirty seconds," Hinoto replied.

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Nyton listened to Hinoto's reply and grew slightly tense. Damn it, at that rate the enemy will already be on top of us. he thought. He watched as the Hoshi maneuvered around to match the Miharu.

"Knight Leader, have your wing stand ready to teleport. On the Shosa's mark, your destination point is Miharu." Amber eyes narrowed fiercely. "If we fire a torpedo, you are to have one Mindy each take position inside the bridge of each unshielded attacker and then self-destruct your units over the pilot's pit."

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Hearing Kotori's plan Nyton had to admit it would likely be very effective. He could not doubt it's logic since after all, the life of one Armor wing over the many lives within the two ships along with the prisoners they just rescued. He thought though that perhaps an alternative could be used. Nyton moved over by Hinoto so that he could speak clearly. "Kotori-sama, what if we used the Sekkou to move into the cluster of ships and self destruct. Perhaps the burst would give us the seconds we need to escape." he proposed.

All right, time for....wait, what? Masako's thoughts paused for a moment before accelerating as she heard her Taisa's orders. A Kamikaze attack now...was the situation that desperate? The old Masako would probably have followed the order without hesitation, but that was before she had lived for nearly four years. She had yet to lose her life yet, an astonishing thing for any Nekovalkyrja in the Star Army. Of course, she had always been willing to lay down her life for her crew mates and friends...her family, but with the order now out...it gave her pause.

Of course, Masako had a better idea than just merely teleporting in and blowing herself up. She at least had to try everything in her power before doing so. "Understood," was the only word she transmitted back, but already she was opening up an encrypted squad link with her team.

"Our comrades, your sisters, are in danger. The enemy is closing in with obvious hostile intent and will certainly kill our family for what we have done to their base. Our Taisa has ordered a kamikaze mission. We are to teleport onto their bridges once their fields are down and self-destruct over the pilot pits. While I agree that this would accomplish our mission to protect them...I believe there is a better way," she transmitted to Black Knight Team with a grimace.

"I would like to survive this and celebrate with my friends. Even if you've only be alive for a few hours, I like to believe that you would want to survive to celebrate with your sisters. Therefore, self-destruction will be a last resort and I want you to tell your AEIS to self-destruct upon either the disabling of your suits combat capabilities or the termination of your lives. We will try to destroy their computer cores, located underneath the pilot pits. If you confirm destruction of the Megami, wipe out the bridge crew and try to escape. We may not make it back to Miharu before she folds out, so take one of their shuttles and scatter. We will then rendezvous in the 4th Fleet's Spirit City where we can hopefully get passage back to our friends and sisters. I will take full responsibility for this plan if we ever get back to them." she paused before frowning again. It was still a suicide mission, but she wouldn't just self-destruct without trying other options.

"I will take Koyryu, Knight Two will take Tamamo, Three has Otoroshi, Four has Dokueki, and Five has Oiwa. Remember, try everything you can before you think about self-destructing...but also remember that this maybe the only way to save your sisters from destruction. Masako paused a moment longer.

It was an honor fighting beside you all...carry out your orders," she transmitted before closing the link. Taking a deep, controlled breath, Masako stared out at the Sakuras closing in. "AIES...If I am unable to fight any more...or die in the process of this mission, I want you to initiate the suits self-destruct...no countdown." she ordered her suits computer system before mentally preparing herself for what was to come. She probably should tell the Taisa her plan, but there wouldn't be time to explain everything. Besides, better to do something and ask forgiveness than to ask for permission and be denied.

"This is strange," she muttered to herself as she calculated her teleportation coordinates for the Koyryu's Bridge. "That was a very Nepleslian-like thought...I've been around Claymere-Taii too long," she mumbled before smiling. I should have a recent back up, so I shouldn't forget much if I die, she thought to herself sadly. Still...I can help but feel attached to being alive. Should have realized it'd catch up to me one day.

Kotori had no time to debate it. Thirty people and a ship outweight five people in power armor. An explosion inside the bridge, right in range to the power grid and MEGAMI, will make all the difference. An explosion from outside will still have to contend with pristine zesuaium hull armor, with no guarantee of taking out vital systems.

Of course I don't like it. Of course I hate giving out such an order. Of course I'd rather hope they could pop in and fight their way out... but what if there are NIWS or powerful psions? She nibbled on her lower lip. My range is 5000 kilometers. I would not be able to shield them, especially when they might use their own anti-PSC measures. They could be stopped, they could be captured, they could be tortured and then killed anyways. If they don't disable them quickly enough, their MEGAMI will be quick to relay teleport coordinates in our unshielded ships. Each could have up to 32 teleporting Black Mindy armors.

Can't you see that at this stage, I've no room for error? That I've no choice but be ruthless? She hissed out a breath and returned aloud: "This is a last resort. Stand by to connect and fold out."

Yukari didn't listen to the talk. It was distracting to her, and she was too busy trying to actually save everyone, instead of planning on sending some to die so others could survive.

She swore louder and caught Hoshi with graviton beams, but they were only pushing back on the vessel, not guiding it in. "Queen, cut your engines." Miharu was at a standstill, and the enemy was closing.

There was little power going to other places, but Yukari thrust it all at the folder. Life support was put at the absolute minimal. The sprites were in AMES; she did not worry about them.

The fold unit was still at least one minute from charging.

Time. I need time.

She was not the commanding officer of the vessel. But Kotori was grinding her brain over her decision to use Masako and her comrades as suicidal bombers to speak calmly.

"This is the Executive Officer," she said after accepting the hail from the Koyryu. The transmission was audio-visual; an audio-only transmission was enough for them to identify her anyway. She had her best face on. "How can I assist you, Sakura?"