RP: YSS Kaiyō Mission 30: Sugoi Dekai

[Ametheliana]

12日 4月 YE 46
Urtullan

With her deep blue eyes and pink skin creased around them, Captain Taiyou Hoshi surveyed the stores that the escalators from the shuttle bay pooled into. There were places to gamble away KS and DA, alike, along with luxury leather goods stores and augmentation shops. She even spotted a smoke store and her nose crinkled momentarily, thinking of the YSS Kaiyō resident Nepleslan and his cigar habit. Hoshi tilted her head up, looking at the teal-colored translucent pressure force-field far above them, then forward to the store fronts that had, ubiquitous as their wares looked, endeavored when built to have an ultramodern aesthetic that already looked tawdry and commonplace. Even beneath them, though, the original sandstone and hieroglyphics showed through between buildings and even underfoot.

Hoshi kept an aloof and breezy atmosphere as they passed by Delsaurian and ID-SOL guards. She gently patted Hildr's shoulder and pointed out the path they and the rest of a small away team were taking—and by extension had been sent to investigate.

The team that had originally been on Nebel more than half a year ago were equipped with Mindy back then, but not this mission. They were in plain clothes, not quite off duty, though. For this mission they had been asked to blend in with the people there and not draw attention. The Kaiyo's captain hiked her messenger bag over her wide-brimmed sun hat to go across her body and over her floral print Aloha shirt from Hanako's World. She held the leather satchel snugly as it pressed into her black skirt. The look suited a tourist and her alike, though her own motives for being here were much more opportunistic than most sightseers. Most of the random aliens and robots milling and moving about seemed to be just passing through for a vacation, working in one of the shops, or on break from restaurant and resort workers on break.

Discovered by Hanako back when she was a mere captain like Hoshi and not premier of all of Yamatai, Urtullan was controlled by a Mishhuvurthyar unaffiliated with the rest of his people. At least back then. A few things had changed since then, like the extended number of domes that interconnected the central one or the purpose of the planet. In present day, it was aimed more towards bringing in tourists to its salty underground pools and gambling centers than the brothels and bars alone like it had been a decade before.

If there was really a weapon or enemy here on this independent world with magnitude to intimidate Yamatai, they would be able to find it. It wasn't easy to threaten a sector-wide super power like the Star Army. Somewhere on this destination planet was a weapon of such magnitude that Yamatai felt threatened enough to pull out its ensign scout and send the crew in.

As her interest in the mission purpose was rekindled, Hoshi stole a look in her digital mind at the imagery gotten off of the scout. The sense of urgency was palpable from the blurred, rushed video and lent itself to the magnitude of the giant thing staring back at her. It was a mecha, that was for sure, but how it was built and with what technology was of particular interest to the Star Army before the team ridded the planet of it. After all, it was most likely destined to be put into the hands of the Mishhuvurthyar.

She was aware that she couldn't separate her curiosity from her dedication to the mission. Something about this armament being destroyed without getting a good look at it herself was disagreeable to the captain—she wanted to see it in action. The rest of the team had seen the same footage as her and knew the mission briefing as well as they could. Hoshi wondered if they were excited as her.

 

[Gles]

With its sleek, marble-colored legs, the augmentation shop attracted a mechanical-minded girl like Molli to its display. As she ran to catch up with the group, her slightly oversized pink and crimson poncho danced in the wind, revealing a plain white sleeveless crop top and a faded pair of black shorts underneath. With her leather sandals echoing on the ancient sandy pavement, the plain clothes Hei would have all but flunked out of SAINT with how many eyes had shifted in her direction. When Molli rejoined the group, she was chewing on her lower lip. "Sorry! Jus' lookin' at th'new models," the Nepleslian said with unconcealed enthusiasm, "They got hooved legs fer better balancin'!"

Despite the crew being on a mission, Molli couldn't contain her excitement in the vibrant tropical world of Urtullan. She explored its various attractions with the unbridled enthusiasm of a child at a theme park, often needing reminders that they were not on a vacation. Her short stature and the cutesy outfit, which the Captain had a hand in selecting, frequently led to her being mistaken for a wayward teenager, adding to the light-heartedness feel of their assignment.

"Ent never seen a Delsaurian," Molli commented idly, her eyes lighting up as they passed yet more reptilian guards. "Di'n't know lizards was sentient. Et a few geckos back home, guessin' ah shouldn't ask fer tha' here?" The soldier reached up to pick at a lock of curly black hair, which flowed freely, unbound from the ponytail holder that typically bound it.

 

[Nameless]

This was it, her first ever mission since her awakening. And of course it would be one that she had not prepared for. She had expected to be donning her Mindy on her first deployment, though this was not disappointing in the least. In fact, this reminded her of an old spy movie where the lead was trying to spoil a kidnapping ring hidden under a pristine and popular amusement park that lead to an underground lab through a tunnel. Along the way, he'd meet up with his love interest who was from the local police department who lost a younger brother to the very same kidnappers. It got her wondering if they'd bump into people like those during this excursion.

As they descended the escalator, she looked on in barely contained awe as bodies shuffled almost chaotically throughout the complex.

So this was what a sea of people looked like. Faces upon faces appearing and disappearing at a glance. "Like drops of rain water upon a river's stream, carried away," she'd mumble under her breath, her voice, too, getting lost in the bustle of the busy complex. Or at least that's what she had expected to happen. And it was what they were expected to do. To be one with this endless sea so they may pass without trace, to carry out their mission, to find this rumored weapon.

Sif had a very limited selection of outfits to accomplish blending in, but looking at the vast number of species walking around and the outfits these people are wearing, it would have needed a conscious effort to look conspicuous among this crowd. Her outfit was simple, but comfortable to walk or run around in, if needed. She had once again donned her red sleeveless turtleneck, tucked into dark blue jeans. The jeans were square cut men's wear, as she felt that it would allow her more freedom of movement, in addition to its deeper pockets, which would allow her to smuggle some items if the situation had need of it. For her footwear, she wanted to make sure she had traction, so she wore a pair of brown hiking boots. It made sense, given their cover as being tourists, she would be walking around for a while. The only other options of course were her standard issue footwear, which was just a bad idea overall if they were going to go undercover, and her loafers, which didn't have the same kind of grip her boots had. She had thrown on her black denim jacket as well, with the sleeves folded up to her biceps, showing off a bit of her musculature.

A camera around her neck would be a great accessory to sell the tourist look. It would have been a good tool too to get evidence if they find this weapon, if only Nekos didn't have the capability to record everything they see perfectly. Though it would be a good souvenir to commemorate her first mission nonetheless. Maybe they'll have the time to browse before they have to leave, but right now she has to focus on the mission.

 

[Sunny D]

The science officer didn't have to think too long about what she'd wear by contrast. Her preteen years were spent hopping from mining outpost to logistics center. A high fashion expert she was not, but she knew how to dress well yet still be practically minded.

The most important part, in Morgana's estimation, was foot wear. A bumped up security clearance she might have now, but she cringed at the thought of SAINT operatives running around in high heals and red dresses. She went with a set of ankle hiking shoes, securely fastened around her feet so she could run if needed. Covering her body she wore a loose fitting beige tunic loosely tucked into a textile belt which held up a set of loose fitting terracotta pants. For accessories she had a set of large tortoise glasses, a brown scarf around her neck, a Type 34 multi function bracelet around her wrist with the Star Army roundel removed and a crossover bag big enough to hold a science pad and a NSP. Light, loose fitting, probably a little too stylish for the ships resident nerd, but most importantly easy to move in if she had too.

The bracelet was linked wirelessly to her science pad, which she'd occasionally glance down too check. She had the output set to look like a multi media message conversation, only a close inspection would reveal the moving graphs and heat maps from the pads sensors hidden as images. Morgana could only hazard a guess for what to look for. Aether spikes were a safe bet, as were exotic materials from the mass spec sensor. What ever bunker they were building the machine in was likely shielded, but guards and observers might be carrying devices containing them.

She thought about telling Molli to pull her jaw up off the floor, but on second examination it probably sold the tourist look a little more. She did however pick up on Sif's comment.

"Don't stray too far, lest you get sweapt away yourself." She said to the fresh 33A.

 

[Gunhand4171]

Inspecting one of the many gun shops, William browsed the selection of ballistic and energy weaponry. He could always use more weapons... He was dressed in a dark leather bomber jacket, white t-shirt, and jeans. A black cowboy hat finished the ensemble.

As he shopped, the Delsaurian's ID-SOL guards eyed him. He gave them a curt nod and they nodded back as they walked. With his mindware he spoke telepathically to Sif and Molli. "Stay focused, kids. You can gawk at the crowds on Yamatai." He said stepping out of the weapon store and began walking parallel to Hoshi's path.

"What's the plan here, Captain?" William asked Hoshi as he moved into another store, this one sold knock off sunglasses.

 

[krisslanza]

Going 'incognito' like this wasn't exactly a foreign concept to Isuke, she had to do similar things when she was doing bodyguard work after all. You couldn't always just stroll around looking like an obvious security detail after all. So she knew the real key to blending in, was to well, simply blend in. This place was a tourist trap, so that part wasn't really all that hard.

Her biggest problem with being incognito was simply the fact she was a Lorrfolk and had horns. There were ways to hide that, but it was usually more hassle then it was worth, and would still look weird. She'd just have to lean on the fact there were other aliens around, who also looked strange to others, that she shouldn't attract undue attention.

Isuke waved behind her as she departed one of the local gambling dens, a pleased grin on her face as she playfully twirled a chip between her fingers idly. Not bound by her Star Army regulations, the pink-haired Lorrfolk decided to dress very casually, as a tourist enjoying a nice vacation would like to do! Some fairly standard, but comfortable shoes complimented by a pair of nicely fitted jeans. The straps of a black bikini peeked out from her jeans, hugging her hips. After that, her outfit got very... casual.

Which is a polite way to say from the waist up, she basically was just wearing a rather nicely fitted black bikini top, with only a black blazer - left open, of course - to cover anymore of her upper body, leaving much of her torso exposed to anyone who wanted to look. It was rather refreshing for her to be able to just dress so freely. It was an eye-catching outfit, without a doubt, but one didn't have to dress blandly to look the part of a tourist. She had actually come into this wearing a few other things, but... well, she had a hard time passing up a chance to do a little gambling on the side. She casually approached the group, offering a polite wave.

"Sorry I'm late, I almost got a little too wrapped up in enjoying the fun around here!"

 

[raz]

Aiko was mostly still Aiko—a tall and graceful Nekovalkyrja with a masterfully honed physique that emphasized her warrior's strength while taking nothing away from the designer perfection her form was made with—save for how the Chusa wore her hair. Her deep black mane did not reflect its ravenlike iridescence today but was rather a sheer of light mauve purple, and was worn in two long ponytails that were fastened low just over her shoulders. The famous princess had found in her time off duty, while exploring the sector's delights either solo or alongside Hoshi, that disguises were best kept to an easy change of hair color and perhaps style like she'd done today.

Not wearing bellflowers above her ears seemed to remove any of the immediate recognition she'd otherwise receive, too.

Her attire was simple. Aiko was here for Urtullan's underground pools, and dressed accordingly today. A metallic silver micro bikini covered the most essential parts, its stringy straps digging gently into her chest and hips with just enough pull to show off the fitness of her well-defined body. Over that, the princess was dressed in a dark forest green shrug that kept the look relatively modest. The breezy garment draped loosely over shoulders and flowed down to where her Star Army uniform's skirt usually ended, and was made of an open knit cotton gauze fabric that allowed the faint silhouette of her swimsuit's argent bands to shine through.

The princess walked barefoot, though, treading her black painted toenails over whatever surface confronted her today. It helped keep her look casual, she figured, and allowed for unmitigated agility should her brawny legs be called upon to take action.

"These are not polarized," Aiko said, having a moment ago stepped up beside William to try on a pair of the knockoff specs. She'd chosen some with big, round lenses within a black wire frame. "They are supposed to be polarized. I suppose they will do," she added, remembering that people came to places like this to get cheaper versions of the real thing on purpose. "Give me a Davis Alliance fifty, Wil. It will help me blend in more to wear these. And for you to pay."

 

[Ametheliana]

"There's a lot of Delsuarians here. They probably like the heat. But nobody can go outside of the domes without rebreathers, even them. I bet they eat lizards! We'll have to find a food court or restaurant eventually, so I'll ask for you!" Hoshi ribbed Molli with her words even as she spurred her elbow out towards the caped Nepleslian's side.

The captain's smile had bounded as she looked from Molli, then to the others there. Her jovial expression didn't fade as she looked over the rest of the crew. In her resort casual, Morgana looked more effortlessly elegant than ever combined with Isuke's brazen blazer over bikini combination gave a sense of easy confidence to their group that they needed. Those that looked more dressed down like Sif and Molli melded perfectly with Aiko's minimal clothing, giving the nonchalant appearance that was hard to truly attain while undercover. The captain shook out her head, happy in a way to be on a mission instead of actually on vacation. They all knew the unfortunate fate of swimsuits with this crew after their onsen trip on Tami!

"You best get the lady those glasses." Hoshi had gotten William's message about the plan, but shrugged off replying telepathically and instead spoke excitedly aloud. "The cabana we reserved is said to get quite a bit of sun in late afternoon. We've only got a short window of time when it's in the shade."

The captain winked one of her deep blue eyes at William after relaying the message before she stretched her arms over her head and walked on. She wasever mindful to get where they were going before that window of time was up. In reality, there was about a fifteen minute period every day in which the mecha were activated and most of the people that would normally be milling about or guarding it, at that time, would go up to the command center to help with whatever process it took to get the hulking thing up and running. The bracelet Morgana wore had been on top of the aether energy, set to detect fluctuations and spikes. They had all been mild and indicative just of a passive and low strength emissions while the mass spectrometer was showing the path to the exotic materials to be the one Hoshi was taking them one, namely towards the edge of the first offshoot of the side dome.

The shops they were passing waned and yielded to an abundance of restaurants, few of them of Yamataian cuisine. Squirming bioluminescent worms were displayed as the cuisine of a newer Kuvexian restaurant next to the mashed up beets and potatoes of the Abwheren shopfront next to it. They were passing one of those food courts, now, but Hoshi made no acknowledgement or show of buying Molli a sentient lizard to chow down on, if there were any. The captain took the interim during their walk to look over at Sif, then Isuke.

"We're all pretty diverse, this group. Sif—even though I just met you, I hope you don't mind me saying so—is cute and cuddly with a fluffy tail to match. Isuke, you're all hard edges. I'd hug you if I didn't think you'd poke my eye out before I got to the soft bits. You two couldn't be more of opposites. Even the Neppie babies William and Molli are opposite genders. She makes a better opposite than Willa, I'd say!" Hoshi called the last sentence out to William who had lagged behind making his coerced sunglass purchase, pointing Molli out to him emphatically. She was recalling the name of the alternate universe version of himself that William had expressed intense detestation of before.

She leaned her head towards Aiko and said, "I always considered my right hand a bit of an opposite to me. I suppose the phrase 'opposites attract' is true. At least on a professional and platonic level; that goes for all of you I just compared." Hoshi looked to the scientist, "We've got to get Morgana a foil next. Who or what would you say is your opposite?"

 

[Gunhand4171]

William didn't turn his head at Aiko's approach. He simply continued to peruse the selection. He did turn when she asked him for 50 DA... one could say he looked dumbstruck. "You have your own money, why do you have to take mine?!"

Then he was ordered by the commanding officer to buy the executive officer 50 DA sunglasses. He pulled the brim of his hat low obscuring the look of indignation on his face. The kind of look you give when a family member tells you to let the annoying younger sibling have a turn. Rolling his eyes he paid the teller, who wore a smug grin and handed them to Aiko.

He began walking behind the group, pinching the bridge of his nose as he did. When Hoshi started speaking about counterparts, William's head snapped up at the mention of Wila. "For Yui's sake, please don't say that she witch's name. I had almost forgotten about her and I'm not nearly drunk enough to broach that topic."

 

[Nameless]

Sif nodded to Morgana in acknowledgement, saying with a mild smile of thanks, "I'll be careful," before she would turn her attention from the crowd to landmarks. She had to make a mental map of things so she could find her way around if she ever got separated.

Internally, she was a little bit embarrassed. Did Morgana just hear her monologue, or was it a case of coincidence? And how much of that did she speak out loud if it wasn't the latter case? Before she could spiral, William's telepathic message reeled her back in. To which she responded in kind with a serious, "Understood."

Some of the ground team had already been at the location earlier than the rest. Sif would count herself lucky to be coming in with a later group, as she wouldn't even know how to blend in while also looking for the others. Though, so far, despite how diverse the crowd of strangers were, the scene didn't feel too disconnected from home. These were all faces of strangers going about their daily lives, each cohort and cliques barely interacting outside their spheres. Perhaps it wouldn't have been as bad as she first thought, now taking this into account. She probably could have even checked on that bookstore by the far side that she had just noticed. What kind of novels would have been on those shelves, she wondered. This being such a tourist spot, the selection could be just as exotic. Hopefully she could have enough time to check for herself. Though she'd likely need to break off alone, even for just a moment.

As the rest of the team slowly gathered, Sif couldn't help but critique the practicality of some of her squadmates' outfits. She would never outwardly express any of this, and her face was practically stuck on a soft, stoic expressionless expression for the time being, but she had some questions. Questions that will remain in her mind as she had decided to see where and how it all comes together. But she would be a little hesitant if they had to go into water. Her tail did not dry as easily.

She couldn't help but notice William and Aiko's pairing as they looked at some sunglasses. As Sif understood it, William had a pedigree that was equivalent to nobility, and well, Aiko was Yamatai's princess. It was a fairytale setup, and to think there was a chance Sif could be there to see it unfold, well, she would be over the rainbow if it weren't for the fact that she had to conduct herself in an orderly manner as to not embarrass herself as well as her superiors.

Once they started approaching the restaurants, Sif could smell the different orders set out, which threatened to overload her senses with different delights. While she wasn't hungry yet, she could appreciate the sensations dancing at the tip of her nose all the same. Not all the scents inspired the same degree of interest, but should it come to it, she wouldn't hesitate to taste a sample or two.

They continued on, Sif wrapping her tail around her waist so she wouldn't disturb anyone eating as they passed the food court, though she was more concerned about her fur getting matted by sauce and dressings. Nightmare liquids to clean off.

Just then, the captain turned to them, with Sif being the first one to be addressed, being told that she was "Cute and cuddly with a fluffy tail to match". The comment elicited a slight reddening blush on the 33A accompanied by an embarrassed smile as she tucked her hands into her pockets, with the thumbs hooked outside and her gaze tilting downwards in a futile attempt to hide the shift in color. She really didn't mind, but the comment just shot straight through her heart.

Sif lightly cleared her throat as she regained her composure, "Sorry, that just took me by surprise. Thank you."

 

[Sunny D]

Morgana put a thoughtful finger to her lip as she genuinely considered Hoshi's question. "Originally I'd have said Captain William, but he has since proven to have something between his ears." Her eyes darted to the ID Sol with a slight smirk. "Besides, it seems he's already taken in your mind." She then furrowed her brow some more. "I'm introverted and reserved. So someone that is extroverted and brash if that helps you narrow it down." She said with finality, self satisfied with her answer.

"Taisa. I'm picking up some exotic materials on our vector path, towards the edge of the dome." Morgana said telepathically to Hoshi, her facial features hardening. "The kind militaries like to use in optical sensors and weapons."

 

[Gles]

"Ah ken ask 'em myself!" Molli protested as she rubbed the side Captain Hoshi had elbowed, but there was no real hostility in her voice. Hoshi liked to tease, and Molli had grown from tolerating it to almost liking it. She couldn't help but think about the next step of their operation; Molli had fifteen more minutes of peace to enjoy, which made their jaunt seem much more pleasant.

The Nepleslian had been trying to appear as confident as Princess Aiko for the sake of their new comrade, Sif, given how intimidating the princess could be. "Ah think th'tail looks pretty badass," Molli chimed in, her metal arm gesturing at Sif's tail, "Could prob'ly...uh...swing wiv it, right? S'what ah'd do." She recalled seeing something like that in a nature documentary featuring an animal that instantly became her favorite.

Of course, Hoshi's description of her as a 'Neppie baby' likely put a hole in the 'cool' image Molli had been trying to cultivate for herself. The Nepleslian sighed, shoulders slumping in dismay. "We'nt nuffin alike!" she said, shaking her head. "'E's a pushover -- no offense, Willy.'" Molli didn't like throwing him under the bus to salvage her reputation, but seeing Will get browbeaten into buying some glasses was the perfect opportunity.

 

[Ametheliana]

"Don't apologize, cutie!" Hoshi said lightheartedly. "You want to check out the bookstore with me later? We can see if one of my old friend's romance novels is on the shelves. What sort of books are you looking for, anyway?"

"Pushover?!" Hoshi said, turning from Molli to look at William then back again. "Him!? I told this guy to sit down and look pretty several important instances throughout our time together. Did he ever listen?! Of course not, he just looked pretty getting his arm blown off or getting killed or worse, captured! If he ever seems like a pushover, it's only because he listens with the little things and makes up his own mind with the big ones. Just wait and see."

She was deliberately removing words like 'ordered' and 'captain' and even Teien Eden's pen name out of her lexicon for this trip and it was making Hoshi realize how much military jargon she regularly used. Regardless, she reveled in the topic of interest staying on William. It felt like she didn't get a lot of one-on-one time to tell him how she really felt about him, so she liked it coming out in public like this. It also meant she got to see him try to keep his cool with so many eyes on him, which seemed like a fun challenge in trying to embarrass him.

"Be your own person, Molls, but remember you have the best role model you could ask for in this guy," Hoshi affirmed. "He may be a Nep, but we're proud he's our Neppie baby. The more he rubs off on you, the better!"

"Keep us on track," Hoshi said with a tilt of her head to Morgana. "You know where our hotel is."

 

[Nameless]

Despite feeling embarrassed that she had that much attention on her from the squad, it did make her feel accepted and more at home which eased the tension on her mind. The teasing and the compliments, they were good signs. It meant that they were at least comfortable around her. Of course she was also thankful that William was a fellow target of the teasing as she was not sure how much of the teasing she could handle before her face shifted color entirely.

Molli did have a nice idea for a tail's use. "I... haven't thought of that... I could use it as a distraction maybe? I don't think it can carry anything heavy though." As much as she hated the idea of getting her tail messy, that was something she could utilize for... well... something.

The invitation to check the bookstore did alarm her for a bit, wondering if she had stared at the book store weirdly or for far too long, but she remembered that she had to declare that she had a small collection of books when she boarded. The captain would have the means to know about those. It was foolish to think she could keep that hidden for long. Successfully keeping the composure she regained just a second ago, she gave it a moment of thought. "Mysteries and adventure types. And I suppose I can pick up a romance novel or two for a friend and hope she doesn't already have it."

While she was given a small collection, she knew that Kamiyo had a whole library of books. Exaggeration or not, the books Sif had at her possession would be no more than a drop of water in the sea.

 

[Gunhand4171]

William rubbed his temple in consternation. "Did I miss the memo? Is it pick on the ID-SOL day?" He replied to Morgana and Molli. When Hoshi revealed his rebellious streak, his hand moved from his temple to the back of his neck. "What's that supposed to mean? I've been way more tame than I was when I was younger. Also, in my defense, I never had my arm shot off... I had my spine severed. Getting captured wasn't my fault. I have no good excuse for the getting killed part. I figured overloading my armor's power cells and flying it a bunch of Mishhu was the best option at the time. I only break little rules here and there..." He replied, looking anywhere but at the rest of the crew. He braced himself for the taunting he knew was coming his way from Aiko. He knew her too well; she wouldn't let his explanations slide.

His death had troubled him for a while, and being revived as an ID-SOL had been quite the adjustment. Now, though, he quite liked his super soldier body. He had come quite a long way from the lanky, awkward teen who stepped onto the Kaiyo's bridge. He'd have never imagined that he'd become the leader of a company of ID-SOLs, let alone be a Captain. When Hoshi told Molli he was a good role model, he laughed. "Maybe as a cautionary tale for what happens when you try to be obstinate and do dumb things. Also, if I catch any of you calling me a Neppie baby, I'll toss you in the nearest trash chute. " He warned with a smirk. Hoshi and Aiko knew it was an empty threat, but the rest...

 

[krisslanza]

Isuke chuckled in amusement at her captain's assessment. It wasn't the first time she'd been described in similar ways before, and it certainly was a boon for bodyguard work.

"I've been told I might look rough and hard, but also I'm soft in all the right places." replied the Lorrfolk with nearly a slight purr to end her statement. "Although, I can't compete at all in the fluffy tail department, not blessed with that particular detail. And my horns are very much the definition of things that could poke you."

As she watched the back and forth between her comrades play out, an easy grin formed on her lips. It was clear a few members of Kaiyo had been together for quite a while, and most importantly, they got along wonderfully as a result.

"I haven't met too many Neps in my time, but I'd say you two have given me a very positive impression. Had to throw a few people into the trash chute before, William?" remarked Isuke with a chuckle. "You won't have to worry about throwing me in a chute, I don't think I could think of someone of your stature as a 'baby'. Even if it somehow became a pet nickname."

 

[Gles]

Molli bristled at Hoshi's suggestion, well-meaning as it was. The Taisa couldn't possibly have known that Molli had spent most of her life wanting to be anything but Nepleslian, nor could she have known that Molli would feel insulted by the insinuation that she'd want to be like William purely because he was the same species as her. He was a lot of things: a dependable soldier, a good drinking buddy, and a fan of grav-bikes just like her. However, he was far from the role model Molli wanted.

The Nepleslian's eyes shifted to the princess as her mind wandered to role models. Aiko, with her boundless confidence, unbreakable will, and statuesque grace, was everything Molli wanted to be but never could be. She was the perfect soldier and the perfect Yamataian. Molli averted her gaze and looked forward, cheeks flushed, hoping nobody had seen her staring.

"Y-Yeah... M'own person..." Molli stammered in response to Hoshi's long-unanswered question. "Will do..."

At William's response, Molli almost did a double-take. She'd expected him to call Hoshi's story made-up, not outright confirm it with the annoyance of someone who'd lost their bike keys. "Ent gonna get killed if ah ken help it," Molli said, quirking a brow in William's direction. "'Less it means ah get a body wiv'a tail," she pat the small of her back where an imagined tail would've been.

"...Tail'd be nice."

And then Isuke, who managed to make most of her words seem sultry, in Molli's opinion, complimented her. The Nepleslian tried to play it cool, rubbing her face and sighing. It was a gesture that hid cheeks, now grown even redder. "Ah aim t'please?" she said with a shrug.

 

[Sunny D]

"What ever do you mean 'pick on the ID-SOL day'?" Morgana asked, glancing at William. "My comment was intended as a complement."

Then, in the next breath, she glanced to Isuke she added "Not as he is now. I caught sight of some old photos though. Could scarcely believe he was the same person. I still don't entirely believe Boss wasn't having me on." Her inflection was as monotone as possible, but the corner of her mouth curled up slightly as she lightly prodded the behemoth.

Unlike many of the others, she wasn't distracted by the store fronts filled with pretty baubles and flashy clothes. The Scientist was far more interested in their objective to be distracted. She caught a whiff of some interesting spices coming from a street food cart, but despite the way they made her salivate she was adverse to picking something up from such a vendor on a strange planet. Had she access to Sif's internal monologue she would be adverse to looking at some local literature, after the mission. She took the lead and guided the group towards the source of the spectrum emission. Her hand was up, held up like a knife to help cut a path through the crowds while her bracelet was in a haptic mode, vibrating whenever it was pointed towards the destination so they didn't get lost in the sea of diverse sentients that filled the lane.

 

[Ametheliana]

"Mysteries and adventure types, you'll have to point out a recommendation for me," Hoshi said slowly, as if in deep thought, to Sif. Her eyes were on their tour guide, Morgana, as she putzed along the thoroughfare. She usually floated around but was walking to avoid standing out as a Nekovalkryja and the slapping, plapping motion required for each step was grating on her nerves. She liked imagining going to the bookstore later while no longer under cover, floating around breezily.

"William broke little rules here and there for the big things. So that's how he did it, got it," Hoshi said to William as if she was correcting her ledger on him. "Cautionary tale or no, they'll tell tales of you for sure. Just you wait."

Morgana had led the crew closer to the outer edge of the dome, but judging by the length between them and the teal-colored force field, there was still a ways to go before the dome's protection ceased. Still, they were now skirting the edge of the public shops and stalls. Further down their path, there were red lights and a nude Graxlat talking to a patron, but that way curved out to be parallel with the dome's edge instead of bisecting it.

"Quickly slip in here," Hoshi muttered under her breath as she tucked herself into a seam in the store-front and buildings beneath the dome. She had walked down an alleyway between two restaurants whose overhangs conjoined to form a long hallway almost completely obscured from public view. Hoshi looked about, scanning for cameras or sensors and saw none.

"Body block me from street view," Hoshi said to the tallest near her, like William, Sif, and Aiko as she approached the door at the end of the hallway. She tried the handle to no avail, so went to other side of it. While she quickly inspected the hinges, she asked, "Isuke, will you lookout for us? Eyepatch or no, you'll be best at diverting anyone coming down that hall while I get us an opening."

 

[Nameless]

Sif nodded to the captain. "If there's any I recognize, I'll point them out." She wondered how much of a reader Hoshi was, and what her preferred genres would be. That'd be something she'd have to ask about later if they do get time to check out the bookstore.

Listening to William's summary of past experiences, Sif imagined a last stand situation fitting an adventure novel, a series even, that she'd binge on if she caught wind of it. It did seem like he had been through a lot, and maybe one day she could convince him to regale her with tales of daring exploits. And that thought also extended towards Molli and especially Isuke, now that Sif and her had been appointed opposites. They would be a treasure trove of insights. Not to discount her fellow Nekovalkyrjas' experience, of course, but the dissimilar cultures intrigued her, as well as what 'growing up' and 'childhood' was like. But those seemed like too personal questions. Such talk often were saved for more intimate moments, or sometimes dire ones.

Blocking the captain out of sight was an easy enough feat. Sif stood to one side by the wall closest to the captain and lightly leaned her shoulder against it, letting her jacket partially drape down for cover. She took a breath and refocused her full attention to the mission.