RP: YSS Aeon [Mission 4.0] - A Quest into the Dark

Several of the surviving NMX Neko's started looking around warily. Two of them had medical kits and began treating some of the injured civilians.

"Whoever is in charge. You need to get these people to a sealed room. The Mishhu in the Ripper is dying. Once he's dead, parasites will come swarming to this area. Anyone not in armor will be vulnerable and become more servants of the NMX." a blue haired Neko called out.

Saki was in turmoil. She did not understand. There were nekoes in fron of her. Nekoes serving the enemy, but they actually looked 'nice'. It seemed like they were even trying to help the injured. But that did not make any sense. THey were supposed to be evil fanatical servants. How could they surrender so easily? Why are they trying to be so helpful.

Saki looke at Yoshiro still holding her rifle in her hand. "I am fine," she replied and looked at nekoes again. She inspected how many civilian were there and if it would be possible that they would fit into APC waiting outside for them. Hearing about parasites she changed setting on her rifle to pulse and was ready to use it. Or take up her parasite. This was Arkase's call anyway. Or it could be possibly up to Tsubei-heisho.

Prisoners or no, they still needed to get the civilians to safety. If I were a sealable room, where would I be? Takamori wondered as he got to his feet.

"I just don't get why there's no fight to the death by the NMX nekos. Not that I'm complaining. But I'll go look for a room to hole up in... " he said, starting to walk around.

A sealed room was a difficult thing to find. Was it possible to just barricade the entrance? No, bad idea. Second-guessing the experienced officer was a bad idea.

The blue haired NMX Neko looked around. "Over there," She said pointing towards the customs station. "The Customs station, it does not have any windows. Solid walls and a metal door. The parasites can not break through that. You will just have to watch the air ducts. But these people will have a better chance in there.

Perhaps it failed to catch your attention, but neither myself nor my sisters are armed. We are not deemed worthy of weapons. We are defective, because we do not conform to desired psychological parameters.

They call us drudges; your sprites are treated better than we are. They only keep us around to do the most menial and degrading work that is beneath our betters. And that means everyone else is our better. We can be used in whatever fashion those above us fancy. There were 500 in the batch I was manufactured in. There are fewer than fifty of my sisters alive. The same is true of other batches made at that time.

I do not....."

She paused and her face turned white...

"Oh no, the master has just sent the signal, the parasites will be here in three minutes, then others like him will arrive. You must move quickly if you wish to save these people.

We wish to survive. But if you do not intend to take us prisoner, I ask that you kill me. I do not wish to have my body taken and my mind stolen by the parasites."

Yoshiro was listening to the story as he approached one of the people that they were treating. He never heard stories about the drudges during his training but he wasn't going to let them die just because they were NMX, especially if they were just slaves for doing menial tasks.

"I cannot, in good conscience, help you commit suicide! Reach out for life and try to grab on to it with your own hands if you want it so badly! You want to survive, then be willing to fight for it!" He shouted trying to be inspirational, as he lifted one of the bodies gently and took the body to the room. "You shouldn't have to die just because there is someone out there with a clipboard and pen saying who is desirable and who is not! Live for yourself and your friends around you, not for the NMX who cast you out like so much trash!"

He realized that he might not have made sense or they might not have understood so after making sure that the person that he put in the room was comfortable and reasonably uninjured by him carrying the person he went out to grab another civillian and make sure that they got into the room. "Arai-Hei, come help me. You too Takamori-hei. Let's get these injured civillians inside." Yoshiro said as he grabbed another person gently and took them into the room and laid him down.

He was upset and it showed in the way he worked. He had killed one of them and now he was making speeches to them? How were they going to trust him after that? He shoved that thought to the back of his head and continued working. He scanned the area for a piece of metal to use to seal the vent. He wasn't going to let anyone get hurt if he could help it.

Saki was frowning under her helmet. She disliked this situation. What those nekoes said made perfect sense. But they could lie, couldn't they? Since Arkase still did not issue any orders Saki moved forward helding her aether blade at the ready. She walked to Yoshiro and started checking captured and now freed UOC personell.

"Takamori-hei?" She asked then over laser comm. "Could you check customs integrity? I am going to take a look at this people first. Tanaka you please keep watch. Those Nekoes could do something ot the parasites might show up sooner." Saki was sneaky and send these over laser ONLY to Tanaka and Takamori. Oshiro did not have to hear this. She had enough problems with him already anyway. Not like he can't order them something else to do.

Takamori grinned. Maybe things weren't so bad after all. "Well said, Scarface-kun! Truly a speech to be written for the poets! As the old wordsmith, Aida Shunsuke, penned, 'We must all serve a master faithfully but in truth, the only master of ourselves is our heart.'" he replied boisterously. In truth, Takamori was still feeling dizzy but he was a soldier now. Showing weakness in front of those he was charged to protect constituted failure.

Swiftly, he picked up the Neko who had spoken and one of her sisters, one under each hand and moved them to the room. "Sorry, ojou-san, you're stuck with us," he said to the one who had spoken, "Now be a good girl and wait right there." Takamori inspected the room quickly.
He wasn't sure what else he could in three minutes, if anything. Between the angry Juni and his already independent action, he was sure that he'd get in trouble for this.

But the civilians' safety came first. Not his pyromania. He went back out and moved a wounded, unconscious man into the room. And why should he shoot unarmed Nekos who seemed rather ready to die? Didn't seem like something the Star Army did.

"If we do not follow our heart, whence shall we know ourselves? If we abandon honour, whence shall we sing our deeds? And if we abandon the weak, whence shall we boast in the Hall of Heroes of our worthiness?" Takamori said aloud to no one in particular, quoting a soliloquy from a play, which was based on a mythological hero.

"Takamori-hei... Takamori-hei... Takamori-hei... TAKAMORI-HEI," Arkase finally blared on the speakers so he would be heard. In all their passion, apparently nobody had heard him -- or maybe his laser comms were on the fritz. It didn't matter (but he did begin a new diagnostic.)

"You cannot 'in good conscience' take these Nekovalkyrja prisoner. We cannot hold them -- I will not allow multiple Nekovalkyrja in the APC alone with our pilot. We cannot take them with us. You will all stand down and away from them. Unless someone has something to bind these Nekovalkyrja reliably with, we must execute them... I will not leave them to my rear unbound. I will not leave them with civilians whom they had been trying to kill or enslave not one minute ago.

"If our positions had been reversed, no one would have even given that speech of yours. Now stand away from them," Arkase explained.

He had to be hard. It was the only way. Those Nekovalkyrja were going to kill those civilians or they were going to offer them up as slaves when it was all over, parasites or no. It was how the NMX operated, and Arkase had never heard of a Neko surrendering quite so easily, let alone a small group of them.

He didn't want to do this. But if someone had something a little stronger than rope, then maybe he could excuse it. Otherwise, they were a danger to the remaining civilians, his team, and the Aeon.

"We don't have very long, please don't make this any more difficult than it needs to be," They would hate him. It had to be done.

As Arkase spoke Saki froze for a second. His words about execution make her body tremble. But her memory saved her, give her chance to stood up to him again. And this time it was no dis-respect. This time the laws of SAoY stood behind her.

"Sir!" Saki said and waled to Oshiro. "We cannot execute them! THey prisoner of war now! They surrendered! Policy of Star Army is clear about this! Only execption would be if significant number was captured, but that did not happen! We captured five, and two are wounded! And we also need to hurry because those parasites might be on their way!" Saki said and her voice was tense. She was afraid and she really was going out her way again.

"That's if they are prisoners of war. I will NOT argue. Do not presume to educate me, girl. Unless someone has something to bind them with, I will end them in ten seconds. I don't have the time to play pansy little games."

That said, Arkase turned to the closest and readied his rifle.

He was in the right, despite Saki believing herself in the right. Prisoners of war had to be taken under certain circumstances -- and they had to be captured. He wasn't going to 'capture' five weapons of war and leave them free. They were the enemy, and they wanted to win the battle just as much as he would, and did.

If he was taken prisoner and left unbound or unwatched, he'd work his way into a position to escape or wreak as much havoc as possible on the opposing side. He was a born civilian, and that was his attitude. What about born warriors, who had been taught to hate him?

If someone had something to tie them with, he could excuse it -- it would probably hold them in place long enough so as not to make them a danger.

"Ten, nine..."

"Juni, isn't there a prisoner handling kit in the APC? Those are designed with NMX neko prisoners in mind. There should be enough for all of them. I volunteer to bind and guard them and the civilians, sir! It is dishonourable to execute unarmed prisoners who've already surrendered AND rendered medical aid to civilians, sir!" Takamori replied fiercely. It had not been his idea to take them prisoner but he would, could not stand idly as people died in cold blood.

And considering how the Juni was giving a small chance to save the prisoners, or do something to stop him, it meant that even the Juni was uncomfortable with what he planned to do. Takamori judged Oshiro-juni was playing the role of hard-ass squad leader, though that probably was not his preferred persona. Still, it didn't mean Takamori had to like him.

"Juni, please. Allow me take full responsibility for the prisoners and bind them. I will guard them and ensure nothing happens to the civilians or Shina-heisho. If I fail, I will submit myself for punishment," Takamori said, bowing to Arkase.

Yoshiro Tanaka stood watch and made sure that they were safe .When he had heard that the nekos wanted to give up and die, he was heartbroken and the fact that he had killed one of them did not sit well either after what he had heard. He just wanted to let them know that they could have freedom if they wanted it but now it turned into something that could have repercussions. He had thought about this thoroughly and just decided to not say anything though when he had heard that Arkase wanted to execute them he was startled.

"Shina-Heisho, bring the APC closer to the entrance. Takamori-hei will be escorting, binding, and guarding five NMX Nekovalkyrja prisoners. Once they are restrained and aboard, you will return to your present location," Arkase sent over encrypted radio.

"Alright, Takamori-hei. You're responsible for them, then," Arkase said to everyone nearby. "We need to get ready for the parasites. Come on."

That said, he set to work.

In the meantime, he fired off an encrypted text message to the Aeon.

The blue haired NMX Neko,Zeta, listened to the conversation, and regarded Arkase's enigmatic armor. This person thirsts for our blood, probably as way of avenging himself for atrocities our masters have levied against those he cares for or even himself.

She shifted her position to face towards Arkase and prostrated herself before him.

"Juni? I do not know if that is your name or title. But if it is blood you want, then please by all means kill me and spare my sisters. The Customs Office is a facility dealing with those who break your laws. Would it not also have facilities for confining such people until they could be transported.

I have dealt with you and your people in good faith. I did not have to warn you about the coming parasites. I did not even do it to bargain for my life. But to protect these civilians from further degradation. I also humbly ask that when you kill me, you incinerate my body lest it be animated by the parasites. I also suggest you do the same to any of the civilians who have perished."

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APC
"Understood Oshiro-Juni, I should be able to back the Yousou right up to the end of the docking arm. It will make it easier for transfer." Kim replied. She then brought the vehicle over, spun it around and backed it up to within half a meter of the twisted passage. "In position." she radioed back.

"Get up. I don't want your blood," Arkase said with a grimace. "The Customs Office is a probability, however the status of the building is in question. Once the parasites are dealt with we will see about getting you there."

He sent another message to Shina Kim with the new information. "We're going to try the Customs Office instead. If it proves to be too damaged I'll call you back."

Takamori looked over the five prisoners. "Help move the wounded civilians inside. Fast!"

Zeta motioned to her sisters, and the three healthy ones started the task of moving the civilians. Moving quickly but not so fast as to startle their captors. The two injured Neko's continued tending to the wounded civilians. The Neko's would quietly, quickly and with out speaking.

Once they completed moving the civilians into the Customs Office they picked up their wounded and made their way to the structure. Once in it they walked into the back and entered two of the containment cells three to a cell. They sat at the back wall of the cells and waited for the Star Army personnel to lock them in.

From off in the distance an eerie squealing sound reverberated with in the large enclosure. The parasites were on the way.

Saki was frowning. Luckily the nekoes were saved. But this all will still go in her mission report. She believed what Arkase was about to do was against laws of SAoY. Maybe they were enemy but they were captured Prisoners. Directives were clear about handling POWs.

Luckily Takamori stepped in. Saki sighed in relief and made sure to secure the hall while others were moving civvies and prisoners into customs. She could already hear those little beasts in the distance. She was fine in her armour but civvies were not. Now it was not time to use saber rifle. She put it on her belt and took out her flamer, preparing it for combat. "Sir!" She shouted out to Arkase. "Parasites are nearing to our positiong. We should seal vents in customs with emergency seal. Also I am switchin to flamer, it will be more effective against parasites." She reported as proper soldier.

Yoshiro walked over to the cells and locked them making sure that they were secure. He looked over at the nekos that were in the cells and immediately looked away. "You ladies ok in there?" he asked, trying hard to keep the guilt out of his voice but failing. He felt bad for the neko that he shot and he tried not to show it.

When he heard the noise, he readied his aether beam rifle and prepared for the fight ahead. His first taste of the enemy was about to be served and he wanted revenge for these nekos that were treated poorly even by the people that created them. Parasites were not the NMX he wanted to fight but he would take them out as well. Come get some, you dirty NMX b*****ds. I'm gonna kill some of you and line you up here right next to your buddy in the Ripper here! He thought to himself.

Kyoka was a little stunned. Enemy Nekovalkryja, just surrendering like that? Granted, it was her first time working with anything that wasn't covered in tentacles or a hard carapace, but the fact still stood that they were enemy units, simply surrendering. Apparently the Mishuvar were much harsher as a species than she thought, if they were to treat their own subservient species so harshly. The Neko shook these thoughts out of her head, as there was no time for foolish reflection now. There were parasites coming, and she had to be ready.