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RP: YSS Miharu Mission 5, Aftermath (5th day)

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"The fleet has hundreds of Ayame-class vessels, so that is no trouble. Would you prefer one closer to the Mokuren or farther?"

Yukari was starting to see where Kotori was going. An Ayame had a baseline crew of 120, but all of the ships here seemed to have more crew than was typical, likely troops for the war to which they never made it. That put the average at around 400.
 
Kotori pondered on the issue and said: "I'm not sure it matters all that much. All of those ships are in the same vicinity... though, choosing a ship that's surrounded will allow its neighbors to intercede should they be up to any mischief."

"Though, speaking of neighbors... each Ayame isn't isolated: they have Yui destroyers attached to them - I think their numbers are proportional, actually."

Kotori raised one hand palm upright as if she was holding something up. "I suppose I could up the ante to an Ayame commander cruiser and her entire escort group." Then she brought up her other hand. "Or an Irim gunship with its entire flight crew."
 
Yukari lowered her head to think for a moment, blinking. She raised it as if a light had flashed on. "An Irim-class is more easily targeted for disablement than an Ayame and her escorts. The Irim seems the logical choice."
 
"Then an Irim it is," Kotori agreed. "With any luck Melisson will sincerely agree to collaborate with us, I'll be able to do my part right, and the end result will actually return these people to normal."

"I don't think they'll just forget what happened," the Taisa added. "But fortunately it's not like we actually did anything wrong to these people other than the accident that had to happen in order to free them. The worse they can blame on us... is me making their Chujo eat cake off the floor."

Kotori gave a meek shrug, but then frowned and added: "These people have been focusing on me, but if they regain their senses, them being part of the few thousand warships that survived the million-ship-strong Second Draconian Fleet and the time displacement might be much more prevalent on their minds. They were coping with it, but they might have to cope with it again with a different, more personal, perspective."
 
"It might be difficult for them, but if we can make the general databanks of Hoshi available to them, they can be quickly caught up to date," Yukari said. She imagined a very young, and very frightened, Neko soldier trying to comprehend the Mishhu, a creation that carried too many visible similarities to herself, let alone the twisted NMX. "The sooner they are able to digest history, the sooner they may learn from it and adjust to it."
 
"We'll help alleviate their disorientation if possible," Kotori initially agreed. "But we're not going to be in charge of their education. That's a task for others. A situation overview so that the fleet can function and reintegrate militarily will suffice."
 
Yukari did not like it. Education was one thing, making resources available to people thirsty for knowledge was another. She did not want to direct their learning, but she did want to make history available to them.

Surely there was enough time for that, she thought, but Yukari let the point go. Kotori was right. The fleet had to be ready to fight now. "Yes, Taisa."
 
Kotori's expression sharpened. "Then make it happen."

She eyed Tom. "Get your people working on restoring functionality to Surtur's cockpit and providing it a proper power source for the psionic amplifiers mounted on it. Follow that up with fixing Vermillion and reproducing Surtur's amplifiers to work on it as well."

"If you have the chance, try to plan ahead on the sort of refit required to install psionic amplifiers on the Mokuren of the same grade the Takumi possessed."

She then eyed Nyton and Yukari. "I want you two to go to Melisson and secure her assistance. I'd ask her myself, but as people whom have faced her, I've a feeling your arguments may carry more clout than mine."
 
Tom's smile was as wide as his bow was deep.

"I'm on it," he said. "Not a problem! Shall I be off now then?"
 
Yukari looked to Nyton, smiled, then stiffly nodded to Kotori.

"Indeed. Unless you have further need for us, Taisa."
 
Nyton took note of Yukari's smile and nodded as well. "Roger that your highness. Let me know if you require me to address anything else on your mind." he replied. The planning had gone smoothly. Now it was up to them to approach their target.
 
Yukari stood and bowed. Nyton did the same, and the two walked off, Nyton launching into a strategy discussion while Yukari listened.

About half-an-hour later, Yukari entered the medical bay where Melisson was being kept. She was smiling, if only a little, while Nyton came in behind her.

"Melisson," she said, greeting the "trophy" with a vaguely chipper tone in her voice.
 
Melisson, still sitting with her arms hugging her knees, raised her head from the top of her knees to look at Yukari.

"You did well," she noted. "It would've been disastrous for you to allow Kotori to die."
 
Yukari kept her composure. If Melisson knew that, she likely knew the rest.

"Thank you," she responded with a smile. "I saved my friend. That is what matters.

"How much more of what was discussed are you aware of?"
 
"Enough," Melisson replied blandly, as if the technicalities of what they were pursuing did not really interest her.

Then, she asked: "Hasn't it occurred to any of you that if the figure whom controlled them was taken out of the picture, that they would turn to the one that preceeded it, rather than having them be off the hook?"

So simply put. Melisson was claiming that if Kotori had been allowed to die, the survivors of the Second Draconian Fleet would've simply switched their devotion to the captive interpreter.

Melisson allowed Yukari a moment to have that information sink in before she smiled more widely. "So, well done."
 
So much for strategy, Yukari thought as she glanced back at Nyton.

"Is that what will happen? Or is it what you want to happen?" she asked.
 
Melisson gave a flat shrug. "Does is matter?"

She paused and then added: "Have you considered that Kotori might not need me for this thing you wish to have her perform? Kotori is no stranger to psionic power - she wielded the powers of the mind herself in the past. Has she ever considered looking into her mirror herself, rather than only using it to reflect others through it?"
 
Yukari tilted her head to the side, narrowing her eyes. "I do not think she knew such a thing was possible, but I do not know that for certain. She might require someone to explain it to her."
 
Melisson gave a throaty chuckle. "Are you volunteering? After all, most of the explanations about what her body could do have been given by you thus far." The interpreter then irreverently dipped her head. "I defer to your expertise, Yukari-sensei."
 
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