RP: YSS Eucharis [Mission 6] A Closer Inspection

The VCMAD-A plunged down through the upper atmosphere of the planet. The CIES quickly calculated the optimum configuration and instructed the nanobots to configure for high speed. Once the drone had configured the fuselage it began the assignment. It activated the "Sniffer" module, taking in samples of the atmosphere. It then began transmitting the data back to the Eucharis, the samples contained sulfur dioxide in high quantities after a sufficient number of samples had been collected it was able to give definitive readings. It then transmitted, Atmospheric analysis complete, composition 62.5% sulfur dioxide, 23.5% nitrogen, 14% oxygen. Classification: Toxic. As the probe passed through the lower cloud base it detected moisture, precipitation from the cloud in the form of weak sulfuric acid.

Once the VCMAD-A had cleared the clouds it activated the "Sky-eye" module. As it streaked across the terrain the high-speed cameras captured details of the surface. From the high degree of reflection it determined that there were patches of frozen material covering large areas of the surface. The drone wound its way through the jagged mountain range it approached and shot out the other side at high speed. Then CIES continuously scanned the images looking for anything of interest, but so far all it was getting was images of a rock and ice strewn landscape. At the edge of the images it detected an anomaly and adjusted its course. It started slowing down and adjusted its configuration for slow speed travel. It increased the rate of image capture and locked onto the anomaly. The new closer images confirmed its earlier determination. It circled the object of its attention. The probe then transmitted the images it had gathered so far in a compressed packet along with its conclusion. Artificial structures detected, detailed images and coordinates included. The drone then accelerated and resumed its search pattern.

"If it is fine with Takeda-Hei, I would defer the leadership to her. There is no conflict in terms of rank, and honestly, I lose track of time and forget what I'm doing at times. I think it would be better to have a steady head in charge. However, if you feel that the ship would be better served by my experience in charge, I will accept that decision as well." She shifted, slightly uncomfortable with coming straight out with her spacey-ness in front of others.

Ramiro sat at his station, checking surrounding areas along with the ship's location, just to give him something to do. When Nika walked in he looked over at her and smiled saying, "It is alright with me if I go now Himeya-hei." Just then something on his screen alerted him information heading to the sensors station. "Hold that thought." He quickly rerouted the data to his screen as information from the probes started being retrieved. "Taisa, the probe has begun transmitting data." He started sending data to the main screen as it came to him bit by bit. However when the last piece of information came he paused a second. He addressed the Taisa by saying, "Ma'am man-made dwellings have been detected, shall I have photos sent to the main screens?"

Hanako was surprised to find artificial structures on a remote, icy, and acidic planet such as this. "Are there any signs of life or power generation? Any radio transmissions?" Hanako asked, wanting to get a handle on what they were dealing with. "Nika, get on the Star Army Communications Network and notify the new Scientific Studies Service of our find. They will probably want to investigate."

"Roger that Taisa!" Nika quickly grabbed an empty console and settled down. "Now then... the Scientific Studies Service frequency..." She softly mumbled, opening several windows on the console screen which listed the channels in the Star Army Communications Network. She found it easily enough, thanks to Charisma, which seemed to hear the neko's mumbling.

Nika then initiated her SPINE interface and sent an encrypted report to the targetted channel attached with the data the probe had transmitted back.

"Taisa, I've sent the prelimilary report to the Scientific Studies Service. Should I keep the channel open to continue feeding or we should wait for more information?" She enquired Hanako.

The VCMAD-A continued its scanning of the surface, it located a second set of artificial structures. It uploaded the data from the second site. Second incident of artifical structures detected, images and coordinates uploaded. Negative generated power, Negative radio transmissions. Negative visual images of life forms. Resuming search pattern.

Upon hearing the news, Taisa decided to claim the star system for Yamatai, and released one of the orbital geologic survey platforms to stay in the system as a marker and to investigate the surface in more detail.

Next, Hanako set up a scenario for the planned combat training.

Hamada nodded to the two technicians. Looking back on her decision to ask them before assigning them, she was not sure that there could have been any other answer from the two except polite modesty.

They're going to have a hard job, she thought to herself as she updated the list she was working on. She set their faces to memory. Hard jobs were often important ones.

"Very well. Kumiko-hei, you have the mainspace. Takeda-Hei, you have the auxiliary. You will assume the consoles associated during battlestations, and report damages or irregularities to the bridge when they occur. If you have any problems, just find me later and I will be happy to take care of them. Thank you for coming so quickly, I appreciate it. Carry on."

She honestly regretted cutting conversations short. It left a sour taste in her mouth to rush things, particularly the sort of things that showed her things about the people around her, but Hamada was somewhat anxious to get somewhere, just at the moment. Her stomach had reminded her of the food she hadn't been eating today. No doubt the Taisa would want a larger briefing, with far more crew, later. Some things could wait.

"Heisho, do you have any questions or concerns I can address?"

Ramiro was about to answer the Taisa's question when the probe answered it for him. He was sort of hoping the probe would have found lifeforms for that would have been an interesting discovery. "Will that be all then Taisa? If it is then I would like to quick go get my memory backup and physical before we get into any unfriendly circumstances."

"Go ahead," Hanako nodded to Ramiro, watching the survey platform adjust itself into a suitable orbit. She picked up her phone and dialed the intercom. "Attention, if you have not visited the medical lab, please do so now. We will begin training simulations shortly. That is all."

"Thank you Taisa." Ramiro saluted then turned and left the bridge, through the Zero-G passageway, and over into the medical lab. When he entered he looked around to see if any of the medics were busy. Seeing Jalen he walked over. "Hello Sune-Hei, I'm here for my mental backup and physical."

In shock at her repeated lack of patients, Konoka tripped again. "This is getting ridiculous! Why does Jalen-Hei get all the patients? I'm not busy at all!" she muttered slightly agitatedly. "Well, hopefully someone else will need my assistance!" She began imagining a scene in the future in which she would become invisible and everyone would forget that anyone else but Sune was ever a medic. Then Hotaru would grumble years later as an officer, something like, Oh, didn't we used to have a neko medic? Wherever did she go? Shaking her head at this unpleasant daydream, she tripped again.

With Ramiro off to the med bay, Nika took the initiative and took over the console. Re-establishing her SPINE interface, she sent the second report over the Star Army Communications Network to the intended recepient. Once done, she settled back, going through the ship's controls.

"Taisa, should be retrieve the probe back since we got a orbital geologic survey platform up?"

"Is there a way we can have the aerial probe regularly report back to the orbital platform for recharging?" Hanako asked Nika.

"Let me check..." Nika's SPINE interface kicked in again, first connecting to the probe and then to the survey platform.

"Taisa, I'm able to re-program the probe to report and recharge at the survey platform. However, due to the Tamper System on the latter, I would need an authorization code to access the platform for re-programming as well..." The neko paused, "You do have a code, don't you?"

“Aye aye, ma’am,” replied Junko as the XO dismissed them. She began to move back onto the bridge, pausing when the Taisa’s announcement came over the intercom. “I think I had better head to Medical right away, then,” she said, looking over at Endoh. “Oh, and while we’re still on the bridge, has the Taisa made a decision about the QNCs yet?”

"Well, I uh..." Kumiko trailed off, and shuffled a little. "I didn't ask her yet. I was trying to think of a way to solve the no maintenance problem, and passed her completely." She turned back. "I'll go ask her while you do your back-up, and then I'll meet you there with her decision." She turned and headed back onto the bridge.

Nika said:

"You do have a code, don't you?"

Click to expand...

"Yes," Hanako nodded. "I will take care of it."

When Kumiko entered the bridge, Hanako looked over to see what the technician wanted.

Junko watched Endoh walk away in slightly stunned silence, before continuing to head towards Medical. She had anticipated the answers and explanations the Taisa might give, or even that a decision might not be made yet. But that Endoh hadn’t even asked? Her first instinct was condemnation: after all, Endoh had failed in her job to inform the Taisa. But it was because she was so caught up in the engineering problem that she was distracted. Try as she might, Junko couldn’t suppress empathy for her colleague. Her own passion and interest in solving problems had similarly distracted her in the past, and caused no few amount of problems with her mother. War still raging between professionalism and the remnants of emotional attachment inside her, Junko entered Medical and looked about for a medic. Seeing one free, she walked over with a slight, forced smile. “Hello, Miyazawa-hei. I wonder if I could get my back-up down now before the simulations begin.”

Sune smiled seeing Ramiro approaching, he ignored the incorrect name usage and replied. "Valencia-Hei, good to see you again. Certainly, I can start with the physical while Miyazawa-Hei. is doing Takeda-Hei's backup. That way we do not waste any time."

Sune walked over to one of the examination tables, "If you would kindly remove your tunic I will proceed." Sune gathered his tools, and the PMS-1 while waiting for Ramiro to get ready.