RP: YSS Eucharis [Mission 9.2] Salvaging Parts and Hearts

Konoka piped in calmly, with a sense of introverted thought heeding the obligation in her eyes, "Taisa, I feel the need to remind you to keep the crew....readay, and,er, able....for whatever....surprise gets thrown at us. The stars know fate doesn't throw anybody chances, even the storied Eucharis. Also, a reminder to the crew: be sure to get a recent back-up id you're volunteering." she finished, standing, deep in thought.


Her altruistic, steely "fixer" side had certainly but surely risen.



"I'd, er, best go....prepare, 'dat, then." Konoka added. "If there are no....objections, of course."



However, despite this, she first went to look for her dear and trouble friend, Sune. So not to startle him, she 'pathed again: Sune-Juni? As a friend and one who can counsel, please allow me to see you. Perhaps any assistance I can manage to offer with the time I am given can speed you to more help of your own?



Helping, of course, was life. And these were the reasons Konoka had life for. In more ways than one.

Sune let his current punch follow through, he then stopped. He bent down to pickup his towel and wiped his face of sweat and tears.
"Konoka-Hei, I appreciate your concern. Give me a few minutes to clean up and we can talk. I just learned that the people who found me and assisted me have been killed."

Sune then left the workout room, and went to the showers. There he quickly cleaned up, then toweled off. As he put on his uniform, he could still feel the anger and rage within. But it was no longer in danger of getting out of control. He knew it would take time to help deal with all of it. But at least now he was ready to talk. He headed out of the changing room in search of Konoka.

Sune would shortly find Konoka en route to the Medbay, seemingly lost in thought.

Of course, half of this thought was about finding Sune.



Seeing him, she held out a consolidary hand, saying with a look of sincere apology, "Sune....Sune-Juni..I do....so hope you'll be alright."


Wallking alongside him, hand still offered, she continued, "I may not have had such a...."family", per se, but....Is there a chance they could be brought back? Even so, I know that.....I...I consider the crew here, my friends, to be as much "family", probably, as the one you found on your ship....the Bouken, was it?" She looked up, sincerely showing a half-smile of compassion, if remorsefully. "Just know that.....there are those that will assist you here, in this place you have found."


Pausing, she added, "Me, as well as the rest."



She didn't speak for a second: The inability to help someone who'd been lost had always been a great bother to her. She was here for Sune at least, who no doubt believed the same things. He was once a medic, after all. His "family" had probably been the whole start of that.


Continuing, she said: "I've seen lots of friends here come and go. The point, Sune-Juni, is that someone is always coming when goes away. To assist, or....."


She sighed, stopping.


".....To be assisted." For now, sune himself fell in the latter for Konoka.


"Sune-Juni. My friend. I am here her to counsel should you need that assistance, I'm....." she paused, thinking what was best to say.

".....not going to go away, as long as you have need of me."


Konoka always was needing to be needed. She loved "helping". Helping her friends, more than anything. Here she was now, even if not tomorrow. Tomorrow wasn't "now", though. "Now", though, wasa time she could truly be happy to help.


"Because, Sune-Juni, I'm here for my friends. Always."


Not that she knew how long "always" would be. Not that it really mattered. It was time to give back the "concern" her friend had made her recognize in the first place. "Now", even if not "always".


Konoka guessed there must be a difference.

Sune took Konoka's proffered hand. "Thank you, they were good, honest, caring people. You would have liked Raia, she was the most patient person I have ever known. But while they were Yamataian citizens, they were Nepleslian bodies. They never embraced the idea of mental backups. Their philosophy was to live a good life, and leave a legacy for thier children when they passed on...."

I should send a message regarding the disposition of the bodies. They deserve better than being disposed of with nothing to mark their passing. Sune thought.

"I guess, in a manner of speaking, I am their legacy now. The repository of their hopes and dreams, and our shared experiences. And yes, those we serve with aboard the Eucharis are our family now. Especially those who stay with us, through the good and bad. Akiyama, Raia's father said that is what a family was about." He said, and then grew silent as he took a moment to reflect on the ones he had lost.

"No other ideas?" Hanako asked. "Well, I am going to stop by the Eucharis medical lab for a backup and then I'll bring some drinks over to the wardroom here on the starbase." The captain gave a nod to those still there in Sam's Grill and then made her way back onto the ship via the long catwalk.

Progress was going more quickly than expected. A lot of systems had been freshly replaced and the wardroom was already cleaned out and re-floored. The ship would be ready tomorrow, a KFY technician told her.

After getting her backup, the Taisa rode the cargo elevator down to the main bay, and went to the shipping container where she kept the booze...

"Drinks?" Takeyu blinked a few times, completely filtering out what he had just been doing, though he 'did' have the thought of updating his backup just in case as he didn't want to risk forgetting what he had decided to do.

Thinking about it; he wondered if by 'drinks' the Taisa was going to bring out the alcohol.

"I am going to head to the Medical Bay aboard the Eucharis, to update my mental backup. If you would accompany me, I would like you to oversee the procedure. Then we should return to the wardroom on the Ikoi to join the Taisa's party." he said to Konoka turning to head to the ship.

After the past few days, perhaps Hanako's party is a good idea. The crew could use some time to relax, and just be people instead of soldiers. Myself included. he thought.

"Arigato, Sune-Juni, that seems a wonderful idea! Especially after all what's happened recently. And, you of course, shoukd try to...er, stay together." Konoka sighed concernedly: (Oh dear, had she just taken herself so seriously?) She'd meant the backup and the party, both. A beliver in karma, Konoka seemed to think every negativity should be balanced out by a positivity. And sure as the stars, Konoka would bea part of that positivity.


"I do believe something as positive as such is afforded to this bleak outlook, yup, heh...." Konoka paused. "I...must b e getting spazzy, Sune-Juni." Well, cease that then, Miyazawa~! she reminded herself. Sune was in need of her. "I was just heading inb that direction of thought and of locale mys'lf."


Leading the way, she added, aftera moment, "Together, then?"


With a smile, of course. Helping,as well, as always.

SOMETHING had to be a constant, after all.

Sune made the trip back to the Eucharis medbay without difficulty. There were work teams all over the ship, but the medbay was empty of such distractions. "Looks like the repair teams are making good progress. The ship should be ready when the Taisa is ready to go back out." he said to Konoka.

How many times can a starship be safely patched back together before some structural flaw manifests at a critical time he wondered as he walked over to the mental backup unit and hopped up on the bed. He laid down and waited for Konoka to initiate the process. "No need for sedation."

Hanako was back on the Ikoi now and setting up for the little party. As she set out wine glasses and plates of miniature cheesecakes and chocolate-covered strawberries she reflected on the nature of the party, hoping it wasn't "mandatory fun" like in some organizations, where a bunch of coworkers awkwardly attempted to enjoy themselves at an event they were forced to be at. The Eucharis was not an entirely professional environment, however. There were real feelings on the ship, and the crew had been Hanako's family since they came aboard. Sometimes, though, she felt more distant than she wanted. She wanted the others to know she was at least something similar to a regular person, not some sort of command computer or cold-blooded war hero.

Thinking about some of the parties her ships had had in the past brought a blush to her cheeks and a smirk on her pink lips.

Takeyu streched his arms and watched the Taisa; he wasn't to certain if he should interrupt her, nor whether she'd want to be interrupted. After a moment of thinking, he cast aside his worry and spoke up. "Taisa, would you like some help, or did you need me to get anything?" he asked her calmly, but with a hint of nervousness in his tone.

Kumiko poked her head back into the wardroom, having gone back to working on some new designs. She'd even had a comp[any ask her if she'd like to design things for them! When she saw that it was just Hanako and Takeyu in the room, she stepped in, carrying her drawing pad and pencil. She found a spot over in one of the corners, and started back into her work, though after a moment she paused, realizing that she was just repeating some of her already abandoned ideas. Looks like I'm fresh out of ideas for the moment. What to work on... At that point, she had a (to her) brilliant idea, and started sketching the faces of Takeyu and Hanako. I'm not that good of an artist, so I might as well practice. Getting better at drawing should make my designs easier to transfer to the computer, so I can even justify it as work!

Yaichiro arrived next, though he wondered if he should really be participating. This party was for the crew that had survived a rough mission, after all. He just happened to rejoin the crew afterward time. Of course, it would be rude to turn down the invitation. What would be do other than the party anyway? The repair crews had things covered it seemed.

Even at my rank, I'm still worried about being underfoot...Or have I just been on Yamatai for too long?

The officer shook the thought from his mind though, and made his presence known. "I can also help if there's any need of it."

As he made his offer, Yaichiro was still pondering various things. What about the information leak? If it exists, is it in the 1st XF or SAINT? How high up is it? Would BAD Office find it in Nishitama City, or is it elsewhere?

After his mental back up was complete, Sune thanked Konoka, and returned to the Ikoi starbase. He made his way to the Wardroom to participate in Hanako's party. He paused at the doorway to look in, and saw that the party had not yet actually begun. So he walked in and over to Hanako. "Anything I can assist with Taisa?" he inquired.

Konoka was quick to follow Sune, a part of her, of course, happened to still be concerned for him. Now, though, the best way to assist him was to assist everyone else as well. Which was just as well, as Konoka understood it.


Konoka, now, as well, could assist in the prep of her favorite thing: a party. In all of the recent horrendous occurence, some completely non-horrendous and even celebratory ones were rendered necessary to balance the equation.


Yes, Konoka surmised, as a believer in karma, that was indeed rational.


So Konoka piped up with more cheer again (cheer she believed had recently gone missing): "May I assist as well, Taisa? I believe quickly getting some of this celebratory-ness underway ASAP is accorded, considering recent....heh, less celebratory events. But, uh, do keep alert for the.....whatever indefinitely follows Taisa, as it shan't be as exciting." Konoka sighed.


"Taisa, I'm beginning to agree some excitement of a more optimistic kind would indeed be good for us all.....Being an authority on crew well-being, of course, Taisa, begging pardon, heh."


Konoka was still worried for the future, of course. But she'd do whatever she could 'ril the future arrived.


Once again, she silently intoned: Fate wills will come.


But now she thought against her old favorite maxim: But I will bring along something that is good, along with it. Always.

"Ah, feel free to get a glass of wine," Hanako told Sune and Takeyu. She poured a glass of some light Lorath wine for herself and then handed off the bottle to Takeyu.

"Thank you for looking out for us, Konoka," the Taisa warmly smiled, giving the medic an unexpected kiss on the cheek before leaning back on one of the couches nearby.

"To an enjoyable future."

Sune chose to pass on the Lorath wine, I would rather not introduce Lorath pharmaceutical laced wine to my system. This is safe. he thought.

Looking at the selection he opted for a nice Yamataian white wine. He poured himself a glass and took a seat on the couch with Hanako. Raising his glass to her toast, "I will second that." and took a sip of the wine. He closed his eyes to savor the fragrance, and the taste. Then opened them to look at his fellow crew members.

Once the unexpected flush of surprise wore off (doing nothing for Konoka's the-Taisa-is-more-average-than-I-think theory), Konoka spoke up, "A-agreed. But....." she added in a singsong voice, "The future's what we make it, so make it well."


Cleverly dodging any more wine (seriously, where did the Taisa keep the fishload of it?) , she reminded herself that once again, things wouldn't last like this. Best be ready, she considered. Fish, best get the tablets ready, in case, Miyazawa! Stars knows the Taisa is reckless in all things. So, yes, as Konoka saw it, she could not be reckless, so the crew all could be. It gave her happiness to be the one to "look out" for others. However, it was because of this she wished sometimes she didn't foresee half of the crap they'd all soon half to deal with.


Still, it was time to balance it all out with some fun. Leaning against a side of a couch with a fwhump! and a silent 'yay', Konoka commented, "O-of course, the, heh, pleasure's all mine, Taisa...." Pausing on her words,she added, "Shouldn't we do some sort of thing to get this party begun, so to speak? A game, maybe? Hmm."


Konoka looked over the room, thinking, These are my friends. They aren't any bother to me. As such, I'd best keep "botheration" away, for all of us. She glanced at Sune, as well.


Botheration, indeed, had recently found him. And, Konoka considered, would find her as well, should any such botherations find this crew.



Best keep the bothers away then, she figured. Considering, after all, that meant, for once, that the 'fun' side was the the 'safe' side, as well. Or at least the two were on more civil terms.


And some good civility always figured as a good sort of breaththrough, for Konoka.

Kumiko let in a breath that she'd been holding in, looking at her pad, then comparing it to the group in front of her. She sighed, and set it down. There is definitely a LOT of room for improvement. I need to work faster, and pay more attention to the subject, rather then drawing half out of memory. She stood up and stretched, getting the kinks out from sitting and working for a while. She paused, debating whether to go join the others.

Nika quietly followed behind the group as they headed to the wardroom where Hanako had set up a party for everyone to relax further. Eventhough she wasn't in the mood to actually start conversations, her ears were already picking up snippets of the conversations.

"No work related topics..." Nika mentally commented to herself, letting out a soft yawn as she leaned against the wall.