RP: SRSS Yggdrasill (PG-13) Salvage Run 4:Lor/Serenity's Arrival

[Toshiro]

(PG-13) Salvage Run 4:Lor/Serenity's Arrival










(Continued from https://stararmy.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3914 , JP with Fredrick(Kairi) and Tiff)

Toshiro stood to the side of the Captain's Chair. "Okay, Kairi. Now we're getting ready to salvage...care to give the order?"

Kairi cleared her throat uncertainly, and looked to Ken. "Ken, activate the grapplers in Auto Mode." She took the PA mic and flipped it on. "Attention all crew: We are about to enter the Lor Debris Field."

Toshiro nodded with approval as the ship entered the debris field, and began to salvage... "Keep your eyes on your monitors and sensors...switch the console on your armrest to salvage monitoring and diagnostic mode. Look for energy signatures and fluctuations."

Kairi's eyes narrowed. "Antimatter mine detected. Lain, begin a feed to Lor, ASAP."

The viewscreen kicked on, static on the screen until Lor could reply.

This time it was a purple haired woman, her eyes green. "Greetings, I am Starlight, how may I help you?"

Kairi put on a serious face. "This is the SRSS Yggdrasill, requesting assistance with an antimatter mine that we've detected."

Toshiro stood to the side of Kairi, letting her handle the show for the moment...but ready to step in if needed.

"Very well, could you please transmit the coordinates of the mine please, and I will have someone get on it right away." Off screen it was easy to hear some sounds, as well as another person speaking.

Toshiro spoke to Kairi. "The coordinate panel is on your left console, below the larger screen. The coordinates are a series of three numbers. Below that is the vector on which the mine is moving, which is a set of two degree-based numbers and one speed value."

Kairi calculated for a moment, and then tapped in the digits. "Coordinates are 1224.12x, 1424.01y, 4332.06z, Lor. Vector is 14 mark 41, 0.0094c."
She bowed. "Thank you for your assistance. Yggdrasill out.

"Thank you for reporting this, Good luck salvaging!" She quickly took down the information just before the screen cut out.

Toshiro smiled, and eyed another signature on the screen over Kairi's shoulder... "...Huh...I wonder what that is..."

Kairi examined the signature. "Pretty high-speed STL drive. Same type as the ones on the delivery ship I used to drive. We should take it..."

Toshiro nodded. "Okay...it looks like it'll fit in the cargo bay...bring it in."

Kairi nodded and looked to Ken. "As the captain says, Ken."

The item is brought in carefully...and another signature is shown...an empty escape pod...

Kairi looked at the display. "Empty escape pod. I'm unsure what we should do here, Toshi-kun."

Toshiro smiled. "Bring it in, like anything else."

"Right then," Kairi said, and motioned to Ken to bring it in as well.

After those were brought in, two fluctuating signals on the screen... "...Those look like Antimatter Globs...we can report them, or try to get some things from Engineering and put them in containment canisters ourselves."

Kairi shrugged. "Why take a chance? Lain, please send a short message to Lor and report their trajectories.

Toshiro smiled, approving. The screen popped to transmission view again.

It was the same girl from before. "Greetings! How may I help you?"

Toshiro stayed silent again, letting Kairi handle the matter...

Kairi bowed. "This is Yggdrasill again... We have another hazard, two antimatter globs traveling on..." She typed in some numbers, sending them to Lor. "Those trajectories. I apologize for causing so much trouble, but antimatter is dangerous."

"No need to apologize! Any help given is help well received sir!" The woman smiled and took down the information and bowed her head. "We look forward to hearing from you again and good luck with your salvaging!"

Kairi blinked. Sir? She looked down and blinked again. "Aa... yes, thank you. Yggdrasill out."

It was obvious that the woman had been paying little attention to the veiw screen, to busy reporting the new antimatter items.

Toshiro giggled a bit, finding the gender mix-up humorous. "Well...I think we're about done...let's go do some cataloging, okay?" Toshiro walked to the Cargo Bay, but suddenly runs back. "...Is she still on the screen?"

Kairi looked at Toshiro oddly. "Yes...? What's wrong?"

Toshiro looked serious as he turned to the Lorath woman on the screen. "...Miss, We have a Lorath corpse, a woman in stasis, and what looks like a sort of Soul Transfer backup device...please send a ship out for pickup of this and any other goods necessary for return as soon as possible."

"A what? Hm....Give me a moment please...." The screen cuts out for a few moments, before returning. "Could I please know what the two people look like? Also may I know the condition of the equipment?"

"I'll transfer your video feed to the cargo bay adjacent to Engineering..." He does so, pressing a few buttons, and beckoning to Kairi to follow. "Ken, keep an eye on things here, but don't move the ship if you can avoid it!"

Kairi ran with Toshiro to Engineering to see what was going on.

When they arrived, there was a frozen male Fyuunen Lorath corpse, a female Helashio slave in stasis, and an intact "Brain case" style Lorath mental backup device...

The woman on screen sighed a little as she saw the male corpse. "They are going to be pissed about that...Very well we will need the corpse back....though I guess you could keep the slave. The brain case we will need as well though. I am sending the LSDF Reclaimer to meet up with you. Just one thing. On the slave issue, if you wish to come back she can not come back planet side with you, understand?"

Toshiro seemed confused. "...Why is that? She's not welcome on her own home planet?"

"It is either that, or she will need to remain as she is, and have her memories wiped when she returns to Lor." Starlight shrugged a little. "Which will it be?"

Toshiro sighed. "...We will keep her. Wiping someone's mind goes against my beliefs...how do we revive her? is this a simple stasis capsule?"

"I believe so yes, Simply unfreeze her." The occhestan nodded and watched the view screen.

Toshiro nodded and pressed a large button on the front of the device...trying to wake her up.

The cryofreeze slowly began to melt away, showing off more of the girl. The first thing the crew were would see was the furry back of the pet. The small dog looking animal shivered a little as he felt the air on his back and blinked as he looked around. Emitting a small rather cute cry, He wobbled up to his feet and crawled towards the now unfrozen upper body of the woman in the ice. She was obviously well built as the creature snuggled in between the two mounds. Slowly the rest of the uncovered body unfroze, showing a rather beautiful looking woman. She was rather defined with long red hair that splayed out underneath of herself. Her skin had a few nicks here and there, but otherwise was unmarred. Her blue eyes slowly peered open, the pupils unfocused as she let out a groan. Sitting up the small pet toppled from his perch down to her legs as she leaned on one arm and rubbed her head. Looking around she spoke softly at first.

"Calthyll?....Calthyll??" As she didn't hear a quick response, and her view coming into focus now, she began to become a bit more afraid. "Calthyll?!? Calthyll?!?!" The woman began to become panicked now as she whipped her head around to search for whoever Calthyll was. "Calthyll?!?!" Finally her gaze settled on the two people in the room with her, and her eyes went wide.

Toshiro blushed slightly from her appearance, but ignored her body, and leaned over her. He tried to remember the Lorath language tips from the electronic book... ~You Yggdrasill on now. Stasis in you were.~

END

Last edited by Toshiro on Mon Feb 05 2007, 07:38 pm; edited 3 times in total









Ken did all that he was told, listening in when able. "Capt'n...any new orders? Or do you need my help back there?" he called over the intercom, trying not to be too loud about it.









Toshiro replied to Ken.

"We picked up a corpse, a woman, and a Lorath-style Mental Backup device. We just awakened the woman from cryostasis. We are currently waiting for a ship called the LSDF Reclaimer to rendezvous with us. Contact me if that occurs before I return to the bridge. In the meantime...no male is to come back here until I give the okay."

There was a pause.

"And Lain, please contact Reis in her quarters and ask her to bring some clothes to the cargo bay if she has any to spare..."









"Aye capt'n. I'll be on the look out for any ships." Ken replied, sitting back again. "Well well...a corpse, and a random body."









Shaun looked over at Ken. "Trust me after a while...things like this will be just another day at the office."









Ken chuckled. "Buddy, it is BEEN another day at the office for me. Hell...I'm happy we aren't getting that grey goop again." he said, smiling.









Shaun leans back in his chair and spins back around to his screen. "So where exactly are we going?"









"Well, unless we got something restricted, we might go sell off some stuff or deposit it in the warehouse...but that's up to the Capt'n." Ken said, chuckling. "Our most Naive, yet lovable and dependable, Capt'n."









Shocked to hear the person speak, the Helashio toppled off the table with a thud landing hard on her back. The small Berog on her stomach toppled off as well and landed on his stomach, letting out a pitiful call to its owner. The small creature scuttled over to the woman who had found herself a corner to hide in now. As the hairy creature reached the nude woman, she scooped him up and clutched him tightly to her chest.









Toshiro was surprised, and followed her over, trying to look non-threatening.

~You safe! We good! Rescue you we did. Mean no harm you to... No be scared...~









~Shaun?~ came Eve's voice from the terminal in front of him.

"What is it Eve?" He asked while trying to focus on the monitors.

~Are you going to build me a body?~

He tapped the small device on his ear and spoke "I'll think about it. Although I don't know why you'd want ME to do it. I'm better at destroying things than making them"

~Because i'd rather be what you want me to be....~

That last comment caught him off guard. He waited a moment before managing to say anything "Yeah fine. I'll figure something out for you. Just be patient"

~K~ was her quick reply before letting him get back to work.









Ken ignored the oneish sided conversation next to him, using the 3D map to plot where the recent pick ups were, hopeful next ones, small ones that might actually be something interesting, and where they were in relation to the planet and their current orbit. "Lets see....big one at 25-40-55.....and another just 3 grid away...." he mumbled a bit, focused completely on that map.









"Hu Calthyll! Hu Calthyll!" The poor girl seemed completely petrified, shaking the entire time as she began to cry. She clutched the creature closer to her until it began to cry out in pain. The girl's breathing began to get quicker and quicker, her heart rate soaring until eventually she hiccuped once and collapsed to her side.

She seemed to be unconsiouss, having passed out from the sudden shock of being unfrozen and the new faces, and the obvious lack of this Calthyll person.

As her head hit the floor with a soft thunk, the creature in her death grasp squirmed away and actually stood in front of her, it is fur raising up slightly as it let out what seemed to be a growl. it is lips snarled up in warning, the teeth a cross between a bear and wolf's teeth. The creature overall looked like a mix between the two, long shaggy fur with the face of a wolf and the body of a bear.









Toshiro wasn't sure what to do...he wanted to help, but the little dog was in the way...He looked at the animal, pity in his eyes...

~...Help we want to...Please...~









The small animal seemed fairly protective, growling still as he let out a few barks, showing off the teeth even more.









Toshiro sighed, and went to the kitchen...he came back with what looked like beef jerky, to try and distract the small animal...

~You want?~

He waged the meat stick like a lure in front of the dog, from a safe distance...









The creature's tail began to wag a little, his entire head following the stick of jerky. It seemed to be working as he slowly crept closer to the food, sniffing all the while rather quickly.









Toshiro lured the dog away, trying to get him out of Line-of-Sight of his owner...he planned to try and get Serenity to the medbay, maybe get her some food...or at least cover her in blankets...

~Come on...~









Kairi looked confused at best about the situation at hand. A Helashio slave... She could relate with slavery, but being manufactured expressly for that purpose? She shook her head. "Toshi-kun, what are we going to do with her...?" she inquired as he baited the strange little pet-creature.









Toshiro continued to try and lure the animal away...

"Well, it was either keep her, or her memories get erased and she becomes a slave again...I'd rather let her live on this ship with us than let that happen...one race being subjugated below another, or to be created to serve another is something I've never believed in...that's one point I disagree with my government on...we all came from a race created to serve the needs of Nepleslia...and to conquer worlds and peoples...don't tell any SAoY people this, but I find that hypocritical..."









Ken finished plotting the next few runs, and leaned back, sighing. "Man....I need something else to do..maybe a pet or something...see what they have on Lor when we go down soon enough." he said to no one in particular. "Maybe some gunsmithing tools too..."









Shaun spun around in his chair and leaned back against the console. "Yeah I need to pick some parts up myself. I probably need to make some kind of list. Definitly going to need some engineering guides for android frames. Or I could luck out and find someone who owns their own lab. Fat chance on that one eh?"









The small creature soon enough followed after Toshiro, but more importantly the food. It wasn't that it was disloyal, just the two had been in cryostasis for a while, so the little guy was a little hungry....

Serenity in the mean time was still out cold, the small rise and fall of her chest the only evidence that she had yet to leave the world of the living.









"Well, maybe a fat chance of finding one who will be able or willing to sell to you, sure." Ken replied, currently going through a list of vendors he found on the web. "Hrm...that's interesting. Exotic pets....I'll have to look there..."









Once he'd led the animal around a salvaged component, he set down the beef jerky, and tried to move around the animal, and toward Serenity...he needed to get her to the medical area to run some tests...and cover her with a blanket...









The little guy sat down and began to chew on the jerky, growling a little as the meat turned out to be tougher then it had thought to be.

The Helashio in the mean time was still out cold, twitching once or twice and whimpering a little.









Toshiro looked at her, and trying to ignore her...more immodest bodily structures, carried her toward the medbay...as he passed Kairi, he spoke.

"Watch her pet while I get her in a bed and under some blankets...be careful, though...it is scared..."

He walked toward the Medbay, unsure of what he should do when he got there...run tests? Let her rest? He was...responsible for her now. The life of another sentient being, in EVERY aspect.









Serenity was still out cold though as she was taken to the medbay. She rolled over in his arms, her chest pressing into him as she snuggled into the warm source. She was rather cold...

In the mean time, the animal had finished with the jerky, and was crying out now for it is master, sounding fairly pitiful as it did as it searched for the Helashio. The poor little guy began to shiver. Even with all that fur, there was still wetness and a bit of frozen ice on him, below the fur level.









(OOC: I will NPC Kairi until her owner returns, or the occasional post can be made.)

Kairi looks at the animal with pity, and opens her arms, trying to call it over, clicking her tongue on the roof of her mouth...she would carry it to its master, if it permitted her to do so...

"Come on...I won't hurt you...come on..."



Meanwhile, Toshiro blushed a bit, and realizes just how cold she was...he got her to the Medical Bay and put a thick blanket over her, adjusting the room's temperature to help her warm up... He then began to get some nutrient supplement ready for when she awoke...it wasn't the tastiest stuff in the world, but it was specificly meant to replenish lost nutrients, stop hunger, and be easy to digest...









The small creature saw anther new person, and did not like it in the least. With another growl the little guy charged Kairi, and pounced. He was quick for a guy his size, and it showed as her wrapped his teeth around Kairi's hand. It wasn't anything deep, but it would hurt, and draw a little blood. Seemed the little guy was just lashing out in fear.









Kairi gave a small yell and pulled her hand back, cradling it....it healed almost instantly, thanks to the hemosynthetic blood...but her distrust of the wanimal was secure...it was scared and cold, likely still hungry, and would need watching...

"...Right...I won't try that again..."









(JP with Tiff, Kylen, and Driker. Price for Super PHALANX Pod obtained from Derran Tyler, adjusted by Wes. Price for Vampire-class vessel by Wes.)

ON: Yggdrasill

Kairi, deciding that the...animal should stay with its owner, she picked up another piece of beef jerky, and tried to lure the animal to the medical area...Hey, it worked for Toshiro...

And it would work for her. The little creature let out a little growl as he followed along.

Kairi continued to lure the creature into the medical room, where Toshiro had just finished mixing the "rescue meal", an easily digestible and healthy gruel for rescuees... "...I see the little guy is still hungry too..." Kairi nodded, looking at Serenity, tossing the jerky into a corner of the room...Toshiro had turned up the temperature in the room, and Kairi noted this...

The little guy quickly retrieved the jerky and made his way back to his mistress. As he came closer he tried to jump up, whimpering aloud before he began to but his head against Toshiro's leg.

Toshiro blinked, but smiled...he tried to pick up the creature, and place it on Serenity... "She's still out...I hope she wakes up soon...in the meantime, Kairi, I want you to go remove the Interdiction Device...it is unnecessary, will free room in Engineering, and Yamatai has just decided that O.E.M. Interdiction Devices are as illegal as third-party. it will be surrendered along with the restricted Salvage."

The little guy flailed a little in his hands, but as he was put on Serenity he snuggled back between her breasts, growling lightly as he chewed at the jerky.

Kairi nodded and left for Engineering...the Interdiction Field was a large thing to uninstall...as Toshiro stayed with the woman.

Ken leaned forward in his chair. "Hey Capt'n, you need us for anything?" he called over the intercom.

Toshiro thought a moment. "We're in the medbay right now, the woman we rescued seems healthy, but is unconscious...still nude though. Reis-san must be picking something...oh! Have Shaun look up the sale price of an NDI Super PHALANX Regeneration pod for me please?"

"Aye Capt'n. Anything you need or want me to do?" Ken asked. "I've already plotted the next 8 salvage routes."

Shaun stroked a few keys on his console. As he did a small box appeared on the monitor. He tapped the com device on his ear as he sat looking at it. "A lot of money captain...youre talking 750 grand."

Toshiro didn't respond for a moment... "...Shaun...how much does it cost to buy a Vampire from Geshrinari?"

Shaun scrolled down the sales list for a moment before managing to find what he was looking for. "About 125,000 KS give or take the condition and customization of the model"

Toshiro was silent a moment again... "Then Ken has a few choices to make...he's gotten one of the Regeneration Pods, and after a 20% deduction for the rest of the crew, he can get 600,000 KS for it...his final goal of getting his own Vampire is VERY real now."

Ken was smiling very broadly at that. He hit the intercom. "Well now Capt'n. Sounds like you either want to expand, or get rid of me."

"Ken, when you joined you said you wanted a Vampire of your own. You got lucky and have the means to do so. I'm not going to keep your haul from you, you know." He laughed a little after this response. "Of course, whether you want to continue working or not is up to you. You almost have enough money for FIVE Vampires...getting a Vampire, stocking it with a crew of attractive girls, and going into business for YOURSELF is within your grasp even. That's why I said you have choices to make."

The woman began to groan a little, squirming around a little on the table. She rubbed her face as she tried to wake herself up further. With a sigh she squirmed a little more as she felt the little creature in her cleavage.

"Well shoot. Maybe we should talk about this planet side. I have some stuff to sell, more then likely." Ken said, smiling broadly still.

Shaun turned around in his seat and looked over at Ken. "What exactly do you plan to do with a Vampire?"

Toshiro continued, noting Serenity's condition. "Well, the Pod should be sold to NDI when we get closer to home. That's the manufacturer who is paying the money. The restricted tech is 2,000 KS and can't be sold...other than that you just got some drugged up gum of some kind. Still a good haul. Four times more than I'm worth right now."

"Well...I was planning on doing salvage, and maybe a little running on the side, if you know what I mean. But...I didn't think I'd get it this soon. I might just wait until I can do a little more." Ken says, before going back to the comm. "Rodger Capt'n. Still need to think about it though."

"Nghhh" She groaned a little more as she sat up again, rubbing her head a little more in pain now. Her eyes slowly opened as she looked around to see where she was.

"I understand, take your time. Also, the Captain and paid people get equal shares of the remaining 20%. "So Kairi, Shaun, and I will get about 50K coming to us as well....OOP! Our patient is coming around. We'll continue this later. "Congratulations, Ken! Toshiro out!"
He turned to Serenity, looking at her... ~Medical Area you in. Passed out. Okay now are you?~

Ken was still grinning broadly, but was watching the scanners for anything that might pop out. Being attacked twice by power armors on the last run makes one do that.

She groaned a little and blinked. Her mind was a touch more sluggish, so she wasn't so quick to become afraid. ~"M....Mistress? Mistress where?"~

Toshiro looked saddened for her... ~...You in stasis...we pull from space...ship gone...Sorry for you I am.~

~"Mistress....no here?"~ Serenity looked like she had been struck with a punch straight to the jaw, before her eyes teared up and she began to bawl. It was kind of sad to see.

Toshiro was very sorry for her, and sat with her, putting a hand on her shoulder... ~Sorry...you live though...~

She continued to sob from her seat, the small creature in her arms squealing again in pain.

~You hurt pet! No squeeze hard...try eat...you need strong now...~ Toshiro offered a bowl of the rescue gruel...

She flopped back to her back, crying aloud still as she seemed to slacken up on her pet.

Toshiro sat there, trying to wait for the woman to calm down...she may NEED this cry right now...

She soon pittered off in her crying, shaking now as she kept repeating ~"Mistress no leave, mistress no leave....Serenity good, mistress no leave..."~

Toshiro felt pity for the woman, and pulled up a chair next to her. ~Being good...no bring back...must move on...grieve, then move on. We here for you...okay?~

Shaun activated the com again "Hey Captain. What the heck is going on back there?"

"...She's in mourning...for her mistress..." Toshiro said, solemnly

~"Serenity good! Serenity good mistress no punish!"~ It seemed the poor girl felt like she was being punished.

~You not punished...it part of life. People live. People die...nothing change. I sorry...Mistress no want die, had to...~ Toshiro did his best to explain this concept to the girl, who seemed childlike...and he had to do it with limited comprehension of her language...

Serenity turned away from Toshiro, crying and cuddling to her pet.

Toshiro sighed, and sat there, electing to let her mourn as she needed to do...

END









Reis emerged rather quickly looking just a bit sweaty and flstered, with several plain dresses cast over her shoulder. She took a straight course for Toshiro, making no pause for conversation (not that she found the crew terribly interesting, she wasn't drunk enough for that) and thrusting the bundle of clothing forward rather expectantly.

"...shewillneedpantiesnadbrastoo? Icanfindsomeofmineifneedbebuttheywontlikelyfitwell..."









Toshiro smiled.

"I appriciate it, Reis-san...this one has just been through a terrible ordeal...and she will require underwear for the time being before the male crewmen see her...she's not wearing anything but the blankets it put on her..."

Toshiro blushed a little, unknowingly, as he mentioned this detail.









Reis nodded, and made back for her luggage, hoping that she had actually managed to bring undergarments, since she rarely had a desire to wear them...









As Toshiro tried to console the grieving Helashio, Kairi listened to the bridge communications as she was going through the Interdiction Device removal process...more money for her, it seemed...she decided not to get too excited until the money was actually made, and turned back to her task.

She noted the size of the Interdiction Device, and the room it would add in Engineering...as a civilian model of the unusual device, and a somewhat older version at that, it was fairly large, and its removal would free up space for the installation of new or supplemental components...the STL device they'd found was also a bit smaller than the existing STL engines, but about 0.04c faster. Mouthing them would take some creative engineering, but it was doable, though the ship would have to be brought down to manage that upgrade.









The Helashio seemed to calm down after a short while, her crying subsiding to soft sobs. The small pet had began to let out small cries of sadness for his mistress, licking her cheek to try an cheer her up.









Toshiro stayed with the Helashio, and silently offered her the food...it wasn't the most appetizing gruel in the world, but it was suitable for its job, and he figured she needed nourishment right now...

~Here...eat...Mistress want you live on she would...Right?~









Kairi approached Toshiro quietly. "You know, Toshi-kun, I speak Lorath pretty well... It was part of advanced training at the delivery conglomerate. I sympathize with her too... Need any help?" ((This SP brought to you by my PSP. Expect more soon.))









Toshiro looked to her, and nodded, smiling weakly...

"Okay...I can say basic things, but I suppose that can help, especially if she relates to women more...maybe you can help her dress when she's ready...thanks for removeing the interdiction device, by the way..."

(I had her do that while you were away.)









Kairi nodded, turning to the Helashio. ~Hello... My name is Kairi... I want to, er...~ She wracked her brain for the word... ~...Helping you?~









Serenity peered over her shoulder at the sound of a female voice, shaking still. She seemed scared of her a little, but the look had a effect on her to calm down.

After a moment she rolled all the way over. Luckily for Toshiro, her forearms were crossed across her chest and covering the more racy parts of her chest, and her legs crossed to cover up down there. It was a few more moments before her gaze settled on the food.









Toshiro, still blushing slightly, set the food down beside her, trying to smile...He didn't know this woman, but felt sorry for her...she wasn't too dissimilar from the Neko, custom-built to serve...he felt that as Captain, it was his job to be strong for those his vessel rescued, especially beings as scared and confused as this woman seemed to be...

~Eat please. Stronger it make.~









Slowly Serenity sniffed the food set by her. She let her pet test it first, his little tounge darting out and lapping up a little bit of the food. His tail began to wag and after a few more licks, Serenity picked up the food herself. After a lick off the spoon, she began to eat as well. To do this though she had to sit up and use her arms which left her yet again, uncovered.









Toshiro quickly turned his head, his face darkening a bit again...

"I am glad she has her appetite back..."









Kairi smiled at the Helashio. ~Good, eating is good. Please, don't stop.~ She turned to Toshiro. "How much exactly do we know? I can try to sit with her for a while and get some info..."









Toshiro sighed, worried for the girl...

"Not much...but she was on a ship with her mistress, it seems...she's from a race of slaves, genetically engineered for the service of the Lorath...and she'll be staying here. it is either that or they erase all of her memories upon her reintroduction to Lorath society..."

He thought for a moment, knuckle on his chin, before speaking again.

"Kairi, given when you've been through, I don't think coming to the planet with us and seeing a race of enslaved people will be good for you...and she needs someone to watch and talk to her as she can't leave the ship once we land. The best thing I can think of is for you to stay with her and talk with her while we're planet-side...it could also be good training for you to deal with issues across cultures. It isn't an order, though, merely a request....what do you say?"









Kairi's face hardened at the thought of a race of geneslaves... She was a neko, on some level the same, but the thought of a race expressly meant for being thrown about at the owner's whim was unsettling.
"Hai, Toshi-kun, I'll do it..." She remained stony-faced for a moment, then: "Pick me up something nice down there, will you?"
Turning to the Helashio with a warm expression on her face, Kairi said, ~What's your name? Like I said, I'm Kairi.~









~Serenity.~ The girl said between mouthfuls of the gruel. She didn't seem to mind the taste, she almost liked it as she took another bite. She had been watching the two speak, seeming to cheer up a little as she got the bit of praise from Kairi for eating. Her ears were perked up a little as she watched Kairi, seemingly looking for more praise as she downed the last bit of the gruel.









Kairi smiled. ~it is nice to meet you, Serenity. When you're ready, we can, uh... getting you some better food, and some clothes.~ She always did have trouble with Lorath syntax.











Toshiro
















Serenity nodded a little and held out her bowl. She gave Kairi a little pleading look before she said ~"Mistress please?"~ She knew key words, and a few more, but not enough to make coherent sentences.









Shaun scrolled his hands across the console putting in several commands. "Eve?"

Eve immediatly responded "Yes Shaun?"

Shaun was now scrolling through a list on the screen. "I think its been a week since we last visited the guys that created you. Think the Captain would let us borrow a shuttle so they can get their data? I don't like the idea of a big arms company thinking I stole from them."

Eve was quiet for a moment "Yes...hold on Shaun. I'll ask the Captain."

After a moment Eve's voice came in through the com system where the Captain and the others were. "Pardon me Captain. It appears to be getting close to the due date of my return to the company for data transfer. I know Shaun is an important member of this crew and so I'd like the borrow the android body you have so I may give them the data myself."









Toshiro blinked, thinking about what Serenity was trying to say at the moment...Was she asking for her Mistress, or did she want KAIRI to be her Mistress? He heard Eve contact him, and took a moment to think before responding to Eve...

"You know...that body is in storage at Midori no Umi...I'd let you and Shaun take a shuttle, but it'll be a while, maybe days if not over a week...how long do you have before you have to be at Nepleslia?"









Eve reponded "Whenever we can get around to to it. I'm sure the company wont mind waiting"









Toshiro nodded, still keeping an eye on Serenity and Kairi...

"I understand. You can send a communication to them if needed of our status. I am also considering giving rescue aid to Gemini Star Fortress on the way back, though I don't expect you or Shaun to participate in that. Securing transport should be possible if you want there, or you can wait for the Yggdrasill to head to Nepleslia. Either way, we're willing to pick you up."









Kairi's face softened. She slowly moved closer to Serenity, making sure not to look threatening. ~You did a good job eating that food.... I'm sorry, though, but your mistress is gone. I wish I could bring her back to you, but I can't.... The only thing I can do is help you move on.~ She moved to pick up Reis' clothes, offering them warmly to Serenity. ~Would you like me to help you put these on?~ She thought for a moment. ~Or maybe more food?~









Serenity tilted her head a little, blinking slight as she poked Kairi right btween her breasts. ~"Mistress"~ It didn't seem that she knew exactly where her hand was. After a moment, she looked to Toshiro and pointed again. ~"Master"~

She had gotten over that quickly enough...When the mention of food was made she nodded her head again. She really didn't know what clothing was.









Toshiro blinked, surprised, when he understood what Serenity meant...she saw them as her new Master and Mistress...he wondered how to correct that idea, but it involved breaking down every bit of indoctrination the girl had...reverse-engineering her beliefs of society and building a new one for her.

As he thought this, he quickly went to the kitchen and got more food, though a bit more normal this time...a salad with tomatoes in it. He didn't know what kinds of things her people ate, but vegetables were a solid guess. He returned and gave the food to Serenity.

~Serenity...Wish to stay...with us do you?~









ON: Yggdrasill

Serenity nodded slightly to Toshiro, and again repeated both the words and the movements.

Kairi blinked. "I, uh..." She turned to Toshiro. "How exactly are we going to explain this to her?"

Toshiro shrugged. "I'm not sure...we'd have to essentially reprogram her concept of social hierarchy and materialism...I guess we just have to expose her to new things over time...she'll be here a while...it is her home now."

Kairi turned back to Serenity. ~This is your home now... You can call us Mistress and Master, but you don't have to do what we say.~

Serenity tilted her head a little and blinked, not understanding the concept really

Kairi sighed, thinking for a moment. ~Did you ever want to... not do something that your old mistress told you to?~

Serenity quickly shook her head, as if it was not even a thought.

Toshiro smiled, and assisted Kairi. ~That right! You own Mistress if want. Do what want to! We equal if want. Serve no more if no want to.~

Kairi looked a bit tired. ~You can serve whoever you want now, Serenity, and it will be good.~

Serenity blinked again then wrapped her arms around Kairi, hugging her tightly. ~"Mistress!"~

Kairi sighed again and returned the hug. ~Alright, that's good for now. We can teach you later.~ She grinned a little. ~Let's get you some clothes before Toshiro passes out.~

Toshiro scratched his head, trying to think of what else to do... "...This...will take some work...and yes, please...I'm not used to seeing...such things."

Kairi's grin widened. "Toshi-kun, you're so naive."

Serenity again tilted her head, confused from the idea of clothing.

Kairi picked up the clothing that Reis had delivered, and unfolded a shirt. ~See how this is shaped?~ she inquired of Serenity.

Toshiro handed her the bundle of cloth. He carefully took off his jacket, showed her the similar shape, and put it back on.

She nodded a little, still seemingly confused.

Kairi sighed. "Toshi-kun, you may want to turn around..." She turned to Serenity and said, ~I'm not going to hurt you, but I need you to relax and lift your arms.~

Toshiro turned around, and closed his eyes.

Serenity nodded again and lifted her arms, a little worried about what was going to happen to her.

Kairi rumpled the shirt up so that one arm was completely unfolded, but the rest of the shirt was unobtrusive, and placed Serenity's corresponding arm in. ~We're a part of the way there... This isn't so bad, right?~

Toshiro's eyes were still closed... "How is she doing?"

Kairi smiled gently. "Seems to be alright..." She unfolded the other sleeve and gently put it on Serenity's other arm. ~Now, we have to put your head through this part, but it won't hurt...~

Serenity squirmed a little in the shirt and murphed once or twice, before she frowned. She didn't look like she really enjoyed the feeling of the clothing.

Toshiro continued to wait, eyes closed.

Kairi smiled. ~We're not quite done...~ She carefully slipped Serenity's head through the neck of the shirt, and straightened it over her body... it was a bit long. ~Here we go, you did a good job, Serenity.~

Serenity began to squirm even more then, rubbing and scratching at the outfit as she tried to get used to it. She began to whimper a little as she tried to take it off.

"....Is something wrong?" Toshiro asked...

Kairi looked a bit concerned. "I don't think she's ever worn clothes... she doesn't like them very much."

She began to whimper even more, getting a little frantic with trying to get the clothing off, nails digging into the clothing.

Kairi rubbed Serenity's back. ~Shh, shh, it is alright... it is not going to hurt you, and it will make Master happy if you wear it.~

"Those are Reis' clothes. Don't let her harm them..." He continued to sit there... ~She's right...clothes are good...~

Serenity let out another long groan, staring at Toshiro with pleading eyes. She tried to sit there, her hands at her sides, but she was fidgeting to much. With another whimper the poor girl couldn't take it. The shirt was on the floor after another moment, small holes from her sharp nails around the neck.

"...Did she take it off?"

Kairi made an affirmative sound. "Toshi-kun, don't we have some bed sheets?"

"She's lying on some." He replied... Perhaps we can also use a bathing suit...

Kairi nodded. ~Alright, let's try something different. You made a good attempt.~ She gently pulled the bed sheet from under Serenity, and carefully draped them around the Helashio's shoulders, covering all but her forearms and everything below the calves. ~This will make Master happy, but is easier to wear.~

Serenity blinked and nodded, holding the sheet. She didn't know why she had too....but it made master happy and thats all she cared about. It wasn't like the last thing either.

"It is safe, Kairi?" He asked, wondering if he could look.

Kairi smiled and gave Serenity a little hug. ~Just make sure this doesn't fall off.~ She looked back at Toshiro. "I can craft a sort of loose robe from one of our bed sheets for her.. this is as close to clothes as she can get for a while." As an afterthought, she added: "She ripped Reis' clothes.. not that I care about that nonbei's stuff."

Toshiro turned around, smiling when he say Serenity clothed. "Well, I'll pay for Reis' clothing..." ~Serenity, thanks. Clothing makes Master happy.~

Serenity frowned a litle and pouted slightly, not enjoying the feeling of being covered at all.

Toshiro noticed this... ~I know you no like...but we live different. Body uncovered mean...erm...adult things. Perverted.~

Serenity squirmed a little still, but nodded lightly.

Kairi motioned to the salad Toshiro had brought in. ~You should eat, you need your strength.~

Toshiro nodded. ~Yes...eat, please!~

Serenity took the salad, seemingly happy about some of the things in the salad. As she took a bite though, she seemed a little dishearten. ~"What...it?"~

Kairi frowned. ~You don't like it? Would you like something else?~

Toshiro blinked. ~Salad. Plants and Vegetables. what your race eat?~

Serenity pointed to the salad, but still seemed confused. ~"Salad not salad...salad taste strong...this not."~

Kairi blinked. ~Lorath salad is strong. I see. Would you like to come to the kitchen and pick what you like?~

Serenity nodded slightly and stood, the salad bowl in one hand which let her blanket fall away.

Toshiro spun around, face red. ~Blanket to put back on please!~

Serenity frowned and picked up her edge of the blanket, but she shifted the bowl over to her other hand, causing her to drop the blanket again.

Toshiro continued to look away, and held out a pin. "Here, give her one of these Passenger Rank Pins to secure it. I was waiting to hand them out, but she needs it now." The pin was shiny, a white circle with a green border, and dark green quadrilateral notches in it...it was his family totem, and the Yggdrasill's symbol.

Kairi gently repositioned the sheet and fastened it with the pin. ~This will help make it easier.~

Serenity blinked as the sheet was secured in place and poked at the pin.

Toshiro then handed one to Kairi, a different one, which had two of the three quadrilaterals filled with raised light green reflective gems...synthetic, of course. "Hers is a Passenger/Temporary/Honorary Crew pin, while yours is a Senior Crewman pin, Kairi."

Kairi nodded. "Cool." To Serenity, she said: ~This shows you belong with us. Welcome to your new home, Serenity.~

With that, Toshiro fixed his own pin in placea Captains pin, with the symbol, all three reflective gems, and a rectangle with a single band.

PAUSE









Lain emerged from those quarters, having set Reis to rest, a small bundle of bras and panties clutched in hand. He looked entirely blank of expression, his eyes almost glassy, his hair rather clearly not tended to in some time. Which would surprise few people who knew him (not that many did), especially considering how silent he had been these past days.

"...set Reis to bed. Lord knows she needs it, tending to me... anyway. You wanted underwear for our newcomer, Toshiro?" He blinked several times to clear the filmy sensation from his eyes, looking over the sheet-clad Helashio a bit curiously, catching sight of the torn shirt. "...I have a couple bathrobes she could have... if that would help..."

After a moment's pause... "When you get the chance, Toshiro, I'd like to speak about our arrangements. Insofar it has been quite unfair to you..."









ON: Yggdrasill

"Sorry about the shirt, I'll pay--huh?...well, okay...what did you want to talk about?" Toshiro asked, a bit surprised...

"The shirt? Don't... worry about that." Lain gave a rather light grin. "I doubt Reis would part with it if she cared overmuch for it. Our arrangements, though, Toshiro. They haven't been fair to you."

Toshiro scratched his head. "You mean the living arrangements? Well, you ARE a couple, and the fact you aren't asking for pay inclines me to make certain allowances as needed...is that what you meant?"

"...we take up a good bit of your space, and... I don't believe I am competent to serve for communications. Particularly in a place like Lor, which is completely alien to me. I'll... help as you need, Toshiro. But I think it would be better suited if I were to pay you, for our passage on Yggdrasill."

Toshiro scratched his head, a bit surprised... "I never expected you to learn Lorath right away, and most extra-planetary communications will be in Japanese or English anyway...I believe you're more than capable enough for standard communications, and for the rest, well, I didn't hire you as a linguist." He laughed a little... "Frankly, I'm not even sure if your accommodations are worth more than even intermittent services on the ship or not."

Lain shrugged one shoulder. "...well, my offer stands, either way. I'll work at communications until you find someone better." He glanced back briefly. "I find the accommodations perfectly suitable, honestly. The worst month of my life was onboard the Queen of the Stars. Luxury vessels are nerve-wracking." Realizing he was rambling, Lain turned his attention back to the conversation. "You're certain, then?"

Toshiro shrugged. "If you want to pay, I can always use the money to help make the vessel a bit more livable, but it is not a requirement by any means..."

"You'll surely put it to better use than I will. Fifty per week?" Lain was quite intent on paying something for what was, essentially, a free ride. "It just goes to liquor and guitar strings, otherwise. And I only really need one of those..."

Toshiro thought a moment... "Well, okay. But it is not a required expense. I still feel a little odd about not paying you for your efforts...oh! By the way, here you are....I got rank pins today...Reis is a Passenger/Honorary Pin, and lacks any synthetic gem markings. Yours is a Junior Crewman pin, and has one synthetic gem...those gems denote rank...mine has all three gems and wings to boot, for example."

Lain spent a moment to stare at the rank pin idly, then grinned. He chuckled a bit, as he took it. "...this would probably make my parents happy. They might have preferred I get a Star Army rank pin..." It wasn't really a subject Lain cared to pursue. "...when can we land? I'd like to see Lor firsthand..."

Toshiro shrugged, not quite sure. "Not sure at this time...a Lorath ship is supposed to meet up with us and take the restricted technology...they sure are taking their sweet time, though, aren't they?"

They're just being a government. If they didn't waste time, they might stumble on efficiency, and Lord knows that's taboo for anyone in power." Lain set a hand to the back of his head. "...is there a meal anytime soon?" It struck him that in his depressive phase; he had eaten nothing in the past few days.

Toshiro nodded. "Yeah, we have a kitchen on the ship, you know. You can grab something, or even cook if you want...I think Kairi took Serenity there...Serenity is the Helashio woman we found...she'll be living here from now on...which reminds me. She hates clothing, it seems...We will have to get he used to such things gradually...or Reis' underwear will suffer the same fate as this shirt."

"...my offer of surrendering bathrobes also still stands. I know from experience they're a good bit more comfortable than Reis' clothes." A slight flush to the cheeks. "And I don't usually talk about that..."

Toshiro tilts his head...Lain's comment going right over his head. "Well, it is worth a try, I suppose...Thanks!"

"Aye. I think I'll go to the kitchen now... ask Reis for the robes if you need them..." Lain gave a haphazard (and somewhat sarcastic) salute to Toshiro, then shifted away in pursuit of food.

Toshiro nodded, smiling, and thought about knocking to talk to Reis, but he DID say he'd just put her in bed...so he held off. He went to the bridge, to see if there was anything new for Ken to report...

END









Remi's eyes fluttered open to the sound of the warnings of the pilot's controls. Her head ached, blood smeared her cheeks and had dripped on her clothes. A haze of smoke, and the burnt smell of circuitry filled her lungs as she took a breath. Slowly but surely the doctor climbed back into the pilot's seat of the shuttle. Lungs still burning from lack of oxygen from before, she tapped several commands on the console in front of her.

Damage was extensive it seemed from the reports, but at least the shuttle's poor shields had helped keep the thing intact. She checked her oxygen reserves and grimaced, the atmospheric scrubbers were off-line and there seemed to be a leak in the air supply, as well as engines, maneuvering thrusters, and hull damage. At least there wasn't any hull breeches...

Damn it all...

Well, that's what happens when a freighter captain strays to close to the minefields she supposed. Why she had even boarded the freight in the first place was beyond her, but it had been the closest and only current ship heading to Lor. The idiot man had skirted close to the minefields hoping to salvage something, what she didn't know. Remi had been in this shuttle actually at the time though she had reservations about the Tripster shuttles, prepping it to land on Lor when it happened. An explosion rocked the ship, taking the entire front half of the vessel out.

Fires erupted in the shuttle bay, and the doctor had to close the shuttle's hatch or risk being incinerated from the flames. She activated the tiny obsolete Tripster's shielding systems and rammed her way out of the bay, but in the process strained the weak protective fields nearly to the breaking point. And had even caught the tail end of the explosion as the freighter's rear section bloomed into a hellish inferno of burning debris and large chunks of twisted metal.

Energy shields had finally failed, and she had been thrown around by the shock wave causing her to slamming her head against a bulkhead. That's all she remembered before fading to sweet sweet unconsciousness. Now though it all seemed hopeless. She'd die out here, suffocate very likely, or drift into mine and vaporize.



Though there was a small glimmer of hope she saw, and if someone was crazy enough to come out here to save her. The comm system's distress beacon still seemed intact. Remi activated the beacon, and hoped someone was out there.









Eve was poking around inside the ships communications systems when she suddenly came across an automated signal. It was a distress call and it had only recently been activated. She immediately sent a message to Shaun.

"Shaun! Shaun! Shaun! Shaun!" She said quickly trying to get his attention.

Shaun grabbed his left ear trying to dampen the noise with little success. "gah! what the hell Eve!?" he said in surprise.

"Shaun, there's a distress beacon. Its close to the planet Lor. Somebody's in trouble out there." She replied.

Without saying a thing back to her Shaun jumped forward out of his seat and quickly tapped in a search scan. It took only a moment for the long range scanners to pick up the remains of the ship. Seeing the damage Shaun pushed down on the device on his ear.

"Captain! you need to get up here. We've got a recently downed ship near Lor. She's got the shit blown out of her and I'm picking up life signs. If we don't do something, whoever is out there is going to die."









Toshiro had stepped onto the bridge, and immediately reassumed command from Ken...

"Notify the Lorath Government as to the reason for our movement. Go toward the ship immediately, best safe speed! Try and hail the vessel!"









Shaun was already at the helm "Aye Captain....Eve jump in communications and send those messages" Eve immediately did as told. It was strange seeing the two suddenly working together as if having known each other for a long time.

As Shaun began piloting the Yggdrasill towards the vessel Eve sent a message down to the Lorath government. ~Attention Lorath space command. This is the SRSS Yggdrasill. We are entering the proximity of your planet to respond to a distress call. Please be advised our intentions are friendly.~

At the same time she also managed to begin hailing the damaged ship. "Attention damage vessel. This is the SRSS Yggdrasill. If you can hear me please respond. We are coming to assist. I repeat we are coming to assist."









She hacked and coughed a few times, rubbing at her eyes to try and clear her blurry vision. Remi was rigging the communications array trying to get something other than the distress beacon to work. Sparks flashed, and she reeled back cursing. Nursing a burnt finger, she went back to work. Her next attempt was rewarded with static. She ran a small cord to an outlet, and the static intensified.

Something seeped through however though badly distorted, a voice maybe? Or was it finally oxygen depravation setting in? Remi coaxed the communications panel to life, though it was dimly light, and flickered on and off still.

"Hello?!" She rasped into the mic, hoping what she had heard wasn't a trick of her mind. "Need...assistance...shuttle...damaged, lea..." The circuits of the comm system flared red hot and fused, killing the transmission in mid sentence.









That was all Toshiro needed to hear...he was immediately turning on Internal Communications.

"Kairi! Get to the Shuttle Bay with a hangar! Prepare to receive wounded! Wear the Kylie! We may have radiation leakage! Stop the radiation leak and get the occupant to the Med Bay!"

Toshiro was mentally preparing to receive wounded...if he had to, he may have to ask Kairi to undergo a hemosynthetic blood transfusion with the occupant...

"Until further notice, the Shuttle Bay used by this shuttle will be considered off-limits save by those with radiation protection."

Last edited by Toshiro on Sun Mar 11 2007, 02:27 pm; edited 1 time in total









Remi looked down as the system went dead, and saw a tiny fire near her feet. The doctor half floated half ran into the back of the shuttle, and found an extinguisher. She floated back and put the fire out, and hacked harder from the smell of burnt circuitry. Smoke tendrils wafted up from the access panel now filled with the fire extinguishing foam.

"Great...just god damned great.." Mumbling to herself. Remi tossed the extinguisher aside, and sat at the pilot's seat. The doctor checked her remaining air supply grimacing at it. Maybe it had been just her mind playing tricks on her after all, there hadn't been a voice over the comms. It had just been her trying to get her hopes up.









Ken had helped locate the distress signal, which is why he didn't pilot the ship.

(Minor retcon....)









Kairi patted Serenity. ~Must go, please stay here... Get some sleep if you want.~ Not waiting for her reply, she burst out of the room, answering Toshiro with a quick "Hai!". She arrived quickly to the cargo bay, where the Kylie was stored, and stripped down. She had done this a couple of times before, but wasn't completely confident in her ability. As she activated the suit, she sighed and clunked her way to the shuttle bay.









The doctor knew what would happen soon. And quite frankly, she didn't like it. Remi stopped all nonessential use of the oxygen, and as a result, the artificial gravity effects ceased. The neko clung to the chair a little longer and let herself slowly, but surely float from it. Her hair splayed about behind her due to the gravity no longer holding it in place, and she blinked several times, a small sense of utter hopelessness began to seep in.

She scoffed at this. Only if her former comrades could see her now, and she knew what they'd say. It made her a little angry on the inside, the whole remembering them, and hearing them taunt her for beginning to give in so easily.









The Yggdrasill brought the shuttle into the Shuttlebay with it is grappler as carefully as possible. There was likely a jostle. The area outside the shuttle flooded with air...

"The shuttle is in the hangar..."









Serenity blinked as she saw her mistress bolt off, confused. But she was in the kitchen now, somewhere she was familiar with. With a small smile and the wag of her tail, she went to work doing what she did best, cook.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Lor came a quick response. "We have receeived your transmission and we are dispatching additional help along with the vessel for salvage you have acquired. They will arrive in a few moments. Please contact them should you have any trouble."

Sure enough a few moments later two Lorath ships appeared, two Bringers of Thunder armors exiting the back, the rather imposing power armors hovering closer to the ship. They each had a plasma sword attached to their backs, but seemed ready to transport either the salvage, or any of the ship as need be.









Toshiro responded to the communication quickly.

"Understood. Please wait before we turn over the needed salvage. We've taken on a damaged shuttle and may have wounded to tend to. If you wish to send aid, you may enter via the port Shuttle Bay, the personnel airlock, or the Cargo Airlock to the rear of the ship. The starboard Shuttle Bay contained the damaged shuttle, but there is radiation danger. Only those in radiation shielded Power Armors or environmental suits can approach the shuttle directly."

Last edited by Toshiro on Sun Mar 11 2007, 02:32 pm; edited 1 time in total









ON: YGGDRASILL

From one of the power armors came a reply this time, "Understood sir, we will wait until you are ready." The two power armors circled the ship slowly, not threateningly of course, simply in a protective way.

The shuttle for the most part was beaten to hell and back. The DRIP drive seemed to be hanging on by small metal shreds, and there were massive dents, and scorch marks. There was a slight hissing sound coming from the Tripster; it seemed the oxygen was leaking, and the hissing was growing weaker, and weaker; until it stopped. There had been so little oxygen left; Remi had passed out, and was now sprawled out on the deck of the shuttle, unconscious. The computer system; after detecting an rich oxygen atmosphere began opening the hatch. The now scorched and blackened hatch's servos groaned in protest; metal screeched as the hatch began to slowly, but surely open. Air was sucked inside of the interior with a loud hiss, but the hatch groaned once more like a dying animal and stopped halfway open.

Kairi clanked towards the shuttle, noting the piercing crackle of the Geiger counter inside the helmet, and SLAMMED a gauntleted fist into the hatch,
making it buckle and scrape. Now that she had a handhold, she grabbed it and bent down, shuffling under the hatch and then suddenly and forcefully standing up, crumpling the hatch like a drink can.

The hatch stayed in place for a moment, before being ripped open fully.

Toshiro flipped on communications to the Starboard Shuttle Bay again. "Kairi, what is the situation down there? Is the occupant alright?"

The doctor's chest barely moved, she didn't so much as twitch a muscle since she was unconscious.

Kairi looked around, using infrared to see if anyone was still warm enough to be alive. "I see one live occupant... barely..."

Toshiro nodded, keeping the channel to the Lorath open should any new developments occur. "Get them out of there immediately and into the primary medical bay. Turn up the oxygen to 40% air content once you arrive. You'll find the controls next to the interior of the door."

Remi seemed to be close to a suitcase, her hand looked as if she were grasping for it; as if it were important. Meanwhile, the DRIP drive's deuterium supply began to peak, radiation pulsing slightly at a higher rate. It looked like the thing was getting ready to blow.

Kairi's Geiger counter was clicking so fast it sounded like a fluctuating whine. "Toshiro! I'm grabbing the girl and the suitcase. As soon as you see me exit the shuttle, get it the FUCK out of here!"

Toshiro nodded. "Understood!" He immediately switched to the channel with the Lorath. "Attention all nearby vessels. Clear the way from the Starboard Shuttle Bay of the Yggdrasill! A damaged vessel will be ejected, and a nuclear explosion is imminent! Raise your shields and get to the port or aft of the Yggdrasill!"

"Understood, thank you for the warning." The two Lorath power armors bolted to the left of the ship, docking with their ship which prompted their shields to be raised.

The shuttle's onboard computer came to life, and began to sound an alarm.

Kairi burst out of the shuttle, gently but quickly set down the girl and her stuff, and used the Kylie to move lightning-fast to the shuttle, pushing it with maximum thrust.

Toshiro saw the ship shoot free, fortunately away from Lor. "Attention all vessels! Nuclear Explosion Imminent! Unstable reactor traveling on a vector of 19 mark 2 from the Yggdrasill's position at 0.02c!"

The battered little shuttle's engines began to grow an angry blood red color. Radiation spiked, and a soundless detonation flashed a bloom of radioactive fire a minor shockwave accompanying it flared into existence and just as quickly faded.

Toshiro sighed, relieved... "Threat is over...you may resume previous stature. I am still awaiting word of the shuttle's occupant. They are barely alive at the moment."

Kairi walked back to the girl, picking her up gingerly and bringing her to the medbay. "Toshi-kun, she's going to be alright... It appears that she has--shit."

Toshiro blinked. "What was that last part, Kairi? What was that?"

By the looks of it, Remi had nearly suffocated.

Kairi tore the helmet off her head and turned down the augmentation to non-dangerous levels on the Kylie. She began CPR, shouting loud enough that the helmet could pick up: "She's coded, Toshi. Get someone down here who can grab the defibrillator. Now!"

Toshiro grimaced. "Shaun! You were in the Nepleslian military, and should have basic medical training. Please get to the Primary Medbay!"

Shaun was watching the monitors and listening to Eve as she assessed the situation until he heard Toshiro call for him. Without wasting a moment to give a response he leapt out of his seat and ran out of the room heading for the medical bay.

Eve came on over the com system in the medical bay. "Miss Kairi, Shaun is on his way to the medical bay now. He should be able to assist you"

Kairi nodded. "Thanks, Eve. You don't have to call me "Miss", though." She started mouth-to-mouth...

With the addition of CPR; Remi's lungs began to move a little more, but that was about it.

Serenity, oblivious to the happenings of the others, continued to simply cook.

It took Shaun only a moment to get to the medical bay. He ran across the room and came to a halt near the two almost slipping. He frowned as he gripped Remi's wrist trying to find a pulse. He looked at Kairi "quick hand me the medical scanner and turn the power as far down as it will go. Too much power and the scanner could hurt her:

There was a very faint pulse barely there. She seemed to be hanging on by sheer willpower.

Kairi threw the helmet back on the armor. "Pulse is faint and irregular. Shock 'er."

Toshiro got on the communications with the Lorath. "The situation with the occupant is touchy, apparently. If you wish to dock and render aid, you have permission to board the Yggdrasill. Our medical bay is small, however, so don't send too many people if you elect to assist."

The captain thought it over for a moment, before he spoke. "What house is the Helashio from?" Obviously the crew had been informed of the ships occupants. "What is the color of her hair?"

Shaun pressed his head against her chest listening for her heart. As he did he looked up at Kairi "her heart and lungs are working, but she's taken in too much smoke to be sure." He grabbed the defibrillator and pulled the top part of her dress open. He poured the pad fluid on and rubbed them together for a moment before pressing them down against her chest. "1..2..3..CLEAR!" He released a jolt on three and looked at Kairi for her pulse.

Toshiro blinked. "She is from Fyunnen, and her hair is red..."

Remi's back arched from the jolt, and her face seemed to contort slightly. The pulse was still there however.

"There is no need, the Fyunnen train them in most medical problems. She would be more fit then us, there are no Llamnel on our ship." The captain shrugged a little.
Kairi nodded. "Pulse is regular and strengthening. Toshi-kun, we're good here... She has severe oxygen deprivation, though, and she's dehydrated."

Shaun put the defibrillator back in its case "If she wasn't one of those neko...." He shook his head and sighed in relief "She'd be dead"

Toshiro nodded. "Thank you for the information. I will inform her immediately..." He switches to the kitchen channel. ~Serenity? This Toshiro. Lady in room you wake up and eat. Big Hurt. People say you healer. Please help girl!~

Shaun grabbed the cross hanging from his necklace to his lips and kissed it "Thank you...."

Serenity blinked as she heard the announcement and looked around the room, confused dearly where the voice had come from. With another blink, she simply turned down the food to a very small simmer, and moved from the kitchen and made her way down to the room. She seemed to have no trouble finding her way there, and as she entered she came closer to the others.

Kairi looked up, imposing in the Kylie armor. Her voice emanated from the external speakers: ~Serenity, it is me. This girl needs your help, she is suffering from oxygen deprivation and dehydration.~

Toshiro monitored the situation as best he could from the bridge...

Shaun looked at Kairi as he grabbed a few things from the medical cases. "Why are you still wearing that?"

Serenity blinked and nodded. The Kylie, while it was imposing, was still no where near as scary as a angry Fyunnen, at least not to her. Course, she hadn't seen the armor in operation. As she heard the conversation she thought it over for a moment, before she looked to see what Shaun was getting first.

Kairi slumped. "Because," she snapped, "I am naked under here so that the SLICS interface can be accessed by the Kairi armor."

Shaun had grabbed a small bottle of pain killers "She's going to feel like shit when she wakes up...."

Serenity tapped Kairi on the armor and spoke the best she could, "Oxygen mask...I..V.." She watched Kairi and waited for her to act, not sure of where anything was in there.

He nodded "Fine...you should probably go ahead and go change. I should be able to handle things from here..." He stopped as Serenity spoke. He looked around the room trying to find an oxygen tank "No idea who this girl is....but she's right."

Kairi stood, the Kylie making a soft "vreen" sound. "You heard her, Shaun. I'll be right back. To Serenity, she said: ~This man can help you. I'll be right back.~

Shaun managed to finally find a mask. He pulled the tank over to the table and adjusted the strap. He gently lifted Remi's head as he slid the mask over her face. He found himself looking back and forth to Serenity as he hadn't actually seen her aboard the ship before. "so...you the one they found the other day?"

Serenity nodded as well, blinking as she tapped Remi's skin at her elbow, trying to find the vein. She looked to Shaun again and repeated, "I...V...need"

He nodded "Right" He pulled the IV holder over to the table and went back to the supply case to grab a full IV bag. After attaching it to the pole he handed Serenity the tube while holding onto some tape for holding it in place.

Serenity nodded and after tapping her twice more, she slid the needle into the flesh, hitting the vein dead on. She placed a gauze she had found, along with the tape over the needle. After she made sure it was secured, she flicked the small vial that hung just below the bag to get the fluid flowing.

Toshiro continued to wait, listening...

Shaun pulled up a chair and sat it next to the table before sitting down in it. "Alright we need to keep an eye on her. I guess I can take first watch." Shaun then pressed his hand against his ear "Eve, watch over the weapon systems for me. I doubt we will need to fight as long as the Lorath are around, but we don't want to take any chances with wounded on board"

Serenity looked to Shaun, blinking once as her tag waved back and forth. Seemed she was waiting on something.

Kairi ran back into the room, dressed in her bodysuit again. "How's the patient?"

Shaun looked over to Kairi as she ran into the room "She's stable now"

Toshiro sighed with relief....

For the most part Remi just laid there. Her chest moved at a weak steady pace.

Serenity smiled as Kairi entered the room, her tail wagging a little more. She still seemed to be waiting on something.

~Is she alright?~ asked Kairi.

Serenity quickly nodded, her smile a bit wider.

~You did a good job, Serenity,~ Kairi smiled, offering her a hug.

Her tail was nearly a blur as she heard the praise from her new mistress, smiling widely as she snuggled against Kairi.

Shaun leaned back in the chair "okay you two...thats way too much affection for one room. I'm going to take the first watch over the patient. Who wants to go next?"

"Shaun, this is the best way to talk to her. She comes from a society far different from ours. Now," she said, "I'll take the next shift." She gave Serenity an extra squeeze and disengaged from the hug--though she offered a shoulder to snuggle into.

Serenity smiled and purrs a little, her tail still wagging as she snuggled into the offered shoulder. She seemed to really like any affection.

Toshiro contacted the Lorath ship... "The situation has been largely resolved and the victim is stable. We are prepared to dock for item inspection and transfer at your convenience."

Shaun took his jacket off and laid it over Remi. As he did Eve suddenly spoke up "Shaun I thought you disliked....." He quickly interrupted her knowing what she was going to say "No Eve....only a few in particular"

Again the two Lorath power armors slipped out of the ship and came closer. "Just hand over the technology to the two power armors."

The doctor merely laid there; not feeling the jacket seemingly oblivious to the gesture. She just laid there; breathing, her breath misting the mask. Inside however, her body was slowly but surely repairing any damage to it.

The Yggdrasill began to internally move the restricted technologies and the items it did not wish to have into the airlock, and opened it, sending out items. These were a Mental backup device, dead Mishhu Organic Computer Parts, a Frozen/dead Mishhu Brain-slave pilot, a Lorath corpse from Fyunnen, a Quintessent Hyperspace Torpedo with a dead pilot brain, and a Tortured Neko corpse who died crying.

Shaun sat up in the chair as he heard the transmission through Eve. His expression suddenly became very serious. He squeezed his teeth together, but decided not to say anything.

Toshiro continued. "I don't know who is in the Mental backup Device...can you let me know when you scan it?"

The two armors began to gather up the items and report them back. As the mention was made of the ST back up machine, the ship began to move closer. Soon it was asking a request to dock.

"Docking request approved. Please dock with Port Bay..." Toshiro replied...

The ship did as told, and soon enough the captain of the ship was just at the side of the ship, waiting on Toshiro.

Toshiro had left command to Ken and went to his side as well, and opened the airlock upon confirming pressure on the other side... "Welcome to the SRSS Yggdrasill...who am I addressing?"

"Captain of the LSDF Traveler, Searcher. Greetings Captain Toshiro, I am here to pay a reward." The captain smiled a little, his pure white eyes closing as he scratched he back of his head, his hair a deeper purplish blue color. He reached into a small pouch at the side of his waist, and soon enough pulled out a beautifully stunning diamond. It was five carats in total, and of a absolutely perfect cut.

END









Toshiro's eyes widened at the sight of the diamond...he obviously had never seen a diamond that large that wasn't manufactured for industrial purposes, and CERTAINLY not that pure...

"Sugoi...it is amazing, thank you...just who was in that Mental Backup Device?"









"We are unsure, but the model is of Lorath make, so we can only assume it is one of ours."

The captain shrugged lightly as he watched Toshiro. He smirked a little as he saw the reaction to the diamond.

"Seems you offworlders haven't seen diamonds like this. A shock for a empire so rich. This is a smaller one on the planet too, I have one at home as big as my fist."

He held up his hand in a balled up fist for emphasis.









Toshiro smiled, scratching the back of his head, a bit embarrassed.

"Well, this is a civilian vessel, not a military one. Salvaging has decent profit and wealth in it, but gems aren't usually among the debris...thank you--oh! There is one more thing I have to turn over I almost forgot. This ship came stock with an Interdiction Device I have been told to remove and turn over to the authorities. it is been removed and is waiting to be turned over. If you wish, you can inspect it before taking possession."









"I suppose it would be best. Lead the way captain."

The Lorath captain bowed his head slightly and held his hand out, a smile on his face still as he folded his wings closer to his body, so he could get them through the small ship passageways.









Toshiro nodded and lead the Lorath Captain to the cargo bay, where the OEM Geshrinari Interdiction Device was stored. Being a civilian model and an older one, it was particularly large...likely freeing up a sizable chunk of Engineering...

"When I reported the device, we were given one week of amnesty to remove it and turn it in, you can check that detail...given that it is a stock device, the Star Army said it would contact Geshrinari Shipyards, the designers of the original Vampire Class, and talk with them. When you take it, I was hoping you'd contact the Star Army and tell them you have the device and have visually inspected it...I will do the same. is that okay with you, Captain?"

Last edited by Toshiro on Sun Mar 11 2007, 02:33 pm; edited 1 time in total









"It is being done as we speak captain Toshiro." The Lorath nodded lightly and slowly made a round about the device, taking in the details as he transmitted it back to the ship via optic cybernetics. With a small sigh, he nodded before he looked back to Toshiro.

"It will be picked up immediately. A formal message has been sent to the Stay Army, saying that we have taken the device, and are asking for either directions on where to take it, or a request for it to be picked up. Thank you very much Captain Toshiro." The Occhestan bowed his head again and smiled. "We will take it now, a armor will pick it up as I return to my ship."

Again the man bowed. "I thank you for your help captain. Please feel free to contact Kathra station if you wish planetside time. There are plenty of things to do, including many tourists spots, great medical facilities, and plenty of tours. I hear the queen is in fact entertaining guests from the....Sakura? Yes I believe that is the ship..."

With that last little bit of info, the captain nodded his head before stepping out of the cargo bay. The orders were sent, and a moment later there were two power armors again at the back of the ship, waiting for the device as the captain crossed back to his ship.









The Interdiction device was turned over as Toshiro hailed the ship once again, asking a question...

"Captain, I was told the Helashio can not return to Lor...can she land with us under the condition she stays on the ship with one of my crew? I don't have any place to put her, and I don't want to leave the Yggdrasill in orbit with valuables aboard if it can be avoided."









"So long as she does not step foot on Lor, or interact with anyone on Lor yes. The Fyunnen tend to get a little possessive from time to time..."

The captain left off the last little bit for Toshiro to think over and nodded.

"Should our paths cross again Captain Toshiro planet side, I would not object to having a drink. It would be my treat. If you ever go to the royal palace, just ask for Captain Searcher. Good day Captain Toshiro."









Toshiro smiled. He didn't drink, but it WAS a kind gesture...

"Understood. It was nice meeting you, Captain, and thank you for the assistance. Yggdrasill out."

With that he began to send a message, informing that the Interdiction Device was no longer on board, to the SA...









Ken sniggered at that. Capt'n? Drinking? He couldn't see it. "So. everything good to go for planet side landing?" he asked. He was silent during the visitation as he had nothing to say. All he had done during the last situation was pilot his best. He HAD nothing to say. Like gunwork, be it shooting or smithing, it came naturally to pilot and not have to think about it.

((Will be edited later....I hope.))









ON:YGGDRASILL/WHATEVER

Shaun leaned back in the small chair with his hands rested behind his head. With Eve watching over the weapon systems he finally had some peace and quiet. He was for the most part alone other then the girl laying on the medical bed nearby.

The Lorath ship soon disconnected from the Yggdrasill and turned away from it, pulling away from the ship and moving towards the Kathra station.

Toshiro re-emerged onto the bridge, reassuming command... "Thanks, Ken. I'll relieve you now...Toshiro to Med Bay One, what's the status of our patient?"

Shaun leaned forward in the chair pressing his right hand to his ear "She's stable, Captain. Nothing new to report at the moment."

Toshiro nodded. "Understood...Toshiro out."

Hmm...Kairi thought quickly and likely saved that woman's life...her actions were exemplary...Shaun managed to get over his racism and help the Neko woman with no hesitation, and Ken managed to remain at his post through it all, even though it was the least interesting job...They may ALL be command-level material...

Kairi walked into the medbay, addressing Shaun. "How's she?"

The doctor seemed to be resting peacefully; blissfully unaware of her surroundings.

Shaun looked up as Kairi walked into the room. "So far she's just sleeping. I'm guessing she will probably stay that way until her body repairs itself."

Serenity had long ago left the medbay and returned to the kitchen. Everything was back up then and cooking, a pot bubbling up around the edges now as she turned down that burner, then moved over to the bit of solid food in a pan. Adding in a little bit of seasoning as well as some sauce, whatever she was making looked really good.

Kairi nodded, pulling up a chair. "I'll sit in with her if you want to go get some food, or something. Serenity's cooking something last I checked, and I think we have some snack cakes or something."

Toshiro went to his quarters and placed the diamond he'd obtained in his drawer, locked it, and returned to the bridge... "Alright...once our patient is aware and brought up to speed, we'll head planet-side..."

Shaun leaned back against the wall as Kairi sat down. "I'll be alright, besides I at least want to stick around until she wakes up. I certainly don't mind the company though. It was getting a bit quiet in here"

The machine monitoring Remi's vitals peeped slightly. It seemed the machine was picking up an increase of activity. Sure enough, beneath the jacket; one of her hands twitched a little.

Shaun looked over as the machine picked up higher vitals. "Well damn...that was quick..."

Kairi grinned. "Amazing what a neko body can do, huh?"

Shaun shrugged. "Yeah...I knew your bodies healed quick, but damn."

The doctor's hand weakly clutched at the jacket a little. It seemed like she was dreaming, or waking up.

It turned out she was just dreaming.

Shaun stood up, pushing the chair against the wall before walking over to the machine and checking it. He looked back and forth between it and the patient. "I'd say she can go without the mask. Her breathing should be fine on its own now."

Serenity began to hum a small song, smiling as she added the noodles to the sauce, some broccoli falling in with it as well as she began to stir it all up. The meat within the sauce turned out to be chicken in actuality. As she made sure the noodles got mixed up well enough before she added in a few more spices. As she stirred in the spices she doled out a two servings, leaving the rest of the rather large pot on the stove at a very small flame. She made her way out of the room and down to the medbay with the two plates.

Kairi looked up as Serenity made her way in. ~Serenity, that smells wonderful!~

Shaun stopped turning as Serenity entered. "I smell something good..."

Serenity's smile went wide again as she held the two plates out, her tail wagging again.

Shaun took a plate and grinned. "Hey, thanks. This looks great." He walked back over to his chair and sat down, putting the plate in his lap before he started eating it.

Kairi translated for Shaun as she took a plate as well. ~This is one of my favorites, how'd you know?~

Serenity shrugged. ~"I make what had..~"

The doctor's eyes slitted open just barely. Not noticeable to anyone unless they were paying very close attention.

Shaun stopped eating for a moment as he looked over at the doctor. He didn't notice anything and just shrugged off the weird feeling he had before going back to the food in front of him.

Her eyes opened a little more now. All she could really see was light, and blurry images.

There was a small groan soon following.

Shaun stopped eating and looked over with the spoon still in his mouth.

Kairi looked up from her food. "She's waking up," she stated. Moving over to the patient, she looked softly at her. "Good morning."

Serenity looked over and blinked, before she tapped Kairi. ~"Others tell ready food yes?"~ Before she disappeared out of the medbay. She went back to the kitchen to get more food for the woman on the bed.

Shaun put his plate down and walked around to the other side of the her. He grabbed what looked like a small flashlight and slowly flashed it back and forth over her. "Are you able to follow the light?"

Her eyes followed the light very slowly, but it was a start, at least.

Shaun turned off the light and put it away. He leaned forward and spoke softly "Are you in pain?"

She had her eyes on him. While she didn't speak verbally she did so telepathically. It feels as if an SMX flash missile went off in my skull, Came the weak yet curt reply.

Kairi spoke up. "Welcome to the SRSS Yggdrasill. I'm the one that pulled you from that trashed Tripster... Might I ask your name?"

After a moment her eyes moved over to Kairi. Remi...

Shaun could never seem to get use to hearing voices in his head, but that was an issue for another day. Shaun walked away from the table for a moment before returning with a small bottle. He opened it and dropped a single pill into his hand. "This is a light pain killer. This should help some, but I'm only going to allow you to take one as your still not one hundred percent."

Kairi gave a soft smile. "it is nice to meet you, Remi. I'm Kairi."

Remi slowly opened her mouth.

Serenity returned a short while later with another steaming plate of the food, her tail slowed in it is wagging but still was.

Shaun slid the pill into her mouth. "Try and swallow it without chewing."

She had a little trouble at first, but eventually the pill went down.

How long was I out? Remi queried.

Shaun nodded "Alright, that should help with your head. I'd say you're well enough to be moved to a real bed. Even with your ability to regenerate you are in serious need of rest..."

PAUSE

KAIRI-EDIT: Fixed grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.









Remi compressed her lips a little. Grunting a little; the doctor rather weakly managed to make herself sit up right. The jacket fell to her lap and exposed her chest. The doctor weakly ran her fingers through her hair trying to get it a little organized; panting a little from the exertion of sitting up. Slowly she began to button the top of her dress; her hair hung over one emerald eye obscuring it.

"Unless that's a nutritional supply pack you have me hooked up to. I'll require nutrients to help build my strength and replenish what was used."

Indicating the I.V in her arm. Her voice for the most part wasn't raspy, but it was a little weak.

"That and I'm famished." She said a little sheepishly; her face tinged a little pink at her stomach rumbling.









Shaun shook his head "No that IV is for simple fluids." He turned towards Serenity motioning for her to bring the plate of food she came into the room with. "It seems Serenity already thought of that."

Shaun unhooked the IV from her arm and threw the now empty pack away. As he did Eve spoke up. "Shaun I think you should come back the console." She sounded worried. Shaun pressed his hand to his ear "Alright. I'll be right there"

Shaun turned around to face Kairi "I'm sure you can handle things from here. I'm going to head back to my station" With that Shaun left the medical bay heading for the control room.









Ken nodded. "Let me know when we are ready to go planet side, and keep me up to date on the situation of our new passengers, please captain. I need sleep." he said, having stood, done a minor salute, and headed for the bunk room.









Toshiro nodded, and started looking at possible approach vectors to Kathra Station...normally leaving the bridge unoccupied in this instance wouldn't be a sin, but they lacked an AI to pilot the vessel in their absence, and this area was semi cut-off in the Taiie attack...if they were attacked by Mishhu, he wouldn't be caught without an officer on the bridge.

Last edited by Toshiro on Sun Mar 11 2007, 02:39 pm; edited 1 time in total









Serenity smiled, her tail wagging as she heard her name and what she saw as praise. She felt good that she had done right, or thought ahead and pleased her new owners. As she watched Shaun walk out, she waved to him and sat down in one of the chairs, her tail in her lap as she placed her hands over her tail.









Lain settled back to the shared room, chewing thoughtfully on something bland, eyes glazed and distant in that way they got when he had music on the mind and was probably teetering on the brink of another depressive spell. Reis sat up, glancing at him, then yawned dramatically.

He set himself lightly at the bedside, laid a hand to her hair, gave a slight smile. "...we should be able to land, soon. Get a moment off the boat, at least. I've a few ideas for Cough Syrup, love. I'll leave them on the bedside for you."

He then let her drift back to sleep, scribbling lightly in the tattered scarlet notebook that held his soul.

That finished, Lain excused himself, leaving her to sleep. Before leaving the quarters, he spared a moment to dig through the disorganized pile of clothing that was his, found the bathrobe he had promised to Toshiro, and headed off to the bridge on jaunty steps.









Kairi smiled and handed the dish Serenity had brought to Remi. "I hope you like fettuccini..." She was quiet, typing a message to Ken, for a moment at least, before inquiring: "So how'd you end up on that Tripster--and how'd it get trashed? I had to grab you with a Kylie before the DRIP drive blew."









She had taken the plate and proceeded to start to eat in a rather polite fashion. As Kairi talked, she listened silently nodding. But, as the other neko got to the part about the DRIP drive blowing, Remi dropped the fork onto the plate. The doctor seemed to be taking the shuttle blowing up a little hard.

My medical equipment, and my supplies were all on that shuttle. She thought to herself a slightly crestfallen expression crossing her face. With a small sigh Remi composed herself.

"I was on a freighter bound for Lor, and the captain decided to try his hand at salvaging. I was in the shuttle bay at the time prepping my shuttle to land, and well, the man strayed to close to an anti-matter mine. Flame roared into the shuttle bay; I had to close the shuttle's hatch unless I wanted to be burned alive."

Remi spoke as she twirled the fork expertly in the fettuccine, after a moment she popped it into her mouth and chewed. The woman sighed contently and cleared her throat.

"The whole front section of the ship had been ripped apart, and I happened to be in the rear. The ships anti-matter reactor became unstable, and I activated the Tripster's shield systems and rammed my way out of the shuttle bay. The shields were pushed near the edge already; the freighter blew and I caught the tail end of another anti-matter explosion.

This one happened to be bigger, and it threw a few sizeable chunks of debris at me. Shields failed, and the hull took a severe beating; I did my best to keep it in one piece and survive." Though she didn't seem to happy about the fact.

"The oxygen supply began to steadily decrease and I seemed to have suffered from the onset of Asphyxia...erm, suffocation." By now the plate was well, empty. "...My livelihood was on that shuttle... my medical equipment and supplies, and now its just radioactive particles and debris." Her shoulders slumped a little.

"I suppose I should just be thankful to be alive. I can always start over." Remi mulled her words over for a moment, and sighed. Now she seemed to be appraising Kairi. "So, you're a power armor pilot then?"









"Well," Kairi replied, "I can move the thing around, but I've had no formal training... I really want to learn, though. Power armors are fascinating... As a matter of fact, I'm designing one now," she said, turning the viewscreen to Remi and revealing a rough sketch of the armor that she was in the process of refining.

((OoC: Armor found here - https://stararmy.com/forums/viewtopic.ph ... highlight= ))









Toshiro turned his head to see Lain...

"Oh, nice! A bathrobe....and it looks soft, too! Next opportunity I'll show it to Serenity...is Reis still asleep? If she can sleep through a thermonuclear explosion...well, I'd be impressed at the very least."









"No formal training?" Remi cocked her head to the side; eyeing Kairi a look of concern on her face. "And you're piloting a Kylie?" The woman seemed slightly taken aback, or more than likely amazed.

Remi took several deep breaths. "Power armors require a certain kind of...finesse to pilot and other requirements. I mean no disrespect, but quite frankly I am amazed you are still in one piece. They can be extremely dangerous," The doctor tried to say it as kindly, and un offensively as possible. As she said this the neko was also looking at the viewscreen. "Hmmm, by the looks of it, I assume it will be a salvage armor?" She queried tapping her chin with the tip of a finger thoughtfully.









Kairi nodded, slightly confused with the new knowledge that she should be hamburger. "Y-yeah, it is a salvage armor. I made it to be cheap enough for the Ygg to produce, but strong enough to tear through the salvage fields to get important items back to the ship..." She paused for a moment. "I, uh.. I don't know, the Kairi seems easy enough to me to maneuver, but I haven't really done anything with the weapons systems. I don't like the thought of aether ripping up everything in sight."









Remi compressed her lips a little. Her facial features softened a little.

"I'm sorry if I upset you...I suppose I was a little shocked by it is all."

Remi apologized. She tried to lean forward to pat the girl on the shoulder, but failed ultimately. The doctor huffed a little at this.

"Well, I could help you to learn, but right now..." She used her arms to emphasize her current condition. "But, I can give you a little piece of advice. Don't think of it as a power armor. But as an extension of yourself, and your will."

She smiled faintly, and shook her head a little amused.

"I dare say this talk of power armors is rekindling my desire to pilot again." She closed her eyes tightly silently cursing herself for blurting it out.









"...well, with thermonuclear explosions, you usually do sleep through them. Since they kill you before you wake up. No, she's awake." Lain grinned, passing over the bathrobe. "Will we be landing anytime soon? Now that the business with large detonations is through? I'm looking forward to seeing what Lor can offer."

Though part of him, in fact, wasn't. The concept of creating intelligence in order to enslave it... disturbed him on a rather profound level. And somewhere in the back of his mind, he added Helashio to his list of 'things to campaign for'. Along with Geshrin. With Nekovalkyrja. With, perhaps uselessly, Nepleslian females.

...not that there were very many of that last category to 'free' anyway...












Toshiro
















"Well, I, uh..." Kairi blurted. "You didn't upset me, just... surprised me. It seems kind of easy to move the thing." She blinked. "Pilot again? YSA vet?"









She gave a curt nod.

"I was in the Battle of Nepleslia." Remi sighed a little now. The doctor continued to test her limbs to see if they were able to support her.

"Remi Miyoshi, former Itto Juni of the 6th Fleet at your service. Although now I'm a doctor." As she said this; Remi swung her legs over the side of the bed. They wobbled a little but she managed to stand up straight.

"Now, if I may ask, who is the captain? I'd like to speak to him or her."









Kairi, judging by Remi's body language, gained the knowledge that this was a sore subject to be talked about in time... Seeing the doctor wobble, she leapt from her chair, offering an arm to support Remi. "Careful now!" She pulled the communicator from its holster on her waist with her free hand, flipping it open and calling Toshiro. "Toshi-kun, the patient is up and she wants to speak with you. Should I bring her to the bridge or do you want to come down?"









Toshiro typed in a few commands, and looked to Shaun's station...

"I understand...Shaun, I think it is time you had some command experience up here. I'll come to the medbay right away. I don't want her moving more than necessary so soon."

He rose, and began to head to the primary medbay...









Kairi nodded with an "Understood." Looking to Remi, she said, "I think you should sit down, he should be here in a second. You still need rest, you nearly asphyxiated."









Remi merely nodded

"As the doctor orders." She didn't say it to mock; actually she agreed. The doctor sat back down on the bed with a small sigh of relief. The woman took several deep breaths, and closed her eyes momentarily to collect her thoughts. After a moment the doctor smoothed out the wrinkles on the skirt of her dress, and ran a hand through her hair; trying to make it look presentable.









Toshiro soon arrived into the room and looked at the injured but recovering neko. After a brief moment, he spoke up. He tried not to appear so young and inexperienced, easily being the youngest on the vessel...physically at least.

"I am Captain Yuki Toshiro, owner and CO of the Rescue and Salvage ship, the SRSS Yggdrasill...how are you feeling, and what is your name?"









Remi watched as the young captain entered with a rather appraising eye. Her left eye was completely obscured behind her long hair, but she could see him quite fine despite this. After a few moments a small shy smile crossed her pale pink lips.

"A pleasure to meet you Captain, I am Remi, Remi Miyoshi, " The doctor cleared her throat a little. "As for how I'm feeling, well, a little weak I suppose. Other than that a little ruffled. but fine."









Kairi stood next to Toshiro. She moved to speak to him, "Former Star Army neko. She's a doctor now... perhaps we could enlist her?" She smiled pleasantly at Remi.









Toshiro nodded, turning to Kairi.

"I wouldn't be against offering her a position if she wanted one..."


Toshiro turned back to the doctor, a smile on his face...

"Miyoshi-hakase, are you interested in being a doctor on the Yggdrasill once you recover? If you aren't, you can be a passenger until we get to any safe planet or station you wish to go to..."

Last edited by Toshiro on Sun Mar 11 2007, 02:45 pm; edited 1 time in total









Remi merely sat there, looking thoughtfully at the two as they talked. When Toshiro spoke of a job she tapped her chin for a brief moment.

"I had intended to find a ship to be a doctor on, and this one seems to be as good as any," She moved a lank strand of hair out of her face. "If you would not mind having me onboard as the doctor then I'd be delighted to."

Sighing a little she continued "Were you able to save any of my medical supplies and equipment? Or anything at all for that matter?"









Kairi nodded. She left the immediate room and pulled in the suitcase that had been standing outside the door. "I picked this up... Hope everything inside is alright."









Remi watched as Kairi brought in the suitcase. Her shoulders slumped a little, and a hand came up covering her face for a brief moment.

"It should be fine...are you sure that's all?"









Kairi spun on her heel and came back with a laptop, slightly beaten. "This is the only other thing..."









"...I'm sorry if you lost most of your possessions...we do have medications and other things here, though it isn't as advanced as a military vessel by any means."

Toshiro stated, sympathetic...









She sighed a little and shook her head in a weary fashion.

"Its all right...I can always buy more." After a small comforting smile crossed her features again. "Besides, at least something survived."









"...You were formerly of the Star Army, according to Kairi...what was your rank? I offer increased pay and sometimes rank to veterans of certain ranks..."

Toshiro stated, hoping to get her mind off of her misfortune...









Serenity listened to the others speaking. She could see that the new person was sad, and as a result her own tail began to slow a little, upset that she was.

Looking over to Kairi she tugged on her elbow. ~"Sad why?"~ As she asked, she pointed to Remi.









Remi clearly didn't like talking about her former life, but she hid it. "I was an Itto Juni." She replied her voice still a little crestfallen.

Hopping off the bed once more, she wobbly made her way over to the suitcase. Clicking the locks she opened it, and began to make sure her clothing was okay.









Toshiro nodded, smiling a bit...

"I see...a normal crewman gets 75 KS weekly to start with two items, but anyone who is between Santo Juni and Chui, inclusive, starts at 200 KS weekly with two items...how does that sound?"









Remi stopped briefly in her inspections of her clothing to give the Helashio a small reassuring smile. ~"I lost some things of mine I liked very much."~ She spoke in Lorath, seemed the doctor was full of surprises. Right after her speaking to the Helashio she cocked her head to the side in Toshiro's direction.

"...Items?" She queried









Toshiro nodded.

"Yes, we are a salvage vessel....people are paid in both money and in salvaged items. There's an element of luck there, though...you could get a tiny chink of debris to an entire warship...of course SA restrictions apply to all salvage....just today one of my crew got a component values at 750,000 KS...and I've found a Nozomi before."









Remi nearly dropped a top as he said this.

"You've got to be joking!" She said rather incredulous. Seemed she was a little shocked. After a moment she wiped the expression from her face. Not to mention her cheeks tinged pink in embarrassment at the outburst.









"I didn't keep the Nozomi, of course...but I got a 200,000 KS reward for it that let me start the business...the funny thing is that there's little competition as of right now...everyone is so focused on building new stuff, perfectly capable stuff that is current-gen or one generation behind is adrift out there..."

Toshiro shrugged.

"I don't get it either...I can't be the first person to think about actually salvaging old battlefields..."









The doctor winced a little as if she had just been poked with something sharp. Composing herself, Remi began to fold her clothing.

"I'm sorry for the outburst..." She stammered a little. "Its just that what you said took me by surprise a little." A small sheepish look in her eyes. She wasn't often prone to such things. But this had been one of the few times it did happen.









Ken writhed around a little, trying to get at least some sleep, but he couldn't seem to fall into slumber, as he got out of bed, and started cleaning his weapons. He started with the shotgun, taking it all the way apart, and cleaning and reassembling piece by piece, each component shined. He continued on, until every weapon he had in that room was finished.

Looking at the drink cooler, he decided he didn't need a drink, so he left the room to see what everyone was doing.









Serenity blinked, shocked that the woman knew Lorath. With a small shrug she tugged on her sleeve. ~"Lost you what?"~ She inquired. From the way Toshiro had been talking to Remi, Serenity was guessing she would soon be a new mistress.









Remi felt the gentle tuggings of her sleeve and looked and saw it had been the Helashio.

~"I lost medicines and equipment to heal the sick and injured."~ Replying as she stared at the Helashio. After a moment the doctor patted the other woman's hand softly. ~"They can be replaced, don't worry."~ Her voice was kind and gentle as she went back to her folding.









Shaun was busy at his console rapidly typing in commands. "I'm having trouble finding it Eve. Are you sure it was there?"

Eve replied "Yes Shaun. It was only there for a second. Its very strange...its almost as if..."

"a shadow....." Shaun said interrupting her. Eve was confused at this "A shadow? Is that some kind of nickname for a ship?" Shaun shook his head "No....its just something me and my buddies would talk about. Its a technique of sneaking up on a vessel by cloaking in its shadow or sensor blindspot....its something I remember reading about in history books."

Eve was silent for a moment before poking further "So you think something is trying to sneak up on us?" Shaun just sighed and leaned back in his chair "No I don't....I'm not seeing anything out there now. It was probably just some floating debree from the ship we picked that girl up from."









Toshiro blinked, surprised at the fluency of the newcomer...it seemed Lorath was quickly becoming a third language, after English and Japanese...

"Don't worry about the surprise...it is not a commonly known fact. Salvaging can turn up some very good items...when you think about it though, with all the decades of war, it is inevitable that one might find some good components. As for medicines, we have some we found adrift in space, as well as the basic ones we keep here. You're free to look through them..."









There was a knock on the med door, as Ken peeked in. "Permission to enter, Capt'n?" he asked, waiting outside. You could tell he was still tired by the sound of his voice. Or maybe it was just the yawn.









She finished folding her things and stood up. Remi inhaled deeply and sighed.

"I suppose you're right," The doctor conceded. The neko looked around medical area; as if she already had plans for the place. After a brief moment she turned to face Toshiro. "Are these medicines here or in a cargo bay or..." Remi didn't finish her sentence as someone new knocked, and poked his head inside the room.









Toshiro glanced back to Ken, smiling.

"Sure you can come in, Ken. Ken, this is Miyoshi Remi-hakase. She is considering being the ship's doctor, and was in that Tripster we picked up. Miyoshi-hakase, this is Ken, the pilot of the Yggdrasill and a Command-level officer in-training, like Kairi and Shaun...to answer your question, most of the medications are in this room, but it is not uncommon to salvage some medications. I think we did it this time, even..."

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"Hmmm..." She stood there looking at Ken for a brief moment before dipping into a bow." A pleasure to meet you," The doctor seemed to be observing him.

She strode over to him and opened the med lab door. "Come inside; I'll see what I can give you for your tiredness," Was more of a gentle order then asking really. Though she was being kind and gentle about it.









Ken bowed back in respect. "It is a pleasure to meet you, also." he said, a smile on his face. "And who might the other new girl be?" he asked, looking at Serenity.









Toshiro smiled, and put his hand on Serenity's shoulder. He then proceeded to introduce the girl...

"This is Serenity...she's a Helashio from Lor who will be staying with us from now on...oh, that reminds me...Ken, I'd like to give you this..."

He handed Ken a Senior Crewman Rank Pin, just like Kairi's...









Serenity's tail began to wag as she was acknowledged, smiling and bowed slightly. She remained silent though.









Ken smiled and did a small bow back to her, before taking the pin. "Cool...new people, new debris field. I feel like this was a good move, Capt'n." he said, pinning it to his Sapphire blue duster.

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Remi folded her arms and hmphed. Silently the doctor walked over, and stood in front of Ken. The gaze she set on him was...scrutinizing. "Now...Ken tell me; would you like something for your tiredness or not?" She asked her tone a little firmer. "Something to help you sleep perhaps? Or something to keep you awake?"









Ken nodded. "I might not sleep until after we leave the planet again though...and I'm sorry if I seemed to ignore you...I can't seem to sleep." he said, as he followed her. "Keep getting this image in my mind. Probably nothing.









Remi pointed to a seat; as if telling him to sit down by just pointing. "Hmmm you maybe Yamataian, but even you still need sleep," Commenting as she opened a medicine cabinet. Her eyes scanned the contents before closing it sighing.

"Describe this image of yours."

The neko continued to sift through cabinets asking the question as if it were an after thought. Finally she found one containing rows of pill containers, and began reading the labels looking for something in particular.









Ken sat. "it is hard to say, as the moment I see it, i tend to wake up, cold sweat." he said, looking around. "Of course, the length of time I was on that floating trash pile called an Equine might have done it to me."









Toshiro was impressed, and smiled as he left the room for the bridge...he appeared on the bridge and relieved Shaun, and began preparations for heading planetside...









"Hrmm...now that I think about it, it is usually Warp alerts, or Check Drive lights...I might just be having a hard time adjusting to sleeping in a bed." Ken said, not exactly wanting pills. "I spent all my time on the Equine in the pilot's seat, both awake and sleeping."









"Equine? They are not exactly...roomy." Remi remarked staring at a bottle; she frowned at it and put it back. "Have you suffered from any stress lately? Traumatic, or just in general? Sometimes stress brings on nightmares and inability to sleep."

"Here we are..." She mumbled finally finding what she wanted. The doctor unscrewed the cap of the bottle, and tapped two pills out. Each was relatively small and easily swallowed. "These are very mild over the counter sleep aids. If you take these, and go lay down they'll gently help put you to sleep."

After explaining she walked over to him; holding out her hand.









"Well...no stress really. I guess I'm just more used to the pilot chair, and not a bunk." he said, looking at the pills. "That, and we might be going planet side soon, and I'm not missing that."