RP: YSS Eucharis [Post Mission 20] Back on Hanako's World

Lounge

Hearing the shout Kale turned. "Oh hey Zi, how are you this fine morning." He asked with a grin. "Come on we can talk over a bite to eat."

He had noticed the questioning look towards the droid as he turned around and found it somewhat amusing but he decided to indulge her curiosity.

"What can I say, I love technology. I was originally going to strip it of its databanks and then space the thing but it reminds me of an academy project I had once. A maintainance robot with a partial copy of my personality as an AI. Well... If my sister hadn't messed up the disks. Instead it got programmed with a hand to hand fighting simulation. Then that idiot Rin Okamura managed to capture the damn thing and nicked the tool arm. We got the project back but the tool arm had to be re-ordered from the manufacturer, as the original never turned up." Kale shook his head. "Anyways. Shall we?" he asked motioning towards the wardroom.

Longue

"I think we shall," said Deziarra walking side by side with him.

She wondered how Kale knew what she would have asked. Either they had been working together long enough for him to become familiar with the type of questions she asked or enough people in general had asked him questions about Jitter for him to know the type of questions people would ask him. She guessed it was probably some of both.

Not too long ago she had helped an engineer named Rin fix an engine. She wondered if it was the same Rin. From the sound of it, it probably would not be a good idea to bring those two together.


Wardroom

Deziarra looked over the selection of breakfast items. She considered the possibilities before getting scrambled eggs, a glass of orange juice, and a bowl of strawberries. If she decided she wanted more, she could always go back and get it.

"Have you recovered from being around so many intoxicated women?" she asked with a sly grin on her face.

Wardroom

Chieko watched and offered a good morning to everyone who made their way to the Wardroom as she waited for her tea to steep. Her eyes now and then going to the windows to sneak peeks at the planet they were in orbit of now and then. With the tea ready, though, the scientist squeezed the teabag out, and made her way over to the windows.

The academic smiled seeing Sienna lose her mask at the look of Hanako's World as she walked by her. Chieko, herself, would have to admit the planet was pretty; but so was Yamatai, her home, and a number of other worlds she had seen during training. She also recalled that, though they look beautiful from above, there's usually an ugly side somewhere once you hit the dirt.

Outside of the looks however, the young Minkan began thinking of what it may be like to explore the place. She wondered what was there that most did to pass the time; but also what may be left undiscovered, waiting to be found. Chieko then began making queries to SYNC about those very things as she sipped her tea and took in the view below.

Cabin 4

"She's not a member of the crew." Mistuko grumbled to herself as Misato tried to explain, but she didn't seem convinced. She worked on getting dressed as well, not quite as shy around her roommate now. The Neko didn't want to argue about this, though, so dropped the topic. For now.

Soon enough she was dressed in her Duty Uniform, NSP strapped in place, ready to head to breakfast.

Cabin 4

Misato finished dressing by dropping her NSP into her holster. "You think anyone knows about us?" She asked as she dug out some plain clothes and laid them out on the top bunk, just in case they got leave when the landed. Assuming they did land.

She wasn't sure what to think, hell she wasn't sure they were really a couple, but at lease Mitsuko knew how she felt for her.

Cabin 4

Mitsuko blushed at the question, taking Misato's hand, giving it a squeeze as they left the cabin. "I think they know enough."

Wardroom

She made a point of not letting go of the other Neko's hand as they entered, noticing all of the others that had already gathered here. She smiled as she spotted one person in particular. "Natsumi-san, ready to hit the beach again?" She giggled.

Wardoom

Bors watched with tired eyes as people filtered in and out of the wardroom. Poking at his plate of eggs he had decided to grab after he felt like eating, he couldn't help but feel that something other than fun was going to happen on this trip. Shrugging off the idea he took a sip of his coffee before waving towards Mitsuko and Misato as they walked in. Hopefully things were going to start getting better along with him getting some sleep during this nice little break.

Wardroom

Kale rolled his eyes. "Yeah a regular day at work for the hard working army technician. Boy meets girls. Everyone goes out. Everyone gets drugged up and shot. Seriously though I'm still not sure where I stand with some of them. I haven't spoken to Sienna since and only seen Natsumi in passing. Not too sure if I ruined whatever friendship was developing there or not. Chi-san is turning out to be a good friend though." Kale commented snagging a few items from the buffet.

"On that note actually;" Kale had noticed the scientist across the room, looking out at the planet below, and approached her. "Morning Chi. Mind if we join you for breakfast?" he asked.

Wardroom

For a second, Sienna's only reply to Natsumi was a dumb nod and a soft murmur of agreement as she continued to stare up at the shining planet, before she blinked and shook her head just a tiny bit to break out of her reverie. "I mean, yeah," she replied after a beat, her choice of phrasing doing nothing to conceal her wonder. She pulled her eyes away from the window above and glanced in Natsumi's direction with a slight grin, but her eyes remained wide open. "I've been treated to one or two scenic views, you know? The universe has some pretty dazzling stuff. But that," she continued, looking back up at the viewport. "That planet just looks so... right."

She continued the thought in her head. Like a place someone could call "home."

Captain's Suite

The elf-eared woman quietly thought about this revelation for a moment."I understand," Hanako finally replied to Sune. "This life is not for everyone. Yet, for me, it has become what I know best. When I was young, I was helpless. I was orphaned. I was enslaved. When I became a servant to those in power, I was still a servant. And even though I am still beneath Taisho Yui even now, I am in a position where I finally feel like I am mostly in control of my destiny. I think about retiring sometimes, too, but I do not want to start over. Since I was thrust into the military to sink or swim, I have earned my way up from a bridge officer to an admiral. On the way I have been shot, stabbed, beaten, pistol-whipped, burned, frozen, marooned, raped, tortured, and killed. But through the pain I have learned to be braver in the face of horror and danger. What else can this universe do to me?"

Hanako gave Sune one more squeeze. "Maybe all that suffering made me cynical, but I saw this coming and I will not ask you to stay again, like I did when you went to the Firebird. Just remember, the SSS can be called to dangerous places too." Then then elf-Neko slid out of bed and headed directly for the shower, not showing her face. When she was inside, her turned the knob to release the warm water, putting her face into the spray to wash away her tears.

Wardroom

Natsumi smiled and looked back out the viewport as well. "Just wait until we land" she said to Sienna. "I've only been to Hanako's world once, but it is a beautiful planet. All oceans and sandy beaches. I think you will like visiting it" she grinned.

Wardroom

Chieko was half looking at the planet, half looking at travel brochures as she heard Kale call to her. She moved her head to look at him with a big smile on her face. "Sure," the the scientist replied as she set her tea down in one of the booths and made her way to the buffet.

The booze and views alone was enough to make the academic feel thrilled about where her placement's home port was. The possible things to do, on the other hand impressed her even more. Now all Chieko had to do is make sure she was partnered up with Kale for the adventures - something she felt that even now would be an opportune time to work up to it.

Cabin 9

Ayumi opened her eyes, blinking slowly and then sitting up. Waking was always easy on the Neko, she woke alert and just at the right time. With the slightest of stretches she pulled herself out of bed and wandered over to her locker. She began her morning routine, washing, preparing herself, and dressing. When she was done she quietly left the room and headed off to breakfast.

Wardroom

Ayumi stepped into the wardroom, pleased that the room had recovered from the skirmish a few weeks prior. She looked around shortly, and then picked herself a seat at the main table. She sat down, folded her hands on her lap, and waited for breakfast to start.

Captain's Suite

Sune watched Hanako walk away after her statements. How did she supposedly see this coming. The events of the past few days were what convinced him. What perplexed him even more was her comments about not asking him to stay, or that the SSS goes into dangerous places. Her comments made no sense, especially since he could just as easily take a position on Furontia the SSS station here in the star system.

He got up and put on his Type 35 Uniform. Once he was satisfied he then seated himself back at the foot of the bed to speak with Hanako when she emerged.

Misato had warmth deep inside as she stood there holding Mitsuko's hand there in the ward room. She wasn't sure what was going on around her, not that she cared. Though the thought of Mitsuko in a bathing suit caused a little trickle of blood rolling from her nose.

"Beach...." a stupid smile grew across her face, letting a little bit of drool leaked out.

Eucharis continued to close the distance with the planet, passing by a Minato-class starbase.

Captain's Cabin

Hanako emerged from the shower and started drying herself off and blow-drying her hair in the mirror. See saw Sune waiting and turned around to listen.

Captain's Suite

Sune watched Hanako return to the room and start drying off. He took a moment to enjoy the sight of her body. This was one of the things he miss with leaving the Eucharis.

He stood up and took two steps towards Hanako. "I just want to know. Are we going to try to make our relationship work even if we have to spend time apart? Or is this the end?

As for the SSS going into dangerous places, the attack on Yamatai has shown that no place in our Empire is every truly safe. I am not afraid of danger, I just want to focus on life and creating things, rather than death and battle.

Like you, I still wish to serve the Empire. I just want to do it in a different form."

Captain's Cabin

Standing there naked in front of him, Hanako unleashed her thoughts in a torrent: "Sune, you are leaving me alone just a week after we moved in together. How am I supposed to react? I need intimacy. Until this month I had been basically celibate for six years and now you are taking that away. I am not going to be in a monogamous relationship with someone who I never see because I am away fulfilling the Empire's military needs. I can be friends with you but we must look at this clearly: neither of us wants to give up on our careers, and with this move of yours, those careers are pulling us in different directions. Think of how this ship only manages to visit this planet once or twice a year. That would be us. Can you imagine a love life where we are like ships passing in the night? Because of this, I cannot be your girlfriend anymore. Yes, I am angry but it will pass and we will be better off for being realistic."

Wardroom

"You might be right," Sienna agreed, but her voice was distant, her attention obviously elsewhere for a moment. Finally tearing her gaze away from the planet hanging above them and surveying the breakfast bar, she clasped her hands together and glanced in Natsumi's direction with a parrying smirk. "But first, breakfast, hm?"

Captain's Cabin

Sune listened to Hanako's venting. Listening to her, it was apparent that she was focusing on what she needed, and wanted. He knew of people that if they loved each other enough, they could make it work, even if they only got to be together occasionally.

"Well, I just want to say that for me the past ten months have been some of the happiest in my life. Not just because of our intimacy, but because of our relationship.

I wish you every good thing in life can bring Hanako. I am and will remain your friend.

I will have my gear packed up and removed once we dock. I have my duties to attend to."

He came to attention and bowed to Hanako, then without another word he turned and walked out the door. He went down the hallway and entered the bridge.

Sune went to the Communications station. He logged in with his access code. "Charisma, kindly transmit file Jalen_Orders to Personnel Management."

He watched as the screen indicated the data packet had been sent. He then switched the console off and headed toward the Wardroom.