RP: YSS Yuurei [Prelude] A Dance with the Stars

Misato emerged onto the concourse, looking around at the many passing Star Army soldiers on their way from vessel to vessel and to other points on the station.

She let out a sigh, adjusting her black skirt-style uniform that had changed little since the days of BSIA. She said quietly to Creighton, "I hope Cam got your message, we can't be waiting around all day. I should have changed, this black uniform is not going to help us." She paused, asking him, "Any ideas how to play match maker?"

In the meantime, she inquired as to the locations of Ember Mitsuya and Sky Marshall Davis from Pisces' AI.

Mitsuya Ember was in one of the side conference rooms watching the feed from the actual conference room. Sky Marshall Robert Davis of course, was in the conference room itself.

"Misato-sama, I'm currently on the station, right outside Concourse A. Where are you headed?" Sayuri messaged her superior telepathically, hoping to join up with the rest of the crew as soon as possible. The pink haired Neko breathed a small sigh of relief, glad she that she hadn't done the former Tange Family head the indignity of addressing her by rank. One hears stories while working in BSIA, under the command of Motoyoshi Misato.

And I'm finally going to be in the field, in more hands on operations. It should be interesting, even if Misato-sama is a harsh mistress to work under. She thought to herself, silently adjusting her glasses.

"She's always been prompt. I would stake my reputation that she'll be along." Creighton responded as he followed after the Director. As she adjusted her skirt-uniform, Creighton became mindful he was still dressed in his suit from the conference. He calmly pressed away small wrinkle in his interior vest. "We shouldn't get trouble. That is unless we bring attention to ourselves."

Creighton felt himself begin to grow tired and restless. He knew his stimulants were wearing off. Scratching his chin, the Yamataian mulled over a quick fix now or more privately. That was until Misato posed the question of how to proceed to him.

"Me? Matchmaker?" Creighton let out a chuckle. "Oh, ho ho. I may be suave at times. But to set two other people up, that is something else." Creighton responded, a hint of cockiness in his voice. "But I do always think there is nothing a man can resist more than a woman in need. And a chivalrous gentleman is an admirable and desirable one." Creighton quietly pondered his own words, trying to come up with any definitive plans.

As if Serendipity was smiling on Creighton, who would arrive after her tenth circuit of the concourse ring, but Camellia. The young woman was walking in a calm, slow stride as she was reading something from her handy PDA in the process, occasionally looking up at the docking plates to see if a ship has docked, and if one did, she paused just long enough to ask a quick question, but three times in a row was told to keep walking.

She was wearing completely civilian clothing, which was an amazing contrast compared to her standard uniforms, though, really, it was the theme of the clothing that caught more eyes. She was wearing a pair of knee high, black leather boots with a slightly raised heel, a pair of rather tight gray dress pants, and a pearl white dress blouse, buttoned down twice, allowing her modesty to breath slightly. Slung over her shoulder was a fairly packed duffel bag.

Taking a second to look up, the silver haired, one eyed woman noticed Creighton and a woman with him, whom she assumed was this "Black Nova" person he went on about. "Creig!" She called as she jogged over to him.

>ON Pisces Station: A Dance with the Stars (Continued)

Misato pulled her communicator from her belt. "We are standing in the middle of the concourse, the black uniform likely gives me away; along with the drab look of these other two goons I have with me. Just look for the hooker, the SAINT officer, and the distinguished professor and you are all set." Misato disconnected before giving Sayuri a chance to respond.

Just more of the same, then. Sayuri shrugged, pondering Misato's comment. So the other three would be easy to spot by their clothes. She stuck to a tasteful white blouse with a red bow around the collar, as well as a knee length black skirt and black stockings. She might as well have been a librarian, or officer worker, the image of which was accented further by her neatly kept hair and glasses. She spotted the three quickly and gave a passive wave to them to signal who she was.

"Speak of the she-devil." Creighton mused as be waved at Camellia from across the concourse. Eyeing her choice in clothing with a wry smile Creighton offered up a low comment to Misato before Camellia closed within hearing distance. "If she kills me, make sure my epitaph is something good." Looking to his side in time to see the small wave Sayuri gave. Grinning like a fool, Creighton waved back not sure who he was waving but trying to stay cool.

"Seems I am the one in uniform, meaning I obviously will not be a front man in our little plan." She paused, "Come on, follow me." she lead them down the concourse towards a string of eateries. A young Yamataian opened the door to the establishment and let them in. Once the door closed, Misato said, "This place will serve as our operational center, Creighton, mind getting the two stragglers up to date on what it is we are here to do?" She asked, hating the idea of having to repeat herself.

Camellia slowed to a walk when Creig waved to her, though she looked to the side when he waved to someone else. Regardless of that, she walked up to him and gave his clothing a look. "And I though my clothes made me stand out." She said with a grin. Though when the uniformed one, "Black Nova" told her to follow along, she did. Though she pondered why she was so bossy.

The gentleman, who had let them in, disappeared into the Kitchen, Misato followed close behind, leaving Creighton to explain what it was they were there to do. In the back room she began to assemble what they would need, a few chef coats, a hostess jacket and a waitress apron. She tapped her chin, looking over some of the other implements on the shelf, selecting a datapad and two pairs of chef pants.

"So what is it we're doing exactly?" Sayuri asked Creighton, hoping to shed light on the plans brewing about. From what she had seen, the science officer didn't have much to go on, and wasn't going to waster her time with conjecture." "Oh... and I don't think we've been formally introduced."

"Yes, ma'am." Creighton responded promptly to Misato but didn't take his eyes off of Sayuri or Camellia. "Well then, it is a pleasure to see you again, Camellia. You are looking a fine as ever. And you must be the mysterious candidate Misato mentioned. I look forward to working together. I'm Creighton Marks." He started with a wide grin. He bowed to Sayuri, tucking his arm over his stomach as he lowered himself. "Now then, we're about to go deep into something here. Intel has got us into the affairs of a budding love. We're here to make it happen." The Yamataian stated quite bluntly as he resumed his former posture. "The two lovebirds include one Chujo Mitsuya Ember and Sky Marshall Davis."

Camellia followed along, though she was perplexed why they were playing cupid. Then the names hit her. "You're kidding!" She nearly shouted as she shoved Creighton's shoulder. "The Sky Marshal?" She was aghast, and awed by the level this mission suddenly leapt to.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Marks-sama. I'm Motoyoshi Sayuri." Sayuri answered, bowing politely, her hands clasped together in front of her abdomen. The nature of the mission seemed especially odd, but getting a relationship going between the Sky Marshall and Ember would soften the man's decisions and ensure a branch of communication going on between their governments. "Interesting. How exactly are we going to do this?"

Misato emerged from the kitchen carrying the pile of clothing and supplies she had gathered. She said, throwing it down at the table. "SAINT has been operating this place to keep an eye on the black market traffic coming in and out of Pisces." She picked up the hostess jacket and tossed it at Sayuri, the waitress apron at Camellia and kept the other chef jacket for herself. "My plan is to lure the two of them here to this establishment to eat a meal together. The plan is simple. Camellia and Sayuri will distribute a free dinner ticket to Davis, and Ember to get them here. When they arrive all we will have left is a table for two, one of my operatives has secured reservations for the other tables." She paused, looking over Sayuri; "If we can get them here we will each assume our roles, obvious by the outfits chosen, to ensure they have a romantic, enjoyable evening." Misato said, her tone lowering "Of course I could of ordered Ember to go along with this, but the goal is to cultivate a natural relationship; not a sham."

"So which one of us is giving the ticket to whom?" Sayuri asked, pondering for a moment. "The Sky Marshall might or might not feel suspicious about a Nekovalkyrja giving him a free meal to a place he may have never been before."

Recoiling from Camellia's push Creighton tried to steady himself as gracefully as possible. "Ah, a pleasure Sayuri. You don't mind that I call you by your first name do you?" Creighton was about to go into some elaborate details on his own ideas when Misato made her intentions known. Still wearing a grin, Creighton nodded in agreement with the director's plan. "If I may director? I feel Camellia would be best suited for enticing the Sky Marshall to an evening of fine dining. How do you feel about that, Cam?"

Camellia was holding the waitress uniform while a very conspicuous grin was playing across her face. 'Finally. I get to act!' was running through her head like a marathon runner as she snapped out of her reverie when Creighton piped up and suggested HER be the one to snare the Sky Marshal. "Huh? Hmm? Me?" She enounced quickly as she looked around. Before regaining her composure. "Sure, I'll try."

Misato held a hand out in Sayuri's direction, "That leaves you with the Chujo, Mitsuya Ember then...You two get moving." She said to Creighton, "Guess we have a menu to plan, can you cook?"

"Eh? Of course not. I'd actually prefer it." Sayuri said, giving her reply to Creighton. She slid her interlocked hands further down her front, resting them on her lap. “Very well. I'll inform you when Ember has the ticket and is on her way."

Nodding with approval as Misato seemed comfortable with his choice, Creighton watched as the two women took their respective mission in stride. But Misato's question hit him like a broadside from a Yuumi. "Uh well, I can a little. Since the Yugumo I've got a little experience." He offered up apologetically.

"Alright, let’s get busy people...." She motioned for Creighton to follow her into the Kitchen.

>End

Once back in the Kitchen, Misato began to strip out of her uniform, seeming to pay little or no attention to the fact she was doing so right in front of Creighton. Keeping only her standard issue panties and bra on, she reached for the checkered black and white pants and began to pull them on.

"I hope those two can manage this simple task, if for some reason Davis and Ember decide not to come, it means we get to slave over a hot stove for nothing." She spouted, pulling the pants on the rest of the way, and started unfolding the chef's uniform with the fancy "V" embroidered over the left pocket for the restaurant's logo.

She was aware Creighton would be distracted by her elegant, sexy nekovalkyrja features; she was testing him.

Ember walked through Pisces Station until she found herself outside the Velvet Room. She looked at the restaurant curiously, looking for someone to ask about the ticket that was slipped under the door of the conference room. "Umm.... hello?"

As luck would have it, there was someone who could answer Ember's call, in fact, it's the very same waitress that served drinks in the international conference. She looked up from a table she was cleaning and noticed Ember.

"Oh hello!" She said in a chipper tone, as she straightened up. "Can I help you?" Oddly enough, during the entire scene, she never once seemed to open her eyes.

Ember watched the waitress inquisitively. Something didn't quite feel right but she wasn't sure why. She wondered if maybe she thought that Melisson was lurking around somewhere still. She dismissed the unease and forced a smile. "Oh, I found this ticket in a conference room but I wasn't sure if there was a certain time frame I had to use it in or if it was good all day or all month."

She held up the slip for the waitress to examine as she walked closer. She took her free right hand and lightly bounced her long thick, auburn curls of hair off her shoulder.

The waitress' brows raised, though her eye lids did not, as she walked over and took the ticket to read. If reading was actually what she was doing, since after all, her eyes were still closed. She pursed her lips as she scrutinized the ticket, then held it back out to Ember.

"It's a one meal voucher," the waitress finally said, "it's good for a free dinner here tonight."

She crossed her arms and smiled, "we're currently closed but we will be opened tonight for dinner service at around eight o'clock, station time. You should come back then to redeem it."

Ember watched the waitress oddly. "O...kay. Do you happen to be using your skin vision by any chance?" The Chujo asked rather bluntly, it was odd to see someone that never opened their eyes but she suspected it could just be one of those older human-type nekos using an alternate form of seeing. "I might come back, what sort of food do you serve here?"

The young lady quietly pushed the thin rimmed glasses she was paradoxically wearing on her nose when Ember asked about skin vision. "Yes, in fact I am," she said with a thin smile, "I've been in the catering business for a while and people seem to warm up to an unguarded smile."

When Ember asked about the food served, the waitress presented a menu from somewhere and held it open for her to read. "We serve a wide variety of foods here in the Velvet Room," she said apparently reciting an ad, "we mainly feature comfort style dining along with freshly cooked baked goods and chilled liqueurs of various makes." The waitress closed the menu and slid it under her right arm, "it's also very affordable, despite what the decor and the style of presentation would lead one to believe."

Ember seemed to consider this and shrugged. "I'll have to see what happens later then. Thank you," the Chujo forced a smile again and walked back towards the conference rooms. She pulled out her data pad and tried to pull up an identification query of the waitress and a business profile of the Velvet Room using her PANTHEON access.

Something felt very off, but she wasn't sure what it was. Ember felt that it was usually an idea to trust your instincts.

Luckily, since SAINT is a through as it can be, a fake personnel profile for Camellia's cover was fabricated for the mission. What Ember received for her query was as follows

PATHENON said:

Name: Chisato Arisato
Age: 12
Sex: Female
Race: Nekovalkyrja Type-29 Civilian issue, Formerly NH-17
Profession: Waitress/part-time hostess, Formerly: Caretaker
Work History: Since conception, Chisato was assigned as a Caregiver within the Yamataian military, she has worked on several ships, stations and worlds, even after her mandatory military service requirements were up. Three years prior, she formally left the military and entered civilian life as a waitress who has worked in several eateries.

Click to expand...

Sayuri had returned shortly before Ember's arrival, and had been patiently waiting for her orders. The operation originally detailed the pink-haired Neko working as a hostess, but plans seemed to have changed. As she had only just returned when her charged appeared, her role was taken over by the much more charismatic Camellia, who seemed to be doing a fine job on her own. Still, not wanting to do nothing, Sayuri decided to message her superior.

"Misato-sama, do you require any assistance?" Sayuri messaged telepathically, her words suitably calm.

Creighton stayed quiet as Misato began to disrobe. Hands in his pockets, he watched his boss and her movements. His mind wander for a few seconds, drinking in the sights. A wry grin spread over his face as he waited for something to drag his attention out. What I wouldn't give... He thought to himself.

As Misato finished speaking Creighton casually scratched his nose and turned to the side, looking away from her form. "Well that would suggest we need to slave. It can't be all that much trouble." He started to remove his jacket and looked for a place to hang the piece of clothing. "If anything I'm sure we can enjoy the food ourselves." Spotting a free chair, he draped the jacket over it and returned to watching Misato. "Which leads to what exactly are we going to make?"

Misato had monitored the exchange between Cam and Ember. She was satisfied with the new agent's performance; one less thing to worry about.

She responded to Sayuri, You and Cam come back into the kitchen, I have a few things for you to do before service.

She responded to Creighton, tossing him a datapad after the counter. "We still need to figure out dessert, but aside from that the menu has been pieced together." she paused, "I took the liberty of ordering a large volume of wine from your family's winery on Yamatai, think you could give Cam and Sayuri some tips? she inquired, then stated "They will need to know about the wines they will present as options for our guests."

"Hai, Misato-sama. I'll be there shortly." Sayuri replied, starting towards the kitchen. She sincerely hoped that she would be more useful over the course of the evening, and that, at the very least, good feeling were fostered between the people Camellia and herself would be serving during the meal. "Camellia-san, please return to the kitchen. We're being called back." The pink-haired Neko communicated to the Geshrin, remembering that she would simply be unable to reply telepathically, but could still receive.

Sayuri entered the kitchen, and glanced back at the door, patiently waiting for Cam to follow behind. The again, being occupied with the 5XF Logistics Officer, she might have have to fabricate and excuse, or something of the sort to get back.

Camellia, as her cover was politely smiling and waving in the general direction that Ember had vanished from vision to. After she was sure she was gone, Camellia opened her hectacromatic eyes and sighed in relief. She just managed to bluff her way past that altercation. Why didn't Sayuri make the voucher more detailed?

Getting a oneway telepathic message, she placed the menu on a nearby table and turned to enter the kitchen.

"Yes?"