RP: 5th XF [Prelude] Point of Origin

Incoming Priority Transmission, KFY Drydock Two Kiyoko dropped the manifest she had been reviewing and turned as the volumetric display opened up in front of the desk. On the screen was Taisho Koyanagi, a Yamataian with black hair and grey eyes.

"Taisho Koyanagi...â€

"Well... why don't we go see her now? Putting our stuff away isn't really urgent business, y'know... and I'm kinda interested to hear just what it is that we're gonna be doing." Kiyoe looked to the other two, seeking approval. "So, how about it?"

Tesuro nodded to Kiyoe approvingly. "I have no objections to that. However, if she's busy and needs to see us later...is there anything on the ship you would like us to see, Yugumo?"

Yugumo said "Plenty of time to explore the ship later. Let's go see the Shosa.â€

The Yugumo's hanger bay felt alive and busier than it had ever been before. Stepping from his shuttle, Chui Creighton Marks surveyed the scene before him. With a deep breath of relief, he smiled and stepped of the loading ramp.

His time away from the Yugumo had changed him. Both physically and mentally. He finally felt ready to take hold of the ship. And his new body would help. He even wondered if those he had originally stationed with would even recognize him.

Stepping around several dozen personnel Creighton reached the hallway exiting the hanger bay. Still smiling, he summoned the Yugumo's AI.

"Chui Creighton Alexander Marks, reporting as ordered to the YSS-Yugumo. Please inform the Shosa that I am on board and moving to the ready room."

After depositing his belongings with dozens of others, Creighton stepped through the threshold and into the ship. He moved briskly, his new body giving him a steady step and a new grand feeling of what was to come.

Ichiro nodded. "As my dear cousin Ken would say, lets get this boat on the waves." he said, a slight grin on his face. "Let's go meet our dear Shosa, and see why we are so important to her."

Tesuro eagerly followed Yugumo out of the three soldiers' quarters, ready to meet with the Shosa. It wasn't until Ichiro spoke that it occurred to him. Why was it only the three of them the Shosa wanted to meet? Up until that point he was under the impression that meeting the Shosa would be a large-scale orientation for all soliders, but it seemed as though it would be a private meeting between her, Ichiro, Keiyo, and himself.

"Excuse me Yugumo," he began. "I hate to ask so many questions...but did the Shosa tell you why she wanted to meet with us?"

As the Fox shuttle slid its way inside the Yugumo's massive multi-purpose rapid launch bay Chui Itkatsu Kiyoko could not help but think of how different her arrival was compared to that of her first assignment; after settling down on the polished black floor no sounds of gunfire reached her ears as the shuttle's hatch opened, no messages proclaiming imminent combat greeted her aboard as she hefted her duffle bag. Though the situation within the cavernous bay was far from calm – a seemingly endless movement of personnel and equipment bustled in all directions to prepare the ship for launch – it was neither hostile nor required her to move off the shuttle with the haste that had been required of her previously. Smoothing out her steel-grey panelled uniform and making sure none of her hair had escaped from the small hairclips she was using to hold it back from her face, Kiyoko made her way off the shuttle and into the chaos.

A few minutes later, having reached a passageway that was much quieter than the bay behind her, Kiyoko formulated and sent a concise message indicating her arrival aboard to Shosa Motoyoshi as her orders had instructed. With that done, the Neko telepathically made contact with the Yugumo's WIES. "WIES, do I have any immediate tasks to take care of before unpacking my gear and reporting for duty?â€

Yugumo lead the enlisted soldiers into the lift and directed it to the main bridge. She responded to Tesuro, "She did, but it is not up to me to tell you.â€

Tesuro nodded to Yugumo, still curious to know why it was only the three of them who were called forth, but thought it better not to pry, as one could not coerce an AI into going against its orders. He looked to Kiyoe and Ichiro who were beside him and began to step forward toward the door of the Shosa's ready room, and with that, the door slid open. With all of his composure, he walked in.

Kiyoe followed shortly behind Tesuro, insouciantly glancing around the room as she entered. The command deck of the ship was a marvel... not anywhere she would want to work, but it was still impressive. For most of the walk here, a small voice at the back of her mind had been urgently trying to remember anything that she might have done that would require disciplinary action from a Shosa... but it hadn't turned much up, so she was now relaxed in the knowledge that she probably wasn't in trouble.

Ichiro followed along, also wondering if there would be drinks when this ship got off the ground. He looked around in wonder. "Much, much nicer then my last ship."

Shortly after the three enlisted left the lift it sealed itself and returned several levels below them.

Creighton waited at lift gate, chatting with a few crew members. Small talk mostly, they strayed into depressing territory with the news about Taiie. Creighton grimaced but gave them some words of encouragement. As he finished the lift doors opened with a soft arrival tone. Bidding his comrades farewell he entered the lift, calm pressing the bridge button, and holding the door for a few sprites and other crew.

Several stops later, Creighton finally got his chance to see the finished Yugumo bridge. Having only seen it in prototype stage, Creighton was sure that it couldn't hold a candle to the sight before him.

The young man cautiously approached one of the pilot's station and began to fight back the urge to sit and enjoy the helm. He paused for a minute as he placed his hand on the pilot's chair. A chain of memories began to filter through his mind, starting with his first attempt at acting and ending with the departure of his father and uncle from Yamatai.

Feeling renewed Creighton gripped the chair and nodded and approval to no one. I have my place here.

With that he slowly turned around and began towards the ready room, which the Yugumo had shown the way to.

In the ready room Kiyoko was sitting at her desk reviewing the orders just downloaded from the Flagship. Her green hair held up in a bun with a pair of decorative chopsticks, two stands left down to frame her face. She looked up as Tesuro was the first to enter; she regarded him with a warm smile. Kiyoe, Ichiro and Itkatsu Chui followed; Kiyoko left her desk chair and walked around the front of the desk, leaning back onto it. There was nothing rigid about her stance, and her expectations that there would be none such in them.

Creighton made it through the doors just in time to catch her about to speak; her cool sapphire eyes regarded him with deep emotion, seeming to lift any inner doubts that had stirred.

"Welcome to the YSS Yugumo. I am sorry for calling you all the moment you arrived, but the situation at hand requires it.â€

Itkatsu however was not one who was so easily inclined to be informal while on duty and so continued to stand at ease while the short briefing took place, a simple "Hai,â€

As Itkatsu neared the Navigation Table Yugumo activated the console, the table approximately six feet in length, and three and a half feet wide had a flat transparent top with several hundred micro-ports for volumetric projection. The sides and ends of the tables had control consoles, designed to be used in concert with operators not capable of other interaction with the computer. The table was positioned to the left of the two pilot stations and far left from the platform.

The volumetric projectors activated and a three dimensional star map of local space hovered over the table, showing the Yamatai system, the fleet yard where they were birthed, and other ships in the region. The Navigation station was designed for interaction to starship pilots, commanding officer and two way communications with stellar cartography in the ship's laboratory complex.

The classified initial destination of the ship identified by Yugumo as waypoint alpha was the Hotaru-Himitsu Staging area in the Katsuko Nebula where the rest of the fleet was waiting for the Yugumo who was going to be traveling with the fleet's new flagship, the YSS Seijin no Umi. Along with the destination information was that the flagship was requesting that the destination be made in a series of three hyperspace folds, and in avoidance of zones occupied by the SMX. It would be up to Itkatsu and Kiyoe to come up with a navigation solution to be given to the CO, the pilots, and to transmit that solution to the communications station to be transmitted to the flagship.

Creighton smiled as he listened to the briefing behind the 4 other individuals. He took note that three of them (Tesuro, Kiyoe, and Ichiro) all wore enlisted garb. The though brought a memory of his own early days as a pilot trainee.

He eyed the commander as she spoke. Apparently having left for a period of grief had done wonders to lift her spirit. She seemed much more active. And at the mention of his officer training Creighton made only a slight chuckle at being pointed out, placing a hand on the back of his neck as he did so.

"Marks-Chuiâ€

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Out of respect for the Shosa, Tesuro did not speak a word to her and merely bowed each time he was addressed. Throughout her speech he listened intently, even to parts which did not involve him. He wanted to be sure to be aware of all members' positions and responsibilities to keep questions to a minimum.

He was excited at the prospect of being selected for such a program, and certainly did not scoff at the chance to raise through the ranks in the Star Army of Yamatai. However, he kept his composure throughout, and though he felt inclined to thank the Shosa for the privilege, he remained silent. He bowed deeply at the end but so as not to seem uptight or frightened, smiled lightly at his Shosa as she addressed the three of them at the end.

When the speech ended and they were dismissed, he became at ease and relaxed his neck a bit. "She seems kind." he said to his two equals.

Before much else could be exchanged, Creighton approached the three enlistees, and Tesuro greeted him with a bow not quite as deep to the Shosa but enough so that respect was not doubted.

Ichiro nodded, as he follows to his temporary station. "She is nice. And not to formal. This should be a good mission." he said, smiling. "Just kinda werid to put a weapon guy on communications."