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RP: YSS Miharu Prologue, Day 2
- Thread starter Remrant
- Start date
- Status
Strangelove
Inactive Member
"Leutre is my name, bloody mayhem is the game." Leutre smiled and put his hands behind his head. "Nineteen here, too. My Da and I were privateers up near the Northern Frontier regions. Fighting pirates and all that jazz. But it turns out I'm gifted with the mind of a machine and cunning of a politician, so Da sent me up here for a proper education. The Star Army pays for my training and medical treatments, so it's a pretty good deal."
Abwehran Commander
Inactive Member
Masako seemed to give Leutre a very strange look as they continued to walk. She couldn't help but think this new recruit was a bit imbalanced mentally. Though since everyone else had spoken up but her, she pushed her thoughts aside. The least she would do was be polite and reply like everyone else had.
"Watashi wa Kurohoshi Masako desu." she spoke in Japanese. "I'm two years old and have served aboard the YSS Nozomi, YSS Destiny, YSS Confidence, and the YSS Mikomi before finally being assigned here. Before I served aboard starships, I was apart of the Yamataian Self-Defense Force." she summarized her brief history as she looked up at her crewmates.
"Watashi wa Kurohoshi Masako desu." she spoke in Japanese. "I'm two years old and have served aboard the YSS Nozomi, YSS Destiny, YSS Confidence, and the YSS Mikomi before finally being assigned here. Before I served aboard starships, I was apart of the Yamataian Self-Defense Force." she summarized her brief history as she looked up at her crewmates.
Nyton
Inactive Member
The scenery had shifted and they were now passing one of the production areas. One side of the hallway was lined with windows that showed the bay. There were ships and armor in various stages of production visible, along with the materials, personnel, and machinery necessary. In all it looked like a busy honeycomb of activity. Lights and sparks flashed everywhere and loud noise could be heard being muffled by the windows.
Nyton's eyes moved about rapidly as he viewed the various activities occurring. "Looks real busy in there, eh?" he remarked.
"So James, you entered three years ago and this is your first assignment? Were you in another job before Armor piloting or something The reserves maybe?" Nyton asked with a slight puzzlement to how he could have been in the military for three years but just now receiving his first assignment.
Nyton waited for James to finish his explanation before he followed up on Leutre. "Medical treatments you say? Did you pick up some sort of condition out on the frontier?" The actions and dialogue of Leutre made Nyton want to keep a close eye on him.
After Leutre had finished his response, regardless of how he answered, Nyton was interested in Masako's assignment history. "You were aboard the Mikomi as well? I heard bad things happened on her last mission. If it's not too hard I would like to know what happened to my former crewmates." he asked but with a caution to indicate she did not have to go into detail.
Nyton's eyes moved about rapidly as he viewed the various activities occurring. "Looks real busy in there, eh?" he remarked.
"So James, you entered three years ago and this is your first assignment? Were you in another job before Armor piloting or something The reserves maybe?" Nyton asked with a slight puzzlement to how he could have been in the military for three years but just now receiving his first assignment.
Nyton waited for James to finish his explanation before he followed up on Leutre. "Medical treatments you say? Did you pick up some sort of condition out on the frontier?" The actions and dialogue of Leutre made Nyton want to keep a close eye on him.
After Leutre had finished his response, regardless of how he answered, Nyton was interested in Masako's assignment history. "You were aboard the Mikomi as well? I heard bad things happened on her last mission. If it's not too hard I would like to know what happened to my former crewmates." he asked but with a caution to indicate she did not have to go into detail.
ON: Scorpio Base, about 17:00
Biiin boon
The door chime called Tom from the kitchen.
Tom Freeman was busy at work in the living quarter's kitchen, having a few small pots and pans at work on the small stove that rested in front of him. The area around the Yamataian was a little bit of a mess, with a variety of vegetables, some meats and a little rice and fish on the side. Luckily, these items were strategically hidden behind the dividing wall that separated the kitchen from the tiny eating area next to it. When he heard the doorbell, Tom moved quickly to answer it.
There Suzuka Yukari stood in the doorway, looking about as shy and reserved as she usually did. She wore a skirt uniform with grey panels on top, lap pocket easily holding her datapad and her arms bare from below her shoulders to above her wrists. She kept her hands in front of her, smiling as he opened the door.
Tom could notice something was not quite the same, however. Her hair was shorter, for instance, kept in a slightly smaller bun than before. Her eyes were still an intense green, but otherwise, she looked normal. "Good evening, Freeman-Heisho," Yukari said.
"Good evening, Yukari-Chui," Tom replied with a bow. The Yamataian had changed out of his military suit and into a pair of slacks and a slightly poofy black sweater. "You look very nice this evening, ma'am. I like what you did with your hair." He motioned into the room. "Please, come in."
Yukari blushed; she'd not been complimented on her hair before. She bowed a little in return and stepped inside. "I like your sweater," she said awkwardly, but with a smile.
He smiled politely, sensing his companion's shyness. "Thank you very much. Please, take a seat at the table. I've set it up for us." The circular table near the kitchen had a white cloth draped over it and silverwear set, as well as two glasses at each plate. In the center of the table was a small vase with a collection of flowers in it.
Yukari blushed even more. Though it was not, in truth, too much, she had never received such treatment. She could see the care put into the arrangement. "Thank you," she said quietly and went to the table. As she drew the seat back, she winced; she'd pulled on it too fast and it had scraped some. "Aheh," she said neverously before sitting down.
"It's not my chair, no worries." Tom said as he walked by her and to the entryway of the kitchen. He leaned against the door, turned to face her. "So, ma'am. Did you have any preferences as to what you wanted to eat?"
"Ah, no," she said, slipping into Japanese briefly. "You are the chef -- I trust you completely."
"Thanks," Tom replied. "It's kind of a relief because I made a bit of everything, to be safe. Omachi kudasai, Yukari-sama."
He dissappeared into the kitchen.
Yukari blinked, barely believing the words she'd just heard. "Ah, Freeman-Heisho -- " And then he was gone. She rubbed her upper arms and looked about his quarters. Even petty officers and soldiers were treated well on the base, it seemed.
A few moments later, Tom returned with a small set of Onigiri on a white plate in one hand and a small salad in the next. "I haven't prepared this much before, so I hope it's acceptable. It's tuna and shrimp Onigiri as an appetizer and a ginger salad to complement it. What would you like to drink?"
Yukari blinked. Tuna and shrimp onigiri? That sounded too much like "tenshi no tabemono," the food of heaven. Had she even made it out of the procedure? The auroma was wonderful. "Ah -- tea?"
Tom snapped his fingers with a smile. "I knew that too! I prepared some green tea." He again returned with two cups of hot green tea and placed them on the table. "It's nothing special, ma'am. Just something from storage." He sat down opposite of her.
Yukari smiled at the food. "Itadakimasu," she said with a little bow. Chopsticks in hand, she grinned and took one of the onigiri onto her plate. She broke it up a little bit, not feeling quite so famished as to simply devour it from her hands. One bite resulted in her "mmmmmmming."
"Freeman-Heisho ... this is wonderful."
"Oh shucks, you flatter me. And please, you don't need to be so formal. A simple Tom is fine." Tom looked over the food. "Healthy appetite for a healthy life. Like the animals of the land, so must we adequately nourish ourselves for the coming winter." With that, he followed up with a bite of a tuna onigiri.
"Ah, yes!" Yukari nodded in agreement. If healthy living in Ralt meant eating like this, she was all for it. The onigiri on her plate was gone; her tea down to half the cup in a gulp. She tried the shrimp next, and felt even better -- it was just plain enough.
"More tea, Yukari?" Tom got up and grabbed the pot that contained the liquid.
"Ah -- yes please," she said in Japanese. She nearly choked on another piece of onigiri, but she managed to gulp it down first. "Ketsurui-Taii had warned me of butter ... but this is quite nice!" Two onigiri down, she started on some salad.
"I learned a bit from the last time I prepared a meal," Tom said as he poured more tea into Yukari's cup. "It seems that Yamataian tastes are quite varied."
"Lots of food for lots of enjoyment, I think." Yukari managed a cheerful smile as she tasted the salad. The ginger added a sharpness to it, but it wasn't half bad.
"Agreed!" Tom sat down and nibbled away at his onigiri and salad. "Is everything ok?"
"Delicious," she said between bites. Without koi chips in her stomach, Yukari was famished. She didn't manage much discussion before the appettizers were gone.
Tom as well had finished most of the light food that served as a start to the meal. He picked up on her hunger and added, with a wink. "Time for the main course?"
"As the chef commands," Yukari said with a grin.
"Sure thing. Give me one moment." Tom grabbed the two plates off the table and disappeared into the kitchen once more. After a few moments, he once again returned, the plates full. "Grilled chicken with lemon seasoning, accompanied by a lightly buttered vegetable melody, made with care for the healthy eater." He placed it down gently in front of Yukari.
" ... " Yukari was speechless. It smelled delicious. Far better than anything she'd had the chance to eat before. Her cooking paled in comparison. " ... Tom ... this is wonderful!" she breathed. There was little else she could say. She prayed over the food again, but waited for Tom to sit down. "This is too much for me?"
Tom was happy to see her so thrilled. He grinned. "I could say something romantically lame like 'nothing is too much for a pretty lady such as yourself,' but wouldn't that be so cliche?" Tom winked at her. "But I'll say it anyway."
The blush across Yukari's nose was unavoidable. "Flattery," she said simply, looking at her plate. "From a junior officer, no less. I feel unclean." She looked up at Tom, but she was grinning a little.
"Oh, so you heard? I hadn't even put the pin on yet." Tom leaned back in his chair. He ate some of his chicken.
Yukari cut off a bite for herself -- just as she had anticipated. He'd cooked the chicken just so. Eating on the Miharu would not be so bad after all. "Ketsurui-Taii is the commanding officer, I the executive. She does tell me things."
"I figured as much," Tom said with a shrug. "But that's boring talk." His eyes lit up. "Tell me about yourself!"
"So forward!" Yukari smiled, tasting the veggies. "You know there is little to tell. I want to know more about the North lands -- they are much more interesting than me. What was the coldest it has ever been?"
"Ah..." Tom sighed a bit, brushing his spiky yellow hair. "We don't really measure temperatures that often--I mean the townfolk in their everyday lives. But if I could guess, I'd say cold enough to kill a fellow twice over."
" ... " Yukari shook her head, smiling. "Amazing. Nekovalkyrja could hardly stand such temperatures ... not in the same way."
"Well, you tend to learn a few things about cold survival when every day tends to be just like the other," Tom said matter-of-factly. "Mainly, lots of layers of clothing."
"I bet it is fashionable." She giggled at her own little joke. "What is done for fun?"
"Fun, now there's an interesting word. Well, we usually had to make our own fun, so what was called 'fun' really was anything anyone enjoyed doing." Tom thought a moment, having paused with a bit of chicken hanging on his fork. "Playing in the snow, trying to spook animals, playing hide-and-seek, drinking in the tavern, those kinds of things. Although we always made sure to stay within town borders when darkness came."
Yukari smiled, focusing on her veggies. "What is a tavern like? I have never visited one ... "
"Really? How interesting." Tom was a little surprised by the statement, but maybe tavern's weren't a particularly common thing outside of his hometown. "Well, a tavern is usually a small wooden building with a bar, an eating area, a fireplace and some instruments, maybe a piano or a fiddle. People in our town always gathered at the tavern at night. Everyone: men, ladies, children, had a great time with music and dance and alcohol."
"That sounds like such fun ... grouping together and playing music. Instead of ... " Yukari blushed a little. "The Sakura."
"Ohhhhh? What happened on the Sakura? I haven't heard much about it, other than it's a very important ship in our military." Tom finished his chicken and started on his vegetables.
Yukari's veggies were gone, and the chicken wasn't going to last long. " ... It is a strange ship. I cannot explain it well. The crew is very close, but in many strange ways."
"Strange ways? Elbaborate, if you will. I'd like to know about it made you hesitate." Tom knew he was prodding a little. "Trust me, I'm a pretty open-minded guy."
"Open-minded ... yes, that's a good way of describe them. They are open-minded about sex, intercrew relations, mission protocol ... I cannot do the situation justice." Yukari nibbled on more of her chicken.
"Oh, I see." Tom's lip curled into a half smile. "I take it you didn't tend to agree with much of it?"
He stood up to take away their empty plates and return them to the kitchen.
"Well ... " Yukari smiled and let the plates be taken away. "It was hard to accept. I was dared to kiss Nyton's penis -- I did so, as I had to. But it was ... bizarre?"
Tom frowned a bit at that statement. "Sounds a little like coercion to me, having to do something like that as part of a game." He quickly put the plates away and the scraps of food in the kitchen away, as well as the pots and pans. "But I speak out of line, I believe. What we do with our time is our owns, is it not?"
"Our time is that of the Star Army," Yukari said, not sounding fully convinced. "It is up to our commander to utilize it -- the Sakura's captain though that was the best use." She smiled.
"Oh, well then, I can't argue with a captain." Tom laughed. "So, now that dinner's out of the way, are you ready for the next part of our date?" He extended his hand to her.
Yukari blushed again. "There is more? The food was excellent, though ... "
"Why yes, ma'am. We are to dance." Tom smiled, his hand still extended.
<center>* * *</center>
Yukari would have been sweating at this point, if she were able to. But that didn't seem to be the case, so she just looked silly as she looked at the hand, looked at Tom, then slowly took it.
Tom was a bit swept in the moment, or rather, the beautiful timing of it, so he failed to notice how small the room was for these kinds of activities. "Have you ever done this before, ma'am?"
"Ah -- no, I have not," she said nervously. Even with her gloves on, she could feel the gentle roughness of his hand, how his skin responded to touch. Not at all like Corro or Nyton.
"Well then, ma'am, I shall be gentle," Tom said as he carefully lead Yukari to her feet. "If all else fails, we always have antigravity." He was joking, of course, and his voice was playful. Yet deep in his voice there was a slight lace of seduction. He escorted her to a nearby chair that rested beside the door to his room. "Excuse me for one moment. I have to get a few things prepared."
Yukari's blush wasn't going away. She silently cursed the Yamataian for his charming demeanor, her smile slightly goofy. "Ah -- okay," she said, unable to muster anything more proper. 'We always have antigravity?' I am in trouble ...
Moving quickly, Tom slid the dining table into the corner, as well as moved all the other pieces of furniture to their nearest walls. The fruit of his labor was the creation of a wide circular area in the center of the room, a little more than 20 feet. A media player rested on a nightstand and Tom sorted through his musical options. "Do you have any preference? Is there some kind of dance that you wanted to try?"
"I trust you," Yukari replied, too quickly. "To not make me look like a fool!" she added, smiling again. She hadn't sat down.
"That's a bit too hard for me to determine by myself," Tom said, turning his head to face Yukari. He smiled warmly at her, trying to dissipate her shyness. "Music covers so many emotions, my lady. Give me a mood and I will match it."
" ... " Yukari felt like she was being interrogated, but in a way, she liked it. Tom was ... she could not place it. Words were practically being sucked out of her mind. "Mildness," she finally said.
Tom had to pause for a moment. Yukari's preference was perhaps the only one he could not immediately find a suiting a match for. He appreciated the challenge, though. Yukari's mindset was... refreshing. "Hm... how about... no... errr..." he said as he sifted through items.
Yukari smiled a little -- he was trying, not correcting. She waited patiently.
"Hm... ok. How about a foxtrot then? If you want pure mildness, we should do a squaredance, but, unfortunately, we don't have the number or space to do it." Tom spoke as if in deep thought. "It's also a fairly easy dance to pick up, and it's peppy as well."
"Fox ... trot?" It sounded strange. Yukari's usual idea of dancing was shaking around in her undergarments after she woke up.
"Yes, Foxtrot," Tom answered. "It's a word used to describe a vast number of dances, under the umbrella of slow or fast steps."
"Ah sou," she said. Slow steps. She could do those.
Finally, Tom had found the perfect music. "Slow style it is, then." He pressed the button and moved toward Yukari with his hand out. "How fun. It's been a long time since I've ball-room danced."
Yukari took the hand again, gulping a little. "I have never danced in a ballroom before ... "
Tom raised his eyebrows at Yukari and smirked. "Then I hope you have an unforgettable experience." He gently pulled her body closer to his, but not too close, giving the two plenty of room in-between their bodies for movement. As he held her hand in his, he took his other and guided it to his back. "Hold your hand here and follow my lead. The slow dance focuses on very rigid steps and patterns, so you should be able to pick it up quickly.
"Ah -- hai," she said, the sudden closeness making her a bit uncomfortable. But soon, with her hands in the right spots, she was following him well enough through the motions. Not that she was thinking very hard about them. He has a toned back, she mused with a little mental giggle.
Tom slid his hand indiscretely down to her hip, as was the normal procedure for this kind of dance. The music was a slow orchestral ballad, accentuated by rising violins. "You're doing pretty good, Yukari." He meant that genuinely. I see she is as graceful as beautiful.
"Thank you," she said quietly in return. She had felt his hand fall to her hip; his hand was a little bit cooler than she had expected as they slowly danced away from a wall they'd come a little close to. "You are a good teacher."
"You flatter me," Tom replied softly. The dance was entertaining enough, but the rigid pattern of 4/4 timed patterns, one two one two, didn't lend itself to much creativity. "This dance also focuses on graceful movements, which I see you have plenty of."
"Liar," Yukari said with reserved laughter, following his steps a little better now. "I could be cheating and having KAMI guide me, after all."
"Liar," Tom said with a grin. "No, honest, you have strong natural talent. You see, because this dance is so predictable, the only way good performers can stand out from the bad ones is by doing the steps with as much fluidity as possible. The way you carry yourself in public has really paid off." At last, the song finished, Tom taking a step backwards and releasing his grip from her.
Yukari smiled warmly and bowed at the end. "Officers are taught more than tactics during their training," she said with a touch of embarassment. "I was not a very graceful NH-17."
"Well, you're definitely a graceful Yamataian. I'm happy for you." Tom walked back to the machine. "My turn."
Yukari's brain practically seized at the word "Yamataian." She gulped -- "Tom ... "
"Hm?" Tom looked back to her. "Am I being too forward?"
"No, that is not it ... " She looked away. "I -- I am not Yamataian now." Yukari couldn't think of another way to put it.
Tom's brow furrowed. "Not Yamataian now? You changed bodies?"
Yukari felt put on the defensive. "I was not doing well in the armor training ... and before that, my body had limited me. I want to be able to protect my friends."
Tom could sense the emotional weight of the matter, as well as the change in Yukari's mood. This was obviously a difficult matter for her. He worded what came next carefully. "You did not come to this choice lightly, ma'am, and I appreciate your willingness to do what you feel to be the right thing."
" ... So sorry," Yukari said, looking down, hands in front of her. "I did not want to lie to you."
Tom walked up to her swiftly and picked her chin up so that her eyes met with his. "You have no reason to be sorry. I trust you completely. In the short time we've been together, you've proven that tenfold." His eyes were soft and compassionate, as was his smile.
"Ah!" Yukari's entire face felt red. Tom was so forward! "Ah -- s,sou." She smiled a little -- then music came on. Fast-paced, with acoustic guitars and other instruments Yukari hadn't heard in some time. She knew the music though.
"Tango?" she said, chin still in Tom's hand. He was so tall.
Tom smiled mischeviously, his nod revealing the truth. He pulled her body close to his. "Might I say again that red looks good on you?" he whispered playfully.
"Idiot," she whispered back in Japanese, not willing to accept she was fighting a losing battle against his charm. She wore a small smile. "You do not care what I am, do you."
"The only thing I care about is that Yukari is Yukari. As long as you remember who you are, I will care for you no matter what body you decide to wear." Tom dipped her body, leaning into hers with his. "Although, I must say, that this one is rather flexible."
Yukari was barely able to contain herself. She was sure she was hot to the touch. She had to hold onto him for dear life, not that she minded. Her bust was millimeters from touching his chest, and she knew he knew it. "It is the finest Yamatai has," she said with a shy smirk.
Tom slid back slowly, admiring her body before pulling her back to meet his. "Mmm... I agree."
The music picked up and Tom guided Yukari through improvised steps, their legs and bodies so close together that several body parts brushed together repeatedly.
Yukari kept her cool -- sort of -- trying to keep up with Tom. For all her supposed grace, he was obviously an old hand at any sort of dancing, for he easily guided her through. She had little chance to stumble due to movement, but plenty due to sheer "Oh-no-was-that-his-thigh?" moments. She kept her eyes locked on his, however, though it involved looking up.
The music paused for a second, a brief intermission, one which allowed Tom to squeeze in a few words as he clutched her body close and whispered into her ear. "Don't focus on me. Embrace the music. Let it carry you away..."
"I -- mm," Yukari said simply. He felt nice, close to her like this. He was obviously different from Kotori ... but it was more than physical. He felt firmer, like a good mattress, she thought as she tried to let the music roll over her. She could lay on him --
"Wahuah!" She nearly tripped, but recovered quickly, and focused again on the music. "Sorry," she whispered embarassingly. Shimattaka!
"Shhhh...." Tom cooed, "Close your eyes and imagine a canvas, your body, my body. The music, now, imagine. It is the paint. The vivid colors, bold, the beautiful hues." Her head rested on his chest, his words echoing both in his lungs and her ears. "Now paint."
Yukari was mesmerized by his words more than the music. It was really art for him, she could tell, not just steps. She tried to do as he asked, but she felt more like the canvas than the painter. He felt very ... nice. That's the only color she had to paint with, it seemed, but it was enough to get her through the music.
The song ended with the long, crying note of a violin, as the two found themselves embraced in a hug. Tom opened his eyes, little beads of sweat on his forehead. "Glorious..."
Yukari wasn't even breathing hard, but her pulse was a little above normal. "Y-yes ... " She could smell his scent a little more now. A little acrid, maybe, but that was because of the sweat -- once that was filtered, she took a slow breath and let it out slowly. He just smelled ... manly. Yes, that was the word. And being so close to him was odd; she just came up to his chest ...
Tom pulled her back slightly, so that their eyes met once more. There was no hiding the passion that they held. Their bodily communication during the dance had revealed more than a thousand words could. He admired everything about her face and body and his flooding desire for her was barely contained. a flooding desire barely contained. Indeed, no more words needed to be said.
Yukari was unsure what to do next. So close, she could feel him, hear his pulse ... she was sure they were thinking the same thing. But they'd barely known each other! How could they do anything more; they'd already done so much! She was going to explode one way or another; the choice was too much --
"Suzuka-Chui," the base's KAMI said outloud.
... Yukari felt like she was being woken from a dream. A really, really nice dream. "Yes," she said softly.
"A vessel registered to you has arrived on at Dock 108, Concourse 42, Arm 5. A pilot is standing by waiting to transfer the vessel to your care."
Yukari was going to scream. Or shoot something. This was not the time. "Can it wait?" she said, almost desperate.
"The pilot must transfer the vessel immediately," the KAMI replied.
... "Dammit," she said in Japanese. "Of all the times to be swept out to sea." She returned to English. "I will be there shortly," she said, looking up at Tom painfully.
Tom could only let out a small chuckle, one that seemed to say 'oh well, what the hell can you do.' "We're on Star Army time, Yukari-Chui..." His lips moved to hers until they met in a kiss. The moment was painfully short but almost an eternity at the same time, for Tom it felt as if his soul had crossed with hers. He wanted the sensation to last forever, but, finally, with great reluctance, he pulled back, the goofy smile returning. "...but I think they have room... for one kiss."
Yukari's eyes had closed instinctually ... she had barely felt the touch of his lips, slightly rough as they were. But the kiss still left her shivering. Her lips were still parted, just a little, when she opened his eyes. "That ... was nice," she said slowly. She opened her eyes, sparkling green in the soft light. "But that was very forward of you," she chided him, giggling just a little.
"Yes, I agree. That was nice." Tom wanted to take her away, right then and there, but knew that he could not. "What can I say? Any more forward and I'd have to grab a club!" Tom chuckled. At least the joke helped ease the desire.
"Only if I let you," she responded with a grin. "I will ... see you tomorrow?" She wanted to see more of him right now.
"My door's always open," Tom replied as he walked slowly, painfully, to the door.
Yukari walked to the door with him. "Good ... then ... I will see you tomorrow." She smiled at him, eyes clearly wanting him, luring him to follow her ... but she stepped through the door, bid him goodnight, and left.
"Sonofabitch," Tom muttered as he walked back to the kitchen to wash up. "I'm going to have some great dreams tonight."
END
Biiin boon
The door chime called Tom from the kitchen.
Tom Freeman was busy at work in the living quarter's kitchen, having a few small pots and pans at work on the small stove that rested in front of him. The area around the Yamataian was a little bit of a mess, with a variety of vegetables, some meats and a little rice and fish on the side. Luckily, these items were strategically hidden behind the dividing wall that separated the kitchen from the tiny eating area next to it. When he heard the doorbell, Tom moved quickly to answer it.
There Suzuka Yukari stood in the doorway, looking about as shy and reserved as she usually did. She wore a skirt uniform with grey panels on top, lap pocket easily holding her datapad and her arms bare from below her shoulders to above her wrists. She kept her hands in front of her, smiling as he opened the door.
Tom could notice something was not quite the same, however. Her hair was shorter, for instance, kept in a slightly smaller bun than before. Her eyes were still an intense green, but otherwise, she looked normal. "Good evening, Freeman-Heisho," Yukari said.
"Good evening, Yukari-Chui," Tom replied with a bow. The Yamataian had changed out of his military suit and into a pair of slacks and a slightly poofy black sweater. "You look very nice this evening, ma'am. I like what you did with your hair." He motioned into the room. "Please, come in."
Yukari blushed; she'd not been complimented on her hair before. She bowed a little in return and stepped inside. "I like your sweater," she said awkwardly, but with a smile.
He smiled politely, sensing his companion's shyness. "Thank you very much. Please, take a seat at the table. I've set it up for us." The circular table near the kitchen had a white cloth draped over it and silverwear set, as well as two glasses at each plate. In the center of the table was a small vase with a collection of flowers in it.
Yukari blushed even more. Though it was not, in truth, too much, she had never received such treatment. She could see the care put into the arrangement. "Thank you," she said quietly and went to the table. As she drew the seat back, she winced; she'd pulled on it too fast and it had scraped some. "Aheh," she said neverously before sitting down.
"It's not my chair, no worries." Tom said as he walked by her and to the entryway of the kitchen. He leaned against the door, turned to face her. "So, ma'am. Did you have any preferences as to what you wanted to eat?"
"Ah, no," she said, slipping into Japanese briefly. "You are the chef -- I trust you completely."
"Thanks," Tom replied. "It's kind of a relief because I made a bit of everything, to be safe. Omachi kudasai, Yukari-sama."
He dissappeared into the kitchen.
Yukari blinked, barely believing the words she'd just heard. "Ah, Freeman-Heisho -- " And then he was gone. She rubbed her upper arms and looked about his quarters. Even petty officers and soldiers were treated well on the base, it seemed.
A few moments later, Tom returned with a small set of Onigiri on a white plate in one hand and a small salad in the next. "I haven't prepared this much before, so I hope it's acceptable. It's tuna and shrimp Onigiri as an appetizer and a ginger salad to complement it. What would you like to drink?"
Yukari blinked. Tuna and shrimp onigiri? That sounded too much like "tenshi no tabemono," the food of heaven. Had she even made it out of the procedure? The auroma was wonderful. "Ah -- tea?"
Tom snapped his fingers with a smile. "I knew that too! I prepared some green tea." He again returned with two cups of hot green tea and placed them on the table. "It's nothing special, ma'am. Just something from storage." He sat down opposite of her.
Yukari smiled at the food. "Itadakimasu," she said with a little bow. Chopsticks in hand, she grinned and took one of the onigiri onto her plate. She broke it up a little bit, not feeling quite so famished as to simply devour it from her hands. One bite resulted in her "mmmmmmming."
"Freeman-Heisho ... this is wonderful."
"Oh shucks, you flatter me. And please, you don't need to be so formal. A simple Tom is fine." Tom looked over the food. "Healthy appetite for a healthy life. Like the animals of the land, so must we adequately nourish ourselves for the coming winter." With that, he followed up with a bite of a tuna onigiri.
"Ah, yes!" Yukari nodded in agreement. If healthy living in Ralt meant eating like this, she was all for it. The onigiri on her plate was gone; her tea down to half the cup in a gulp. She tried the shrimp next, and felt even better -- it was just plain enough.
"More tea, Yukari?" Tom got up and grabbed the pot that contained the liquid.
"Ah -- yes please," she said in Japanese. She nearly choked on another piece of onigiri, but she managed to gulp it down first. "Ketsurui-Taii had warned me of butter ... but this is quite nice!" Two onigiri down, she started on some salad.
"I learned a bit from the last time I prepared a meal," Tom said as he poured more tea into Yukari's cup. "It seems that Yamataian tastes are quite varied."
"Lots of food for lots of enjoyment, I think." Yukari managed a cheerful smile as she tasted the salad. The ginger added a sharpness to it, but it wasn't half bad.
"Agreed!" Tom sat down and nibbled away at his onigiri and salad. "Is everything ok?"
"Delicious," she said between bites. Without koi chips in her stomach, Yukari was famished. She didn't manage much discussion before the appettizers were gone.
Tom as well had finished most of the light food that served as a start to the meal. He picked up on her hunger and added, with a wink. "Time for the main course?"
"As the chef commands," Yukari said with a grin.
"Sure thing. Give me one moment." Tom grabbed the two plates off the table and disappeared into the kitchen once more. After a few moments, he once again returned, the plates full. "Grilled chicken with lemon seasoning, accompanied by a lightly buttered vegetable melody, made with care for the healthy eater." He placed it down gently in front of Yukari.
" ... " Yukari was speechless. It smelled delicious. Far better than anything she'd had the chance to eat before. Her cooking paled in comparison. " ... Tom ... this is wonderful!" she breathed. There was little else she could say. She prayed over the food again, but waited for Tom to sit down. "This is too much for me?"
Tom was happy to see her so thrilled. He grinned. "I could say something romantically lame like 'nothing is too much for a pretty lady such as yourself,' but wouldn't that be so cliche?" Tom winked at her. "But I'll say it anyway."
The blush across Yukari's nose was unavoidable. "Flattery," she said simply, looking at her plate. "From a junior officer, no less. I feel unclean." She looked up at Tom, but she was grinning a little.
"Oh, so you heard? I hadn't even put the pin on yet." Tom leaned back in his chair. He ate some of his chicken.
Yukari cut off a bite for herself -- just as she had anticipated. He'd cooked the chicken just so. Eating on the Miharu would not be so bad after all. "Ketsurui-Taii is the commanding officer, I the executive. She does tell me things."
"I figured as much," Tom said with a shrug. "But that's boring talk." His eyes lit up. "Tell me about yourself!"
"So forward!" Yukari smiled, tasting the veggies. "You know there is little to tell. I want to know more about the North lands -- they are much more interesting than me. What was the coldest it has ever been?"
"Ah..." Tom sighed a bit, brushing his spiky yellow hair. "We don't really measure temperatures that often--I mean the townfolk in their everyday lives. But if I could guess, I'd say cold enough to kill a fellow twice over."
" ... " Yukari shook her head, smiling. "Amazing. Nekovalkyrja could hardly stand such temperatures ... not in the same way."
"Well, you tend to learn a few things about cold survival when every day tends to be just like the other," Tom said matter-of-factly. "Mainly, lots of layers of clothing."
"I bet it is fashionable." She giggled at her own little joke. "What is done for fun?"
"Fun, now there's an interesting word. Well, we usually had to make our own fun, so what was called 'fun' really was anything anyone enjoyed doing." Tom thought a moment, having paused with a bit of chicken hanging on his fork. "Playing in the snow, trying to spook animals, playing hide-and-seek, drinking in the tavern, those kinds of things. Although we always made sure to stay within town borders when darkness came."
Yukari smiled, focusing on her veggies. "What is a tavern like? I have never visited one ... "
"Really? How interesting." Tom was a little surprised by the statement, but maybe tavern's weren't a particularly common thing outside of his hometown. "Well, a tavern is usually a small wooden building with a bar, an eating area, a fireplace and some instruments, maybe a piano or a fiddle. People in our town always gathered at the tavern at night. Everyone: men, ladies, children, had a great time with music and dance and alcohol."
"That sounds like such fun ... grouping together and playing music. Instead of ... " Yukari blushed a little. "The Sakura."
"Ohhhhh? What happened on the Sakura? I haven't heard much about it, other than it's a very important ship in our military." Tom finished his chicken and started on his vegetables.
Yukari's veggies were gone, and the chicken wasn't going to last long. " ... It is a strange ship. I cannot explain it well. The crew is very close, but in many strange ways."
"Strange ways? Elbaborate, if you will. I'd like to know about it made you hesitate." Tom knew he was prodding a little. "Trust me, I'm a pretty open-minded guy."
"Open-minded ... yes, that's a good way of describe them. They are open-minded about sex, intercrew relations, mission protocol ... I cannot do the situation justice." Yukari nibbled on more of her chicken.
"Oh, I see." Tom's lip curled into a half smile. "I take it you didn't tend to agree with much of it?"
He stood up to take away their empty plates and return them to the kitchen.
"Well ... " Yukari smiled and let the plates be taken away. "It was hard to accept. I was dared to kiss Nyton's penis -- I did so, as I had to. But it was ... bizarre?"
Tom frowned a bit at that statement. "Sounds a little like coercion to me, having to do something like that as part of a game." He quickly put the plates away and the scraps of food in the kitchen away, as well as the pots and pans. "But I speak out of line, I believe. What we do with our time is our owns, is it not?"
"Our time is that of the Star Army," Yukari said, not sounding fully convinced. "It is up to our commander to utilize it -- the Sakura's captain though that was the best use." She smiled.
"Oh, well then, I can't argue with a captain." Tom laughed. "So, now that dinner's out of the way, are you ready for the next part of our date?" He extended his hand to her.
Yukari blushed again. "There is more? The food was excellent, though ... "
"Why yes, ma'am. We are to dance." Tom smiled, his hand still extended.
<center>* * *</center>
Yukari would have been sweating at this point, if she were able to. But that didn't seem to be the case, so she just looked silly as she looked at the hand, looked at Tom, then slowly took it.
Tom was a bit swept in the moment, or rather, the beautiful timing of it, so he failed to notice how small the room was for these kinds of activities. "Have you ever done this before, ma'am?"
"Ah -- no, I have not," she said nervously. Even with her gloves on, she could feel the gentle roughness of his hand, how his skin responded to touch. Not at all like Corro or Nyton.
"Well then, ma'am, I shall be gentle," Tom said as he carefully lead Yukari to her feet. "If all else fails, we always have antigravity." He was joking, of course, and his voice was playful. Yet deep in his voice there was a slight lace of seduction. He escorted her to a nearby chair that rested beside the door to his room. "Excuse me for one moment. I have to get a few things prepared."
Yukari's blush wasn't going away. She silently cursed the Yamataian for his charming demeanor, her smile slightly goofy. "Ah -- okay," she said, unable to muster anything more proper. 'We always have antigravity?' I am in trouble ...
Moving quickly, Tom slid the dining table into the corner, as well as moved all the other pieces of furniture to their nearest walls. The fruit of his labor was the creation of a wide circular area in the center of the room, a little more than 20 feet. A media player rested on a nightstand and Tom sorted through his musical options. "Do you have any preference? Is there some kind of dance that you wanted to try?"
"I trust you," Yukari replied, too quickly. "To not make me look like a fool!" she added, smiling again. She hadn't sat down.
"That's a bit too hard for me to determine by myself," Tom said, turning his head to face Yukari. He smiled warmly at her, trying to dissipate her shyness. "Music covers so many emotions, my lady. Give me a mood and I will match it."
" ... " Yukari felt like she was being interrogated, but in a way, she liked it. Tom was ... she could not place it. Words were practically being sucked out of her mind. "Mildness," she finally said.
Tom had to pause for a moment. Yukari's preference was perhaps the only one he could not immediately find a suiting a match for. He appreciated the challenge, though. Yukari's mindset was... refreshing. "Hm... how about... no... errr..." he said as he sifted through items.
Yukari smiled a little -- he was trying, not correcting. She waited patiently.
"Hm... ok. How about a foxtrot then? If you want pure mildness, we should do a squaredance, but, unfortunately, we don't have the number or space to do it." Tom spoke as if in deep thought. "It's also a fairly easy dance to pick up, and it's peppy as well."
"Fox ... trot?" It sounded strange. Yukari's usual idea of dancing was shaking around in her undergarments after she woke up.
"Yes, Foxtrot," Tom answered. "It's a word used to describe a vast number of dances, under the umbrella of slow or fast steps."
"Ah sou," she said. Slow steps. She could do those.
Finally, Tom had found the perfect music. "Slow style it is, then." He pressed the button and moved toward Yukari with his hand out. "How fun. It's been a long time since I've ball-room danced."
Yukari took the hand again, gulping a little. "I have never danced in a ballroom before ... "
Tom raised his eyebrows at Yukari and smirked. "Then I hope you have an unforgettable experience." He gently pulled her body closer to his, but not too close, giving the two plenty of room in-between their bodies for movement. As he held her hand in his, he took his other and guided it to his back. "Hold your hand here and follow my lead. The slow dance focuses on very rigid steps and patterns, so you should be able to pick it up quickly.
"Ah -- hai," she said, the sudden closeness making her a bit uncomfortable. But soon, with her hands in the right spots, she was following him well enough through the motions. Not that she was thinking very hard about them. He has a toned back, she mused with a little mental giggle.
Tom slid his hand indiscretely down to her hip, as was the normal procedure for this kind of dance. The music was a slow orchestral ballad, accentuated by rising violins. "You're doing pretty good, Yukari." He meant that genuinely. I see she is as graceful as beautiful.
"Thank you," she said quietly in return. She had felt his hand fall to her hip; his hand was a little bit cooler than she had expected as they slowly danced away from a wall they'd come a little close to. "You are a good teacher."
"You flatter me," Tom replied softly. The dance was entertaining enough, but the rigid pattern of 4/4 timed patterns, one two one two, didn't lend itself to much creativity. "This dance also focuses on graceful movements, which I see you have plenty of."
"Liar," Yukari said with reserved laughter, following his steps a little better now. "I could be cheating and having KAMI guide me, after all."
"Liar," Tom said with a grin. "No, honest, you have strong natural talent. You see, because this dance is so predictable, the only way good performers can stand out from the bad ones is by doing the steps with as much fluidity as possible. The way you carry yourself in public has really paid off." At last, the song finished, Tom taking a step backwards and releasing his grip from her.
Yukari smiled warmly and bowed at the end. "Officers are taught more than tactics during their training," she said with a touch of embarassment. "I was not a very graceful NH-17."
"Well, you're definitely a graceful Yamataian. I'm happy for you." Tom walked back to the machine. "My turn."
Yukari's brain practically seized at the word "Yamataian." She gulped -- "Tom ... "
"Hm?" Tom looked back to her. "Am I being too forward?"
"No, that is not it ... " She looked away. "I -- I am not Yamataian now." Yukari couldn't think of another way to put it.
Tom's brow furrowed. "Not Yamataian now? You changed bodies?"
Yukari felt put on the defensive. "I was not doing well in the armor training ... and before that, my body had limited me. I want to be able to protect my friends."
Tom could sense the emotional weight of the matter, as well as the change in Yukari's mood. This was obviously a difficult matter for her. He worded what came next carefully. "You did not come to this choice lightly, ma'am, and I appreciate your willingness to do what you feel to be the right thing."
" ... So sorry," Yukari said, looking down, hands in front of her. "I did not want to lie to you."
Tom walked up to her swiftly and picked her chin up so that her eyes met with his. "You have no reason to be sorry. I trust you completely. In the short time we've been together, you've proven that tenfold." His eyes were soft and compassionate, as was his smile.
"Ah!" Yukari's entire face felt red. Tom was so forward! "Ah -- s,sou." She smiled a little -- then music came on. Fast-paced, with acoustic guitars and other instruments Yukari hadn't heard in some time. She knew the music though.
"Tango?" she said, chin still in Tom's hand. He was so tall.
Tom smiled mischeviously, his nod revealing the truth. He pulled her body close to his. "Might I say again that red looks good on you?" he whispered playfully.
"Idiot," she whispered back in Japanese, not willing to accept she was fighting a losing battle against his charm. She wore a small smile. "You do not care what I am, do you."
"The only thing I care about is that Yukari is Yukari. As long as you remember who you are, I will care for you no matter what body you decide to wear." Tom dipped her body, leaning into hers with his. "Although, I must say, that this one is rather flexible."
Yukari was barely able to contain herself. She was sure she was hot to the touch. She had to hold onto him for dear life, not that she minded. Her bust was millimeters from touching his chest, and she knew he knew it. "It is the finest Yamatai has," she said with a shy smirk.
Tom slid back slowly, admiring her body before pulling her back to meet his. "Mmm... I agree."
The music picked up and Tom guided Yukari through improvised steps, their legs and bodies so close together that several body parts brushed together repeatedly.
Yukari kept her cool -- sort of -- trying to keep up with Tom. For all her supposed grace, he was obviously an old hand at any sort of dancing, for he easily guided her through. She had little chance to stumble due to movement, but plenty due to sheer "Oh-no-was-that-his-thigh?" moments. She kept her eyes locked on his, however, though it involved looking up.
The music paused for a second, a brief intermission, one which allowed Tom to squeeze in a few words as he clutched her body close and whispered into her ear. "Don't focus on me. Embrace the music. Let it carry you away..."
"I -- mm," Yukari said simply. He felt nice, close to her like this. He was obviously different from Kotori ... but it was more than physical. He felt firmer, like a good mattress, she thought as she tried to let the music roll over her. She could lay on him --
"Wahuah!" She nearly tripped, but recovered quickly, and focused again on the music. "Sorry," she whispered embarassingly. Shimattaka!
"Shhhh...." Tom cooed, "Close your eyes and imagine a canvas, your body, my body. The music, now, imagine. It is the paint. The vivid colors, bold, the beautiful hues." Her head rested on his chest, his words echoing both in his lungs and her ears. "Now paint."
Yukari was mesmerized by his words more than the music. It was really art for him, she could tell, not just steps. She tried to do as he asked, but she felt more like the canvas than the painter. He felt very ... nice. That's the only color she had to paint with, it seemed, but it was enough to get her through the music.
The song ended with the long, crying note of a violin, as the two found themselves embraced in a hug. Tom opened his eyes, little beads of sweat on his forehead. "Glorious..."
Yukari wasn't even breathing hard, but her pulse was a little above normal. "Y-yes ... " She could smell his scent a little more now. A little acrid, maybe, but that was because of the sweat -- once that was filtered, she took a slow breath and let it out slowly. He just smelled ... manly. Yes, that was the word. And being so close to him was odd; she just came up to his chest ...
Tom pulled her back slightly, so that their eyes met once more. There was no hiding the passion that they held. Their bodily communication during the dance had revealed more than a thousand words could. He admired everything about her face and body and his flooding desire for her was barely contained. a flooding desire barely contained. Indeed, no more words needed to be said.
Yukari was unsure what to do next. So close, she could feel him, hear his pulse ... she was sure they were thinking the same thing. But they'd barely known each other! How could they do anything more; they'd already done so much! She was going to explode one way or another; the choice was too much --
"Suzuka-Chui," the base's KAMI said outloud.
... Yukari felt like she was being woken from a dream. A really, really nice dream. "Yes," she said softly.
"A vessel registered to you has arrived on at Dock 108, Concourse 42, Arm 5. A pilot is standing by waiting to transfer the vessel to your care."
Yukari was going to scream. Or shoot something. This was not the time. "Can it wait?" she said, almost desperate.
"The pilot must transfer the vessel immediately," the KAMI replied.
... "Dammit," she said in Japanese. "Of all the times to be swept out to sea." She returned to English. "I will be there shortly," she said, looking up at Tom painfully.
Tom could only let out a small chuckle, one that seemed to say 'oh well, what the hell can you do.' "We're on Star Army time, Yukari-Chui..." His lips moved to hers until they met in a kiss. The moment was painfully short but almost an eternity at the same time, for Tom it felt as if his soul had crossed with hers. He wanted the sensation to last forever, but, finally, with great reluctance, he pulled back, the goofy smile returning. "...but I think they have room... for one kiss."
Yukari's eyes had closed instinctually ... she had barely felt the touch of his lips, slightly rough as they were. But the kiss still left her shivering. Her lips were still parted, just a little, when she opened his eyes. "That ... was nice," she said slowly. She opened her eyes, sparkling green in the soft light. "But that was very forward of you," she chided him, giggling just a little.
"Yes, I agree. That was nice." Tom wanted to take her away, right then and there, but knew that he could not. "What can I say? Any more forward and I'd have to grab a club!" Tom chuckled. At least the joke helped ease the desire.
"Only if I let you," she responded with a grin. "I will ... see you tomorrow?" She wanted to see more of him right now.
"My door's always open," Tom replied as he walked slowly, painfully, to the door.
Yukari walked to the door with him. "Good ... then ... I will see you tomorrow." She smiled at him, eyes clearly wanting him, luring him to follow her ... but she stepped through the door, bid him goodnight, and left.
"Sonofabitch," Tom muttered as he walked back to the kitchen to wash up. "I'm going to have some great dreams tonight."
END
James listened intently to his crewmates talk as his eyes swept across the bay. Leutre was definately proving interesting, and both Junis seemed open, if a bit larger-than-life to him.
"I jumped from job to job, mostly. Nothing too spectacular. I also saved up a bit to go sightseeing around Yamatai for several months about eight years ago."
"I jumped from job to job, mostly. Nothing too spectacular. I also saved up a bit to go sightseeing around Yamatai for several months about eight years ago."
Abwehran Commander
Inactive Member
Masako's cream-toned skin seemed to pale slightly as Nyton asked about the Mikomi's last mission. "I...I'd rather not speak about that here," she replied to the other warrant officer with an uncomfortable tone. "Maybe in a more private setting, since we are here to enjoy ourselves right now," she explained as she pensively looked away from Nyton's gaze.
Instead, she looked out into the production area and kept her peace as she continued to walk with her crewmates.
Instead, she looked out into the production area and kept her peace as she continued to walk with her crewmates.
Strangelove
Inactive Member
"Disease? Heh." Leutre smiled and put his hands in his pockets. "I'm a space case. I think the technical term is gravity adaptation syndrome. You know how if someone spends too much time in zero-G they get sick when they re-enter gravity? The body adapting, or something like that. I was born and raised in zero-G, so normal grav would have killed me. The high and mighty wanted to force me into a new body, but I told them to go have intercourse with themselves."
Leutre laughed to himself as he recalled the event. Clearing his throat, he continued, "But eventually they offered me the alternative of medical treatment if I agreed to constant checkups and letting them use the data for research. I guess it's because we space babies are something of a rare commodity."
Leutre laughed to himself as he recalled the event. Clearing his throat, he continued, "But eventually they offered me the alternative of medical treatment if I agreed to constant checkups and letting them use the data for research. I guess it's because we space babies are something of a rare commodity."
The moment the door closed on Yukari, she swore.
There didn't seem to be anything else she could do. Swearing was the best option at the moment; she certainly could not begin masturbating in the hallway. Nor could she shoot a door, scream at a wall, or simply knock again and ask to stay the night, the mission, the rest of her very life with him.
So, she was left to swear. Under her breath, of course, so as not to offend anyone walking by, though at 1700, there was no one around. She tried to collect herself as she went down one of the long conveyer belts toward the appropriate concourse. But it was difficult.
The kiss. It had been ... just, so, right. There was no denying it. She'd never been kissed by Kotori like that, with passion so pitifully restrained it was as if Tom's very breath were drawing her soul out from her. It was a feeling she knew, one way or another, she would have to experience again. She swallowed loudly, as if to put her soul back into place.
These thoughts did little to help calm her as she made her way to the appropriate dock. It was a simple affair, no more than 20 meters long by 5 meters high. It was one of several on the arm. Only one blacksuited Nekovalkyrja was inside of of the closed docking bay, but it was what she was standing next to that made Yukari gasp a little.
It had arrived. Somehow. Hrist, her transport, looked so much different now. Matte black paint, with a green dot on each wing ... larger engines ... a large underbelly tank-like unit, also black ... and something written under the canopy, near the pilot's seat. She smiled a little and entered the docking bay.
"Suzuka-Chui," the Nekovalkyrja said. She had grey skin and blue hair.
"Yes," she responded in Japanese.
"Your transport will be transferred to the ship you are serving on before it is launched. You have acknowledged the delivery, so I am free from my duty."
"Yes," Yukari said again. "Dismissed."
"Thank you," the Neko said gruffly with a stiff bow, then left.
Yukari could only look at her vessel -- hers, and hers alone. It was only mildly distracting however -- even after she saw the writing below the cockpit, her name in Japanese and English with matte grey paint. She had to smile a little at the aesthetic touch; Kobayakawa had done an absolutely stunning job.
There would be more time to explore later, however. Yukari was full of good food and even better memories. To ensure Hrist would be safe (the black-suited Nekos made her slightly nervous) she collected the helmet from the cockpit, noting they had painted it matte black with two green dots on either side as well. She took the helmet with her back to her room, tossed it onto the small couch, dressed down to her underwear, and climbed into bed. Thoughts of Tom were far too strong for her to remember anything she saw or felt before getting into that bed ... and what she felt after getting in bed was hard to recall too. But she remembered being warm yet shivering, and that was enough for her.
There didn't seem to be anything else she could do. Swearing was the best option at the moment; she certainly could not begin masturbating in the hallway. Nor could she shoot a door, scream at a wall, or simply knock again and ask to stay the night, the mission, the rest of her very life with him.
So, she was left to swear. Under her breath, of course, so as not to offend anyone walking by, though at 1700, there was no one around. She tried to collect herself as she went down one of the long conveyer belts toward the appropriate concourse. But it was difficult.
The kiss. It had been ... just, so, right. There was no denying it. She'd never been kissed by Kotori like that, with passion so pitifully restrained it was as if Tom's very breath were drawing her soul out from her. It was a feeling she knew, one way or another, she would have to experience again. She swallowed loudly, as if to put her soul back into place.
These thoughts did little to help calm her as she made her way to the appropriate dock. It was a simple affair, no more than 20 meters long by 5 meters high. It was one of several on the arm. Only one blacksuited Nekovalkyrja was inside of of the closed docking bay, but it was what she was standing next to that made Yukari gasp a little.
It had arrived. Somehow. Hrist, her transport, looked so much different now. Matte black paint, with a green dot on each wing ... larger engines ... a large underbelly tank-like unit, also black ... and something written under the canopy, near the pilot's seat. She smiled a little and entered the docking bay.
"Suzuka-Chui," the Nekovalkyrja said. She had grey skin and blue hair.
"Yes," she responded in Japanese.
"Your transport will be transferred to the ship you are serving on before it is launched. You have acknowledged the delivery, so I am free from my duty."
"Yes," Yukari said again. "Dismissed."
"Thank you," the Neko said gruffly with a stiff bow, then left.
Yukari could only look at her vessel -- hers, and hers alone. It was only mildly distracting however -- even after she saw the writing below the cockpit, her name in Japanese and English with matte grey paint. She had to smile a little at the aesthetic touch; Kobayakawa had done an absolutely stunning job.
There would be more time to explore later, however. Yukari was full of good food and even better memories. To ensure Hrist would be safe (the black-suited Nekos made her slightly nervous) she collected the helmet from the cockpit, noting they had painted it matte black with two green dots on either side as well. She took the helmet with her back to her room, tossed it onto the small couch, dressed down to her underwear, and climbed into bed. Thoughts of Tom were far too strong for her to remember anything she saw or felt before getting into that bed ... and what she felt after getting in bed was hard to recall too. But she remembered being warm yet shivering, and that was enough for her.
Nyton
Inactive Member
The group was nearing the concourse level as they passed by the docking stations. There was activity visible here as well with transport ships carrying supplies constantly on the move. Despite the secretive nature of the Scorpio, cargo runs are still necessary for the ship production facilities. Many Neko were present here as well to shuttle off the material to their intended location.
Nyton watched all of this through the windows that lined the hallway as they walked through. The efficiency of their motions was almost machine like but without losing that humanoid charm.
Nyton gave Masako a look of understanding and nodded. "You're right. We're off duty now. I guess I have a hard time discussing things outside of the military sometimes. I'm considering taking up a hobby to give me a break from studying warfare all the time." he said with a slight chuckle. "You have any hobbies or pastimes that you enjoy?" he asked with a lighter tone to take away the edge from the previous topic.
"Ah sightseeing." Nyton replied to James's response. "You know, aside from the war college on Kyoto and some training camps I've never really seen much of Yamatai. I really need to take time off to do some sightseeing there. What would be some good locations you would recommend to me?" he asked warmly.
Leutre's response earned Nyton a curious look but he understood it after he finished his explanation. "Oh I see. Yes, it makes sense. That's something us planetbound folks tend to forget about. Well, try not to get too annoyed about the whole science experiment thing. We won't treat you like one. Besides, with your experience out on the fringes I'd say that knowledge makes you more of a valuable asset should we be assigned to a mission out there. I would like to hear more about your time out there myself." he said. Nyton had become more interested in Leutre's personality and experiences on the frontier.
Nyton watched all of this through the windows that lined the hallway as they walked through. The efficiency of their motions was almost machine like but without losing that humanoid charm.
Nyton gave Masako a look of understanding and nodded. "You're right. We're off duty now. I guess I have a hard time discussing things outside of the military sometimes. I'm considering taking up a hobby to give me a break from studying warfare all the time." he said with a slight chuckle. "You have any hobbies or pastimes that you enjoy?" he asked with a lighter tone to take away the edge from the previous topic.
"Ah sightseeing." Nyton replied to James's response. "You know, aside from the war college on Kyoto and some training camps I've never really seen much of Yamatai. I really need to take time off to do some sightseeing there. What would be some good locations you would recommend to me?" he asked warmly.
Leutre's response earned Nyton a curious look but he understood it after he finished his explanation. "Oh I see. Yes, it makes sense. That's something us planetbound folks tend to forget about. Well, try not to get too annoyed about the whole science experiment thing. We won't treat you like one. Besides, with your experience out on the fringes I'd say that knowledge makes you more of a valuable asset should we be assigned to a mission out there. I would like to hear more about your time out there myself." he said. Nyton had become more interested in Leutre's personality and experiences on the frontier.
Tom
Inactive Member
It was surprising how quickly work could be accomplished when one was completely fascinated on a subject.
For Tom, that subject was Yukari.
He had started cleaning the kitchen—the assortment of dishes, pots and utensils that were strewn about—only minutes ago. He had hoped that the cool running water of the sink would douse his passion, or, at the very least, distract him enough to take his mind off the woman he was head-over-heels in love with.
Yukari. The simple thought of her caused a sigh to escape his lips. Tom's body robotically continued to do its cleaning, but his mind was caught in a love-struck web from which he could not escape.
He had never connected with another so deeply, and this from nothing more than a kiss! Well, the dance had helped too, but... the kiss.
Oh man... Tom closed his eyes, reliving the brief moment countless times... how she trembled in his arms, fragile, while he shared with her the most precious thing he had in the world.
Her soft body. Her luxurious hair. Her eyes. Her soft green eyes that spoke volumes, those eyes that were a window into her soul.
But it was so much more than that too...
It seemed that cleaning didn't do a damn thing it was intended to. And it was getting late.
If his mind couldn't be distracted, at least his body's desire could.
After the longest shower of his life, Tom slipped into bed and lulled himself to sleep with notes of the tango dancing in his head.
For Tom, that subject was Yukari.
He had started cleaning the kitchen—the assortment of dishes, pots and utensils that were strewn about—only minutes ago. He had hoped that the cool running water of the sink would douse his passion, or, at the very least, distract him enough to take his mind off the woman he was head-over-heels in love with.
Yukari. The simple thought of her caused a sigh to escape his lips. Tom's body robotically continued to do its cleaning, but his mind was caught in a love-struck web from which he could not escape.
He had never connected with another so deeply, and this from nothing more than a kiss! Well, the dance had helped too, but... the kiss.
Oh man... Tom closed his eyes, reliving the brief moment countless times... how she trembled in his arms, fragile, while he shared with her the most precious thing he had in the world.
Her soft body. Her luxurious hair. Her eyes. Her soft green eyes that spoke volumes, those eyes that were a window into her soul.
But it was so much more than that too...
It seemed that cleaning didn't do a damn thing it was intended to. And it was getting late.
If his mind couldn't be distracted, at least his body's desire could.
After the longest shower of his life, Tom slipped into bed and lulled himself to sleep with notes of the tango dancing in his head.
Strangelove
Inactive Member
Leutre turned his head as they passed the docking stations. As he watched the transport ships he couldn't help but feel a hint of nostalgia. "The frontier. A few colonies and stations. Good drinks, friends, laughter, spirited girls, and the occasional rousing pirate raid. What more could you ask for?" Leutre tilted his head slightly and gave Nyton a curious look.
"Ah, oops, I forgot one thing. Home. A Vampire-class. The Bloody Mayhem, a good ship." Leutre smiled warmly as he pictured the vessel. Closing his eyes, he soon found himself caught up in his own little world. "Engines that keep you warm on cold nights. One deck, a small living area that always smells of spiced wine. The central cargo bay, it had so many spare parts. I loved spending days just tinkering away. In vehicle bay an old tank chassis, my playpen. The most of the ship's grav plating was stripped away to make maintainence easier. Zero-G made everything inside a giant mess, which is why we called it the Bloody Mayhem. But Goddess bless, it was just so calming. I've never once slept as well as I have in zero gravity."
Leutre's happy jabbering suddenly fell silent when he remembered where he was. Embarrassed, he opening his eyes he looked over at his companions. Giving them a nervous half-smile he muttered, "Sorry. There I go again." I've already irritated that Nekovalkyrja officer today. I really have to be more careful about my rambling on.
"Ah, oops, I forgot one thing. Home. A Vampire-class. The Bloody Mayhem, a good ship." Leutre smiled warmly as he pictured the vessel. Closing his eyes, he soon found himself caught up in his own little world. "Engines that keep you warm on cold nights. One deck, a small living area that always smells of spiced wine. The central cargo bay, it had so many spare parts. I loved spending days just tinkering away. In vehicle bay an old tank chassis, my playpen. The most of the ship's grav plating was stripped away to make maintainence easier. Zero-G made everything inside a giant mess, which is why we called it the Bloody Mayhem. But Goddess bless, it was just so calming. I've never once slept as well as I have in zero gravity."
Leutre's happy jabbering suddenly fell silent when he remembered where he was. Embarrassed, he opening his eyes he looked over at his companions. Giving them a nervous half-smile he muttered, "Sorry. There I go again." I've already irritated that Nekovalkyrja officer today. I really have to be more careful about my rambling on.
Abwehran Commander
Inactive Member
"I like to play the viola," Masako simply replied to Nyton, thankful for the change in subject as she turned to listen to Leutre go on about his home. She listened intently as the young man spoke passionately about a small Vampire Patrol Craft, not showing any signs of annoyance at all. Even as the young Hei showed signs of embarassment at what he said, she only gave him a smile.
"It must be wonderful to have a place like that. A place you feel so comfortable in that all your cares seem to drift away." Masako replied. "That's normally how I feel when I play my viola. Its rich tones just seem to carry my worries away when I feel troubled."
"It must be wonderful to have a place like that. A place you feel so comfortable in that all your cares seem to drift away." Masako replied. "That's normally how I feel when I play my viola. Its rich tones just seem to carry my worries away when I feel troubled."
"Ah, a musician in our ranks."
James smiled before turning his attention to Nyton. He was completely helpless when it came to learning any sort of musical instrument, but that didn't stop him from enjoying it.
"The one place that stands out in my mind is the city of Jskita. I still can't believe how much they were selling there. It's like...everything you could ever think of was for sale somewhere in the city, and then some. Not to mention that the views of the Jhuniata Desert took my breath away."
James smiled before turning his attention to Nyton. He was completely helpless when it came to learning any sort of musical instrument, but that didn't stop him from enjoying it.
"The one place that stands out in my mind is the city of Jskita. I still can't believe how much they were selling there. It's like...everything you could ever think of was for sale somewhere in the city, and then some. Not to mention that the views of the Jhuniata Desert took my breath away."
Nyton
Inactive Member
Nyton listened to Leutre reminisce about his home ship and gave a smile. The warmth of the description was familiar and a slight nostalgia hit him for a moment. For all his misgivings about military protocol Leutre didn't seem like a bad guy off duty. It's going to be on duty that I'll have to see him prove himself out on. Nyton thought to himself with a mental shrug. "That's quite alright Leutre. We're not on duty now. 'Rambling is an allowable course of action during a social gathering.'" he said with an overly technical emphasis on the last sentence.
Masako's peace at playing viola was another welcome response. "So many musically oriented people are aboard the ship. I'm not sure what Tom plays but he is musically inclined. Yukari also has interest but she is a lot less forward regarding her musical skill so she should be approached gently on that subject. Music sounds as thought it really has a deep effect on you." Perhaps that is what I need. Some sort of musical diversion to focus this instability I felt earlier.
James's recommendation brought a grin to Nyton's face. "A market city in the middle of the desert eh? Sounds facinating. It even hints of ancient romantic notions of overland trade routes and travel. I'm certainly glad you mentioned a desert and not some mountainous snow vista. Personally I hate the cold. The snow and wind chill just makes me irritable. I'll take the stifling heat and sunburn over frostbite anyday." Nyton said with subconcious inflections in his voice that made his demeanor regarding climate preference obvious.
The hallway they were travelling in had gotten a lot busier as more and more Neko passed by them with the same destination in mind. After they rounded another bend they arrived at the concourse level. The hallway opened up to reveal the various shops and activities going on. A quick scan showed that there were many Neko already here carrying business, purchases, shopping, etc.
Nyton watched all this and scanned the line of shops. He already had a couple purchases in mind. An instrument. I'm going to take up an instrument. he determined to himself. "So, what all do we feel like buying today?" he asked aloud.
END OF DAY 2
Masako's peace at playing viola was another welcome response. "So many musically oriented people are aboard the ship. I'm not sure what Tom plays but he is musically inclined. Yukari also has interest but she is a lot less forward regarding her musical skill so she should be approached gently on that subject. Music sounds as thought it really has a deep effect on you." Perhaps that is what I need. Some sort of musical diversion to focus this instability I felt earlier.
James's recommendation brought a grin to Nyton's face. "A market city in the middle of the desert eh? Sounds facinating. It even hints of ancient romantic notions of overland trade routes and travel. I'm certainly glad you mentioned a desert and not some mountainous snow vista. Personally I hate the cold. The snow and wind chill just makes me irritable. I'll take the stifling heat and sunburn over frostbite anyday." Nyton said with subconcious inflections in his voice that made his demeanor regarding climate preference obvious.
The hallway they were travelling in had gotten a lot busier as more and more Neko passed by them with the same destination in mind. After they rounded another bend they arrived at the concourse level. The hallway opened up to reveal the various shops and activities going on. A quick scan showed that there were many Neko already here carrying business, purchases, shopping, etc.
Nyton watched all this and scanned the line of shops. He already had a couple purchases in mind. An instrument. I'm going to take up an instrument. he determined to himself. "So, what all do we feel like buying today?" he asked aloud.
END OF DAY 2
- Status
