RP: YSS Miharu Prologue, Day 3

Mizuho stared.

Perhaps she was staring back at the ranks of people ogling her. Or perhaps she was staring at the wall behind them in a desperate attempt not to stare at them. Hell, perhaps her mind had broken from the formality displayed by Nyton and Yukari - she never had paid much heed to formality, after all.

The fact was quite simple: she stared.

"Th-thank you... Kotori-san..." A rather uncertain response came, after some pause. It wasn't particularly like Mizuho to stutter her speech, or ever be at a loss for words - that had always, in fact, been part of her problem in her military days. Too much capacity for insulting witticisms in multiple languages.

"Forgive me for not... rendering courtesy."

"Apology accepted." Kotori nodded back to Mizuho and then walked from the shuttle, giving her crewmembers an "At Ease," and a wave to dismiss them. She noticed that Leutre - an enlisted crewman - again failed to make a bow or even a respectful nod even with Nyton's prompting and the example of her two highest ranked officers.

She decided to leave it for Yukari and Nyton to shape up the recalcitrant nepleslian - she had other things to tend to. "Did you get a package from Taiie?" she asked Mara.

The sandy haired sprite gave a small nod. "Yes, it's right here." The recently-born sprite skipped over to a sturdy traveling suitcase with a tube-like container strapped to it which suspiciously looked long enough to contain a sword. "Here," Mara said as she offered Kotori the two packages.

"Thank you." The Taii accepted the luggage. "Please offload the shuttle: whatever personal effects you will bring to our guest later - as for the chocolate candy, stow it in a container and bring it to the kitchen for Tom to put in storage." She paused. "What is the progress of the nodal system?"

"Almost done. Only the auxiliary ship is left." Mara helpfully answered.

Kotori nodded and, after giving Mizuho a single toss of her head to indicate she wanted her to follow, walked to the stairs going up the catwalk that lead to the decontamination room and out of the bay, parting from the rest of the other officers with a set telepathic instructions: "Finish up here and then gather the crew to the science lab - I plan on giving out our mission briefing and want to take advantage of the room's holographic emitters and database access. The presentation starts in thirty minutes."

"...that wasnt an entirely serious appology, Kotori-san..." A musing smile. "Though your crew clearly respects you. I'm simply not certain rendering courtesy is something one should be... ordered to do..." She had noticed as well Leutre's relative cluelessness. "One earns... or doesnt earn... courtesy. Though I would say you actually have earned it."

Mizuho followed after her, trailing off, her entire dialogue mostly directed at herself anyway. What? More than a month confined in an escape pod can make people a little crazy! Mizuho was, in fact, in remarkable mental condition considering her habit of vanishing for long periods of time into solitary confinement in small capsules in deep space.

"Was there something... you needed... Kotori-san?"

It felt strange, being onboard a ship and having no authority. But it was a feeling Mizuho was already beginning to like.

"Well, we need to get you settled in one of the Miharu's crew cabins, preferably close to mine." Kotori answered. "I'll cover you getting essentials such as clothing, footwear and weaponry as well." She hefted the cylindrical container for Mizuho to view a moment before crossing the threshold that lead to the main passageway. "I heard you had a passion for anything chinese, so I got you a Jian-"

Kotori broke off what she was saying, noticing that she had naturally flown out into the anti-gravity passageway while Mizuho was likely not used to it. The passage lining the Miharu's three decks and it's ventral and dorsal airlocks was filled with white cushions and lined with sturdy loops of cloth. "Newer Ketsurui Fleet Yards-made vessels forego elevators for zero-gravity passageways." The Taii turned to explain as her long black hair slowly billowed outward. "Since our destination is the Miharu's upperdeck, you'll have to use your anti-gravity control to make your way up. Nepleslians and Geshrins have to propel themselves manually up, with these cloth loops to help."

"Crew cabins... wonderful." Something very new to Mizuho. But she sounded genuinely enthused by this. "I have civilian clothing... some, anyway. Other clothing was in mind, I take it?" No comment on the footwear. Mizuho frequently went barefoot, but perhaps some people didnt like this. The zero-gravity passageway caught her quite off-guard, as Kotori might have expected...

...though she couldnt help but grin broadly at the mention of a jian. "...zhang tau-ji can work quite well with a jian. Thank you, Kotori-san..."

And with those words, she braved that step into the passageway of doom, and after a moment of focus, began slowly ascending that passageway. She might have taken note of the obvious effect zero-gravity had on her civilian clothing... a pretty lilac dress purchased by Toshiro, as it were... but Kotori offered a resounding 'zero' in the realm of sexually threatening. Besides, Mizuho had walked halfway across Destiny through hordes of rioting Nepleslians without a lick of clothing. So... rambling aside... she...

...ascended the hallway?

Sounds plausible.

Kotori led Mizuho to the upper deck, landing on in the corridor going toward the ship's stern. "I'm not very familiar with chinese weapons and their related combat styles - at two years old, I'm still struggling with elements of the strong japanese trait running through the nekovalkyrja race. Even if I was born to be trained as a Ketsurui Samurai, the only fighting style I excel at is Sora-Mai."

The corridor opened up on the Miharu's expansive wardroom, complete with small round tables, chairs, and even a couple of rectangular tables closer to the middle of the room. Couches, big flower pots and coffee tables were also arrayed here and there. Large viewports dominated the far end of the chamber, peering at the back of the vessel andshowing the top of the auxiliary ship's armor plated prow, including the Star Army of Yamatai's Mindy over a red circle showing proudly on top of it. The view beyond showed the familliar insides of the Iori-class fortress with a handful of other Star Army vessels being serviced.

Landing gingerly, Mizuho suppressed a grin. At last an innovation in these starships that she not only didn't hate, but that she positively loved. Zero-gravity passageways were nothing more than extraordinary FUN! Hyah! Okay, cue return to usual jaded self. A light nod. "Sora-Mai. I've a bit of experience in that... as though any of us dont..."

Eyes widened slightly at the wardroom. It was well-furnished, yes, but it was the space, the simple elegance of it all, that caught Mizuho's attention. Far different from the spartan quarters of Seion, or the plush luxury of Nozomi (which Mizuho had found entirely unnecessary, undesirable, and worthless), or even the flat functionality of Yggdrasil. Yes, this was certainly functional... but it was aesthetically pleasing and at once not overly extravagent! Love!

"Two years old." Mizuho sounded almost amused at this. "...I am... going to be eighteen, before much longer. If you have the interest, I could show you a bit of the old Chinese innovations in killing."

"Hai, Taii-san." Yukari had risen from her bow long enough to see Leutre had once again failed to bow. His inability to adapt culturally, it seemed, was more a constant than an associated effect of his being new.

"Claymere-Juni, please note Veressis-Hei's failure to respect protocol. You are more apt to deal with him, I believe; please do so at your discretion." Yukari then turned to the rest of the crew who were present, including James, who had come in a moment after Kotori had left.

"Hai, everyone!" Yukari said. "Ketsurui-Taii wishes for us to finish here and then report to the Science Lab. We will have our mission briefing there."

"Starboard bay's done!" Mara shouted from in the shuttle.

"Yes, thank you Mara!" Yukari shouted back. "Let us hurry; we have new equipment to hand out as well."

Kotori nodded back as she turned to the left, walked past the kitchen and led Mizuho up the curving flight of stairs. "How can they be innovations if they are old?" The Taii quipped back.

"Ah, they were innovations in their own time, and hold up remarkably well to more modern styles of close combat. Though close combat is rather lacking in use in such a universe as this, I suppose."

Mizuho brushed two fingers over her lower lip. "Except in the case of exploding fleets. The Mishhuvurthyar managed some immense damage with that sort of tactic..."

"The Mishhuvurthyar have learned to fight smart too." Kotori added as she directed Mizuho through the narrower corridor that lined with doors leading to the promised cabins. "They no longer need millions of vessels in an engagement anymore to win."

The Miharu's commander stopped before one of the door's on the corridor's left side and opened it to reveal the cabin inside to be roughly the same size as the staterooms aboard the Nozomi-class scout - except that in this case, it was designed to hold a single crewmember instead of being shared by two.

The Taii walked in and tossed the large suitcase on the bed, where it flopped and bounced before she took hold of it and flicked the latch, quickly flipping up the top to reveal a couple sets of folded japanese garments: loose long sleeves tunics and pants as well as mandarin dresses. She produced two pairs of footwear: sandals and ankle-high black boots. She then set a small assortment of modest but comfortable underwear to the side.

"Is this suitable?" Kotori turned to ask her guest.

"Building hundreds of millions of vessels was an economic nightmare, not to mention rendered null and void the concept of outthinking. Those fights were mere gunning matches. Some we won, some we lost. We couldn't support it, and neither can they. It seems a perfectly natural course of action." After a moment, however, Mizuho made a slight addendum. "...were the defenses at Yamatai ever improved? When I still served I... expressed concern over this with Yui, that Yamatai would be subject to heavy and unpreventable assault if the war turned too far against the Mishhu..."

Concern. Nothing other than concern. Oh, also, she hadn't been back to Yamatai in several months, and for all she knew, that horror she had seen as possible could have occurred. Rendering null the very reason she forced herself for so long to stay with the Star Army. She calmed somewhat at the exposition of the room, however.

"...Yamatai remains unattacked, yes? That will be enough to know..." A look at the clothes. "Since you seem to know rather well already what concerns me, and what I appreciate. Thank you."

Kotori nodded her acceptance of Mizuho's gratitude and then answered the violet-haired nekovalkyrja's question: "Yamatai's flag still stands on that world proper and many other worlds up to twenty-light years distant. We haven't be brought to our knees yet."

Kotori turned to sit on the bed and took hold of the cylindrical container holding the chinese one-handed sword. "Have you ever operated a Mindy power armor?"

When Kotori finally left, he let out a sigh of relief. "Thank the Goddess she's gone!" he cried aloud. His expression turned to one of shock when he realized he had yelled his thoughts across the entire room. Clutching his head, he murmured to himself, "I swear, she's out to get me. Or my paranoia is getting worse. Either way, not good at all."

Pushing the frightening images of an angry Kotori from his head, he put on his brightest smile. "Well, won't do to keep that box of communicators waiting. Best to brighten our afterburners and make haste."

Tomi entered the multibay, still kneading her forehead gingerly in a vain attempt to relieve the pain from her backup. Seeing Yukari, she dipped a quick bow. "The enlisted personnel backups are complete." Glancing around at the rushed unloading, she queried, "So, where am I needed?"

"Then I can sleep without dreaming of those trillions being farmed for a food source." A dry amount of cynicism quite prevalent on her voice, Mizuho yawned. "Shall I ask you, then, do you believe we will be brought to our knees?"

Mizuho had often viewed it as a possibility.

"I have no experience with Power Armors, Kotori-san. They are... rather new. I understand their use from a tactical perspective. I do not have even basic combat training with them." A level response, perfectly truthful, and perhaps the one real failing she had on a level of skill.

Kotori shrugged as she removed the lid off the cylinder. "On the case of the mishhuvurthyar: no, they won't win if I have something to say about it." The shadow of a smile appeared on the neko's lips. "As for power armors, it brings me to my next subject."

She produced the sheathed Jian from the container and drew it: it was a long slender blade made of 'perfect steel' that shimmered with a mirror finish. The crossguard was of a modest winged shape and the screwed-on pommel held a smooth wooden handle. Twin colorful tassels also hung from the bottom of the hilt. The Taii offered the sword hilt first to Mizuho to inspect.

"I would like to train you into being able to use power armors for the purpose of being at least capable in their usage should a situation come up that would require them. However, the SLICS control system of the NH-17 and earlier nekovalkyrjas was phased out in favor of the Somatic-Projection Interlinked Neural Ensemble, or SPINE for short." Kotori elaborated. "Only the NH-27 and NH-29s have it, so, I intended to offer you to get the newer body type; if I recall correctly, you would be a NH-17S."

Mizuho accepted the blade with a slight inclination of the head, eyes shifting over every centimetre of the weapon quite critically. It was positively beautiful, as an artistic piece, but she would, as ever, reserve judgement until an opportunity for actual practice presented itself. The balance felt fine for now, but that may not be so once put into practical use.

"Thank you."

She did not respond at first to the concept of switching bodies. She had switched before. And she had not enjoyed it at all. Being NH-2, in fact, had been the last time she remembered actively being confident in her abilities and stability.

"...if I need to make a body switch, Kotori, I will do so. If it can be avoided, I would just as soon not. Is it still... disorienting..? Will my motor skills suffer like they did last time?"

"I had a NH-22M body before this one. I didn't choose to change, but I didn't really have any difficulty living in this body." Kotori noted as she looked at one of her hands, which was notable for the lack of nails on the fingers. "I admit I've slowly grown to like it, even if it was hard at first to bear up with the lesser strength and recuperative capabilities, but the NH-29 has a lot more stamina than the previous neko models. The operating system is also a lot more streamlined." Kotori looked back up to Mizuho. "Essentially, the personal combat functions like regeneration and brute strength are toned down for operational efficiency as starship crew; the power armors are made to complement our fighting skills instead."

"Claymere-Juni, please note Veressis-Hei's failure to respect protocol. You are more apt to deal with him, I believe; please do so at your discretion."

Click to expand...

Nyton mentally sighed at Leutre. Once again he doesn't seem to be able to adapt. And why is he so afraid of Kotori? He sounds like a child who is afraid of the school principal. This guy is going to be more difficult then I imagine he thought to himself.

"Right let's get this work done so we can really start our mission. The faster we do this the sooner we can get to more exciting things." Nyton said.