RP: YSS Miharu Prologue, Day 3

Chigusa was utterly dumbfounded.

"You're telling me that... This ship's armor is THREE TIMES THICKER than that of the Sakura-class Gunship?!"

She could hardly believe it. Because of this it took her a moment to remember to take the badge.

"Oh."

She took the badge and fastened it to her uniform. She then proceeded to walk inside the ship to meet the captain, but stopped when she realized that it would probably be smarter just to follow Mara. She took a deep breathe, dusted some of the dirt off her uniform (she was working on one of her inventions earlier, and accidentally caused it to... Explode) with her hands and patted herself on the butt.

This is it. I finally get to do what I've always wanted to do... And on a prototype ship class, too!

"Hush, not so loudly." Mara admonished as both stepped in and that the airlock hatch closed. "Yes, the hull is three times thicker. That was a mixed blessing though."

When the airlock was pressurized (with a small pop in Chigusa's ears), Mara sprang forward into the main passageway beyond. The passage, devoid of gravity, forced the sprite to harness her anti-gravity capabilities to stop her momentum and turn toward the new crewmember.

"This is the main passageway. Recent nekovalkyrja starships like the Sakura-class and the Miharu have them instead of elevators so nekos and yamataians can use their hovering ability instead." Mara explained. "Have you ever been in a Zero-Gravity passage like this before?"

Chigusa shook her head.

"No, I haven't."

She was quite nervous about meeting the captain, and was hoping that he or she would appreciate her technical skills and give her something useful to do. This was her first time as part of a real ship crew, after all.

"Could you explain how to move about in the Zero G hallway?"

"You've never done it?" Mara blinked her eyes as her hair stirred about her head. She figured that Chigusa would have been familiar with it through basic training... but then again, Yamataian bodies were fairly new. "It's easy. Just push off in the passageway and will yourself to 'fall' in a certain direction. It's really just as simple as moving an arm or a leg on a whim... you just have to think it right."

Mara raised a finger in caution. "Be careful about not 'falling' too fast. In zero-gravity, you can reach speeds up to seventy miles an hour. You don't want to bang in a wall at that speed."

Chigusa jumped into the hallway, and in her mind, she willed herself to move next to Mara.

"Wow, this is pretty easy."

It was amazing how quickly she got it - but of course, she was a very fast learner.

"Are you going to take me to meet your captain now, Mara?"

She was starting to get jittery - she couldn't wait!

"Sure. You might want to select your cabin and get a fresh uniform on you first though." Mara answered and then pointed up. "The Miharu has three decks: the subdeck is where most of the vital systems are; the main deck has the MEGAMI, the medlab, fabrication rooms, and cargo holds large enough to even hold two fightercraft - there's even a connection at the stern that connects to the tail, which is actually a small auxiliary vessel that's supposed to serve as a dropship. The upper deck is where we want to go, and holds the crew quarters and amenities for the crew."

She smiled.

"Thank you very much for your help Mara. Let's go up and select a cabin. Probably is a good idea for me to change into a clean uniform as well."

She followed Mara to the upper deck, and set foot as gravity slowly returned.

"Woah. Nifty."

They then proceeded to the Cabins, selected which one Chigusa would use, and then dressed her in fresh uniform.

"Ah, nice and clean."

Afterward, the two of them headed toward the wardroom.

Mara led Chigusa past the wardroom, which had large viewport windows overlooking the outside of the ship, also giving a good view of the 'tail' which was supposed to function as a detachable ship too. There were comfy seats and couches, potted plants, coffee tables and rectangular dinner tables all around, enough to accommodate comfortably up to twenty people at least.

They arrived to the stairs leading up to the starboard living area and began climbing them. "Do you have some power armor training?" The sprite asked.

Chigusa guffawed.

"Well, erm... Actually, I have a lot of power armor training. Why do you ask?"

Now her field of expertise was coming up. Chigusa liked that. A lot.

Mara stopped in front of a door. It was probably the commander's. "The Taii will probably want you, despite your assignment in engineering, to be able to defend yourself adequately when using a power armor. They actually made an extensive training simulation back where the Miharu was being built, so, being able to manage in our new Daisy and Harpy power armors will be to your advantage."

The sprite eyed the door for a second and returned her blue eyes to Chigusa. "Okay, your new commander is Ketsurui Kotori-Taii. She's from the Ketsurui ruling clan and is actually a noble. However, she prefer's being addressed by rank, so, try and do that. You'll probably eventually be able to call her by her first name if you add the rank suffix to it."

"We're on a mission to investigate on a rogue group of nekovalkyrja that splintered away from Star Army Intelligence to support the Mishhuvurhyar in their war against us. They want to start a civil war to give nekovalkyrja dominance over the Empire. That's not good for yamataians like you. Kotori-Taii doesn't like the Black Spiral and she's on a sort of personnal crusade to stop them. She's pretty motivated and driven, so, she might seem intimidating... but she's actually very nice once she opens up. My recommendation is to act confident and professional and to just say the Miharu recommended you as a technician and that you've been reassigned. It'll probably go well."

The sprite adjusted Chigusa's rank pin. "Are you ready?"

Yukari smiled a little at the thought of transponder codes. Those she would be able to systemize, break apart and recreate as necessary. It might not fool a ship for very long, but it would be long enough to fire a torpedo or escape from a superior vessel.

"Hmm ... " She tapped her finger on her cheek thoughtfully. If the Miharu was in charge of destroying the Black Spiral, then it was not its job to destroy Mishhu vessels. That raised a red flag in her brain, but she kept it down for now.

"If we are not to be recognized by Black Spiral vessels ... we are hiding from our own fleet, are we not? We must also evade Star Army patrols."

"I'm ready."

Chigusa opened the door, and took a few steps in, then bowed down to her waist. Straightening up, she took a deep breath, and spoke.

"I am Amagasaki Chigusa, Nitô Hei, Technician. I specialize in adaptive invention, maintenance and repair, and power armor operation. The Miharu-MEGAMI recommended me, and I have been reassigned to your crew. I hope my addition prooves useful."

"Preferably, we need to keep our contact with them to a minimum. Once we leave Taiie, we should be going independant for a time and reveal ourselves as little as possible." Kotori agreed as she finishe folding the last of her undergarments and stockings.

At Chigusa's entry Kotori whirled around and frowned. Why had her door even permitted entry? Was this safe? Why was the tall pink-haired girl even there?

Then the young woman's words caught up to her. "I see," she said and sent a sidelong look to Yukari. They weren't supposed to get new personnel out of Scorpio Base.

After playing her viola for a couple of songs, Masako managed to pull herself away enough to finish unpacking and arranging her possessions before getting to business. Sitting down upon her bed, the young neko pulled out a datapad connected to the Miharu's network and began to pull reference material necessary for her duties as Wing Leader. All of this included files on the power armor onboard the vessel and personnel profiles detailing level of training on available armors.

This should do for start, but all the basic tactical knowledge I have was drilled into me when I was in the Self-Defense Forces, Masako thought as she tapped her finger on the datapad. "Miharu, what do you have for reading material on Space Combat and Infantry tactics?" the young neko asked thoughtfully.

ON: YSS Miharu, Kotori's Quarters

Yukari was about to comment, but she was cut off by a voice she had not heard before. She turned, hand instinctively reaching for her GSP -- but she was greeted with the vision of a young-looking yet voluptuous yamataian woman. She blinked, glad she hadn't drawn her pistol. "Eh?"

Kotori sat up from the edge of her bed and walked accross her suite to come within arm's reach of the pink haired girl. "How did you come to be recommended by the Miharu, Amagasaki-Hei?"

Chigusa looked to Kotori and drew her breath, and spoke again. "I noticed the ship docked in the Akina no Iori, and deduced that this was a new ship type. I then contacted the Miharu-MEGAMI and requested to be transferred. The reason would be that Akina no Iori is... Well, boring."

Yukari could not believe what she heard. She saw an experimental vessel ... possibly flouted several levels of restrictions ... and convinced Miharu-san to transfer her? It was far more mind-boggling than the briefing.

"Miharu, why did you let this soldier in?" Kotori asked sharply.

"I like her." The ship replied.

"Wha?" Kotori blurted, looking dumbfounded.

"She seems more eager than Tom to do her job and she's less worrisome than Leutre." The Miharu's MEGAMI continued. "Plus, I really dig the long pink hair."

Yukari groaned audibly.

"This isn't a game." Kotori scowled and turned her attention back to Chigusa. "How much do you know?"

Chigusa bowed once again. "I am very sorry if my presence is an inconvenience. I promise you that I am able to fulfill my duties with professional manner."

"Just answer my question please." Kotori replied.

The yamataian woman straightened up "I know what the YSS Miharu's general make-up is, and I know what it's job is."

"I gave her an overview once she was aboard. I even assigned her quarters." The Miharu added.

Kotori sighed. she looked at Yukari. "What do you think?" She covertly sent to her XO.

Miharu-san ... Yukari could not believe the luck. The mission had already been compromised, and they had not even left the dock. "I believe karma does not appreciate our mission yet," she responded, a slight misery in her tone as she came to her feet and looked up at the technician's face from beside the bed. "You cannot leave this vessel now, not with what you are now aware of. You realize the danger you have put us in?"

Chigusa became flushed, and took a moment to assemble her thoughts. "I apologize. The computer allowed me to transfer. Therefore, I assumed that it was safe. I am very sorry."

She breathed deeply and exhaled loudly. She was so excited, she could barely contain herself. But, she managed.

"Your curiousity is unsafe," Yukari replied firmly, but quietly. "It has possibly compromised our mission. We must hope no one deduced what you were doing and followed you here, and hope will not protect us well."

"Miharu, did you at least take precautions?" Kotori asked.

"Of course. The Iori's KAMI was most accomodating and we erased the traces. It even consented to a selective data wipe." The ship's computer replied.

Kotori closed her golden eyes a moment. "Then there is no helping it." She sighed and opened them again, looking back up to Chigusa. "In that case, welcome aboard. I apologise for the harsh treatment, but our mission is of dire importance. Is the Iori so boring that you have time to stare out through windows?"

Chigusa calmed down quickly, and once again opened her mouth to speak. "Yes. I am very thankful that you accept me as a crew member. I hope to be a valuable asset to your team."

Kotori looked again to Yukari and back to her newest crewmember. "An additional technician could come in handy." She agreed. "What did you say you specialized in?"

" ... " Yukari smiled a little. "She speaks as a true Yamataian citizen would," she sent to Kotori.

Chigusa grinned. Her favorite part! "I specialize in arms developement, starship maintenance, repair, modification, and enhancement, and power armor usage."

"I lacked an armorer." Kotori noted, giving a nod to Yukari in answer of the telepathic message. "Are you familiar with the newer M5 Harpy and M6 Daisy power armors?"

"Absolutely." she responded.

Kotori grinned and placed one hand to her hip. "Is there something you are not good at?"

Chigusa thought for a moment, then answered. "I suppose there's nothing I'm particularly bad at. Well, I'm much better at Arms Developement than I am at Starship Enhancement."

"She is a 'gun nut,'" Yukari sent to Kotori, recognizing one of her own.

Kotori's smile grew wider. "You seem very confident in your abilities. I like that," She admitted and then added: "Have you ever been in real battle? Used power armors against a live enemy? If not, how many hours of simulation do you have at your belt?"

"I have not been in battle against a live enemy, but I have around 75 hours of simulation." Chigusa replied.

"Good." Kotori turned to Yukari. "This is Yukari Suzuka-Chui, my executive officer. After dinner, she will introduce you to Kurohoshi-Juni, whom will be your direct superior in combat situations. As a technician, however, you report to Freeman-Heisho, whom is busy cooking us a meal."

Yukari smiled and bowed slightly. "Yoroshiku, onegaishimasu, Amagasaki-Hei."

Chigusa nodded. "Understood. For now, shall I personalize my quarters? I also have a new weapon I'd like to work on." she looked to Yukari and bowed a bit lower than she did. She then turned back to Kotori, and waited for an answer.

"Just a moment." Kotori motioned for Chigusa to wait. "Yukari, I'll finish up here. Can you head back down to the wardroom and make sure that our cook is doing alright? Help him prepare the meal if you can, since he probably was inadvertantly delayed a bit."

Yukari blushed intensely. "Y, Yes Taii-san." She left with another bow.

Kotori watched Yukari go out the door and returned her golden eyes to Chigusa once the door came back to a close. She appraised the young woman for a moment longer and smiled again. "You're pretty gutsy for a Soldier 2nd class," She told the other.

Chigusa took it as a compliment. "Thank you, Taii."

"You have initiative, ambition, the mind to doing the things you are passionate about while having just the right level of decorum to get by." Kotori continued, one hand coming up to idly finger her black hair. "This is your first assignment on a warship, isn't it?"

Chigusa nodded. "Yes. It is."

She thought for a moment. "Is it alright if I continue development while onboard the YSS Miharu?"

"I don't want you to blow anything up," Kotori answered. "But you can pursue your own projects in your free time, though I'll likely will require you to study some to catch up with the training and conferences you've missed so far. It might be rough at first just with the studying, but it's also important to remember that we are a frontline warship. While our mission is covert, in all likelyhood, we will engage in combat and people will die. I'm going to require you to be brave and to give me your best effort to make it so that the people dying won't be ours."

Chigusa was awed. Kotori was a very inspiring woman. She already knew this was going to be an excellent adventure!

"I understand. I will pursue development of my anti-PA handcannon only on my free time, and will study hard to catch up with what I've missed. I promise to be an asset to your crew, and I'm very thankful that you would have me aboard!"

"Good." Kotori approved. "Please stay still."

Chigusa was a bit confused. "Okay." But she did what she was told.

Kotori raised one hand to push away the pretty hair covering Chigusa's forehead and planted a soft kiss there. "Welcome home Chigusa."

Chigusa smiled widely and saluted. "Thank you, Taii!" she exclaimed. This was heartwarming for Chigusa, who spent so much time with the doury old folk of the Fifth Expeditionary Fleet. She turned around and exited the room, and began to walk down the hallway to the stairs, where she could make her way to her quarters.

END

"Not much more than what a soldier of your experience would know. I do have manuals for land power armor operations as well as the new modular functions for the Mindy II power armor, should you need to get more familiar with them." The Miharu's computer replied to Masako.

Nyton arrived at the wardroom to meet with Mizuho. He passed a glance towards the galley and could lightly hear and smell dinner being prepared. He shook his head. Damn it Veressis. I had hoped to already be somewhat done with my research before dinner. Nyton mentally cursed.

Mizuho arrived in the wardroom shortly after Nyton, her unprecedented ability to drown in self-pity even as she navigated still-unfamiliar halls causing her to make a rather long journey. Still, she did arrive, and wasn't too terribly late. True that no concrete time had been set, but there was still courtesy to be observed. Not the sort that one "rendered", simply that common courtesy one showed to others so as to make the universe a slightly less intolerable place.

"...Claymere-juni." A smile, and a slight inclination of her head. "I confess I found you rather impressive during the briefing, and believed further discussion was warranted."

Had she just admitted to being impressed by a Star Army officer? Well, it did happen. She just happened to consider Yui incompetent. Yui, and many of Yui's cronies. And then there was Hanako, who she still didn't understand at all. That the girl was 'incompetent' maybe went a bit too far, she was just too eager to place herself as less worthy than others (notably, Mizuho doesn't know she now commands Sakura, so you can all shut up ^.^).

"...do you mind if I speak less formally, Claymere-juni? This feels... unnatural." At least she asked this time round.

"So, this is it, huh?"

Chigusa thought aloud. Her cabin wasn't much, not compared to her completely personalized, half-laboratory she had on the Iori. But it would do, for now. She'd probably just convert it into a workstation.

Hmm, I guess now that I'm settled in, I'll head to the Wardroom.

Chigusa exited the cabin, and made her way toward the Wardroom.

Nyton looked over to see Mizuho enter and greet him. He nodded but before he could return any greeting she had continued, first with a compliment followed by her request to relax formality.

"Certainly, Mizuho-san. If anything, your being a civilian actually releases you from such things. Plus we were dismissed earlier so we are not 'on duty' at the moment even if we are discussing work after hours." Nyton said. At the very least she asks to relax formality instead of just plain blowing it off. he thought, still agitated over having to take time out just to drill Leutre as well as the thought that lessons had just begun. He pushed the thought away from his mind so that he could better focus on the task that was on hand.

Nyton relaxed his posture and placed his right hand to his hip, the other hung loosely while he stood straight. "As for being impressed, while I am certainly glad to have gained your confidence, I still have a lot to learn. Besides, given the lead our opposition has we have a lot of work to do." he said. "Now then, what did you wish to discuss?"