I would rather find myself in the middle of a battlefield at a disadvantage than return to Yamatai. The thought of being strong-armed by over praised bureaucrats is sickening. This will be my first time back to Yamatai since I was made; it’s too far from home.. – Personal Log, Motoyoshi Katsuko.
The
Seijin no Umi and its escorts, along with the entire Mazu Battlegroup attached to the TF-50 arrived in the Yamatai system. Katsuko assumingly would have calmed down prior to arriving, but she had not. She had sat going over a list of the items in which she intended to present to the Senate.
Katsuko sat on the main bridge, which had been cleared of all but a single operations officer and Rina. She stared coldly ahead at the main volumetric screen with Yamatai centered within it.
I have not set foot here since the day I left the War College...she observed quietly to herself.
It always was too far from home. She grabbed the datapad off the console next to the chair. "Let's hope this does not waste our time any further than it already has. I would hate to see their spool of red tape further delay our offensive."
"Into the Lion's Den." Rina surmised with a grim look on her face.
Politics, I'd prefer to stare down a Mishhuvurthyar with nothing but an NSP then politics. She thought to herself. "It is unfortunate Misato is indisposed, but...it cannot be helped given recent situations." The Shosho merely shrugged. "It is funny...I never once set foot on Yamatai."
"Unfortunately for us, fortunate for them."
Seijin, prep the Xun Zi for launch and transmit the details of our arrival to Ayana Tange-Senator. "I thought of taking a vacation once, coming and seeing the home I bought here. While we are here we should have a team go down and pull everything inside of it. I will need furniture for my home on Jiyuu.
Outside of Katsuko's ship, a formation of eight Zahl-Class ships and an ISFB flew escort in addition to the sizable force which was from Katsuko's own fleet. Aboard the lead ship, the Commander in charge had made preparations to send down four soldiers in a Ferryman shuttle to serve as an escort for their senator which served on the planet below.
Rina heaved a sigh, closed her eyes, and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Taisho, rather Katsuko... what we're planning could have serious repercussions." She now rubbed her chin a little. Politics were never Rina's thing. "What of the First Expeditionary Fleet ship serving under us? It would seem they're now tangled in politics they know nothing of."
Miyamae Kahori waited patiently and silently, listening to the others and staying out from underfoot. She was surprised she was chosen to come along, given that she'd been working behind the scenes and was the LAST person to argue politics...however, perhaps the Taisho was finding a new role for her, since her previous job seemed to have been assumed by Misato-Shosho.
Katsuko licked her lips, saying to Rina. "Your forgetting something my dear. We were ordered to colonize and set up fail safes for incase the empire fell. We have done nothing but what is ordered. They are angry because their politics fail to impress me. I report to Yui and only Yui, especially with the last set of orders that came that turned out to be false." Katsuko paused a moment, motioning towards the lift, "In all seriousness, I would not expect the ship serving beneath us to feel the impact of me defending my orders, or my fleet. I find flaw in pampered politicians which have not seen the trials of war, perhaps only thing most of these have suffered is a lack of goods and luxuries, a mighty shame that is. Most of these worlds spend their time sucking up resources and contribute very little, expecting the central government and the military to cater to them like bar maids in a tavern. Jiyuu isn't on the tit and it makes them mad my dear. It pisses them off that I don’t call home over spilled milk or a boo-boo on my knee."
"If we did as they asked, no one would have survived the destruction of Taiie or Lor...I certainly did not see anyone else evacuating the Lorath from their homeworld." Kahori spoke, in a more factual way than a spiteful one.
"Granted limited assistance was given during the destruction of Taiie." Rina said gruffly to Kahori. "Seems to me they've become...decadent in their hubris." She merely shrugged her shoulders again. "Politics were never my game. I'd as soon as bend a senator over my knee and paddle their backside then stand there and let them prattle on like bratty children."
"Politics was never my fancy either, but the people of our cluster wanted -- pleaded for the Bakufu. They wanted a group of people capable of defending them, and strong leadership. Our instantaneous polling on Jiyuu has us running between ninety-six and ninety-eight percent approval. So politics has to be the game for now." They rode in the lift a few moments, which opened up in the central passageway near one of the rear bays. Katsuko exited the lift ahead but kept talking. "I think what these Senators are worried about is job security. "
"That and what will happen should Chiharu forbid the SMX break through." Rina added as she stayed in step with Katsuko. "Well, who knows, perhaps things will...granted it maybe a long shot go well. If not then well, what can we do but play the hand that fate dealt us?" After a few moments Rina crinkled her nose. That and she wondered if leaving Jiyuu behind at that moment was prudent considering the SMX had been knocking at their doorstep only a short time ago. "We can but hope things will go in our favor or as the Nepleslian's say, 'break even'."
"I find it confusing. The role of an Expeditionary Fleet is to survive and maintain the race and government should the core government fail...but they criticize us for preparing for such an event. Do they expect us to wait until AFTER Yamatai falls to set up an internal governmental body?" Kahori asked.
Katsuko said worriedly, "I think the Senate is a representation of the state of the breaking heart of a people. I need not for things to go in our favor, I need them to go in favor for us actually surviving this war. If we do not set up external fail safes, and central Yamatai falls we will all die. They even if they rule it as illegal and wrong, will never change the truth. And the truth...awaits them." Katsuko was the first to board the modified Cougar shuttle, looking back to Kahori she said, "I am glad you could come along. Its that kind of view which I need chirping in my ear."
"Then let us get down to the politics." Rina replied as she boarded the shuttle next. The Shosho seated herself, hands in her lap after strapping in. "It still boggles the mind Taisho, a war nearly won, we had every advantage, we outmatched them, and the next thing we knew, we're now on our knees struggling under a great weight to survive." Rina crossed her arms in small disgust. "War is a double edged sword after all and it can work against you as surely as it can for you. And most of my knowledge pertains to just that."
"Perhaps the senators do not understand this..." Kahori said, but elaborated no further.
"Perhaps we have isolated the problem. Too much red tape and a over the top number of lazy constituents too busy chattering about who should get rights to what to focus on the mission at hand." The shuttle left the Seijin no Umi and headed towards Yamatai. "I am sending a message to Yui the moment we land. I have to hand-deliver something while I am here." Two Blackcoats emerged from the rear area of the shuttle holding a Zesuaiaum suitcase on queue.
Kahori raised an eyebrow in interest, but decided it was not her place to ask about the contents.
Rina just nodded. Truth be told when she had been asked to come she did so without question. And now, now was the time for it. "I have a question, you know me through and through Taisho, considering I have been serving under you the day I exited the tank so to speak. Just
why did you ask me to come along over someone more...equipped for situations like this?" She asked as the Blackcoats emerged holding the suitcase.
Katsuko smiled widely. "I am not coming to Yamatai just to talk to the Senate...I am delivering the most critical piece of intelligence that we have gained since the day this war began." she paused, feeling a slight tremble as the shuttle descended through the atmosphere. "My time is too precious to solely devote it to arguing with these air heads. This way every head in the fleet that might have a squid whispering lies into it, thinks I came to just play poker with the bureaucrats."
"And you wanted protection. So, I am your shield, and quite possibly your sword then." Rina surmised with a little nod.” Honestly Katsuko, it is like bringing a bull into a china shop having me come. I am a patient woman, but if I have senators and bureaucrats hovering over me or you, they'll be cringing like most everyone on Hotaru when I so much as look at them." She just shook her head. "Never to simply enjoy my company is it?" She mused, and twiddled her thumbs idly for a moment.
"Perhaps Katsuko-sama wishes them to see a real soldier for once?" Kahori speculated...
"They have some real soldiers, they're simply to blind to that fact, or too dense to know how to use them effectively." Rina pointed out.
"Then perhaps a soldier who IS being used effectively." Kahori stated, a very small smile on her face.
The
Xun Zi landed at the spaceport, and Katsuko said; "Let our words be like Kahori's usually are, well thought-out and careful." A transmission was sent to Yui as promised, the second they landed. Katsuko got up from her seat. We are all going to need therapy after this ladies. She chuckled heading to the airlock.
With me along the Senators might. Rina countered as she unstrapped herself from the seat and rose to her feet.
I may pride myself on being classy, but this may be one of those rare moments I maybe otherwise. She ended airly.
Kahori was silent, datapad on her arm and following her Taisho. She wasn't sure how much use she would be, but if her objectivity would be useful, then it was the Taisho's to utilize.
