Re: [restart point] Mission 2
ON: YSS Miharu
The YSS Eucharis quietly approached the Miharu, sending out a tight-beam transmission to the slightly shorter vessel. "It is Hanako. I would like to come over," the blue-haired Taisa sent.
A volumetric display opened, showing a sprite with shoulder-length sandy-blonde hair. "Greetings, Ketsurui-Taisa. We are preparing our ventral docking assembly to connect with your vessel. Our commanding officer has been notified and is on her way to greet you."
"Thank you," Hanako nodded, staying in the bridge chair to monitor the docking process. The ship's computer gently moved the newly-consructed Plumeria-class gunship beneath the Miharu and lined the gunship's upper docking port up with the lower one of the Miharu.
Miharu's docking assembly extended out and secured to the Eucharis. After a few seconds, the passage was properly sealed and would allow free exgress from one ship to the other.
Taisa Hanako, dressed in the First Expeditionary Fleet's 'Torso' type uniform, made her way from the bridge to the docking tunnel, leaving Blueberry in charge. In a moment, she was aboard the Miharu.
Kotori was there to greet Hanako on the other side, her longer black hair billowing behind her thanks to the both of them being in a zero-gravity passageway. "What a pleasant surprise," Kotori said, smiling warmly before she bowed slightly and then added: "Welcome aboard Onee-sama."
"It has been a while," Hanako smiled warmly, opening a black backpack she'd carried aboard. "I brought you some gifts." From the pack, Hanako retrieved matching right and left handed Type 30 Nekovalkyrja Service Pistols, a tin full of fine Yamataian tea, and bag of freshly-made praline pecans. "You have been away from port for a long time..." Hanako said.
"Hold on," Kotori held one hand up as if to forestall Hanako revealing her treasures. "We're in a passageway. It would be much better for us to catch up in my quarters. Please come along." Kotori hovered up slowly and gestured for the other Taisa to follow follow along.
"Alright," Hanako nodded, following along at Kotori's side. Visiting a new class of ship was always interesting to her.
"Miharu's layout is sort of different from more mainstream KFY-designs," Kotori commented as they headed up. She pointed toward one of the doors leading to the bow of the ship. "The ship's ventral section is a more compact main gun mated to the main engineering section, a bit like the Sakura-class. Unlike the Sakura's though, the pylons were joined inside the hull of the ship so that they might be better armored and accessible for maintenance. The ship's gravimetric arrays are, like you've seen from outside, a lot bigger because Miharu's has a lot of mass for its size class due to it being heavily armored."
They reached the main deck and Kotori pointed out the two doors leading to the bow and stern. "Over the bow here is the ship's main medical lab and the MEGAMI computer. To the stern is access to the cargo sections of the Miharu, including the launch point for shuttles or even fightercraft through ventral dropdown openings." Kotori halted and turned to Hanako, using one hand to sweep back her hair behind her. "Miharu's auxiliary vessel houses the main bridge and the power armor bays."
"You should come see my ship sometime," Hanako suggested. "The Plumeria is a much-improved version of the Sakura."
"I went on yours last time, remember?" Kotori grinned. "Except it was still being outfitted. I reffered to the Sakura-class because I served on one, so I have a bit more insight in them than the Plumerias."
The younger nekovalkyrja reached the upper deck first. "Above me is the second airlock and docking assembly. It's not entirely well designed because it can barely extend out to go over the Miharu's rollbar and even if it does, it's in the way of the torpedo launcher. I don't fancy any ship wishing to dock and be in the way of one of Miharu's deadliest weapons," she winked.
"Mmm," Hanako nodded.
Kotori pointed to the prow. "Over there is Miharu's monitor room, which is a three-seater very cramped bridge of sorts. It's functional, but even Ketsueki corvette had something better than that. The sensor array and science lab are wrapped around it and to each sides are some of the ships escape pods. We have some other escape pods too, but they are to the back of the ship, under each wing of the vessel so that the engineering crew have a closer place to escape the vessel. The auxiliary ship, seeing it has the bridge, has two as well."
The younger Taisa then turned toward the stern and landed her booted feet on the upper deck. "This way are the living facilities of the Miharu." Kotori made another beckoning motion to coax Hanako out of the vertical passageway and climbed a set of three-step stairs.
"It must be quite an ordeal to get from the officers' quarters to the bridge," Hanako observed, floating along after Kotori.
"Plenty of zigzags," Kotori agreed. "Miharu has nice accomodations, but I don't think the designers spent enough time organizing proper ergonomy in the ship and just tried to test out new ideas." Kotori stopped and gestured in front of her. "When I talk about proper accomodations, I mean this."
Kotori was gesturing at the huge wardroom area with large viewports to the stern which showed the exposed top of the Miharu's auxiliary vessel and even a part of the Eucharis below. It was the sort of dining room that could service over thirty people at the same time, and comfortably so, even. "That's what passes for the ship's lounge and wardroom," Kotori said, stopping to look back at Hanako.
"The kitchen it to our left, while we have public baths to the right. In front, the wardroom extends out to become an observation deck with plants and such."
On the port and starboard sides of the wardroom were also stairways going up each side.
Hanako smiled meekly. She hadn't realized at first that she'd get the full tour. "I hear your crew is fairly large for a vessel this size."
"Twenty-one, if you count the sprites," Kotori added as she walked toward the starboard stairway. "Miharu can house about forty people comfortably about can likely quadruple that number if we need to temporarily hold more personnel for a ground assault or the like." Kotori reached the top. "If you ask me, though, we entirely have too much space and accommodations. I think we'd have done well with just half of what Miharu offers - we currently barely tap into it as a warship. Though, I admit that it could serve more use if we were some long-range exploration vessel or the like."
The younger Ketsurui gestured to the corridor. "This essentially holds crew cabins, a couple of officer cabins, laundry room, bathrooms and a recreation room - full with even a virtual reality chamber. The port stairway lead to a section mirroring this one. My room is right here," Kotori walked to one of the doors closest to the stairway. "I'm using one of Miharu's two VIP rooms, since all the officer quarters are taken."
Kotori had a thing for big quarters. Irony was, her quick climb in ranks probably started when she tagged with Taisa Rufus Sydney back on the YSS Mikomi just so she wouldn't have to sleep along with other nekos in the bunks.
Kotori's quarters, once revealed, did not disappoint. It was somewhat more spacious than the Taisa suite on the Eucharis, including a work area, a living room, a bedroom with an attached bathroom.
Kotori's cheeks reddened. "Okay, so, I use the V.I.P. room because I like it too," she admitted.
"I like it, too," Hanako echoed Kotori, taking a seat in the living room. She fiddled with her backpack a little before setting it down on the floor.
Kotori joined her, sitting on the couch besides Hanako. "I can hardly believe I just gave you a tour of my ship. It's a wonder I even have a ship. I've been trying to adapt to it - luckily, my crew has done more than its share in supporting me so far."
"Have you been making any modifications?" Hanako asked, curious.
"I've been giving the Miharu's designers some of my concerns over the ship - mostly practical ones you've already pointed out," Kotori shook her head. "But I'm no technician, so, I'm not really inventive in that regard. I've left it to my engineering crew to make the adjustments needed to have the ship function as well as the specifications we've been given claimed for the most part."
"Taisho Yui was wondering about the ship, actually," Hanako mentioned.
"My crew got their mission briefing. We're just about to head out, as soon as my engineer gives me the green light on our main cannon - it took damage during our stress test. We've been doing power armor training in the meantime to give some of our greener crew members some experience fighting against invading Black Mindy power armors."
Kotori replied.
"Yes, yes," Hanako nodded, handing Kotori a copy of the orders Yui had sent. "Speaking of that, the Taisho gave me these to give you."
Kotori took the sheet of paper Hanako was handed her, quickly scanned over the content and furrowed her brow a little. "I suppose the PANTHEON lockout makes it difficult to make regular updates," she stood up and headed for her desk, where a few datapads were stacked. "Can I give you a file so that you can hand it over to her?"
"Of course," Hanako nodded. She paused for a moment. "I think perhaps she has some plans for you and is growing impatient."
Kotori opened a volumetric text window and began using a virtual keyboard to quickly type text. "Plans? I'm already going after Eve," the younger Taisa said, obviously puzzled. "That's already a lot on my plate considering Eve seems to have five squadron-worth of ships under her command."
"Perhaps you should team up with other ships, then," Hanako suggested.
"Well, I would have liked to keep the Meng Po - the Black Spiral Nozomi-class scoutship we captured - and split part of my crew... but SAINT didn't seem too willing to do that once Black Spiral rejoined the fold. They just restored the former crew with their previous ST backup data," Kotori's tone implied she didn't approve too much of allowing some part of Black Spiral to rejoin in their intelligence division.
Kotori turned a look on Hanako. "The Black Swan's Taisa, Nagase Nanako... she's the one whom ordered mishhuvurthyar eggs implanted in you, wasn't she? I wish she'd turn to be a double-agent after all, just so I can properly thank her for her hospitality." Kotori was likely still hoarding a lot of resentment for their time captive on the Black Spiral gunship.
"She is apparently back in action," Hanako told Kotori. "She is, after all, an expert in the Mishhuvurthyar."
Kotori turned back her eyes to the volumetric display and finished her text. She pinched the corner of the display and dragged it out of the air and into one of the datapads, which had Miharu's computer upload the information on it. After a moment's wait, the black-haired neko fished up the pad, scrolled over its content and then handed it to Hanako. "I don't really trust them," she admitted. "That's part of the reason I'm unwilling even to use SAINT communication channels to talk with Yui-Taisho."
"Supposedly they have been helpful," the older neko shrugged. She then looked to Kotori's eyes. "I miss having you around."
"Naturally," Kotori answered lightly, as if in silent agreement that a change of subject had been in order. "I was a terrific executive officer after all." She winked to Hanako as she sat down to underscore the arrogance behind her words and then asked "The last ship you had was called the Elfin Princess. The one you have now is the Eucharis. Did something bad happen? Are you well?"
"The Princess was destroyed in battle. I had to find a new ship while it is being worked on," Hanako said. "I miss her. She was a good ship. I charted twenty star systems onboard her. It was a little lonely, though...with just Blueberry and I. It made me miss you. I hope you can rejoin the rest of the fleet soon."
Kotori beamed a smile to Hanako. "Yui-Taisho's orders to me were sort of vague. I was only ordered to 'save the Empire' and after the results of my last mission, she approved my investigation of the activities of the Daughters of Eve. I do agree, since I believe Eve is using the cover of the Mishhuvurthyar invasion to do her own agenda. She's doing something with a gate and its something important."
She then shrugged. "The other part I'm hopeful about is coming into positive contact with the faction of neko/mishhuvurthyar whom wanted independance, but not to the point of overthrowing the Empire."
"I hope to find them and somehow get on good terms with them," Kotori confided. "In a way, I also wish in a way I could actually arrange that they gain the sort of independance Nepleslia enjoys. To allowing them a place where they would be free of any perception of being a servitor race."
"I see. I imagine it will be a long time, then," Hanako sighed lightly. "I wish you luck and speed."
Kotori leaned over and brushed her lips against Hanako's. "Thank you. I hope the same for you."
Hanako blushed fiercely, an imaginary fire igniting between her legs. "Ah, I should probably get going," she stammered.
Kotori blinked. "Already?" She glanced at Hanako's backpack and then to Hanako herself. "You just got here."
The former elf looked away shyly, smiling.
Kotori studied Hanako for a moment and then stood up. "Well, alright. If it's what you really want. I'll escort you back to the airlock. Can you leave the bag with me? I'll sort through it later, seeing you look in a hurry to leave."
"Alright," Hanako nodded, sounding a little sad. "You can have anything else on my ship that you need. Perhaps the Type 30B Machine Guns..." She could always get a new bag, of course...that wasn't the issue. Suddenly, she turned to Kotori. "If it is permissible...could we perhaps...make love before I go?"
"My ship's armory is pretty full," Kotori replied, stalling a little as she thought about how to reply - just asking to couple like that felt pretty awkward and she had a hard time putting herself in the mood - until she finally pointed toward her bedroom and said: "Well, my bedroom is right there. I could, you know, start with a massage and see from where we can go from there..."
END