Aoba reached the brdige again and got on the intercom. "Attention crew, this is the captain. We have just arrived in the Nataria star system and are going to do some crew exchanges and pick up the last of the three cargo ships to escort. I also have some unfortunate news: our caretaker, Mia has...commmited an act of self-harm and is seriously injured at minimum and possibly fatal. I am waiting on word from our medic Poppy and First Officer Koyama on the details of the situation so that's all I can say for now. Please keep this news strictly contained to the ship until we have a chance to officially notify her family. That is all."
Medical Lab
Thad had a million things going through his mind while he watched Poppy work on Mia. His girlfriend, possible bride before they could even really go on a date was dead. A cruel fate, just as it started to be cut short by the burden of life. He was going his best not to blame Poppy, who left a weapon near the unstable Mia.
Poppy went to Thad and whispered in his ear, "Just checked and baby is hanging on," she told him, giving him a soft slap on the back.
Thad turned and looked at her, a cold look on his face. "I wish I could be more happy. We both know using Mia as a husk for the baby is walking on some thin ice." He reached up and rubbed his hand through his hair. "We have to set this right, can't we just rebuild her mind. Like taking a data drive and loading it with a backup?"
"I think it's possible," Poppy nodded, she leaned in and whispered to him again. "I'm going to try. But if we do there's every chance she'll try to terminate herself or her and your future child. Do you think we should maybe stall while it grows?" she asked, not really liking that idea but at least putting it out there as a possibility.
"I do not think it would matter, be it one day or years that would be possible. All we can do is chart a new path." He looked down then back up and towards Poppy. "Plus I hope you have learned not to leave a loaded weapon near anyone in the med bay." A slim grim crossed his face.
Koyama had her arms crossed, eyeing the scene playing out before her inquietude. "I see no defensive wounds on either of you. Or did she merely walk into the Medical Bay, draw her weapon and do so of her own accord? I heard what was mentioned. But I feel details are missing," finally speaking up while Poppy attempted to whisper with a Nekovalkyrja around. Her voice held a grim quality to it even as her countenance held a blank look it.
Her gaze then shifted from Thad to Poppy, and back and forth. She drank in the details as much as her enhanced vision could take of the scene. There was the blood, the smell, look on their faces and to the tray she saw the disturbance of the implements.
Thad looked towards Koyama. "Yup, pretty much...took us both by surprise how fast everything went down." His gaze then looked to Poppy, giving a wink towards her.
"She was stressed about the baby. She grabbed my weapon while I was distracted," Poppy told Koyama. "There was not a fight or anything, it was it suicide. I don't think she was in a normal mental state at the time, I think she was emotionally compromised. The pregnancy situation was weighing on her mind heavily and she was torn over becoming a mom or terminating the pregnancy and having to live with that. I guess she couldn't. There was nothing I could do to stop her in time."
Delmira perked up at the news. "Wait what the fuck happened?" she asked trying to push past Koyama to get into the med bay the catgirl looking suddenly worried.
"Unless you are injured could you leave?" Poppy asked Delmira. Delmira could see she was literally mopping brains and blood off her wall as she talked to the First Officer.
"I say we let her in, it is not like she can do anymore harm than has already been done." Thad pointed towards the fact she was in a sealed tank.
Koyama, "And now I know there is more," she warned, looking to Thad stonily before Poppy began her explanation. "Your weapon was here?" she asked, pointing toward the disturbed tray, eyes already trailing to where she had suspected Mia had fallen given the circumstances. She then looked up and over at Thad again.
When Delmira spoke up, the XO looked at the other Neko with a warning look. Then back, "If so, why was your service weapon free of its holster? For what purpose?" her brows were drawing together as she began to form her own opinion of the matter but was offering up the chance to continue.
"I will not deny I had seen her in some distress over the passing days and am quite as alarmed as the Shosa."
Thad quickly jerked his head to look straight at Koyama, a very angry look on his face. "If your trying to imply she helped, I will slap you through a wall. She pulled it because I walked into the room, since someone on this ship gave the crew this bright idea I was dangerous. Welp, see how well that is working out. Got anymore bright ideas from command on how to unfuck this mess?"
"It was out for security purposes as I thought someone could try to stop...the procedure. I alway keep my weapon handy as a force of habit. I had no reason to suspect she would do what she did, though," Poppy explained.
Delmira looked at Koyama then to Poppy and Thad. "Mia isnt the one that carried a grenade pin in her pocket, you're a stupid motherfucker Thad." The short Neko said and stormed off down the hall looking equal parts angry and sad.
Koyama looked on impassively at Thad, "And I would have you on the ground the moment you tried. Locked in your room, and a court-martial waiting for you." she warned, "I am trying to get to the bottom of this mess and the questions I ask are not pleasant I know." but after hearing him she continued to hold his gaze as if daring him to try.
"But thank you for telling me that much, Maximus-hei." still looking at him, her arms remaining folded.
"As for the situation itself, the health of the child comes first and foremost. Do you agree?"
"As you wish, ma'am," Poppy nodded.
"I would say it is a little more complicated than that. Do we really wish to bring life into this world without a mother? I'd like to think we can dig a little deeper and have a better overall solution." Thad let out a sigh and relaxed his face as he looked to each person.
"I am not saying the child should go without a mother. I am asking if the baby should be prioritized for now." Koyama stated, eyes still on him. "If she can be revived, you realize what I may have to ask? Or do? The position we are all now in is tenuous."
"What do you mean?" Poppy asked Koyama.
Thad reached up and rubbed his head. "I'd think you'd do the right thing and help the poor girl out. From what I can tell, everyone was trying to play the hero and just ended up confusing the poor girl with choices."
"When I bring her back from backups let's try a more delicate approach," Poppy suggested. "But Thad, are you actually going to commit to her?"
"That implies I wasn't committed to her to start with. She is a friend, one I met when I first joined this party called Star Army. Yet I can not just wake up and be all, yup, lets act like we know each other and get married. At least a freaking date would have been nice, just had missions getting in the way of anything normal." He reached up and rubbed his chin. "Crew seemed to act like love falls out of the sky. The only thing falling from the sky is enemies trying to kill you, love is something you build. One block at a time."
Koyama sighed and continued her unbroken stare. "Depending on how recent her backup is, I may require a workup," she warned. "For her safety as well as the child. It sounds harsh, cruel even. I cannot, not do something like this."
"Heck, might as well go the full mile and just chain her to a stove and call it a day. Can you even hear what you just suggested. What if this split second decision was just that, all the time before it not be tainted. At least unless we start the taint ourselves."
[Training room A]
Yayoi watched as the training dummy fell to the floor, before she became distracted by the announcement. "Shit" she cursed before she continued as there wasn't much she could do.
Cassie headed into the training room in her workout gear. "Hey Yayoi," she waved. "Crazy day," she said.
Yayoi turned as her Neko ears picked up on someone entering the training room. She nodded her head” yup the craziest, I take it you heard the announcement? ” She asked of the other woman as the training dummy reset itself. Behind her were the results of its bearing on a volumetric.
"We've lost too many people to the enemy to be losing good people to suicide," Cassie nodded to Yayoi. "It really makes me feel sick to even think about. Mia always seemed like someone who was having a lot of fun in life."
Yayoi nodded her head in agreement with Cassie’s first statement. It was true; they did lose too many people. “Depression is an enemy that’s difficult to eliminate,” she said, remembering a saying someone said to her once. “Agreed, I admit I don’t know Mia that well as you, but so far as I have seen, she seemed in good spirits.” She also remembered seeing it happen while stuck in Hanako’s World.
"I have a trauma about all the people around me dying and it really brought it back to me," Cassie said. "I'm not trying to make this about me, though. I am just saying it hurts and I don't want to go back to that place. I don't want to lose my crewmates."
Yayoi frowned as she listened and before she could even think or stop herself, her base instinct made her body move to her, to hug and comfort her close as a friend should. “I know the feeling, ” she said before she realized she was hugging someone.
Cassie hugged Yayoi back. "Thanks, Yayoi. You're one of the people I think understands me the most because you've been through some really bad times yourself. You know what it's like to be part of a group behind enemy lines getting picked off by a heartless enemy and knowing the Star Army can't help you and that helplessness you feel not being able to save everyone."
Yayoi was glad that her instincts were right. She listened as Cassie spoke and nodded as the Ranger could see that Cassie knew what it was like. “Yeah, it was nuts there, the Kuvies had control over the spaceports, and even the tanks so we couldn’t heal wounds or back them up with new bodies. We couldn’t communicate with Yamatai because the systems weren't strong enough, and only the Kuvies and the bugs had control over it. When I was contacted that day I almost didn’t believe it, mostly because recently by then they were able to gain control of a radio and were taunting us. a few of us chose to respond with jokes of our own to let them know they didn’t get us. “ She said told Cassie.
"I'm really glad you made it and that you're here," Cassie told Yayoi. "I think you're a great person to work with and you have the type of real experience that you just can't replicate even with all the memory building algorithms they use making Nekovalkyrja," she smiled, feeling more comfortable. "Basically I like you and think you're awesome. I'm sorry for being such a complainer but I at least I have nothing bad to say about you."
Yayoi blushed as Cassie complimented her which pleased the Ranger to no end. She was right in that she had the experience that couldn’t be replicated by the tech they had at their disposal. She knew that such a thing would be great since that could potentially strengthen the army. At least as far as endurance was concerned. She was pleased to see her smile, and also pleased to hear she liked her causing her to smile. “I like you too Cassie, and I feel the same way you're awesome, and it's alright to be a complainer. The universe needs complainers as much as it needs soldiers like me.
[Sanda's location]
Sanda opened her eyes as the captain's voice came over the ship's intercom. She groaned as she rolled over and tried to pull her pillow over her head. "Callate. Sólo déjame dormir." Sanda muttered. She sat up completely in bed, all sleep forgotten when she heard the rest of Aoba's announcement. "¡Dios mío! ¿Qué diablos?" She sat bolt upright in her bunk and banged her head on the top bunk. "¡Ay! De todos los tontos!" Sanda swore rubbing her head as she rolled out of bed and quickly dressed.
Frank would arrive shortly to Sanda when his/her shift was up and knock on her door.
Sanda was holstering her weapon as she headed for the door. She almost ran into Frank as she came out of the room. She was a little startled that he seemed to be just standing outside her door. Most likely just a coincidence. "Sterling-Hei." She said. "Is there something you wanted?"
"First I now know why your so stressed, second I picked the wrong time to cover your shift but I'm afraid if I didn't we would have 2 crew-mates dead....Mia killed herself due to Thad." Frank took a breath "and I knocked the shit out of him for it."
Sanda just raised an eyebrow at Frank's first comment. Why I'm so stressed... she was confused by that statement. Frank's second statement was even more confusing. "Wait? What? From the beginning please."
Frank took a breath and explained "well Mia ran off down towards medical after another fight/argument with Thad, this lead to me hearing a gunshot i rush down there and there's a dead Mia brains coating a wall a pistol that was Poppy's and a thad who by this point I hauled off and decked thinking he shot her...But no Mia killed herself from the stress Thad put on her." Frank would lean against the wall. "Again from the bullshit from just one shift I understand how mine and Thad's shenanigans can cause you to want to strangle either of us."
Sanda frowned as she tried to piece together what Frank had just told her. There seemed to be some missing pieces to the story but she wasn't sure. What she was sure of was that things had gotten a lot more crazy than she had ever believed they could be. She was tempted to just turn around, go back into her room and just lock the door. But no, she had a job to do.
Looking up at Frank, Sanda said, "The XO will get to the bottom of exactly what went down and who, if anyone, was responsible." She was trying to sound diplomatic. In reality it was most likely Thaddious' fault, but she didn't want to get Frank, or herself for that matter, more riled up. "For now, the captain wants to transfer our prisoners before we head to the final stop. You can give me a hand with that."
Frank nodded. "Yeah i just need to talk to make one more stop and Ill meet you at the holding area." Frank said before heading off to find Del to give her the same news.
Delmira walked down the hall heading towards Frank and Sanda. The short Neko looked angry and sad at the same time.
"Hold it Sterling-Hei! I need help transferring these prisoners!" Sanda called after him. She saw Del and motioned her over as well. "Hello Del." By the distressed look on the short girl's face Sanda guessed that she knew what had happened. Sanda decided that it would probably be a good idea not to mention what had happened. "Come on girl. I need help transporting the prisoners."
Frank stopped moving and eventually walked with Del and Sanda to go take care of the prisoners. "Sorry you had to see what happened Del, I didn't think Thad would cause that." he said leaving it at that as he continued walking
"Sterling-Hei! We are not going to spread rumors! That's bad form. We don't know exactly what happened. That's why the XO is conducting an investigation." Sanda cut in. She hated rumors and didn't want Franks spreading any. She also thought it was very insensitive of him to just blurt out something like that.
Frank sighed "Right sorry, I just thought it would be wise to tell her what I knew since her and Mia were close. I'll try to have better Tact in the future."
"Just keep you mouth shut about it both of you." Delmira said and wiped her eyes with her hands. "We have a job to do and I want to do it before going back to my bunk."
Sanda gave Frank a hard look but didn't say anything else. She agreed with Del. "Prisoners are on Deck 4. I take it you both have your sidearms?"
"We have sidearms?"
- - - -
OOC: JP by Wes, Ajax, Charaa,Soresu, Cowboy, Miko, ShadowWalker,Zanven
