RP: YSS Resurgence Resurgence of Yamatai - Mission 7: Road Trip

[Wes]

Ahmar

Mitalar led the way to her shuttle and tossed a deceased Kuvexian occupant into the bushes to be chewed on by a catlike native animal just before Pidole landed next to it in a small T8 shuttle. Cassie was with her for security. Pidole stood staring at the ship for a moment, going over things in her head, and then said, "Yeah, I can fix this." She patch working on a patch for a burned hole in the side of the engine as her blue beetle buzzed around the area, happy to be in nature for a change.

Cassie looked at Mitalan, then the dead Kuvexian, and then at Mineko. "I'm starting to think these guys are doing a lot of infighting since they last the war," she told Mineko.

Mitalan shrugged. "Sometimes people don't know their limitations until they crash into them," the robot simply said. "...or when they crash into you. As for me, I am heading to wherever the most opportunity is."

"I'll say one thing for you," Pidole said as she finished patching her ship. "You're fearless."

"You think I was supposed to afraid of the Star Army?" Mitalan asked as she started her ship. "I am no coward."

Pidole looked at her, "I'm sorry, I meant no offense. You don't have to worry about it."

"Why don't you hire me to show you around the galaxy?" Mitalan offered.

 

[Ametheliana]

Ahmar - Shuttle

Mineko had sidled up to the ship, then looked about at everyone getting to work. While Mitalan spoke at length to Cassie and Pidole, she stepped inside the ship. As the systems turned online, she followed Trowa's direction and looked for a flight plan. With enough time her multi-function bracelet would be able to hack into the systems to download them, but she just wanted to get a visual for now. It wasn't hard, most starships were all laid out in similar ways with similar controls. After she had looked for the robot's past rendezvous and closed her findings up, she headed back out of the shuttle just as the robot headed into it to power it up, catching the tail end of conversation.

The analyst set about turning from the group and again looking at the plant life. In reality she was setting a bit of pink noise from her bracelet. If the robot wanted to show them around the galaxy, fine. But she wouldn't have it sending transmissions out to have someone else be shown to their presence on Ahmar.

 

[Charaa]

Shuttle
Kiyo sat comfortably in the seat as she waited for the return to the ship. She’d suddenly gotten a communication from her daughter that she was back as well, having gone into the station to do some tourist-type shopping. Kiyo remembered a mission where she and the old Kaiyo 2 crew had gone to do some shopping as part of a reconnaissance mission hoping to get their hands on Kuvexian tech. She smiled, thinking about the possibility of her cute daughter doing the same thing in a manner of speaking. She was pleased that she and Wulf had chosen not to allow Luna to enter the combat side of the mission.

 

[Immortal Cyan]

YE 45.1.4

YSS Resurgence

The away team safely made it back to the YSS Resurgence from surface of Ahmar and they were shortly followed by the technical support team, which arrived after Pidole and her technicians (and beetle) made repairs to get the mysterious Kuvexian robot's shuttle up and running again. In fact, the robot was already launching it into orbit.

Luna quietly cleaned her hands after assisting with the repairs to the shuttle. She found it fascinating to see Kuvexian technology, and how different it was.

"For a robot's shuttle, it sure had a lot of luxury furniture in there," Pidole commented to Luna, looking around the shuttle bay. "I'm glad everything went peacefully."

"Hai" Luna replied as she glanced over "I guess thats how Kuvexians do it," she added.

Chiasa took a short diversion to the lab in order to store her samples for later study, before taking off her AMES and heading back to the medical center. For the most, her legs were working now, though a throbbing soreness still lingered. Nevertheless, the tiny Neko quickly committed herself to the task of preparing the medical center to receive any minor injuries, ranging from small cuts to bug bites. It was a jungle planet, after all!

Poppy followed Chiasa and asked, "You doing okay? Word on the ship is that the captain transferred Nanook back to Gashmere for what happened."

"I have so many reports to write now," Emiko interjected, overhearing Poppy, as she'd walked them there under the weight of her duty as the officer in charge.

Luna frowns"aww too bad.. i kinda liked the huge man" she said

"Yeah, Euikoshi will be mad she never got to see his, uh...you know...for science," Poppy cackled. "Yeah, but I was a little surprised, too."

"What?!" Chiasa squeaked out, nearly stopping what she was doing before her digital mind kicked in to continue her task in the background as she processed the news. "Oh." She added with a slight frown, if only to hold back a stronger reaction. "Gashmere is in bad shape right now. I hope that him going there to aid in the fight against those terrorists will help with processing the grief of losing his parents." The Pharmacy Specialist continued.

"It's probably for the best, right?" Chiasa finished, her voice taking on a higher pitch, even as a lingering uncertainty rang into her words.

"Yeah, I hope will be in a position to make a difference for good at home," Poppy nodded. "I can't believe that things got so extreme there on a planet of self-proclaimed pacifists."

Luna blinked her eyes at Poppy's statement. "oh my" She glanced to Chiasa and nodded her head as she'd heard about Gashmere. "Same" she replied, though feeling saddened that Nanook might not be able to carry her on his shoulders like her uncle William used to.

"There are years where nothing happens and weeks where decades happen." Chiasa said, without missing a beat. "It seems like the situation was building up for years and it just now came to a head." She added. "These next few weeks will be very important for Gashmere's future. I don't doubt that Gashmere is the best place for him to be, right now."

Luna nodded her head to what Chiasa had said. "I hope things settle to a settlement that both parties are satisfied with."

"Let's go grab some dinner," Poppy suggested. "We did a lot of walking down there."

"Cooks prepared enough for both Emiko and Bear. I will have to double down," Emiko nodded for emphasis. "Cannot waste."

Luna nodded, "Mommy must be hungry after the mission too, so we might be able to eat with the others on the away team. I'm interested in telling her about my time on the station too!" She added with a smile.

"I agree." Chiasa flashed a smile towards Poppy, then Emiko and Luna, before closing the inventory cabinets. Indeed, healing had made her hungry slightly earlier than she would have been otherwise.

Wardroom

In the wardroom, the serving trays on the buffet were packed with steaming hot fresh food. Even though the ship was docked in a Star Fortress, Rossa kept the serving line going. "I am glad not everyone went out to the restaurants on Shirakawa no Iori," the cook exclaimed when Chiasa arrived.

Luna nodded. "Yeah, not much looked appetizing to me so I chose not to. You make much better food!" she commented to the cook.

Chiasa quickly stacked her plate high with food, a little more than she usually ate during dinner. "Thank you for the meal." The tiny Pharmacy Specialist quickly said to Rossa. "I always prefer eating here." Chiasa added. "There's less decision paralysis so you ending up eating quicker." She added with a playful giggle as she added a third fried chicken drumstick to her plate, along with some fresh strawberries.

Luna notices the amount of food she has, but chooses not to comment. "Thank you for the yumminess!" She said to the cook as she pilled her own food on her tray. "oh i agree!" she said to Chiasa.

Luna suddenly felt arms wrapping around her as her mother arrived and gave her daughter a kiss on her head. "hey sweetie, had fun?" Kiyo asked before she moved to join the line for her own food. "Yup! the station had interesting things to see, and i got to help the others with the shuttle that was cool!" she called to her mother.

Poppy grinned and got herself a tray and went down the serving line, finding ramen bowls, shrimp po-boy sandwiches, white rice, and potato sald available along with fresh strawberries (always a sign the ship was in port or recently in port), steamed zucchini, and pecan pie. She did a split decision and got a small ramen bowl and half sandwich before sitting near Chiasa.

"If we hit these Kuvexian slavers we're going to need a power armor assault team," she pointed out. "Maybe we should plan."

Kiyo sat beside Poppy and nodded "I'm gonna make sure my armors ready for it, as well as any others that needs it" Luna sat across from Poppy.

"I agree!" Chiasa piped up, the prospect of violence naturally causing her Nekovalkyrja instincts to kick in, her gaze widening in anticipation as she bit into a drumstick like a famished kitten!

"We'll be missing Sanda unfortunately, but Freyjasdóttir-Shoi just...looks reliable." Chiasa said somewhat dreamily as she watched the towering Zhenren stack her plate with food, trying (but probably failing) to be discreet in the process!

"We can count on Cassie whenever there's an opportunity to kill Kuvexians," Poppy pointed out.

"Yes!" Chiasa answered, shaking her head as she turned back to Poppy, her features lighting up. "Do you think both of us need to take medical loadouts or would the team be better served with one of us carrying a normal loadout with more firepower? We could always take a terrain drone to supplement our equipment and to address any major injuries."

Kiyo nods"its too bad Hoshi-san isn't here, I'd have love to team up with her. big sis Yayoi said she's good in a fight." she said before nodding. "Yayoi would have jumped at the chance too." She finished.

"Some of those leftover Kuvexian corporations are still pretty powerful. I just hope we don't bite off more than we can chew," Poppy said.

Bridge

Captain Aoba called Mineko to the bridge to briefly discuss the situation.

"You wanted to see me, Chusa?" Mineko said as she arrived on the bridge with a deep bow. No longer in her AMES, she had on an olive drab jacket over her bodysuit and was holding the pad from the science kit under one arm.

"I was wondering what your opinions are on dealing with this robot to gain more intelligence about the Kuvexian remnants," Aoba told Mineko.

"We're dealing with an 'expert at exchange', sir. Those are the robot's own words. If we're going to get anything out of them, know what you're prepared to offer."

"That's a good point. It seems like everything has a price tag or cost with these people. The robot may be a machine but it may subscribe to their values and culture, which we have limited knowledge of," Aoba said. "If nothing else, I would be surprised if it didn't accept KS."

"With how it's acted already, I wouldn't be." Mineko said. "I'd have something you're willing to exchange that isn't monetary, just in case it wants to continue on its trend of bartering services. What's more, it wants compensation from the group that took the Seelies. The robot even said something about us helping it stop their operation — not the other way around."

Looking down at her pad, then up quickly to Aoba, she added, "Oh, and its name is Mitalar."

"If we're stopping kidnappers and slavers, I'm all for that," the captain said. "I enjoy it when we can put our training to use to do good in the universe. On that alone I think it's worth taking a chance to go find these rare alien survivors and bring them home. Go ahead and start asking Mitalar what she has in mind."

"I agree, sir. I really wish our motives aligned with Mitalar's..." The analyst had felt a little frustrated with the golden robot and Aoba's words helped her realize why. "At least our end goals do, if not the reasons for them."

"I'll go see about what Mitalar needs from us right away, Captain." Mineko said and gave a quick bow, head swimming with what he had said and what she could do. She set about at the nearest empty station, searching the communications tunnels of sub-space, trying to detect the radio signal for a ship that matched Mitalar's shuttle.

Mitalar was waiting. She strolled around her shuttle interior on the viewscreen, stopping to inspect various artifacts and trinkets and baubles she had collected in the shuttle, and wiping them off with a microfiber cloth. "Oh, I didn't see you there," she casually said, looking up at the screen with its big glass-like faceplate full of blinking circuits. "Something you need? Or some one?" it asked expectantly, sounding amused. She paused and polished her chrome gold fingers.

"Good to see your shuttle's in working order. Now that it is, I wanted to check in on our partner," Mineko said, calling back to what Miatalar had said. "And see how we can help you collect from the Kuvexians that owe you and kidnapped the aliens."

"Partners? With the Star Army? It is an honor! I've never seen such a bloated cash cow, I mean, well-supplied military force, that is ripe for...business dealings in a public-private partnership. By all means, the war is over, let us now do business as friends."

"Your words, not mine!" Mineko said, and jokingly raised her hands along with a smile in front of the viewscreen. "You said you knew their names and hangouts. One friend to another, where do you think they headed to after Ahmar?"

"There are three main possibilities," Mitalar said. "Perhaps we can discuss them over dinner? I'm afraid my small craft cannot accommodate you but your ship could accommodate my shuttle."

"Over dinner?" Mineko tried to press her lips tight, but her toothy smile shone through it regardless, more genuine than before. "It's about time for such. You can meet our captain and discuss these three main possibilities." After she spoke, she looked over to Aoba, as if alerting him to her previous words' impact to him.

"I'll see you soon, then," Mitalar said, sounding pleased. "I look forward very much to assisting you as an expert advisor."

"As are we," Mineko replied simply. When the communication was cut, she turned to the captain. "I think you're going to have a more eventful meal than usual, sir."

OOC: JP by Wes, Charaa, Cowboy, Immortal Cyan, Ame, Yuuki,

 

[Immortal Cyan]

YE 45.1.4 - Evening

YSS Resurgence

It wasn't long before the Kuvexian Shuttlecraft was in the Resurgence's shuttle bay and the mysterious chrome gold robot was on board. She stepped out of the craft wearing a bright orange robe covered in rows of dangling historic coins and carrying what could only be described as an incredlbly ornate royal pimp cane.

In the bay, Cassie was there to provide security and Captain Aoba was there to welcome their temporary partner and/or informant aboard. "Welcome aboard the Resurgence," Aoba greeted Mitalar. "I am Chusa Aoba Kuranosuke."

"Mitalar Sevinna of Glimmergold," the robot said. "It is a pleasure to join you for business."

"Likeise, my foremost concern is rescuing any survivors while we have time," Aoba said."I will show you to our wardroom where you can meet some more of the crew and we can discuss arrangements."

He and Cassie brought Mitalar to the wardroom where several crew members were having their dinner.

Luna sat on a wall high above in the shuttle bay watching with interest as the conversation happened below. She only moved where they had, to the wardroom, only to resit on a wall high above.

What are you doing up there, Luna? Kiyo asked having noticed her silly daughter sitting on a wall, a feat that would have been impossible for anyone but a Neko or Minkan.

Training mama! Luna's reply came, though she began to get hungry.

Mitalar took a seat at end of one of the larger dining tables.

"Everyone, this is Mitalar Sevinna," Aoba introduced the guest. "She is an artificial life form from Kuvexia who has agreed to help us track the Kuvexian pirates who captured the rare Seelie survivors. If we can rescue them, it could help restore their civilization, which was thought to be lost after the First Mishhuvurthyar War."

Seated at the table with Poppy, Chiasa had been discussing strategy for the assault against the Kuvexian slaver-pirates when her pink gaze suddenly lit up upon recognizing the gynoid from Ahmar—now clad in an indulgent orange robe and wielding an ornate pimp cane. The tiny pharmacy specialist couldn't help but to be reminded of how hard the gynoid had fleeced her and by extension, the crew of the YSS Resurgence, but she would not question Aoba's decision to bring the gynoid along for the coming raid.

Nevertheless, if only to be polite, Chiasa offered Mitalar a friendly wave.

//I hope Mitalar doesn't somehow end up with the National Bank by the time this is over.// Chiasa transmitted telepathically to Poppy and Kiyo.

Kiyo glanced up to the new arrivals, as her mind processed what Chiasa had been saying previously.

Poppy, who had been quietly listening to Chiasa's strategies and taking mental notes, turned her attention to Mitalar. She gave a small smile, her eyes reflecting a mixture of curiosity and intrigue. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mitalar. I'm Poppy, a medic aboard the Resurgence. If you need any assistance or have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask."

Mitalar nodded to the crew members, acknowledging their greetings. "Thank you for your kind welcome," she said. "I assure you, my expertise in tracking and infiltrating Kuvexian operations will be of great assistance in our mission. Together, we will ensure the safety of the Seelie survivors and dismantle the pirate operations."

Chiasa telepathically rolled her eyes, transmitting to Poppy and Kiyo in the process. At the very least, the Kuvexians always knew the right things to say!

"I'm Chiasa, pharmacy specialist." Chiasa introduced herself in short, succinct fashion. "I'm glad to work with you again." The tiny Neko lied.

Captain Aoba nodded, satisfied with the introductions. "Alright, everyone, let's get to work. We have a lot of planning and preparation to do before we can launch our assault on the Kuvexian slaver-pirates. Let's make sure we're ready for anything."

Kiyo nodded "I'm Kiyo!" She said before turning to the others "I'll head to the power Armor bay to do maintenance and check on my and the other power armors if others feel they'd like them to." she said and after finishing her meal she left the wardroom to the power armor bay.

"Do we know where the slaver-pirates make their base?" Chiasa piped up, directing her question to either Mitalar or Captain Aoba.

Luna flew to the line, and brought some food to her spot with Chiasa and Cassie.

Though Mineko hadn't been eating in the wardroom, she entered through the aft hallway. In a pair of dark jeans and an exercise tee, she stood to the side of the entrance. The analyst crossed her arms over her chest, obscuring the hinomaru with them, as she heard the pleasantries exchanged turning to imperative questions to be answered.

"Possibly," Mitalar answered Chiasa. She considered the various ways she could be compensated for her assistance in the mission. As an artificial life form, her needs were different from those of the organic crew members, but there were still things she could find valuable.

"I understand that the success of this mission is a priority for both our parties," Mitalar said, addressing Captain Aoba. "For my services in tracking and infiltrating the Kuvexian operations, I have a few requests regarding my compensation."

She paused, choosing her words carefully. "First, I would like to request access to any valuable or unique technology or information that we may encounter during this mission. My own personal development and capabilities can greatly benefit from such advancements."

"Second, I would appreciate the opportunity to establish a long-term relationship with the crew of the YSS Resurgence. This could involve mutually beneficial exchanges of information, services, or resources in the future."

"Lastly," Mitalar continued, "As I am not bound by the same needs for sustenance and shelter as you are, I will require a suitable power source to maintain my functionality. I ask that you provide me with access to your ship's power supply or provide me with an alternative, portable energy source during the course of this mission."

Captain Aoba considered Mitalar's requests, weighing the potential benefits and drawbacks. "Your requests seem reasonable, given the expertise you bring to this mission," he replied. "We will grant you access to any valuable technology or information we come across, as well as the opportunity for a long-term relationship with the Resurgence crew. As for your power needs, we can provide you with access to our ship's power supply for the duration of this mission."

Mitalar nodded, satisfied with the arrangement. "I appreciate your understanding and cooperation. I look forward to working closely with your crew and achieving our shared goals."

"You mentioned that you knew the names of the Kuvexians who took the Seelie prisoners," Aoba reminded Mitalar, pressing for more details.

Mitalar nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes, I have acquired information about the key individuals involved in the capture and sale of the Seelie prisoners. Their operation is led by a Kuvexian named Zelkor Raxim, who is known for his ruthless tactics and extensive connections within the criminal underworld. His second-in-command is a woman named Vilara Kresh, a skilled tactician and negotiator. They have been working together for several years, and their operation has grown significantly in that time."

"The two of them have a network of operatives and mercenaries working for them, making it challenging to infiltrate their organization. However, I believe that with my knowledge of their operations and the combined skills of the YSS Resurgence crew, we stand a good chance of locating and rescuing the Seelie survivors."

Captain Aoba listened intently, taking mental notes of the information Mitalar provided. "Thank you for sharing this valuable intelligence, Mitalar. This will undoubtedly be helpful in our efforts to locate and apprehend these criminals. We will begin formulating a plan to infiltrate their organization and recover the Seelie prisoners. Your expertise will be invaluable in this endeavor."

Mitalar inclined her head in agreement. "I will do my best to support your crew and ensure our mission is a success. If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to ask. Together, we can bring justice to these Kuvexian slavers and restore hope to the Seelie civilization."

Luna observed the interactions betwen bot and captain. As she ate her food, she pondered about their new Gynoid friend and the technology the pirates had too.

From the shadows of the wardroom, Mineko's red pupils glinted momentarily as her eyes shot from the exchange between the two towards the rest of the crew.

"Do we know how strong their forces are? What resources do Zelkor and Vilara have at their disposal in terms of equipment, vehicles, power armor, starships, or womanpower?" Chiasa asked. "And manpower." The tiny pharmacy specialist added, after a moment's pause. She surmised that Kuvexians probably phrased the term as 'manpower'.

Mitalar paused for a moment to compile the relevant information. "Zelkor Raxim and Vilara Kresh are both known to have strong connections within the Kuvexian underworld, granting them access to significant resources. As for their forces, they command a small fleet of pirate vessels, including frigates and corvettes, as well as a number of smaller craft such as shuttles and fighters. In terms of personnel, they employ a diverse range of mercenaries and pirates, with estimates placing their combined numbers in the hundreds. It's difficult to determine the exact strength of their forces, as their numbers can fluctuate depending on the success of their raids and the availability of hired help."

Captain Aoba listened carefully to Mitalar's description of their adversaries. "We will need to plan our approach accordingly. We must assume that they are well-armed and prepared for a fight. However, if we can strike quickly and decisively, we may be able to catch them off-guard and minimize the risks to our own crew and the Seelie captives."

Chiasa's ears twitched in surprise. Mitalar was already proving to be extremely helpful, of that there seemed to be no question.

Luna silently listened "whoa" she commented as she began pondering how much ships was a small fleet.

Aoba nodded, taking in the information. "Thank you, Mitalar. We will need to be as stealthy as possible to avoid detection and maximize our chances of success."You said there were three locations in the Kikyo Sector where they were most likely to be," Aoba reminded Mitalar. "Where?"

Mitalar nodded and accessed her internal data storage before providing the information. "There are three locations in the Kikyo Sector where Zelkor Raxim and Vilara Kresh are most likely to be operating. The first is the Kazumi system. It serves as a hidden hub for various criminal activities, including smuggling and illegal trade. After the invasion it was essentially used as a resupply point for the Kuvexian Navy. After the war ended, it fell into...shall we say...aggressively entrepreneurial hands. The second is an asteroid base located in the outskirts of the UX-17 system, which the Kuvexians call Akigatae. It is a known gathering place for pirates and mercenaries, where they can resupply and coordinate their activities without attracting the attention of the Star Army. The third location is a small, uncharted planet near the edge of the Kuvexian border. It is rumored to be a secret base used by the Kuvexian slaver-pirates for the training and sale of their captives."

Luna thought that most criminals, which she included slavers in, had to be in dark places or places that were very cold. It seemed that she'd been correct.

"So, follow the supply stations back," Euikoshi the science specialist summarized. She played with Pidole's fire engine red ponytail until Bidole made her stop.

"Suggestions?" Aoba asked his crew, open to their ideas on how to deal with the potential large numbers of enemies and having to check multiple places on a quick timeframe.

"Assault their supply points and after that, put their main base under siege. Then, negotiate for the release of the the slaves and possibly deal with the slavers after that, if we can." Chiasa piped up. The unsaid implication in her words was that they might have to let the slavers go, in order to release the slaves. Fortunately, in the context of slavers there was nothing reprehensible about going back on their word! Naturally, Chiasa wanted to avoid the scenario of rescuing slaves while under fire and risking harm coming to the slaves they were attempting to liberate.

Luna nodded, assaulting supply lines seems logical, though she wouldn't be on the assault team, since she was just a technician. Though based on what her mother said about her aunt Yayoi, it didn't seem likely that she'd want to let slavers go, as was the unsaid implication.

"Falsify job postings for merc work," Mineko offered. "To thin their numbers of hired hands."

"Good idea," Aoba nodded. "I was also thinking of adding a second Fuji-class to our group to double our firepower. We have some very capable officers with captain potential: Benna, Gabriela, and Kalena."

"That would be good." Trowa agreed with his Captain. He had been sitting quietly through most of the exchange, gauging his new crew members and seeing how they operated. "Do you have one in mind, Sir?" Ships always fascinated him and he liked keeping up with other ships and their crews. Who knew, maybe he knew someone on the other ship Aoba had in mind.

Luna nodded her head in agreement, and pondered at the rumors she'd heard of a ship attacking pirate groups as a training of some kind.

Captain Aoba thought for a moment before answering Trowa's question. "I don't have a specific Fuji-class in mind just yet, but I'll make some inquiries and see if we can find one that is available and up for the task. A joint operation with another ship would indeed increase our chances of success."

"agreed" Luna said to Aoba.

Euikoshi agreed, "Having another ship would certainly help, not only in terms of firepower but also in dividing the enemy's attention. We could use the two ships to engage the pirate fleet from different angles, confusing them and giving us an advantage," she said. "It would also allow us to split up and investigate the locations simultaneously, reducing the time it takes to find the Seelie survivors."

"We will drop off some of the operations crew at the Nataria Fleet Depot immediately to claim a ship, then," Aoba told the crew. "It's the place most likely to have spare ships and spare crew."

Trowa nodded and finished his meal. "I'll head to the Bridge now then. I'd like to see how the Res handles. Especially if you plan on transfering some of the bridge operators to the other ship."

"Thank you. Go ahead and fill the bridge crew in," Aoba told Trowa.

Trowa stood, saluted, then headed for the bridge. He couldn't quite hide his excitement to be getting into the fight again. He looked forward to seeing what the Resurgence could do it a fight.

Nataria? Chiasa's gaze lit up at the prospect of returning to her homeworld, even if only for a short time! In addition, like many others on the crew the pharmacy specialist was also ready to fight slavers and help their victims. The pharmacy specialist made a note in her digital mind to train herself on Seelie anatomy with Poppy and to work up a hemosynth formula tuned to their biochemistry.

Cassie, for all her bad experiences with combat, was also excited, glad to have an upcoming date with the battlefield where she felt like she had a clear purpose for once in her life. She looked forward to being able to vent her frustrations on some valid military targets.

Luna found herself feeling excited at the prospect of going to another Yamataian system especially Nataria.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" Mitalar asked the crew.

"I heard that we found a dead Seelie on the surface. Did anyone recover it?" Chiasa piped up. "If so, I'd like to have it on hand for study." The pharmacy specialist added.

Aoba nodded to Chiasa. "Euikoshi, Chiasa, go get it in a shuttle."

"Hai, Captain!" Chiasa instantly floated up from her seat and offered Aoba a quick salute, before looking to Euikoshi. She also flashed a telepathic transmission to Beryl, requesting that the Unit Supply Specialist fly them down to the surface for the recovery.

"Mitalar, may I contact you again if further questions come up?" Mineko asked the chrome bot.

"Of course," Mitalar nodded, her exotic clothing making soft jingles.

 

[Immortal Cyan]

YSS Resurgence -> Barrels of Fun

“Let’s go, Euikoshi!” Chiasa called out as she floated at speed into the shuttle bay, having quickly donned her AMES after leaving the wardroom. Nevertheless, the short-statured pharmacy specialist sensed that this would be a quick grab-and-go trip to retrieve the body of the dead Seelie. Once that was done, Chiasa intended to preserve it for study, in the hopes of being able to create a hemosynth formulation specific to Seelie.

Fortunately, she didn’t need to worry about grabbing a body bag, as the shuttle already had them aboard within the cockpit area.

“What do you think of working with Mitralar?” Chiasa asked the Science Officer as she entered the shuttle. “I feel like I need to make up the favor for fixing her ship to Pidole.” She added. “I might go to the wardroom and ask Rossa if I can help her make a batch of cookies as appreciation. Or maybe I’ll buy her a gift! Do you know if she would want anything in particular?”

 

[Wes]

YSS Resurgence - Shuttle Bay

Euikoshi, following close behind Chiasa, floated into the shuttle bay with a thoughtful expression on her face. "Working with Mitalar is certainly interesting," she replied, considering the gynoid's capabilities and the unique perspective she brought to the mission. "I think her knowledge of the Kuvexian slavers and the locations will be invaluable to us. As long as she can get paid, that is..."

As Chiasa mentioned making up the favor to Pidole, Euikoshi smiled. "I think either baking cookies with Rossa or getting her a gift would be a nice gesture. As for what she might want, I know she's fond of interesting trinkets and gadgets, especially if they're related to engineering or technology. Maybe something she can tinker with or use in her workshop? Pidole enjoys anything the can fix, so maybe some old tech she can bring back to life."

Entering the shuttle, Euikoshi assisted Chiasa in preparing for the retrieval of the deceased Seelie, making sure they had everything they needed for the task, including some extra Type 35 body bags. The two of them knew that time was of the essence, and they wanted to be as efficient as possible in their mission.

Soon Beryl arrived and they were on their way back down to the surface.

 

[Immortal Cyan]

Barrels of Fun

"I think her knowledge of the Kuvexian slavers and the locations will be invaluable to us. As long as she can get paid, that is..."

“I hate having to pin our hopes on shady characters like mercenaries and independents, but so far Mitralar has been very useful, or so it seems. I hope she didn’t just tell us what we wanted to hear.” Chiasa said as she pulled a body bag out from the cockpit area, before offering Beryl a bow when she arrived.

“Thank you, Leyton-Heisho.” Chiasa offered the Unit Supply Specialist a soft smile, before floating to the transport area and strapping herself in for the ride down to Ahmar.

“Do you think she’d want something for her beetle?” The tiny pharmacy specialist added. “Maybe like a terrarium!” She suggested.

 

[Wes]

Shuttlecraft "Barrels of Fun"

Euikoshi nodded in agreement as Chiasa expressed her concerns about relying on Mitalar. "It's definitely a risk, but sometimes we have to take those risks to accomplish our goals. We just have to be cautious and make sure we're not being led into a trap."

As they rode down to Ahmar's surface, Euikoshi considered Chiasa's suggestion about getting something for Pidole's pet beetle. "A terrarium would be a lovely idea! It would give the beetle a comfortable and controlled environment to live in, and I'm sure Pidole would appreciate the thought behind it. It might also give her a chance to observe and learn more about her pet's behavior and needs. I say go for it!"

As the shuttle touched down in the clearing, Beryl expertly maneuvered it to avoid any potential obstacles or hazards. The clearing provided a good vantage point for them to approach the cave they had visited earlier, where the deceased Seelie was located.

"Alright, everyone, we're here," Beryl announced, as the shuttle's hatch opened. "Let's retrieve the body and get back to the Resurgence as soon as possible. We don't want to spend too much time down here."

Euikoshi carried a portable scanner to document any relevant data they might find. Beryl, ever vigilant, kept an eye on their surroundings, ensuring their safety during the mission.

The trio made their way towards the cave, the air around them still and quiet. As they entered, they carefully navigated the rocky terrain, guided by the memory of their previous visit. Soon, they reached the spot where the Seelie's body lay, undisturbed since their last encounter.

 

[Immortal Cyan]

Barrels of Fun -> Ahmar

Chiasa made a note in her computerized mind. A terrarium it was, then! A terrarium could fit the condition of being something that Pidole could use her technical skills to tinker with in her workshop, while also being very useful for her beetle buddy!

Once the shuttle landed, Chiasa followed after Euikoshi and Beryl as the two Minkan disembarked. She was tempted to get another sample of the yellow bush she had taken cover behind while hiding from the drone, but the tiny pharmacy specialist knew that she had enough to last some time. If she ran out, she could have the samples cloned, if necessary.

Upon entering the cave, Chiasa held her breath as she did another quick visual scan for traps. She was not only looking for the ones from before set by Mitralar, but also any new ones which might have been set by scouts.

Not to mention, there was also the ever persistent issue of drones!

"I'll take the body and get it in the bag." Chiasa said, shifting her gaze back to the green-haired Science Officer. "Can you cover me while I work?"

 

[Cowboy]

Bridge, YSS Resurgence

Trowa entered the bridge and moved to where Lively and Benna were had the watch. "Taiis." Trowa said acknowledging his fellow Starship Operators. "We've got orders from the Captain. We're to head to the Nataria Fleet Depot. We're going to get another Fuji-class to assist us in our rescue mission." Trowa smiled. "It sounds like to me that he wants a couple of you to take command of the second one to get some command experience. Sounds like a great opportunity." Even though he barely knew them, Trowa liked to see Bridge crew get a chance at command. That was the always the goal of Bridge crew, to one day get command of their own ship and an opportunity like this would be key.

Trowa glanced at the pilots station. "If you don't mind, I'd like to get a feel for how the Res handles. I imagen a Fuji is a bit different from a Plumeria." Trowa sad down at the controls and gave things an once over, a smile coming to his face as he did so. He had always enjoyed flying these big ships. His cybernetics integrated him to the ship very much like the SPINE interface Nekos had but the Nep also liked using the physical controls. He checked the ships status. Looked like the shuttle was still planet side. Wouldn't look good if he left them. He messaged the shuttle. "Resurgence to shuttle. What is your ETA to return to the ship?"

 

[Wes]

Ahmar Surface

"Of course," Euikoshi replied, nodding at Chiasa. She adjusted her grip on the portable scanner and kept a watchful eye on their surroundings, ready to alert the others if anything seemed amiss.

As Chiasa approached the Seelie's body, she took a moment to pay her respects to the fallen individual before carefully and respectfully placing the remains into the body bag. She made sure to handle the body with care, aware of its significance to their mission and the potential it held for restoring the Seelie civilization.

With Beryl and Euikoshi keeping watch, Chiasa zipped the body bag closed and prepared to transport it back to the shuttle. "Alright, I've got the body secured. Let's head back," she announced to her companions.

The trio made their way out of the cave, retracing their steps through the rocky terrain. As they moved, they remained vigilant, aware that the potential for danger still lingered. However, they managed to reach the shuttle without any incidents or encounters with traps or drones.
Once aboard the shuttle, they strapped themselves in and Beryl lifted off, heading back to the YSS Resurgence with their precious cargo in tow.

Shuttle, Returning to YSS Resurgence

Beryl checked the shuttle's instruments and calculated their arrival time based on their current speed and trajectory. "YSS Resurgence, this is the shuttle. Our ETA back to the ship is approximately 15 minutes," she responded to Trowa's inquiry.

Bridge, YSS Resurgence

Trowa nodded, satisfied with the response. "Understood, shuttle. We'll be waiting for you. Resurgence out." He turned his attention back to Lively and Benna. "We have about 15 minutes before the shuttle returns. Let's make sure everything is ready for their arrival and for our departure to the Nataria Fleet Depot."

Benna and Lively exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. "Understood, Heisho," Benna replied. The two Starship Operators quickly set to work, going over the ship's systems and ensuring everything was prepared for their upcoming mission. Lively focused on the navigation and communication systems while Benna double-checked their weapons and shields.

Trowa watched as the two worked, pleased with their efficiency and dedication. He looked forward to seeing how they would perform in a command role on the second Fuji-class ship. Meanwhile, he familiarized himself with the controls and got a feel for the Resurgence, noting any differences between it and the Plumeria-class ships he was used to. As he did so, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement for the upcoming mission and the challenges it would bring.

YSS Resurgence - Shuttle Bay

Luna scurried to the docking bay, to assist with repairs if need be, and also to see the shuttle come in. Something she'd long since enjoyed.

Beryl's familiar T7 shuttle, "Barrels of Fun" came into the shuttle, cover in a mild coating of soot and filth from its various planetfalls and adventures on the surface. In minutes it was "parked" and its occupants were coming out of the back loading door/ramp waving at her.

"Hey," Euikoshi said, pushing the dead body on a grav gurney. She turned to Chiasa. "So you want this guy in the medical lab or do you want me to take him to the science lab? I'm thinking your place."

Luna watched before turning her head to the body in the bag. "soo...thats what a Seelie looks like?' she asked and frowned at her ignorance, she knew she had to have seen it during her lessons.

"Hey, don't open the body bag, we don't want to contaminate the specimen," Euikoshi told Luna.

"I'll take him to the medical center." Chiasa answered, before offering the blue-skinned Neko a cheerful wave. "There are more examination areas there." She added. With that, Chiasa took over with pushing the grav gurney. There was quite a lot of work to do and naturally, the tiny pharmacy specialist didn't want to waste any more time than necessary. Saving the lives of the Seelie might very well depend on it.

Luna soon realized why she didnt recognize the species the bag was distorting it to her multi colored eyes. She nodded her head to Euikoshi-sempai, and smiled to Chiasa.

YSS Resurgence - Medical Center

Mineko had helped prepare a containment room in the medical lab while Beryl's shuttle had been on the surface.

Poppy assisted Mineko and Chiasa in getting the murdered Seelie survivor into the containment room where their remains could be safely stored and examined. Once the bodybag was behind the containment forcefields it was safe to open and take a look.

Luna quietly followed along in hopes she might be of help.

"You said an energy pistol killed them," Mineko spoke as she gave a sidelong glance to Poppy as she studied the blast wounds with her darkened blue and red eyes. Her hair was up and her hands behind her jacket's back

After getting the Seelie into the containment room, Chiasa quickly changed out of her environmental suit and swapped the outfit for a set of disposable scrubs and gloves. After scrubbing in, the tiny pharmacy specialist made her way back inside the containment area and quickly examined the corpse, albeit only visually.

"Yeah, almost certainly a Kuvexian one," Poppy said. She got on a surgical facemask and a set of gloves as well. "And recently," she added.

"I agree." Chiasa added as she pulled out her portable medical scanner, before loading the injector with scanner nanomachines.

Luna couldnt help but notice Mineko's eyes which made the young blue skinned Neko feel something for her, though her attention was on the body now in the containment room. "poor Seelie!" She couldnt help but say.

"Yeah, you said within the past week when we were on the ground. Do you think it was more recent than that? Their time of death could help us know what kind of lead the slavers have on us." Mineko said.

"Well," Poppy said, "I'm a medic not a coroner...but my rough guess is maybe a day or two?" The pink-haired medic shrugged her shoulders.

"Slaver's suck!" Luna said turning her attention to the others.

Mineko straightened, "That's great news." It wasn't obvious if she was speaking about what either Poppy or Luna had said. "Is there anything you can ascertain, Chiasa-san?"

"Injecting now." Chiasa said as she placed the hypospray injector on the Seelie's neck. "There is no template for Seelie so it's going to be a bit of guesswork." She added. "I'm going to try and figure out their sex, if possible."

"If we can get a DNA sample we should do that," Poppy suggested. "Hey, is there a way to see what their eyes saw at the moment of death or is that just something in TV shows?"

Luna tilted her head as she listened to the much older, and far more beautiful ladies do medic talk. She immediately thought of her cousin for a moment.

To Poppy, Mineko said, "We can, but not aboard a ship." It made her smile a bit thinking about being able to do something like that and the implication it was possible, just not here. Whether it was humor or not was hard to tell. "Luna, could be the conduit for it if we find a facility planetside."

Luna blinked, though soon realized they were serious about viewing what eyes had seen. "i.. i mean i could maybe make something.. but I'm not Itatski Sachiko so not sure how good it will be!" she replies.

"I uhhh..." Chiasa's ears twitched as she processed the ongoing discussion. It almost went without saying that she didn't think that seeing what someone saw after death was possible. However, if anyone knew how to do it, a SAINT Analyst would. Maybe Poppy as well.

With a deep breath, Chiasa shifted her gaze to the body's pubic area, intending to figure out the subject's sex. She could only hope that the Seelie anatomy wasn't too different from what she was already familiar with.

"Anything the scanner nanomachines have figured?" Mineko asked, more to the point.

Popppy removed the subject's clothing with shears so Chiasa could get a better look. The humanoid was definitely a male.

"Subject is a male." Chiasa said. "I'm going to run the DNA now." With that, the tiny pharmacy specialist pulled out the controller pad and set the device to run a comparative analysis of Seelie DNA with known species, including Humans, Nekovalkyraja, Minkan, Elves, Elysians, Tula, Qaktoro, and anything else within the database.

However, Chiasa naturally wanted to find out more. She set the scanners to post-death analysis, hoping to find out the nature of the life the Seelie had lived. That meant looking for healed fractures, muscle development focused in certain areas, and yet more. While the DNA and post-death analysis was running, Chiasa shifted her attention to the snout and slowly opened the corpse's mouth. Then, she injected fresh scanner nanomachines around the gums.

An individual was what they ate. What then, had this particular Seelie eaten?

Luna couldn't help but stop her eyes from looking down towards the Seelie's genital region. Like a good well behaved and not at all a Thad, she kept her mind very safe for work.

"This one lived a hard life." Chiasa frowned. "The scanners are picking up a lot of healed fractures and muscle tears. He had a really bad left shoulder and some knee issues, but otherwise..." The tiny pharmacy specialist paused, as if in contemplation. "He was very strong. His muscles are extremely dense. Many times denser than anything possible for unaugmented humans."

"Poor guy!" Luna commented as she hovered up in the air so that she wasnt in the way of the medics. She listened to what Chiasa was saying.

Slowly but surely, Chiasa was putting together a coherent picture of not only the Seelie specimen before her, but also of the Seelie species as a whole. Based on the muscle structure alone, she concluded that they were predators capable of running down prey with speed the envy of the greatest unaugmented human sprinters. The nanomachines' analysis of the gums confirmed that, along with the body's stomach contents.

"A carnivore." Chiasa continued. "Two hearts, massive lungs, and..." The pharmacy specialist took a deep breath. "My goodness. If my conclusion is correct, their metabolism is extremely efficient. Better than ours." Chiasa added, leaving the implication to hang in the air.

"Whoa!" Luna said at the carnivore comment. "I hope these guys aren't enemies.

"Built to survive a dangerous environment, it sounds like," Poppy said, rubbing her chin through her surgical mask. "Why don't we ever find species that are weaker than humans?" she chuckled.

"They must have really powerful senses too, based on the complexity of the eye anatomy and the olfactory nerves." Chiasa said. "But you're right, Luna. We should be glad we're rescuing them, rather than doing the opposite." The pharmacy specialist admitted.

"Couldn't agree more," Mineko added in the same reverent tone.

YSS Resurgence - Exterior Shot

As soon as the shuttle was on board, the YSS Resurgence left Ahmar's orbit and headed to the edge of the Ahmar system, where it jumped into hyperspace in a flash of shimmering teal light, appearing moments later in the Star Army of Yamatai's adopted homeworld, the heavily fortified star system of Nataria, with thousands of Star Army ships present, from small patrol ships and shuttles to gargantuan behemoths like the Izanagi-class Dreadnaughts. The Resurgence glided in and took up space in a floating drydock next to another Fuji-class starship and the YSS Aeon II, a Plumeria, and extended a docking tube to each.

YSS Resurgence - Bridge

Trowa finally released the controls as the ship was secured to the drydock. He was very pleased with how the Res handled. Although there was no hiding the longing he had as he saw his beloved YSS Aeon II docked nearby. He had started his career on the first Aeon and had been the second's XO temporarily.

Captain Aoba stood and look at at his bridge crew. "Excellent," he said to Trowa. He then turned to Benna. "I know you've only been with us a short while training under Gabriela, but I appreciate your help with the Norian Arrival crisis and I wish you success in the future. As the Taii with the most time in grade, I believe the captaincy of the YSS Renaissance falls to you. I believe you may be the Star Army's first Anthro captain. Don't worry Gabriela, you'll be a captain soon. But I will enjoy having the Star Army's finest navigator a little longer while I can."

Benna nodded. "I'll provide the best support I can, sir," she told him. "Thank you and all the Resurgence crew for rescuing me from occupied Hanako's World. Without the Resurgence who knows what would have happened to me." They exchanged salutes and Benna headed to the docking tube to the Renaissance. Meanwhile, Aoba headed to the docking tube from the YSS Aeon II, inviting Trowa to join him to meet a transferring crew member who would be joining the YSS Resurgence.

"Good luck, Captain Benna." Trowa said as the Anthro left. He followed Aoba to the Aeon's docking tube. He was excited just to be this close to the Aeon again.

Saying his last good byes to the Aeon II, Yoshiro Tanaka grabbed his duffel bag and headed towards the docking tube. He had many fond memories of the first Aeon and temporary service on the second. He headed to his new assignment.

When Tanaka reached the end of the Resurgence's docking tube, he found captain Aoba and Trowa there to welcome him aboard the long-range expeditionary gunship.

Trowa almost missed the fact that it was Yoshiro that was joinging the Res because he was so caught up in seeing the Aeon again. But once he noticed he smiled broadly and shook the man's hand. "Well well well, Joto Heisho Yoshiro Tanaka! Together again, eh?" Turning to Aoba, Trowa said, "Captain, this is one of the finest Joto Heisho's I've ever had the pleasure to serve with."

"He does me too much credit. Besides the honor was all mine." Yoshiro said as he shook Trowa's hand. "I just do my best to serve the empire of Yamatai."

"That is excellent to hear. We are rebuilding our combat away team and an experienced NCO is exactly what we need," Aoba told Tanaka. The captain was a studious looking man with shrewd eyes and a serious expression. "Welcome aboard the YSS Resurgence."

"I will do my best for you, captain." Yoshiro said as he bowed. He stood up and waited to be dismissed.

Captain Aoba led the way, with Trowa and Yoshiro following behind. As they walked, Aoba briefed Yoshiro on their mission to rescue the rare surviving Seelie from Kuvexian slavers. "We're currently in the process of gathering additional assets to support our mission. We have another Fuji-class ship, the YSS Renaissance, under the command of newly promoted Captain Benna, which will be working with us." The captain entered the enlisted cabin area where they found Julia Meadows carrying a laundry basket to the laundry room.

"Sir!" she said, coming to attention.

"Carry on," Aoba said. He showed Yoshiro an empty cabin (number 6), and helped Yoshiro get his bags into it.

"Do we have intel on who these people that took them and where they went?" Yoshiro asked.

"Kuvexian slavers apparently," Trowa answered. "Although our intel should be taken with a grain of salt. We have a Kuvexian robot who is willing to give us intel for money but we're not sure yet just how well we can trust it, hence the second ship to help out."

Trowa turned to Aoba. "By the way Sir. Does the Renaissance have its own away team or are they merely providing additional space cover?"

Yoshiro was thinking about what Trowa had said as he stowed his gear. "These slavers are going to have justice done to them. Even if it means tracking them down to the ends of the galaxy!" He said to himself angrily. "There is no way that I am going to let them get away with it, I swear it on my honor as a soldier of Yamatai!"

"Not yet," Aoba replied to Trowa. "She'll be running on a skeleton crew until Star Army Personnel Command can come up with the necessary full crew. Given the reports of the numbers of ships the enemy forces have at their disposal, I felt we needed additional firepower for potential ship combat. As always, though, stealth is our best option."

Trowa smiled at that. "Aye Sir, although there's a lot to be said for a Eikan Heavy Cruiser, or a Sharie battleship."

Aoba picked up a phone on the wall. "Aoba to bridge. Retract docking tubes and set cou rse for the Koenic star system." The Resurgence and her sister ship began preparations to leave the safety of Nataria for the first leg of their journey to the frontier. "Please help Yoshiro-Heisho get to know the team," Aoba asked Trowa. "I'll see you later on the bridge."

Yoshiro was finished stowing his gear and stood up. He was raring to go.

"Aye Aye Sir." Trowa saluted Aoba then turned to Yoshiro. "Well then, I guess we'll head to the Power Armor Bay and make sure your suit has been properly stowed and see who's around there first."

"That sounds like a plan. I would like to meet the people who I am going to be working with." Yoshiro said and followed Trowa to the power armor bay.

YSS Resurgence - Power Armor Bay

Kiyo stepped back from the power armor she had finished maintening and smiled. "There you go beautiful, your good in working order!" she said before she turned to the next Power Armor.

In the power armor bay they found Cassie, an anthro catgirl with short gray fur. She was performing maintenance on her own power armor, focusing intently on the task at hand. The armor gleamed under the bay's lighting, and it was apparent that Cassie took great pride in keeping it in excellent condition.

As Trowa and Yoshiro entered the power armor bay, Cassie looked up and noticed the two. She wiped her hands on a nearby cloth and approached them with a friendly smile. "Hey, Trowa! Who's your friend?"

"Cassie, this is Joto Heisho Tanaka. He and I served together on the Aeon. He's been reassigned here. The Captain asked me to show him around and to meet the other Away team members." Trowa said. "Tanaka, this is Cassie, she's one of the the Away team members. You'll be working a lot with her."

"A new boss for me, eh?" Cassie said, looking Yoshiro up and down.

Kiyo turned to the newcomers. "Oh! Welcome to the Resurgence! I'm Kiyo, a temporary replacement." She said as she lifted her dirty hand to shake.

"I guess so." Yoshiro said with a smile to Cassie. "It is a pleasure to meet you kiyo." Yoshiro shook her hand as he spoke to her.

"Our team is small but feisty, even though we might have to get the cook to join the team to fill it out," Cassie grinned. "Welcome to the Resurgence."

= = =

OOC: JP by Wes, Charaa, Cowboy, Immortal Cyan, Ame, Yuuki, Yoshiro Tanaka