YE 45.5 - 4 weeks after the rescue of the Wakaba
Central Fleet Depot, Yamatai
It was a rainy evening in Central Uesureya when the YSS Resurgence's battered figure appeared in the clouded skies of Yamatai. A mist of splashing water hung over her and streams drained off her sides as spotlights revealed armored hull covered in burns, craters, holes, and gouges. As she neared the ground, Resurgence eventually landed with the careful assistance of space tugboats on a set of supports specially built for the ship since its landing gear was lost in the fight with the Mishhuvurthyar, just outside the massive old hangar where the ship had received its last rebuild, which concluded a month ago. A hydraulic groan filled the air as the ship slowly slid into the hangar.
YSS Resurgence - Bridge
Captain Aoba stood from his captain's chair as the ship finally came to a halt, and picked up his intercom handset. "This is the captain, set condition 5 throughout the ship, systems on standby mode. We will release the crew for liberty in five minutes. As a reminder, all crew members are expected to participate in the upcoming Kikyo no Sekku parade. During the maintenance period, you will need to stay at a Star Army barracks or personal residence and must remove all personal belongings from the ship. Additionally, the Empress has invited me and any crew who wishes to come, to meet her at her palace in Kyoto. Those who want to go are welcome to join me at the cargo bay door. Enjoy your time on Yamatai, but maintain readiness. Star Army Engineering tells me we'll fly again by YE 45.6." The captain picked up his Type 36 Officers cap and his black Type 32 Coat, his sword, and his umbrella before heading down the bottom of the ship where the crew was starting to gather to be released. As he passed through the bridge doorway, he took one last look at the bridge as the lights went dim.
Cargo Bay Ramp
"Every time this happens they put everything back to factory designs," Pidole said to Euikoshi, "That's why lately I've been submitting my modifications to the factory designers," she said. Her big blue beetle nodded happily in agreement from a perch on top of her head.
Poppy spotted Erika and half-jokingly threatened, "This doesn't mean you will escape your medical exam forever!" She mimicked the again of slapping on a latex glove, before grabbing her duffel bag.
Erika turned her head to face Poppy, her expression deep in thought as she carried her duffel down the ramp. It took a moment for her to process the Neko's 'threat', causing Erika's eyebrows to raise and an amused smile to unfurl across her lips. "Here I was resigned to my fate, but now you're just making it into a game."
Just in time to catch the way Poppy was miming with her hands, Mineko took long strides down the ramp. Though Poppy was capable of extraordinary feats when it came to saving lives, she still buoyed the ship with her entertaining ribbing and games. It was only a matter of time before she had roped the newest recruits into one such amusement.
Erika held short the end of the ramp, waiting for Mineko to catch up. "You going to the meet with the Empress?" She asked, matching her stride with the neko.
"Wouldn't miss it for anything," Mineko replied cheerily. Only when she had caught up to Erika did she add more faintly. "Didn't hear me tossing and turning all night? I think I got three hours of sleep. Anxiety's normal before meeting her, right?"
Erika chuckled "Well if its not we can be abnormal together. Much more fan fare than I was expecting, that's for sure."
"I'll sleep like a rock tonight. You're welcome to stay at my apartment in Kyoto, by the way, there's futon to go around." Mineko offered, relishing in the idea of sleeping in her old place and the springy but stiff feeling of sleeping on tatami mats instead of the enlisted bunks.
"Much appreciated, I think I'll take you up." Erika replied, giving a beaming smile "Definitely beats the idea of being stuck in the barracks." She then gave a large sigh "Of course we'd get shore leave before my first pay cycle."
"I'll spot you!" Mineko said, but added, "Or you can do some work for one of my old bosses to get a quick buck. Pay's better than you'd think." Mineko was partly just excited to see her old friends and dance school again and knew part of the training there, like deep cleaning the hollow-wood floors and around the okiya, was rewarding work she'd be happy to do alongside Erika if she didn't want a free hand out.
"I wouldn't ask that of you." Erika said, as though in answer to Mineko's unspoken thought. "Doing some work on the side sounds interesting though."
A cargo truck from the First Fleet pulled up and its driver, a burly Kodian Heisho, offered to deliver everyone's bags to wherever they were staying.
Okimi dropped her duffel off with the Kodian Heisho to be sent to her assigned barracks while she was off meeting the Empress. When she had heard the Captain's announcement, it had taken all of .3141 seconds to decide that the caretaker was so going along on that trip and prepare accordingly. She'd worry about finding her way to the assigned barracks afterwards - its not like she could get that lost on the homeworld.
Cheilith wanted to see the Empress again, so she showed up to the Cargo Bay dressed in a nice dress uniform with the sword Himiko had gifted her with on her back. She waved, "Hey! Going to see the empress!?" It perhaps wasn't clear if the last was a question or an excited statement.
Yuri had her duffle bag along with her mother's dropped off with the Kodian Heisho to be sent to her mother's bar, to the residential area above it. She stepped into place as she moved to join the captain on the trip to meet the Empress. She wanted to see the Empress speak to her mother, only because her mother was amazing, though strict. She gently pulled on the collar, only to have her hand grabbed by her mother. "Stop, your damage it" Yayoi warned as she joined the group.
Sanda was dressed in her Type 35 uniform with all the trimmings. She even had met the empress before, when the Resurgence was first commissioned. That had been right after Glimmergold. Sanda had been recovering from that and hadn't really enjoyed her time. Back then she had still been a young and hotheaded Santo Hei. It had also been super cold and it had hurt her shoulder. Now she was an decorated and experienced Nito Heisho. It would be a much different visit.
As interesting as meeting the Empress of Yamatai sounded, Trowa had some higher ranking people to visit. Namely his wife and two kids. They took priority over even the Empress.
One benefit to being new to the ship was that Yoko had very few personal effects. Standard equipment and all fit very nicely into a single duffel bag. She had no real relatives or contacts in Yamatai itself, so the most she could hope for is the offer to see the Empress... Which she admittedly was fangirling inside a little bit over. She only hoped that the Mindy she used didn't record her battle chatter, as that would be a little embarrassing... She may have gotten a -little- patriotic in the heat of the moment.
Though speaking of embarrassing, she had not the time to get something more fancy than the most basic of formal uniforms for the event. She was going to look the plainest of them all. Real rank and file. That was okay though... She had only just joined after all. Yoko could hardly stand out among the crew who had fought and bled for the ship many times already. Though inwardly she mused that she couldn't stand out anyway being so short.
Yoshiro's quarters
Yoshiro was packing his gear and thought about what he had wanted to say when he met the Empress. Never in a million years did he even think he would have the chance to meet someone with such o high status as the Empress.
He had the duffel bag sent to his home with a letter saying that he would come to visit. He headed to the hangar to meet with the people who were meeting with the empress.
Hangar
A second vehicle pulled up out of the rain, this one was a government van. When the driver emerged, she wasn't in a Star Army uniform, she was wearing a white kimono, black boots, and red hakama pants with a gold trim, and carrying a samurai sword and an old Type 27 Nekovalkyrja service pistol. A Ketsurui Samurai from the Empress's private guard. "Greetings," she said to the crew, her eyes locking on Taisa Aoba. "If you're ready, I can bring you and your crew to the palace."
Yoshiro was awestruck. He tried to speak but he was speechless. He was nervous about meeting with the Empress all of a sudden but he followed the group to the van.
"oohh, she's pretty! and cool" Yuri murmured to herself as she caught sight of the Samurai's appearance. Yayoi stepped forward, hoping her daughter will be on her best behavior as she and Yuri made their way to the van. Telepathically, Yayoi reminded her daughter to review behavior on the topic of behavior while in the Palace to even meeting the Empress.
Suddenly it dawned on Okimi that meeting the Empress meant meeting the Empress and everything that would entail. She suddenly began reviewing every piece of information stored in her brain on the subject of deportment, etiquette and Star Army regulations referencing behavioral standards. Quickly realising that she was severely unprepared for the magnitude of the coming imperial visit, the caretaker did her best to hide her mounting panic.
"I'm ready!" Cheilith said, clambering into the car, "So have you ever met her before?" She asked the new crew member.
Cassie checked her Type 35 uniform and the position of her medals on it one more time before heading to the van. "Yes, when the ship was about to launch for the first time," she told Cheilith. "She's sort of the ship's sponsor, I think. Oh, I thought you were talking to me for a second."
Yoko didn't respond out loud. She wasn't addressed, and didn't want to be seen speaking out of turn. Protocol was surely intense around the empress. The worst case scenario of them blurting out some grave offense briefly flashed through her mind. Anxiety built upon itself for a couple moments before she shudders and blinks it away. Focus, focus... At least she wasn't alone in her nervousness. Glancing to the side, she saw the slight shaking of Okimi and reaches over. Partly to calm herself and partly to distract herself from her own stress. She pats her arm gently, "We'll be alright. Just get the bowing right and be modest, yeah?"
Okimi looked at the short infantry neko and gave her a hesitant smile. "Maybe. Its just, what if we get it wrong and somebody notices? Maybe they decide we offended the Empress and make sure we get reassigned to a garbage scow on loan to the Nepleslians?"
Erika overheard and gave Okimi a light flick on the head as she passed "Us newbies are anxious enough as it is. You don't need to be painting such hellish pictures for us." she said as she climbed into the vehicle.
Yoko scowls at Erika when she flicks Okimi. She clearly doesn't approve of that kind of treatment of their caretaker, but she doesn't speak up this time. There'd be a time and a place to set boundaries, but right now they needed to have themselves sorted before they appear in front of the Empress. She does quietly give the caretaker's hand a small squeeze to reassure her though.
Okimi blinked at the reprimand from the white-haired neko and tried to stop her lip from trembling. She turned her head so nobody would notice her suddenly moist eyes. She wouldn't cry, not over something so petty. She did make a mental note to not bring up anything that could be categorized as a personal weakness with Erika in the future though. She offered a smile to Yoko and squeezed her hand back.
The captain got in the passenger seat up front next to the samurai Nekovalkyrja, a raven haired old-school looking Nekovalkyrja with a classic hime-cut hairstyle and fair skin.
Pidole, Poppy, and Euikoshi hoped in the van. To make extra room, Euikoshi sat in Pidole's lap. Sakuko and Gabriela joined in as well, plus a few others. Hayden, one of the new guys, nervously scratched his head and stayed behind.
With her duffel having been taken away and now just in her Type 35, Mineko realized she hadn't worn it once since graduation. It was stiff around the wrists where the cuffs sat and the rounded collar kept hitting her chin, but she employed every bit of self-control to not tug or itch anything and sat straight as a board squished between Pidole with Euikoshi atop her. Her mind went to graduation and she kept her mind off of her mounting anxieties by looking into SAINT in-service training courses that would be available to her —and Erika if she so chose— while the Resurgence was being repaired.
Sanda smiled at Cassie, "We were young and hot headed back then weren't we." Sanda chuckled, thinking back to the first time they met the Empress. She looked over at Pidole. "I particularly remember you almost getting in big trouble because of little Bidole. Someone thought he was a pet and not a crew member."
"Just a bit, but we've grown and matured. Well, perhaps expect for Thad. I didn't know what I wanted to be back then. It took this ship, this crew to help me figure it out." Cheilith responded.
Yayoi turned her attention out the windows, as she silently observe the passage of cars and feeling as calm as calmness she embodied. "wowee! Pidole got into trouble?!" Yuri asked Sanda.
"Not really, some officer who wasn't around long enough for me to remember his name fussed some at her but nothing came of it." Sanda assured Yuri.
Yuri nodded her head in understanding as she relaxed. She liked Pidole, and Bidole she thought both were amazing.
The Empress Palace, Kyoto, Yamatai
After driving onto a transport ship, the van arrived in the Military District of Kyoto (also called the MDK) amidst the many skyscrapers, spires, and office buildings that made up the Star Army's headquarters in the military-restricted Western half of the capital. They drove past Star Army Personnel Command's headquarters on the way out, getting a sighting of Taisho Ketsurui-Shinjuku Hanako opening the door for someone on the way into the large castle-like building. They passed out through a security gate and into the heart of Kyoto, passing the blackened hulking monument of the Uesureyan Fortress, and finally through the gates of the Empress Palace at the center of the city.
Yoshiro was flabbergasted about what he was seeing. "Whoa..." was all he could say as his mind was blown from what he had seen.
"oh..my..gosh" Yuri said as she caught sight of the Empress's palace, and not only that, but the Imperial Premier herself! it amazed her and reminded her that if they were lucky, they could meet Hanako too. She could meet Hanako again, since Hanami Festival. Though she felt her mother stifen at the sight of Hanako, before she remembered hearing about her mother being stuck on the planet, during the war. Yuri wondered if her mother was embarrassed that the planet was still lost.
The van pulled past flowering bushes and gardens into a covered archway where they could enter the palace protected from the rain. Their samurai guide led the way through the elaborate door into the interiors, which had blue carpets, chandeliers, and a great amount of paintings of the notable people and accomplishments of the Yamatai Star Empire.
Yoshiro followed close, looking around and taking in the art of battles past. He was honored to be a part of this and he was reminded with each step that he took why he joined the Star Army.
The tension as Yoko accompanied the group could be cut with a knife. For her part she was contributing to lowering it by humming a light cadence. Even if it was a simple marching one. She wouldn't dare sing it out loud though. Not the official one or the cruder one the infantry liked to sing. Wouldn't be proper.
Cheilith babbled enthusiastically to whoever was close about the paintings and what was happening in them and the history that was involved.
"I think that's the battle of Glimmergold," Cassie pointed at one for Cheilith. "It must be new."
"I wonder if they painted us in the picture?" Sanda pondered. "It was one hell of a fight wasn't it?"
"Weren't we on the 'Presurgence?' at the time?" Euikoshi asked. "The refurbished Kyoto-class carrier? It's hard to tell one from the others."
Yayoi glanced to the paintings as she scanned them with her eyes. Yuri also looked as she followed but there was a thought on her mind, an idea that was forming that surely some may be displeased with. She moves to catch up to Okimi.
"Yeah, but we were still there." Sanda nodded.
"It's kinda weird there being a painting of something you were a part of here. Like a teeny tiny part, but still a part." Cheilith commented.
Yoshiro was looking at the paintings of the Battle For Glimmergold. He did not fight there and wished that he could have. "Whoever fought there, at Glimmergold, will forever be honored. " Yoshiro said with respect for those who fought and died there.
Okimi, a little calmer now her initial panic had died down, found instead that she felt like an intruder in the palace grounds. Here was a place for heroes. She was just a caretaker and was fairly certain there was nothing particularly heroic to be attributed to doing the laundry of a Fuji-class Gunship. During the later battles the Resurgence had recently experienced, she had just been stuck in a bed in the ship's medical center. Looking around at the records of Yamatai's heroes, she felt like a failure.
"Remember that time the Empress gave us ten million KS to buy information from Soon Bardoon on Sood Zadra so we could get the location of that star system?" Poppy asked the others.
If Mineko had been hanging back before, she was gravitating towards the group now with ears perked.
Erika's features had become hard and inscrutable as she walked the grounds with the group, particularly close to Mineko. Whether out of support for her fellow SAINT, or for her own she wouldn't say.
"I remember the time she ordered Senator Iemochi to be arrested," Gabriela said. "Something about illegal self-cloning."
"That was a weird situation all around. Like Iemochi isn't the type to betray the empire in any way. He's still a senator too. Like if you hated Yamatai, why would you do that? I don't think he did it." Cheilith liked the Elysian senator.
"That's not one of my faviorte memories. I had a lot of respect for Iemochi and hated that I had to arrest him. I wish he could see me now with my Heisho chevrons." Sanda said looking at her red chevron. Iemochi was one of the first people to encourage Sanda to push to become an NCO. Also one of the first people to really start treating her like one too. She really missed him.
"Kiyo told me about that, I honestly didn't believe her when she told me, so this was legit?" Yayoi asked as she looked towards the crew conversing on a specific topic.
"The dude tried to pass a self-cloning bill right before that," Cassie pointed out. "Anyway..."
"So? We do need to update our laws about that. Their just a patchwork that doesn't always fit together. He's a senator, it's his job to propose changes to make our system of laws better." Cheilith argued.
"Wonder what the Kuvexians know about the Elysian genome because of what he did, though," Mineko half-mumbled, her own interests on the intelligence the enemy had at play here.
"Whatever they have, I don't think it's because he gave it to them, it's not in his character." Cheilith pointed out.
"Not what the Empress thinks," Mineko said tersely, waking away from Cheilith.
"Down these stairs, please," their samurai guide directed them. They passed through a series of airlocks down into place under the palace where the ornate walls were replaced by high-tech metal plating and glowing lines of energy. There were faint rumors that there was an ancient star fortress buried under the Empress Palace but few knew it was true.
"Hai" Yayoi said simply as she followed their Samurai guide.
Yoshiro followed the guide and walked down the stairs. Quiet and respectful he stood, but nervous.
Erika said nothing, though there was a curiosity to her head motions as she glanced around the room and its sudden change in architecture.
"Thank you, Fujin," the voice of the Empress thanked her samurai as the crew arrived in a large open chamber filled with Nekovalkyrja cloning tubes and stasis chambers. "Thank you all for coming," she told the Resurgence crew. The Empress was a pretty Nekovalkryja woman with vibrant red eyes and silky black hair, and she was dressed in an ornate gold and blue kimono of considerable size. An ancient jade hairpiece was in her hair. She gave everyone a bow and then took a seat on a very fancy, very old wooden chair.
Yoshiro was starstruck. He bowed in response but this being his first time doing this he was unsure of what to do next.
It was happening the Empress was right there, infront of her, in the same room as her, addressing them. Yuri fortunately for her mother was polite, but she couldn't help but think the Empress was pretty. Yayoi had stood straight, with no slouch, as she prepared herself to properly bow then did so.
Yoko's eyes scanned the room as they entered. The chambers and tubes were not what she expected for a meeting with the empress. Was it meant to imply something? Her nervousness raised a tic at the thought. But of course, once her eyes fell upon the Empress, all other thoughts were chased away. She quickly bowed the lowest her small frame would allow, having to shift her legs to keep her balance. To her surprise, the Empress bowed back! To do that to a captain was huge! For the moment, she maintained her bow, not daring to look back up until given the command to be at ease.
Cheilith bowed respectfully, "We are at your service, your highness."
One of the tubes behind the Empress hissed and opened, and out of it came a clone of Mistress-Taisho Ketsurui Yui, commander of the Star Army of Yamatai. Her eyes glowed as Yui remotely took control of the spare body from her space station in orbit, and joined the empress at her side.
Sanda stood at attention then bowed with the others. She had seen the Empress before and again wasn't as star struck as some of the others. Her gaze began to wonder towards the Samurai. Now those were interesting characters. Some of the best fighters in the Galaxy. But her attention was suddenly back in it's proper place when Mistress-Taisho Yui came out of one of the cloning chambers. Sanda stood straighter and automatically saluted. Ok, now she was star struck.
Yuri widened her eyes in amazement as Yui had arrived, and she couldnt believe how lucky she was, as she bowed with the other members of the crew.
Herself fascinated by Yui's remote possession of her body, Mineko's mind raced as her mouth had parted slightly. After a bow, she looked lost in wonder at the sight of the Mistress Taisho's nude form, but in reality she was calculating the distance and possibilities of such a trait in the Nekovalkyrja series. Only Ketsurui Yui was able to remotely control another and the singularity of the feature made it all the more enticing to Mineko to know more about
It took a moment for Erika to register, caught off guard by the hissing of the chamber. Her expression hardened again as her mind caught up to the situation, though her features reddened at the nude form of the admiral. She was quick to join the others in bowing, as if to hide her features.
Now in the presence of not one but two august personages, Okimi put her self-doubts and fears to the side. She could deal with the crisis of faith later. For now, she bowed, deeply, as was only appropriate when meeting individuals of such higher station than her own.
"It's that beetle again," Yui chuckled, pointing Bidole out as a helper gave her a kimono to put over her body. Pidole just gave the Taisho a salute and stared, prompting Yui to say "stand easy."
Yoko made an audible exhale as she stood back up straight. Which didn't go very high, but still. The tanned neko finally took a good look at her two superiors. Her inner dialogue went something like 'eeeeeee'. The leaders of their nation were so powerful looking. Pretty, graceful and dangerous in her eyes. Her throat basically locked closed, unable to make a noise while she quietly fangirled her heart out.
Yoshiro was nervously fidgeting, not sure what he should be doing. He never thought about this happening so he was not as prepared for it as he thought.
Yuri and Yayoi stood up straight as the order came to stand easy.
The analyst's interest in Yui's technology had diminished slightly when the commander of the Star Army spoke gently about the beetle. Mineko's hairs raised on her neck as she realized that this was a real person with a real sense of humor. Yui wasn't some omniscient and cold Kami but a multi-faceted Nekovalyrja like Mineko. The straightened hairs tickling her collar had made her back as straight as a plank in an effort to ease the tickling feeling of goose flesh. Her blue and red eyes slid from the Taisho to the Empress as she began to speak.
"Captain Aoba and crew of the YSS Resurgence," the Empress of Yamatai began, "Taisho Yui has kept Us appraised of your progress and We have been pleased with your inventiveness and dedication to the mission and We have enjoyed your reports on the worlds of the Yamatai Star Empire. I admit I perhaps underestimate the amount of...interference with my mission that would be caused by the hostile forces again and again, which you have pushed through despite overwhelming odds at times. You assisted Nepleslia prior to the International Relations Conference, rescued our lost Wakaba for PEARL, and exposed a new Mishhuvurthyar threat, at great risk."
"For your actions in this last mission, I am honoring you all by giving you the Yui's Blood Medallion," Taisho Yui said. As she told them this, Nekovalkyrja emerged from the sides of the room and began pinning the ruby droplet shaped medals, which hung from red ribbons with thick pink stripes. "You all are recognized for extraordinary service that positively affected the future of the entire Star Army."
Yuri stood straight and silent as she heard the words of their Empress, and she could feel how proud her mother was to hear them too. Though Yuri had felt proud of all that the ship has accomplished thus far, and was looking forward to what happens next.
Erika's posture subtly shifted with discomfort as the empress recounted the crew's achievements. She felt out of place, having contributed little towards those successes, like an imposter. A feeling that only deepened when the induction was announced.
Yoshiro noticed Erika's discomfort. "If you want to talk about what's bothering you, we can talk after this meeting is over. " he said to Erika.
"I'm standing in front of the Empress and a naked Admiral, getting the highest medal in the Star Army and I'm not even 2 yet." Erika responded via telecoms, her inflection rather dead pan.
Sanda's mouth fell open. The Yui's Blood Medallion! The highest award that the Star Army gave. "¡Truenos y relámpagos!" Sanda exclaimed. Sanda was a Ranger and a Giretsu. She was also a Nep. She loved combat. Lived for it. But the though of receiving such an award turned the lightning tattooed woman speechless.
Yayoi's eyes widened in shock as she learned that their Taisho was giving them the medal bearing her own name, that was certainly the highest of honors she could achieve. It was amazing to hear.
Yoko was interrupted from her thoughts as the empress began listing the crew's accomplishments. She hadn't really known what to expect when she joined the resurgence. But apparently this was a busy ship. She knew she wasn't alone in feeling that she absolutely didn't deserve such an honor. But to refuse would be the height of discourtesy. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes for a moment as a neko has to bend down to put the medal over her head.
Cheilith's eyes went wide. There were not many in the Empire who had the Yui's Blood.
Okimi started blinking as her body froze in response to the furious conflict that was awoken within her. On the one hand, she did not deserve to be awarded the Yui's Blood Medallion and really wanted to refuse it. Her induction could only cheapen the value of membership within. On the other hand, it was ordered by the Empress and you didn't refuse an order from the Empress. Did she refuse and thereby snub the Empress, or did she keep quiet and accept the unearned accolade like the morally reprehensible coward she felt like. Would her refusal ruin things for the rest of the crew? Okimi knew some of them were deserving of the recognition. Maybe she could just accept the reward and leave it in storage somewhere it could be forgotten about?
Mineko, too, felt like her medal wasn't deserved. She shirked when someone came forward to put it on her and her eyes flashed to her captain, as if looking up the chain of command to someone that could do something.
The Empress continued, "We have requested that Taisho Yui continues to lend Us the services of your ship for missions the in the interest of Our empire, and she has agreed," she told them. "However, recent events indicate we need a shift in strategy to remain safe and in control of our own destiny. As you celebrate the Kikyo no Sekku holiday, be prepared for even greater challenges in the future. We will call on you once again."
Yoshiro was not ready for this but he accepted the honor that was bestowed upon him. "Yes, Empress. I...I am honored..." He said basically speechless and he bowed.
"Essentially," Yui said, expounding on the Empress's words, "We've seen that the galaxy outside the Kikyo Sector is extremely dangerous and full of enemies and hostiles that are a threat to us. If we are to survive for the long term, the Star Army has to actively get out there and start taking them down. I will be getting together with my admirals in the near future to discuss plans for what we can do, but we're potentially looking at operations on a scale the Star Army has never done before, and a potential war with the Mishhuvurthyar. Once we decide on a plan, the Empress will make an announcement to the Empire. This is, of course, classified secret until the declaration, but your ship will be a part of it and I want you to know," the Taisho revealed.
"I understand and I am ready to serve," captain Aoba nodded.
"We are shifting the mission of the Resurgence from one of surveying the Yamatai Star Empire after the Kuvexian War to one of preparing for a great war across the Kagami Galaxy. You and your crew will be going out there to gain assets for the war effort by eliminating threats, helping those in need, recruiting allies at home and in the unknown reaches of space, and doing what you can to gather support for the Yamatai Star Empire," Empress Himiko explained.
Upon hearing the new directives they were given, Yoko began to understand. What they were being tasked with required a level of authority that could not stand to be questioned in the heat of the moment. Normally she'd assume something new would be made for such a thing, but this was how the Empress wanted to do it. Yoko bowed low, and saluted as she stood back up. "Our bodies, our minds, and our hearts are ever at your command, My Empress. Glory and eternity to Yamatai."
Cheilith bowed, "I have served, I will be of service."
"Ever in your service, my Empress. I shall live and I shall die for you." Yoshiro said with determination and bowed to Himiko.
What the Taisho had revealed swam through Mineko's head and she barely could comprehend the scale at which Yui was preparing her forces. The Star Army had fought massive wars with millions of ships and droves of Nekovalkyrja in the billions. The Mishhuvurthyar threat that required those numbers to fight against them boggled the analyst's mind. The work ahead would be arduous, but gratifying. If she survived.
Still stuck in the advanced version of a 'for until' programming loop with no exit clause, Okimi mechanically bowed once more. The caretaker just wanted this encounter to end and as much as she had wanted to see the Empress, now knew she should not have come.
Erika had gamed out a renewed conflict with the Mishhuvurthyar in her mind before this point. The Mishhu had kind of tipped their hand with the recent operation, and her analyst's mind had determined an expeditionary force was the best response. Of course, her analysis meant little, if anything on the fleet command level. It was somehow gratifying that command had come up with a similar response, though her mind still reeled from the method of execution. Questions? She had dozens, hundreds, but they all seemed inappropriate to ask in the moment.
"See you out there on the battlefield," Taisho Yui said with a grin, slipping out of her kimono. She climbed back into the stasis chamber on the wall and her body passed out as the cover closed.
= = =
OOC: JP by Wes, Charaa, Cowboy, Ame, iaincarter, Damaske, DragonNova, Sunny D, Yoshiro, Soban
