HarperMadi
🎨 Media Gallery
Short sidebar JP with Immortal
Private comm link between Akahana and Aliset
Hearing that voice, Aliset didn't want to respond, at first. But she was a Navigator. Eyes and ears of the whole fleet. And with the readings she was getting, a Mindy's limited sensor data was not going to keep those crews okay. So she keyed a private comm to Akahana's suit. "We're reading you, Akahana. Please prepare to be linked to the fleet sensor web. You'll have my eyes. On a personal note, I know you don't trust me. Which is why after this chat is over, I'm going to be borrowing our MEGAMI to push objectives by text. Should help filter me out and let you focus."
Akahana's heart skipped a beat.
A few moments passed within the Snowy Neko's perception—a split-second going by in real time as she silently contemplated the Navigator's words. She couldn't deny the assistance Aliset had given to her in linking her to the sensor web, making it so that she didn't feel so isolated from her normal station on the bridge. The latently cynical part of her nature viewed the gesture as a means to an end. Even so, that gave way to the more empathetic, trusting side that won out more often than not.
"Thank you, Kōun-Chui." Akahana answered in a soft, demure tone. From her brief studies on Senti culture, she was keenly aware of how intimate the relationship between a Senti and their ship was. As such, the Snowy Neko knew that it was no small act for Aliset to do that for her, to allow her to feel as she felt and to see as she saw.
Her gratitude was immeasurable, but it failed to carry over the private channel.
"I'll stay in touch." Akahana added. "Have you managed to pinpoint the source of the glitch?"
"We managed to isolate its location, though it looks more and more like a hole where our sensors should penetrate, and they don't. MRI scans are inconclusive, gravimetrics are all over the map. Only thing I can say on it is that it doesn't appear to be moving, and it's encased in a cloud of debris that would be a meatgrinder for power armor units. I'll keep you updated, but I'd really appreciate your help. I'm sending you all the data we have on it. If there's anything you can identify, let me know and I'll push it up the chain." Aliset's voice seemed to carry a small nod, rapid tonal shifts like notes in a song relayed its range, location, and orientation relative to the Koun almost absentmindedly. "By the way, I want to let you know. You're one of the people I want deciding when to remove my implant. You, Alastair, Nix, and the CMO. But there's a separa on Pisces who's going to be doing the surgery. Would you mind holding onto my service knife until then? After what I did, I wouldn't blame you for using it on me. Ultimately, the choice is yours."
"Copy that, I'll keep my CFS barriers active." Akahana said. "My sensors should be able to pinpoint the debris and keep me from the worst of it." The Snowy Neko added, simultaneously calibrating her Mindy's sensors to that exact purpose. Otherwise, Akahana seemed to show little regard for the debris cloud's potential danger, in much the same way as any other Nekovalkyrja.
The Navigator's sudden, unexpected tonal shifts initially confused Akahana. However, it took only a split-second for her digital mind to recall its meaning from the Senti cultural brief, then another to begin deciphering it, her skills as an Analyst playing well into the task. A half-second later, Akahana transmitted the exact coordinates back to Aliset in order to verify her translation, then she aligned herself in a course towards the debris field.
Then suddenly, Akahana stopped. More than a few seconds passed, before she spoke again.
"Your service knife? Is that...burial steel?"
"Those coordinates are correct. Sorry. Yamataigo isn't my first, or even fourth language." A small sigh slipped over the comm link, going silent until Akahana's last question. "It is. Made for me about twenty years ago when I joined the Civil Service as a postage pilot... Not long after my aunt died. This isn't an offer. I'm just lending it to you because I don't deserve to be carrying it, and I want you to decide when I'm worthy of it. If I wanted to marry you, I'd offer you something else. Something you think is normal about you, but is precious to me. That's why my service knife was last in the care of Levente Barna. One of my husbands. You can parse the meaning from that."
Another pause.
"I'm sorry Chui, but unless you order me to take it, then I can't accept." Akahana said. "I don't trust myself with the responsibility." The Snowy Neko continued, her voice going faint as a sense of disquiet came over her.
"It's not just a knife." Akahana emphasized, her voice rising in pitch, though it went without saying that Aliset was far more aware of that fact than she was.
"I trust your judgement. Be safe out there, okay? You got this, and we got a whole ship ready to welcome you home. Congrats on your first field mission with the Kōun. If you need anything, this channel will stay open, but I'm going mute."
Beneath the unreadable mask of her Mindy's helmet, Akahana's features went beet red, having very nearly swallowed what she had intended to say next.
"Wait!" The Snowy Neko piped up, before hesitating once more, her mind stormy with doubt. Nevertheless, she pressed on. "If you really want me to take it, then..." A deep breath passed.
"I'll accept it."
"I just said I'm muting myself, not that I was going away," a small chuckle slipped through, before her voice grew serious, though still warm and kind. "Tell me that when you get back. We'll split a meganut over it, okay? Do we even have any on board? Aah... We'll figure something out."
Aliset's side of the line went dead, even though the connection still read active.
"I will, Chui." Akahana resolved. With a deep breath, her features returned to their normal alabaster color and a moment later, the Snowy Neko set off towards Aliset's coordinates.
Private comm link between Akahana and Aliset
Hearing that voice, Aliset didn't want to respond, at first. But she was a Navigator. Eyes and ears of the whole fleet. And with the readings she was getting, a Mindy's limited sensor data was not going to keep those crews okay. So she keyed a private comm to Akahana's suit. "We're reading you, Akahana. Please prepare to be linked to the fleet sensor web. You'll have my eyes. On a personal note, I know you don't trust me. Which is why after this chat is over, I'm going to be borrowing our MEGAMI to push objectives by text. Should help filter me out and let you focus."
Akahana's heart skipped a beat.
A few moments passed within the Snowy Neko's perception—a split-second going by in real time as she silently contemplated the Navigator's words. She couldn't deny the assistance Aliset had given to her in linking her to the sensor web, making it so that she didn't feel so isolated from her normal station on the bridge. The latently cynical part of her nature viewed the gesture as a means to an end. Even so, that gave way to the more empathetic, trusting side that won out more often than not.
"Thank you, Kōun-Chui." Akahana answered in a soft, demure tone. From her brief studies on Senti culture, she was keenly aware of how intimate the relationship between a Senti and their ship was. As such, the Snowy Neko knew that it was no small act for Aliset to do that for her, to allow her to feel as she felt and to see as she saw.
Her gratitude was immeasurable, but it failed to carry over the private channel.
"I'll stay in touch." Akahana added. "Have you managed to pinpoint the source of the glitch?"
"We managed to isolate its location, though it looks more and more like a hole where our sensors should penetrate, and they don't. MRI scans are inconclusive, gravimetrics are all over the map. Only thing I can say on it is that it doesn't appear to be moving, and it's encased in a cloud of debris that would be a meatgrinder for power armor units. I'll keep you updated, but I'd really appreciate your help. I'm sending you all the data we have on it. If there's anything you can identify, let me know and I'll push it up the chain." Aliset's voice seemed to carry a small nod, rapid tonal shifts like notes in a song relayed its range, location, and orientation relative to the Koun almost absentmindedly. "By the way, I want to let you know. You're one of the people I want deciding when to remove my implant. You, Alastair, Nix, and the CMO. But there's a separa on Pisces who's going to be doing the surgery. Would you mind holding onto my service knife until then? After what I did, I wouldn't blame you for using it on me. Ultimately, the choice is yours."
"Copy that, I'll keep my CFS barriers active." Akahana said. "My sensors should be able to pinpoint the debris and keep me from the worst of it." The Snowy Neko added, simultaneously calibrating her Mindy's sensors to that exact purpose. Otherwise, Akahana seemed to show little regard for the debris cloud's potential danger, in much the same way as any other Nekovalkyrja.
The Navigator's sudden, unexpected tonal shifts initially confused Akahana. However, it took only a split-second for her digital mind to recall its meaning from the Senti cultural brief, then another to begin deciphering it, her skills as an Analyst playing well into the task. A half-second later, Akahana transmitted the exact coordinates back to Aliset in order to verify her translation, then she aligned herself in a course towards the debris field.
Then suddenly, Akahana stopped. More than a few seconds passed, before she spoke again.
"Your service knife? Is that...burial steel?"
"Those coordinates are correct. Sorry. Yamataigo isn't my first, or even fourth language." A small sigh slipped over the comm link, going silent until Akahana's last question. "It is. Made for me about twenty years ago when I joined the Civil Service as a postage pilot... Not long after my aunt died. This isn't an offer. I'm just lending it to you because I don't deserve to be carrying it, and I want you to decide when I'm worthy of it. If I wanted to marry you, I'd offer you something else. Something you think is normal about you, but is precious to me. That's why my service knife was last in the care of Levente Barna. One of my husbands. You can parse the meaning from that."
Another pause.
"I'm sorry Chui, but unless you order me to take it, then I can't accept." Akahana said. "I don't trust myself with the responsibility." The Snowy Neko continued, her voice going faint as a sense of disquiet came over her.
"It's not just a knife." Akahana emphasized, her voice rising in pitch, though it went without saying that Aliset was far more aware of that fact than she was.
"I trust your judgement. Be safe out there, okay? You got this, and we got a whole ship ready to welcome you home. Congrats on your first field mission with the Kōun. If you need anything, this channel will stay open, but I'm going mute."
Beneath the unreadable mask of her Mindy's helmet, Akahana's features went beet red, having very nearly swallowed what she had intended to say next.
"Wait!" The Snowy Neko piped up, before hesitating once more, her mind stormy with doubt. Nevertheless, she pressed on. "If you really want me to take it, then..." A deep breath passed.
"I'll accept it."
"I just said I'm muting myself, not that I was going away," a small chuckle slipped through, before her voice grew serious, though still warm and kind. "Tell me that when you get back. We'll split a meganut over it, okay? Do we even have any on board? Aah... We'll figure something out."
Aliset's side of the line went dead, even though the connection still read active.
"I will, Chui." Akahana resolved. With a deep breath, her features returned to their normal alabaster color and a moment later, the Snowy Neko set off towards Aliset's coordinates.