RP: YSS Wakaba [YSS Wakaba] Episode 3: The Scenic Route Home.

YSS Wakaba - Med Bay

Thomas chewed the inside of his cheek a moment as the Wakaba's MEGAMI sent him what data the ship had on Patrician's ship and the Patrician himself. The poor bloke had been MIA longer than the Wakaba had. A lot longer. Thomas took off his hat and rubbed the back of his neck. He needed a haircut. He had convinced himself that he wouldn't cut his hair or shave until the ship was back in Yamatai space. The way things were going, he'd look like a hippy before they were ever found.

"I don't know how to tell you this son. Our records indicate that you have been MIA, for almost 6 years." Thomas pulled up a chair and sat down. His leg was hurting. He still hadn't had a proper cybernetic replacement made. There was always something more important to be made. "About 4 months ago our ship disappeared from know Yamatai space. We don't know where we are, we just know it's a long way from the Kyro sector. We have run into NMX forces in large numbers. We badly damaged and have lost nearly half our crew. It's not a pretty picture."

Thomas managed a smile. "But finding your ship gives us some hope. Your the first friendly thing we've encountered out here. We'll gladly take any help you can give us once your rested up. Any questions you got right now?"

YSS Wakaba
Medical Bay

Machariel didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, smile, or sob, his features paling and assuming a textbook definition of shock as he was informed that - instead of the six or so weeks he’d assumed had gone by - he’d been stuck in that accursed stasis pod for six years. Six bloody long years, thought the Patrician, during which Gods knows what could’ve happened: my beloved homeland could’ve been conquered by Yamatai, my little sister (who’s now OLDER then me by three years) could’ve finally found a boyfriend or a girlfriend, my father could’ve finally become Leader of the War Council again, that one Plebeian that kicked me in the n-

The angel’s musings on the many, many, many events he’d likely missed during his unplanned six-year nap came to a sudden, screeching, and crashing halt as the captain - Cranberry? - grimly mentioned that the ship they were on, the Wakaba, was like the Anoiktos severely damaged (sans the sawed-in-half part) and a long way from home. He… he’s, no, he has to be joking. Not even the Devil would have a sense of humor this wicked… right?

Though Machariel wasn’t a tenth as good at reading expressions as his father and younger sister were, the graveness (hell, the gauntness of Cranberry’s features), was enough to convince Machariel of his honesty, especially when combined with the fact that the tattered and faded uniforms of some of the medical bay’s occupants were similar to - but clearly different than - Machariel’s Type 35 Duty Uniform. Damnation, they really ARE stranded in space, unless this is some obscenely intricate ruse set up by SAINT - and I doubt even ones as infernally cunning as they would go to such ridiculous lengths. No… Captain Cranberry is telling the truth, so I guess I’m in the future now, or something. Now, to address the oliphant in the room… “….I see,” replied the Patrician, whose expression was still a cross between confusion, shock, and (to a much lesser extent) anger. “Has Elysia been conquered by Yamatai?”

Machariel wanted to feel angry, he really, truly did - but no matter what he thought, no matter how he tried… he was just too stunned to feel anything remotely related to rage. Six years. Six goddamn years, gone just like that…

Aboard derelict ship

Calandri knew better than to question anything on this ship, especially with the others. It could be a trap and with what everyone ones, it most likely would be capturing and not killing the group. She shuddered a little but moved to the back as the others found the statis pod. She was interested in it, like the others but turned around and faced back the way they came, if anything was still on this ship, it would have to deal with her, before it could even think of dealing with her sisters. "I got our backs, just make sure whatever it is, isn't going to try and kiss us when you thaw it out." With this comment she kept lookout, every time there was a noise her gun would move in that direction, no one was going to get a jump on the team.

YSS Wakaba - Med Bay

Thomas pitied the man before him. It was a lot to take in. Mission in action for 6 years only to be woken up in a situation probably far worse than he was in when he first climbed into that stasis pod. Thomas wished he could tell him something, anything to comfort or give the man some hope but that was something that was running out faster than their food supply. Still it wasn't hopeless just yet.

Thomas looked a little puzzled at Machariel question. As far as he was aware, Elysia had been part of Yamatai for years. He knew it was around the time of the start of the second Mishhu war but never paid much attention to politics back in those days. Hell he barely paid attention to politics now. Damn politicians would stab you in the back while smiling and paying you a complement faster than Ripper would. At least the Ripper had the decency to stab you in the front. "I'm not sure what you mean by that. Elysia has been a valued member of Yamatai for years." Thomas thought for a moment. "Perhaps things might be easier explained by another Elysian. I will send Joto Hei Tsuki Tenshi to come see you. She'll be better equipped to answer that question than I fear I will."

Aboard derelict ship

Setsunu Meiosei arrived onboard the ship to oversea that the ship was being secured to the Wakaba. She was pleased that her Angels had things well in hand. Most people's attention would be on the stasis pod. It was easy to get distracted by things, especially when the danger seemed to minimal. Setsunu was pleased to she that her girls weren't so causal about their assignment. Calandri, who was one of the new girls, was watching the opposite direction as everyone's attention. It showed promise that Setsunu had made the right choice in asking her to join the vaulted Angel's of Death.

Setsunu was about to comment on that to Calandri when she received a message from one of the girls watching outside. "Heisho... I..." "What's wrong? Angel 5 report." "You're just going to have to come see." Setsunu looked over at Calandri, her expression neutral under her helmet. "Come on."

Outside, the derelict ship was being secured to the Wakaba's runway leading to the hanger bay. Several Mindy's floated around. Some were techs securing the ship, other's were on watch. They were all looking off the port side of the ship, some even pointing. Setsunu looked herself at what held everyone's attention. Setsunu had seen it all or at least thought she had. She was at a loss for words. She managed to send a direct message to Thomas. Thomas, you are going to want to see this.

Aboard derelict ship

Calandri stayed put for a moment after the order was given to her. She slowly lowered her weapon "Yes ma'am." She didn't like the ship, it felt like things were watching her and it like things were staring in her soul in this room. She was still keeping a look around and she quickly raised her weapon to what she thought was movement, but there was nothing there "Sorry, I think I am a little tense, seeing shadows dance." She wondered if this meant it was her time, the stories of her people talked about shadows of the dead coming to take you to the other side, welcoming you back to the family. She shook her head, it wasn't her time and if those story were true, her family would have to fight her to get her to leave.

Outside she saw everything staring at something, she could not tell what it was. She knew it must be something important with how people were acting, but she didn't fully realise what it was.

"Oh poor Calandri, lost in space, learning about a world that isn't hers."

Calandri looked around to who talked to her, she didn't recognise the voice and that made it more worrying. She had been prepping for this mission and didn't have the recommended amount of sleep, but didn't want to tell the others. She thought it must be this, just something for lack of sleep, nothing is there, but then why did something move in the corner of her vision. She turned to it, but again nothing.

"Following these people, as you forget your people, your duties, me~"

Calandri froze as she realised what was talking and mumbles "dalka..." She hoped that no one head the name, the god of hunting. Why were they talking to her, she had heard of people hearing the gods, but never thought she would. She mumbled a small prayer both asking for forgiveness and promising she would do better.

"Oh don't worry child, I am proud of you. Keep up hunting these enemies of your new family."

She blinked as her vision blurred for a moment and then nothing, the feeling of people staring gone. the shapes and all that. She breathed a sigh of relief, must be something with her sleep, she would have to go to medical after this mission, to see what she could do to deal with this stuff.

YSS Wakaba
Michael Medical Bay

Machariel took in the Captain’s words of wisdom, doing his best to ignore the fact that as a Yamataian Cranberry-Taisa was probably telling him a pro-Yamataiam version of events - only to abruptly find himself throttling a groan of dismay (that very nearly escaped his lips) as he heard the distinctly Yamataian-sounding name of the Elysian that was supposed to bring him up to speed. Oh, BRILLIANT! My guide to this strange new world is going to be one of those traitors that forsook their own people in order to join the enemy that nearly led to their extinction… just like that one brat who nearly deprived me of the ability to have children!

After taking a moment to ensure that the sudden anger, rage, and frustration he was feeling didn’t seep out into his tone, the Patrician replied, “Understood… sir. Where am I to meet Tsuki-Hei?”

YSS Wakaba -- Medical Bay

Thomas received the message from Setsunu. The tone of it puzzled him, but he knew her well enough to know that it must be important for her to be at such a loss for words. He excused himself and hurried to the bridge, almost running over an Elysium woman on his way out. The woman had long blond hair tied into two bunds on top of her head and white wings. She was lovely with a kind and friendly face. Her uniform was Coral in color, marking her as a Caretaker. On her sleeve were three green bars of a Joto Hei.

"What was that all about?" She said to no one in particular. Her wings ruffled slightly before turning back into the room. She smiled at Machariel and moved towards him. "Well now isn't this a treat." Sizing him up and admiring his large black wings. "There's only about a dozen Birbs left on the ship. What luck we just happened to find another one." She held out her hand. "I'm Tsuki Tenshi. My friends call me Moon Bird."

Bridge

Thomas rushed onto the bridge. For the first time that he could remember, no one yelled out "Captain on Deck." Everyone's eyes was glued to the main screens. Thomas look and felt his heart start to race. "I don't believe it."

Outside ship

Spacefarers told stories of creatures that lived in and traveled the void of space. Few were more than that. Just stories. Thomas's great-grandfather, had told stories to him and his cousins growing up of one such creature. He called it a Void Dragon. A mighty creature that traveled the stars. Supposedly, his great-grandfather had seen one. It had become the inspiration for his nickname, the Dragon of Nepleslia, and later the clan's crest or which Thomas had proudly tattooed on his cheek.

The Dragon was about a third the size of the Wakaba. It floated within about 200 meters of the ship, moving effortlessly. It moved around the ship, seemingly curious as to what this strange thing was. After a few passes, it flew in front of the ship and to the starboard. The ship seemed to hold it's breath as they watched it move away. Not quickly but with a purpose. On the bridge Thomas touched his cheek then spoke. "Helm, make your heading Starboard 3506. Follow that Dragon."

Outside ship
Calandri looked at the creature again as she was growing nervous as what she saw "Ma'am, what is the plan?" She looked at the creature again as she focused and saw it pass the ship. She tried to pin it down as something, her xenobiology information wouldn't fully help with this as she thought about what she saw, did this creature force the god to appear to her, was this what the stories talked about, She shook her head, she was just seeing things, that creature was beautiful, not the one from the stories.

She looked over the black scaled creatures, the many winged creature slowly flapping these wings as it turned them to the sun. She saw the wings expand and contract as it moved across space. Calandri mumbled another prayer, is this why Dalka appeared to her, this creature was hunting for something. She noticed the behaviour and paused and spoke to Setsunu "that is Vocarnus... Dalka's prey." Her voice went shaky as she watched it moved "if we touch it, we will anger Dalka." She paused and breathed "sorry I know those are just tales."

Calandri focused herself and thought for a moment as she kept an eye on the creature, Dalka said he was okay with what was going on as she calmed down enough "I will tell you later Ma'am." she looked at the creature "Vocarnus please forgive this people, they don't know you are connected to Dalka and Geln."

YSS Wakaba
Bay of Medicinal Things

Machariel eyed the newcomer with a mixture of suspicion, distrust, and - though he was loath to admit it - lust, given that Tenshi (and her feminine features) were certainly not hard on the eyes. Damnation, why must Caelisolan women always be so attractive? Is she one of those undercover SAINT operatives I kept hearing rumors about back before my six-year-long nap?

He then scowled when the Hei mentioned ‘birbs.’ “We are Elysians… ma’am,” he replied in a decidedly displeased tone, longing with all his heart to refer to Tenshi by what he believed to be her “proper” designation, i.e. ‘Caelisolan’ or ‘inferior’; her higher rank, however, made such a thing impossible, much to the Patrician’s annoyance - “not ‘birds,’ and I am Machariel Valeria, firstborn of Senator Barachiel Valeria. Anyway. Has Yamatai conquered Elysia? Your heathen name would suggest that it has, and that the Celestial Empire is no more.”

Fletcher gave a wiggle with his hand. "The Empire is a part of Yamatai, its own very distinct part of it. They have internal control over their own government and self defense forces, but it's foreign policy and military are handled by Yamatai." He explained.

Wakaba Med bay

Tuski stared at Machariel a moment then crossed her arms and mimicked his scowled. "We are Elysians…not 'birds'." Her voice was clearly mocking the black winged Elysian. "I'm Machariel Valeria, and I have a stick shoved so far up my arse that I can't be pleasant to anybody. Du du du du du." She smirked then shook her head sadly while looking him over again. She looked tired, her first bit of excitement at seeing another Elysian gone and replaced by exhaustion. "I don't have the energy, or really the desire to tell you my story. How your people looked down on me and my family and treated us as second class citizens even though I too am made in the image of our great god. How your elites left me and my family to die when the Mishhu attacked when they could have easily rescued us as well." Bitterness was beginning to creep into her voice. "How the Star Army of Yamatai rescued me and my family, treated us with dignity and compassion that I've never experienced from your elite kind!" She stopped herself and took a deep breath then looked him right in the eye. "I am proud to be an Elysian, made in the image of our creator, may his name be glorified. So how about you take the stick out of your arse and we can start over. Machariel Valeria, firstborn of Senator Barachiel Valeria." There was no mocking as she said his name this time.

Outside

Setsunu couldn't speak. She heard Calandri comment but could hardly process it because she could hardly process what she was seeing. As a type 33A neko, she had an even more advanced brain that was capable of processing twice or even three times the data as a normal Neko. She could control her Mindy suit without any extra AI or auspects aboard but at the moment she couldn't even process a simple question. The creature flew out of sight for a moment under the ship and that was enough for Setsunu's mind to refocus. "Vocarnus... Dalka." Setsunu practiced saying the words that Calandri said. "You'll have to explain that to me in more detail sometime. Thomas... The Captain. His clan has stories about this creature as well. It's the inspiration for his clan's crest, which they wear tattooed on their body, usually the face or arms."

The ship began moving following the space dragon. Setsunu gave some quick orders for everyone to return to the safety of the hanger but held out a hand to Calandri to stop her from going. "You want to see if we can get another look at it?" She asked and flew up to the top of the ship where she could see over it and at the Dragon they were following. She clamped her Mindy's boots to the hull and zoomed in her suits magnification to max so that she could get a good look at the thing.

YSS Wakaba
Center of Healing

With a sigh explosive enough to potentially combust the air around him, Machariel stared at the uppity - yet infernally curvaceous - Caelisolan who’d just committed the cardinal (and unthinkable!) sin of insulting one who clearly belonged to a superior race. It would be so, so easy to throttle this ‘Moon Bird,’ to slip my hands around her neck and crush the life out of her as punishment for her impudence. It wouldn’t be a permanent death, either, given the presence of the Soul Transfer machine a few meters away - and yet… that’s what the Yamataians want, isn’t it: for us Elysians to fight amongst ourselves and destroy each other so that they can have an even easier time picking at the carcass of our once-great nation. No, I shall follow the Lord’s advice as written in the Bible - ‘For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow, so let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing’ - and put up with this Caelisolan’s complete and utter lack of respect, so as to avoid playing into the hands of the Devil’s soldiers. That being said, however…

After several long moments of awkward silence, the Patrician finally replied to Tenshi, his expression - though still extremely sour - not quite as intense as it’d first been. “Though the medical staff in this room will readily confirm my butthole is free of sticks, I will concede that I may have been a tad rude to you at first, Moon… Bird, and…” - a pause as he finally shook her hand - “…that such rudeness might have been uncalled for.”

…I don’t necessarily have to like it.

Outside

Calandri nodded as her gaze finally broke for a moment as she looked to Setsunu "I might have to draw it to explain it the best, but I am sure you would like the story." She looked back down towards the area that she saw the god, but nothing was there. She quickly followed Setsunu and locked in beside her as she looked over the creature "we have heard stories that these are protected from one of the gods... but my people got greedy, they believed they deserved they deserved Vocarnus over our own god.... it lead to the wraith of Dalka, as he killed the tribe that hunted Vocarnus..."

She stretched as she looked at Setsunu "I am sorry, I got nervous about being on your team for this mission and I didn't get sleep last night as I prepared, I know that was stupid of me." She yawned as she watched the beast glide through space as she smiled "coming to Yamatai, I have realised that these story may just be for lessons for us, but I know for certain that the gods are around, if they didn't existed, I will still be a pet for some horrible alien."