A flash of light in the stars of Ayenee heralded the arrival of a starship. A lone ship, the YSS Brilliant, entered the Ayenee star system and headed for the planet, carrying a special guest, the leader of the Star Army of Yamatai, Taisho Ketsurui (Kitsurugi) Yui, there to make a surprise visit. It had been over 20 years since Yui had first visited this strange universe, and it still felt like a second home to her. Of course, things had changed, and it seemed like the old powers had largely crumbled.
As the ship entered orbit of the planet, sending a great number of shuttles down to Fort Miller, Yui began reaching out to her old contacts to see if anyone she knew was still around.
Another vessel is in orbit around Ayenee, this one smaller — clearly a civilian configuration, but armed and plated with an iridescent, hypercrystalline substance that doesn't even look like it belongs in this reality. It's registered to an entity that has virtually no presence in Ayenee: Federated Technologies. While the ship doesn't immediately respond to attempts at contact with anything but automated responses, a single suit of power armor can be detected ascending from the surface towards the ship. Said armor appears to be made of a similar substance as the hull plating of the Bird of Paradise. A well-timed hail might get the pilot's attention.
The U'rstholloshan Leviathans for the most part ignored the lone Star Army ship when it entered the system and approached the planet. A few stray patrols altered their course but they were away from the Star Army ship and not toward it, it was obvious that without an official declaration they had been instructed to ignore the 'normal' traffic in and out of the system. The second ship was also ignored the Federated Technologies vessel was cataloged along with the YSS Brilliant in their databases however as mindhives churned through scanner data that came in from their patrols. A third ship however exited hyperspace a short distance behind the YSS Brilliant, it was the former MERN Dulis, temporarily registered as a Yamataian civilian ship, the former battlecruiser had accompanied the fleet which had fled to the Kagami Galaxy. Airwin in good conscience could not let Yui go alone, and he had followed. Now in the Elysium Universe, the Dulis switched its operating IFF back to Norian standard to let any stray ships know who they were.
"Unknown vessel, this is the Star Army of Yamatai battleship YSS Brilliant, NB-X1-06, operating on behalf of the Ayenee Space Coalition. We request your indentification," the Star Army ship transmitted to the Federated Technologies ship on a variety of standard hailing frequencies.
"I read you, Brilliant. This is the Federated Technologies Ship Bird of Paradise. I am here on business matters on behalf of my company, and to visit the Merqury City memorial. Transmitting registration information on this channel now," comes a familiar voice with a thick, British accent. The Star Army of Yamatai? Camaryn hasn't bumped into them since she moved the company headquarters to the planet Akora. In any event, a full registration for the ship is transmitted which identifies it as the personal starship of the Federated CEO, Camaryn White. That must be the person in the power armor.
"Bird of Paradise," Yui replied, "I'd like to speak with Camaryn White, please let her know it's Kitsurugi Yui. We previously met aboard the FSS Kamikaze."
After taking note of some of the other ships in orbit, Camaryn lands her armor atop the hull of her ship and turns her gaze towards the Yamatai battleship. "What, you don't recognize my voice? I'm hurt, I tell you. Positively gobsmacked," she replies, a hint of mirth in her voice. She even pauses to wave at the battleship. "It's been a few minutes since we last bumped into each other, hasn't it? Truth be told, you're damned lucky to have caught me at all. I've tried to avoid coming to this planet ever since things in Merqury City went arse over tits."
"It's been so long that my new recruits to the Star Army weren't born when we last met," Yui laughed. "It's been so long that the last time we met I was a Taisa on the GSS Kuroshi, in the Uesureyan Empire Spacy, before the Star Army was officially founded in YE 21. In my calendar it's YE 45.2 now. Why don't we catch up? Do you want to come aboard my ship?"
Airwin didn't want to interupt, it was just a nice chance to sit in the command chair again. This little trip though provided him a glimpse of what was happening on Ayenee. The concerned Aestaesys/Senator leaned back against the padded back of the chair and let out a deep breath as he would await an invitation if Yui so decided it.
"That sounds about right. Since I left my flagship in my other armor, I can't exactly invite you over for a cuppa. Joining you sounds a good bit more practical," the CEO agrees, zooming her HUD in to get a better look at the battleship. "Got somewhere I can come in for a landing, love?"
"There's a big runway on the aft dorsal section of the battleship, you can't miss it," Yui told Cammy. "I'll meet you in the hangar bay."
Next Yui called Airwin and told him, "Did you want to come over to dinner and chat with an old friend?"
Airwin responded as he lifted himself from the chair,"I will be right over, Taisho." He made his way to the closest lift and the mindhive sent it towards the shuttle bay. In the few moments alone in the lift, he couldn't help but dwell on the things he had seen since they entered the system, the Norian's pointed ears twitched back against his head. Within a few moments the lift opened and he boarded the prepared shuttle and zipped over to the YSS Brilliant. He wore the traditional black and red robes fitted for his role with his people, the Crixa symbol dangled from a necklace around his neck, the former symbol of the Eitan Ysi which had been adopted by the Caeyara when Airwin had reformed the family.
Camaryn fires up the IPU on her armor and zips over to the Brilliant, coming in for a landing on the dorsal flight deck and walking towards the hangar bay. While the suit of armor she's wearing is certainly no match for a MINDY, this armor represents a meteoric leap forward from the bulky, ground-bound ceramic armor that Feisar Arms had been fielding twenty years ago. It's only slightly bulkier than a MINDY, largely due to whatever bizarre material the suit is composed of. She doesn't remove her helmet until she's safely back inside an atmosphere, but when she does it becomes clear that age is starting to catch up with the human. Her eyes are still as intense as they've ever been, though.
Yui stood in her formal uniform at the end of the bay, surrounded by starfighters. When Camaryn and Airwin arrived, she walked over and have them each a respectful bow. "Welcome aboard the YSS Brilliant, my ride for the evening. Would you care to join me for an evening of fine dining and discussion at the ship's steakhouse, the Diamond Cleaver?"
Airwin bowed deeply before Yui, right arm across his chest and his fist touched his shoulder then released when he straightened back up. This was the woman after all who had saved his people from extinction. "I would be honored, Taisho. Thank you for the hospitality as always," he said as he gave Camaryn a quick glance. He didn't know Camaryn, but he knew Feisar Arms at least from his childhood which had been spent on Ayenee during his father, Adrin Eitan's rule of their people. The Norian leader felt comfortable on the Star Army ship despite the swarm of vessels controlled by the Kiri which also lurked in the system. He decided to put it all to the back of his mind, it was time to relax and have some dinner.
Camaryn returns the bow, although the gesture still feels strange after a lifetime of more orthodox saluting. "Sounds brilliant to me," she replies to Yui, before glancing over to Airwin a moment. "You'll have to introduce me to this bloke over here. He seems a serious sort. Another chum of yours?"
"Forgive me. This is Airwin, the son of Adrin Eitan, and leader of the Norians," the green-haired admiral introducted her elf friend.
"It is an honor to meet you," Airwin said when Yui introduced him. "I think we're in for a treat tonight," he commented in a friendly tone as he followed the Taisho.
"I think you're probably right," she agrees with Airwin, keeping pace with the others. "I'm Camaryn White, CEO of Federated Technologies. I haven't heard the Eitan name ever since we buggered off to the arse end of the galaxy to resettle on Akora. Brings back memories, it does."
Yui led the way through the battleship to a lift that brought them into one of the pyramid-like structures on the top of the battleship's center hull, and at the top was a restaurant offering scenic vistas space and of planet Ayenee from orbit. For a military ship, it was quite luxurious. This was the place where crew members could bring dates or have their birthday parties. An old-school fine steakhouse hidden on a warship. With Yui as the head of the Star Army, the three of them were seated immediately at a corner table with a great view. They could hear sizzles from the nearby kitchen and the smell of seared meat and garlic lingered in the air.
Once they sat down, Yui ordered some of Yamatai's best wine from Ainu Orchards. She looked to Camaryn. "Can you believe it's been so long? How have you been?"
Airwin sat at the table, he took a moment though to privately remind the staff that he would only be taking the vegetarian options, the Norian still stuck to a somewhat traditional diet. He smiled and listened as Yui spoke to Camaryn.
Camaryn has a seat and instantly can't help but feel like she's gone back in time at least thirty years. If she closes her eyes, it's like she's back on Earth again. In fact, she tests this theory for a moment and finds it workable. "I'd say I'm doing alright for a bird who's turning fifty next year," she answers, getting herself comfy. "Things have been better since the company came under my control. Life is a lot better. And you? It seems like you've moved up in the world too!"
"I became an admiral, and then Empress of Yamatai for a time, and now I am back to being commander of the Star Army. I live a rewarding life defending my empire, and being a soldier has always been the place I seem to fit best in the universe. Since we met I've been through many long wars against some pretty wretched enemies. In fact, that is one of the reasons I am here now...getting ready for the next one."
"There will always be a next one it seems," Airwin added to what Yui said, "She forgot the fact she is also a miracle worker, her and the Star Army saved over three hundred million of my people, for which we are eternally grateful to her and the Empire," he said as he took a sip of the wine. "I suppose though, war provides places for those of us who are forever cut from the cloth of the warrior," he commented, then looked to Camaryn.
"There always is," she agrees with Airwin, before looking at Yui with a new sense of appreciation as she sips her wine. "I can't say that I've saved hundreds of millions of people, though I'll admit that protecting the people who call Federated's worlds home is a full-time job. And that's on top of trying to run an honest business while surrounded by honorless sharks. A pretty far cry from what was intended for me, I suppose. I'm not very good at being an insane dictator."
- - -
OOC: Joint post between @Wes @Andrew and @Nil-Kemorya , to be continued...
As the ship entered orbit of the planet, sending a great number of shuttles down to Fort Miller, Yui began reaching out to her old contacts to see if anyone she knew was still around.
Another vessel is in orbit around Ayenee, this one smaller — clearly a civilian configuration, but armed and plated with an iridescent, hypercrystalline substance that doesn't even look like it belongs in this reality. It's registered to an entity that has virtually no presence in Ayenee: Federated Technologies. While the ship doesn't immediately respond to attempts at contact with anything but automated responses, a single suit of power armor can be detected ascending from the surface towards the ship. Said armor appears to be made of a similar substance as the hull plating of the Bird of Paradise. A well-timed hail might get the pilot's attention.
The U'rstholloshan Leviathans for the most part ignored the lone Star Army ship when it entered the system and approached the planet. A few stray patrols altered their course but they were away from the Star Army ship and not toward it, it was obvious that without an official declaration they had been instructed to ignore the 'normal' traffic in and out of the system. The second ship was also ignored the Federated Technologies vessel was cataloged along with the YSS Brilliant in their databases however as mindhives churned through scanner data that came in from their patrols. A third ship however exited hyperspace a short distance behind the YSS Brilliant, it was the former MERN Dulis, temporarily registered as a Yamataian civilian ship, the former battlecruiser had accompanied the fleet which had fled to the Kagami Galaxy. Airwin in good conscience could not let Yui go alone, and he had followed. Now in the Elysium Universe, the Dulis switched its operating IFF back to Norian standard to let any stray ships know who they were.
"Unknown vessel, this is the Star Army of Yamatai battleship YSS Brilliant, NB-X1-06, operating on behalf of the Ayenee Space Coalition. We request your indentification," the Star Army ship transmitted to the Federated Technologies ship on a variety of standard hailing frequencies.
"I read you, Brilliant. This is the Federated Technologies Ship Bird of Paradise. I am here on business matters on behalf of my company, and to visit the Merqury City memorial. Transmitting registration information on this channel now," comes a familiar voice with a thick, British accent. The Star Army of Yamatai? Camaryn hasn't bumped into them since she moved the company headquarters to the planet Akora. In any event, a full registration for the ship is transmitted which identifies it as the personal starship of the Federated CEO, Camaryn White. That must be the person in the power armor.
"Bird of Paradise," Yui replied, "I'd like to speak with Camaryn White, please let her know it's Kitsurugi Yui. We previously met aboard the FSS Kamikaze."
After taking note of some of the other ships in orbit, Camaryn lands her armor atop the hull of her ship and turns her gaze towards the Yamatai battleship. "What, you don't recognize my voice? I'm hurt, I tell you. Positively gobsmacked," she replies, a hint of mirth in her voice. She even pauses to wave at the battleship. "It's been a few minutes since we last bumped into each other, hasn't it? Truth be told, you're damned lucky to have caught me at all. I've tried to avoid coming to this planet ever since things in Merqury City went arse over tits."
"It's been so long that my new recruits to the Star Army weren't born when we last met," Yui laughed. "It's been so long that the last time we met I was a Taisa on the GSS Kuroshi, in the Uesureyan Empire Spacy, before the Star Army was officially founded in YE 21. In my calendar it's YE 45.2 now. Why don't we catch up? Do you want to come aboard my ship?"
Airwin didn't want to interupt, it was just a nice chance to sit in the command chair again. This little trip though provided him a glimpse of what was happening on Ayenee. The concerned Aestaesys/Senator leaned back against the padded back of the chair and let out a deep breath as he would await an invitation if Yui so decided it.
"That sounds about right. Since I left my flagship in my other armor, I can't exactly invite you over for a cuppa. Joining you sounds a good bit more practical," the CEO agrees, zooming her HUD in to get a better look at the battleship. "Got somewhere I can come in for a landing, love?"
"There's a big runway on the aft dorsal section of the battleship, you can't miss it," Yui told Cammy. "I'll meet you in the hangar bay."
Next Yui called Airwin and told him, "Did you want to come over to dinner and chat with an old friend?"
Airwin responded as he lifted himself from the chair,"I will be right over, Taisho." He made his way to the closest lift and the mindhive sent it towards the shuttle bay. In the few moments alone in the lift, he couldn't help but dwell on the things he had seen since they entered the system, the Norian's pointed ears twitched back against his head. Within a few moments the lift opened and he boarded the prepared shuttle and zipped over to the YSS Brilliant. He wore the traditional black and red robes fitted for his role with his people, the Crixa symbol dangled from a necklace around his neck, the former symbol of the Eitan Ysi which had been adopted by the Caeyara when Airwin had reformed the family.
Camaryn fires up the IPU on her armor and zips over to the Brilliant, coming in for a landing on the dorsal flight deck and walking towards the hangar bay. While the suit of armor she's wearing is certainly no match for a MINDY, this armor represents a meteoric leap forward from the bulky, ground-bound ceramic armor that Feisar Arms had been fielding twenty years ago. It's only slightly bulkier than a MINDY, largely due to whatever bizarre material the suit is composed of. She doesn't remove her helmet until she's safely back inside an atmosphere, but when she does it becomes clear that age is starting to catch up with the human. Her eyes are still as intense as they've ever been, though.
Yui stood in her formal uniform at the end of the bay, surrounded by starfighters. When Camaryn and Airwin arrived, she walked over and have them each a respectful bow. "Welcome aboard the YSS Brilliant, my ride for the evening. Would you care to join me for an evening of fine dining and discussion at the ship's steakhouse, the Diamond Cleaver?"
Airwin bowed deeply before Yui, right arm across his chest and his fist touched his shoulder then released when he straightened back up. This was the woman after all who had saved his people from extinction. "I would be honored, Taisho. Thank you for the hospitality as always," he said as he gave Camaryn a quick glance. He didn't know Camaryn, but he knew Feisar Arms at least from his childhood which had been spent on Ayenee during his father, Adrin Eitan's rule of their people. The Norian leader felt comfortable on the Star Army ship despite the swarm of vessels controlled by the Kiri which also lurked in the system. He decided to put it all to the back of his mind, it was time to relax and have some dinner.
Camaryn returns the bow, although the gesture still feels strange after a lifetime of more orthodox saluting. "Sounds brilliant to me," she replies to Yui, before glancing over to Airwin a moment. "You'll have to introduce me to this bloke over here. He seems a serious sort. Another chum of yours?"
"Forgive me. This is Airwin, the son of Adrin Eitan, and leader of the Norians," the green-haired admiral introducted her elf friend.
"It is an honor to meet you," Airwin said when Yui introduced him. "I think we're in for a treat tonight," he commented in a friendly tone as he followed the Taisho.
"I think you're probably right," she agrees with Airwin, keeping pace with the others. "I'm Camaryn White, CEO of Federated Technologies. I haven't heard the Eitan name ever since we buggered off to the arse end of the galaxy to resettle on Akora. Brings back memories, it does."
Yui led the way through the battleship to a lift that brought them into one of the pyramid-like structures on the top of the battleship's center hull, and at the top was a restaurant offering scenic vistas space and of planet Ayenee from orbit. For a military ship, it was quite luxurious. This was the place where crew members could bring dates or have their birthday parties. An old-school fine steakhouse hidden on a warship. With Yui as the head of the Star Army, the three of them were seated immediately at a corner table with a great view. They could hear sizzles from the nearby kitchen and the smell of seared meat and garlic lingered in the air.
Once they sat down, Yui ordered some of Yamatai's best wine from Ainu Orchards. She looked to Camaryn. "Can you believe it's been so long? How have you been?"
Airwin sat at the table, he took a moment though to privately remind the staff that he would only be taking the vegetarian options, the Norian still stuck to a somewhat traditional diet. He smiled and listened as Yui spoke to Camaryn.
Camaryn has a seat and instantly can't help but feel like she's gone back in time at least thirty years. If she closes her eyes, it's like she's back on Earth again. In fact, she tests this theory for a moment and finds it workable. "I'd say I'm doing alright for a bird who's turning fifty next year," she answers, getting herself comfy. "Things have been better since the company came under my control. Life is a lot better. And you? It seems like you've moved up in the world too!"
"I became an admiral, and then Empress of Yamatai for a time, and now I am back to being commander of the Star Army. I live a rewarding life defending my empire, and being a soldier has always been the place I seem to fit best in the universe. Since we met I've been through many long wars against some pretty wretched enemies. In fact, that is one of the reasons I am here now...getting ready for the next one."
"There will always be a next one it seems," Airwin added to what Yui said, "She forgot the fact she is also a miracle worker, her and the Star Army saved over three hundred million of my people, for which we are eternally grateful to her and the Empire," he said as he took a sip of the wine. "I suppose though, war provides places for those of us who are forever cut from the cloth of the warrior," he commented, then looked to Camaryn.
"There always is," she agrees with Airwin, before looking at Yui with a new sense of appreciation as she sips her wine. "I can't say that I've saved hundreds of millions of people, though I'll admit that protecting the people who call Federated's worlds home is a full-time job. And that's on top of trying to run an honest business while surrounded by honorless sharks. A pretty far cry from what was intended for me, I suppose. I'm not very good at being an insane dictator."
- - -
OOC: Joint post between @Wes @Andrew and @Nil-Kemorya , to be continued...
