Mission Eleven: Sakidō

Hoshi

Well-Known Member
Planet Ayenee
Fort Miller


Taiyou Hoshi's deep blue eyes, set in her pink-skinned Nekovalkryja face, went to the sky overhead, looking to the Nightwalker Station being built steadfastly by the very people that would soon be calling it their home. Instead of up there, she was down on the ground of the planet of Ayenee, at Fort Miller, where many of the crew of the YSS Kaiyō II had been stationed to, along with the ship, herself. It was the second ship of its class, a beautifully and near, if not perfectly, designed ship, the Fuji-class Gunship that Teien Eden had helped designed. Teien Eden, the XO of the YSS Kaiyō II, stood at attention while Hoshi paced on the floor of Fort Miller's isolated base of briefing operations at the long-erected Type 33 Outpost of Fort Miller.

The blue and white haired Neko then turned, standing with her little cadet blue tight-clad legs spread as she addressed those in the dome they were in. Many were Kaiyo crew and civilians that were entrusted to come to the universe that this planet resided in and that the YSS Pliable had often gone to in its black stealth ship with its iconic Hinomaru on its hull.

Hoshi nodded to Eden, who spoke, "Our trip to Hanako's World that was cut short to find out more about the possible ancient technology in the Temple of the Stars is heavily connected to our next mission. But, first, I want to thank you for having the ability to come with us to this universe." She then looked to Hoshi, who nodded and spoke out, as well.

"Some of you gave up your pasts while some of you have created two of yourselves. Therefor, sacrifices have been made but we are here now thanks to the Kaiyo's Transuiniversal Teleportation Drivethat has been added to the ship in the past time since the new YE. Moreso, thank you for entrusting your captain and the Empire to bring you here safely."

Hoshi continued, "Are there any opening statements to be made before the briefing by anyone about anything in particular?"
 
Planet Ayenee
Fort Miller


A young man, no older than 18 stepped out one of the tents in Fort Miller. The events of the past several days had left William's mind reeling. The temple, the temple maiden who invaded his mind, it was difficult for his mind to process.

However, he didn't have time to focus on it. He needed to get to work. William pulled his jacket on and walked out to stand with the others.

He pat the hilts of his two swords on his hips, and tightened the strap on the sword slung over his back before shoving his hands in his pockets.

William moved and stood off to one side of the formation. Being a civilian, he didn't want to be in the way. He instead turned his head skywords, to the Nightwalker station. It reminded him he would need to speak with his father soon. But now he needed to work.

At Hoshi's remark to speak, William remained silent. It wasn't his place, and it wasn't his thing either.
 
Mark Oaklen stood amongst the rest having opted to wear his undersuit which covered him from chin to toe fully, a pair of black cargo pants, boots, and his long red cloth blade wrapped around his waist like a sash. He rested his hand on the hilt of his custom plasma katana that hung from the hip, along with the two USO-P1s he carried. Being twenty one years of age, the long scar that passed over his right eye made it seem as if the man had been through much. From his place standing next to Nerai he raised a hand, "Captain, as I am unfamiliar still with a lot of things. Where are we and what is this place? This land seems much different than I feel that I have encountered." Mark said scratching the black hair of his goatee upon his chin as deep blue eyes watched the Taisho, waiting for enlightenment.
 
Planet Ayenee
Fort Miller


Nuriel had spent most of the day trying to keep herself busy and had failed miserably. As such she appeared in a fairly foul mood as she had made her way through the various tents towards the briefing room.

She slipped into the back of room carefully. Folding her patterned wings carefully against her back as to take up as little space as possible. Her pilots dress utterly immaculate and free of dirt. She stood to rigid attention and flicked her ginger braid over her right shoulder. Staying silent.
 
"We're in a place Star Army of Yamatai visits once yearly and, in the past and under different names, has fought battles in this universe. What we are to do, now, is," Hoshi said and gave pause, looking away from Mark and scanning the domed-room, "protect it."

She then looked back to Mark and went on, "This is the planet of Ayenee, and we are all here with the same goals in mind, to protect. We may not be in Yamatai controlled and lawed space and it is not our place to force Yamataian laws and customs on the cultures and peoples on planet of Ayenee. Instead, this is our base of operations while exploring the planet without disruption to those living here and the space around this planet, as it has been under distress as of late and it has been deemed we can solve this upset. Together, we can."
 
"Then my blade, bullets, blood, and sweat will be put forth. If these people need help and protection, then I will gladly stand against that which threatens them. Let us make the difference, and for the better." Mark replied with a steady and sure voice as his segmented carapace like suited hand gripped the grip of his plasma Katana with an audible strain of the material. Mark saluted in respect to the captain. He thought for a moment before asking something else, "Captain, how are to keep supplied? Are we going to be receiving supply drops somehow? If not, I'm sure the crew's engineers, techs, and I can devise a means of collecting and extracting materials we need. We have fabrication equipment."
 
Darwin had never expected this to happen. But, odds are that he wasn't the only one. Nobody could have seen a portal underneath the Temple having been the case. And yet, it was. And now, here he is in a Yamataian outpost in the middle of a completely separate universe. And while time has passed, the man has still had a difficult time coming to terms with the reality he is facing.

When it had been found, his only worry was that he would never come home. That he would never see his mother or father again. Never see the friends that he had made back in Fort Hajime... but he knew he needed to cross the boundary and see what lay beyond it, regardless of risk.

While he was generally opposed to the process of resleeving or even using the machinery as a method of cloning... at least there would still be a version of him back at home for his family to see. One with his memories. With his thoughts and feelings - but no memory of his time on the Kaiyo. He worried that those memories would leave him paralyzed and lost as to where to go or what to do, knowing that all of his friends on the Kaiyo would be... lost.

It was hard for Darwin to pry his back from the cot of his tent. The previous night had been rough. Just like the night before that. Hardly an ounce of sleep would have drifted his way, its tender hands teasing the edges of his mind but never fully enveloping it, cruelly observing what remained as it wandered and pondered. No less, he did what he had to and exited the tent. Surprisingly, the Type-35 Uniform on his back would still be in good condition these past few weeks. Then again, they weren't exactly stranded in this new world so much as relocated.

He approaches the rest of the ranks of the Y.S.S. Kaiyo II standing before Chusa Taiyou Hoshi as she begins her announcement. As much as it pains him to be here, she has a point. Regardless of him considering this place his own home - which he may as well - there are people here that require aid if we are to receive aid in turn.

At the end of the day however, this is a situation to be made light of. This is a new world to explore. To discover. "Aye aye, Chusa." the human nods.
 
Hoshi felt her heels click together as she floated in the air while her legs snapped shut and her body became rigid. The small Nekovalkyrja Captain saluted the mysterious, patient, and steadfast man that had come to them with only a name, a few clothes, a R1-SPA PA suit, and a katana. Hoshi had eyed the armor alongside the Mindy 4 and Shibui suits in the Power Armor Hangar of the fort earlier in the morning. When her now-stern face softened, her hand lowered and she inhaled slightly before speaking in a regularly paced voice.

"Though in the past the YSS Pliable has made runs to Ayenee, it has mostly only done so to check on our universe's neighbor's safety and well-being and when not at war. Now that our neighbors are facing trouble that even they haven't interpreted as a threat, we are here to help. Our fabricators are warmed and powered on and ready for anything. We have no need for resource-scavenging as we have all we could need, now, as do the Nepleslian colonists overhead. Our ship is in the same state as the fabricators; our sensors, defenses, what have you, are at our disposal at any time. We have the best food from our own universe as well as those found here, some of which are not safe to eat for a small group of humanoids. Remember, 'Leaves of the sea, let it be,' meaning not to eat anything of the blue hue."

She had seemed to finish without answering the question, then added, "What I am trying to say more plainly is, we are the supply drop." She went on to say something that had not been asked, "Now, don't think there isn't an answer to the question of how long you will be in this universe and the answer is complicated and up to you as we go along. We can transport individuals requesting transfers back to Yamatai seamlessly, though in Kikyo Sector's universe, this one of Ayenee is completely and strictly top-secret. We will be going back to Yamatai by the beginning of YE 41 in order to maintain steady contact with our Empire and undergo any necessary repairs the Nightwalker Station cannot accomplish. I hope I have answered your questions, Mark-san.

She glanced at Darwin and then gave a slight turn of her body to acknowledge him. "Thank you, Ittô Hei Schultz." Every enlisted member of Kaiyo that had been brought to Ayenee had received two ranks up by Hoshi and Command, making some of them the second non-commissioned officer rank, the highest regular enlisted rank, and some of them Darwin Schultz-hei's rank, as well.

Her attention stayed on him a moment with a gracious smile before her head tilted slightly and she looked at the rest of those gathered with a renewed look of expectation to hear more questions or concerns, comments, or anything on the matter of Ayenee and their role there.
 
Fort Miller
Right in the middle of a minor existential crisis...

This... was...

Gravity didn't even have a word for it!

Like this grass, for instance! It looked, smelled, and even tasted like the grass from home. But it was in another freaking universe!!!

The air! It smelled just as fresh as Yamatai's, but it was transdimensional air!

Shouldn't their arrival here have caused the very fabric of reality to tear and end all creation...? Or something...?

She also came to the conclusion that since she flew the only Fuji-class gunship in this universe, that meant that she was literally the best Fuji pilot in the universe! Hell yeah!

She hadn't made a clone like the others. Not because she was squeamish about soul-transfer tech, but because she didn't want to risk her clone doing something really bad ass that she'd never be able to top and steal her thunder. Nuh uh! Not happening!

So for once, Kara "Gravity" Sifsdottir had absolutely no witty comments for the current situation. Nada. As silent as a rock she sat, knees scrunched up to her chest as she slowly began to realize just how small and insignificant she was in the possibly infinite multiverse. She may or may not have began rocking slowly back and forth. Thankfully, before she could have a full breakdown, Hoshi snapped her back to her senses.

"Hey, Chusa, are there pomegranates in this universe?" piped up the blue youngling, who had crossed her fingers in hope.
 
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Hoshi, looking surprised with pursed lips, tilted her head so that her white tips of her hair brushed against her hip.

"I think..." she began when she had straightened her head, "...that you will have to find out yourself. Weekends are your free time, so please explore on those days, Gravity-hei."
 
Sacre had been duplicated by the events at the temple. Her meeting with the other Sacre who was staying in their home universe had been quiet and with few words. Their shared life had been full of suffering that they didn't want to continue longer then necessary. It had brought them great sadness that someone else also had to suffer as well now. More importantly, there was a part of them that was suffering even more, Ven. The Sacre of Kikyo would hunt down their missing clone. While The Sacre of Ayenee would remain in the Army and help protect the world she had been thrown into.

Sacre of Ayenee was brought from her reverie back to reality by Gravity's question. She thought it was a stupid question, but then again, what else could she expect? She closed her eyes and tried to remember what the Sacre of Kikyo had said to her 'A new universe, a new life, with those who want to become your family.' Sacre of Ayenee new she was probably the luckiest of her clade, staying with the crew that she had grown to not hate, and perhaps even like a little bit. But that didn't make her feel lucky. When she opened her eyes, she found herself looking at William. The first one she had started to care about. That thought made her smile, even if slightly.
 
The air charged between them briefly. There were no words and Care spent no time debating why. Split by only moments, there was little chance that they held any different thoughts. For a moment Care could have sworn she felt the warmth of someone who understood, but it took her only moments more to understand that to speak would ruin it, as nothing new could come of it. There was no new information, nothing besides a cold shoulder that understood their plight in exactly the same way. Nothing but an echo-chamber, and Care could not risk falling into such a pit.

They walked away without a word, and neither could bare to turn to the other. For a moment Care felt regretful, for she had asked for another of her to be replicated, and in doing so, had cursed another being with the split of mind and body, with the broken meld between them. There was silence and regret, and loathing followed with it.


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This was a new Universe, but the word felt empty and meaningless to her. She looked to the sky and it was simply a sky, the earth simply earth, words simply words. Distance and space held little bearing, even here. The word Universe meaning little was not a new concept for Care, not was it one that held her interest. The concepts of distance and time were little and localized, for that which did not effect her simply did not matter as much as that what did. If the prior conflicts of Freespacers and Yamatai that often put the two minds at odds did not split her attention away from joining the Yamatai, then the distance and folds of space would not stall her from the issues that concerned her most.

Many people did not join them, and some of them she held dear. She wondered if they would have stayed with the other Care, but she did not take the chance to ask. It was heartbreaking, and she had been withdrawn since the journey began. She sat on the sideline of the whole affair, listening with vague interest as Hoshi and Eden gave their speeches. They were filled with hope and determination, and for a moment she was jealous. They could leave behind so much, so many people and not show how it wavered them.

The jealousy passed quickly, as she accepted they simply might not show it as easily as Care herself or others. It had taken a lot to open up to the people she had left behind, perhaps it would be easier to do it again. Perhaps it would be harder. Perhaps she simply wouldn't. Mechanical eyes glanced around with their standard clicks and rotations, her facial plates still and stiff. Perhaps she could talk to Sacre, explain her problems to her fellow Medic, but now was hardly the place, hardly the time.

Even a universe of distance away, it was still not the place, still not the time. How had she done it before?

Her eyes wandered further, the present crew, those she knew and those she knew not as well. She had not spoken to the captain in any true amount, perhaps it was time she did so. Even though she had never truly conversed in such a time, she had grown to admire her, as she'd grown to admire much of the crew. They all seemed to face such vibrant emotions, wonder, inspiration, some uncertain, some determined. She wished she could share their positivity.
 
Planet Ayenee
Fort Miller

Chlorate the clanky gynoid stood behind her adoptive father Mark, listening to Hoshi. "Understood," she beeped. She had left a duplicate back in Yamatai, and had practically nothing to worry about at the moment. She turned to Mark and asked "Father, could you run another diagnostic on me to ensure that all of my systems are operational?"

Meanwhile, Kikios Leka stretched out her wings, making sure she had enough room so she wouldn't accidentally smack someone with them. She also had left a duplicate on Yamatai. "Well this is an interesting first mission, I can't wait to get started," she said. She felt her hair to make sure her "crest" was still standing, which it was. She eyed Chlorate and Care, thinking "Ah, robots. I wonder if I'll be their "medic" in a way since I'm a technician?"
 
His expression as he had entered was dull, drained, and lacked the soul of the man most knew Darwin as. However, it didn't take long for something to breathe life back into him. The promotion, and the moment of the Chusa granting him a moment's notice had kicked its spurs into the sides of his spirits and forced it to rear up. What most may have seen as an innocuous glance and moment of appreciation for his loyalty, he saw as a moment of connection. One of mutual understanding. Like the very bug that wiped his kind out, her gaze had spread one contaminate: a smile. One which would curl upon his lips like a fern glanced upon by the fingers of a passerby. For the first time in two weeks, Darwin genuinely felt happy that he had accomplished something - not just he, but everyone else upon the Kaiyo II. Once she continued to speak, his eyes would turn to the floor as though all of his thoughts had fallen upon his shoes.

There was a breath in, and a breath out. A question about pomegranates flutters through the air. He raises his gaze to the rest of the crew and can't help but chuckle at the sheer unexpected nature of it all. An entire universe, and the first question to ask is if there is a a scarlet fruit full of juice and seeds.

He brings a hand to his chin, rubbing the side of his finger just below his lip. "Well, since our supplies are going to rely on that of this universe for now, we're going to have to find a way to interact with the locals without coming across as hostile, even if we've been here before, people might find our arrival jarring." he pauses for a second and snaps his fingers. "If I may propose an idea, a pomegranate hunt might be a good opportunity to survey the surrounding area of the camp, maybe even create a map using the sensors on our Mindy and Shibui suits if there's no data available?"
 
Hoshiyo was excited to explore another universe even if you she had not explored her first. While others had made clones she felt no need as she had done nothing of note so no one would miss her. “Going to another universe does kind of ruin my plan to build a legacy but I guess I will do it here instead” Hoshiyo thought to herself. She then stood up, brushing down her uniform, and said “ I did not sign up for this well um... I technically didn’t sign up for anything but if I had not signed up for this I would sign up for it now. That makes sense rights?”
 
While Ketsurui Aiko's military studies had taken much of her attention over the past months, the Kaiyō II's crew could always count on seeing her stride tall and proud through the ship's corridors or in the wardroom after a duty shift, but nobody had caught a glimpse of her during the transuniversal flight that brought them here from the Kikyo Sector. And when they did see her, she could only be described as completely sullen — at least as insofar as Aiko could be sullen — as she marched around wearing a duty coat that smothered out the luminous white of her uniform.

It was a subtle change in her, really. The Neko princess was missing none of the usual grace in her mannerisms, nor did she seem suddenly undignified. But she was doubtlessly more severe than Ketsurui Aiko always was. The angled top line of her elfin ears had degraded to a flat, horizontal geometry as if she were constantly in some sort of a hurry.

Instead of looking stern and mighty, as she typically did, Aiko appeared completely pissed. More than that, it was that dreary kind of rage locked her brow angrily above her crimson eyes — just enough to hold back everything behind them.

To stand beside the Imperial daughter was an arctic experience. Trusted Rei had even been harshly ordered to "make yourself as your Shadow Viper sisters and disappear whichever way you prefer it," so the yojimbo watched her diminished cinder of a charge from a healthy distance. The base commander standing next to Aiko high up on Fort Miller's wall seemed to enjoy the cold, however. The officer was just happy to be talking to Yui-taisho's daughter about planet Ayenee and how excited they all were to have her there and how it wasn't every day that they got anybody coming through and all of the other things that excited officers say to visiting Imperials. Aiko hadn't so much as caught their rank, and mostly stared forward while she endured the tour.

She had too many demands racing through her mind to speak, much less give the world around her more than common courtesy. That Yui had been convinced to send her here at all infuriated Aiko less than whatever set her mind to it. Competing interests at the Imperial Court seemed the most likely culprit, even though civilian politics were not supposed to interfere with the Star Army's plans, which Aiko herself was most certainly a part of. What if it'd been simpler than that? Was this Yui telling her she didn't measure up, left exiled until she followed the path that her mother once tread during her own bloody path across the Kikyo Sector and the infinite universes beyond?

Harboring so many questions shamed Ketsurui Aiko to her core. Yamatai's leaders — those of Yui's blood — were made to provide answers, not be left alone in another universe with no cause or explanation. Of course, she knew nothing of the dangers rotting away at Yamatai's core and the relative security this assignment was intended to bring her.

Ayenee's skies may have been seen by countless Nekovalkyrja eyes over the decades, but they were still unknown to the Star Army soldiers standing there today. The old Yamataian promise to keep watchful eyes on such places brought Aiko minor comfort as she gazed out over the alien landscape stretching in every direction, even mindful of the PNUgen labyrinths that lay dormant just beneath the surface.

"Shoi-sama?" the commander asked again, sounding a little worried as they tugged at their Type 35's collar. They'd already tried to get Aiko's attention a few times, now. "Shoi-sama? Ketsurui-shoi?"

"Very good, yes," Aiko said with about the same enthusiasm as a mediocre hmph. "Thank you. Leave me now."

The base commander eyed the princess while they wore the permanent smile they'd had nailed on since being introduced to her, not daring to say anything. Aiko had already been informed that Taiyou-chusa's briefing had started. They definitely outranked the most junior of Kaiyō II's officers, too, but the grip she had around her katana's sheath and the obvious poise in her gait made the commander think twice about trying to say or do anything but go.

"Left to protect a world this overripe while the Kuvexians encroach," grumbled the Imperial Neko in low tones, her Yamataigo no less aristocratic and precise in the absence of anyone around to hear it. She peered down at the sword clasped in her left hand. "No.

"There is nothing left but to master this place in ways okāsan could not."
 
Planet Ayenee
Fort Miller


William watched silently as everyone spoke, and even noticed Sacre's glance. He smiled back at her softly, before returning to his stoic gaze.

He looked back over to the wall and noticed the princess... Even from where he was standing, he could feel the anger. William grimaced and slipped silently away from the others and walked up the wall, passing the base commander as he did.

As he reached the top of the wall he stopped a respectful distance away and cleared his throat. "My lady, would you like for me to join you?" He asked, crossing his arm across his chest and giving a polite bow.

The main reason William was here, was because he was also Princess Aiko's other bodyguard. This was due to him being Rei's adoptive son and student. So by extension he was her guard as well.
 
Eden's eyes shifted from something that could be perceived as tunnel vision to be on Hoshi's back, blanketed in its blue and white hair. The next almost imperceptible exhalation from the XO made Hoshi turn to the Teien. Hoshi's pink cheeks moved about as her rosy, pursed lips swept to one side of her chin to the the other as she read Eden's own near-questioning gaze.

"We'll have two teams. One will be in their Mindy armors and one in their Shibui suits. Take your pick of which you would like in the Power Armor Hangar. Teien-Shosa will assist the group in Mindy and I will assist those in the Shibui once in the air. There is no need to wait once suited for further instructions. Start searching outside of the city," Hoshi said. "Though this mission may require to move towards the West, into Capital Memorial City, I am accounting for that. Be safe and communicative with your team. The mission aim, finding a pomegranate, must be reached in the next two hours. I hope for happy searching to both teams."

Eden then stepped forward, "Further questions should be directed at either of us en route to the hangar." The two saluted their crew before Eden was the fist to step to the door nearest the hangar while Hoshi lingered, watching over her crew for a moment with soft, gracious eyes, then turned and followed in Eden's wake.
 
"W-wait, we're actually going through with that?" Darwin is taken aback by the sudden decision. He wasn't going to question the Chusa's choice, but never would he have expected for her to consider the ramblings of an Itto-Hei that hasn't even been a part of the crew for very long. Wow, I came up with a good idea for a change. His mind tosses at him, followed by a sort of internal thumbs-up. He offers a polite bow in the direction of the Chusa as a means of thanks for letting his thoughts not only be considered, but put into action.

But in all fairness, a nagging feeling suggested his speaking up was improper on his part, considering his rank.

But that doubting hand pressed to Darwin's skull would be shaken away in moments while his mind opted to focus on more important things. Food, water, maintenance of shelter and assurance of safety from who-knows-what is out there. Questions like can Mindy armor be used to hunt and how far away is the nearest local civilization popped up alongside it all. As his back straightens once more, he turns on his heel to exit the room.
 
"Shut up, bird-brain! Do not ruin this for me!" Gravity hissed and smacked Darwin's shoulder as she rocketed past him for the PA hangar. She'd received her orders, and would follow them to the letter as a loyal, dedicated soldier of the Star Army.

She would find all of the pomegranates, or die trying!

Though, the possibility of pomegranates not existing in this universe was still weighing on her mind. However, she'd heard that honest-to-Yui magic was a normal thing here. Worst case scenario? Have a wizard *poof* her up a fruit basket.

'Wait... that IS how magic works... right?' the pilot pondered.
 
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