A newish ship lands in the cargo bay, settling down on a ship's slot reserved for Lady Kurisho.
The maintenance crew gathers around, starting their standard refueling and rearming procedures.
A few moments later, the cargo bay doors open, reveling a loading ramp.
Lady Kurisho departs from the ship, followed by a large crate on a remote driven hover-lift.
''Take these parts to the crew that is assembling the holodeck. Tell them it is the Electron Driver they been asking for. She says to a nearby dock worker.
'At once, Madam' The dockworker replies, bows slightly then takes the cargo box away.
Lady Kurisho glances around the bay for a moment. Again some of the crew people take a moment to notice the 'non-normal' attire she is wearing. Bright Yellow and Red Kimono top with a loose fitting matching skirt.
Her brief survey of the cargo bay is interrupted by a beeping of her data pad. She reaches into a fold of her kimono, withdrawing the device and reading the screen.
Aw...the reports have arrived, she mutters to herself.
Then another beep: Incoming Call. She clicks on Accept. An image of male with some tattoos appear on her screen.
''Kurisho? Are you free for a late night dinner or drink?''
''Yes, Hon. I should be unless the station has gone completely to hell during the few days I was away.
By the way, thank you for the help.''
''Anything for you. Contact me when you know more of your schedule.''
''I will.''
She clicks off the coms as she makes her way down one of the hallways.
First stop, her office. She unlocks her door and enters. Seeing the placed data crystal, she picks the item up ,places it into a computerized crystal-reader and enters a access code.
Reading the reports, she makes a few notes and updates a GC database.
Next item....the nero-net. Letting out a slight sigh, she activate a screen to read the latest postings.
'12 pages of junk', she thinks to herself. ''There has to be a better way to deal with this.......''
She lets out another soft sigh as she clicks on 'read next page' button.
What seems to be slow and forever process to Lady Kurisho, does get done eventually.
She proceeds to the next item on her Do List.
Station Alerts.
She seems surprised that during her brief away trip, there is no reports of fires, bombings, Steve being killed (too many times) or other of the station's disasters.
Great. The karma is probably being saved up for me to return...I need a drink''.
Key up a communication button on her desk, she places an order for a drink to be brought to her office.
'Barbot....Bloody-Mary.....vodka.....cardi free....chilled glass.....4 drops of green mild sauce''
Typing a few commands on her computer , brings her to another item to do: New Recruits.
Reading the applications requests, entering a few comments down on her notes, she pauses slightly as she reads one of the Aps. AGE: 8.
'You got to be kidding me', she says to herself. She runs a verification recheck.
18.Negative, the results reply: 8.
Lady Kurisho enters a few more commands into her computer : Mark Application for 30 review. Set reminder calendar.
By this time, her 'doorbell' is chimed. An image of a Bar tending robot is displayed on the corner of the third computer monitor.
Enter !
Her office's door open, letting in the barbot. It delivers the drink and departs quickly, the door closing behind it. She moves the drink over to a small square 'coaster' looking item, where after a brief moment, the coaster blinks a green light.
Lady Kurisho then takes a sip of the drink. ''Blast it to hell.......never enough vodka in it''
Opening a drawer of her desk, she takes out a bottle filled with clear fluid and 'fixes' her drink.
' Wrote:Rika moved along the long corridor towards the tea house, as she saw Aki passing by.
"Konichiwa, Sister, where are you headed? We should get some tea before you fly out again, I think Sirius wont fall apart if you take a little break... They got some new tea, I wanted to tase it, Ill invite you if you want."
She pauses only barely long enough to glance at Rika before speaking in something close to a rough whisper and in japanese only
"Kobanwa. One is leaving as she should have not bothered returning. What one wants hardly matters anymore, she is not staying. If needed, Kyoto will be her new home. Sayonara."
With that she turns and walks away silently, taking a turn at the intersection to vanish out of Rika's sight, and if she went to try and follow Aki, by teh time Rika would get to that p-way, she would find Aki simply vanished as if she were never there. Even if Rika were to ask any crew passing through the p-way, they would be able to tell her they'd seen no one pass them.
Something close to half an hour later, not even with the Tech crews who are on duty notice a single shuttle sliping out of the docking bay, leaving the sleek bomber she normally flies behind. Sometime later when one of the techs does go to a routine check, he finds the entire computer system of the bomber completely destroyed by a Thermal gernade. IF Security ever is called in, they will find it insanely difficult to get the door to Aki's personal quarters open without using cutting devices or explosives on the door, and the main computer on Ainu seem to no longer have any direct information on Aki Shikyo.
Reina walked into the Tea House, still excited that she was able to buy an actual GC ship instead of a Civilian piece of garbage.
She bought a glass of vodka and downed it in 5 seconds. Repeat several times.
Reina staggered to her room and fell into her bed.
Days have gone by.
Most of the passing events of the Tea House have been on the quite side. A few of the Techs and other workers are still busy putting the HoloDeck together. Everyone once in a while, their progress is delayed by missing parts or an unclear detail in the blueprints.
Today, Ainu starts it's normal routine : Patrols, Repairs, Fighter Drills.
Ainu's Flight Control observed 2 ships, both with GC ID chips, One having a GC Tag activated, The other does not.
The Flight Control makes a note of this in her logs and resumes the duty of directing incomming and out going flights into the base.
A few moments later, another ship is detected. A Trident with GC Tags activated. A quick security scan reads back : The Kurishoian.
There is some commutation between the 3 ships.
Ainu Flight Control dispatcher pays little attention to it.
The Kurishoian docks with one of the ship.
A 4th GC ship is detected.
The voice commutations begins to get louder as the participants begin to yell a bit at each other.
'Kitten!!!! Opening Fire !!!!'
Suddenly, the Stations Alarms go off: Weapons firing detected !!!
The Flight Control quickly makes her way to the radar screen just in time to see the 4th ship open fire on The Kurisho.
Lady Kurisho still seems to be aboard the 2nd ship.
The Kurisho's auto defense systems activates: Emergency de-docking and returning weapons fire.
The weapons exchange is quick. Before the Dispatcher has time to open coms and scream 'What the Blazes', the Kurishoian's weapons deals out massive damage to the attacking ship. The 4th GC ship limps away, barely engaging it's cruise engines.
As suddenly the weapons firing started -- It stopped.
The Kurishoian's programming switches from Defense mode to Emergency Mode, opening a direct commutation to the station:
Computer: Dispatch Rescue and Medical Crews to Sector BC6. Dispatch Rescue and Medical Crews to Sector BC6.
Flight Control: This is Ainu Base. What the ***** Happened? Whats going on out there?
Computer: Negative confirmation detected .Dispatch Rescue and Medical Crews to Landing Bay. Dispatch Rescue and Medical Crews to Landing Bay.
The Kurishoian's then tractorbeams the 2nd GC ship (with Lady Kurisho and the GC pilot ), making a landing at the main hanger bay. After it lands, the main computer shuts off the engines and powers down the ship.
Medical crew rush in, quickly opening the hatch of the other GC ship....finding inside, Lady Kurisho with a critical gunshot wound to her chest and Miss.Kitten suffering from a series of critical stabbing wounds about her body. A bloody steel Tanto and a Pistol are found nearby. Medical crews look at each other in confusion for a brief moment, then they start the Med Evac of the wounded.
Both females are ushered out of life support gurneys and taken to the medical bays.
.........
Katsumi steps into medical having received a call regarding two injured sisters suspected of engaging in a duel. The doors slide closed behind her as she stands looking around, blinded by the white cleanliness that all modern medical bays now offer. Finally her eyes focus on two gurneys across the room from each other with armed guards between them.
Sighing she walks over to a doctor who is hovering over some medical instruments and checking things off on a chart hes carrying. The doctor looks up at her and hesitates before closing the chart he had been examining. They stare at each other for a few moments, each waiting for the other to begin the conversation. The awkwardness builds until Katsumi gives in and asks what has happened.
The doctor stands there a bit nervous and says that Lady Kurisho was shot by Miss Kitten's gun, while Miss Kitten has been stabbed multiple times by Lady Kurisho's tanto. While the wounds are extremly serious both are expected to recover in due time. One of Miss Kitten's stab wounds millimeters away from a major artery that had it been severed would have bled out before anyone would have done anything.
Katsumi stands there surprised, unsure why either of them would want to harm the other. After a few minutes she leaves the doctor to go back to filling out his charts and monitoring the equipment and walks over to Miss Kitten's gurney. She's all bandaged up and someone has placed a single gold chrysanthemum on a table next to her. Looking over Katsumi see's that Lady Kurisho likewise as a single flower next to her. The two sisters are still in under a deep sleep so Katsumi pulls over a chair beside Miss Kitten and sits.
Off to one side, a couple set of security guards are stationed outside of the doors.
A few hours later, some of Lady Kurishio's personal flight crew try to visit their Commander, but held at the door by the Security.
'Girls, we don't have any idea of what happened. And the last thing we need is a personal Family Blood war between Kitten's family and Kurisho's. '
After a bit of 'discussion' , the guards (after noting that Miss Kitten has a visitor) agree to let them visit their Commander.
Her girls enter the room one by one, kneeling down by the bedside. Some whisper a bit to Lady Kurisho. Conversation ranges from "You will get better"....to....."How did this happen". Some just sit near by and cry softly.
One of her girls attaches Kurisho's personal data-com pad around her (Lady Kurisho) wrist, locking it in place. "Call us, Madam. We await your command."
She then stands up and addresses the rest of Kurisho's crew. "Girls, We have orders in hand, Patrols to do, Male pigs to kill and Sisters to avenge. Refuel and rearm the ship."
Together they reply ''Hai!''
The Lead Crew woman gives Katsumi a slight nod as the group depart, leaving room back alone with 2 wounded females, Katsumi , The Doctors & the Guards.
Katsumi wakes with a start, having forgotten where she was. All she can see is a large white blur. She blinks her eyes to clear the sleep from them and looks around. She must have fallen asleep because there are different doctors on rotation.
Theres a bowl of water next to the bed with a cloth hanging over the side. She bends over it and splashes some water into her face. Taking the cloth in her hand, she dips it in the water and rings it out to ensure theres no dripping.
Turning to the bed, Katsumi wipes the brow of Miss Kitten and then along her cheeks. A nurse sees this and comes over to help. Katsumi hands her the cloth and turns away from the bed to find a doctor. One looks to be monitoring the equipment Miss Kitten is hooked up to. She walks over to the doctor who looks up questioningly. Katsumi asks the young doctor how long she thinks they will remain unconscious. The doctor tells her that they are being kept in a coma because the pain would be unbearable.
Katsumi nods and walks over to check on Lady Kurisho who now has a com pad strapped to her arm. Obviously from the earlier visitors Katsumi realizes. While Miss Kitten is heavily bandaged, Lady Kurisho only had them around her chest.
Theres a bowl of water next to Lady Kurisho as well and Katsumi uses it to wipe her face as she had done to Miss Kitten. She dropped the cloth in the bowl after and fell into a chair that was next to the bed. Things just didn't make any sense. The Sisterhood had always been close, they shared ideals, they shared food, and some even lived together.
No, things just weren't adding up for Katsumi. The weapons used were under lock and key but she had to examine them closer. Until the sisters were healed and able to talk they couldnt give her any answers. Katsumi gets up and thanks the doctors before leaving Med-Bay.
Days later two of Ainu's ranking Security officers were going over the reports they had been able to gather so far on the events that happened outside of Ainu between Lady Kurisho and Miss Kitten. Some of what they have read did not seem to add up to them, and some of the information was either lacking in proper details or seemed to be confused reports of other events that seem some how linked to the attack but not directly either.
So, let me get this right, so far we have confirmed readings that both ships were docked together at some point. There was communication between both ladies involved and apperently there were possibly two more in witness to the conversation that sparked the fight. And, if I understand this right The Lady invited the girl on board before they got into the fight that resulted in their injuries.
Hai, that we have so far, though details seem lacking as to who those additional witnesses were, or the exact conversation that took place before the ships docked together prior to the incident.
Indeed, what I do not understand is why the Comms Officer did not have a data log for us to read since the conversation did happen just off station not even a few hundred meters away.
Ah, I had some of the techs look into that already. Apperently the conversation did get recorded as per usual proceedure, but by the time our techs arrived, the Officer in charge of that shift has
gone off duty and the data recorded was missing. We questioned the officer and she said that the Data was not touched by her or any of the staff on duty at that time.
Strange. Did you have the techs look into reconstruction of the data recorder?
Already thought of that and we did. What makes this difficult is the recorder we recovered is completely brand new. There was nothing on it covering that day. Judging by the time stamps and data it did have, it was taken by some one not mroe than a day after the event happened. Questioing of the Staff and Officers has concluded that it was taken between command shifts and by some one exceptionaly skilled. In short, no one saw anything happen. Not even our own internal Security Cams saw anything.
Even our systems? Strange. If it were to be believed, I would almost think that creations of Watasa might be involved, you know it seems to have a keen interest in keeping the Sisterhood in order and harmony...well, as much as it can ever be with the new troubles coming from the...
A younger and very junior Officer bursts into the conferance room that the two men occupied for their meeting, he seems to be very flustered and almost out of breath. The older men both glare at the junior officer. Sir! Thousand apologies, I had to come up and tell you in person something we'd just discovered.
Spit it out quickly and it had better be very good or you will be finding yourself mind some very unpleasent tasks in your very soon to be furture.
Hai Sir. One of the Sisters requested to see the weapons apperently used in the incident outside of Ainu and we discovered both items to be missing. Considering some of the rumors that I have heard, I checked and found that all data concerning the blade that belonged to Lady Kurisho and the Hold-out Pistol of Miss kitty also was no longer available.
WHAT? Are you absolutely sure? Did you check the security footage to be sure?
Hai, both the digital recorders and the live feed systems checked over in detail. Either they have been tampered with by some one of the highest calibur or, and I apologise and do not wish to assume, neither item was ever truely entered into the system.
One of the men rises from his seat with a dark scowl on his face, glancing to his friend and fellow officer, I will look into this personally right now. This is getting too strange to be a simple incident. In mean time double the Security on both Lady Kurisho and Miss Kitty at once. If the Elders see fit to question this, remind them it is for their safety as well as our own.
The other Security officer nods and also rises, quickly gathering up the reports that they had been reviewing, and considering the alarming fact that the weapons used were now both missing, he did not wish to see the reports he had vanish as well. A quick thought to himself he nods once more, intent on locking up what was left in the Security Office where he expect only a very select few would have access, and thus easier to prevent their loss.
~~Elsewhere on Ainu~~
-Hanger Bay 9X-
One of the Hanger Bay cheifs is speaking with a member of his team,"Ok, let me get this right, there was a Bomber here for the last several days. It was damaged to the point it should not be able to fly. AND the last known owner is Miss Winters yet her own fighter is kept in the regular hanger bay, not down here. Anything I am not understanding so far?"
The younger sister looks at her data pad, then back at the Cheif, "That is correct. According to what we have, the prior owner apperently gave the Bomber to Winter after some unstated dispute between the two pilots. According to what the Techs have here when they went to do regular Maintence, they found the cockpit and both primary and secondary computer systems were utterly destroyed by what appears to have been a thermal device of some sort."
"Oh. Good, I am glad I am not completely out of my mind then. So, how do we explain the loss of a ship that was tagged and Out of Commission from a high security bay AND explain to its supposed current owner that its not here anymore should she have chosen to have it repaired and ready to fly?"
"That Sir is beyond my paygrade, I guess thats why they made you Cheif and not me."
"Oh the sass I have to put up with you girls everyday. *SIGH* great. Then guess what You get to do? You get to write the report itself to submit to Winter AND the Elders, and i want it done by end shift today." The Cheif smirked a bit that, but still knows a lot of unpleasent questions will come from both the bombers current owner and the Elders as to why ships are vanishing as of late with little to no reason at all.
Whaaa? but...Fine. It'll be done. The Sister looks grumpy but he was the Cheif and ultimately could hand out work like that. She shakes her head and turns away to hurry to a small office and start in on the paper work for hoping to herself she will have enough time to get all the proper forms done before the Cheifs deadline.
The next day...
"Reports done Cheif, although we had to dig through hard copy paper work for some of the details about the Roc in question."
"Oh really? So what was not available about that ship?"
"Well, just about everything really. Other than the regular crews who worked on it, it seems that quite a bit about the ship was no longer available on the base computers. Either way, its a good thing some of the crews still do things the old way with hand writen reports."
She looks down at the data pad to bring up the proper data report to show the chief, pointing out key aspects that seem important, "From what we were able to find in the old reports, that ship was heavily modified well in excess of any 'standard' modification that might be expected. For example, here we have a report on the computer systems. Not only did the ship have both primary and secondary, it seems there was two additional systems installed, though their exact purpose was never detailed."
"Interesting. Go On, what else stands out?"
"Besides the usual weapons loadout, it seems that certain areas of the ship were heavily sheilded, but not with the usual armor plate we see on mearly all the ships here. This plating seems to have been focused on the cargo bay and around those additional computer systems. If I had to guess, I believe from some of the notations on the reports, it was ment to prevent normal scanning and detection."
"Smuggling perhapes?
"Iee, I am afraid not. If it were for mere smuggling, why sheild the extra computer systems? Either way, other indications that there was more to this than normal are we have a report here of parts with Lane Hacker manufacturing stamps on them, and other systems even older than that with no markings at all. At best we can only guess they were not original nor did the reports show that they had the same specs as standard parts found on a Roc...."
She looks up at the cheif before continuing on, "Cheif, if I had to guess and make a suggestion, we are not looking at the ship of any regular member of the Sisterhood."
"Very well, tell me what you think this is and your suggestion."
"This ship, at least while it was here, belonged to a Kuniochi. If that is indeed true, and we bring this up before the Elders in the wrong way, it will only lead us into trouble we do not need, and very possibly comprimise what ever the former pilot is doing now.
"Hmmm. Very well, transmit the files you have, all of them, to my office on a secure line. Save what you have to a data chip and secure it somewhere not on the Sations main systems. After that, you do not bring this subject up to anyone unless you are directly ordered by me or by any of the Elders. Hai?"
"Hai Cheif, it shall be done at once. I shall also inform the crews that what they know is not to be discussed. But Cheif, what if Miss Winter were to come looking for the ship?"
"Direct her to me, I will handle that myself as well as decide which of the Elders this needs to be reported to. Carry on with your Duties, Specialist." With that the Cheif turns and departs the Hanger bay to continue with his other duties of the day, thinking of what he'd learned and what he does know of the many strnage and commonly unusual events that seem to happen in and around Ainu ona regular basis. The young lady nodded before he walked away, also to go about her own duties as well as carry out the Cheifs orders.
A message appears on the private comm systems of ALL members of the Golden Chrysanthemums and Blood Dragons. Only a very few select others outside those two factions would get the message as well, those being D.Jameson of the 101st, Ironwatsas of the Consortium and the leadership of the Shadow Outcast Brigade. When the recipiant opens the message they see the following:
The Tea House on Ainu Depot, but unlike before that anyone who knows of it, it is empty of anyone including even the bartender except for one Lady. Some few know her as Aki Shikyo and after a few moments and a glance around the very empty room she begins to speak softly, loud enough to be heard by the viewer, but not so loud as to have it echo across the room. In her hands she holds two flowers, one a Golden Chrysanthemum for which the Sisterhood was named for, and the other a Blood Orcid to which some have come to assosiate with the Blood Dragons.
Konichiwa Brothers and Sisters.
As you can see the Tea House is empty. It has been so for quite some time, with some of our more noteable Sisters being in the medical ward, missing in action or simply no longer care to gather here for pleasure or buisiness as they once saw fit. One herself admits she is a small part of the problem, having not come here much when she had the chance or even tried to form much relationships with any of her fellow Sisters and Brothers.
One believes if the Tea House is no longer of concern even to teh Elders or anyone else for that matter it should be closed down and the space used for something better for us all. Otherwise, if those of you who used to care still do care, then do not forget that the Tea House is still here for us all to come together for what ever reason we saw fit.
She stops then and sighs very softly, then lays down both flowers on a table to her left, her fingers running over the bare surface slowly before she bows slightly to the camera before it fades out and the message ends.
//OOC: In the weeks that have passed, not a single member that used to participate in this thread has posted or even seemed to care about what has been going on in any serious note. My last several posts may have been third person, but there were more than enough oppertunities for anyone else to make use of some of what I played out to further RP for anyone here. It is dissapointing that it seems no one cares, so unless there is activity to support even bothering to have this thread, then I will suggest to the Forum Mods to lock it down. I know well that I am not the leader of the Faction, but no one has bothered to post in some time and no one else seems to want to RP here any more. That is all I have to say, the rest is up to you.