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In search of a Goddess

Lets us start with a introduction of myself. I am Motoko Susubo once a pilot of the Kusari Armed Forces of which I was a Major. Everyday I was tasked with the protection of transport ship entering and leaving Liberty space. That was until one day I had a misunderstanding with the Liberty Navy and caused the loss of not only a Kusari State ship but as well as face with the Armed Forces.

Unable to return to the Armed Forces I was left with few options. I returned home to my family on New Tokyo. My father was not so welcoming seeing I not only lost face, but had disgraced the family name of House Susubo as well. Father was a excellent pilot and had served in the Armed Forces until he had retired some year later and had pulled some strings to facilitate my entrance in the Armed Forces. Over the years I had moved through the ranks through hard work. But that day with the loss of the ship all I had worked for was lost.

I had decided to inform father and mother that I would be leaving Kusari space to find a new beginning that my history would not follow me. Taking all that I saved I was able to purchase a older Bishamon. With not much direction I started taking odd jobs, escorting, transporting sensitive items and the occasional engagement of unlawful mobs. This soon had become a path I did not want to tread for my real passion was SCIENCE!!! While in the academy I excelled in all matters of science from xenobiology to quantum spacial theory. That settled it I was to apply my energies to science.

After a few month I was sitting at a freeport for resupply and a well deserved rest. I had over heard some Zoners talking over drinks about a lost Colony ship that had disappeared or was never heard from again. This conversation had peaked my interest. This missing ship seemed to be the subject of wild tells told by deep space haulers and pilots alike over the course of my stay. So I sat and listened closely to all that they had to say while jotting down notes. This would be a prize of epic proportion to find such a ship. I had some leads to go on and the general course the ship had took to uncharted space. But I was not going to let such a minor details keep me from setting out on a hunt of a life time.


With the first month of searching underway I manage to stop at every station that would be in the course direction of the missing ship. Some station managers remember this passing through, one manager said you don't forget a ship of that size passing anything seeing it cast such a shadow that blocks out the sun. At that point I was not sure if he was drunk or not, I have never seen a ship large enough to cast shadow over a whole station, I had seen Battleships and Cruisers galore and thou they are large in size they never blocked out the sun. How big is this thing any way. At this point I was going to tuck that information under crazy person and continue on with my travels.

Into the second month of searching everything is running smoothly with the Bishamon I will say the GMG know how to build a reliable ship. At some point I am hoping these Order scanners will do the trick in hunting down the finial resting spot of this missing ship. All I know it could be wreckage scattered over thousands of kilometers. But I have come this far might as well continue. After a few days in to the second month I have come up on the start of the uncharted region which all the evidence points to. Looking out the flight deck windows there is no gates, no lanes, no faint glow of a freeport just black empty space with a spattering of suns which I hope have planets orbiting them. So from the point on it well be the hum of the cruise engines carrying me deeper into this uncharted area.



After a month of travel 1 have come up on a system that has three planets orbiting it the second planet seems to be one that is a good candidate to search of any sign of this ship seeing it the only one that has a atmosphere. I am hoping that if this ship was a colony vessel it would be looking for a habitable planet to settle.



The scans show nothing but desert and a small subtropical region with oxygen at acceptable levels but no sign of any surface metals of sufficient quantity that would be used in the construction of a vessel. I catalog surface readings, atmospheric data and physical data of the planet that might prove helpful later. After some disappointment not finding any evidence and knowing full well it was not going to be that easy I set course to the next sun and calculate taking 27 days to reach at full cruise.

Days are starting to run together not much to do while waiting to approach the next system just sitting and watching the sun get a little bigger each day. Finally I have reached the second sun with seven planets in it orbit of which 2 have atmospheres this might be my lucky system. Planet four and five are twins. Planet four is mostly cover in water with a few islands scattered about the surface and the atmosphere is breathable. When scanning for a sufficient quantity of surface metal, scans showed negative results.





The planet would make a nice resort planet with all the islands, I may want to think of landing on it and take a rest and get some fresh air. The oxygen generators could refill the ships supply seeing it is at one third capacity and I really do not want to run out, that would make for a short return trip. After a well needed escape from the riggers if space travel I continue with my search. On to planet five. Planet five is a 180 degree difference of planet four. Covered in mountainous regions with trees and plants, with average size bodies of water and a colder climate not a planet I would choose to plant a colony on. Conducting surface scans on the planet where difficult at best, the mountains and so much metal interference that this search was going to call for old fashion grid cartography,like was once done for old GPS travel mapping systems from hundreds of years ago.

Day 3 of mapping:Surface scans nothing much to report other one sixth of the surface is mapped and this planet so far is a mining bonanza all manner of metal is contained in these mountains. The shear cost of travel would not make for much of a profitable trade route.

Day 7 of mapping: A thunderstorm has forced me to suspend mapping and scans and also forced me to land the ship in a clearing. The lighting is causing my scanners to reset and had a few overloads that have trip breakers. So I am going to stay grounded till the storm passes before attempting any more work.

Day 8 of mapping: The storm had passed something during the night while I was asleep. The morning here seemed pleasant the temp was minus three degree Celsius and the sun did not afford much radiant heat. I decided to take a walk around the ship to inspect it for any hull breach from the lighting strikes. The view was breath taking a wide valley with snow capped mountains to each side of it. I continue with the inspection and keep having in the corner of my eye a refection of light which was really annoying me at this point. I keep looking on the haul and there is nothing that would reflect light back. At this point I sum it up to sun coming through the trees that surround the clearing that I landed the ship in. The sun starts to crest over the trees behind me and that is when the source of the reflection was known. It was defiantly large but the snow on the mountain was making it to bright to get a clear look. At this point I decide to wait till the sun has climbed higher in the sky so as to get a better look across the valley.
After a few hours of waiting. There was something on the side of that mountain,what is was I am not sure of. I run back to the ship to grab a digital imaging device and see if it can make out what it was sitting there. Everything is running through my head at this point did I find it or not. I take a image of it and run back to the ship to run it through the image scanners.



OH MY. I stand speechless. I could be holding the image of a long lost ship in my hands. Why is it here ? Why did it land there of all places? Was it forced down? Thousands of questions ran through my head. But I know I had to get up there and see this sun blocking beast for myself. I close up the ship and make way to the site where this ship rests. After a two day hike and the ship getting ever bigger I was finally face to face with her and it was huge it made a House capital ship look like a gunboat. She was buried half way in snow with a few trees growing around it. But from all account it seem intact. She looked to have been here for a hundred years and I was thinking this ship had become lost only a few years ago.

With my nervous state of mind not knowing what I would find I search for a hatch or portal to enter the ship it took a hour just to walk to the bow of her where there was a hanger deck which was left wide open. It had seemed that all the ship that where docked in the hanger had been hastily removed . Strewn across the hanger deck where personal items and medical equipment and all manner of tools. This was starting to answer the why. Looking over to what seem to be the small airlock to the main ship there was a plaque that read “Zoners Mobile Colony Ship 0010” that seemed a sanitized and generic name. Reaching into my pocket I pull out a marker and place under the name “Goddess Shizuha”. I have found my new Home.

Part 2: The Goddess has awoken

It has been several month now since I discovered the Shizuha I manage to make my way back to my gunboat and pilot it up to the landing deck and park it in one of the once used slots. From there I had been managing my progress on repairs to the vessel. Things where starting to hit me over the shear size of this ship. I had manage to find my way to the Bridge and had found informational literature where all the main systems where located. For the most part most the repairs where minor in nature, tripped breakers, broken conduit, and some small fires had broke out that the suppression system had extinguished before any serious damage took place. But sadly these where only the minor systems that I was tackling.

Now was the time to really take on the bigger tasks I was fortunate that one of the APU reactors was able to still be engaged. These APU units allowed the ship to remained powered while repairs where being done to the main reactor chamber when a umbilical could not be attached. At this point I was able to move into the Shizuha at this point. Lightening and heat where my two main concerns even on the best day the temp would reach plus ten degree C. The Evenings on the other hand where minus 20 degree C. So closed off areas of the ship would remain unheated until I manage to get more APUs online.

With the environment of this planet most all the work in the closed off areas of the ship had to be done in a environment suit just to keep warm. With the the trusty literature in hand I make my way down to the engineering section looking for any spare parts that may be laying around. In a jumbled mess of parts that had been thrown from there spots by the impact of what seemed a hard landing I manage to find reactor coupling rods needed to repair the APUs that remained. After 5 days of work and another 2 to realign the remaining APU's, they are finally online. The next test was to check the hull for the ability to hold pressure. Since the APUs where running in peak condition I was able to start the oxygen and hydrogen concentrators for air and water.


Today is the day for the big test to see if the ship is going to hold pressure or vent it as fast as it is produced. Slowly I open the gates valves. As the pressure rises I can feel my ears pop which was encouraging. It was not long before a panel light starts to blink and a read out on a screen showing there was a .0002 atmosphere a hour loss. I retrieved my data pad and did some calculations that if the ship was at full atmosphere and was no longer able to produce pressure how long it would take before it would force me to leave the ship. Granted the calculations where all but a guess and at best guess it would take 1.5 years. That was a acceptable number for me.

More time had past and most the time I fall asleep right where I am working so I can remember where I left off. Because most all the hall ways look the same. This situation was not helping sleeping on the floor I had become unrested and would repeat the same task a second time. Then I remember the marker that I had in my pocket and started making the halls and where they lead to. I wish I had thought of this awhile back. It would have saved me a good amount of time. Tomorrow will be the next mile stone the restarting the engines reactor.



The moment of truth had come. The reactor was a interesting design one that I have not seen. These Zoner shipwrights were into building systems that could run for hundreds of years. This was a design simple complexity. The core was still active, you could see it glowing with in its field which was a major relief to me. The question of the day was. Why there is no output? This system was beyond my expertise. There has to be a manual somewhere with in the engine room. For next 3 days a search for any information on the reactor takes place in the data system. Then I come across a title search on “Conceptual Nuclear Reactor Maintenance and Cleaning”. Really!!! Cleaning? Who cleans a reactor?
I start reading the manual and the system break downs. The manual is well written and simple enough to understand, even a level one mechanics mate could understand how to work on the systems. After going through step by step instructions. It is determined that after the hard landing the reactors cores where jarred out of alignment from their couplings. Reactors one and two seem to be a simple fix just shut them down. I found myself laughing. “oh just shut them down it takes three weeks for them to be safe to work on after the shut down”. Well I have already been here for almost eight months what is another three weeks. Well I tell you it will be month nine.



In the interim time I decide to work in the bridge. With all the APUs running the bridge systems are running and maybe a answer to what drop this beast from space. After a few days of marking the systems with small notes I find the ships logs. As suspected the ship has been sitting in the spot for over a hundred years. I replay the last entry in the log “ Captains log upon entering the atmosphere we came in contact with a electrical storm that has managed to knock out navigation systems. All flight controls lost no restart available.... flight systems dead stick … contact with ground in t minus 1 min... landing thrusters manage to slow decent..... all hands brace for impact........nav destroyed flight controls permanently of line ….. flight engineers unable to repair systems... ship lost... all hands report to hanger deck for departure. …..............(static)”.It seems that the Shizuha faced the same problem I had encountered while mapping. Thankfully the gunship has better shielding to counter the EMP these ships would come under fire from. Great I have a ship that I can power but can not get off the ground. This ship does not have a secondary bridge like war ships or they would have not left this ship grounded.

Time has come to align the couplings. With pages in hand I go through the step by step adjustments on two of the three reactors. Reactor 2 would need much more then a adjustment it will need a full rework in a shipyard. I make a beeline to the Engineering room and go through the check lists that I found in the book. Power to the isolation couplings check.... APC back feed switches to on check...... Dynamic cooling systems to on check......... unlock core check...... Set core output to ten percent check..... . I quickly double check the list and all the status lights to green. All is in order and now the moment of truth to press the start button. With face turned away from the console and eyes squinting. As if it would make any difference because I am only stand a few meters away from two working nuclear reactors that could blow the mountain the ship is setting on to a flat field.



So with all finger and toes crossed I press the button. In a flurry of sound and light the two reactors come to life. The reactors settle in and level off to operational conditions. After a look over the engine system console all the status light all gone from red ..yellow .. to green. This was the best news for the past nine and half months.

So as things stand I have life support, power, but no flight controls or navigation. After scouring the ship from one end to the other for any sign of replacement parts and no such luck. This is when I have come to this crazy idea to run the ship off the flight controls and nav from the gunship using it like a flight computer. After a month of hit and miss integration I manage to get the gunboat to talk to the Shizuha and moved flight controls to the bridge. Thankfully the Zoners where forward thinking enough to automate some systems to be controlled at the helm station in case of lack of crew.

After a year of work it is time to see if I am going to be able to leave this planet with my prize. I have a cup of instant coffee which I had grown accustomed to, not like the fresh coffee back home which at this point seemed a distant memory. I get changed in to my finest Kusari uniform to honor my father, because if this goes south at least I will go down a proud citizen of Kusari. I take my seat at the helm. Grab a clip board filled with a preflight check list. I run down the list one after the other. Everything checked out and I inch the power to 15 percent 20..30..40..50 percent, the reactors respond with every demand. The ship starts to moan and creak, you can hear the sound of metal screeching against the rocks. As the power inches up on the status instrument and reaches 70 percent the ship finally breaks free of its rocky anchor. I switch the dampers on to stabilize from drifting in to the mountain side.

Since breaking free the ship was placed in a stationary hover before I attempt to climb out of the atmosphere. A quick run around the bridge I check systems to make sure the attempt is successful. While sitting lateral movement is supplies to move away from the mountain side and give the ship a wide berth. Reaching for the data pad I enter some calculations to see if escape velocity can even be met with the lack of the one cruise engine. Once the figures entered the power would take 90 percent of the remaining engines. So happy with the results it was time to leave. I switch off the dampers and apply 100 percent to the reactors and make best course to break the atmosphere. She starts to shake and rumble small sub systems start to code red but nothing on the console of important systems. They where still all in the green. The clipboard starts to float off the console. I had left the gravity system off making sure I have enough power to the engines to make the escape velocity.

After making best speed away from the planet and the long trip back to familiar space. All the hard work paid off. The Goddess has awaken.

Part 3 A Goddess is Returning

After setting the auto pilot I decide to take along long walk through the Shizuha getting to know every corner of the ship. As I enter each hallway the flicker of lights coming on greet me at every entrance. In all the places with in the ship I had never gone into the domes or even known if they held atmosphere for that matter. I take out my crude map I had made of the ship and started down the each hallway that lead me to the port side dome. Arriving at the door I look through the window but can not see anything but the darkness of the surrounding space. Great I think to myself I must had lost it in the assent from the planet. I place my hand on the air lock door to check if it is cold. It seem to feel warm almost a neutral temp. I could see there other airlock was still in place so if this first door is opened I suppose I will not be sucked out in to space. Hitting the button the door slides open the air with in the lock was anything but fresh. The window to the second door was a bit higher and to look out of it I had to jump and take short glimpse. This was not going to do. I manage to remember there being some metal med supply boxes down the hall. After retrieving a box and placing it near the door I climb up on it to look through the window and still can not see anything. Disappointed I lean up against the wall not thinking about where I was leaning. Suddenly the first air lock door closes. Awww CRUD MUFFINS I yell. I had hit the second air lock door switch. Well at this point it was not going to any good to panic just accept the fate. As the second air lock opens air started to rush into the lock and not rushing out. Lights start to flicker with in the dome. A feeling of excitement unmatched only be the discovery of the Shizuha it self ran through me. I enter the dome not know what I am going to find.



The Zoner shipwrights built this doom on a slight angle which puzzled me. In the distance I heard running water. Great the water system has a leak in it and loosing all the water made in the dome. I follow the sound and to my surprise there is a small creek running through the dome.



Then it dawn on me the dome angle was to facilitate a way for water to flow down hill much in the same way the novelty table top water falls operated. After a few hours of walking around the dome I manage to find in that time children's toys, some books, and miscellaneous personal items. It seem the dome was a place to relax and watch the stars go by as well as a CO2 scrubber. But now it was kind of over grown and a jungle, which was not a bad thing. As I leave the dome and start my trek do the hall once again I look down at my flight boots and start to laugh. Mud ...mud in space.

After noticing the mud on my boots I leave the pair by the air lock so to use them the next time I was to enter the dome. This left me the only other option wear my socks on the rest of my tour of the ship. This reminded me of when I was a child and use to slide across floor of parents home like a ice skater. I giggle at the thought of doing it once more. So off I took down the hall reliving a childhood memory in my own home.

After some five hours of touring I come across the other dome this one was not so lucky and was in need to repairs that only a ship yard could provide. So I take my hand made map and duly note that the repairs are needed. A hundred meters down the hall was the cargo bay. I had gone through much of it look for any spare parts that I could use. There was hull plate. Some engine components like injectors, valves, and reaction chambers. Half of a salvaged Gunboat and a few fighters which models I had never seen before occupied the one corner and a bounty of sake, rice and rations oh and tea. Still no coffee of any quality only the instant that I find in the rations. Blah! I make my way back to bridge to see the progress of the journey.


I make a cup of coffee and sit at the helm watching small particles reflect light in cruise. It is almost hypnotizing to watch. I mange to get three quarter cruise by running the reactors at 110 percent. I had a lot of time to read tech data on reactor operations and mill over some of the engineering logs and 110 percent seemed to be the norm. So I am confident she will do fine. The one place I had not even looked over was the weapon systems station nor have I even gone to any of the turret, I have no idea if any of those systems worked for that matter. Do I check them or don't I? Do I risk a electrical melt down in my return with in uncharted space? NO!!! as much as I would like to spin carefree in a battleship turret shooting into random space I am going to have to pass I rather a ship yard go through those systems. Getting stuck out here is not my plane.

In my tours around the Shizahu I found the Captain Quarters, which was far more nicer then the quarters on my gunboat.



It was spacious with plenty of shelf space for all those important knick knacks. The closet was roomy and the bed well not so comfy that would have to change. I moved some of my personal items to the cabin. BUT!! The most important item was my bed. This is my home now I am going to have comfy sleeping time. After all the items are settled in I sit on the edge of the bed looking out the window thinking all of the places she had been and where I might take her. It was a full day I make one last check of the course and head for bed.

It has been four month in route that I finally start hearing chatter on the comms. I have 3 days before I am at the edge of known space and already deep space pilots are remarking on seeing the Shizuha as if she is returning from a battle describing the condition of her. I guess things look worse then I had thought on the outside. Never the less she is a solid ship and home. At this point I decide to send a comm to my parents letting them know that I was still alive and not alluring to the fact I was bringing back my prize only that I need to put in at a ship yard . Hoping for the best I send it. With in a few hours I receive a response it was my sister younger sister Yuki informing me that once I have put in at a ship yard they would see me there. This was wonderful news but also making the trip even longer it seemed.

I have reached known space and I am approaching my first gate with the Shizuha and I am having concerns if she is going to fit in the gate. I sit waiting my turn in line while all the silly little ship go first it almost makes me want to plow over them. Then finally I can enter the gate. All the proximity alarms go off. I do not think she is going to fit. I know she was big but not bigger then a gate. After easing her in the gate and watching the alarms close I manage to engage the gate. The Shizuha exit through the gate on the other side. I give a big sigh. Now the next hurdle the trade lane. After several attempts at engaging the trade lane and back up traffic I decided that just using the cruise engines seeing I only had at best 80 km of space till the next gate. I slowly make my to the Hiroshima system knowing there is a ship yard there from when I was in the Armed Forces. I finally enter the Hiroshima system and make best speed to the Renzu shipyards. The shipwrights there where in shock not only at the size of the vessel but the condition. I stood in the shipyard office and was actually getting a look of how bad off the Shizuha was. Never the less I was not going to give up on her she brought me back and she was my home. So after lengthy negotiation on the cost of repairs. They start the long task of rebuilding her to her former glory. The Goddess has Returned.

Part 4: Even a Goddess Needs Help

I sit in the office waiting to hear the news of the work the Shizuha was going to need. Sitting in a chair look at her sitting still in space while resting my head on the sill I dozed off. While in this state of twilight things run through my head recounting all the events in this long journey. I am startaled awake by the opening of the office door. In walks in the manager of the Shipyard and the head shipwright. The look on there face was not something would want to see as if the doctor is about to tell you that a family member had died in the operating room. My optimizum had turned to depression in a matter of a nanosecond. They hand me a data pad with a litany of repairs needed. I read through the list.

1. 130 primary hull breaches
2. 12 secondary hull breaches
3. 1 nav computer
4. Repairs to weapons station and automation
5. Bio-dome repairs and reseeding (require Zoner Shipwrights brought in)
6. Repair to Drive System including repairs to Reactors and fine tuning (require Zoner Shipwrights)
7. repairs to ventral intakes and dorsal intakes
8. Repairs to hanger launch systems
9. Repairs to electrical systems
10. Updates to APU Systems
11. Flight Control System
12. Minor Systems refits
13. Life Support Systems tuning (require Zoner Shipwrights)

After reading over the list I had to ask what the cost where going to be for the repairs. The Manager clears his throat and tells me the cost where going to be 173 million. He then continued “But with the Hull plates and Engine parts in the cargo bay that will reduce the cost by 35 million”. So thinking to myself now I am looking at a 138 million repair cost. The Manager could see by the look on my face, which he most likely had seen many times before, that I was trying to figure how I was going to come up with that much. He interrupted my chain of thought when he asked what I had planed for the gunboat. Immediately I answer him with a resounding NO! “ I will never part with my Gunboat she has been with me since I took out on my journey and beside I would have never made it if not for her” I told the Manager. He looked puzzled at me and I had to ask him “What don't you understand NO!”. He then remarks “ You misunderstand me.” How could I misunderstand such a simple question. Looking down at the table he could see I was angered over the whole question. That this point the Manager says” Oh you thought I meant the Gunboat sitting in the hanger deck of the Shizuha”. Again I was become more confused. I was thinking that the Manager had some sort of space sickness that caused him to make stupid comment and questions. He hands me one of the Inspection photos and in it was the Gunboat and Fighters that had been sitting in the cargo bay. At this point I was feeling like the biggest fool in the universe tho it would have been nice if he clarified which gunboat, but I did jump to the conclusion. I had no interest in keeping scrap on the Shizuah that was something the Junkers where known for. I was puzzled tho what was their interest in them and when I asked him he just smiled and told me that there are people that will pay good credits to get their hands on ships like that. This made me wonder what 4 busted up ship that I have never seen before could interest buyers to pay big money for. It made no difference to me at this point, if they wanted them and it reduced the cost of repairs I was all for that. So once again I was left in the office to stare out the window at the Shizuha. The manager returned to tell me he had great news there was a buyer for the 4 ships and the repairs where only going to cost 41.5 million credits. This was great news but all I had left from this adventure was little over 21million. I proceed to tell the Manager of my financial situation and he started laughing. This was unacceptable him laughing at me and before I could lash out at him for being disrespectful he explains that ships of the size of the Shizuha, the repairs are paid for on a credit plan because some repairs are for more costly. More costly I think to myself then 173 million. After it all sinks in the Manager hands me a data pad with all the contracts for biometric signature. Great he says we will get on it right away.

I return to the Shizuha while the repairs go one. The daily comings and goings of the repair crew became a normal routine of daily living on the Shizuha. Repair ships buzzing about fixing the hull. The Zoner shipwrights arrive. They where a seasoned lot and could tell they where not much for talking. They off loaded all the tools in the landing bay and wasted no time on getting started on the repairs. These Zoners where much like what I had read in old earth history that described a group known as the Amish keeping to themselves, hard working , excellent craftsmen and governing themselves. I go tot the bridge and sit in the Captain's chair listening to the chatter of the repair crew on the bridge. Most the topics of discussion where the condition of the ship. Some never thought they would ever see the inside of a Nephlem. All the commotion on the ship was nice it had been so long since I had people around, it was a nice feeling. While sitting in the seat I hear footsteps behind me so I turn to the sound and to my surprise it was one of the Zoner shipwrights. He stands there looks at me for a period of time then asks me where did I find this ship. I lead him back to a pile of papers and maps. I dig through the pile and hand him a sheet of paper and point to the planet “This is where I found her sitting on the side of a mountain” I tell him. After a few minutes of him milling through my papers he walks off.

In the maelstrom of repairs I had totally forgot to contact my family letting them know that I had put in at Renzu. I contact Yuki and give her the details and the pass code to enter the through the hanger deck so they will not have to use the traffic control of the station. A couple of days pass and I notice a familiar vessel approaching the bow. It was my families transport. I run down to the hanger deck like a child to free candy. They land in the hanger next to my gunboat and the hanger doors shut and pressurize and soon the door opens father, mother, and Yuki. I open the door to the hanger and run across the hanger deck. Yuki tackled me half way in a giant hug soon mother joined in. The hanger echoed of crying and laughter. Mean while Father stood like a stone. His face showed no emotion not a smile nor a frown. After all this time way I would have thought father would have lighten up on his disgust of me, but I guess time does not heal all wounds. I stood in front of father like a cadet at the academy in my flight suit with the arms tied around my waist . He looks at me top to bottom and speaks “Motoko... where are you boots?” I fidget and look down and I had grown so accustom to running around the Shizuha with out my boots that I left at the Bio-dome. “They are mid ship with mud on them sir” I tell my father. Father replies “Mud.. on a spacecraft”. At this point I am holding back a laugh from remembering when I first noticed the mud on my boots. Father I can see was not entertained by and mother was giving my father the evil eye, that look that you can tell she is the one that has the real power in the house. Mother speaks out “ I told you I would have nothing of this” looking at father. At this point I decided to give father a hug regardless how he would feel about it. What had happened shock me to the very core of me. Father was clenching me and spoke “ I missed you Daughter. Please do not run off again”.

After everyone had time to dry their eyes and gain composure I take them on a tour of the Shizuha. I start with the lower decks making our way to the upper decks. Showing them all the points of interest. We make our way down the halls, one after the other. Mother looks and me and asked how I did not get lost in a ship this size. Pointing to the wall showing mother where I had written numbers while reaching in my pocket where my hand written map was. In the distance something caught my fathers eye. I look down the hall and it must have been my boots sitting in the hall. Father then asked why are my boots sitting in the middle of the hall. I had forgot all about the domes in the this tour. I lead them down the hall to the air lock. I slip on my boots and press the switch to open the airlock. The doors open and the air rushed in once again with the smell of a fresh rain. They looked into the dome and seemed to not be as excited as am about it. It was not what they are accustom to living in a sanitized environment of planet bound life. Finally we make it to the bridge the first thing Yuki does is run to the captain's chair and pretends she is in the middle of a space battle. Father looks at me like I broke a protocol by letting her sit in the “chair” I reassured him she can not set off anything because it required a biometric scan to unlock all the systems. I could see fathers eye light up being on the bridge of a capital ship once again. All I could see that he was reliving the time he spent as a first officer on a cruiser. After a lengthy stay on the bridge and Yuki managed to destroyed the enemies of Kusari falling asleep in the chair. Father approached me and told me that I have become more then he could have wished for a Captain of a Battleship and with that came a great responsibility. Father told me to walk with him where he proceeded to tell me the responsibility for the crew that would serve this ship. I was awestruck at all the experience and wisdom my father has from the years of service. After father had completed telling all that he needed and waking up Yuki, father told the family that they have taken up enough of the Captains time and need to head home. I walk them to their ship and see them off waving from the small hanger door.

Time goes on the repairs continue on schedule with a few things remaining when the Zoner from before confronts me. He had continuing question about the final resting the place of the 0010 they refused to use the name that I had given her which I can understand and do not push the issue. I think from his view point I was a grave robber of some sort. I cooperating with his questioning. He was wanting to know if I have found any personal belongings of several Zoners he had placed on a sheet of paper. I told him that I had not gone on a room to room search of the crew quarters since I took control of the ship. After more questioning I had to ask him why the interest in this line of questioning. A dead calm came across his face and then proceeded to tell me that distant relatives where aboard 0010 and that he wanted to be able to bring any information back to his family. At that point he asked if he had permission to search the vessel for any information and belongings. I granted him the permission and asked if he wanted any help in searching but declined my help and walked off.

The day has come the last of the repair crews are not leaving the Shizuha. All the systems are running at peek performance. A sense of relief comes. I make my way down to the hanger deck to see off some of the last repair crews that I have spent so much time with over the past months. I open the small hanger door and the last of the Zoners where loading up and I look to the right of me and noticed the plaque had been changed to read “Goddess Shizuah” “Under The Command of Motoko Susubo” “May Your Goddess Protect You”.

Even a Goddess need help.

Well it has been several month now and the Shizuha has passed all her shake down flights and I find the call to science even more compelling. I decided it was time to put the Goddess to the task of combing the vastness of space for science. But I was forgetting one thing I was in need of a crew if I was ever to conduct any kind of research. I have ideas abound but no one to help breath life into them. Where does anyone find a crew. do I put ads on the net and hope for the best. Maybe go around and bonk people on the head and kidnap them like the sailors of old had once done in some of books that I had read. Either way I need a crew!!

Several day had pasted and I make my way to the one of bio-domes which have now been cleaned up and groomed to look more like a park then a jungle like earlier. I had a perfect spot that I would go and sit at under one of the trees to think and yes take a nap. As time pasted I had thought all I could on finding the crew that I was going to need and surrendered to a nap under the tree. While napping my mind wondered off without a thought of the current problem I was having, but soon was awaken by the sound of someone calling my name. Who in their right mind would awaken someone that was having the most perfect nap in all the history of napping. I make my way to the sound of the voices in a half woken state that may have looked like I was sleeping off a bottle of imperial sake to anyone that was witnessing my walking. Managing to make my way over I notice three people standing at airlock to the bio-dome. The first thing that comes out my mouth was "How the hell did you get on my ship" the answers "We came through the air lock from Renzu it was open". Clearly I had forgot to shut the fool door when I had made a trip to buy some snacks. So to not look the fool I reply" Oh yes I was waiting for a repairmen to fix some instruments on the bridge but I was not expecting three repairmen". Woohooo I can so think on my feet!! "oh you misunderstand we are not here to fix anything" the one taller man replied. At this point I am becoming a little worried that these three must be the most bold pirates ever. "then what brings you to the Shizuha it is not like it is a vacation hot spot" I say while slowly sliding my hand to the small of my back where I keep my side arm. "oh sorry "the one female says "we are here to offer you a proposition " . Hmm a proposition I think to myself. I reply " I am not a hired gun nor is the Shizuha for sale". "Oh no no you misunderstand we are here to offer you a crew for your fine vessel" the taller man stated. At this point I am more confused then a blind taxi driver. I remove my hands from the small of my back where it had looked like I was standing at parade rest like a cadet.

After a drawn out explanation I find out that my father had some ties to a small research group that had out grown their current facility and was look to expand. They where looking to field 2 -3 mobile research vessels to start. He thought the Shizuha would be perfect for this. They handed me a folder full of names and abilities of possible crew along with a list of upgrades they would be willing to install on the Shizuha if I where to decide to sign with them. I told them I would need a couple of days to look over the proposition and would contact them with a decision.