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Full Version: "Sekigane." | Invitation-based.
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17.06.825 A.S. 16:06 SST.

"Yōkoso, joō-sama."

Two young females bowed slightly as soon as they have noticed their self-appointed leader approaching from the Wyvern that had just landed and killed it's engines. It was too unusual to see someone except engineers and hangar bay personel at this area, especially the two of 'that' kind: the first one wore a strict suit and looked more like a business women, and the second one have been adorned into something that looked like a maid dress, apparently serving as a reference to modern Kusari otaku culture.
Homura approached them, and smiled.


"Yoshino, Haruki. I almost felt like i was going to meet you there. Is everything finally completed as i have requested it, like... three days ago?"

Akemi exhaled, the expression of her face have changed, it was obvious that she finally expected to hear some good news.

"Hai, joō-sama. We have arranged everything in the accordance to your guidelines. The supplies have been slightly delayed, but, when they have finally arrived - your request was processed in no time. Would you like to see the result with your very own eyes, or would you prefer to rather hear a detailed report?"

"Detailed reports are sure a good thing, but i would prefer to evaluate your performance in person. You should understand, the probability of our neighbors visiting Sekigane is high, demonstration of the lack of hospitality is unaffordable. Moreover, we have to ensure that our own people experience no lack of comfort on Sekigane. This is very important."

Homura, accompanied with her 'administrative personel', as they would be called in a strict language. In fact - those two have been discovered during the process of 'recruitment' on Kyoto: Yoshino - the one wearing the strict suit - appeared to possess decent skills in organisation of everything she could reach out to. Haruki, meanwhile, appeared to be unmatched in hospitality and courtesy and, aside from being blatantly uncovered otaku (which is the main reason why she is wearing the maid dress during her work) - fitted her current position perfectly.
They have walked towards - or, rather, up to - the living quarters as they spoke. Most of the rooms were still empty, with only three of them occupied by actual Ando members, they were prepared to accept a formidable amount of guests anytime soon. The quarters module have been completed and repressurised only recenty, until that moment most of the Clan resigned aboard Kirishima, and now, when they finally could descend to the station's decks - this place seemed more than fitting for them to stay at, previously deprieved from any permanent place of residence for almost two months.


"Joō-sama, anata wa manzoku shiite imasu ka?"

Haruki asked, not holding back the feelings that overwhelmed her. Considering the amount of effort she was putting into the interiors since the beginnig of Sekigane construction, her concern was understandable.

"Anata wa dochira mo subarashī shigoto o shimashiita."

Allowing herself a brief smile, Akemi in a few moments turned back to serious again, mostly due to the simple realisation of the exhaust that was building up during the recent months of tireless work, the results of which have been showed off just now, with Sekigane completed, Clan and it's initial connections established, and Sekigane is serving as a reliable safe haven for those seeking to rebuild Kusari into something better compared to what it is now and what it could become.
But there was still a huge amount of work ahead.


"Dai yokujō wa yōi sa rete imasu ka? Watashitachi wa sukoshi kyūkei ni ataisuru to omou..."

17.05.825 A.S. 16:55 SST.

"Hai, joō-sama. Please, follow me."

Haruki took the lead from here, given the question asked by Akemi, both of her companions have seen where it was coming. They have walked past all the unoccupied rooms of the living quarters, to the specifically decorated blast door in the far end of the coridor. The maid gestured at the door, obviously it was automated.

"Sā, joō-sama."

"Haruki, you know you're too strict with me, do you? It almost feels like we are not even Sisters..."

The maid exhaled, and stepped aside, patiently waiting until Akemi passes by, still wondering if it's Haruki who lacks the understanding of Homura and her odds, or is it the mistress of Ando lacking the understanding of her courtesy and ethics she is sticking to? Perhaps, one day in the foreseeable future they will discuss this in private. Perhaps - not, it's not what really matters, and might only be useful as a lyrical digression - to get to know each other better...

... twenty minutes after, as all three young ladies accomplished the sequence necessary to get to the bath, Akemi were the first one to step into pleasantly warm water, with Haruki and Yoshino following her moments after. Homura leaned back to the edge of the huge bath fit perfectly in the middle of a room covered with bright white ceramic tiles with large mirrors in the middle.


"Sore wa subarashī hōhōdesu... but where all this water comes from? We certainly don't get enough supplies from the neighboring Freeport to maintain such establishment! How?"

Yoshino smiled, taking off and putting her glasses aside, as she sat down into the water.

"It was Haruki's idea. Sumatra Cloud is mostly composed of microscopic crystallised ice particles. Using nanomembrane filters, we gather, process those particles, and fill the baths with the melted water. After the basic chemical purification, of course. Unfortunately, we haven't yet came up with the ways to distill the melted ice, but when we do - we could become pretty much self-sufficient on water, all thanks to Sumatra Cloud."

"Anata wa hontōni subarashī shigoto o shimashiita... Kyūkei. Watashitachi wa sore ni ataisuru."

17.06.825 A.S. 20:53 SST.


A Katana lands in bay three. The pilot, a girl barely in her twenties, short black hair with a shock of bright red dye in her bangs. And a more modern take on the Dragons uniform looks around the bay.

"Well this is kinda nice, not as big as Kyoto... But then again, not as many grouchy people as Kyoto."

She chuckles to herself she walks further into the bay. Before realizing that she has no idea where she's going.

"No Hitomi... You've gotten yourself into enough trouble wandering around before... Hikari-san? Are you here?"

She looks around, not seeing anyone she decides to go back to her ship, waiting inside it while listening to some music from one of the newer idols that have popped up, a cover of an old song. Performed now by Shinta Nagasaki.

18.06.825 A.S. 03:47 SST.

"Yōko... Nani? Kanojo wa dokodesu ka? Kare ga notte sugu ni, kyaku o ushinau koto ga hitsuyōdesu. Akemi wa kore de watashi o yurushimasen..."

Haruki felt... irritated - to say the least.. Rather by her own sudden incompetence. No, not even that - there were probably something Haruki wasn't paying attention to, while that something was crucially important for her to fulfill her task. While she was looking around the hangar bay, something looked strictly out of the line.

"Koko ni - "Wyvern" o Akemi-san, "Wyrm" o Yoshino-san, soshiite... Itsumo koko ni iru no?"

Clan Ando, being a direct successor of Augus by the spirit, utilised mostly Naval snubcraft - Wyrms, Wyverns, Chimaeras. Which is why seeing a Katana landed in the hangar bay is what definitely looked out of the line, as the ship clearly did not belong to Ando. That meant - guest, who was invited by either Akemi-san or Yoshino-san. Thus, the lady in the maid dress, which was honestly hard to ignore or miss it's presence, given how out of the line the presence of such a delicate person looked among all the rugged surroundings of the hangar bay. Haruki smiled to herself.

"Sore o mitsuketa, Hitomi-san. Yōkoso. Yoshino wa anata ni tsuite keikoku shimashiita. Orite kudasai. Watashi wa anata ni ikite iru burokku o misemasu."

18.06.825 A.S. 03:09 SST.


Hitomi stretches out and yawns, being woken up by the ships sensors picking up Haruki. She doesn't notice her choice in clothes until after she exits the fighter, tilting her head at the apparent maid in front of her.

"Anta wa... Okashina. Eh! Gomen, *****... Boku wa Yuuna Hitomi desu, Yoroshiku ne."

She says bowing politely, then giving a bright smile. After rubbing the sleep out of her eyes she checks the time and a slight chuckle escapes her.

"Boku ga nagai jikan o sugoshi tayori mo ōku no suimin. Arigato... Onamae ha nan desuka?"

She asks, embarrassed. While Hitomi tries to act polite, she has a bad habit of being a bit crass in how she addresses others, often labeled a tomboy for the way she dresses and how she speaks. Both being bad habits from her adopted father. The one who encouraged her to walk the same path as her mother, and gave her a way to reach the Blood Dragons.

18.06.825 A.S. 03:47 SST.

"Yōkoso."

Haruki bowed politely as well, then lifting her gaze up on her guest, smiling softly - she could feel the lack of confidence in Hitomi, perhaps because she got caught shamelessly dozing off in a cockpit of her ship.

"Name - Haruki Hakodate. Aboard of Sekigane i am responsible for the interiors, and the comfort of the local inhabitants. Above this, in the Council of Ando i am responsibe for the internal affairs: resources distribution, rewards and punishments, ensuring the new members to fit well into the Clan. But, i suppose, Yoshino invited you, Hitomi-san, to take a look around and decide for yourself if you would like to try and become a Sister of Ando. Well, what can i say... welcome to Sekigane. Now, please, follow me over there, Hitomi-san. The living quarters are over there, and we have established public bath with the usage of nanomembrane filters and the heaters. I am sure you are going to enjoy your stay, but, should you find anything disturbing - make sure to let me know."

18.06.825 A.S. 03:50 SST.


She let's out a relieved sigh, rubbing the back of her head.

"Arigato Haruki-san, and becoming a member of your clan... I have to say it's appealing to me. You seem more about the people then any of the other clans at least, which is what I was wanting when I joined, and to be honest. This place is already sounding better then where I've been staying."

She chuckles as she points back to her Fighter, while she could have her own place in Kyoto. She preferred to not waste the credits on it, especially when there are others that could that lodging. The inside of it has been modified, with a jury rigged living area made in the cargo hold.

"I do have to ask, do the other clans know of this base? If not it might explain why they wanted me to find 'anything out of the ordinary' in a system I've never been. Not complaining that I came out here, after all if I didn't I most likely wouldn't have met Yoshino-san an learned of clan Ando until much later."

18.06.825 A.S. 03:47 SST.

"No, they don't. Not that we would like them to find out Sekigane exists anytime soon. Should we find their loyal hounds sniffing around - they shall be asked to leave, and destroyed if they refuse. For now, until we come up with a better solution or until The Shogunate finally decides to ackowledge and recognize us - we are going to stick to that line of behavior."

A small lifter led Haruki and the visitor away from the hangar deck. It's construction implied it was suitable not only for moving humans, but also different cargo that was delivered and later on transported to the storage modules on the lower decks. As by now, those were only basic supplies to keep the base up and running until it earns some formidable defensive and utility capabilites. The maid led Hitomi to the living quarters, gesturing towards the coridors splitting both ahead and behind of them, with two rows of doors placed through the walls at similiar intervals.

"You are free to choose any room you like. Not that there was too much difference between the two of them, but most of them are not yet occupied. The baths are at the ends of the coridors respectively. Do not be afraid, we don't have much of male personel on Sekigane, and those we have are educated enough not to peek on us. Feel yourself at home, Hitomi-san, and feel free to ask if you feel like you need something. I will be around. Oh, you should certainly visit the baths as soon as possible. They are not only comfortable, but also indeed relaxing. I might even accompany you - if you let me know when you shall be going there."

18.06.825 A.S. 04:00 SST.


"I see. Don't worry Haruki-san, I won't go around talking about this place... And, I appreciate the offer to stay here. It'll be nice to have an actual room to sleep in. Thank you for your offer, and... I look forward to working with you, I am honored to be able to join your ranks."

Hitomi once again bows slightly towards caretaker of this base. Choosing a room that is close the middle of the of corridor and entering it. After a deep breath she turns around and smiles.

" An actual bath sounds good actually, once I move some of my things in here I think I'll check it out Haruki-san, it sounds incredible right about now."

18.06.825 A.S. 04:10 SST.


Quite some time have passed before Hikari returned to Hitomi; she turned the heaters back on and ensured the bath is getting refilled with water; thanks to nanomembrane filters, Sekigane was already partially self-sufficient. as Sumatra cloud was composed of tiny ice crystals, that was melted by heaters and turned into water for the baths. Other resources have still been limited, which is why baths were not maintained constantly in operable state and only filled and warmed up upon necessarity.

"Everything is prepared, so, if you want to - we can go and take it now. I may also help you out with moving your stuff. I take you got used to nomadic way of life, and didn't carry a lot of personal property at the time."

18.06.825 A.S. 04:12 SST.


"Hai, a few sets of clothes, sheets, a pillow, some small things from Honshu, and toiletries, it's a decent life... But it's going to be nice to have something more solid to live in."

Hitomi puts the bag of her clothes down, and stretches out a bit.

"That sounds like a good idea Haruki-san, and your help shouldn't be necessary, I don't want to be a bother... It's funny, this place feels more like a bathhouse then a proper base belonging to a clan."

She turns around and giggles, feeling that she finally found herself a home. Hitomi gestures to Haruki suggesting that she take the lead.

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