>>>TO BE EXPANDED AFTER THE CONSTRUCTRION OF THE SHIP<<<
Ship History "Hitachi" is a custom yacht built by Samura & Kishiro for Clan Shimamori to serve as a new mobile clan headquarters. Unlike "Zuiryu", which originally was a warship transferred to the clan on acquiring the status of nobility, "Hitachi" was constructed with the elevated status of the Shimamori in the society of Kusari in mind. The ship was commissioned in late 828 A.S. to be constructed on Yukawa shipyard under the supervision of the imperial engineers from Kure Shipyard in accordance with the provision by the government of Kusari. The imperial "Satsuma" yacht of infamous governor Tekagi served as an inspiration for the project. This ship is one of the first attempts of the nobility to acquire large ships after the reformation of the Empire and is watched attentively by the authorities as a precedent.
Ship Customisation and Capabilities
As a mobile headquarters, the main purpose of "Hitachi" is to provide luxurious meeting spaces for commercial and political talks and residential areas for the clan members and guests. To that end, the ship was constructed with two large halls capable of having the highest-level negotiations simultaneously, two conference rooms with access to quantum inter-system communication, a banquet hall, and 25 rooms lordly rooms to host the most important guests or to provide accommodation to Shimamori inner clan members. For the entertainment of the passengers, there is a multiplex amusement centre with two large screens, a gym with a swimming pool, and two bars - one in traditional Kusari style and one international.
Another purpose of the "Hitachi" as headquarters is to serve a media centre given how deeply the Clan is invested in the telecommunication sector. Equipped with powerful transmitters, "Hitachi's" broadcast centre can directly cast news live across a whole system and/or re-transmit them over quantum communication channels if the ship is standing still for triangulation. The media centre supports the work of the journalists and technicians with the latest electronics from Honshu, and provides residence in situ for easier access to the system in case of emergency broadcast. The centre is also equipped with the latest Kishiro computer to calculate and report the slightest changes on Kusari and international stock exchanges and can authorise transactions on Honshu Stock Exchange (HSE) live.
A secondary objective for "Hitachi" is akin to "Zuiryu" - to operate as a research vessel, namely in the field of stellar cartography. To that end, a large scanner capable of working in dust and debris clouds without significant limitations is mounted on the frontal part of the ship. The rest of the research is carried out in a science module located on the lower decks. The science module hosts a range of laboratories for working with the samples to be obtained throughout the exploration missions and to support the independent endeavours of the research team aboard. The science module also hosts the medical bay operating under the auspices of the former.
The third objective no less important than the previous two is protection. Because of the previous purposes, "Hitachi" was designed as a large ship with energy output and space sufficient for mounting battleship-class weapon systems. Obviously inferior to the "Tokugawa" imperial battleship designed for war, "Hitachi" nevertheless has the capability to fend off even the largest vessels the unlawfuls can muster. Unlike "Zuiryu", "Hitachi" has limited to no engagement capabilities and is focused on defence. This was a conscious decision of marquess Shimamori that would like to relay the policing duty to the rightful authorities of Kusari and focus on the clan matters while at the same time not losing the firepower needed to protect his ambitions and himself. The size of the vessel allows it to have a hangar with a wing of snub-craft to support in case of defence or to be used on scouting operations. The hangar is also indispensable for receiving guests, as well as various packages such as research samples, goods for trade, et cetera.
Experience: Kusari-Bretonia War (813-818), First Kusari-Gallia War (818)
Clan Rank: Kashira
Family: Wife, two children
Profile: Captain Matsumoto Takahashi is the current Chief Security Officer of "Hitachi". He was trained as a marine with specialisation in close-quarter skirmishes and melee. Matsumoto participated in the war against Bretonia and Gallia as a part of a boarding team and rose to the rank of captain. Following the collapse of the imperial government and the onslaught of the civil war, Matsumoto retired due to unwillingness to take sides in the civil war. His warfare experience and expertise in melee made him a desirable employee in the civilian security market. After three years of work for Kishiro on Honshu, Matsumoto received an offer to join Shimamori clan as a security officer. Familiarity with the clan from his native island of Haneda led Matsumoto to swear an oath to the clan and be hired for life as a samurai. By 827 Matsumoto reached the rank of kashira (samurai-captain) and was put in charge of the security of "Zuiryu". With the construction of "Hitachi" in progress, Matsumoto was transferred to chair the security division aboard the new clan's mobile headquarters.
Personal Notes: diligent, loyal, serious, laconical, collects plush toys for his younger child.
Other Security Division Crew:>>to be appointed after the construction<<
Communication Division:
Imagawa Mana - Chief Secretary / P.R.
Age: 31
Sex: Female
Origin: Kagomori, Planet New Tokyo
Background: M.A. in International Communications, Tenmei University, Honshu
Profile: Imagawa Mana is the personal secretary of marquess Shimamori and is responsible for the correspondence of any level of importance. In view of this, she is also responsible for the image of the clan in communication with both domestic and foreign entities and thus is entrusted with P.R. responsibilities beyond the general scope of the P.R. department. Trained in international communication, Imagawa speaks fluently Libertonian & Bretonian, Rheinlandian, and Cretan. Recently, she is acquiring the skill of the Gallic language despite the fallout of relations with Gallia. Due to her outstanding performance, she was appointed the personal secretary of the marquess despite her relatively young age.
Personal Notes: professional, conversable, polite, likes to gossip on non-job related topics, avid Kusari-pop fan
Other Communication Division Crew:>>to be appointed after the construction<<
Research Division:
Hoff Hiroshi - Chief Science Officer
Age: 54
Sex: Male
Origin: Oberstadt, Planet Hamburg
Background: New Tokyo University, Ph.D. in Astrophysics
Experience: Astronomer on Heisenberg Station (805-809), Astronomer of Morita Memorial Observatory, New Tokyo (809-815), Senior Astronomer at Tenmei University Observatory, lecturer (815-821), Head of Astronomy Department at Tenmei University, Honshu (821-827), Head of Stellar Observation Division, Tenmei University (827-present)
Profile: Professor Hoff Hiroshi was born to a Rheinland father and Kusari mother on the planet of Hamburg. Fluently speaking both languages, Hoff got his B.S. in astrophysics in Frei Universitaet Ballindamm on Hamburg and continued on with his M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of New Tokyo. After the doctorate, Professor Hoff returned to Rheinland to partake in stellar movement research aboard Heisenberg Research Station as a part of Kusari research team. His contribution to the research efforts and facilitation of cross-cultural cooperation earned him a place at the prestigious Morita Memorial Observatory, one of the oldest in Kusari. Thereafter, Hoff was invited in the capacity of a senior astronomer to Tenmei University on Honshu to observe the Sigma cluster which was seen much better from the system as compared to New Tokyo. There, he rose to the position of the Head of Astronomy Department but decided to focus on stellar observation and not on teaching and administrative duties. At Tenmei University Professor Hoff got acquainted with marquess Shimamori and was invited to chair a mapping expedition into the Sigmas aboard "Zuiryu". His team was in charge of discovering and mapping Chubu system. Currently, his invitation to "Hitachi" in the capacity of Chief Science Officer is pending.
Personal Notes: verbose, pedantic, not good at communication skills, speaks Rheinlandic fluently and has a sympathy for Rheinland (married to a citizen of Rheinland).
Other Research Division Crew:>>to be appointed after the construction<<
Administrative Division:
Tokunaga Teruo - Chief Administrator
Age: 47
Sex: Male
Origin: Hinomarumachi, Honshu
Background: International University of Nakano, Honshu, M.B.A. in Business Administration
Experience: Manager at Morinaga Electronics Ltd. (807 - 813), Department Head at Morinaga Electronics Ltd. (813 - 818), Shimamori Restaurant Chain
Administrator (818 - 824), Shimamori Castle Administrator (824 - 829)
Clan Position: Bugyo (administrator)
Family: Divorced, one child
Profile: Tokunaga Teruo is a reliable administrator of the Shimamori. He gained his experience by managing an electronics company for a while and not saving the company but also successfully cutting a piece of the electronics pie on the domestic to Kishiro world of Honshu. The company's success eventually was its demise when its owner eventually decided to sell the enterprise to Kishiro. Clan Shimamori at that time had already taken note of a talented administrator and offered him a lucrative position at the clan's sushi restaurants in Minamimito. Diligent service and increase of efficiency of the said restaurants eventually convinced the clan leadership to employ Tokunaga as the administrator of Shimamori Castle, de facto making him the second administrator after the administrator of the clan affairs. Tokunaga pledged an oath to the Shimamori clan in 824 after assuming the duty of the clan, preferring the stability of the life-long hire, and was awarded the corresponding bugyo title. With the construction of the new vessel to serve as a mobile HQ, Tokunaga is invited to oversee the administration of "Hitachi".
Personal notes: traditionalist, religious (shinto), loner, grumpy.
Other Administrative Division Crew:>>to be appointed after the construction<<
Engineering Division:
Nomura Masami - Chief Engineer
Age: 42
Sex: Female
Origin: Toho, Honshu
Background: Kishiro Vocational School for Advanced Engineering, Honshu
Experience: junior engineer at Kishiro Agricultural Robotics Department (807 - 812), senior engineer at Kishiro Agricultural Robotics Department (812 - 819), Senior Engineer at Ohmori Spaceport (819 - 823), Chief Engineer at Minamimito Sangyo Spaceport (823 - 826), Chief Engineer "Zuiryu" (826 - present)
Clan Position: "Hitachi" Chief Engineer
Family: husband, two children
Profile: Chief Engineer Nomura Masami is an excellent example of a specialist whose experience outweighs formal education. Her skills obtained at vocational
school were honed throughout her rich experience of working for Kishiro and at both major spaceport and regional spaceports. . Her skills at overseeing both automatised drone surveying missions and maintenance of the ship made her a good candidate for the position of Chief Engineer at "Zuiryu" in 823. Nomura specialises in robotics and is indispensable for the current exploratory missions of "Zuiryu" and thus was offered to be transferred to "Hitachi".
Personal notes: slightly absent-minded outside of duties, an admirer of modern Kusari literature, married to a KNF officer.
Other Engineering Division Crew: >>to be appointed after the construction<<
Medical Division:
Sekiguchi Kou - Chief Medical Officer
Age: 39
Sex: Female
Origin: Shiromachi, Kyushu
Background: Hiroshima Imperial University of Medicine, Kyushu, M.D.
Experience: Physician at Okuma Public Hospital (816 - 820), Hideoka Physician at Memorial Hospital of Minamimito (820 - 826), Physician for Shimamori Clan
(826 - present)
Clan Position: Han-i (clan doctor), Chief Medical Officer on "Hitachi"
Family: Husband, one child
Profile: Doctor Sekiguchi Kou is a relatively new doctor of the Clan. She applied for permanent employment at the Clan in 826 and passed all the necessary tests.
Her credentials indicated she served diligently and impartially to both sides in Kusari Civil War focusing on healing rather than the war itself. Her experience of working under duress and with soldiers made her a good candidate for rendering medical services to the retainers of the Clan. Her senior position aboard "Hitachi" will be her first major promotion. Doctor Sekiguchi will be in charge of a rather small team of medical doctors to observe the security protocol when dealing with samples and to provide medical assistance to the crew. Her performance on the ship with be a mark if she can assume other positions planetside for the Clan.
Personal Notes: suffers from insomnia for a few days after a jumgate / jumphole, very attached to her only child, energetic and enthusiastic, good organiser.
Other Medical Division Crew:>>to be appointed after the construction<<