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Kiyohime - Levenna - 07-16-2022
IKN Kiyohime
CO: Cpt. Matsuda Ichika
XO: Lt. Suzuki Botan
Class: 'Takeda '-class Destroyer
Crew: 175
Motto:「夜明けまで」- "Onward until dawn"
Armament:
Other Equipment:
Service History:
Crew: 175
Motto:「夜明けまで」- "Onward until dawn"
Armament:
4x EMP-4a Cruiser Pulse Cannons
6x YDT-3a "Starflare" Destroyer Turret
2x RNWP-12C Cruiser Shard Cannon
1x HGF-78 Cruiser Storm Cannon
6x YDT-3a "Starflare" Destroyer Turret
2x RNWP-12C Cruiser Shard Cannon
1x HGF-78 Cruiser Storm Cannon
Other Equipment:
1x CD98Rc Reinforced Cruise Disruptor w/ storage for 70 shots
1x Cruiser Positron Shield w/ Harmonic Reinforcement
1x <<redacted>>
1x Cruiser Positron Shield w/ Harmonic Reinforcement
1x <<redacted>>
Service History:
The latest of the 'Takeda' destroyer line to roll out of Kure shipyard, Kiyohime was commissioned in mid-829 A.S. and serves as a replacement to Cpt. Matsuda's previous command, the destroyer IKN Kagoshima. Kiyohime herself has yet to see much action. Besides her captain she is primarily crewed by newer recruits tutored by a few jaded veterans, full of zeal and eagerness yet lacking the temper of experience. It is for this reason that Kiyohime currently remains within Kusari home space, on a mission to curtail Blood Dragon and Golden Chrysanthemum activities. Such low risk endeavours should break in her crew, preparing them for frontline service should it be necessary down the line.
Personnel File: Matsuda Ichika
![[Image: 0PdCF3Q.png]](https://imgur.com/0PdCF3Q.png)
Rank: Captain
Date of Birth: 6th August 793 A.S, Planet Kyushu
Height/weight: 168cm, 65kg
Eye colour: Blue
Hair colour: Grey
Personal Profile:
Matsuda Ichika was born on Planet Kyushu to two mid-level executives in food manufacturers local to Kyushu. Despite both of her parents being mostly of Kusari origin, Matsuda somewhat took after her sole Bretonian grandmother in terms of her looks, with striking blue eyes and not quite capturing the prototypical look one would expect of a Kusari woman. Nonetheless, she grew up relatively well catered for, though not pampered. As she grew up, she found herself somewhat ostracised, not only for being female as one would expect to a minor degree in a Kusari educational institution, but for carrying the look of a foreigner. It was this ostracization that lead her towards the Naval forces; she wished to prove herself as much of a Kusari citizen as any other born within the nation's borders. Her parents were known to be supportive of her career choice, and took pride in signing the waiver allowing her to join the academy a year earlier than she would otherwise be allowed to at the age of seventeen.
Matsuda did not graduate the academy top of her class, her youth compared to her classmates perhaps proving something of a hinderance, but nonetheless she was deemed to have performed well enough to be worthy of a chance in a moderately important post. She was assigned to the battlecruiser IKN Sapporo as a sub-lieutenant, in charge of one of the battlecruiser's two mortars. Matsuda's command style was noted as being somewhat hot headed, but simultaneously seldom unfair to those she commanded. Likewise, she was noted for taking exceptional pride in her work, seemingly proud of proving herself day in, day out, being a valuable asset to the KNF and subsequently the Emperor. In addition, around this time, her grandparents on her mother's side, including her Bretonian grandmother, moved to Leeds, unaware of what would happen a few short years later.
As the Bretonian conflict broke out, Ichika's command skills would be put to the test in a live combat situation. Throughout 813 A.S, her mortar battery scored a hit ratio of 81.3% against capital-class vessels, distinguishing Matsuda and her gunnery crew as talented marksmen. Such performance would continue until November of 815 A.S, when the Sapporo was struck, somewhat ironically, by a heavy mortar while it attempted to retreat from a battle. The blast hit the starboard side, just fifty meters or so aft of Matsuda's gunnery crew. Two were killed outright, while Matsuda was found unconscious and bleeding. She was dragged to an escape pod and rescued by a Naval Forces gunboat, spending the next three months in a hospital on her homeworld of Kyushu.
After her recovery, Matsuda found a promotion waiting for her. Despite her hot-headedness, Naval Forces command had been impressed by the efficacy of her command style and saw fit to groom her to be something more than just another gunnery lieutenant. To this end, she was assigned to the staff of a high-ranking officer aboard the battleship IKN Osaka. She was noted to take little pleasure out of the "paper pushing" nature of staff work, but was nonetheless equally noted to continue with her work ethic and to equally pick up and assimilate any tutelage she was given with impressive rapidity, to such an extent that just after a single year, it was recommended that Matsuda be promoted to Lieutenant Commander and be given a more significant command at just the age of twenty-four. This caused something of a stir within Naval Forces command, but Ichika had yet to give them a reason to doubt her, and they acquiesced.
Matsuda reported to the destroyer IKN Kagoshima in September of 817 A.S, as Executive Officer, little under two years after she had been a simple gunnery officer on a battlecruiser. Upon her discovery that she was assigned to a mere destroyer, she immediately requested a transfer back to a larger, in her mind more prestigious, vessel. Such a request was however denied and she was told to be grateful for the opportunity. Despite her misgivings, her command style she had shown up until this point produced much the same result as it had on the Sapporo. She served as an excellent foil to the Kagoshima's commanding officer, who was known to be something of a soft touch compared to Ichika's hard edge. As it would turn out, his touch would be somewhat too soft, as just nine months after Matsuda had joined the crew, the captain ordered a retreat from Tau-31 out of cowardice as the rest of the Kusari Navy fought it out with the Gallics. While the battle would go on to be lost, the captain was seen to have betrayed his brethren and was shortly thereafter executed for treason for his gross misconduct. This left Kusari Naval Command in an awkward spot. The war had cost the Navy many of its talented command staff, and a new captain could not be spared for the Kagoshima. As a result, the young now-twenty-five year old Lieutenant Commander Matsuda Ichika found herself in command of the Takeda-class destroyer Kagoshima, an almost unprecedented feat, despite a fairly exceptional amount of luck being involved.
The Kagoshima would be assigned to home defence duty, largely focused on quelling the occasional insurgent uprising by the Blood Dragons or Golden Chrysanthemums, even fighting off the occasional Outcast raid when they overstepped their boundaries. This was in part to give low-risk experience to the vessel's inexperienced captain, but equally to keep a close eye on her, as she was known to be loyal to the old Imperial style of governance, a style which had been overthrown in the Emperor's absence. This would indeed hold true as Matsuda was noted to chafe against government-appointed superiors at times, never to a degree that would harm her career but certainly enough to ensure she was watched.
Despite their issues with her, few could argue with her results. The Kagoshima crew had one of the highest retention rates of any in the Kusari Naval Forces; very few were transferred in or out of the ship. It functioned much like a well oiled machine and Naval Command saw no reason to interrupt what was already working, save injecting the occasional batch of new recruits to learn from the veteran destroyer crew, usually when older members of the crew began to look at their retirement from military service. Under Matsuda, the Kagoshima saw an impressive success rate in her operations, marred only by the occasional mistake which glaringly stemmed from Matsuda's inexperience. It was such mistakes that kept her career from progressing but, to Matsuda that didn't seem to matter a great deal. She seemed at home on the Destroyer, somewhat ironically given her original complaints about serving aboard her. Over the next two years from 818 to 820 A.S, the Kagoshima served quietly but effectively at home until one particular patrol in Kyushu.
Matsuda and her crew were holding steady near the jumpgate when an armored transport came through. Its manifest originally showed just wealthy refugees who had paid for transport from a shattered Bretonia to Kusari, however the transport was equally a known smuggler, and upon further scans the cargo hold appeared to be full of artifacts, supposedly belonging to some low-ranking noble that was aboard. More concerning to Matsuda was that on the passenger manifest were her two grandparents that had moved to Bretonia just a few short years before war broke out. As the transport began to realise it had been caught on to, it charged its cruise engines and attempted to run. Orders came down directly to Matsuda to fire upon the transport before it escaped, however she could not bring herself to carry them out. She explained to high command that she could not justify gunning down innocent civilians for the sake of destroying a few artifacts, an excuse which saved both her career and quite possibly her life, however the result ended the same as she found out later that same day that the transport had been intercepted by a trio of State Police fighters who had gunned it down as a risk to Kusari.
The loss of her grandparents to "her own" government was a great blow to Matsuda, and the aforementioned chafing against the Republic of Kusari command had grown further still over the next year, to the point that her superiors began to look for any excuse they could to replace her. Matsuda would not give them the satisfaction however, holding her duty above all else, and executing her job as effectively as ever. Most notably, Kagoshima was returning from patrol on Hokkaido when she stumbled across a Blood Dragon cruiser, seemingly on the hunt for an easy target, perhaps tipped off at the lone destroyer operating without escort. A close range duel ensued where Matsuda and her crew managed to hold the Takeda on the port side of the Kagutsuchi through careful use of the cruisers RCS thrusters and afterburner, disabling the Dragon with some significant damage to the distinct 'hatchet' at the front of the ship, but no significant damage to the ship's systems. This engagement caused the government to change strategies, and instead offered Matsuda a promotion to Commander in recognition of her service just a few short months later in January of 822.
Matsuda saw this as a blatant attempt to keep her on-side however, and word soon reached her through the grapevine that the Emperor and the Imperial fleet was soon planning to restore the old government. Many of the Kagoshima's crew had served on the vessel ever since the original captain's retreat from Tau-31, and many still felt they owed the Imperial fleet a debt for abandoning them in such a manner. A vote was held, and most of the crew, especially the longer serving ones, voted to attempt to rendezvous with the exiled Imperials. Those who did not wish to follow were loaded in to the ship's escape pods and left in the Kyushu system with a message: The Kagoshima belonged to the Imperial Kusari Navy.
The ship was well received by Imperial forces, who were desperate for any advantage they could get in the uphill battle to come. The Kagoshima would distinguish herself through the next three years of civil war, taking part in everything from the great battles between the battlegroups of Nagasaki and Nagumo to simple patrol duty and consolidation of territory. The ship miraculously managed to avoid any major damage despite being such a small vessel, something which could only be attributed to luck more than any skill by the captain or her crew. She would, however, miss out on the final push of New Tokyo as the venerable Takeda's engines would finally fail and require replacement just days before the operation was planned.
After the war, Matsuda and her crew were reintegrated in to the command structure of the reformed government. Matsuda was not entirely satisfied; she would much rather have seen the old government return in full and have Kishiro's democracy fall, but if it was good enough for the Emperor it was good enough for her. She had retained her rank of Commander throughout the war, and in recognition of her service was gifted one of the 'Tora' heavy fighters that was now being phased out in favour of the new, updated Chimaera. In addition her rank persisted in to the new combined force of the Imperial Kusari Navy and the navy that served the old Republic. Kagoshima was assigned primarily to the less stable northern provinces of Kusari, where the Blood Dragons had been seizing Kusari's weakness to consolidate their power and make territorial claims and gains, and as a result she would not take part in the war against Rheinland in the Sigmas that persisted throughout 825 A.S. and instead closed out the year reasonably quietly.
The next few years would see Kusari's stability gradually increase as it grew ever colder once more with Gallia. For Matsuda and the Kagoshima, however, it would prove adventurous with quite the rollercoaster of action followed by weeks on end with nothing occurring at all. Matsuda remained loyal, however, and determined as ever, a fact that would be recognised in 828 A.S. with a promotion to the prestigious rank of Captain, a rarity for a simple destroyer commander. Nonetheless, Matsuda was honoured. It was, after all, everything she had set out to do. Devote herself to the service of the Emperor so that she may be recognised as an equal, or even an exceptional asset, to Kusari society. With her promotion came a prestigious offer to command a Tokugawa, something that only a few naval officers would ever hope to achieve and a dream for almost anyone. Matsuda, however, explained that she felt she worked best with destroyers, a fact that was reluctantly accepted by Kusari command, and perhaps a fact that Matsuda would come to regret shortly thereafter.
In October of 828 A.S, Kagoshima was dispatched with a sizeable escort of Naval Forces fighters on a relatively routine patrol. A spy satellite in the north of the Tottori system had stopped reporting, and Kagoshima and her escort were to recover or repair it, and chase off any expected contingent of most likely Blood Dragon fighters that had caused the issue in the first place. What the task force was not expecting, however, were two fully armed Stortas to ambush them. Both were armed with zapper turrets, tearing through the unprepared Kusari fighter wings that remained to engage, while several rookie pilots retreated outright at the sight of the warships. This practically left Kagoshima in a two-on-one against the outcasts. Even though she was more suitable to anti-capital operations than either of the two Stortas individually, the combined firepower of the destroyers crippled Kagoshima in a matter of minutes, ripping and tearing through the hull of the historic Takeda which had withstood well over a decade of constant use and service.
Matsuda ordered the crew to their escape pods as the last of their point defences went offline, joining her crew as she herself evacuated. Just two minutes later, over 90% of the crew had evacuated as the Kagoshima suffered a complete core meltdown, going out in a golden blaze that was visible for hundreds of kilometers. Even though most of the crew had evacuated, many of her own escape pods were caught in Kagoshima's death throes, evaporating almost instantaneously, causing mass casualties. Those that remained, including Matsuda herself, were captured by the outcast Stortas.
What happened during their captivity remains unknown. For the crew, most reported that they simply rotted for two weeks in the brig before the KNF caught up with the destroyers in the Tau-53 system. Matsuda would report in her psych evaluation that she remembered little of her captivity. This was somewhat concerning to the KNF, however it was largely put down to a trauma response due to the loss of the Kagoshima, as brainwashing or more dubious things of that nature would take a great deal longer than two weeks to accomplish, nor did Matsuda show any signs of such mental manipulation. Physically, only basic checks were done to ensure she was still fit and healthy. Curiously, none of the crew had suffered a great deal of harm and Matsuda was no exception to this. It was theorised that the outcasts were waiting until they were home safe before doing anything to their prisoners, though nobody could say for sure.
Matsuda was, however, devastated by the loss of the destroyer. It had, after all, been her home for the better part of twelve years, with a loyal crew and an impressive service record. Friends had been lost on the Kagoshima, and many of the surviving crew resigned their posts after returning home, be it from the sense of loss to simply not wishing to risk their lives any further. Ichika would take two months of leave to recover mentally, spending much of it with her family on Kyushu, attempting to make up for lost time over the civil war, and endless patrols throughout the outlying provinces of Kusari. She would, eventually however, return to active service, notably.. different, somehow. Nobody could place a finger on it but likewise nobody paid it much mind as it would take time to heal. To that end, Matsuda was assigned to the old battleship Osaka, this time as temporary Executive Officer to readjust her to a command environment and, more pressingly, to keep her in an environment she could be monitored.
As the next few months passed, she began to slip further in to her former hard edge and slightly hot-headed command style. This transition calmed many in the KNF who had began to doubt her, though certainly not all. It did however garner enough trust to return Matsuda back to destroyer command where she had always shined. In June of 829, Matsuda received notice that she would be taking command of the IKN Kiyohime, a Takeda class destroyer fitted somewhat closely to what the Kagoshima used to carry. Matsuda reportedly simply smiled and nodded at the proposition, however was noticeably more lighthearted throughout the rest of the day after receiving the news.
Kiyohime's crew would consist of what remained of the Kagoshima survivors, a mere thirty or so crewmen including Matsuda herself. They would tutor an almost entirely junior crew. The hope for the Naval Forces is that if they kept the Kagoshima veterans together, they may be able to form a similar dynamic to the old destroyer's crew, tutoring and helping the new crewmen grow in their mold. Not all was quite so hopeful however, as some caution was exercised in the selection of Kiyohime's executive officer. Some in Naval Forces command still did not trust Matsuda's psychological state, and her XO would in fact be from the Kusari Intelligence services, masquerading as a Navy Lieutenant, as a precaution, just in case Matsuda was under the sway of some so far unforeseen external influence. If all would prove well, however, the "lieutenant" could simply be rotated off the ship after a few months.
Nonetheless, early patrols in the Kiyohime's assignment to the core of Kusari have proven promising so far, taking action against various insurgent forces when necessary. It is the hope of the Naval Forces that Matsuda in her crew continue to operate in this fashion far in to the future, however for the time being, they will ever remain cautious and watchful for even the slightest sign that things may not be as they seem.
Matsuda Ichika was born on Planet Kyushu to two mid-level executives in food manufacturers local to Kyushu. Despite both of her parents being mostly of Kusari origin, Matsuda somewhat took after her sole Bretonian grandmother in terms of her looks, with striking blue eyes and not quite capturing the prototypical look one would expect of a Kusari woman. Nonetheless, she grew up relatively well catered for, though not pampered. As she grew up, she found herself somewhat ostracised, not only for being female as one would expect to a minor degree in a Kusari educational institution, but for carrying the look of a foreigner. It was this ostracization that lead her towards the Naval forces; she wished to prove herself as much of a Kusari citizen as any other born within the nation's borders. Her parents were known to be supportive of her career choice, and took pride in signing the waiver allowing her to join the academy a year earlier than she would otherwise be allowed to at the age of seventeen.
Matsuda did not graduate the academy top of her class, her youth compared to her classmates perhaps proving something of a hinderance, but nonetheless she was deemed to have performed well enough to be worthy of a chance in a moderately important post. She was assigned to the battlecruiser IKN Sapporo as a sub-lieutenant, in charge of one of the battlecruiser's two mortars. Matsuda's command style was noted as being somewhat hot headed, but simultaneously seldom unfair to those she commanded. Likewise, she was noted for taking exceptional pride in her work, seemingly proud of proving herself day in, day out, being a valuable asset to the KNF and subsequently the Emperor. In addition, around this time, her grandparents on her mother's side, including her Bretonian grandmother, moved to Leeds, unaware of what would happen a few short years later.
As the Bretonian conflict broke out, Ichika's command skills would be put to the test in a live combat situation. Throughout 813 A.S, her mortar battery scored a hit ratio of 81.3% against capital-class vessels, distinguishing Matsuda and her gunnery crew as talented marksmen. Such performance would continue until November of 815 A.S, when the Sapporo was struck, somewhat ironically, by a heavy mortar while it attempted to retreat from a battle. The blast hit the starboard side, just fifty meters or so aft of Matsuda's gunnery crew. Two were killed outright, while Matsuda was found unconscious and bleeding. She was dragged to an escape pod and rescued by a Naval Forces gunboat, spending the next three months in a hospital on her homeworld of Kyushu.
After her recovery, Matsuda found a promotion waiting for her. Despite her hot-headedness, Naval Forces command had been impressed by the efficacy of her command style and saw fit to groom her to be something more than just another gunnery lieutenant. To this end, she was assigned to the staff of a high-ranking officer aboard the battleship IKN Osaka. She was noted to take little pleasure out of the "paper pushing" nature of staff work, but was nonetheless equally noted to continue with her work ethic and to equally pick up and assimilate any tutelage she was given with impressive rapidity, to such an extent that just after a single year, it was recommended that Matsuda be promoted to Lieutenant Commander and be given a more significant command at just the age of twenty-four. This caused something of a stir within Naval Forces command, but Ichika had yet to give them a reason to doubt her, and they acquiesced.
Matsuda reported to the destroyer IKN Kagoshima in September of 817 A.S, as Executive Officer, little under two years after she had been a simple gunnery officer on a battlecruiser. Upon her discovery that she was assigned to a mere destroyer, she immediately requested a transfer back to a larger, in her mind more prestigious, vessel. Such a request was however denied and she was told to be grateful for the opportunity. Despite her misgivings, her command style she had shown up until this point produced much the same result as it had on the Sapporo. She served as an excellent foil to the Kagoshima's commanding officer, who was known to be something of a soft touch compared to Ichika's hard edge. As it would turn out, his touch would be somewhat too soft, as just nine months after Matsuda had joined the crew, the captain ordered a retreat from Tau-31 out of cowardice as the rest of the Kusari Navy fought it out with the Gallics. While the battle would go on to be lost, the captain was seen to have betrayed his brethren and was shortly thereafter executed for treason for his gross misconduct. This left Kusari Naval Command in an awkward spot. The war had cost the Navy many of its talented command staff, and a new captain could not be spared for the Kagoshima. As a result, the young now-twenty-five year old Lieutenant Commander Matsuda Ichika found herself in command of the Takeda-class destroyer Kagoshima, an almost unprecedented feat, despite a fairly exceptional amount of luck being involved.
The Kagoshima would be assigned to home defence duty, largely focused on quelling the occasional insurgent uprising by the Blood Dragons or Golden Chrysanthemums, even fighting off the occasional Outcast raid when they overstepped their boundaries. This was in part to give low-risk experience to the vessel's inexperienced captain, but equally to keep a close eye on her, as she was known to be loyal to the old Imperial style of governance, a style which had been overthrown in the Emperor's absence. This would indeed hold true as Matsuda was noted to chafe against government-appointed superiors at times, never to a degree that would harm her career but certainly enough to ensure she was watched.
Despite their issues with her, few could argue with her results. The Kagoshima crew had one of the highest retention rates of any in the Kusari Naval Forces; very few were transferred in or out of the ship. It functioned much like a well oiled machine and Naval Command saw no reason to interrupt what was already working, save injecting the occasional batch of new recruits to learn from the veteran destroyer crew, usually when older members of the crew began to look at their retirement from military service. Under Matsuda, the Kagoshima saw an impressive success rate in her operations, marred only by the occasional mistake which glaringly stemmed from Matsuda's inexperience. It was such mistakes that kept her career from progressing but, to Matsuda that didn't seem to matter a great deal. She seemed at home on the Destroyer, somewhat ironically given her original complaints about serving aboard her. Over the next two years from 818 to 820 A.S, the Kagoshima served quietly but effectively at home until one particular patrol in Kyushu.
Matsuda and her crew were holding steady near the jumpgate when an armored transport came through. Its manifest originally showed just wealthy refugees who had paid for transport from a shattered Bretonia to Kusari, however the transport was equally a known smuggler, and upon further scans the cargo hold appeared to be full of artifacts, supposedly belonging to some low-ranking noble that was aboard. More concerning to Matsuda was that on the passenger manifest were her two grandparents that had moved to Bretonia just a few short years before war broke out. As the transport began to realise it had been caught on to, it charged its cruise engines and attempted to run. Orders came down directly to Matsuda to fire upon the transport before it escaped, however she could not bring herself to carry them out. She explained to high command that she could not justify gunning down innocent civilians for the sake of destroying a few artifacts, an excuse which saved both her career and quite possibly her life, however the result ended the same as she found out later that same day that the transport had been intercepted by a trio of State Police fighters who had gunned it down as a risk to Kusari.
The loss of her grandparents to "her own" government was a great blow to Matsuda, and the aforementioned chafing against the Republic of Kusari command had grown further still over the next year, to the point that her superiors began to look for any excuse they could to replace her. Matsuda would not give them the satisfaction however, holding her duty above all else, and executing her job as effectively as ever. Most notably, Kagoshima was returning from patrol on Hokkaido when she stumbled across a Blood Dragon cruiser, seemingly on the hunt for an easy target, perhaps tipped off at the lone destroyer operating without escort. A close range duel ensued where Matsuda and her crew managed to hold the Takeda on the port side of the Kagutsuchi through careful use of the cruisers RCS thrusters and afterburner, disabling the Dragon with some significant damage to the distinct 'hatchet' at the front of the ship, but no significant damage to the ship's systems. This engagement caused the government to change strategies, and instead offered Matsuda a promotion to Commander in recognition of her service just a few short months later in January of 822.
Matsuda saw this as a blatant attempt to keep her on-side however, and word soon reached her through the grapevine that the Emperor and the Imperial fleet was soon planning to restore the old government. Many of the Kagoshima's crew had served on the vessel ever since the original captain's retreat from Tau-31, and many still felt they owed the Imperial fleet a debt for abandoning them in such a manner. A vote was held, and most of the crew, especially the longer serving ones, voted to attempt to rendezvous with the exiled Imperials. Those who did not wish to follow were loaded in to the ship's escape pods and left in the Kyushu system with a message: The Kagoshima belonged to the Imperial Kusari Navy.
The ship was well received by Imperial forces, who were desperate for any advantage they could get in the uphill battle to come. The Kagoshima would distinguish herself through the next three years of civil war, taking part in everything from the great battles between the battlegroups of Nagasaki and Nagumo to simple patrol duty and consolidation of territory. The ship miraculously managed to avoid any major damage despite being such a small vessel, something which could only be attributed to luck more than any skill by the captain or her crew. She would, however, miss out on the final push of New Tokyo as the venerable Takeda's engines would finally fail and require replacement just days before the operation was planned.
After the war, Matsuda and her crew were reintegrated in to the command structure of the reformed government. Matsuda was not entirely satisfied; she would much rather have seen the old government return in full and have Kishiro's democracy fall, but if it was good enough for the Emperor it was good enough for her. She had retained her rank of Commander throughout the war, and in recognition of her service was gifted one of the 'Tora' heavy fighters that was now being phased out in favour of the new, updated Chimaera. In addition her rank persisted in to the new combined force of the Imperial Kusari Navy and the navy that served the old Republic. Kagoshima was assigned primarily to the less stable northern provinces of Kusari, where the Blood Dragons had been seizing Kusari's weakness to consolidate their power and make territorial claims and gains, and as a result she would not take part in the war against Rheinland in the Sigmas that persisted throughout 825 A.S. and instead closed out the year reasonably quietly.
The next few years would see Kusari's stability gradually increase as it grew ever colder once more with Gallia. For Matsuda and the Kagoshima, however, it would prove adventurous with quite the rollercoaster of action followed by weeks on end with nothing occurring at all. Matsuda remained loyal, however, and determined as ever, a fact that would be recognised in 828 A.S. with a promotion to the prestigious rank of Captain, a rarity for a simple destroyer commander. Nonetheless, Matsuda was honoured. It was, after all, everything she had set out to do. Devote herself to the service of the Emperor so that she may be recognised as an equal, or even an exceptional asset, to Kusari society. With her promotion came a prestigious offer to command a Tokugawa, something that only a few naval officers would ever hope to achieve and a dream for almost anyone. Matsuda, however, explained that she felt she worked best with destroyers, a fact that was reluctantly accepted by Kusari command, and perhaps a fact that Matsuda would come to regret shortly thereafter.
In October of 828 A.S, Kagoshima was dispatched with a sizeable escort of Naval Forces fighters on a relatively routine patrol. A spy satellite in the north of the Tottori system had stopped reporting, and Kagoshima and her escort were to recover or repair it, and chase off any expected contingent of most likely Blood Dragon fighters that had caused the issue in the first place. What the task force was not expecting, however, were two fully armed Stortas to ambush them. Both were armed with zapper turrets, tearing through the unprepared Kusari fighter wings that remained to engage, while several rookie pilots retreated outright at the sight of the warships. This practically left Kagoshima in a two-on-one against the outcasts. Even though she was more suitable to anti-capital operations than either of the two Stortas individually, the combined firepower of the destroyers crippled Kagoshima in a matter of minutes, ripping and tearing through the hull of the historic Takeda which had withstood well over a decade of constant use and service.
Matsuda ordered the crew to their escape pods as the last of their point defences went offline, joining her crew as she herself evacuated. Just two minutes later, over 90% of the crew had evacuated as the Kagoshima suffered a complete core meltdown, going out in a golden blaze that was visible for hundreds of kilometers. Even though most of the crew had evacuated, many of her own escape pods were caught in Kagoshima's death throes, evaporating almost instantaneously, causing mass casualties. Those that remained, including Matsuda herself, were captured by the outcast Stortas.
What happened during their captivity remains unknown. For the crew, most reported that they simply rotted for two weeks in the brig before the KNF caught up with the destroyers in the Tau-53 system. Matsuda would report in her psych evaluation that she remembered little of her captivity. This was somewhat concerning to the KNF, however it was largely put down to a trauma response due to the loss of the Kagoshima, as brainwashing or more dubious things of that nature would take a great deal longer than two weeks to accomplish, nor did Matsuda show any signs of such mental manipulation. Physically, only basic checks were done to ensure she was still fit and healthy. Curiously, none of the crew had suffered a great deal of harm and Matsuda was no exception to this. It was theorised that the outcasts were waiting until they were home safe before doing anything to their prisoners, though nobody could say for sure.
Matsuda was, however, devastated by the loss of the destroyer. It had, after all, been her home for the better part of twelve years, with a loyal crew and an impressive service record. Friends had been lost on the Kagoshima, and many of the surviving crew resigned their posts after returning home, be it from the sense of loss to simply not wishing to risk their lives any further. Ichika would take two months of leave to recover mentally, spending much of it with her family on Kyushu, attempting to make up for lost time over the civil war, and endless patrols throughout the outlying provinces of Kusari. She would, eventually however, return to active service, notably.. different, somehow. Nobody could place a finger on it but likewise nobody paid it much mind as it would take time to heal. To that end, Matsuda was assigned to the old battleship Osaka, this time as temporary Executive Officer to readjust her to a command environment and, more pressingly, to keep her in an environment she could be monitored.
As the next few months passed, she began to slip further in to her former hard edge and slightly hot-headed command style. This transition calmed many in the KNF who had began to doubt her, though certainly not all. It did however garner enough trust to return Matsuda back to destroyer command where she had always shined. In June of 829, Matsuda received notice that she would be taking command of the IKN Kiyohime, a Takeda class destroyer fitted somewhat closely to what the Kagoshima used to carry. Matsuda reportedly simply smiled and nodded at the proposition, however was noticeably more lighthearted throughout the rest of the day after receiving the news.
Kiyohime's crew would consist of what remained of the Kagoshima survivors, a mere thirty or so crewmen including Matsuda herself. They would tutor an almost entirely junior crew. The hope for the Naval Forces is that if they kept the Kagoshima veterans together, they may be able to form a similar dynamic to the old destroyer's crew, tutoring and helping the new crewmen grow in their mold. Not all was quite so hopeful however, as some caution was exercised in the selection of Kiyohime's executive officer. Some in Naval Forces command still did not trust Matsuda's psychological state, and her XO would in fact be from the Kusari Intelligence services, masquerading as a Navy Lieutenant, as a precaution, just in case Matsuda was under the sway of some so far unforeseen external influence. If all would prove well, however, the "lieutenant" could simply be rotated off the ship after a few months.
Nonetheless, early patrols in the Kiyohime's assignment to the core of Kusari have proven promising so far, taking action against various insurgent forces when necessary. It is the hope of the Naval Forces that Matsuda in her crew continue to operate in this fashion far in to the future, however for the time being, they will ever remain cautious and watchful for even the slightest sign that things may not be as they seem.
Service History:
810 A.S. - Inducted in to the KNF Officer Candidate's School
811 A.S. - Graduates to active service. Assigned as gunnery sub-lieutenant to battlecruiser IKN Sapporo
813 A.S. - IKN Sapporo, with Matsuda aboard, takes part in the initial stages of the Kusari/Bretonia conflict
815 A.S. - IKN Sapporo is hit by a heavy mortar from a Bretonian Dunkirk, landing close to Matsuda's gunnery position. The ship is scuttled. Matsuda spends three months hospitalised.
816 A.S. - Matsuda returns to active duty, is promoted to full lieutenant, and is reassigned to Tokugawa-class battleship IKN Osaka as a staff officer.
817 A.S. - Following recommendation of Osaka's captain, Matsuda is promoted unusually quickly to Lieutenant Commander and is made executive officer of destroyer IKN Kagoshima. Matsuda lodges an official transfer request back to a larger warship, however is denied.
818 A.S. The captain of IKN Kagoshima retreats as the Kusari Naval Forces engage the Gallic fleet in Tau 31. He is subsequently executed for treason. Matsuda takes command of the destroyer and is reassigned to home defence. Numerous complaints are lodged by Matsuda wishing to return to the front.
810 A.S. - Inducted in to the KNF Officer Candidate's School
811 A.S. - Graduates to active service. Assigned as gunnery sub-lieutenant to battlecruiser IKN Sapporo
813 A.S. - IKN Sapporo, with Matsuda aboard, takes part in the initial stages of the Kusari/Bretonia conflict
815 A.S. - IKN Sapporo is hit by a heavy mortar from a Bretonian Dunkirk, landing close to Matsuda's gunnery position. The ship is scuttled. Matsuda spends three months hospitalised.
816 A.S. - Matsuda returns to active duty, is promoted to full lieutenant, and is reassigned to Tokugawa-class battleship IKN Osaka as a staff officer.
817 A.S. - Following recommendation of Osaka's captain, Matsuda is promoted unusually quickly to Lieutenant Commander and is made executive officer of destroyer IKN Kagoshima. Matsuda lodges an official transfer request back to a larger warship, however is denied.
818 A.S. The captain of IKN Kagoshima retreats as the Kusari Naval Forces engage the Gallic fleet in Tau 31. He is subsequently executed for treason. Matsuda takes command of the destroyer and is reassigned to home defence. Numerous complaints are lodged by Matsuda wishing to return to the front.
Matsuda is later placed under surveillance due to potential Bretonian loyalties from her family connections, as well as sympathy to the government in exile. She is noted to have a dislike of the Gallics as well as the opportunistic new government.
820 A.S. - Matsuda is reprimanded for failing to fire upon a transport carrying contraband, however also Bretonian refugees from Leeds. On board were her maternal grandparents. The transport was later destroyed by Kusari State Police fighters. Due to the circumstances, no further action was taken against Matsuda, however she was warned any further transgression would be the end of her Naval career and potentially life.
821 A.S. - KNF Kagoshima engages with a Blood Dragon cruiser, forced in to a one-on-one situation. Kagoshima comes out victorious with only moderate hull damage, retreating as reinforcements from both sides clash. Matsuda is commended for this action.
821 A.S. - KNF Kagoshima engages with a Blood Dragon cruiser, forced in to a one-on-one situation. Kagoshima comes out victorious with only moderate hull damage, retreating as reinforcements from both sides clash. Matsuda is commended for this action.
Matsuda's surveillance recommends attempting to buy her loyalty with a promotion as to not lose a valuable asset.
822 A.S. - Matsuda is promoted to Commander, citing her long service history, evident leadership qualities, and recent actions curtailing Blood Dragon operations. Later that year, Matsuda and the once-again-IKN Kagoshima would journey through the Taus to rendezvous with the Imperial fleet, headed by the Emperor and the battleship Nagasaki.
823 A.S. - IKN Kagoshima supports the initial Imperial push in to the Kyushu system. After the gate is secure, Matsuda and her crew primarily play backstop, ensuring Imperial forces do not get flanked and policing the territory the Imperial fleet had already reclaimed. Kagoshima would join the battleship Nagasaki in her successful strike against the Nagumo battlegroup, serving as a picket ship close to the primary capital fleet, gunning down bombers as they approached.
824 A.S. - Matsuda and the Kagoshima would support the second battle of Kyushu, this time taking a more active role on the flanks, harassing stray fighters and providing fire against Imperial battleships where possible. Matsuda herself would earn commendations for this action and recognition by the Imperial fleet.
825 A.S. - IKN Kagoshima remains out of the action for the final battle of New Tokyo due to problematic engines. After the reunification of the government, Matsuda and the Kagoshima are reassigned to patrolling the northern territories of Kusari and subsequently stayed out of the war against Rheinland.
828 A.S. - In recognition of her loyal service to the Emperor, Matsuda is promoted to the rank of Captain in February of 828. Later that year, IKN Kagoshima and a task force of Naval Forces snubcraft would be tasked with investigating a spy satellite that had recently stopped reporting. The task force would be ambushed in the northern edge of the Tottori system by a probing pair of Outcast Stortas, unknown in intent. The Kagoshima suffered the bulk of the fire as some of the junior pilots in her escort fled the scene, and suffered a complete core meltdown, losing approximately 60% of the crew who failed to evacuate. The remaining 40%, including Matsuda, remained in Outcast captivity for approximately two weeks before the two Stortas could be tracked down in the Nagano system. Matsuda herself has not indicated any harm suffered from her captivity, which seems to line up with the rest of the crew. Cursory medical examinations did not reveal any scarring or physical harm of any kind. It is still unknown what the outcasts intended for their prisoners had they held on to them.
829 A.S. - After two months' leave, Matsuda returned to active service, once again serving on the now-venerable battleship Osaka as a temporary Executive Officer to acclimatise her once more to a command environment. In June of 829, Matsuda received command of the IKN Kiyohime, a fresh destroyer off the production line of Kure shipyard, and has once again been assigned with home defence duties, tasked with quelling rising Blood Dragon and Golden Chrysanthemum activities. The Kiyohime has been crewed with a mix of survivors of the Kagoshima, as well as fresh recruits, with more in the latter category as many of the Kagoshima survivors resigned their service after returning home.
823 A.S. - IKN Kagoshima supports the initial Imperial push in to the Kyushu system. After the gate is secure, Matsuda and her crew primarily play backstop, ensuring Imperial forces do not get flanked and policing the territory the Imperial fleet had already reclaimed. Kagoshima would join the battleship Nagasaki in her successful strike against the Nagumo battlegroup, serving as a picket ship close to the primary capital fleet, gunning down bombers as they approached.
824 A.S. - Matsuda and the Kagoshima would support the second battle of Kyushu, this time taking a more active role on the flanks, harassing stray fighters and providing fire against Imperial battleships where possible. Matsuda herself would earn commendations for this action and recognition by the Imperial fleet.
825 A.S. - IKN Kagoshima remains out of the action for the final battle of New Tokyo due to problematic engines. After the reunification of the government, Matsuda and the Kagoshima are reassigned to patrolling the northern territories of Kusari and subsequently stayed out of the war against Rheinland.
828 A.S. - In recognition of her loyal service to the Emperor, Matsuda is promoted to the rank of Captain in February of 828. Later that year, IKN Kagoshima and a task force of Naval Forces snubcraft would be tasked with investigating a spy satellite that had recently stopped reporting. The task force would be ambushed in the northern edge of the Tottori system by a probing pair of Outcast Stortas, unknown in intent. The Kagoshima suffered the bulk of the fire as some of the junior pilots in her escort fled the scene, and suffered a complete core meltdown, losing approximately 60% of the crew who failed to evacuate. The remaining 40%, including Matsuda, remained in Outcast captivity for approximately two weeks before the two Stortas could be tracked down in the Nagano system. Matsuda herself has not indicated any harm suffered from her captivity, which seems to line up with the rest of the crew. Cursory medical examinations did not reveal any scarring or physical harm of any kind. It is still unknown what the outcasts intended for their prisoners had they held on to them.
829 A.S. - After two months' leave, Matsuda returned to active service, once again serving on the now-venerable battleship Osaka as a temporary Executive Officer to acclimatise her once more to a command environment. In June of 829, Matsuda received command of the IKN Kiyohime, a fresh destroyer off the production line of Kure shipyard, and has once again been assigned with home defence duties, tasked with quelling rising Blood Dragon and Golden Chrysanthemum activities. The Kiyohime has been crewed with a mix of survivors of the Kagoshima, as well as fresh recruits, with more in the latter category as many of the Kagoshima survivors resigned their service after returning home.
RE: Kiyohime - Levenna - 07-17-2022
Security Log: Kure Shipyard
[01:27:57] M.I.: Kure Shipyard, this is destroyer Kiyohime, requesting permission to dock after patrol for rearmament and repairs.
[01:28:05] Kure Tower: Affirmative, Kiyohime. Please hold. What do you require?
[01:28:14] M.I.: Outer hull repairs, mostly. We ran in to a Blood Dragon cruiser and gunboat, they gave us some trouble. Nothing we couldn't handle. Seven crew members require medical attention.
[01:28:35] Kure Tower: Please hold, Kiyohime.
[01:29:01] Kure Tower: Captain Matsuda, you are to report to the office of Rear Admiral Sato Hiroto. He is displeased at the level of risk you put yourself at in such an engagement. You're cleared to drydock four.
[01:29:22] M.I.: Level of risk..?
[01:29:29] Kure Tower: That's what I was told to pass along, ma'am.
[01:29:37] M.I.: Drydock four. Affirmative, Kure. We will be moored shortly.
Matsuda stood on the bridge of the Takeda, her feet at shoulder width and her hands clasped behind her back. The conversation with Kure had been broadcast upon the bridge, and she had no need to give any orders. She had served alongside her helmswoman for seven years now, she didn't need Ichika to guide her through the simple process of mooring a ship. Matsuda continued to hold her position for a few seconds, before she spun on her heels 90 degrees to the right, looking down at the young Lieutenant beside her. "Lieutenant Botan, is there a reason a rear admiral would know any details of our skirmish today before I file my report?"
The lieutenant fixed Matsuda with his sharp brown eyes as his chin rested on his clasped together hands, his elbows resting on his knees. In a steady, calm voice, he replied. "I filed my own report, Matsuda. I hear it's good for career progression."
Matsuda continued to fix her XO with a look of distrust. She had yet to place the source of her feelings but something felt.. off about him. He didn't seem genuine, but she put it down to her own emotional instability after the loss of the Kagoshima until now. Nonetheless, she swallowed her feelings as best she could, meaning not very well, and once again opened her mouth. "Captain, or Matsuda-san, if you please. You have yet to earn the right to refer to me by surname alone, lieutenant."
Suzuki looked up at the captain with a warm, disarming smile. "Of course, Matsuda-san, it was a slip of the tongue. It will not happen again. I merely am trying to become more approachable to you, I understand it must be difficult to have a new crew."
"See to it that it doesn't repeat." Matsuda replied flatly, before turning once more to face the window, the few inches of hardened transparent material separating her from the void. The destroyer was pulling in to drydock now, the ever present, low, laboured throb of the power core now reducing in pitch and tempo as it spun down for maintenance. There was an audible metallic clang that resounded throughout the ship's interior as the docking tubes latched on to the ship's airlocks, connecting the interiors of the destroyer and the shipyard. A low murmur began to spread across the bridge as the crew began to finally lose their edge and let themselves relax after the patrol. Over time, as a few congratulations and smiles were exchanged, more and more began to look expectantly at the Captain, until the entire bridge awaited her word. Matsuda always felt awkward at this part. She never felt she had the commanding presence others seemed to prescribe her. She briefly rocked up and down, pushing herself on to her tip toes and back down once, twice, three times, her hands still clasped behind her back as they had been for some time now. "It's just past 1.30 in the morning universal standard time. Maintenance crews will handle the Kiyohime for us. We've been patrolling for days now. Get some R&R while you can, we move out again tomorrow evening."
Matsuda tried to keep a cool composure, but couldn't help but crack a small smile at their accomplishments that day and the days prior, causing a near ripple effect of grins throughout the bridge as the dozen or so crew began to file out. This wasn't the Kagoshima. This wasn't her ship and her crew. Not yet. But she took pride nonetheless in the progress they were making. The small contingent of veterans were tutoring the younger rookies, and there had been hardly any disciplinary or behavioural issues in the weeks since their first deployment. The crew was, above all else, dutiful, Matsuda thought. And that was something she could work with, it's all she'd ever ask of her crew.
Matsuda tried to keep a cool composure, but couldn't help but crack a small smile at their accomplishments that day and the days prior, causing a near ripple effect of grins throughout the bridge as the dozen or so crew began to file out. This wasn't the Kagoshima. This wasn't her ship and her crew. Not yet. But she took pride nonetheless in the progress they were making. The small contingent of veterans were tutoring the younger rookies, and there had been hardly any disciplinary or behavioural issues in the weeks since their first deployment. The crew was, above all else, dutiful, Matsuda thought. And that was something she could work with, it's all she'd ever ask of her crew.
RE: Kiyohime - Levenna - 07-18-2022
Matsuda strode down the wide corridors of Kure shipyard, utilitarian in design, as she saw maintenance crews pulling large antigrav transporters of repair material back towards the Kiyohime, as well as seemingly preparing for the arrival of a Tokugawa that had spent months in the northern regions of Kusari. She saw the occasional face she recognised; she had been here hundreds of times over the last decade and a half after all, and she elicited the occasional head bow from the station crew as they rushed to do their jobs. She continued walking a familiar route, the clack of her heels pronounced on the grated metal floor. She passed one of the station's mess halls and noted at least three dozen of the Kiyohime's crew laughing together as they ate. Matsuda let herself pause for a few seconds to observe. Thoughts ran through her mind as she watched the gathering of thirty or so younger crewmen. The earlier battle had clearly not shaken them overmuch, and they clearly held their resolve. Matsuda held a great deal of respect for that. It isn't something just anyone could do. Her eye caught two.. now three of the crewmen who had caught sight of her and stopped in their tracks, instead staring, seemingly with a guilty look as they wondered if they'd done something wrong. Matsuda moved on, continuing her walk towards the Admiral's office. It was not her place to interrupt her crew's rest period.
A minute passed as Matsuda continued to mull the engagement over in her mind, still walking the route to the Admiral's office. A cruiser and a gunboat; pulse cannon fire opened up at range, Kiyohime was deshielded first, seconds before the blood dragon cruiser. Kiyohime made a hard turn to port, drifting past the cruiser and hammering it with twin shard fire. The bridge shook as the cruiser's return primary fire impacted the hull of the golden destroyer. Despite the bombardment, Kiyo's shards tore in to the side of the Dragon, disabling the cruiser with multiple hull breaches after just a single minute. Kiyohime's guns turned now to the gunboat which had been circling. A single quad pulse burst practically shattered its shields, overloading the generator before Kiyohime's Starflare PDCs gunned it down slowly but surely. At no point during the engagement did Matsuda feel the Kiyohime lacked the upper hand, nor did she feel at risk of destruction.
Matsuda snapped out of her thoughts as she rounded a corner and faced the door to the Admiral's office. She took a moment, squaring herself up, exhaling slowly and cooly before giving the great wooden door a solid, curt pair of knocks. An electronic chime sounded as the heavy locking mechanisms buried within the ornamental door unlocked, and Matsuda opened the door. She had a split second to take in the room, a pair of tall plants flanked the doors of an octagonal room, each of the walls depicting a different era of the KNF, all the way from its founding to the present day with a mural of the post-civil war fleet. A tall, jaded-looking, grey haired man sat at a desk. As Matsuda laid eyes upon him, she bowed with respect, her eyes nearly perpendicular to the floor.
A minute passed as Matsuda continued to mull the engagement over in her mind, still walking the route to the Admiral's office. A cruiser and a gunboat; pulse cannon fire opened up at range, Kiyohime was deshielded first, seconds before the blood dragon cruiser. Kiyohime made a hard turn to port, drifting past the cruiser and hammering it with twin shard fire. The bridge shook as the cruiser's return primary fire impacted the hull of the golden destroyer. Despite the bombardment, Kiyo's shards tore in to the side of the Dragon, disabling the cruiser with multiple hull breaches after just a single minute. Kiyohime's guns turned now to the gunboat which had been circling. A single quad pulse burst practically shattered its shields, overloading the generator before Kiyohime's Starflare PDCs gunned it down slowly but surely. At no point during the engagement did Matsuda feel the Kiyohime lacked the upper hand, nor did she feel at risk of destruction.
Matsuda snapped out of her thoughts as she rounded a corner and faced the door to the Admiral's office. She took a moment, squaring herself up, exhaling slowly and cooly before giving the great wooden door a solid, curt pair of knocks. An electronic chime sounded as the heavy locking mechanisms buried within the ornamental door unlocked, and Matsuda opened the door. She had a split second to take in the room, a pair of tall plants flanked the doors of an octagonal room, each of the walls depicting a different era of the KNF, all the way from its founding to the present day with a mural of the post-civil war fleet. A tall, jaded-looking, grey haired man sat at a desk. As Matsuda laid eyes upon him, she bowed with respect, her eyes nearly perpendicular to the floor.
The Admiral glanced up from his paperwork with a polite smile. "Matsuda-san, be at ease." He set aside his paperwork, and rested his elbows and forearms on the desk in front of him, clasping his hands together with expectation. He fixed his brown eyes upon Matsuda, keeping his smile throughout. "I understand you had an engagement today? Your XO filed a report stating as much, at least."
Matsuda once again brought herself to her full height, staring straight ahead, spreading her feet to shoulder width and resting her hands behind her back in a parade rest posture. "Hai, Admiral Sato. A single cruiser, a single gunboat. Both fell under our guns in short order."
"Are you aware of the risk that entails, Captain?" The admiral responded. His smile dropped now, leaving his face in a neutral state. His eyes conveyed almost an expectation of the answer, though his tone and face left a great deal of ambiguity as to what that expectation might be.
Matsuda blinked and her composure faltered for a split second, she noticed quickly however and returned to her rigid upright position. "With respect, Sato-sama.. we had the engagement in hand, our inner hull was not breached, the damage is superficial. I know the limits of a Takeda better than almost anyone. Had it proven too much, we would have cloaked to escape, that I can promise."
There was a pause for a moment, as the Admiral seemed to weigh Matsuda's answer. "Good. I trust your judgement over that of some rookie lieutenant, Ichika." Sato said with satisfaction as he leaned back in his chair somewhat. "I don't suppose you happen to know how he came to be the Kiyohime's 2ic, do you? I can think of at least half a dozen better candidates from the Kagoshima survivors alone. This Lieutenant's career record seems unimpressive at best."
"You would be in a better position to know, Sato-sama. I was simply given the crew manifest, I was surprised to have no say, I will say that much. He has been.. difficult, to say the least." Matsuda shifted uneasily. "I don't suppose you could do anything to help, could you? I do not ask this lightly."
The admiral sighed briefly, before reaching for a PDA near him. He stayed glued to the device for a minute or so, flicking through files before he tossed the PDA once again on his desk, leaning forward and once again clasping his hands together as he looked up at Matsuda. "The orders assigning him to the Kiyohime came all the way to the government. Probably some noble's son with their family's influence getting them a better position than they deserve. I can't do anything. I'm sorry, Ichika."
Matsuda relaxed slightly for the first time and looked down at the Admiral now, her body slightly less tense than it had been prior. "Hiroto.. assigned to the Kiyohime by the government or assigned to be 2ic by the government? When I was a Lieutenant I recall being assigned to a particular then-captain for staff duty.. Surely such an inexperienced lieutenant would benefit from a similar experience aboard Kiyohime? XO is a tough job.. perhaps paperwork is better suited for Lieutenant Suzuki." A crafty grin formed on Matsuda's lips as she spoke, almost smirking at the end of her sentences.
Matsuda's smile proved infectious as Admiral Sato's lips tugged in to a smile as he let slip a single chuckle. "It takes a bold woman to refer to a rear admiral by his first name, Ichika." He once again picked up his PDA and scrolled for a few seconds. "The order from the government merely assigned him to Kiyohime. XO was assigned later down the line by Navy administration. If he's causing you trouble, I'll have him on staff duty by your patrol tomorrow. But, Ichika? Please don't make his life too much harder than I did for you on Osaka? Besides, who would you recommend replace Lt. Suzuki?"
Matsuda didn't pause for a second. "Lieutenant Nakamura Hina. She's been a dependable bridge operation and has helped me fight the ship for almost six years now. She would be an excellent fit and.. I believe a promotion would not be inappropriate to mark the occasion. Her service record aboard the Kagoshima speaks for itself, Sato-sama. I will of course defer to your judgement if you find her lacking."
"I will take your recommendation under advisement. You'll have you answer by midday. Go get some rest, Ichika. You look like you could use it." With that, the Rear Admiral picked up the paperwork he had been working on prior to Matsuda's arrival, gave Matsuda a nod, and set back to work.
Matsuda bowed once more, and filed out of the room. After the doors shut and locked behind her, she took a moment and leant back against them, closing her eyes, leaning her head back and exhaling slowly. It had been a long day but she was glad to be rid of her Suzuki problem, even if only temporarily. Her mind wandered for some time, drifting back to the Kagoshima as it as often wont to do. She struggled to let go of the ship; it had been her home for twelve years after all. She caught herself, however, and took a moment to orient herself after returning to reality. After a brief moment remembering the path, she set towards the officers' bunks, intent on getting all the rest she could before her next patrol, and hoping to clear her mind of the past once more.
RE: Kiyohime - Levenna - 07-19-2022
11:43 P.M, October 14th, 828 A.S.
Outcast Destroyer MNS Muerte
Outcast Destroyer MNS Muerte
The bridge of the Storta remained uncharacteristically quiet as the crew watched their respective consoles closely. The silence was broken as footsteps rang from the corridor outside, as a sandy haired male, approximately 6ft3 in height, stalked on to the bridge, taking his time to observe each individual at their post. "You had best have a good reason for summoning me here at this hour," he growled, before observing the viewscreen for himself. Approaching the edge of the nebula was a Kusari destroyer, as of yet unidentified, seemingly escorted by a dozen fightercraft. "Is our sister vessel prepared for a fight?" the question rang out across the bridge. "Si, Capitan." the reply came shortly after from a crewman stationed at the comms console.
The Takeda had slowed to impulse now as it approached the nebula slowly. There were two outcast destroyers, Muerte and Malta, sitting just within the swirling mass of gas, blocking the sensors of the KNF task force, lying in wait like a predator awaits its prey.
The Takeda had slowed to impulse now as it approached the nebula slowly. There were two outcast destroyers, Muerte and Malta, sitting just within the swirling mass of gas, blocking the sensors of the KNF task force, lying in wait like a predator awaits its prey.
"Capitan" the call came from the sensor panel. "The destroyer is identified as IKN Kagoshima. Database shows it as a veteran crew that has operated for some time. It is known to carry a trio of impact cannons, it could pose some danger."
"It is outmatched, it has no hope against us both." the captain snapped in return. "Order Malta to take the Takeda's right flank, we will stay on its left. Focus the fighter escort first, they will fall like flies, then we take the destroyer down."
The orders were given and the MNS Malta crept to her right using just her RCS thrusters to reposition. If they ignited the main engines now, they would surely be detected. The Kusari task force was just seven kilometers away now and flying with caution. They clearly expected an ambush of some kind, though they equally clearly had no clue what they were up against. The order was given for both destroyers to minimise their power core's output. The longer they could stay undetected, the better. Six kilometers. Power began to build in Muerte's weapon capacitors, just tiniest trickle of energy from the power core, barely detectable.
Five kilometers.
The orders were given and the MNS Malta crept to her right using just her RCS thrusters to reposition. If they ignited the main engines now, they would surely be detected. The Kusari task force was just seven kilometers away now and flying with caution. They clearly expected an ambush of some kind, though they equally clearly had no clue what they were up against. The order was given for both destroyers to minimise their power core's output. The longer they could stay undetected, the better. Six kilometers. Power began to build in Muerte's weapon capacitors, just tiniest trickle of energy from the power core, barely detectable.
Five kilometers.
"Por Malta! Both destroyers, bring vessels to full power and charge the enemy!"
The two Stortas roared in to life, engines in full burn. Almost immediately, the captain of the Muerte observed Kagoshima's quad pulse cannons firing in a twin-shot chainfire at the MNS Malta. The outcast's shields held, however, as both Malta and Muerte began tearing through the escort with their zapper turrets. Out of a dozen wyverns, three succumbed to the beams within fifteen seconds of the two great vessels opening fire. A further three fled the scene, seemingly rookie pilots unable to hold their nerve and stand their ground. Disinfector shots glanced harmlessly off the Muerte's shields as a wicked smile crept upon the captain's lips. The Kagoshima had deshielded the Malta by now, and began drifting to its port side as its Impact cannons began to charge. The Muerte maneuvered, using its position formerly on the Kagoshima's starboard side to move behind the hatchet with a shot on its exposed engines. The first triple salvo from the Kagoshima fired, only a single impact clipping the Malta's top side and destroying its long range communications antenna. The second salvo connected better, two shots hitting near center mass and breaching the outer hull. It was at this point that the Muerte completed its maneuver; fully behind the Kagoshima and ready to fire. Two mortar shots rang out. One mercifully missed, however the second clipped the ship's structure just fore of the engines, close to the power core. By some divine intervention, however, the opportunity to end the fight then and there was seized from the outcasts. The mortar shot was a dud. The antimatter containment field had failed to fully materialise and the shot potency was drastically reduced.
The captain of the Muerte yelled indiscriminately at his crew to move closer and to prepare another salvo, however the Kagoshima would not wait. The destroyer pitched down, using its thrusters to strafe upwards, giving it a view on the top of the Malta, which was wildly maneuvering in an attempt not to render itself vulnerable. Such a maneuver, however, also showed the bottom side of the Kagoshima, which promptly began spraying the Muerte with the two pulse cannons and four starflares that had arcs available while it primed a third salvo of its devastating impacts. The Malta herself also carried a twin mortar loadout, however did not have the angle to fire upon Kagoshima which had so far evaded its firing solutions, taking only mostly ineffective primary fire on the distinct, armoured "hatchet" that made up the ship's bow. By this point, the two Storta's combined eight zapper turrets had reduced the fighter escort to just two fighters remaining, who were bravely flying despite the overwhelmingly stacked odds. The captain of the Muerte saw how Kagoshima was maneuvering, and ordered the mortars stand down, instead readying the single shard that the destroyer carried alongside its primary battery to target the Kusari capital ship. The cannon burst to life, connecting several glancing shots from its spread. The Kagoshima herself was a full kilometer away from the Muerte, and managed to evade most of its firepower with well-timed strafes. It was, however, trapped maneuvering around the Malta, which had abandoned trying to outmaneuver the lighter Hatchet and instead had set course directly for the Muerte, forcing the Kagoshima to either follow or break away to reset the engagement. Muerte seized this moment of indecision, and charged the Kagoshime before it had a chance to maneuver and commit to either course of action. At just five hundred meters, it unleased a third mortar shot, single this time. The antimatter weapon connected with the already-damaged ship's bow, and the bottom of the "hatchet" shape outright split from the ship upon the projectile connecting, costing the Takeda two of its "Starflare" point defence turrets in the process.
Despite this setback, however, the tenacious vessel continued to fight on. As the Muerte was just three hundred meters away, it began to turn inside the Kagoshima, much as she had done to the Malta just moments before, the Takeda was too fast to react however as it burned straight past Muerte and unleased its third, fourth and fifth impact salvos on the Malta, which had drifted just a few hundred meters too far and was caught mid turn as it attempted to re engage. The salvos all connected with at least two shots, however luck was this time on the side of the Outcasts, as every single impact connected with the Storta's reinforced bulkheads and not a single subsystem took damage from the Kagoshima's barrage. Kagoshima was now trapped between two outcast destroyers that were both turning in on it, Malta in front and Muerte behind. However, Malta was turning to starboard while Muerte was turning to port. Quick thinking allowed Kagoshima to counter both turns with a hard turn to starboard, pushing her engines for all they had to break out from between the two destroyers. The Takeda then quickly reversed its turn, turning in once more on the wounded Malta. It was clearly smelling blood in the water as the damaged Storta had become the Kagoshima's only chance to level the playing field. The captain of the Muerte had seen this, however. He uttered a quick prayer to himself, and ordered the mortars to be ready to fire on his command. The Kagoshima's turn would soon reveal the Takeda's large side profile to the Muerte. The Kagoshima's fighter escort was, by now, completely gone, the only remnant were the odd parts of scrap Wyvern floating around, alongside the few escape pods of the pilots that managed to eject. Nonetheless, Muerte's patience paid off. Kagoshima's side profile was vulnerable, though at a range of 1.5km, it was a long shot. The captain ordered both mortars to fire, and bolts of blue antimatter were lobbed at the Hatchet. The destroyer put all of its power in to its upwards thrusters, both to avoid the incoming ordnance and to once again gain the upper hand by exposing Malta's top side. The Muerte's gunners had anticipated this however, and one of the two mortar shots had been placed projecting exactly such a manoeuvre. Time seemed to slow as the perfect placement of the shot lead it to connect in almost the exact same location as the dud before it, directly on to the Takeda's power core. This shot, however, was not a dud. The magnificent explosion lit the bridge of the Muerte as the captain began to laugh. Kagoshima's engines fluttered, once, twice, and the captain's laughter abruptly stopped as for just a brief moment, the tenacious Takeda looked as if it would live. Its engines gave an enormous burst of thrust before they burnt out, giving Kagoshima one last shot with its impacts. Three shots streaked from the great capital-killing cannons, connecting with Malta squarely on its aft, close to its engines. Stortas, however, are built to last, Malta's engines flickered briefly however stabilised after just a few seconds. Kagoshima, however, was starting to drift; the lights aboard flickering as the vessel lost power. The captain of the Muerte ran his fingers through his sandy hair and let his wicked smile return to his face once more.
A minute passed. Both Stortas were now holding at a distance of 1.5km to see what would happen to the stricken Kagoshima. Escape pods had been launched for its full complement of crew. The Maltese crew watched on as the vessel evacuated its crew.
The captain of the Muerte yelled indiscriminately at his crew to move closer and to prepare another salvo, however the Kagoshima would not wait. The destroyer pitched down, using its thrusters to strafe upwards, giving it a view on the top of the Malta, which was wildly maneuvering in an attempt not to render itself vulnerable. Such a maneuver, however, also showed the bottom side of the Kagoshima, which promptly began spraying the Muerte with the two pulse cannons and four starflares that had arcs available while it primed a third salvo of its devastating impacts. The Malta herself also carried a twin mortar loadout, however did not have the angle to fire upon Kagoshima which had so far evaded its firing solutions, taking only mostly ineffective primary fire on the distinct, armoured "hatchet" that made up the ship's bow. By this point, the two Storta's combined eight zapper turrets had reduced the fighter escort to just two fighters remaining, who were bravely flying despite the overwhelmingly stacked odds. The captain of the Muerte saw how Kagoshima was maneuvering, and ordered the mortars stand down, instead readying the single shard that the destroyer carried alongside its primary battery to target the Kusari capital ship. The cannon burst to life, connecting several glancing shots from its spread. The Kagoshima herself was a full kilometer away from the Muerte, and managed to evade most of its firepower with well-timed strafes. It was, however, trapped maneuvering around the Malta, which had abandoned trying to outmaneuver the lighter Hatchet and instead had set course directly for the Muerte, forcing the Kagoshima to either follow or break away to reset the engagement. Muerte seized this moment of indecision, and charged the Kagoshime before it had a chance to maneuver and commit to either course of action. At just five hundred meters, it unleased a third mortar shot, single this time. The antimatter weapon connected with the already-damaged ship's bow, and the bottom of the "hatchet" shape outright split from the ship upon the projectile connecting, costing the Takeda two of its "Starflare" point defence turrets in the process.
Despite this setback, however, the tenacious vessel continued to fight on. As the Muerte was just three hundred meters away, it began to turn inside the Kagoshima, much as she had done to the Malta just moments before, the Takeda was too fast to react however as it burned straight past Muerte and unleased its third, fourth and fifth impact salvos on the Malta, which had drifted just a few hundred meters too far and was caught mid turn as it attempted to re engage. The salvos all connected with at least two shots, however luck was this time on the side of the Outcasts, as every single impact connected with the Storta's reinforced bulkheads and not a single subsystem took damage from the Kagoshima's barrage. Kagoshima was now trapped between two outcast destroyers that were both turning in on it, Malta in front and Muerte behind. However, Malta was turning to starboard while Muerte was turning to port. Quick thinking allowed Kagoshima to counter both turns with a hard turn to starboard, pushing her engines for all they had to break out from between the two destroyers. The Takeda then quickly reversed its turn, turning in once more on the wounded Malta. It was clearly smelling blood in the water as the damaged Storta had become the Kagoshima's only chance to level the playing field. The captain of the Muerte had seen this, however. He uttered a quick prayer to himself, and ordered the mortars to be ready to fire on his command. The Kagoshima's turn would soon reveal the Takeda's large side profile to the Muerte. The Kagoshima's fighter escort was, by now, completely gone, the only remnant were the odd parts of scrap Wyvern floating around, alongside the few escape pods of the pilots that managed to eject. Nonetheless, Muerte's patience paid off. Kagoshima's side profile was vulnerable, though at a range of 1.5km, it was a long shot. The captain ordered both mortars to fire, and bolts of blue antimatter were lobbed at the Hatchet. The destroyer put all of its power in to its upwards thrusters, both to avoid the incoming ordnance and to once again gain the upper hand by exposing Malta's top side. The Muerte's gunners had anticipated this however, and one of the two mortar shots had been placed projecting exactly such a manoeuvre. Time seemed to slow as the perfect placement of the shot lead it to connect in almost the exact same location as the dud before it, directly on to the Takeda's power core. This shot, however, was not a dud. The magnificent explosion lit the bridge of the Muerte as the captain began to laugh. Kagoshima's engines fluttered, once, twice, and the captain's laughter abruptly stopped as for just a brief moment, the tenacious Takeda looked as if it would live. Its engines gave an enormous burst of thrust before they burnt out, giving Kagoshima one last shot with its impacts. Three shots streaked from the great capital-killing cannons, connecting with Malta squarely on its aft, close to its engines. Stortas, however, are built to last, Malta's engines flickered briefly however stabilised after just a few seconds. Kagoshima, however, was starting to drift; the lights aboard flickering as the vessel lost power. The captain of the Muerte ran his fingers through his sandy hair and let his wicked smile return to his face once more.
A minute passed. Both Stortas were now holding at a distance of 1.5km to see what would happen to the stricken Kagoshima. Escape pods had been launched for its full complement of crew. The Maltese crew watched on as the vessel evacuated its crew.
At the sensor panel, a frown spread across the eyebrows of the lieutenant manning the station. "Capitan, the core of the Kagoshima is extremely unstable. Without power, the computer has none of its failsafes in place, it's about to overload. The escape pods will be caught in the blast, if we are to take prisoners, Capitan, now is the time."
"We will wait." The captain stated, implying no room for debate. "Survival of the fittest, mi amigo. Those who were too slow to get out deserve their fate."
Thirty seconds passed without incident. Then forty, but no more. The crew on the bridge of the Muerte shielded their eyes as the reactor of the Kagoshima melted down completely, bathing everything in a golden light for a precious few seconds, and evaporating the many escape pods still too close by in an instant.
Thirty seconds passed without incident. Then forty, but no more. The crew on the bridge of the Muerte shielded their eyes as the reactor of the Kagoshima melted down completely, bathing everything in a golden light for a precious few seconds, and evaporating the many escape pods still too close by in an instant.
The lieutenant at the sensor panel sat, mouth agape for a few seconds, before he noticed the captain glaring at him for a report. He glanced down at his screen, inhaling sharply in shock at the results. He turned back around to face his captain, looking him in the eye almost with fear. "Over half of the crew that made it out.. are dead, Capitan. There are only eighty life signatures, including the Wyvern pilots that ejected."
The captain now for the first time sat in his chair with a satisfied sigh, clasping his hands together as that wicked, crazed, sadistic smile once more made itself known. "Then, Lieutenant.. I believe we have guests."
RE: Kiyohime - Levenna - 07-22-2022
1:27 A.M, 15th July, 829 A.S.
Naval Destroyer IKN Kiyohime
Naval Destroyer IKN Kiyohime
The Kiyohime drifted past Kure Shipyard at half impulse as the crew tested the various ship's systems one more time, ensuring that they would not fail at any point during their time out on patrol. Course had been set for the gap in the minefield surrounding the shipyard that served as the entrance, and all systems so far had reported green. The vessel's new second-in-command, Lieutenant Commander Nakamura Hina, stood on the bridge as a stand in for Matsuda for the moment. The bridge was abuzz with activity, a dozen or so people darting in and out as the ship readied to go to full impulse and begin its patrol proper.
A door at the back of the bridge opened, as Captain Matsuda exited her quarters, giving a small smile and head bow to her executive officer as she did so. "I take it all is well?" she asked with an air of expectation and an aura of command around her as she came to stand next to her XO, both on a raised platform close to the back of the bridge, close to the captain's chair. Matsuda was not terribly imposing in height, standing at only 5ft5in compared to her XOs 5ft10in, but she practically radiated experience. She was in her element in command of a destroyer and it showed as she visually inspected the bridge from her vantage point, knowing every nook and cranny like the back of her hand, every station and its purpose and, most importantly to her, every individual that manned them.
A door at the back of the bridge opened, as Captain Matsuda exited her quarters, giving a small smile and head bow to her executive officer as she did so. "I take it all is well?" she asked with an air of expectation and an aura of command around her as she came to stand next to her XO, both on a raised platform close to the back of the bridge, close to the captain's chair. Matsuda was not terribly imposing in height, standing at only 5ft5in compared to her XOs 5ft10in, but she practically radiated experience. She was in her element in command of a destroyer and it showed as she visually inspected the bridge from her vantage point, knowing every nook and cranny like the back of her hand, every station and its purpose and, most importantly to her, every individual that manned them.
The Lieutenant Commander's eye caught on Matsuda as she exited her quarters, returning her head bow with one of her own as she took a moment to look out of the bridge glass, of the imposing minefield ahead and the slim gap they were soon to pass through. She continued idly looking in this direction as she took a moment to respond to Matsuda's query. "Hai, Matsuda-sama. All systems have reported back green so far. The crew are tired from a lack of rest but they're young and eager as they have been ever since we first received the ship." Nakamura paused now, diverting her eyes back to Matsuda who herself was still inspecting the bridge. "Ichika, is everything alright? It's unlike you to not be present on the bridge while the ship slips its moorings."
Matsuda glanced at Nakamura, losing her smile but giving a quick nod in response. "Hai. I simply required a little medication. A simple headache, that is all." Before she could elaborate any further, a call from engineering rang across the bridge, confirming the ship was ready to move away from the shipyard. Matsuda's chest filled with pride as she gave the nod to her helm. The hum of the Takeda's power core increased in pitch just slightly as power was routed to the engines and the Kiyohime moved away. The ship's systems held stable as minutes passed, and once well clear of the minefield, the order was given for the Kiyohime to accelerate to cruise speed with a course set for Shinjuku station. Kusari had been quiet lately, with little activity reported since Kiyohime's skirmish with the Blood Dragons the previous day, and as a result little was expected beyond the routine.
It was only a few minutes before the Destroyer came upon Shinjuku station; the customary request for identification coming through some fifteen kilometers from the station, playing out across the bridge;
It was only a few minutes before the Destroyer came upon Shinjuku station; the customary request for identification coming through some fifteen kilometers from the station, playing out across the bridge;
"Incoming capital-class vessel, this is Shinjuku station, please state your ID and designation."
Already expecting the query, Matsuda, now sitting in her captain's chair with her XO attending a console to her left, opened the channel and responded with the requested details. "Shinjuku, this is Naval Destroyer IKN Kiyohime. We've just set out for patrol from Kure shipyard after repairs. Do you have any updates for us?"
"Please stand by Kiyohime, we're just authenticating now... it won't be a moment... You seem to be clear. Not much to report today, though a few traders bound from Shikoku have been murmuring about some kind of instability there. It doesn't seem to be anything major."
Matsuda's eyebrow raised at the mention of trouble, though she knew from experience that traders tended to be a skittish lot. "Instability" could mean anything from a mild solar storm to a full blown terrorist attack. "We'll bear that in mind, Shinjuku. Thank you for the information."
Matsuda stood up once more now, and began to pace a little out of boredom. She always struggled with the quiet patrols; she preferred the action, oddly enough. It was something to keep her engaged, the knowledge that her life and those of her crew hung in the balance. She found it inspired her to make the best decisions she could. For now, though, she felt that she may as well follow the one lead she had, and ordered the helm to set a course to cruise down the lane towards New Tokyo, though not to use the lane itself. She furthermore ordered the communication's officer listen in on local channels to see if anything of interest was being picked up, to which he responded that there was nothing yet out of the ordinary.
Ichika's mind began to wander once more. After over a decade of a near constant wartime state of readiness, it felt almost unnatural for Kusari to be so peaceful. First Bretonia, then Gallia, then the Republic of Kusari, Ichika had spent most of her military career commanding and being commanded on or close to the frontline. It wasn't quite the same with peacetime patrols. Even in home territory during conflict, often an upspike in activity by the Dragons would follow, ever trying to worm their way in to the heart of Kusari, or the outcasts and their thralls.. no. Perhaps it was best not to think of the outcasts. At least not for now. It was something of a rabbit hole Ichika preferred to avoid whenever possible, but could never quite escape.
Matsuda stood up once more now, and began to pace a little out of boredom. She always struggled with the quiet patrols; she preferred the action, oddly enough. It was something to keep her engaged, the knowledge that her life and those of her crew hung in the balance. She found it inspired her to make the best decisions she could. For now, though, she felt that she may as well follow the one lead she had, and ordered the helm to set a course to cruise down the lane towards New Tokyo, though not to use the lane itself. She furthermore ordered the communication's officer listen in on local channels to see if anything of interest was being picked up, to which he responded that there was nothing yet out of the ordinary.
Ichika's mind began to wander once more. After over a decade of a near constant wartime state of readiness, it felt almost unnatural for Kusari to be so peaceful. First Bretonia, then Gallia, then the Republic of Kusari, Ichika had spent most of her military career commanding and being commanded on or close to the frontline. It wasn't quite the same with peacetime patrols. Even in home territory during conflict, often an upspike in activity by the Dragons would follow, ever trying to worm their way in to the heart of Kusari, or the outcasts and their thralls.. no. Perhaps it was best not to think of the outcasts. At least not for now. It was something of a rabbit hole Ichika preferred to avoid whenever possible, but could never quite escape.
"Headache still bothering you, Matsuda-sama?"
Ichika snapped back to reality as her head turned to face her XO, who seemed to look at her with expectation of a reply. Ichika pushed out a convincing smile as she nodded slowly. "I am fine, Nakamura-san. There is nothing to be concerned about." Ichika got out as she once again oriented herself with her surroundings. The Kiyohime was approaching New Tokyo now, traditionally one of the busiest junctions in Kusari, and today that seemed to hold true. Little traffic came from the Shikoku gate however trade was clearly bustling in the area. It was at this moment, however, that a badly scorched "Orca" Bounty Hunter gunboat emerged from the Shikoku lane. Immediately, Matsuda's head snapped to the comms console. "Sub-lieutenant, can you get a hold of that vessel?" It only took a moment for him to reply that the vessel was impossible to get a hold of, but that an emergency signal was on repeat, stating that they had lost communications and were requesting an emergency dock. "See to it that they get what they need." Matsuda's order was barked, ignoring her dislike of freelancers and bounty hunters as she spun on her heel to face the other side of the bridge. "Helm, take us down the trade lane to the Shikoku gate. Use the lane this time, we can't afford to leave it for trade traffic, we need to respond quickly to whatever caused that."
The helmswoman, Lt. Kato Chiyoko, one of the many members of the bridge crew who had served aboard the Kagoshima, glanced back at Matsuda with a stern look in her eye. "Matsuda-sama, we do not know what we may find, are you sure we shouldn't contact command for reinforcements first?"
Ichika glanced back quickly and decisively, "Most patrols will have just come off their rotation; Naval Forces will be stretched until their replacements are in space. We can handle anything in Shikoku I'm sure." She responded without a hint of doubt in her voice, perhaps even overconfidence. Nonetheless, Chiyoko clearly placed her trust in her captain as she piloted the destroyer towards the lane. The ring pylons lit up as the lane burst in to life, the destroyer entering moments later and rapidly picking up speed. Unexpectedly, however, a rattle seemed to begin to permeate throughout the ship, growing ever louder as the ship approached its maximum speed in-lane of 2.5km/s. Looks of concern were shared across the bridge as Matsuda's brow furrowed; throughout nineteen years of service she had never heard anything quite like this from a ship. She had not time to wonder what the source might be though, as the Kiyohime began to drift in the lane, seconds before the constant din of the power core shut off entirely as electrical crackles could be heard in the walls of the bridge and, seemingly, throughout the entire ship.
The great destroyer fell out of the lane entirely now as the lights briefly flickered on the bridge before emergency power kicked in, thankfully powering the inertial dampeners bringing the Kiyohime to a rapid, entirely unceremonious stop at the fifth trade lane ring from New Tokyo, just under halfway between the planet and the Shikoku gate. A sense of vertigo briefly made itself known in Matuda's stomach as she was forced to brace herself against her captain's chair with her hand. After the great vessel halted, she brought her other hand up to her face, massaging her temples as she let out a groan. "Status report..." she managed to get out as she once again came to her senses.
Lt. Cmdr. Nakamura let out a cough as she glanced at a console in front of her. "Diagnostic shows that interaction with the trade lane somehow put excess strain on several of the ship's power couplings while leaving others completely without load, leading to the ones under duress blowing out and leaving us dead in the water. The power core and engines are offline.. it's a simple but time consuming repair, Captain. We're practically defenceless, even firing a full pulse salvo would likely blow the few remaining couplings and even the emergency power wouldn't be able to be routed to where it's needed. Systems like life support would be rendered offline."
Matsuda sighed as she fell back into her chair. "Tell engineering to replace enough couplings to get the cruise engines working reliably.. We're heading back to Kure as quickly as we can. How was this not spotted during the pre-patrol diagnostics?"
Lieutenant Suzuki, the ship's now-relieved former executive officer, reassigned to Matsuda's staff, spoke, holding his usual unnerving smile as he addressed Matsuda. "Kiyohime has never had to interact with a tradelane, Matsuda-san. I hear she was completed quite quickly, perhaps the engineers at Kure overlooked a bit of circuitry here and there. I believe I will go to engineering to ensure everything is going.. as intended." After speaking, he turned around from his position at one of the bridge's command & control stations, and swiftly exited the bridge with purpose under the gaze of Matsuda, who was more than a little curious as to how Suzuki would happen to know about the details of Kiyohime's construction, not files typically accessible by officers of his meagre rank.
Nonetheless, Matsuda could not afford to wonder about the source of the information, nor did she particularly care where Lt. Suzuki went at this moment in time, so long as it was not in her way. She was instead about to begin issuing orders once more as one of the crew at the sensor readout turned to her. "Captain, there's another ship coming down the tradelane. Roughly gunboat size, no IFF yet as the sensor suite is operating on limited power."
"Very well." Matsuda responded as she looked thoughtful for a moment, her chin dipping to her chest, before she looked back with decisiveness. Chances were that this was another bounty hunter, or a naval patrol returning from Shikoku, and they could at least provide context as to what was going on in the system, and best case scenario could hasten Kiyohime's repairs. "Signal them to leave the trade lane under the authority of the Kusari Naval Forces. Do not give any further detail until we know their IFF."
The signal was sent, and the unknown vessel seemingly obliged, leaving the lane approximately ten kilometres from Kiyohime's position. The entire bridge crew was riveted to the bridge's heads up display projected across the glass separating them from the void as the gunboat approached closer and the ship's computer attempted to match the gunboat to any known database. It only took a few moments, however, for Matsuda's heart to sink, and for the bridge's lighting to dim to its battle mode as the computer identified the incoming gunboat as a Condor of the Golden Chrysanthemums. Matsuda had to stave off panic as the severity of the situation settled in her mind. Ordinarily such a gunboat would hardly be a threat to a Takeda, however without meaningful defensive firepower there was every chance that they could simply pick apart the Kiyohime at their leisure. Thinking quickly, Matsuda uttered the first idea that came to mind; "Open a communications channel, we have to buy time."
The channel was opened, and on the screen appeared a woman wearing a deceptively innocent smile, with white hair tied neatly in to a traditional pair of buns while the rest flowed free. Her grey eyes seemed to fix on Matsuda as she cocked her head and allowed herself to show a look of puzzlement. "What exactly is a ship of this size doing out here? Not an everyday thing for warships to wait in the middle of a trade lane."
Matsuda stood up from her chair as she brought herself to a parade rest, standing tall with her feet at shoulder width, and her hands resting comfortably behind her back. "It is hardly customary for naval warships to give updates of their status to a terrorist." She wouldn't show it, but Matsuda's hands were trembling ever so slightly. Not since the ambush of the Kagoshima had she felt quite so vulnerable. She quietly thanked whatever deity existed for the fact that emergency power was maintaining their shields, and thus at least a basic appearance of functionality, though they would not recharge if disabled.
The Chrysanthemum's smile widened somewhat as she raised an eyebrow. "You're stationary at a rather odd angle. So. What's a warship doing in the middle of a trade lane?"
Matsuda exhaled, calming herself, as she replied in a steady, firm voice. "That's not for you to know. Now what are you here for, vulture? Here to attempt to scrap us for parts?"
The Chrysanthemum's head tilted back as she deliberately feigned looking thoughtful for a moment. "I was just passing by. Looking for the occasional hauler, you know? I expected the lane to be disrupted when I saw a warship on scanners, I was surprised it wasn't, and here I am now."
Matsuda's eyebrow arched as the Chrysanthemum spoke, not out of curiosity for what she was saying, but instead out of a suspicion that they did not know of the Kiyohime's disabled state. In near-desperation, Matsuda decided to bluff. "And you did not run at the sight of a heavier warship? I heard Chrysanthemums had a death wish but I had no clue it was to this extent."
The Chrysanthemum gave a far less innocent, far more disturbing smile this time. "Do I look like the kind of person who would run? I have destroyed scores of Takeda-classes, yours would be no different."
As she spoke, the Condor came in ever closer to the Kiyohime, seemingly testing the ship. As it closed ever further, even to just a single kilometer away, Matsuda began to sweat; the gambit would soon be up. Desperate to give as much time as possible for the Kiyohime's repairs, Matsuda attempted to continue the conversation. "Such petty pride is meaningless when you have served long enough. You must be young. Now, kindly refrain from moving so close or you will be fired upon."
Matsuda immediately regretted her last sentence as it drew the Chrysanthemum's attention to the fact she had yet to be fired upon. Her eyes lit up with realisation as her mind connected the many dots of the situation. "You haven't activated your point defences. You're a sitting duck!"
Ichika's heart sank as she took a moment to look all around the bridge. Every person carried the same expression; that of being resigned to their fate. The Chrysanthemum dipped her chin and chuckled slightly, the expressions of the Kiyohime's crew had proven her right and she knew it. Matsuda let out a sigh, still holding herself upright in her parade rest, trying to keep what pride and dignity she had left intact. Through gritted teeth, she responded. "Kindly.. move away.. from our vessel. We are not as toothless as you might think." She shot a desperate glance towards Hina, her executive officer, who after a brief moment understood what Matsuda wanted; something only possible through an intimate understanding gained through years of service.
The Chrysanthemum did not take long to respond in her by now distinct and vexing playful tone. "Or what? You'll shoot us with the guns that aren't operational?"
At Matsuda's quick nod towards her XO, a single pulse cannon shot rang out, finding its mark on the Condor which was now just half a kilometer away, exploding against its shields in a flash of light. More audible electrical crackles sounded throughout the ship, though no other systems seemed to fail. A wide eyed Nakamura looked back at Matsuda, shakily nodding that no further subsystems had been knocked offline by the shot, though it was evident by her expression that such a trick should not be pulled again.
The gunboat quickly lurched away from the Kiyohime upon receiving the hit, activating its afterburner to open a gap, her captain going wide eyed at the prospect of being engaged so suddenly and unexpectedly. Her seeming panic seemed to rapidly calm though as no follow-up shots came, and she began to process the last few seconds. "That ship doesn't sound healthy. Mind if I inquire as to why a Naval Ship would be in this state in... the middle of bloody nowhere?"
Matsuda had by this point had her sorrow and panic replaced by contempt for the Chrysanthemum. She did not take kindly to being toyed with as a cat does with a mouse. She despised the feeling of helplessness. Such feelings coalesced in to next sentence as she let the venom slip in to her voice as she growled. "If you are to dispose of us, get it over with and spare me the agony of this conversation."
The woman's trademark innocent smile once again returned to her lips. "If my intent was to dispose of you, I would have begun the process already."
Murmurs spread around the bridge of the Kiyohime as Matsuda's mouth hung agape for just a moment before she regained her composure. "And just what exactly is your intent?"
"Just hover by. You know, make sure nobody hurts you?" She responded with a chuckle.
Matsuda narrowed her eyes. It was nigh impossible to tell how genuine the Chrysanthemum was being, but for now at least Ichika and, more importantly her crew, still stood due to her benevolence. Nonetheless, she hardly liked the lack of a straight answer; the Kiyohime was in the service of the Kusari government and therefore a sworn enemy of the Chrysanthemums, hardly an organisation known for their honour. Matsuda's eyes remained narrow as she spoke slowly and cautiously. "Stop toying with me. What do you want?"
The Chrysanthemum's eyebrow raised as she leaned back in her chair, still chuckling to herself. "Why the curiosity? Worried someone will report about the lone destroyer hanging out with a Chrysanthemum?"
Matsuda's chest puffed as she felt her temper rise, her pride would not allow the implication of her spending her time with a Chrysanthemum to slip by without issue. "I am Captain Matsuda Ichika of the Kusari Naval Forces. I would never be known to associate with terrorists such as yourself."
"Well fancy meeting you, Matsuda-san. I am Shireigiku Hinohara Yuuko and I've been flying the Hoshihokori since I can remember myself flying a ship." Hinohara spoke, as she rested her chin on her fist, seemingly quite comfortable in the presence of the disabled destroyer.
"A lifetime addict and terrorist. How charming" Matsuda drawled sarcastically, before fixing Yuuko with a spiteful stare. "You never answered my question. What do you want?"
"Not a lifetime addict; I was not born on Malta. To answer your question however, it is to satisfy my curiosity. You've already piqued my interest more than any other naval officer I've met, combined." Hinohara replied simply, at least seemingly so.
The answer sent Matsuda's mind racing; she had acted with nothing but rightful disdain towards the terrorist. She failed to see how that could ever come across as "interesting." Before she had a chance to reply, however, two fighters and a bomber exited the trade lane from the direction of New Tokyo carrying Naval Forces IFFs. Matsuda breathed a sigh of relief, the sooner she could be out of this situation, the better.
Yuuko diverted her eyes from the video screen as she saw the new scanner contacts. "Well, it seems that you no longer need my protection, Matsuda-san. I believe we will be preparing to leave. Do take care of this one, little fighters. Her engines broke, I shot her a little too hard." she chuckled as she spoke once more, as the gunboat retreated towards the tradelane.
Matsuda was taken aback; had the Chrysanthemum just covered for her? It did not matter. The fighters took position around the Kiyohime as the gunboat retreated, it was clear that they had no intention to chase and instead would assist the Kiyohime back to drydock. "Right.. a destroyer disabled by a gunboat.. I hope we never have to rely on this baka for reinforcement.." one of them said, practically dripping with sarcasm.
"You would be lucky." Matsuda replied coldly. She had little patience for this kind of naval officer; rookie pilots who had yet to respect the capabilities of their peers or, more importantly, their opponents. But, nonetheless, at least for now she had them to thank for her survival and that of the Kiyohime, and they could soon return to Kure for proper repairs. The Chrysanthemum was not far from her mind, however. She was an honourless terrorist, and yet she had held her fire against a valuable prize. The source of her apparent interest in Matsuda however remained a mystery. Ichika's first thoughts were that she did not know or care of its origin yet something about that thought felt untrue. For now, though, her job was to ensure her ship's repair. Now was not the time to brood over what may have passed or what was yet to occur. Matsuda looked around at the bridge, with the few rookies in the bridge crew wide eyed at their fortunate escape, and the more jaded members simply giving each other looks of acknowledgement at a lucky break. For Matsuda, she simply hoped to guide her crew once more back to safety. At that moment, nothing else mattered.
RE: Kiyohime - Levenna - 07-23-2022
9:01 A.M, October 16th, 828 A.S.
Outcast Destroyer MNS Muerte
Outcast Destroyer MNS Muerte
A young Outcast lieutenant walked with haste along the corridors of the Muerte, the great Storta, as they lurked within the Tottori system. The engagement had taken a heavy toll on their sister ship, and they wished to remain in hiding until any Naval Forces patrol had swept the system, lest they be caught as they retreated back to Omicron Alpha. At the end of a corridor was a bulkhead and door, much the same as many others on the ship. The door, however, was open, and a deafening silence flooded the hallway, growing more noticeable as the Lieutenant approached the hallway's end. He stopped once he reached it, inhaling the cardamine-laced atmosphere and sighing as a sense of trepidation rushed over him. "Capitan Garcia?" he called out.
"Enter." the voice of the captain rang in the silence. "That is the voice of Lieutenant Almonte, is it not?"
"Si, Capitan." The lieutenant responded. He stepped through the bulkhead and entered the Captain's quarters, a poorly decorated affair of grey steel composite with little in the way of creature comforts. "I am surprised you know me by name, Capitan." The Lieutenant continued, keeping his head pointed towards the floor out of respect. "I came to deliver my report about the status of the prisoners we took."
"I see." the Captain responded. "Please, Lieutenant, be at ease." At the captain's request, the lieutenant relaxed and looked up. He was surprised to see the captain without his shirt; he had clearly just washed and was dressed in his uniform trousers, however his blonde hair was a mess and his scarred back and arms were clear for the Lieutenant to see before the captain pulled on a simple sleeveless vest and turned around to address him. "Well? Your report"? He enquired as his auburn eyes dug in to the Lieutenant, unnerving him somewhat.
"All prisoners are aboard Muerte. In her damaged state, Malta's life support could only be trusted to handle her own crew. We have repurposed the cargo bay as an expanded brig and the atmosphere has been cleared of cardamine anywhere where Kusari prisoners are present." The lieutenant responded without a stutter, despite his nervous state.
"Good. It would be a shame to waste our orange gift upon them." The captain replied idly as he used a towel to dry his hands, looking at Almonte all the while. "Have you questioned any of them?"
"No, Capitan. Many are injured. Some, including the captain of the Destroyer, have been in a coma; they were in pods that were closer to the Kagoshima as the reactor melted down."
The captain's eyebrows raised as the Lieutenant replied. He threw the towel on the thin mattress that passed for a bed beside him before he rested his hands on his hips, seemingly in thought as his gaze diverted from the Lieutenant, much to Almonte's relief. There was always something unnerving about the Captain, a certain coldness; It was very much a relief to not be the centre of his attention, even for a few seconds. A few seconds was all it would last, however, as his gaze would soon swap back to the lieutenant. "So be it. Ensure none die but no more than that. We will take them all back to Malta and let the higher ups fight over what to do with them. See to it that their captain, however, receives medical attention. Tell the doctors to do whatever they have to to get her awake as soon as possible. I would like to.. talk with her, I think."
RE: Kiyohime - Levenna - 07-29-2022
6:31 P.M, July 15th, 829 A.S.
Kure Shipyard
Kure Shipyard
Ichika sat at the bar in Kure, finding herself lost in the window with a distant view of New Tokyo. No alcohol was served of course, this was a Naval installation, but she instead took solace in the relative quietness at this hour. Many patrols had yet to report back, and those who would patrol through the night were catching their last few precious hours of sleep. She took a sip of the glass of water in front of her and let off a light sigh. She would be staying on Kure for the next day or so. As a brand new warship, Kiyohime had some teething troubles to go through and was still under maintenance ensuring her power failure the previous day would not replicate again.
The sound of well-polished shoes striking the grated metal floor permeated throughout the bar as the footsteps grew louder, approaching Ichika before her Executive Officer, Nakamura Hina, took a seat next to her at her table. She took a moment to get herself comfortable, or at least as comfortable as she could be in full uniform, before glancing at Matsuda. "Caught any sleep yet?" she asked passingly as she took in the view of the bar, a habit of hers to always ensure she knew what was around her.
A smile tugged at Matsuda's lips briefly as she let out a single chuckle. "Not exactly. You know I don't do well after close calls." She responded, taking another sip of her cool water as she did so. She was under no illusion that barely fifteen hours ago, she and the entire crew had expected to lose the ship with all hands. It stuck with her, it was too close for comfort after the Kagoshima's destruction. Prior to that incident, she had always felt a streak of luck, that her crew would see any situation through, but that had been shattered for these last few months. It felt different, somehow, and Matsuda was never truly sure how to process it.
Hina's brow furrowed as she looked quizzically at Matsuda. "On the contrary Ichika, I've known you to be level headed in such times. Out of nine years of service, over six directly under you..." She shifted uneasily to face the Captain, before continuing. "...I've yet to see you like this, what's chang-" Her face dropped suddenly as she realised the logical root of Matsuda's sudden fear, a thousand memories striking her in the timespan of an instant. She shivered slightly despite the relative warmth, and slumped backwards in to her chair, seemingly becoming lost in the past.
It took two or three seconds for Ichika to notice her Lieutenant Commander's reaction, her brow gently furrowed as she tapped Nakamura on the shoulder, bringing her back to the real world. "Hai." Ichika stated simply. Nothing more needed to be said, they both knew the situation and what played on each other's minds in that moment. They instead sat there in silence for a few minutes, gazing out in to the stars. A few tired pilots began to trickle in, the earliest patrols to return, but neither of the two women paid them much mind, and even the perkier or cheerier pilots knew better than to interrupt them once they glanced at the two's epaulettes, displaying their ranks.
A third figure approached, taking a seat across from Ichika and Hina. As the other two glanced up, it turned out to be Lt. Kato Chiyoko, the Kiyohime's helmswoman and the youngest crewemember who had originated from the Kagoshima. She sat and settled upright, a twinge of upset appearing on her face as she saw the sombre expression on the other two's faces, it was not after all hard to guess the source. She put it aside with a gentle sigh as she spoke. "The chief engineer is working around the clock to get Kiyo fixed. He thinks it should be ready by tomorrow morning but he wants until tomorrow afternoon to thoroughly test the ship's electrics, just to be sure."
Nakamura nodded in response. "Good. It was too close for comfort. The fact we barely had any point defence was the worst part, all because we used a simple trade lane? It doesn't make sense, surely that was something that should've been tested, no?" A look of disgust came across the XO's face. She despised the idea that she was put in danger simply because of some oversight by an inexperienced construction crew working on a station ranging anywhere from dozens of kilometers to full lightyears away.
"Hai. But, it will not happen again." the helmswoman responded quickly. The three sat in silence for another thirty seconds or so, Matsuda seemingly noticeably absent-minded as the other two spoke. Chiyoko glanced over at Ichika now, her eyes searching the Captain's face for any sign of a response or much emotion whatsoever. "Matsuda-sama, you're quiet." she stated simply, hoping to prompt the Captain in to showing any sign of life in the conversation.
Ichika didn't move an inch, her eyes didn't blink, she simply sat slightly slouched in her chair staring out of the window to space. After a few seconds her mouth opened slightly as she seemed to be formulating her thoughts in to words, but seemed to struggle to say what she wanted to. "Why didn't the Chrysanthemum fire?" she eventually got out, addressing the elephant in the room. It had puzzled her ever since their narrow escape. It made no sense, a naval destroyer, completely dead in the water. A fine prize for any Chrysanthemum, or indeed any unlawful at all. A significant threat neutralised for the foreseeable future, as after all Kiyohime's entire assignment was to curtail unlawful operations in the Kusari home systems, and the Naval forces can scarcely afford to replace any Destroyer. especially a brand new one. on such short notice.
Both of the other two shifted uneasily, but it was Nakamura who responded first. "I've been trying not to think about it." she admitted. "In all our experience, time and again the scourges of Kusari have proven to be opportunists, preaching honour and yet seizing every underhanded opportunity handed to them. For this to come from a Chrysanthemum above all else, especially Gen'an, was a shock to me." she continued, simply prompting a nod of agreement from Chiyoko.
"She claimed to wanted to ensure nobody engaged us.." Matsuda continued speaking her thoughts, speaking in a far slower cadence than she was used to. It was plain that her thought process caused her discomfort and that she had yet to figure out her own emotions to the logic-defying stance of the Chrysanthemum. "..Do you think she meant it?"
By now, all three had lowered their voices to a near whisper, keen not to be overheard by the other Naval forces personnel in the bar, more than aware how bad it would sound without context. Chiyoko looked Matsuda directly in the eyes, something she did when she was completely serious with whatever she was about to say. "In any other situation, I would call her a snake spouting a parable of lies but.. She had us dead to rights. I see no other conclusion. Ichika, she claimed to have taken 'interest' in you..." she did not finish her sentence. She didn't have to, the other two understood her meaning well enough. After almost three years of the three of them serving together as a bridge crew, Nakamura and Matsuda working together longer than that, they knew how each other thought implicitly by this point.
The three sat in silence now. It was plain that none of them were comfortable at being spared by a Chrysanthemum simply because of her 'interest' in the commanding officer. It was a first for any of them. "Let us hope we do not encounter that gunboat again." Ichika stated firmly. It was plain that worrying further about the subject would only be a distraction to be overthought. They had a job, a duty, one that they were all dedicated to. It had no place for wondering about the 'what ifs' of the universe. They were safe home, that was what mattered. Matsuda glanced around at the other two, dipping her head in respect as she spoke. "I'd better get some rest. You two, too. We have had a long day, and I don't think any of us have gotten rest since.. the incident." She stood up as she spoke, giving a last headbow as she walked towards the exit of the bar.
As she exited, Matsuda caught a glance of Lt. Suzuki, her former Executive Officer, who was giving her a smile and small wave from the corner of the bar. Matsuda stayed paused mid step for a moment giving him a glare, before shaking her head and continuing to her quarters. She put her inability to get over the Chrysanthemum's words down to her tiredness. She needed rest, sleep, and that's exactly what she would get as she entered her officer's quarters assigned to her aboard Kure, pausing only to get out of uniform and in to a simple tank top, and collapsing on to her bed.
As she exited, Matsuda caught a glance of Lt. Suzuki, her former Executive Officer, who was giving her a smile and small wave from the corner of the bar. Matsuda stayed paused mid step for a moment giving him a glare, before shaking her head and continuing to her quarters. She put her inability to get over the Chrysanthemum's words down to her tiredness. She needed rest, sleep, and that's exactly what she would get as she entered her officer's quarters assigned to her aboard Kure, pausing only to get out of uniform and in to a simple tank top, and collapsing on to her bed.
RE: Kiyohime - Levenna - 08-01-2022
8:42 A.M, October 20th, 828 A.S.
Outcast Destroyer MNS Muerte
Outcast Destroyer MNS Muerte
"So." The Captain spoke as he stood at his full height with his arms crossed, looking down doubtfully at the medical bed below him. "You say she will be awake soon?"
"Si. She was in a bad state when she came in here but her recovery was quite swift, with some assistance. She stirred slightly yesterday. Her coma now is medically induced to speed the recovery." The medical officer to the captain's left replied idly while checking several monitors and adjusting the drip leading in to the naval officer's arm. He had closely been monitoring the Destroyer's captain for the last four days, and he was obviously quite tired. He was quite unsure why the Captain wanted this woman in particular to live, but it gave him something to occupy himself so the Doctor was not about to complain. The downside of living on a ship full of Cardamine addicts was that medical officers tended to have very little to do, owing to the increased physical and mental resilience of those afflicted.
"I see." the Captain responded. "Wake her up. I'd like to speak with her." he stated firmly, clearly not in a mood for patience and carrying the bearing of a man who had things to do and places to be.
The doctor's face flashed with irritation briefly as he let out a short but exasperated sigh. "You don't just wake people up from a coma, Capitan. The drug I gave her to sleep should wear off in the next hour or so. She might wake up then." he responded with a small hint of venom in his voice, taking the captain off guard. The chief medical officer was the only person on the ship who had the bravery to speak to him in this way. It took him off guard but equally, he respected it. A faint sound of unsteady, but consistent deep breaths began to emanate from behind the doctor, who turned around in surprise. "Or.. perhaps sooner than expected."
The doctor's patient began to twitch gently, starting in the fingers, before more deliberate muscle movements began over the next few minutes in her limbs as she shifted her body very sligthtly, flexing some of the restrains that chained her wrists and ankles in place. After ten minutes or so, her eyelids began to flutter and her breathing normalised. She opened her eyes proper now, although only barely. She attempted to bring her arm up to her face, presumably in an attempt to wipe her eyes, however there was a gentle clink as the chain holding her restraint in place refused to let her move her arm any more than a few short inches. Her eyes snapped open now, fully revealing her blue iris' as per pupils dilated from the light. She inhaled sharply as she looked down, seeing the restraint on each of her limbs. She saw the Maltese naval uniforms before her, and a sense of loss could be seen spreading across her face as her lips parted slightly, letting out a gentle sigh of resignation as her head fell back against the small pillow of her medical bed.
The doctor's patient began to twitch gently, starting in the fingers, before more deliberate muscle movements began over the next few minutes in her limbs as she shifted her body very sligthtly, flexing some of the restrains that chained her wrists and ankles in place. After ten minutes or so, her eyelids began to flutter and her breathing normalised. She opened her eyes proper now, although only barely. She attempted to bring her arm up to her face, presumably in an attempt to wipe her eyes, however there was a gentle clink as the chain holding her restraint in place refused to let her move her arm any more than a few short inches. Her eyes snapped open now, fully revealing her blue iris' as per pupils dilated from the light. She inhaled sharply as she looked down, seeing the restraint on each of her limbs. She saw the Maltese naval uniforms before her, and a sense of loss could be seen spreading across her face as her lips parted slightly, letting out a gentle sigh of resignation as her head fell back against the small pillow of her medical bed.
The captain chuckled as the Naval officer took in her surroundings. "Good morning. You may be interested to know it has been six days since your ship's destruction, four of which have been spent here. How do you feel?" He asked teasingly, raising his chin slightly in amusement as he crossed his arms and stood above the foot of the officer's medical bed. His face soured however, as the officer stared daggers at him and did not reply. They sat there, staring each other down for the next ten seconds or so, before the Outcast once again broke the silence. "Very well. I was hoping to have a pleasant conversation but I see that is out of the question. I am Capitan Salazar Garcia of the Maltese Navy, and you are going to give me details of the defences, patrols, and vessels stationed in defence of the Kyushu system."
"Matsuda.. Ichika... Captain. Kusari Naval Forces. Serial Number MI810508.."
Garcia broke in to a false smile, showing his teeth as he looked down at Matsuda. "Good! Now we are getting to know each other. Pleasantries have already been dispensed with however. If you would be so kind as to tell me what you know, that would save us both some considerable time."
"Matsuda.. Ichika... Captain. Kusari Naval Forces. Serial Number MI810508.."
Garcia sighed now, a look of disappointment coming across his face. Whether it was feigned or not was near impossible to tell, but nonetheless he walked over to where the chief medical officer stood watching. "Perhaps you are wondering why you feel.. different. Perhaps you are wondering why you recovered so quickly from what were certainly life threatening injuries. After all, your pod was one of the ones closest to your destroyer when its reactor melted down.." He paused, feigning considering his next words in his monologue, to let his last sentence settle in for a second. "Perhaps it is down to your physique. After all you are in quite good shape, it is logical that it could be what saved your life. Or.." he continued, smiling genuinely this time, "there could be another reason." he said as he sat down on the bed next to Matsuda, raising his hand and tapping the IV drip that was leading in to Matsuda's arm.
The Naval Captain's eyes were drawn to the IV and immediately recognised what was flowing through it. Her eyes began to tear and her already tattered voice broke even further. "Matsuda Ichika... Captain. Kusari.. Naval Forces. Serial Number MI810508.."
Garcia sighed once more as he stood up and turned his back to Matsuda. "You should be grateful, you know. Four days of continuous liquid cardamine injection, worth a fortune on any black market in Sirius. The stuff saved your life. But, nonetheless I see that you have no intent of giving up the information I require of your own free will, so it appears that we will be here for.. some time."
RE: Kiyohime - Levenna - 09-18-2023
9:22 A.M, July 18th, 829 A.S.
Kure Shipyard
Kure Shipyard
Ichika toyed with the capsule containing the purple liquid her life had come to depend upon for the last year, watching how the light reflected off the cardamine as she tilted it back and forth. She may have been recovered from her Outcast captors through a rescue operation by the KNF, but the scars remained nonetheless. Her eyes flit to the door of her quarters as the sound of a pair of heavy boots impacting the floor draws closer down the corridor outside. Ichika deftly stores the small capsule of liquid cardamine away in a small hollow in her desk as a knock sounds on her door.
"Enter." She calls, loudly and concisely.
"Enter." She calls, loudly and concisely.
A tall, heavy-set crewman poked his head through the door. "Your presence is requested in the Admiral's office, Captain." he spoke softly, before nodding his head very slightly in anticipation of a response.
Matsuda curtly nodded back, prompting the crewman to once again return to the corridor outside and for the door to slide cleanly shut. She took one last glance back at the hollow containing the liquid cardamine, before donning her dress uniform to present herself before her one-time commanding officer. She walked down the ornately decorated hallways of Kure Shipyard as KNF personnel went about their various duties, her mind wandering as it had been for several days at this point. She and the crew of the Kiyohime had been given two weeks' shore leave as the Destroyer underwent repairs and refit. Matsuda herself, however, was ill-suited to such endeavours. Her work kept her focused, kept her sharp. She preferred not to be left to her own devices where thoughts best left suppressed had time to flower and take hold of the mind. She walked up to the two wooden doors leading to the Admiral's office, took a deep breath, and entered.
Rear Admiral Sato sat at his desk, looking expectantly as the young Captain entered his office and bowed. "Captain Matsuda, your shore leave is to be cut short. We have a flight of cadets from Fort Wakkanai that will be headed to the Tohoku system for their final flights before graduation. Naval patrols will clear the area ahead of you, it should be completely safe. Your route will take you to Battleship Sado, and back to Wakkanai. It should be easily done. Given that your vessel isn't currently operational, I figure it will be a perfect excursion for when you next come up for promotion." The Admiral fixed his eyes unblinkingly on Ichika as he stood tall, hands clasped behind his back.
A short-lived grimace gave away Ichika's confusion before she regained her composure. "Admiral, I'm qualified in a fighter, but I'm a destroyer captain." She responded uneasily. "Does Wakkanai not have its own specialist instructors for such jobs?"
"Don't be foolish, Ichika. There is no danger. All those cadets need is an experienced officer to regale them with tales of glory and honour, to fill their spirits with optimism and hope for their own futures. For that, I think you are perfect for the job. You're to report to Wakkanai first thing tomorrow."
"Hai, Rear Admiral." Ichika responded with a deep bow, before walking out of the office. She ran her fingers through her hair as she sighed, leaning back against the wall briefly. While she was grateful for a task to focus on, she couldn't help but wonder what kind of bias, oversight, or other circumstance lead to her being assigned to a role which, while prestigious as being seen as a role model for cadets was always a high honour, was so far out of her realm of expertise. Nonetheless, after a moment to collect herself she made her way to the shipyard's docking bays. Crewmen saluted her as she walked past, though she only barely noticed and gave the most cursory of acknowledgements. As she walked, a set of rapid footsteps grew in volume behind her.
"Captain Matsuda!" came the voice of Lt. Kato Chiyoko, the Kiyohime's helmswoman. "A fight broke out between the crew in the mess hall. Some felt that we should have engaged the Chrysanthemum, even if it would have lead to our deaths. Nakamura got it under control, but we need you to address the crew and ensure this doesn't happen again."
Matsuda glanced down the hall at the door to the hangar where her Tora was held, before looking at the young Lieutenant and sighing. "I've been assigned to Fort Wakkanai for a few days, I'm to report tomorrow morning so I need to depart now to be there in time. Tell Nakamura that she's in command for the next week or so. You're the new executive officer for that same timeframe."
Kato's face contorted in evident confusion "Ichika-sama? Are you not on shore leave with the rest of us?"
"I'm to lead a flight of cadets through the Tottori system and back to Wakkanai before their graduation. Be an example, if you will." Ichika explained, keeping her facial expression neutral as to not betray her own misgivings.
The young lieutenant's perky face lit up as she grinned "You were chosen for such a task? Normally it's the Wakkanai instructors who do that, some of the KNF's finest aces. Congralations, Ichika!" she exclaimed, forgetting all formality for a brief moment, referring to her superior officer by her first name. Her face showed surprise for a moment as she realised her mistake, before she settled on a simple smile.
Ichika let out a small smile at the Lieutenant's infectious enthusiasm. "I'll be back in a few days, Lieutenant. You and Commander Nakamura continue overseeing the refit while I'm gone." With those words, she let out a decisive nod, and left the Lieutenant, who herself spun on her heels and headed back for the Kiyohime's mooring, as Matsuda headed for the hangar, departing for Fort Wakkanai.
RE: Kiyohime - Levenna - 09-18-2023
KOI Incident Report
Hana Squadron disappearance, July 19th-23rd 829 A.S., Tohoku system
Personnel & Equipment Involved:
Captain Matsuda Ichika - J17P-95P(E) "Tora" Heavy Fighter
Cadet Hinamori Koto - J7P-34 "Wyrm" Light Fighter
Cadet Takahashi Rin - J7P-34 "Wyrm" Light Fighter
Cadet Takahashi Tsumugi - J7P-34 "Wyrm" Light Fighter
Cadet Matsumoto Ritsu - J7P-34 "Wyrm" Light Fighter
Cadet Kimura Fuyuki- J7P-34 "Wyrm" Light Fighter
Cadet Hinamori Koto - J7P-34 "Wyrm" Light Fighter
Cadet Takahashi Rin - J7P-34 "Wyrm" Light Fighter
Cadet Takahashi Tsumugi - J7P-34 "Wyrm" Light Fighter
Cadet Matsumoto Ritsu - J7P-34 "Wyrm" Light Fighter
Cadet Kimura Fuyuki- J7P-34 "Wyrm" Light Fighter
Incident Description:
Hana squadron departed from Fort Wakkanai at 10 A.M. on the 19th of July, 829 A.S. with an expected arrival at Battleship Sado at approximately 11 P.M. that same day. The squadron succesfully made contact at 1 P.M. on July 19th for their first comms check-in as they confirmed their intent to enter the the Tohoku system as planned via the Hokkaido-Tohoku jumphole. Their post-jump communication to Battleship Sado however was never received. At 3 P.M. on July 19th, Battleship Sado dispatched a search and rescue squadron to comb the Nampo Cloud for the missing cadet wing and their Captain, however this search was notably unsuccessful despite being joined by an independent Corvo-class vessel with an enhanced scanner suite. The Nampo Cloud was noted as unusually unstable during the search, and it is noted that the interference may have prevented either vessels or distress signals from being detected. Both Sado's scanners and the powerful long-range radars operated by the Hanta-Iseijin aboard Heaven's Gate corroborate the cloud's unusual disturbance during this time period, and put it down to simple natural phenomena.
On the 23rd of July at 8:23 P.M. Battleship Sado picks up four incoming vessels with transponders for cadets Matsumoto, Takahashi T, Kimura and Hinamori. It is explained that a localised ion storm had severely damaged their vessels upon exit in the Tohoku system, and their ships had been drifting through the Nampo Cloud on backup life support. The vessels of Captain Matsuda and Cadet Takahashi R. were both broken apart as they were struck by debris while adrift (no wreckage was found during subsequent investigation), however both pilots ejected and were successfully recovered by the remaining cadet light fighters once power had been restored.
All vessels were allowed to dock after the cadets' identities were confirmed. The four vessels were taken to be examined while all six personnel were given cursory, non-invasive medical examinations to determine any ill effects to their health.
On the 23rd of July at 8:23 P.M. Battleship Sado picks up four incoming vessels with transponders for cadets Matsumoto, Takahashi T, Kimura and Hinamori. It is explained that a localised ion storm had severely damaged their vessels upon exit in the Tohoku system, and their ships had been drifting through the Nampo Cloud on backup life support. The vessels of Captain Matsuda and Cadet Takahashi R. were both broken apart as they were struck by debris while adrift (no wreckage was found during subsequent investigation), however both pilots ejected and were successfully recovered by the remaining cadet light fighters once power had been restored.
All vessels were allowed to dock after the cadets' identities were confirmed. The four vessels were taken to be examined while all six personnel were given cursory, non-invasive medical examinations to determine any ill effects to their health.
Incident Examination:
All four vessels' serial numbers matched those flown by the cadets from Wakkanai, while their systems show evidence of significant EMP damage consistent from either pulse weaponry or ion storms of the kind reported by the cadets. Corroborated evidence of the conditions reported reported by patrols, Sado and Heaven's Gate as well as each of the cadets and Captain Matsuda's separate interviews leads the investigators to conclude that the damage was the result of a severe, localised ion storm as they exited the Hokkaido-Tohoku jumphole. No Blood Dragon involvement is suspected in the disappearance or reappearance of Hana squadron's vessels.
Medical examinations of involved personnel showed physical harm to Captain Matsuda (cuts and severe bruising around the legs) and Cadet Takahashi T. (minor bruising of the left arm and leg) consistent with debris impact and ejection reported separately by all six personnel in individual, separate interviews. No other physical harm was shown to other cadets, again consistent with electronic interference of ion storms not known to cause harm to human physiology. All personnel were shown to be sick and malnourished, due to lack of adequate food supplies for their predicament, and showed significant appetite upon return to Battleship Sado. No medications were deemed necessary as within a few days of rest and nourishment, all personnel made a full recovery.
Debris from Captain Matsuda's Tora and Cadet Takahashi T's Wyrm was not found. It is believed to have dispersed throughout the Nampo Cloud or beyond, rendering it unlocatable.
Medical examinations of involved personnel showed physical harm to Captain Matsuda (cuts and severe bruising around the legs) and Cadet Takahashi T. (minor bruising of the left arm and leg) consistent with debris impact and ejection reported separately by all six personnel in individual, separate interviews. No other physical harm was shown to other cadets, again consistent with electronic interference of ion storms not known to cause harm to human physiology. All personnel were shown to be sick and malnourished, due to lack of adequate food supplies for their predicament, and showed significant appetite upon return to Battleship Sado. No medications were deemed necessary as within a few days of rest and nourishment, all personnel made a full recovery.
Debris from Captain Matsuda's Tora and Cadet Takahashi T's Wyrm was not found. It is believed to have dispersed throughout the Nampo Cloud or beyond, rendering it unlocatable.
Actions Taken & Resolution:
The four remaining Wyrms are to be repaired and returned to Fort Wakkanai along with the cadets who will graduate as planned. Captain Matsuda has also been deemed medically fit for service and resumed her post aboard the destroyer Kiyohime. The incident as a whole is deemed to be an accident of nature that could not have been predicted or planned for. No outside involvement or tampering is suspected.
- Suzuki Botan, Kusari Office of Intelligence
// Incident Closed //