Ten Thousand Years of the Kusari Republic (redux)

[SupcommMonroee]

Lieutenant Takahiro Yamada stood at determined attention, keeping his gaze aligned forward. His undersized form was aggressively accentuated by a wide-shouldered duty uniform, and a wide stance trained into habit over a number of years. The thin beard and mustache on his face were similar tools he manipulated to amplify his image, but for all of the pushing against hygiene and uniform fitting regulation, he could not bring to bear a more imposing stature than most of the ship’s crew.

He offered a sharp 30 degree bow from the waist in salute. “Captain. Have recent… events caused unrest in the crew? Do you want us on standby in case of sabotage?”

The destroyer captain crossed her arms. “Have a little faith in the crew, Yamada. No, we’re going to sortie out to the Kepler gate. Standard procedure calls for us to secure transit areas, and that gate tends to get pretty hot without government overhauls. I’m worried that we may run into defectors or cocky pirates. In either case, I need you and your team ready at a moment’s notice.”

“Of course, Captain.” Yamada’s tone grew hush, and he looked briefly from side-to-side. “Do you really think there will be defections?”

Kyoko’s expression grew somber. “We have no way of knowing, but I’d rather be ready to face it if there are any than be caught by surprise.” She glanced out of the bridge’s viewport “Those Hunters aren’t going out to look for pirates to hit if there’s a risk that the new government will want to ground ships or impose regulations. They may be trigger-happy, but I think staying out of Fuchu is a bigger priority on their minds.”

Yamada nodded. “Their primary interest is money, money alone. Prison costs money. So, that leaves us Naval Forces to secure the lanes, today.”

The captain turned her back to him, and replied with a faint accent of wistfulness apparent in her tone. “They’re not all just in it for the money… yes, it’s just us, Lieutenant. Dismissed.”

Yamada bowed and exited. Crew went to their stations and the security team prepared for duty as the Chokai departed from Deshima Station. The slim hatchet-shaped destroyer eased into the trade lane to the Kepler jump gate, sandwiched between a pair of Samura oxygen transports. The destroyer took up a position to the left of the gate, facing the lane.

It was some time before anything of note actually occurred. As the minutes stretched into hours, the feeling of urgency departed Honda’s mind; transports continued their usual routines, hauling helium, or oxygen, or vanadium, or whatever else that could be shipped needed to be shipped. In fact, the destroyer’s captain had almost slipped into a state of tranquil security when the bridge came alive with activity.

“Captain! Eight Wyrms, a Chimaera, and a Naval Forces gunboat are approaching from within the cloud, they’re not flashing their proper IFF’s. Orders?”

Kyoko’s eyes narrowed. She figured there would be unrest, but never defections in such force. “Prepare for battle. I want all weapons ready and locked. Hail them, and wait for my order to fire.”

“Yes Captain.”

A few tense seconds separated her orders and the opening of a communications channel. Inwardly, she sighed, cursing her own misfortune at having to deal with such a situation. They were betraying the government, yes, but the pilots of the KNF were pure and honorable. They wouldn’t just leave unless they had seriously considered the circumstances and calculated that they could do the people of Kusari the most good by turning on the new government. But where would they go from Kepler? Liberty? A Freeport? The questions continued to rage in Kyoko’s mind when she spoke her clear and firm order to the pilots. “This is Commander Kyoko Honda, KNF. Fighters and gunboat, power down your weapons and engines immediately. Identify yourselves.” Perhaps force of reputation could get them to stand down, if nothing else. Her reputation for dogged pursuit of her goals and her enemies had spread to every nook and cranny of the Naval Forces.

By the time they had obliged, they had pulled well within visual range of the Chokai. All of the ships were damaged in some way or another. The fighters didn’t seem to badly hit, only two of them were actually burning, but all of them were missing some parts. The gunboat, however, sported incredibly impressive battle damage. Its hull was ruptured in numerous locations, and it had more parts missing or destroyed than actually left on the ship.


“Nito Kaisa Kenta Hashimoto speaking” Kyoko immediately noticed his shortness of breath, likely from damage to life support systems. “We cannot swear loyalty to a shell government and leave our people to suffer. We’re leaving, with the rest of the Exiles. Allow us passage, for we are still brothers in arms, but merely with different masters.”

Honda’s brows furrowed. “Hashimoto, you intend to turn your back on the representative body of the Kusari people. Obviously, you’ve done this violently. And now you expect me to forgo my duty so that you may simply raid us later, in Galileo’s bends and between Ames and the gate?”

“You misunderstand! We are leaving to fight for the true ruler of Kusari, Kotei Kogen’s son! If you have any honor, you will grant us passage. You see the state of our vessels. There would be no fight, only an honorless slaughter. I beg of you, as a warrior and a fellow officer, do not make us die here.”

Panic and fear were both easily noted in his voice. Fear of his fight to the jump gate being worthless. Fear of letting down his pilots. Fear of Kusari’s downfall.

Fear of a dishonorable death.

Kyoko did not respond. Instead, she squeezed her eyes shut and looked down, pinching the bridge of her nose. The defecting pilots soon took their chance and made a dash for the gate, passing the destroyer and entering their codes.

“Captain! They’re escaping! Shall we fire?” Kyoko looked up, opened her eyes, and took in the sight of the display. The defectors were slowly, one by one, passing through the gate. Hashimoto, in his Chimaera, was last to go. He kept his weapons pointed at the Chokai, prepared to go down fighting to buy his subordinates time to escape. “Captain! The last one is about to jump to Kepler! What are your orders!?.”

The defector leader made one last utterance before disappearing into the gate. “Samurai, arigatogozaimasu.”

The destroyer’s captain straightened her back, sighed, and turned to exit the bridge.

By now, Lieutenant Commander Oda had returned to the bridge. “Captain… What happened? Why did you let them escape?” His tone did not indicate any hostility towards her decision, though Kyoko was sure that he could hide any if he actually had some.

Kyoko spoke with deliberate volume, ensuring the entire bridge could hear her. “A power failure, Nobuyuki. The damned power core gave out.”

With that, she stormed off the bridge to confront the one within her head.

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Royce.O'Hannigan / KDS-Hiei

"Real G's move in silence like lasagna."