Kiyohime

[Levenna]

9:22 A.M, July 18th, 829 A.S.
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.

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.