It Starts Again

[Nodoka Hanamura]

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OCS Utsunomiya Battlegroup
290,000,000 SAU (0.1~Ly) from Tau-23-1
August 5th, 834 AS - 09:22 Sirian Mean Time
♫

The Bridge of the Utsunomiya stands quiet once more, with Hanamura standing at the commander's station, in front of her chair. She looks out in the deep whites and blues of the nebula they reside in, the day having started. She grasps a mug from her chair, filled with coffee. The past week since her awakening has been laden with restless nights, nightmares of her fallen comrades, the potential disappointment of her father, fears of her sister having since been unfrozen, and potentially turned against her, among multivarious other worries.

Shinta, this time around, has the helm, as Hanamura ordered Mercury to be relieved of her duty for the remainder of the trip. Jae-un, again, rests at the radar, watching for threats. This close now to Sirius proper, the risk of nomad and infectee raiding parties, or pirates within her periphery - was non-zero. However, today - they would be ready for whatever threats to scale could be sent their way.

In the bowels of the Utsunomiya, and across the fleet, cryopods begin to vent in sequence, releasing the crew and personnel of Ouroboros from Cryosleep, waking once more. As they come to, they are greeted by a limited brief intranet message, along with their assignments. Aboard the Utsunomiya, the commanders of the reformed faction would be paged by Shinta.

"Setsuna Kobayashi, Alexei Miranov, Mercury Graham, and Brett Kensington, please report to the Captain's viewing deck on the bridge, immediately for briefing. All hands man stations as fragged - await further directives for the factional briefing! Thank you!" Shinta says, ending on a cheery note as her voice echoes through the ship's intercoms. The three save Mercury, having been awoken first, abide by the order, and meet at the main elevator of the cargo hold.

The ever stoic Alexei walks to the elevator door, and presses the call button, with Setsuna and Brett not too far behind.

"Sleep well?" Setsuna says, with a slight smirk. Her youthful Kusari complexion kept well by the long frosty sleep. She was still adorned in her old Ouroboros officer's uniform, the dark teal skirt and blazer, along with high-denier pantyhose and boots.

"As well as anyone would in cryo - poorly." Alexei comments, his slavic accent coming through as hard it ever did. His attire was as usual, a basic jumpsuit with the needed rank and nametag regalia, with little else. "What I want to know is why the Libertonian here's been called."

The man in question, in his late twenties, looks to the two. He had only been in the Ouroboros, prior to the incident, 2 months. Sure, the faction was barely 4 months old, but quite a few of Hanamura's crew had quite the jump start ahead of him from their time on the Seraphine. "Said something about me being made head of Sanzu."

"Sanzu? She's handing our special warfare division over to a Gaijin?" Setsuna says, concernedly, an uncertain wince in her face as she looks to Alexei. "I remember reading his file. Former LSF, best in class at West Point. Stood out in the interview, but we wanted to put him under Akira to see if he was fit for a command role. Given Akira left.. and the fact Delmas is still in the freezer for a bit longer, I guess Hanamura wanted someone better for the job." Alexei retorts, before looking to him, a slight smile on his face.

"He's clean. Not a plant or anything, and even if he was, the LSF forgot all about him, I bet. It'll be a pleasure, tovarisch." Alexei says, before patting Brett on the back slightly. The younger man takes the gentle physical gesture well enough, as the door opens. Alexei gestures to the door while looking at Setsuna. "Ladies first."

"My, Chivalrous are we?" Setsuna retorts before going in. "I don't need that, you know."

"Yes, yes, Miss Independent Ex-Chrysanthemum. Divchynka, you know I was being--" Alexei chides to Setsuna, before she peeks out, facing towards Alexei on the side of the door. "I'm pulling your leg."

"Rather you do it than him." Brett answers. Setsuna's rarely seen playful disposition comes out. "Ou? Hontoni-ssuka?" ("Oh, really?") she says, in a tongue only commonly heard from those living on parts of Planet Kyushu.

To Setsuna's surprise, the man retorts back. "Hai. Sou desu yo." Brett answers. Setsuna goes wide eyed, surprised at his linguistic skills. The man steps inside finally, with Alexei following suit. The door closes behind them.

"What do you think Hanamura is going to have us do, now that it's been some 8 odd years." Setsuna asks, crossing arms underneath her bust.

Brett sighs, before chiming in, his back against the elevator. "I have no clue. For all we know Kusari's liberated. Neural Net access apparently is down because it's been restricted to CENTCOM, which I assume is whoever is left in charge of the MAJCOMs along with Hanamura."

"I can tell you right now my access is also restricted, and I'm head of Hakugyokurou." Setsuna comments, unaware of the restructuring.

"Da. Whatever it is, it's concerning." Alexei says, scratching the back of his head. They watch the elevator ascend them higher through the ship, passing through the same decks that Bride had when she had awoken from slumber, shooting upward past the pool. "Wonder what's going to become of the Utsunomiya, now that it's a warship." Setsuna questions, before Brett scoffs somewhat. "If you can even call it that. She's a glass giant, can't take on anything bigger than a small bomber screen on her own, no long range munitions, the only thing of note is her electronic warfare kit, and even then what good is it if you don't have defenses to keep people from shooting at the fucker once you light up like a christmas tree from the radiation?"

"Brett has a point. Utsunomiya was a last resort in case anything happened to Seraphine." Alexei comments.

Brett nods. "Exactly. Our battlegroup's one Shukensha, a Bustard, two Ahoudoris, a Corvo, two transports and a Diplomatic liner. Suffice to say, a LN battlegroup would run us down faster than the Donau was. Whatever Hanamura's got planned, it better be good, otherwise we're only delaying the inevitable when Kusari snuffs us out."

The Elevator comes to a stop, the door opening to reveal Mercury and Jae-un. The latter speaks up. "Good to see you guys are wide eyed and bushy tailed. C'mon. Time for you to get acquainted with reality." Jae-un says, before turning around, Mercury following her. The trio from before, follow suit, heading towards the bridge.

---

The five approach the door to the captain's viewing platform, and move into a line before Hanamura, who stands there, hands behind her back.

The five, once in position, salute Hanamura, standing at attention. She reciprocates the gesture, before returning to her original posture. "At ease."

The group moves to ease, mimicing Hanamura's posture, their hands behind them. She looks over the five, surprised to see Bride showing such diligence. "Bride. No snide remarks? No humor?"

"I feel it's best to let you do your job uninterrupted just this once, ma'am." Jae-un retorts.

Hanamura doesn't seem to be offended. She returns her gaze to a neutral look at the group.

"I have brought you here about an hour in advance of the mass defrost of the crew, to make you aware of something. Effective immediately, the Ouroboros Revolutionary Front is dissolved."

Alexei, Brett and Setsuna go wide-eyed, shocked at what they had heard. Before they can object, Hanamura continues.

"I understand that is shocking, but let me finish. The biggest flaw with the Ouroboros in our past form is it was too big, and we were moving too fast. We have been reborn - into Battlegroup Ouroboros. We are small now, but through cunning, patience and will, we shall work to ensure that when the time comes, we will build ourselves back to as we were, and re-establish the People's Commonwealth of Kusari.

With this change, there has been consolidation and liquidation of commands, groups and individual units alike, Which.. brings me to why you are all here. Effective immediately, your new assignments are to serve as the heads of each command."

Hanamura steps close, and looks to Setsuna on the left edge of the group. "Major Kobayashi, along with your new rank, you will be dismissed from Hakugyokurou effective immediately, and assume a position in Mizurashi Section, the command responsible for overseeing the diplomatic and soft power affairs of our group. Once in Sirius, you're to make contact with GNI, Der Plattform, and the Mollies. I will handle Auxesia and Prometheus personally, but you may be asked to pitch in where needed."

Setsuna answers with a nod. "I won't fail you, Hanamura-taichou." she says, before rendering a salute to her superior.

She looks next to Alexei. "Alexei, my friend. You will take Setsuna's place, in the new Hakugyokurou Logistics Company. Hakugyokurou will be responsible for sustenance operations, support logistics and maintenance. Hopefully it won't be too much of a burden for you."

"Tse ne problema, kommandir." Alexei responds back, in his native tongue, before saluting. "I'll fufill my duties to the best of my ability. My time at Freeport 11 afforded me all I need for this." he concludes, before returning to ready stance.

She then steps down to Brett.

"You, my comrade.. I must elucidate to you why you are where you are now." she says, staring at him coldly. "We are nearly a decade departed from when we last raised the rifle and fired the cannon. We have all likely lost sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers to the sands of time. Any chances that you were a plant, are now long gone. the LSF has no use for cold leads, especially now. As the fates seem to destine us to be, we are likely to turn against your house of birth. Where stand you, Brett Kensington? Will you stand with us on the steps towards returning to our home? Or do you plan to stab us in the back? You are quite literally, the only man qualified enough for the job. Therefore I am putting immense trust into you."

Brett answers with a salute, before yelling out an old hymn of the faction. "In Service to Ouroboros, In service to Kusari, In Service to Mankind, I shall serve! For our future lies in her bosom, our destiny certain! Through fire and brimstone, through heaven and hell, We shall set her people free, for generations to tell! To bind old and new, to push boundaries and let legacies ring true - I am of Ouroboros, the snake that which dies is reborn again, as are they, so am I!"

Jae-un peeks over to look at her Libertonian contemporary. "Damn, don't gotta be a showoff, dude."

Hanamura doesn't pay Bride's remark any mind. nodding to Brett instead. Looking the 26-year old over before continuing. "Ouroboros has need for your skills and knowledge. The unspoken battlefront calls for you, a currency of whispers and suppressed pistol and rifle fire traded in dark corridors and stormy nights, where the truth and lies are blurred to ensure our prosperity and the downfall of our foes. Where one carries a blade under the sleeve, ready to strike at a second's notice. You will form the head of Sanzu DEVGRU, you will be our eyes and ears. Your job will be to run counter-intelligence on the Kusari Office of Intelligence, both against us.. and at least for the moment, against Auxesia."

The group looks to her again. "Hanamura..?" Jae-un asks, confused and concerned.

"Intelligence suggests that Auxesia is having discussions with the Kusari Office of Intelligence via a liaison. That's all we know, but I want you to run counter-intelligence and keep me in the loop on matters relating to Auxesia and this liaison."

"What if we find the liaison alone?"

"Leave them alone. Do not engage, do not interact. We have no intel on who they are other than a codename - Ayakashi."

"So pure reconnaissance and COMINT/HUMINT gathering. Anything else, ma'am?" he asks of her.

"Outside of monitoring for activity in the region and investigating, nothing else, Kensington."

He salutes her. "Yes ma'am." he says, before returning to neutral position.

She looks then finally, to Mercury and Jae-un. "You two are tasked as fragged prior. Jae-un will be leading Kotetsu. I expect you to assign someone fit for command of ground forces within the week. You'll be handling C2 for our aviation units."

Jae-un answers with a salute, before Hanamura focuses on Mercury. "Mercury, your vacation from duties is still in effect, but once on station, I will be handing command of the fleet to you. Save when I am aboard and assuming flag commander duties, your job is to maintain the fleet in coordination with Hakugyokurou, and coordinate with Kotetsu for force projection."

Mercury issues the final salute from the group, which Hanamura returns in kind.

She steps back, before the group at large. "We will be having a general briefing at 1100 hours. It will be streamed over the intranet, to all crew and personnel."

"Dismissed."

---

♫

Hours later, through the various halls and corridors of the fleet of the Ouroboros, crew are fast at work, assessing wear to the fleets, making themselves at home in their long neglected quarters, and mingling amongst each other. As the clock strikes 11, a voice echoes over the ships intercoms.

"To all who hear this. This is Commander Hanamura."

She says, stopping for a second, looking out from her chair in the captain's seat. The crews stop what they are doing, and listen to her. The brief silence is almost deafening.

"We have come quite some time.. and some distance. We are bruised.. we are battered. We are worse for wear. But the one thing we are not.. is broken. Our aspirations to liberate Kusari have faltered once, but much like our faction's namesake, we shall repeat the cycle with lessons learned and bruises to show for it. We may not do so immediately - as we must build ourselves up again, and possibly take shelter under the custody of one of our oldest allies. The world we knew has changed - both for better, and for worse.

Gallia no longer is our foe, having established itself as a union, no longer chained by the ideals of monarchies - its' war against Sirius now over. Whereas Bretonia, repeats acts of horror and hatred from Gallia cast upon Leeds, upon Bretonia, against those in Dublin - Much like the neglected worker goes home to hit his wife and children. The Mollies, who seek to upend the Bretonian crown, and set Bretonia on the path to a forward-thinking state have managed a formidable resistance. The Commonwealth of Liberty has fallen, and the fascists of the Xeno Alliance and House of Liberty are vying for power, all the while, the latter and Crayteria encroach on Auxesia's home. Rheinland has regressed into a totalitarian empire, and Kusari has changed little, save the wane of progressive, democratic movements like ours once was. We no longer, however, have the capacity to take the fight to Kusari. We must rebuild, before we can even bring might to bear upon the Kaigun.

We are now, a battlegroup. You will receive your new assignments within the hour. Most of them will not change, but be under different units. But beyond that -- I ask your indulgence. My mistakes cost us. And I am sorry. But this war for me is one I will die with. I have beyond Ouroboros, beyond all of you, little left to live for. I implore you to understand that. You have heard me elucidate on Terra, on my home, on my family, the sacrifice of my father, that helped see us to Sirius, the multivarious trials and tribulations of Kusari that has lead it down this dark road - so many, many times. Many of you came to Ouroboros because of my beauty - which I think you now probably regret since it cost you nearly a decade of time, others came because they had nowhere else to go. Some call Kusari their birthplace. Others see Ouroboros as a road to find a new place to call home. I assure you, my aspirations are still strong, my determination still unwavering. And I hope -- yours are as well.

I know many of you long for your families, your loved ones. You will get to, if they still live, reach out to them. We are two months away from home. It has been an agonizing 8 years since our departure. But I know.. after all we've lost, that the desires of revenge - of justice, still burn true in your hearts. Our aim soon, will not be at Kusari, but be at causes similar to ours. For if we cannot help our comrades pursue freedom - what hope do we have of ensuring our house's own? The house of Liberty has waged war on Zoner society - the Zoners, the people who were it not for them our faction would not have had the resource that launched it forward, the late Abdicant Seraphine. While our affiliations are definitely not reciprocated, or at least, not equally, we are kindred, in their pursuit of the unknown, the wild frontier, of being free from overbearing house authorities and corporate influence - and our pursuit of democracy, freedom, and justice. The Zoners of Pennsylvania, beckon to us, to souls like us. And their kin in Prometheus, too wish to rebuild the now fallen Commonwealth of Liberty, a cause birthed of the Hellfire Legion, a faction much like our own.

Ouroboros' future is long, and it will be tedious as we rebuild - but through perseverence and dedication - we shall strike fear into the Keisatsu and Kaigun. We will help bring the Prometheans and Pennsylvanians to victory. We shall plant our flag in Kusari once more, and no one - not Sanae Miyasu and the Kaigun, not Keiji Namura and the GMG, not the Order, and definitely not the defunct Marine Royale Gauloise - will get in our way!

We are Ouroboros, and we have dedicated our purpose to a cause worth fighting - even if it means dredging through blood and sweat. We are at our lowest point now, and I, we - need you, now more than ever. I ask you, men and women of our forces - to put trust in me one more time. And to join me and the others, in marching towards the good fight. For only through blood, sweat and tears, will be come out triumphant.

Glory - to Ouroboros.

That is all."

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