>>2161774
>'Have you talked to the Admiral about this? This seems like it's a floor up on my paygrade.'
>'I hardly think that they'll be hostile at all. They won't risk screwing over goodwill, ill-gained as it is.'
>'The priority is to keep operations at an acceptable level. The alliance is just a patch to make sure people can do their jobs.'
>'I can see where Haszad's coming from, though.'
>'I'd follow that thought, but ... that's probably not all you're here about, are you, First Admiral?'
>Write-In

>>2161788
>>'I'd follow that thought, but ... that's probably not all you're here about, are you, First Admiral?'

>>2161788
>>'I'd follow that thought, but ... that's probably not all you're here about, are you, First Admiral?'
>>Write-In
"Seems odd that they would not head your counsel."

>>2161830
This

>>2161830
suporting

another test

seems fine to me

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‘Usually I’d follow that thought,’ you lift your mug and tough it out with another sip before continuing, ‘but something tells me that you’re probably not here to just warn me about some unannounced changes or to just shoot the breeze on politics and administration.’

‘It is related,’ she nods, ‘but the brokering of the overseeing body’s governance is a factor as to why I am here to see you. You are one of the few players on this stage who is still treated as a relative outsider due to circumstance … and whether you like it or not, Commander—you are a player.’

You grimace, letting out a wry chuckle.

‘Never been called that before.’

‘You cause an international kerfuffle that would have had any lesser man drawn and quartered—the Admiralty may see use in you, but the only reason the Lords don’t touch you is because they fear the Abyssals more than they do the bureaucratic mess as a result of your actions,’ she pauses, ‘so in perspective, young man, whether you like it or not, you are essentially your own faction in this mess. One that none wish to acknowledge, but otherwise has a use based on the sheer assets you have accumulated in your brief tenure.’

You wrinkle your brows as you stare back at the First Admiral. You had never thought of it that way before … but then again, that was probably because you believed yourself to be a great deal more connected than to consider anything even relating to opposition. You honestly didn’t believe you had anything on your side that was a particular game-changer in the scheme of things … aside from the slack of rope that had been mercifully handed over to you from Musashi’s bonding experience with your person.

‘So what is this about?’

‘We’ll get to that, but … the first thing that I want to ask you is crucial,’ she pauses again, ‘and if possible, I would like you to answer it as honestly as possible.’

Your lips thin into a line as confusion begins to set in again—she was being awfully cryptic about whatever it was that she was here about … but then again, at this point, you were used to being kept in the dark until the eleventh hour. You didn’t enjoy it, but maybe that’s because you never bothered to look beyond the horizon like the First Admiral had insinuated of the other subjects in this conversation.

Right now, the only things that concerned you were protecting the shores and keeping everyone alive doing it. Petty matters like subterfuge could honestly go and suck a lemon to that.

‘Where and who are your loyalties to, Commander?’

You frown. That was an odd question.

‘My loyalties? I’m not gonna turn traitor on Taiyouga if that’s what you mean—Haszad probably has a noose and a trapdoor waiting for me. I’m kinda boxed in here.’

She doesn’t smile.

‘Please.’

>Write-In

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>>2162251
>>Write-In
our loyalty has always been to humanity and its defenders, both human and kanmusu

sure most of humanity may not be worth fighting/dying for but we will not abandon or desert those who feel that humanity is worth it, aka kanmusu/fairies

if they fervently believe humanity is worth it then maybe it is and we will give our all, not for haszad or taiyouga or any country, but for the people that are powerless to protect themselves

>>2162251

Humanity. My loyalty is to everyone who wants to life their life free of abyssal menace. I don’t care if they were born here or across the ocean or summoned from another plane. I want to preserve whatever it is the fairies have seen in us worthy of preserving. I want to secure a future where every sapient being can choose their path without worrying about an incomprehensible threat from the depths.

And I don’t want humanity to warp into a caricature of itself in order to secure its survival. I don’t want that which survives to be as atrocious as the threat we set out to fight.

I am in service of Admiralty, but if that’s not enough... You call me a faction in a game I’m not fully acquainted with, so how could I honestly pledge myself to one of the others without more intimate knowledge of their principles?

>>2162268
This

>>2162251
>>2162268
This works.

>>2162268
this.

>>2162251
>>2162268
I'd vote for this.

But we really should mention that we also are loyal to her defenders. The kanmusu.

>>2162329
>or summoned from another plane
>every sapient being
my intent was to implicitly include them as people
because they are good people

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‘My loyalty’s to humanity,’ you declare, not missing a beat. ‘I didn’t take this job up on the grand delusion of being a player in a scheme … at least not more than I did just to prove to myself that I could be more than what I was. Right now, I’m just focused on keeping everyone safe. I don’t care about what some diplomat or politician has to say about it. The fairies saw that we were worthy enough to be given that chance; if there’s going to be someone about to disprove our worthiness, it’s not going to come from me.’

‘Simplistic,’ she lets out a cynical, brief sound of amusement, ‘but shrewd.’

You take another sip from your mug.

‘I just think that all of this is petty and worthless. Taiyouga and Haszad see the Admiralty as a tradeable asset—the both of them should be looking at it as a necessary defensive measure; the only one that actually stuck. I was a little young to actually understand what happened with first contact, but … I mean, it’s war. People die. I think that everyone on board’s doing as good a job as they can—and they don’t need this to distract them from what’s right out there.’

She goes immediately stoic, folding her fingers on your table.

‘You’re implying that this action is contrary to that of our push for survival?’

‘Haszad’s interest in Shaman MagiTek and Admiralty operations is only to supplement their position as a military powerhouse—survival may be a priority, but it’s not their only goal.’

The First Admiral raises an eyebrow at your insinuation. For you, the evidence was more than apparent.

‘So you disagree?’

‘I’m a Commander of the Admiralty—I don’t think about anything beyond keeping my Division operational for the next drop,’ you declare, setting your hands down on the table, ‘but I’m not going to stand by and turn something as the desire to just be able to see the next day be turned into a caricature for Haszad—or any nation’s—desire to thrive. I didn’t sign up to be a player in mind games. I f Haszad walks into that valley and drags the Admiralty with it, I won’t be following. I may have taken this job on selfish terms, but I’m not going to finish it in a way that warps what I believe we should be standing for just for the sake of that next breath.’

‘Is that your answer?’

You think about it—if only for a moment.

‘My commitment is to my responsibility to humanity. It’d be stupid of me to assume there’d be anything that should take precedent above that. I’m not interested in playing politics or power-broking, no matter which way you put it, especially not when I have my Division to think about.’

She stays quiet for a moment, before speaking up, ‘Then stick to those principles … no matter what comes. Whether you know it or not is irrelevant. The perception is already present … but on to the next question—and it’s more of a request, really …’

>>2162365
‘Request?’

‘If anything should happen; anything that would compromise the Admiralty’s hold—I want you to protect Bismarck and my girls the best of your capabilities.’

>‘Look, I don’t want to get into any trouble I’m not prepared to jump into …’ (Reject)
>‘So all that was just to ask me to take care of your Division—your Squad? Why not someone else?’ (Confused)
>'I have more than enough on my plate as things are.' (Dismissive)
>‘Is there something … wrong?’ (Worried)
>‘That goes without saying, ma’am.’ (Conviction)
>Write-In

>>2162365
>>‘That goes without saying, ma’am.’ (Conviction)
I get the feeling that we would be biting off more than we can chew, but what else is new?

>>2162365
>‘That goes without saying, ma’am.’

shit's really coming down, isn't it.

>>2162375
>”That goes without saying, ma’am.”

>>2162375
>‘Is there something … wrong?’ (Worried)

>>2162375
>‘That goes without saying, ma’am.’ (Conviction)

>>2162365
>‘That goes without saying, ma’am.’ (Conviction)

>>2162375
>‘That goes without saying, ma’am.’ (Conviction)

>>2162375
>That goes without saying ma'am and if something happened to me that isn't my fault...return the favor best you can?

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‘That goes without saying, ma’am.’

There is no hesitation whatsoever as the words leave your mouth. The First Admiral, evidently amused, chortles behind a closed fist, before nodding in acknowledgement.

‘I suppose it does,’ she concedes, closing her eyes and taking another sip of her mug—which, you notice, was now mercifully cooler than it had been before, as was yours. ‘Rather, I should have expected that you would do so without so much as protest—a classical oaf, through and through.’

You frown, wondering if that was a friendly jibe or merely a brutally honest observation of hers.

‘The world would be less—and more—without you in it, young man,’ the First Admiral declares, ‘and thank you for heeding this old lady’s one request.’

‘We’re going to have to need all the hands on deck that we can pull up,’ you answer evenly, ‘but I do find it a little weird that you’d consider me and not the Admiral or a senior officer to consider their command.’

‘I am not looking to hand them over as soldiers—and you are one of the few that consider them as peers rather than tools and inferiors—and the only one I can trust to keep it that way. I have seen so much conflict—so much in my time; too much. If there’s anything to come out of this war, I honestly hope that it’s that we are able, as a species, able to look into the mirror and tell ourselves that we are letting the wrong things die for the sake of little gain. It’s a selfish stance—but it’s a hope of this old lady even a little … Bismarck, Prinz, everyone … that they would be able to see how brightly humanity can shine when not trapped in the embers of their own interests.’

You pause for a while, letting it all in … before something hits you.

‘And what if they want to fight?’

‘Then they will—and nothing will stop them should it come down to that,’ she nods, ‘but you … you are of a handful that see them for what they are. With fears, desires, dreams—and you are the only one that—in the joke of jokes—the only one with the leverage to move on your terms, with the rightful leverage to do so.’

‘First Admiral—’

‘I have your promise, young man? That should anything happen … I can rely upon you to make sure that even if they answer the call to battle, that you will still consider them beyond their designations. To acknowledge their place beside humanity rather than above or below it—by our side, by yours?’

You sigh as you close your eyes, leaning back in your chair. Down the Hall, you hear the sound of the front door slamming open … and the sound of shuffling feet.

Bismarck’s voice rumbles from the corridor, ‘Admiral, you ready to go?’

The First Admiral stares straight at you, waiting for an answer.

Two blonde Battleships come into full view … and you wonder why you were so hesitant in the first place.

‘Well—that goes without saying, ma’am.’

END DAY 55

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You open your eyes to a new day … and a horrid, horrid chill. Grunting, you wrap yourself further in the blanket, only to find that it had little to no effect in keeping you from the cold. You find yourself making a frustrated noise as you kick the sheets off you, rubbing your shoulders to see if you could get some warmth from the friction, but it did little more than accentuate the ice block that was growing in the middle of your chest. A thought creeps at you as you realize how convenient it would be to be a KanMusu right now and consciously adjust your body warmth to your liking … but idle thoughts were idle thoughts, and you shove them out as quickly as they arrive—not that you wouldn’t minded if the opportunity came along, of course. Today would be your first day back behind the desk … and you had to be fresh. Turning your head up towards the clock, you realize that you had—as always—a head-start. The girls were probably still in their rooms, snoring away.

Your mind strays to the events of the day before: the First Admiral’s visit; Iowa’s return to form; that the Admiralty was planning to hand over their strings to Taiyouga’s government—and by extension Haszad’s—and that the politics of the aftermath of your little excursion had made the her worry enough to bring you in as a sort of guarantor to the continued protection of her wards.

Maybe you should have thought about it a lot—

The rumble of snoring catches your attention.

You look to the foot of your mattress to see Shigure perpendicular to your position along with Samidare, who was lightly snoring on her sister’s bare belly as the former rested her hand on the back of the latter. Shigure was oddly-positioned, two-thirds of her body resting on the cold wooden floor of your room while her legs were inelegantly spread to make room for her blue-haired sister, who was practically drooling around her navel. You frown as slight confusion overtakes you, wondering how they had—no, you hadn’t left your door locked the night before. You had made a quick beef burrito for you and Iowa to munch on—which she was more than happy to wolf down, half of your own wrap included—before you’d turn in for the night, the fatigue from the day’s efforts to save your own skin finally catching up to you. Iowa had been kind—and grateful—enough to send you upstairs with a military-issue gravy kiss (One that you weren’t sure that you wanted again) and you’d just tossed your pants onto the chair and dropped onto the bed with the worry of the Admiralty’s future directions on your mind.

Shigure and Samidare must have taken it as an invitation to do their thing.

Samidare shifts slightly, hugging her sister’s waist in a much tighter hold.

>‘Hey, wake up, you two.’ (Wake them up)
>‘I should really establish limits one of these days …’ (Get a start on the day)
>Write-In

>>2165152
>‘I should really establish limits one of these days …’ (Get a start on the day)

>>2165152
>‘Hey, wake up, you two.’ (Wake them up)

>>2165152
>‘I should really establish limits one of these days …’ (Get a start on the day)
>Write-In
Adjust them onto the bed more comfortable and give them a quick peck on the forehead each.

>>2165152
>‘Hey, wake up, you two.’ (Wake them up)

>>2165152
>Write-In
Put a blanket on them

>>2165152
>‘I should really establish limits one of these days …’ (Get a start on the day)

>>2165152
>>2165174
>>2165180
These.

Time for dadmiral.

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Letting out a sigh, you toss your feet over the edge and let out a great big yawn as you stretch. The tell-tale pop indicates that you were sufficiently limber for the day’s work. The light whine catches your attention as you throw a glance at the two KanMusu, unmistakeable from typical middle school students. Running a hand through your hair, you decide that there wasn’t really any harm begotten from letting the two of them snore it away—it wasn’t as if they hadn’t done it before, anyway. However, there was the matter of Shigure’s current pose with Samidare’s weight on her pelvic region looking tremendously uncomfortable … and one that you weren’t about to allow in your own quarters.

They’re thankfully a lot lighter than they looked … and after only five-to-seven minutes of struggling, the two sisters were snug over the lumpy surface of your standard-issue mattress, covered in a mattress that provided them less warmth than their own functioning systems would by default. Still, the sight was a little reassuring—and allowed you to undress and pick up the towel and wrap it around your waist. You step out into the impossibly chiller hallway, comically running your hands up and down your arms to keep whatever body heat from dissipating.

If you needed anymore reminders of the age of the house, this was it.

You tip-toe towards the bathroom, before something strikes you.

Would any of them be awake?

>Knock on a door (Specify)
>Head straight to the showers
>Write-In

>>2165276
>Head straight to the showers

>>2165276
>>Knock on a door
Takao

>>2165276
>Head straight to the showers

No point waking anyone else now

>>2165276
>Head straight to the showers

>>2165276
>Head straight to the showers

>>2165276
I do want to talk to Takao but I'm not sure if...

ah, to hell with it.
>>2165285
check on her at least

>>2165276

Sure lets do this
>>2165285

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You elect not to wake anyone up. With everything that had been going on, sleep had become a necessary reprieve more than a luxury. You head straight for the bathroom and begin the long arduous process of preparing yourself for the day—and being thankful that you were at least able to be afforded such luxuries compared to the ones who were under military management. You’re done brushing your teeth—and enduring the icy chill of the tap water—within minutes, and find yourself shocked to the waking world by a cold shower; one that you don’t even bother turn the knob on because that would only mean ten extra minutes of enduring the mockery to insulation that was the structure that you resided. A point that you cursed as you lathered and rinsed your way through it all before turning it off and wrapping yourself in a towel and gathering your toiletries, rushing back to your room to quickly put on something dry and … thick, if you had any.

Shigure and Samidare were both still asleep, of course, even after that shower of yours, peacefully nesting themselves in their dreams as you rushed to don your uniform in preparation for the day’s workload. Tossing on your jacket—and finding that it at least did its job a smidgen better than your blanket ever did, you head on out into the doorway, closing the door as gently as possible. It was still early—but the pantry was probably more than stacked with enough rations for you to make something for yourself before your two attendants would be on their way here. You had about … an hour and change, tops—more than enough for you to whip up some crude pancakes with butter.

If what the Admiralty called rations would qualify as butter, anyway. It was probably more related to melted plastic than anything else.

You make your way down the creaking stairs and into the common area, to find that there was already an inhabitant behind the kitchen counter, sipping on what appeared to be a piping hot cup of freshly-brewed coffee.

‘Good morning, Commander,’ Loudmouth greets you, raising a mug. ‘It’s nice to see that you’re finally able to walk around again.’

‘Well,’ you rub your neck, walking over the counter and glancing at what was most definitely not standard-issue brew, ‘it wasn’t easy.’

‘I bet—your Battleships told me about what happened—these kind of black-outs common in your line of work, I bet?’

‘A little more common in my case,’ you admit, ‘but I’m not the standard, so …’

As you trail off, Loudmouth gives an understanding nod, before going back to her coffee. You notice that she’s clad in her usual runner’s gear. She’d probably just returned from a few laps around town.

>‘That’s definitely not the can of brew that the logistic department hands over.’
>‘You’ve gotten used to things around here, I see.’
>‘So—been playing nice with the Army?’
>‘How’re things?’
>‘I’m going to go outside for abit.’
>Write-In

>>2165371
>‘How’re things?’

>>2165371
>‘How’re things?’

>>2165371
>‘How’re things?’

>>2165371
>‘How’re things?’

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‘How’re things?’

‘It’s a lot easier than I thought it would be,’ she answers stoically, ‘I haven’t served as an instructor since I was a stand-in in the weapons program … and I’m thankful that your girls are good enough following and applying field tactics without me needing to hold their hands or drop a textbook on their heads. So far, none of them have shown the bull-headedness of an ace recruit.’

You briefly chuckle at the remark, before backtracking and finding something that catches your attention, ‘Weapons program?’

‘You need to know your weapon before you can bring it into battle,’ she continues, not missing a beat, ‘and there’s nothing that spells incompetence like a soldier that doesn’t know the inner workings of what makes her weapon work. Your Division doesn’t have that problem whatsoever, fortunately.’

You feel like there's a story to tell there.

‘So you were an Instructor even from before, huh? Sounds like it’s your calling.’

‘I’d rather be out on the frontlines,’ she states, clearly and concisely. ‘I’ve never been one to put anything that I could apply stowed away and not into practice … but I do recognize that it’s foolhardy to get into a fight which has an outcome that’s already pre-determined.’

‘Discretion’s the better part of valour,’ you declare with a smirk, prompting her to concede a bemused smile.

‘The Navy Ops have always been pragmatic,’ she nods, ‘so I suppose it wouldn’t be honest of me to ignore that the Admiralty’s approach is hardly applicable or desirable.’

Memories of a discussion from before stir up again.

‘I won’t argue against that—I mean, I’m here; that’s probably enough to tell the whole damn story anyway.’

You don’t miss the ghost of a smile that she wears right as she takes the next sip from her mug.

>'That's definitely not the can of brew the logistics guys bring over.'
>'Tell me more about your Navy days.'
>'Well, it's nice to see that you've gotten used to things, Loudmouth.'
>'So you've heard about Haszad acting up again?'
>'Been playing nice with the Army lately?'
>'I'm going to go outside for a while. Catch some air.'
>Write-In

>>2165531
>'So you've heard about Haszad acting up again?'

>>2165531
>>'That's definitely not the can of brew the logistics guys bring over.'

>>2165531
>Write-In
"Anything new you can say about the training sessions and the division's performance?"

>>2165531
>'So you've heard about Haszad acting up again?'

>>2165531
>'So you've heard about Haszad acting up again?'

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‘So you’ve heard about Haszad acting up again?’

‘Politics has never really been my thing,’ Loudmouth declares tightly, pausing briefly before continuing, ‘but we were the ones who started that particular fire.’

‘I’m not diminishing our role in this,’ you sigh, running a hand through your hair, ‘but you have to admit that this is aggressive, even for them.’

Loudmouth stays silent for a moment, staring at the wall with an unfocused gaze as her brows crease in thought. She didn’t appear to be offended by the statement, so that was a plus to you on any table … but her expression was something that you had never seen etched on her before: that she was somehow hesitant, maybe even re-thinking a stance or thought that related to yours. You don’t say a word, waiting for her reply … and then she finally does speak.

‘Haszad’s never taken rejection well. The only time that they’ve ever been anything close to a good mood was whenever they had the biggest guns on the wall. That the KanMusu have broken what they perceived as balance is more of a slight on them than they saw it as a necessity to perpetuate human survival. Haszad, at their core, have never been team players—the mentality of their governance has almost always been to see any outside influence as a threat, whether they are or not. It’s why a lot of their cogs turn to implication and insinuation over what’s upfront—it’s a lone gunman’s world for them, and that’s all well and good for when you’re a soldier … but not everywhere’s a battlefield waiting to happen. They plan four or five moves ahead and miss the point—and they’re fine with that so long as they’re still standing at the end of it. It’s not about humanity surviving for them … it’s about them standing head and shoulders above everyone else—Abyssals or opposing nations; they’re all the same to them.’

You blink, surprised that she had put so much into that particular reply.

‘Haszad in general’s not the type to start a fight,’ she states … although you feel like it’s more of a form of self-assurance on acquired knowledge than it is to convince you of the fact, ‘but they’ll eat their own young to keep themselves ahead of the pack.’

You grimace.

‘Deterrent mentality?

‘Everyone thinks that they’re the star on the stage or the hero of a story,’ she laughs darkly—a little bit more unhinged than you had previously. ‘Not a lot of people think about their world in terms of what they have due.’

‘So what does that make me to you?’

You go a little wide-eyed. The words had come out without so much as a thought.

‘I think you’re a guy helping keep the rest of us breathing,’ she states neutrally. ‘That’s good enough for me.’

>>2165814
>'I'm going to make some breakfast. Do you want anything?'
>'That's definitely not the brew the logistics guys bring over.'
>'You playing nice with the Army lately?'
>'Well, it's nice to see that you've gotten used to things, Loudmouth.'
>'I'm going to go catch some air outside.'
>Write-In

>>2165814
>'I'm going to make some breakfast. Do you want anything?'

>>2165820
'You playing nice with the Army lately?'

>>2165820
>>'I'm going to make some breakfast. Do you want anything?'

>>2165820
>'Well, it's nice to see that you've gotten used to things, Loudmouth.'

>>2165820
>>'I'm going to make some breakfast. Do you want anything?'

Just here to announce I'll be running a session after my prayers.

I'm feeling ill after taking my new medicine, but I'll run this if I can later.

>>2172969
Take care Mechanic!

>>2172969
Get well OP.

>>2172969
best wishes

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You place a hand on your stomach. You hadn’t had much to eat since you’d left the confines of Akashi’s care—mostly because you never felt particularly hungry until now. Yesterday, though, with Iowa suddenly discovering that meat was somehow the next best thing to breathing (if she even breathed), you’d found yourself dreadfully low on the front of calorie intake. If your estimates were right, the logistics people would have stocked your larder with enough raw rations for you to do as you pleased.

As the thought of making a batch of mouth-watering pancakes and all the luxuries that didn’t serve as standard issue rations comes to mind, however, you manage to spare a glance to Loudmouth, who was taking in the rest of the contents of her cup. Perhaps you didn’t have to start the day with a breakfast derived of company.

‘I’m about to make some breakfast,’ you announce, ‘Care to join me?’

‘I’ve taken in enough nutrients to ensure that I’ll be within operating requirements for the day,’ she replies professionally, a stoic nod in tow, ‘but I appreciate the offer, Commander.’

You give the door another glance.

‘You sure that you don’t want anything? I used to be a cook before I came around here—I’m sure there’s something in my cookbook that could at least give you some pause.’

‘The thought is nice,’ she smiles gently into her cup, ‘but I’ll have to decline, Commander.’

‘Well …’

>Try to convince her (Roll a 1d6 each)
>‘Well, then have a good one, Loudmouth.’ (Let her be)
>Write-In

Rolled 1 (1d6)

>>2175335
>Try to convince her (Roll a 1d6 each)

>>2175335
>>‘Well, then have a good one, Loudmouth.’ (Let her be)

>>2175335
>>‘Well, then have a good one, Loudmouth.’ (Let her be)

Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>2175335
>Try to convince her (Roll a 1d6 each)

>>2175335
>>>‘Well, then have a good one, Loudmouth.’ (Let her be)

>>2175335
>Well, then have a good one, Loudmouth.

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‘Well,’ you nod—there was no need to press on after she had ‘have a good one then, Loudmouth.’

‘The same to you, sir,’ she raises a hand in salute, picking up what appeared to be a pack of the coffee that she had just brewed. ‘I’ll get back to you if there are new developments with the Division.’

You raise your hand as well, albeit a little half-heartedly.

‘Dismissed.’

As moves past you and continues with her day, you decide to get a move on … and to quickly answer the call of your stomach for nourishment. Opening the pantry—which, really, should have been aired in the time you had been in the hospital bed—you pull up the sack and pull out the packs of standard issue salt, sugar … and the surprisingly hefty portion of flour that had come with it. The milk powder would do for now, however, in lieu of milk. Improv was always a cook’s skill, regardless of where he came from, and this was no different. Pulling out the pans and bringing out the bowls, you begin pouring the contents of the heated kettle—leftovers from Loudmouth’s attempt—and throw it all in. As you pick up the ladle, you hear the thumping sound from the floor above: indicators that you were no longer the most active one in the building.

As you go through the motions, you give formal salutes and casual goodbyes to every member of your Division … save for Iowa and Takao, who were nowhere to be seen. You could have sworn Iowa was around last night, as was—

No. You hadn’t seen Takao at all by the time you’d up and prepared to go to sleep.

By the time you’d put the plates away, the familiar creaking and slamming of the doorway greeted your ears, and you look up to see your two attendants animatedly chatting as they hauled folders and files that could have knocked a man out cold with the right application.

‘Look, there’s no way that laser beams could knock a five-inch thick door made of the toughest metal in the world down,’ your bulky attendant begins methodically. ‘It’d have to melt.’

‘If you’re gonna bring that up,’ your lanky attendant counters, ‘then the monster did melt down the tanks. So it is realistic, right?’

‘It’s inconsistent,’ your bulky attendant insists, pulling up the chair, ‘you don’t have two different rules for the same material. Either you blow it up or you melt it—you don’t have it melt in one scene and then blow up in the next.’

‘Gentlemen.’

‘Sir!’

The both of them jump to immediate attention, throwing up salutes, which you return in kind … and find the opportunity to ask the vital question as to your third attendant’s current whereabouts.

‘Where’s LEIA?’

‘LEIA is currently down with the flu, sir! She is currently inland receiving treatment for her current ailment, sir!’

‘It’s all in the inbox, Commander,’ your lanky attendant points out helpfully.

‘Right—so shall we get to work, then?’

>>2175602
POINTS AVAILABLE: 4/5
>District Duties [3/3]
>Supplementary Duties [2/2]
>Division Duties [4/4]
>Base Duties [2/2]

I say two in district and two in div. What do you guys think?

>>2175606
1 in all of them, we can't let them go over the limit without negative consequences, right? Don't want to risk it

>>2175631
How about we clear supplementary and take one point off of everything but div since it doesnt give us any penalties?

>>2175619
>>2175631
>>2175645
Come on, guys, been almost an hour.

>>2175772
I'm sticking with my vote

>>2175645
lets go with this

>>2175772
Ill go with >>2175645
then

>>2175606
1 in all

>>2175606
1 in all

>>2175840
going for this

File: Didja Sir.jpg (37 KB, 451x306)

37 KB JPG

‘Okay, fellas, good work today.’

Your immediate company gives you several mumbles picking up the items from their desks and yours, letting out sighs and the odd clatter of their teeth as they went about finishing the day’s work. You had to admit, there wasn’t that much to go by today. A lot of the Admiralty’s operations in Yokosuka had ceased or been outsourced right back to the Army or the services trickling in and taking back administrative duties of the city—but that didn’t mean there wasn’t a lot, still. It had merely lightened your load in the style of lifting an individual piece or two from a cart of hay … but anything that gave you better ease in the way of your paperwork pile was welcome, even one as minute as this.

You feel like you’d actually got everything done on time for once without testing for a cramp in your wrist … or your attendants’.

Staring at the both of them silently picking up the last bits of stationery, you couldn’t help but be impressed by them today. The both of them had worked … surprisingly quietly and efficiently, for once. Usually, the three of you would get some way into your work before you went on a tangent about some trivial thing such as monster movie marathons, LEIA’s singing career or even criticism of some random nugget that was in their lives. A particular favourite of your bulky attendant’s was how some things in the entertainment industry didn’t sit right with him—to which your other attendants would throw out counter-points of their own.

Today, however, there was none of that. Just two young men diligently executing their tasks without complaint or going off-course.

It was a welcome change—even if you did miss the anecdotes on unrealistic monster costumes.

‘Ask him, man.’

You look up at the sound of light smacking—and true to form, your two attendants had dropped back into their similar habits, hissing and grumbling at each other like a pair of old codgers on a veranda. You seem to have been excluded from this conversation … or, judging by the swift glances of their irises, were the subject of it.

‘You think he’s gonna tell us?’

‘The whole damn town pretty much knows—we just need to—’

‘Gentlemen, is there something wrong?’

The both of them stand to attention, the sound of rattling stationery crackling through the chilly air.

‘N-No, sir, we just, uh … he had a question!’

‘Me?! You had a question, dimwit!’

‘You asked me!’

‘I asked you to ask him if it happened!’

‘You think he’d tell us?’

‘He’s right there.’

You frown. Perhaps it was time to take a firmer stance.

‘Gentlemen.’

The both of them fall silent … before your bulky attendant takes a step forward, his voice trembling either from the cold or from nervousness, ‘We, uh, there’s a story around the base, uh, about why you, um, were in the hospital and we just kinda … well, a lot of people were talking and you weren’t around to ask, so we really didn’t know if it was true, but, um …’

‘Come on, man!’

‘I’m gettin’ to it!’ he hisses back at his friend. ‘People are goin’ around sayin’ you, uh … you actually beat back a Princess. D-Did you?’

As the words lift their mouths, you find the expectant expression morphing onto their faces from the stiff and nervous visage that the both of them wore from before. You open your mouth, considering your words … was there a public leak? Was that why those soldiers were actually … tolerable of you by the time you’d docked back into Yokosuka? Could you even confirm it out loud here and now—knowing that you hadn’t done anything but allowed a certain denizen to run wild on her own terms while you crawled out of death’s door.

‘Did ya, sir?’

It was amazing how two young men on the cusp of their twenties resembled enthusiastic toddlers staring up at a superhero.

>‘I did—it was hard, but … I did fight off a Princess in my last mission, yes.’ (Confirm it)
>‘Where’d you hear about these so-called … exploits of mine?’ (Inquire)
>‘I can neither confirm nor deny the occurrences of my last mission.’ (Vague)
>Write-In

>>2176112
>>‘Where’d you hear about these so-called … exploits of mine?’ (Inquire)

>>2176112
>Write-In
"I wouldnt really say 'beat-off' but more survive, i'd say. Barely made it out alive with the girl."

"Also, i'm telling you two because i trust you two but keep it quiet and not acword to anyone outside this building. Because the reverse side of this particular coin is that there is a Princess in the area. And the last thing we need is a panic."

>>2176119
going for this

>>2176119
+1

>>2176112
>>‘Where’d you hear about these so-called … exploits of mine?’ (Inquire)

>>2176119
This

>>2176119
suportin'

File: A Foe.jpg (105 KB, 850x478)

105 KB JPG

‘You know as well as I do how far-fetched that story is, Attendant.’

‘But … did you?’

You sigh, covering your face with the prosthetic as you consider your options. Denying it outright wouldn’t work. If it had perpetuated on its own two feet, anything you did to suppress it would only fan the flames any further … and if you decided to just come clean and tell them the surface of a very, very deep truth—one that involved a party that you were very wary of revealing their involvement in this so-called beatdown. Taking your hand away from the obscuration of your view … you see the two earnest young men, their enthusiasm undeterred, waiting on your answer.

Dragging the tongue along the roof of your mouth, you can only hope your answer doesn’t make things worse.

‘It was less about me beating her and actually being able to ward her off enough to get away by the skin of my teeth,’ you declare in a firm tone. ‘It wasn’t a cakewalk, but I was able to do enough to make sure the team got back in one piece. I didn’t beat a Princess so much as I was able to get out of there alive.’

You don’t miss the gasps of awe … which really couldn’t have been a worse indicator that your words hadn’t done their job.

‘So you actually went up against one, right?’

‘I did,’ you confirm, nodding slowly, ‘but there’s a difference between actually beating a Princess and not ending up in a grave in an encounter.’

‘Not in this line of work,’ your lanky attendant comments with a grin—before immediately stiffening his form and giving you a respectable half bow, ‘sir.’

You sigh tiredly.

‘I don’t want anyone to get their hopes up … or down,’ you clarify, ‘but the most that I can say about what happened is that we were able to make it home alive and in one piece. For that—and considering where we are—I’m more than thankful to be the only one docked into a damn hospital bed.’

For some reason at those words, the both of their faces practically light up with the quality one would expect from a Saint coming over and giving someone their personal blessing.

‘So you really did fight her off, then? They were talkin’ about it—that you fought back the Stream Invasion.’

You consider your answer, if only briefly, ‘I managed. That’s all I have to say about that.’

Neither of them looked satisfied with that answer, however.

‘Come on, sir—I mean, it’s not like this isn’t the first time you’ve actually talked to us about these kind of things, right? Come on …’

You chuckle, handing over the last pieces of paper.

‘Off you go, Attendant.’

The whine of reluctant compliance as they collected their things and went one their way was one that gave you a small sense of satisfaction.

4/4
>EXECUTE TASK (SPECIFY)
>Look for KanMusu (Specify)
>Seek out Officers/Staff (Specify)
>Visit Location (Specify)
>District Management
>Wander
>Write-In

>>2180675
>Look for KanMusu (Specify)
Nachi

>>2180675
>>Look for KanMusu (Specify)
takao

see if shes ok, havnt seen her in a bit.

>>2180741
supportin

File: Takao and FISH.jpg (337 KB, 700x953)

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You decide to check up on Takao. It had been some time since you had a one-on-one with her.

Not in that sense, of course.

Closing the door, you mumble the location of Takao’s current whereabouts from the assignment sheet—today she’d be on the base overseeing some changes alongside some other KanMusu. What changes they could be, you weren’t given in specification—Nagato had overseen your work since you’d stepped out of the care of Akashi—but from your understanding it had something to do with the new systems—old, refurbished systems, more like—more than anything else.

The buggy is already there, allowing you to jump in alongside three other men—one Army soldier, an Admiralty-commissioned MP and one of the logistics men—before the car started up and took a leisurely cruise. You announce your destination to the driver, who acknowledges your request and in turn asks for permission for the soldier to drop him off at one of the camps. You don’t protest. At most, the drive-around would take about ten minutes. As the buggy honks its way onto the main road, you absently stare at the new paint jobs upon the refurbished buildings. While cracks and loose structures were still present, the patch-up job that you had seen before was probably well on into its final stages now. It had been almost two months since the attack by the Abyssals … and while the town still looked like it could use some sprucing up and a little bit more life to it, the fact that some shops and beachfront properties of other ilk had found denizens to call their own told you that the town would be right back on track soon enough. People were queued up and chatting for rations, hand-outs; the infrastructure wasn’t quite up to scratch just yet … which you honestly hope you weren’t lagging behind, especially with regards to the District under your jurisdiction.

The Army man hops off without a word—right in front of what looked like a re-opened Sushi stall—before the buggy went on its way again. Behind you, the two men were busy chatting about alcohol shots and mixes, which re-opened stall they would like to visit if it ever came back in. One of them even brought LEIA up in conversation, musing on whether he could get a photo to send back to his kids inland.

The other gives his approval, wondering out loud if he could get one for his sister.

For some reason, it got really quiet between them after that.

The buggy arrives and enters the Admiralty’s Yokosuka branch, dropping you right in front of the prep dock as you had asked. The driver gives you a salute and goes on his way, and you—

‘If the order is out there, then we’re not going to get the Court of Admirals to fill out any approval! I want this done proper!.’

It was Takao … and she was arguing with a snarling man in a lab coat, the both of them standing between the open blast doors.

‘We don’t have five days!’

‘We have enough time to do this by the book!’

It looked like neither one of them had noticed you--and anyone who took notice of them was busily diverting themselves from any possible crash course with the two growling adults. Takao had a collection of forms and clipboards in her hands ... and the man had two folders and a box of stationery noisily clattering with every move he made.

>Let them finish up their argument
>Intervene
>Write-In

>>2180837
>>Let them finish up their argument

>>2180837
>Let them finish up their argument

Let her handle it.

If its a problem, we can apply some pressure from another direction.

>>2180837
>Let them finish up their argument

>>2180837
>>Let them finish up their argument

>>2180837
>>Let them finish up their argument

File: Next Time I Save Your Ass.jpg (10 KB, 210x240)

10 KB JPG

You decide to let them have it all out. It wasn’t your place to step in where Takao had a foothold … and you know that if you did it now, you’d get more than a fistful of slighted woman—and again, of course, the innuendos kept coming.

Hah.

‘Look, I don’t know what planet you’ve been on the last eon,’ the man growls, ‘but if you’re going to run this by every moron in the bureaucracy boat, it’s never going to get off the damn line!’

‘Be that as it may,’ Takao takes an indignant tone, ‘you can’t just skip by things just to-to get something approved! Especially something that involves an equipment revision!’

‘You think we have time for long notices? Need I remind you, lady, that this is for your own damn good?’

Takao wasn’t having any of it, however.

‘And need I remind you, sir, that if you so much as step out of line again, you’ll be seeing more than just the back of the Admiral’s boot! I mean’—Takao flails the clipboards in the cold wind, the pieces of paper fluttering noisily as she did so—‘do you even know just what you’re dealing with?! Do you even get why these sort of things need those waiting periods?!’

The man stares down at her flatly, more unimpressed, if he ever was otherwise before, ‘And I didn’t see anyone throwing in a complaint when we put the TEST-types ready for advance launch. You wanted to argue the point, you shoulda done it there!’

Takao bare her fangs, stomping into the ground—hard. The man, however, looked hardly fazed by the show of force. If anything, he looked downright unmoved by the action. Despite the situation, you really couldn’t help but feel a little … impressed by the man’s cool exterior—even if a small part of you wanted to step in and stand up for Takao, whatever her position was here. From what you were able to catch, it seemed that there was a sort of disagreement over the bureaucratic element that presided over some kind of tech assignment—as if the lab coat the man wore pointed to anything but—and that the both of them had reached a sort of fiery crossroads that you, with all your inhibition, knew you had no place being in anymore than Takao did a place in the RAY’s cockpit.

‘There is’—she taps him hard on the chest with the clipboard, drawing his ire—‘a marked difference between an emergency situation and an administrative restriction.’

‘Sure there are,’ he lazily counters, ‘and next time one of our emergency fixes comes through, you can put a bunch of flowers on my table, yeah?’

He turns on his heel without so much as another word, heading off to who knows where, leaving Takao to let out a series of indignant snorts and squeaks, stomping back into the Prep Dock as everyone made way for her burning head of coal.

>Catch up to Takao
>Catch up to the man in the lab coat
>Write-In

>>2181120
>>Catch up to Takao

>>2181120
>>Catch up to Takao

>>2181120
>Catch up to the man in the lab coat

>>2181120
>>Catch up to Takao and then kiss her, that will let loose the air in her ballon

>>2181120
>Catch up to Takao

File: Yeah Yeah I gotcha.jpg (11 KB, 177x285)

11 KB JPG

You run right up to Takao, reaching out and ready to call out to greet—

‘YOU! GET OVER HERE!’

You instantly freeze as Takao calls over a tech—a woman in orange overalls with large pig-tails dangling from her head. She trots over with a dull expression as the other techies shook their heads—although you spy one of the older ones wearing a large grin on his face as the girl stopped right in front of Takao, who loomed over the smaller woman—despite having only two inches on of her at best.

‘Why was the approval pushed through from the yards without even so much as a go-through?’

‘Because we didn’t have time to get a secondary order,’ the young woman answers evenly, ‘the primary supply was exhausted at the point—and we didn’t want to break through anything that we had in reserve.’

‘The reserves are precisely there for that reason! I just had to go through with the MagiTek and Ooyodo and Fusou and I find out that you’ve been dealing through because you want to get a rush order on time?!’

‘We’re doing this for your benefit, you know—it’s not as if we’re trying to start some madcap bio-magitek weaponry program just for the fun of it.’

Even from here, you can see Takao turning purple at the accusation, ‘T-That’s not the point! Administration exists precisely for the reason to regulate these sort of things! You’ve been at it for so long and you can’t even find the decency to check if there’s anyone overseeing the requests and just decides to have them slip right under because you think it’s too slow?’

‘I don’t care for the paperwork,’ the girl answers in a bored tone, ‘so long as we get things prepped up, it should be good enough, no?’

‘Now listen here, I—’

‘Yeah, yeah, we know,’ she cuts Takao right off, waving her wrench and twirling what appeared to be a screwdriver made of crystal or glass in the other, ‘you want things done by the book; you wanna keep things spic ‘n span, yeah? But ya ain’t doin’ us any favours cuttin’ off our reserve tech—and it’s not like they haven’t been given the go-ahead before, right?’

‘The climate’s changed,’ Takao huffs indignantly—and audibly, ‘and you should know better to start anything that’s—’

‘Ya talkin’ about us like we’re starting the trouble, but your Commander’s the one that started this mess, right?’

You blink, startled, as you stare at the two women, still oblivious to your presence.

Takao, however, doesn’t answer.

‘Look, we’ll do what we can, yeah, just don’t stop us from doin’ our work. If ya got some to yell at, do it to that troublemaker of yours.’

Takao immediately looks up, stomping her foot.

‘He’s not a—’

‘We still gotta get the RAY up to scratch—see ya, girl … and good luck.’

She walks away from a stiff Takao, throwing up a half-hearted gesture of parting.

>Write-In

>>2181189
"Have... have i really been piling you under so much administrative crap with the stunts ive been pulling?

>>2181189
Supporting >>2181207

>>2181207
+1

>>2181207
going for this, maybe surprising her is not the best option though

>>2181207
+1

File: Rigging.jpg (144 KB, 850x605)

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You can’t help but feel guilty listening to that.

It wasn’t that you went out of your way to bring trouble back in heaps … but you never really thought the spill-over could have brought any of your Division members into—

No, that was wrong.

It was obvious that your Division would be roped into whatever ripples your actions had made. In your irresponsibility, you’d taken liberties in your approach thinking that the only person that would be facing the lash would be your lone self—you hadn’t considered just how your Division—your KanMusu—would feel about bogging themselves down alongside you. Loyalty and dedication aside … how would you have felt if your boss had decided to—

Yes. It had happened before.

Only this time, rather than an accessory, you were the provocateur.

You slowly approach Takao, who was mumbling what could only be obscenities under her breath as she clutched her work close to her chest. Above you, the cranes whined and the fairies looped and zoomed all over the large space, supplemented by the din of men and women barking orders for parts and personnel. Even when you’re right on her shoulder, her eyes are still fixed on the open wing of the RAY.

‘Takao?’

She quickly turns, throwing up a salute.

‘Sir!’

You return it in kind, albeit a little more half-heartedly than you would have liked.

‘Mind telling me what that was about?’

Your thumb jabs in the direction of the brown-haired woman from before, three large men in equally-bright jumpsuits accompanying her carrying what looked like a motor with an electric tube on top.

‘What was what about?’ Takao frowns.

‘I heard what you were talking about with that girl,’ you get to the point, throwing the retreating backs of the small group a quick glance before turning back to Takao, continuing, ‘and … the guy from before. Something about administrative stuff?’

She stiffens slightly.

‘Have you … been following me?’

‘No,’ you answer, ‘I’ve been trying to catch you since I got here, but you, well, it’d be rude to just cut in when you were in the middle of work, you know. I didn’t want to, well, I didn’t want to supplant your authority in your jurisdiction. So, uh, back to the question … have I really been screwing things up for you around here?’

‘I,’ she pauses, biting her lips, ‘I won’t lie and say that you haven’t made things harder … but it’s not exactly on me—everything that’s been happening upstairs’—she must have been referring to the Court and command—‘has been … messy. Especially with Haszad and Taiyouga assuming supervisory roles, not a lot of people here are used to operating under an … external umbrella. A lot of the paperwork channels have changed … and no one’s happy about it.’

Her red eyes stare solemnly to the maintenance crew, who were wearing metal packs and hazard suits as they went into the docked RAY.

>>2182566
>'So, how've you been lately? Anything happen since I was out?'
>'This isn't your usual posting. Any reason you're here and not helping in town?'
>'Any news from up-top that I should know about but not told about yet?'
>'I couldn't find anything to help with the kids.' (ABANDON TASK)
>'I should go.'
>Write-In

>>2182572
>>'Any news from up-top that I should know about but not told about yet?'

>>2182572
>>'This isn't your usual posting. Any reason you're here and not helping in town?'

>>2182572
>'Any news from up-top that I should know about but not told about yet?'

>>2182572
>>'Any news from up-top that I should know about but not told about yet?'

File: Takao2.png (1.01 MB, 800x1131)

1.01 MB PNG

You decide to not dwell on it for now.

‘Anything new from up-top that I haven’t been told about yet?’

‘You might want to check with Nagato on anything with the Admiral and the Vice-Admiral,’ Takao begins slowly, briefly biting her lip, ‘but if you’re asking if there are any changes with the way things are going, the Admiralty’s deferred veto power on specified fronts. Future operations may be attached to an external consultant.’

‘An external consultant,’ you repeat, feeling the skin of your neck tighten. ‘That doesn’t sound like good news.’

‘It’s not good or bad,’ Takao tries to reassure you … and does a poor job of it. ‘It just means there’s another pair of eyes watching us work … and another form to fill … and another butt to—forgive my rudeness on this, sir—kiss.’

‘So we’re under two sets of eyes now. The Hunter’s Lodge at one end … and the Congregation and their boys on the other.’

‘You should’ve seen this coming, to be honest,’ Takao sighs—to which you grimace. You probably really should have seen it coming. ‘You’re not exactly subtle when it comes to the way you do things.’

You had to hand it to Takao. As naive as she could be at times … there were moments where you thought that she probably had more in common with Ooyodo’s almost machine-like approach than she did the fresh-faced girl whose hand you had had to hold onto as tight as she did yours. Takao stares at you expectantly … and with worry. You open your mouth to say something, only to pause and realize that there was nothing that you could do to rectify or fix the domino effect that you had unwittingly set off—good intentions or no.

So you do the only thing that you know how to do.

‘Right,’ you breathe, a grimace making its way onto your features. ‘Sorry.’

Takao thins her lips into a line, shifting and tapping her toes along the surface of wet cement. Around you, people keep up with their work, taking less notice of you than they did where their feet went, readying the Prep Dock up for another bout of war and madness.

‘There’s still a lot more to cover,’ Takao sounds again, hugging the clipboards and pieces of paper closer to her chest, ‘but according to what I’ve heard, there’s not going to be long before the Admiralty’s assigned supervisors. That’ll be on the Congregation of Lords to decide on which set’s going to be put on our doorstep.’

‘Which?’

‘We’re allied with Haszad now,’ she states, crucially—that fact had slipped your mind, if only for a while. ‘If there’s a chance that they’ll be able to get more fingers in the pie … you can’t rule them asking for the same … privileges.’

You curse under your breath.

No … they definitely wouldn’t.

‘Right.’

>>2182783
>'So, how've you been lately? Anything happen since I was out?'
>'This isn't your usual posting. Any reason you're here and not helping in town?'
> 'Haszad's sending someone here then. Definitely. How do the KanMusu feel about this?'
>'You're not happy with me, are you?'
>'I couldn't find anything to help with the kids.' (ABANDON TASK)
>'I should go.'
>Write-In

>>2182788
>>'You're not happy with me, are you?'

>>2182788
>>'You're not happy with me, are you?'

>>2182783
>'You're not happy with me, are you?'

>>2182788
>>'So, how've you been lately? Anything happen since I was out?'

>>2182788
How private setting are we in? I kinda want to ask her how she's feeling, but that might end up with shouting or needing hugs.

If we're going somewhere private, ensure there's no animated crates in the room.

File: Takao-Eh.png (1.16 MB, 800x1131)

1.16 MB PNG

‘You’re not happy with me, are you?’

Takao opens her mouth to say something—and by her body language, you know that she was, indeed, quite unhappy with you. However, the discipline in her seems to stop her in her tracks from launching into a tirade in full view of the workers and technicians … and for that, you’re very thankful. As much as she was boiling … she still remembered the integrity of your station—and that even at your worse, what you represented was worth not sullying to an audience.

‘It’s,’ she takes a brief pause, briefly turning to the RAY before looking back at you, her eyes shining with a sort of conflicted light, ‘it’s not me that you have to worry about, but I …’

She sighs again, clicking her heels together and staring right through you.

‘Personally,’ she begins, if a little hesitantly, ‘I have no … issues with the context of your conduct. Professionally, however, I believe that you still require a little more … fine-tuning to see that the manner of which you carry yourself doesn’t … reflect badly on the Division—or the Admiralty, for that matter.’

You grimace. That was a little milder than you would have expected before.

‘Is that a scolding?’

‘It’s … advice, I suppose,’ she gives a slight shrug, taking another pause before continuing, ‘I don’t have anything against you sir, and I’ve seen enough from you to know that your heart’s in the right place, but some things, well—this isn’t just your life that it all comes crashing down on again. No one’s going to yell at you for doing something stupid or reckless, but they do at least—or at least, I believe that—that they do at least deserve to be told just where you’re leading them. Like it or not, sir, this isn’t … this isn’t the kitchen anymore.’

You almost wince.

This was definitely a scolding.

‘It’s not just about getting things back to the fore—but if you’re going to do anything, you have to understand that a lot of the things that you do now … well, they don’t stop at you. I won’t curb your recklessness—Heavens above, I find that a lot more charming than I really should—but I do urge that there’s at least due consideration before you … leap without looking. In all aspects.’

‘Is this referring to my conduct on the battlefield or my inadequacies on the battlefront.’

‘You’re an adequate Field Commander, sir,’ Takao answers with a small smile, ‘but … I think that a lot of people would rather you don’t live as big a mess as you did with … well, everything else in your present career.’

You could agree.

You could disagree.

Neither, however, would amount to anything without the action you put into them.

>>2185832
>'So, how've you been lately? Anything happen since I was out?'
>'This isn't your usual posting. Any reason you're here and not helping in town?'
> 'Haszad's sending someone here then. Definitely. How do the KanMusu feel about this?'
>'So is all this a spill-over from ... you know?'
>'I couldn't find anything to help with the kids.' (ABANDON TASK)
>'I should go.'
>Write-In

File: The_Safety_93.png (341 KB, 640x361)

341 KB PNG

>>2185877
>>'So, how've you been lately? Anything happen since I was out?
>....You fibd it charming, huh?

>>2185877
>'So, how've you been lately? Anything happen since I was out?'

>>2185877
>>'So, how've you been lately? Anything happen since I was out?'
>....You fibd it charming, huh?
just for the keks

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Something hits you.

‘You … find it charming?’

Takao stiffens slightly, before working herself up to a light glare, staring right back, ‘Sir.’

‘Right, right,’ you wave it off. There was no point in trying to draw her ire anymore than you’d already managed without so much as making a whisper of an effort. ‘So how have you been lately? Anything that’s been happening since I was out?’

Takao’s expression immediately softens. Her eyes turn downward and she shifts nervously in place, as if she were hesitant to reveal something. As the silence grows, and Takao’s gaze averts itself from you, an uneasy feeling begins to creep from the small of your back, to the base of your spine and nesting itself life a cold hand resting on your neck … and when she finally looks up, you find yourself practically bracing for another lashing.

‘Atago’s funeral was last week.’

You could have smacked yourself, of course it—

‘Her funeral?’

‘It wasn’t anything big or grand, of course,’ Takao continues quickly, her tone a bit of an apology, ‘but the … the administrator did his work and the paperwork was filled out. I … wasn’t able to get a band or get proper markings—which I’m sure you would have, of course, but … she has a place. Nothing loud or out there, but … she has a resting place now.’

She gives a small bow.

‘I just thought that I’d let you know about that—thank you.’

>‘You’re welcome.’
>‘So they just … gave her a plot and that was it? You organized everything else yourself?’
>‘Wait, you went ahead without me?’
>Write-In

>>2186223
>>‘You’re welcome.’
>apologize for net being conscious to her the other things

>>2186223
>‘You’re welcome.’
>Apologize for not helping with the rest

>>2186223
>>‘You’re welcome.’
>>write-in
>hug her and apologize for missing the funeral and not being able to help her get the other things she wanted.

>>2186223
>‘You’re welcome.’
>Apologize for not helping. No hug.

>>2186261
this

>>2186223
>‘You’re welcome.’
>Apologize for not helping. No hug.

>>2186223
>>2186261
This

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A part of you wants to apologize for not being there for it. After working so hard just to get Atago acknowledged, it felt … cruel to have her just face it alone, right at the end. You had been in bed—and there was no helping that after the encounter with Saratoga. By all rights, you wouldn’t even be standing here if it weren’t for your unexpected—but thus far, not unwelcome—guest. Still, though … it felt like you had upped and left—and left it for her to pick up where you couldn’t finish. Takao may have practically contracted you into the negotiation, but it felt like you could have done more than just leave it to her to finish it all off—and you not being there to see it through.

‘You’re welcome,’ you stretch a small smile with those words—not quite dishonest, but hardly the things that you wanted to say. Right now, though, with everything that you had done … you’re not sure if adding anymore words would do anything. ‘I’m glad that … well, it all worked out.’

‘It’s more than I expected,’ she speaks up, as if she had caught on to your sullen tone. ‘I … well, I didn’t expect them to even care about my case anymore than a few letters. You … managed it wonderfully, and even if it wasn’t a ticker-tape parade, I’m thankful that Atago, well …’

She wears a small smile. A little sad, wistful … but a smile nonetheless.

‘I’m glad that what she did for your kind—for the humans, I mean—I’m-I’m glad that the Navy acknowledged it.’

Takao shifts in place, silent again.

>Pursue (Write-In)
>Change Topic (Specify)
>‘I couldn’t find anything to help with the kids.’ (ABANDON TASK)
>’I should go.’ (Leave)

>>2186389
>Pursue (Write-In)
"Well since i wasnt there at the start, i guess i should go and pay my respects. Bring me to meet your dear sister one of these days?"

>>2186425
sounds good to me

>>2186425
+1

>>2186425
sounds good

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‘I’m sorry I wasn’t there for the funeral.’

Somehow, it surprises you that it’s that much easier than what you had thought it would boil towards. Takao looks up towards you, surprised … and almost letting the clipboard and assorted pieces of paper slip right through her arms as the words reach her ears. You motion to help her, catching a few sheets before they can fully leave her grasp, the tips of your metallic fingers sending back the sensation of her elbows. With that one motion, you had closed the distance … but thankfully not so much that you were pushed up against each other. There was no reason for anyone here to think that this was anything but a benevolent Commander reacting to a slip of his subordinate.

Hopefully.

‘I,’ you pause, wondering how it was best to continue with this, ‘I didn’t mean to leave you … to sort it all out by yourself. I really didn’t.’

Takao steps back, keeping a respectable distance between the both of you now—lest news travelled that there was something weird going on between the operator and the weapon. Not that you didn’t know people with more sordid affairs with objects.

That weird gun club came to mind.

‘If it’s all right with you,’ you start, ‘maybe I could go with you one day … to pay my respects.’

‘I—that’s,’ she stops, biting her lip, her heels clacking against the concrete again as the sound of drills and cracks echoed all around you, ‘you don’t have to, you know … you already did everything. I—’

‘She put her life down for the rest of humanity—the least she deserves is for one of them to come up and say thank you.’

‘I,’ she sighs, before wearing a defeated—but not melancholic—smile. Small, but otherwise steady. ‘I’d be happy to, sir.’

>'This isn't your usual posting. Any reason you're here and not helping in town?'
> 'Haszad's sending someone here then. Definitely. How do the KanMusu feel about this?'
>'So is all this a spill-over from ... you know?'
>'I couldn't find anything to help with the kids.' (ABANDON TASK)
>'I should go.'
>Write-In

>>2186552
>Do you have anything that would require my immediate attention?
if not, or it's something we're already dealing with..
>I should go

>>2186555

>>2186555

>>2186555
>'So is all this a spill-over from ... you know?'
we do have other important things to do

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‘Do you have anything that would require my immediate attention?’

She taps her chin, furrowing her brows in thought.

‘Not really, no—unless you have those book drives up and ready?’

‘I haven’t gotten down to that just yet,’ you admit with a sigh, ‘but really—anything else?’

‘Well, I’m sure there are a lot of people that would have a better use for you than I do,’ Takao gives another small smile, ‘but as far as I know, there’s not much that really needs any extra care from your end for me. I’ve managed through things before, and … it’s a chore, I admit, but Ooyodo and Fusou are enough for me to hold the reins for now—if you’re more than willing to keep your head steady for the duration, of course.’

You stammer your response, ‘O-Of course.’

‘Then there’s really nothing that needs attention, sir.’

You sigh—you’d hoped that you could help out a little more now that you were out of the bed and a sidestep from the danger zone. The Shaman’s lessons had cut into your routine—brief as they were—and with things as chaotic as they were, you thought that there were a few things that you could help your crew straighten back out. By Takao’s own words, though, it looked like everything was under control.

Pending, of course, another silly decision of yours to veer the ship right into the rocks.

That was, however, neither here nor there.

‘Although, if you have free time, maybe you could just ask the other girls what they need,’ Takao finishes up, ‘I’m sure that some of them have something for you to sign or delegate.’

>Shoot the breeze
>‘I should go, then. Don’t want to keep you from your work.’
>‘So your paper rush right now … it’s a spill-over from … you know?’
>‘You talked about Haszad. They’re more than likely to follow-up on this. How do the KanMusu feel about it?’
>‘About the kids, I … I’m sorry to say I couldn’t get anything done.’ (ABANDON TASK)
>Write-In

>>2187920
>‘I should go, then. Don’t want to keep you from your work.’

>>2187920
>>‘I should go, then. Don’t want to keep you from your work.’

>>2187920
Alright then, I better get going. I’ve taken enough of your time for now.
Thank you, Takao.

Although we could talk about Haszad looming involvement later in the evening, with Nagato, Musashi, Houshou present so they can all contribute.

Shooting the breeze sounds nice but takao seems busy enough as it is.

>>2188063
We need to talk to Mamiya, there's two task that need her help to complete.

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Takao may have been busy—no thanks to your reckless antic—but you find yourself a little relieved that she was at least functional. You did, however, feel a little bit of guilt that you hadn’t attended Atago’s funeral proceedings … or been around to help her for that final stretch. Still … Takao didn’t seem too torn up about it. In fact, she had shown that you were more on her books for your tendency to not consider the consequences for your subordinates in conducting your actions—one that, looking around, proved to be a little too true to not at least take a step back and observe on your own. However, it was lucky for you that she was also a consummate professional, whatever her emotions told her to push on—and for that, you’re thankful … if only for the fact that there wasn’t any embarrassment that you had to suffer as a superior from a subordinate.

‘Takao-san!’

You look up to see a young goateed gentleman calling out for your Heavy Cruiser. Takao lets out a low chuckle in response, stepping back and dipping into a short, respectful, bow.

‘Well, duty calls, Commander,’ she raises herself back up, ‘I’ll see you back the barracks.’

‘Yeah—see you then.’

You throw up a salute, turning on your heel to leave—

‘Wait! Sir!’

You face Takao again—this time to see that her visage had turned into one of worry.

‘That … the Stream,’ she pauses, ‘is it … were you able to …’

She trails off, staring at you expectantly.

‘Yeah,’ you answer, right to the point, ‘I sorted it out—fit is a fiddle.’

You tap the side of your head to emphasize it.

Takao’s shoulders immediately droop as all tension that was upon her person seemed to leave with that revelation. She stares up to the sky, obscuring her expression from you. She looks back down, wearing a tight smile and a rapid bobble of her head. She bows again without another word, mumbling something you can’t quite catch under her breath as she turns away, her heels clacking as she head out to the next task for the day. You yourself let out a sigh of relief, glad that had been easier than you thought it would have gone—especially with your not being there for Atago’s funeral. Still, it hardly meant that the worst of things had passed … and even if Takao had her wish, as humble as it was, fulfilled, there was still war looming over the horizon—and with your habits, you would probably have to brace yourself for the lashing of a lifetime when you reached that inevitable boiling point with her … not to mention the rest of the Division.

It was hard, however, to keep that smile off your face as you spied the bounce in her step as she walked away from you.

>>2188265
3/4
>EXECUTE TASK (SPECIFY)
>Look for KanMusu (Specify)
>Seek out Officers/Staff (Specify)
>Visit Location (Specify)
>District Management
>Wander
>Write-In

>>2188270
>>EXECUTE TASK (SPECIFY)
>Kung Fu fighting
lets go grab whoever's the next volunteer instructor. think it was either Mamiya or the Plasma

>>2188270
>>EXECUTE TASK (SPECIFY)
>Kung Fu Fighting or Font of Knowledge
Mamiya is part of both tasks, so Mamiya then

>>2188270
>EXECUTE TASK (SPECIFY)
>>Kung Fu fighting
Mamiya then

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You’re not able to shake the whispers and the stares that seemed to fixate upon you and you alone, even stepping right out from the compound and waiting beside a bunch of men covered in what looked like oil … but was strangely odourless. They, too, threw you a glance … and as a truck thundered—and stopped right on the dime, one of them appeared to give you a nod of acknowledgement and—dare you say it—respect. It wasn’t long before one of the buggies came along, hauling a mix of man of boxes. You step right on, two more men following you and strapping themselves to the back seat right as the last of the boxes were set on the ground. You tell them your destination—to which you are given a quick nod; the other two name different workshops. Seeing that there weren’t any more requests, the driver revs up the engine—

And you manage to spy what looked like a ghost of a lightning bolt zoom right past you, skeletal, ethereal hands reaching out for mercy as eyes that looked like they could only belong to the damned begged to be put out of their misery as the siren of eldritch depths sounded. The engine of eternity and everything before it roared with their screams, one tried to leap right out, only for a hand to drag him back in, the nonsensical cackle of the driver echoing even on a clear, cold day.

It was nice to see that the Old Man still had a clientele.

The driver kicks into gear, driving down a north-western slope and turning a corner. Behind you, the two men were busily talking about the latest baseball scores … until it inevitably—as all casual talk usually does between two bored men—deviated toward politics.

‘So you think the immigration’s gonna approve my wife’s transfer?’

‘Not with the shit that went down, buddy—not unless you got something big to give ‘em right back.’

‘Yeah, but they were the ones that offered it. You don’t think that she should be able to go through with no problems? I know a lot that already made that crossing.’

‘We still got a country and we still got a fight going on. No need to turn ourselves into victims, so quick.’

‘You’re not a Dad, though.’

‘True, but I put my chips with the KanMusu—and that’s where it’s gonna stay.’

‘You’re crazy.’

‘May not seem like it, but we’re makin’ progress.’

‘You’re talking about that Commander who fought back a Princess? That even real?’

‘I’m talking about putting my money on the—’

‘Sir, we’re here.’

You’re shaken from your reverie by the words of the driver. You were here, in front of Mamiya’s. Thanking him, you leap right out onto the cement … and immediately see the restaurant owner engaged in conversation with Irako.

‘I’m not discouraging you,’ Mamiya puts her hands on her hips, ‘but I think you’re moving too fast.’

‘You think so?’

>Interrupt the conversation
>Let them finish
>Leave
>Write-In

>>2188935
>>Let them finish

>>2188935
>>Let them finish

>>2188935
>>Let them finish

>>2188935
>>Let them finish

>>2188935
>Let them finish

>>2188935
>Let them finish

Happy new year OP

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>>2189692
Thank you. A happy new year to you too.

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>page 10