Big Eyes, Small Mouth (BESM): Nexus Earth - Chapter 12: Echoes of Eternity

[z-Skye the Fallen]

Skye's eyes had widened as Kai explained what the significance of the 'micron' was. "Hey, Kazuo's not a deviant," Skye protested, then realized what she'd said and balanced it with reality. "Well, okay... he is, but not in the way you mean." The petite blonde was glaring at the strange woman, her blue eyes flashing in annoyance. Then she paused, frowned and asked, "Wait... what way do you mean he's a deviant?"

[Shiyukumei]

She paced, her mind actually pondering what possible technologies the ship's drive had rather than her mission. She looked almost excited, but stopped at the petite woman's words as her red eyes met hers, "If you prefer a different word, subject, I would like to find out how he used the gate, if he means no harm, I'm willing to let it slide, after all, there's no ruling party to put me back into stasis, so, I would consider myself free after this."

[SalmonMax]

"Now wait," Lily interjected. "Where does the gate lead? I don't know if I like the idea of a giant dimension gate on my homeworld's moon being without a guardian."

[Justin OOC]

"For your crimes Shiyukumei, you can never truly be free. You know that. I am more than enough to see to that if you try to force the issue."

Gai's voice was full of authority, and the cold fact of his statement. "That said, I would prefer alternatives to that most extreme outcome. You were a Scientist before, now You have a chance to study other worlds entirely, entire realities. I would think one of your pedigree would jump at such an opportunity."

Kai looked at her. "I know at least seven other gates like this one on my homeworld, though nothing so large."

He looked out the window to Gai. "I realize the two of you have a history, but threats are unbecoming. Please refrain from them."

He looked to Lily. "There will be a guardian left here, if he agrees."

[Shiyukumei]

"After ninety-thousand years you're still a dick, Gai." she sighs, "I won't go back into stasis, not again."

"I will allow what ships you need to get home, one wrong slip and the gate will be cut off from you completely, that fair enough?"

[Justin OOC]

"Alright, though I don't expect there to be any issues."

"Gai, could you stay here, guarding the gate, until we return?"

The black mecha looked thoughtful. "Yes, Though I'd ask that the Amaterasu be left here with me. I will need a starship as a base of operations, for no facilities on the ground, or at the gate will be adequate for a combat Frame such as mine."

"The Melissa can handle you can't it?"

"Affirmative."

"Then it will remain." Giving up the heavy cruiser with its full complement of drones was a risk, but still it would be enough to protect the world, and the gate."

Eiji and Georgi looked at him. "We'll stay as well. We can present a command presence here, and bolster against any Invader offensive, since we've fought them extensively."

"Alright."

He looked to Lily. "Will that be sufficient?"

[Shiyukumei]

"I would like some time to relax, catch up so to speak, if that is alright, seeing as this is your ship, Kai." She looked at Gai's mech then back to the group, "He would be a decent guardian, considering he's awake."

[SalmonMax]

Lily nodded. "For now. We'll need a permanent solution eventually, but this will work for the moment."

[z-Skye the Fallen]

"Hey!" Skye had waited patiently for as long as she could. "Are you gonna answer Lily's question? You know... tell m- us! Us, where Kazuo's gone?" The pretty priestess looked on the verge of stomping her foot; her ire only made her more appealing. Please don't be in Bazaroth, she silently prayed. Anything but that.

[Shiyukumei]

"Ikarus." she said shortly, still waiting her answer herself, she crosses her arms and politely waits.

[SalmonMax]

Lily blinked, mollified. "Oh. Well that's not so bad. I wouldn't mind visiting there again."

[Columbian]

Francis shrugged. "Been there once, myself. But who says we'll be in the same region twice? Things get feisty down there, I've learned. Particularly in the Shards of Azar. Feudal lords tend to be a handful, not that we haven't learned that already."

[z-Skye the Fallen]

Skye went pale, then blushed a deep red. "I-i-i-ikarus?!" Fear settled into her gut like a rock. Mein Gott! The thought of Kazuo there alone, without her being there to explain or guide him, made her stomach turn inside out.

"You spent time there, didn't you?" Kai asked.

"Yes," Skye whispered, her fingers wrapped around the black wedding band on her ring finger. "I have a title there."

[Justin OOC]

"Of Course Shiyukumei, I'll make sure you have a room." Kai tapped a number of commands into the keypad, and in short order one of the blue jumpsuited members of CRT-4 arrived. "Miss Shiyukumei if you would, follow me, I'll show you to your room." The young woman looked trustworthy and Kai nodded.

"Go with Shizune, she'll tend to your needs while you stay with us. I'll make our computer Archives available to you, so you can better know the current state of affairs here and now."

Kai looked to Lily. He'd died there in Ikaris, right in front of Lily. he looked to Skye. "If that's where he is then we'll go. I promised I would get you and him home, and I will keep it."

[Shiyukumei]

She nods, "I will take my leave then, things could get rough, I hope you all would prepare accordingly." With that she left, her exit as impressive as her entrance.

[Justin OOC]

Once she was gone, Kai looked to the others. "Thoughts?"

------------------------------

For Shiyukumei, The trip through the starship was a blast from the past. Much of it reminded her of the Ships of her people, so many years before. Shizune stopped, entered a code on the panel next to the door for her room, and ushered Shiyu inside. "The shower is to the left. if you wish I can have your garments cleaned. There are standard robes or a jumpsuit in the closet. The computer terminal has been coded to give you access to our historical archives. if you have any other needs, for food, or drink, or what have you, ask the computer to connect you to me, and I'll take care of it."

[Shiyukumei]

"Thank you Shizune, I will certainly let you know, but I am sure a small something to snack on would be in order." she took a seat at the console and began typing, "something that will keep me awake and a sweet snack, this is going to be a long night."

[Justin OOC]

"Do you have any preferences? We have alot more available now than we did when we arrived, not being in a war has helped that."

[Shiyukumei]

"It would possibly exist but by a different name, bring me a sampling of things you may like, I'm sure I'd find something to enjoy among them." She seemed short, her eyes focused on the screen, scrolling through quickly every bit of information she could.

[Justin OOC]

"Very well then."

With that, Shizune left her to herself, to relax.

[Columbian]

Francis cast a concerned look at Skye before deciding to get the obvious out. "Well, it's obvious none of us here would say no to rescuing Kazuo. Even, though, let's be honest, Skye's the only one airing her true feelings about Ikaris here. No offense Lily, but I've seen the archives. I doubt Kai getting a new lease on life doesn't make up for all that happened. And Ikaris has a place in my memories for less than pleasant reasons. Meaning we'll really need to be ready when we head through the gate."

He paused before moving onto the next thoughts. "Keeping Gai and the CRTs under Georgi and Eiji here is necessary, and I think they can handle anything coming their way- lest it be the main mass of Invaders at once. Shiyukumei... she's what really concerns me. Gai implied she's a criminal of notoriety among their people, and I can't say she doesn't give off that vibe."

[Justin OOC]

Gai's voice chimed in. "Not so much a criminal, but it was her weapon, her decision to deploy it, that created the Invader menace. The council wanted the world's resources, and she gave them a weapon to get them. They gave her overall command, and she defoliated the world. The Invaders changed, those that didn't die immediately. They were no longer peaceful, but maddened bloodthirsty foes, who would stop at nothing."

"That is why she was bound to the gate in stasis, as its guardian. For someone with a mind like hers, enternal boredom was the worst we could do, since she was too valueable to execute."

[Rebecca Baines]

Rebecca grumbles under her breath. "Amaterasu was my prize..." She leans against a wall, simply observing.

"Everything I've gone through and all I get out of it is a new eye and a couple scars..." She thinks as she glances at Francis for a moment, then to Kai.

"If she is allowing us to return to Earth, the question that has to be asked is 'is our business done here with the Dalaraan?' After all, their Homeworld still needs much humanitarian assistance. I've looked at the totality of what's needed to at least return their world to optimal function where their economy, society, and defenses can stand on their own two feet."

She looks up. "Although I would love to see Earth again... I may need to take some time with Kirumi and pay our respects to our parents, then perhaps oversee building the defense squadrons that I was tasked with to build for SCRT-4."

Then she smiles. "And oversee the upgrade of our defense units to some of the model configurations I brought from the universe I was stuck in and add some tech we have available. Satoshi needs to diversify."

[Justin OOC]

"I don't need her permission to use the gate. I can do so without it, I just worry that she'd destroy it if we forced the issue. Then the Macross would be stranded here. We can worry about upgrades as we need, I know Captain Hoshino is already working hard there."

[Rebecca Baines]

"Then again, having her as an ally would be very important. We know that the entities spotted by one of Francis' reconnaissance missions have hostile intent. If she is powerful enough to destroy a physical gate they would be child's play to her. Combined with any assets we have here if they decide to decent on Dalaraan like a bunch of vultures... well... let's just say we want her on our side."

She massages her temple above her new eye. "Now... the primary issue again is if and when we are able to have access to the gate with permission from it's guardian, when should we go? Are things at a point where we can leave the people of this planet to their own devices. Have they recovered enough? Is the new era we ushered in truly taken root? I don't just want to leave these people to their destiny just yet."

She looks down at the floor. "They're a good people, Kai. I don't want it on my conscience if their empire is reduced to dust just because we're homesick."

[Shiyukumei]

Shiyu twirls around in her chair, her gaze now up at the ceiling. As she spun, the door to the bathroom, and a shower, flew into her field of vision repeatedly. Her brow furrows as she gets up and somehow gracefully stumbles toward the bathroom, spying the shower she starts it, steam slowly filling and billowing through the room, "this will do."

She slowly begins to disrobe, her finger tip lights up and slides it from collar down below her belly button, as she does the seam of the suit slowly unfurls revealing her ivory skin beneath, she slips each of her shoulders out and the top half falls to her waist. Tucking her hands in at her hips, she slowly shimmies the suit down, bending over as she reaches her feet to pull each one out. She stands once more and wiggles her toes, "much better." Shiyu then slips into the shower, as the steam rolled about; it obscured her visage from the world, leaving her to shower in peace.

[Sakura]

"My thoughts, cousin?" At a nod from him she looked around a moment. "If someone needs help, we must go to their aid, especially one of our own, it is only the right thing to do. Additionally, we must return home, who knows what has been happening at earth.. "

[Rebecca Baines]

"Who does know... What's got me freaked out might already be at earth and what was spotted was a tail to watch our activity and see what our fleet is doing."

She massages the spot on her torso where a pretty good scar from her survival training was. "We should go with what we believe serves the greater good."

[Justin OOC]

He nodded to Sakura. "I'm eager to go home as well, but I have obligations I must fulfil first though." He looked to Rebecca. "If they were, they'd be facing the full might of the Circinus home fleet, and the other ten CRT's we left at home. I almost pity them."

[z-Skye the Fallen]

Skye somehow pulled herself together. "We're going after Kazuo," she said, her voice hard. "Not only did Kai promise that, but Kazuo deserves that. He deserves to go home, even if it's not his home. Even if isn't his Earth, it is Earth, and he's going there. He's earned that a hundred times over after all he's done for home. So we're going to Ikaris."

Skye had been bitchy and irate before; never had she been so quietly, firmly forceful. There was no yielding in her tone or posture; no give in her blue eyes. "This is what we're doing."

[Justin OOC]

Kai turned to Lily. He didn't say anything, it had to be her decision as well.

[SalmonMax]

"We'll go after Kazuo," Lily agreed. "A team of elite specialists though. No CRT's or ships, or Captains, so that the forces at Dalaraan remain strong enough to repel attacks and to keep peace."

[Rebecca Baines]

Rebecca of course knew nothing of this... in her time the Macross was just a crashed derelect, and this talk of aliens were only in reference to said wreckage. "Whassa whosits? Ikaris? I'm drawing a blank here. I've not had any time to look over historical logs since I returned."

She's genuinely puzzled. And the thought of cutting down to a small unit was... disconcerting.

[Justin OOC]

"Two Captains, A Lieutenant, and a Fully operational heavy cruiser should be sufficient..."

Ruri looked at him.. "Head Captain, You won't need the ships on Ikaris, or the mecha. The contingent of you going is likely sufficent to take on the entire world and win. Bringing even one of the destroyers would be overkill in the extreme."

He looked at her and sighed. "Allright we'll leave the ships, and the CRT's."

He shook his head. "I will be going though, as will Captain Nagare."

The Shin Getter can handle anything, and while Captain Nagare was instrumental in the last battle, the presence of the Mecha in this system makes them extremely nervous. Bringing him with us will set my mind at ease, in case we run into any issues like last time. Since we won't bring the starships."

He looked at Ruri. "You and Klan will be in charge of our forces while I'm gone."

He looked to Lily. "There, an elite force to go, and The vast majority of our local might remaining here in case Ryoko should have a need of them. Good enough."

[Rebecca Baines]

"Captain..." Rebecca says, not abruptly but carefully. "If you require my assistance, I am willing to join your rescue party. It's the least I can do in exchange for the patience and forgiveness you have given me."

She straightens her Kimono. "Unless you feel Captain Ruri needs me more or she objects to you allowing me to go on this trip. She is my CO after all."

[Justin OOC]

"You'll be coming with us, the three of us and our mechs should be enough heavy equipment Lieutenant."

Ruri nodded. "Enough to make sure you and Lady Sakura, the Princess, and the Head Priestess all return intact yes. I want no repeats of your last visit there."

[Rebecca Baines]

"Very well. I'll begin preparing. When should I expect to be summoned?"

Her tone takes on a sense of earnest seriousness. Although a rest from the night's reverie would be appreciated.

[Justin OOC]

"Soon, once Shiyukumei has recovered, we'll leave."

[Rebecca Baines]

"Then I'd better get my kit packed. This should be quite a test."

She starts to walk out. Rebecca's never been this balls deep in a situation before. The way they sounded, Ikaris sounded like a very big deal.

She gulps back her false bravado as the door closes behind her.

[Shiyukumei]

Shiyu sighs, still staring at the ceiling after her shower, "guess I should get this going, I really don't want to work..."

With that, she got dressed, pulling her skin tight suit over her curvaceous form, a glow and a slight flush to her cheeks accompanies her to the room where the others are, "Let us begin the mission."