Survey seemed critical of DragonierMan's suggestion, then raised her eyebrows, her green eyes briefly expanding their squinting lasers to an effect more like headlights. "It's a solid idea, but make sure that I'm on-hand whenever any such attempt is made. I don't want this getting any further out of hand..." Survey murmured, although she did sound like she had something else on her mind. "And don't think it's going to be easy as 'jury-rigging' the auto-repair. It's no coincidence that navi's name is 'SpaceAge...'"
Whatever the case, she seemed more relaxed now, if bitter, as though she'd either bought into his advice or otherwise come up with some private resolution of her own. Once his message went out, she had another moment of shock, however. "Wait, but if we do that-!" she piped up, but it was too late; SpaceAge was willing to comply. She hadn't presented it as an option earlier, but theoretically, if the ship ran out of power with all the doors open, it'd be possible for him to exit without worrying about forcing anything open or having anyone trapped inside. As if on queue, the power did run out, causing all of the red lights to flicker for a moment before going out, leaving Survey's eyes as the only light source.
As they were exiting and came upon the others, SpaceAge paid him a compliment. "It was wise to open the doors before the power ran out, DRAGONIERMAN. Now there is no danger of the power failure locking us inside," she complimented him, showing a small smile.
Survey instead gave a frown, crossing her arms across her chest. "I would have hurried out instead and closed doors behind us... Now it's stuck with every single door open. Closed, the ship basically protected itself from any intruder. Open, we have to worry about people sneaking in around whoever's guarding it..." she complained. Again, it didn't seem like her mind was really on the complaint she was speaking. "I just realized... we're still in these bikinis. Does that mean changes you make inside the ship persist even outside the ship?"
"Yes, that is true. They can also be reverted when the ship is powered. Disconnected from the ship, I will be unable to revert them. I hope that's not too much of an inconvenience for you," SpaceAge answered. DragonierMan might wonder if the girl's breasts being stuck smaller now inconvenienced her, but she didn't seem to be complaining about it. In fact, she was taking being disconnected from the vessel she'd spent her whole life in pretty well, all things considered.
----------------------
Kama nodded along with Aya's observation. "It doesn't sound like our greatest threat, but a big enough one that we ought to monitor it. Luckily, the Empire seems to have officers... normal-sized ones... who would be ideal for spying on ReservoirMan and figuring out who these allies of his are. Perhaps I'll suggest Yasu assemble a team," she spoke quietly.
Just then, DragonierMan and the others emerged from the open door of the supposed spaceship. Kama raised an eyebrow, noting that all of the girls who'd entered had come back out wearing much less than they'd entered with. She probably hadn't forgotten the time she'd been stripped down to her underwear in the past. More noteworthy, however, was the new figure that exited the ship with him. "I take it the mission was a success?" she questioned, making a guess based on SpaceAge's pleasant demeanor and lack of restraints.
"Sort of," Survey shrugged, figuring she'd explain more once Yasu arrived.
Thankfully, Yasu didn't take long to appear in person. She noted the three bikini-clad girls surrounding DragonierMan, her one exposed eye narrowing critically. "DragonierMan..." she began, a sigh heavy in her voice.
"Greetings, everyone. My name is SpaceAge. I'm disconnected from my ship right now, and thus, my powers are limited. But I hope we will get along well," she continued, with a small bow.
With an awkward stiffness, Yasu returned the bow, in her mind still dealing with an unknown navi with whom first contact was important. "Your report, please, DragonierMan," she continued, her stormy expression showing she was already docking him points for coming out of the spaceship surrounded by girls in skimpy swimsuits. She produced a data packet and handed it over to Survey. "Inside there are the batteries you requested. Hopefully they'll allow you to restore power to the vessel. I'm quite interested in seeing it."
"Disconnected from the ship, I can only remember what SpaceAge navi remembers. However, I know the power core uses advanced technology designed by my mother in her younger years," SpaceAge spoke up. "I'm not sure batteries will work."
"If it will work, then I'll make it work," Survey smirked, proceeding back inside with the data packet.
"Now, that report, DragonierMan," Yasu insisted, watching SpaceAge carefully. "She mentioned Utopia... a Blesser, as I recall." She stopped short of asking "is this one sane", but the question was obviously on her mind. "Once you've given a full account of the events, I'll give you your reward."
Dee yawned in the background, making a show of having no intention of giving Yasu a report; she crossed her arms behind her head and stared off into the distance. It seemed like the friction between the two, Dee and Yasu, was so bad that just talking to Yasu was setting Dee into a bad mood. For her part, Yasu was nearly ignoring her. Perhaps that would be something for DragonierMan to patch up in the future.
SpaceAge Meeting at the Alaki Reservoir
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DragonierMan didn't make mention of the fact that all the women were in bikinis. It was not like Yasu was in any place to judge him, seeing as how both her and Lee wore bikinis as armor. He presented SpaceAge to Yasu as he spoke: "We were invited into the ship by SpaceAge, here in the 'flesh', so to speak," he began. "We proceeded to the bridge and when we got there she appeared before us. According to the ship's logs, and our own examination, it seems as if she was sabotaged. The auto-repair system of her ship is damaged and because of that she cannot get the rest of the ship operational. She was on emergency power, but that was almost up when we entered, hence the need for the batteries to effect repairs. What was left of the emergency power got used up in her interaction with us."
He turned to present the ship and the open door. "So I had them open all the doors between here, the bridge, and the auto-repair system so when the power went out, we could still effect repairs. We'll have to stand guard here until the repairs are complete. But I think this ship was worth the risk we took. It contains information about the Blesser Court and all of the Blessers. Not only that, but its abilities are similar to the Blessers. One can see the tactical advantage of having such an asset and ally on our side."
He stopped for a moment to let the last part sink in. "Though, as you might have surmised, according to the logs SpaceAge's personality was altered to be hyper curious. We'll have to dial that back down when we have repaired the ship. Also, the ship can integrate any one navi into it as its 'navigator'. And with its power restored, we would be able to connect and disconnect at will. Regardless, we should be cautious if we plan on putting anyone back into the ship for any period of time."
"Now, if you want, we can try to give you a tour of the ship before any other actions are taken," Drago ended. But before he could continue, Aya flew down. "Wait! There is something else to report," she said with a serious tone. "While they were in the ship, ReservoirMan appeared again. We spoke to him and tried to get him on our side, but he ranted about being owed half the ship's spoils. When we refused him he warned us of his powerful business associates with 'grievances against the Empire' and then left. Apparently we have more enemies than we feared."
He turned to present the ship and the open door. "So I had them open all the doors between here, the bridge, and the auto-repair system so when the power went out, we could still effect repairs. We'll have to stand guard here until the repairs are complete. But I think this ship was worth the risk we took. It contains information about the Blesser Court and all of the Blessers. Not only that, but its abilities are similar to the Blessers. One can see the tactical advantage of having such an asset and ally on our side."
He stopped for a moment to let the last part sink in. "Though, as you might have surmised, according to the logs SpaceAge's personality was altered to be hyper curious. We'll have to dial that back down when we have repaired the ship. Also, the ship can integrate any one navi into it as its 'navigator'. And with its power restored, we would be able to connect and disconnect at will. Regardless, we should be cautious if we plan on putting anyone back into the ship for any period of time."
"Now, if you want, we can try to give you a tour of the ship before any other actions are taken," Drago ended. But before he could continue, Aya flew down. "Wait! There is something else to report," she said with a serious tone. "While they were in the ship, ReservoirMan appeared again. We spoke to him and tried to get him on our side, but he ranted about being owed half the ship's spoils. When we refused him he warned us of his powerful business associates with 'grievances against the Empire' and then left. Apparently we have more enemies than we feared."
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"Oh, actually, my real flesh is below this silver armor coating," SpaceAge pitched in, although the outer shell looked more like silver skin than any kind of armor. "Would you like me to show you?"
"No, please," Yasu growled. "Please continue, DragonierMan." The following information was so appetizing that she couldn't help a rare smile, wide and wolfish, as if savoring one of the moments where she saw clearly enough to treasure the memory of recruiting DragonierMan into the army. "That is... sensational news. A treasure trove of information that could help us finally protect ourselves against the many Blesser threats you're constantly encountering... or better yet, strike at the source of whatever causes their madness. Powering it up seems a small hurdle to face, next to the completely blind groping that was our previous attempts to ward off their threat. And that you've managed to bring out SpaceAge is valuable as well."
"I'm also thankful. I hope it does not disappoint you to hear this, but if at all possible, I would prefer neither to reconnect to the ship nor to revert to my previous personality," SpaceAge informed DragonierMan. "I've been able to experience new and wonderful things with my emotions freed up by the shift, and better yet, now I'm able to walk around freely outside the ship. I don't want to be reconnected to it at all, or I could end up sealed inside once again. I hope you understand."
"I'll allow it," Yasu answered for DragonierMan. "From what I'm hearing, anyone can connect as the ship's navi. You won't be forced to do it." Having assuaged the navi's fears, Yasu turned her eye back to DragonierMan. She was prepared to answer, before Aya flew down and gave an additional report. This one seemed to vex her; a vein throbbed above her eyebrow, beneath the strap of her patch. "Enemies everywhere... and these ones claim to be 'business associates?' Certainly a different threat than our empire has faced up to this point. No matter. We have been keeping things very 'above the board' as of late. I struggle to think of what sort of legitimate grievance they could bring to bear against us."
She produced a data packet, then nodded back to DragonierMan. "I believe I will take that tour, but with Survey and SpaceAge here, and Kama to protect the ship, we're well staffed. I'd say you should take this reward and use it as you see fit. Perhaps rest up for whenever we get the chance to utilize this new information on the Blessers. We should all be pleased; it is seldom that such fortune falls into our laps," she commended him. "And don't think I've overlooked the good work your forces did in securing the perimeter as you performed your investigation. Working smart like you have today is our key to outmaneuvering the many groups who are seeking our downfall."
"What am I, chopped liver?" Dee asked, lowering her eyebrows and stepping out from behind DragonierMan, crossing her arms and copping an attitude.
"I didn't hear anything about you in the report... Did you do something useful?" Yasu asked with harsh coldness, lowering her own brow into a glare that matched Dee's. The First General stepped forward, walking around Dee, and handed over the data packet to DragonierMan. "Besides, you know that your rewards are not handled in the same way as subordinate officers' we assign to missions."
*DragonierMan gets 9000 zenny, BreakSword, Magnum2, 100 bugfrags, and 20 FP*
Dee turned, grabbing Yasu's shoulder and pushing her bust up against the other general's, getting in her face. "What's your problem?! Are you just pissed at me cause I like to have fun and cause I'm not modest and professional like the others? I can act as I choose as long as I get the job done! You're not my operator, my life coach, or my mom!" she complained.
Scowling, Yasu grabbed Dee's shoulders and moved her back a pace, requiring very little effort to do so thanks to her great strength. "I'm treating you as an insubordinate because you are being an insubordinate. Ever since BrainMan's infiltration of our forces, you've been making a show of being all smiles and flirtation for DragonierMan, while seemingly shunning whatever loyalty you had either to the shogun or me, your superior officer. We have a hierarchy here in the empire! If you blatantly disrespect me in front of soldiers and other officers, it does not foster adherence to that hierarchy. We do not need factions within our faction," she scolded at length.
"You're just pissed that he'd rather hang out with me than with you," Dee jabbed back, attempting to pull DragonierMan to her side and press her ample bosom up against his chest. "You're aggravated that you scouted him, and you work with him all the time, and yet when it comes time to fun around, he'd pick me every time!"
"I don't have any intention of having fun! I'm the First General! Fun is not my business!" Yasu griped back. "That truly stupid, juvenile thought has not even come into my head! You're dismissed! DragonierMan, Dee, you can both go have fun, somewhere else, out of my sight!"
"Oh, you heard her! Let's stand on her patch-side where she can't see us," Dee talked back. "Ah, wait-!" she spoke to someone (in hindsight, probably her operator), before she was yanked suddenly off the net in a blue beam of light, leaving whisps of steam.
"Ah... is that what they call a 'love triangle?'" SpaceAge asked, leaning back in around DragonierMan's shoulder. "I've never seen one before! Is it fun?" It might be easier for DragonierMan if he avoided answering that one and read the mood, leaving Yasu to cool down.
"No, please," Yasu growled. "Please continue, DragonierMan." The following information was so appetizing that she couldn't help a rare smile, wide and wolfish, as if savoring one of the moments where she saw clearly enough to treasure the memory of recruiting DragonierMan into the army. "That is... sensational news. A treasure trove of information that could help us finally protect ourselves against the many Blesser threats you're constantly encountering... or better yet, strike at the source of whatever causes their madness. Powering it up seems a small hurdle to face, next to the completely blind groping that was our previous attempts to ward off their threat. And that you've managed to bring out SpaceAge is valuable as well."
"I'm also thankful. I hope it does not disappoint you to hear this, but if at all possible, I would prefer neither to reconnect to the ship nor to revert to my previous personality," SpaceAge informed DragonierMan. "I've been able to experience new and wonderful things with my emotions freed up by the shift, and better yet, now I'm able to walk around freely outside the ship. I don't want to be reconnected to it at all, or I could end up sealed inside once again. I hope you understand."
"I'll allow it," Yasu answered for DragonierMan. "From what I'm hearing, anyone can connect as the ship's navi. You won't be forced to do it." Having assuaged the navi's fears, Yasu turned her eye back to DragonierMan. She was prepared to answer, before Aya flew down and gave an additional report. This one seemed to vex her; a vein throbbed above her eyebrow, beneath the strap of her patch. "Enemies everywhere... and these ones claim to be 'business associates?' Certainly a different threat than our empire has faced up to this point. No matter. We have been keeping things very 'above the board' as of late. I struggle to think of what sort of legitimate grievance they could bring to bear against us."
She produced a data packet, then nodded back to DragonierMan. "I believe I will take that tour, but with Survey and SpaceAge here, and Kama to protect the ship, we're well staffed. I'd say you should take this reward and use it as you see fit. Perhaps rest up for whenever we get the chance to utilize this new information on the Blessers. We should all be pleased; it is seldom that such fortune falls into our laps," she commended him. "And don't think I've overlooked the good work your forces did in securing the perimeter as you performed your investigation. Working smart like you have today is our key to outmaneuvering the many groups who are seeking our downfall."
"What am I, chopped liver?" Dee asked, lowering her eyebrows and stepping out from behind DragonierMan, crossing her arms and copping an attitude.
"I didn't hear anything about you in the report... Did you do something useful?" Yasu asked with harsh coldness, lowering her own brow into a glare that matched Dee's. The First General stepped forward, walking around Dee, and handed over the data packet to DragonierMan. "Besides, you know that your rewards are not handled in the same way as subordinate officers' we assign to missions."
*DragonierMan gets 9000 zenny, BreakSword, Magnum2, 100 bugfrags, and 20 FP*
Dee turned, grabbing Yasu's shoulder and pushing her bust up against the other general's, getting in her face. "What's your problem?! Are you just pissed at me cause I like to have fun and cause I'm not modest and professional like the others? I can act as I choose as long as I get the job done! You're not my operator, my life coach, or my mom!" she complained.
Scowling, Yasu grabbed Dee's shoulders and moved her back a pace, requiring very little effort to do so thanks to her great strength. "I'm treating you as an insubordinate because you are being an insubordinate. Ever since BrainMan's infiltration of our forces, you've been making a show of being all smiles and flirtation for DragonierMan, while seemingly shunning whatever loyalty you had either to the shogun or me, your superior officer. We have a hierarchy here in the empire! If you blatantly disrespect me in front of soldiers and other officers, it does not foster adherence to that hierarchy. We do not need factions within our faction," she scolded at length.
"You're just pissed that he'd rather hang out with me than with you," Dee jabbed back, attempting to pull DragonierMan to her side and press her ample bosom up against his chest. "You're aggravated that you scouted him, and you work with him all the time, and yet when it comes time to fun around, he'd pick me every time!"
"I don't have any intention of having fun! I'm the First General! Fun is not my business!" Yasu griped back. "That truly stupid, juvenile thought has not even come into my head! You're dismissed! DragonierMan, Dee, you can both go have fun, somewhere else, out of my sight!"
"Oh, you heard her! Let's stand on her patch-side where she can't see us," Dee talked back. "Ah, wait-!" she spoke to someone (in hindsight, probably her operator), before she was yanked suddenly off the net in a blue beam of light, leaving whisps of steam.
"Ah... is that what they call a 'love triangle?'" SpaceAge asked, leaning back in around DragonierMan's shoulder. "I've never seen one before! Is it fun?" It might be easier for DragonierMan if he avoided answering that one and read the mood, leaving Yasu to cool down.
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After that frank exchange, DragonierMan pocketed the data packet talked to SpaceAge over his shoulder without turning his head to look at her. "Love is complicated. Though no, usually 'love triangles' tend to not work out well for all involved." He stepped forward and to the side so he could look at SpaceAge. "We'll head your wishes and leave you as you are. You don't ever have to reconnect to that ship again if you don't want to. And if it can fly and give us the information in its data banks without someone being integrated into it, all the better."
"I have been dismissed and there are things I have to take care of. But before I go, I welcome you to the Neo-Shogunate, and hope we speak again soon. Until then have fun with General Yasu, Kama, and Survey. I'm sure you can get plenty of information from them on a variety of subjects. See you next time," he gave her a wave before disappearing in a beam of light.
[DRAGONIERMAN JACKED-OUT!!]
Three more lights flashed as the three dragonier sisters disappeared as well.
"I have been dismissed and there are things I have to take care of. But before I go, I welcome you to the Neo-Shogunate, and hope we speak again soon. Until then have fun with General Yasu, Kama, and Survey. I'm sure you can get plenty of information from them on a variety of subjects. See you next time," he gave her a wave before disappearing in a beam of light.
[DRAGONIERMAN JACKED-OUT!!]
Three more lights flashed as the three dragonier sisters disappeared as well.