The Black Dirge [Sci-fi]

[Rednaxela]

Kenji nods slowly and walks in, "Sure thing, thanks". Come to think of it, he wasn't very used to visiting the others in their rooms, he considers.

[yamikuronue]

Siegfried navigates back to the first episode, settling in and starting it once Kenji is settled in. He doesn't talk much during the viewing, just keeps an eye on Kenji nervously while they watch. It's like he expects to get bit -- or maybe for Kenji to laugh at him and call him a nerd.

When the first episode ends, he pauses on the ending credits. "What d-did you think?" he asks, in a small, nervous voice.

[yamikuronue]

((bump https://what.thedailywtf.com/uid/140732">@Rednaxela ))

[Rednaxela]

Kenji would seem to enjoy while watching, body language rather laid back and relaxed. Perhaps a bit atypically relaxed for Kenji even.

As it's paused, Kenji looks over to Siegfried to respond, "I rather liked it, thanks. Do you want to stop here, or watch some more?"

[yamikuronue]

Siegfried's face opens up, his guarded expression dropping. He looks relieved and happy -- more so than Kenji's ever seen. "Really? You really liked it? Oh wow, we can totally  marathon this whole series if you want, this is one of the best anime ever produced, what did you think of the animation, I feel like it really captured the tone and mood of the show well, well you'll see as we go on," he says, never stopping to breathe as he clicks through his machine to find the next episode.

[yamikuronue]

Unfortunately, Kenji did not get to see. Over the next two weeks, Shinigami pushed the entire team harder than she ever had before, as if to punish them for her dislike of Kimiko. Between back-to-back training sessions, simulated missions that forwent any hint of "fairness", and grueling individual physical evaluations, Kenji and Siegfried found they had little enough time for leisure that they could not coordinate another viewing session -- much to both of their dismay.

With a week remaining before the final evaluation she had promised of Kimiko, Shinigami calls the crew together into the common room, waiting for all comers to arrive before speaking. "We have a mission. You are to pack your tools and report to the Blackbird immediately. This will be a hijacking; pack for human resistance only. Our intelligence suggests the enemy are guarded by a company of ex-marines, so expect peak physical condition."

[accalia]

Zee, who had been lounging casually against the wall stands up straighter with interest, nods professionally at the news. "What's the ROE? We doing this noisy or subtle?"

[yamikuronue]

"Noisy. We don't need survivors."

[accalia]

"Permission requested to bring Kit C and load for bear." Is Zee's enthusiastic reply.

[yamikuronue]

"Granted. But don't damage the ship. Boss wants it intact for a false flag operation immediately after."

[Hitoshirenu Shourai]

Kimiko stays quiet. She likely hasn't quite processed that this mission is a real thing, seeing as to how they've been going hardcore spartan on the training. She seems to be almost in a daze, somewhere between 'ready to rock' and 'five more minutes.'

[Rednaxela]

Kenji, while leaning against the wall in the common area gives Shinigami a grim smile. He comments, "I'm sure this will be interesting." Kenji liked the idea of a real mission more than Shinigami's endless simulations. No imagination could match the reality of what the world would throw at you after all. Furthermore, he figures it might even be more fair, with the average guards not being so specifically prepared against our skills as the hardass' traps are.

After a brief pause for thought, Kenji continues, "So, do we know if these ex-marines are likely to have surveillance operator support?"

[yamikuronue]

Shinigami crosses her arms, standing in front of the doorway leading toward the arena. Her long, black braid is freshly washed, but hangs down her back, not coiled in a bun as it would be before a tactical mission (to prevent grabbing). Her dark eyes seem ratlike as she scowls at the group. "Doubtful. They'll have log-range scanners, so we won't drop out of Hyper until we're close. Otherwise, this is a P68 Bugbear -- the same basic ship as a Bearcat, but kitted out with Civilian-grade gear."

Those familiar with military ships, whether from evading the long arm of the law in Black Dirge for a long while or for hobby reasons, would know the Bearcat. It was one of the standard Marine dropships: just enough guns to make a hot landing possible, spartan crew quarters to allow for a fallback position that can escape a doomed carrier, but otherwise mostly empty space and good engines. The Bugbear's only concession to Civilian life was a captain's quarters tacked on, giving it a great cargo-hold-to-engines ratio for transporting heavy goods like machinery. Companies like Yoshida Industries or Cersei Research often used them for transporting emplaced guns to the shipyards to outfit the Naval vessels that patrolled the black of space, enforcing the law between planets and colonies, where ordinary police would be out of their jurisdiction.

[Rednaxela]

Kenji found himself slightly more worried about the following operation, than the hijacking itself in a way. A P68 Bugbear is not the sort of ship he'd tend to feel safest on for an extended mission, he thinks to himself. Ah well... He considers asking to confirm if the mission after will be our friendly little group too, but he refrains. Shini might get annoyed at jumping too far ahead, he thinks to himself.

He does however decide to ask a quick other question, which is more immediately pertinent, "Is there any cargo they're known to be carrying, that we should be aware of?"

[CalamityJade]

Morden stifled a small yawn as they leaned against one of the doors. If it was a hijacking, that meant Zee would go in, kill most everyone, and then probably have Siegfried fry the systems. Morden would get the hardware up to where they wanted it and that'd probably be done with the least amount of injury possible. "Is there a reason you don't have someone hack the systems and open the doors all at once?" Sounded like all the good stuff would be secured and they weren't worried about anyone ON the ship. A little cold, but Morden wanted this to go quickly and easily. Preferably without having to go walking around a ship full of ex-marines that would shoot them.