I finally did it. I took Jenelle’s suggestion to take a break. I’d been working myself a lot harder as of recently, making up for my extended absence before. Most of my time was spent getting some necessary things taken care of, non-urgent medical appointments and the like. My free time was spent playing games or visiting various venues of entertainment, such as technology museums.

However, sometimes I still get that itch to check up on what’s going on in the world, to see how my position as a commander is going to be affected. Unfortunately, like the last time I checked up on the news, this was a huge mistake.

This time, it was a report from the Keltim Crystal Eye Journal. Kezika was their current target for drawing up a scandal. I was well prepared for this sort of inevitability. People smearing your best friend is to be sadly expected when your best friend is famous, whether it be in politics, entertainment, or military pursuits.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at how they were making her exit from the fight against the Thargoids to be a suspicious act.. Given that I’ve been with her for some of those fights, I’m well aware that that is not the case. Kezika, just like myself, was acting on commander business only. In addition, who wouldn’t want to leave in that sort of circumstance? Who knew what could have gone wrong? Watching from a distance would have been understandable, and allowed her to plan more carefully in the days to come.

The scandal with Joker’s Deck… I didn’t know too much about that. But, I can easily give my friend the benefit of the doubt. And Kezika already told me about aiding the Eurybia Blue Mafia during the war, specifically in ship repairs.

The next part that pissed me off. This… this bitch of a reporter is making my rescue and subsequent fight against Nanurjuk seem like a shady business practice! The. Sheer. Nerve.

Suddenly I felt my hand throbbing in pain. There was a hole in the wall above my bed when there wasn’t one before. Knowing what caused this, I take a deep breath before turning off the newscast.

I have to lay low until this passes.

It’s highly likely that this could spur some ne’er-do-wells to try and return me to Nanurjuk. The thought of this happening left me trembling in fear.

Then there was also the matter of my hand. I’ll need to get that treated.

Instead of making multiple calls to multiple people, I opted to make a single call to Kezika. She could help me sort through all of this, including who to contact and for what. Once the comms were set up, I initiated the call.

“Hey, Kez. A couple things. First off…I am going to be suspending all of my activities as a commander for the time being. I am highly certain certain people would be able to put two and two together regarding a certain matter that came up on that newscast. Hopefully I’ll be able to put my affairs in order. Second off…I think I’m going to need a medic and a repairman, I just punched a hole in my wall…”

First things first, my evaluation went well. All of my symptoms were attributed to that newscast for the most part. I was advised to take some time off my Commander duties for the sake of my mental health, though, and so I did. Spent time catching up on my vast library of games-both World War Interim and modern-during that time, and found a character I could relate to. Not going into too much detail on that one, other than the fact that I wept for about an hour over their backstory-the similarities to my past are too on the nose.

And yes, before anyone asks, I did let my ‘team’ of psychiatric professionals know.

I also have a bit of a confession to make. In a previous log, I mentioned owning one of every ship, plus an extra Fer-De-Lance, making 38 ships total. To tell you the truth, ‘owning’ is a bit of a stretch. First off, there isn’t an extra Fer-De-Lance. I just gave Phoenix a different loadout that I can swap to, which includes a paint job. And second off….a good chunk of those ships I’m just borrowing. I only own about 5 or so. But you know what? That’s okay. I guess I felt a need to brag because owning something is important to me.

I’ve also been talking with other people again. It’s enjoyable, for the most part. Also allows me to keep in contact with Jubei, since our paths cross so infrequently.

Kazuko made her way through the main part of Kezika’s mansion in Fire Opal, heading straight for the drawing room that Kezika told her to meet her in. She had already packed her bags with clothing, toiletries, and a single plush for comfort, totalling up the space of a small luggage bag.

“I’m here, Kez,” Kazuko stated upon entering the drawing room. “I believe it’s time I take Doctor Tähine’s advice.”

Kezika noticed the suitcase and replied, “Perfect, my luggage is already in the uh… automobile.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Kazuko asked, confused.

“Sort of like an SRV for constructed roads, antique though in this case, but the Verdure Center is just around the way so figured I’d have the old thing pulled out for a spin, since it’ll just be us two,” came the explanation.

Kezika stood up and made her way to the door, closely followed by Kazuko to the front of the mansion where one of the staff was waiting next to a clearly very antique, but strangely brand new looking vehicle. Strangely the seating area was not enclosed, only a pane of curved glass in front of the seats. It was painted in a metallic apple green paint, and chrome adorned many of the surfaces, and on the side framed a white area with four chrome star shapes within.

Despite sitting perfectly still it constantly made a low rumbling noise as the staff member took Kazuko’s suitcase and opened the door for her to step in.

Kazuko raised an eyebrow, curious yet confused about this ‘antique SRV’, as well as the constant noise it made despite sitting still. Regardless, she stepped inside, taking a seat. It took her a moment to figure out how to belt herself in, but the lithe woman managed.

The staff member then moved around and opened a panel on the rear of the vehicle to deposit the luggage before moving on to open the door on the other side. Kezika slipped into the other seat in front of a wheel shaped contraption, but seemed to know what she was looking at as she dismissed the staff member and immediately moved a lever on the column the wheel came from.

After some mechanical sounds and foot movements by Kezika, the low volume rumbling became a bit louder as they began rolling forward down the mansion’s drive.

Upon hearing the mechanical sounds, and the low volume rumbling getting louder, and seeing Kezika’s foot movements, Kazuko’s eyes widened, and she began looking around.

“What is going on!? Is it supposed to make that noise?”

“Oh yes, this car was made not long after the second World War when they still used gasoline for engine fuel. Saw this come across the auction in the Wylair Heritage Resource Group’s sourcing boards and snatched it up for myself. Back in the 1950s they called this a ‘Star Chief’,” Kezika explained.

“Oh, so that’s just how it works, I see,” Kazuko stated, letting herself enjoy the ride. “Buying your own merch, huh?”

“Well a client that finds these things for us,” specified Kezika.

“I knew that!” Kazuko exclaimed.

After a few more turns through the town and gazes of many a hover car driver they turned up Wylair Verdure Center’s front drive. Kezika steered over around the side of the facility and buzzed in through a gate that opened to let them through.

She opened the rear panel and unloaded Kazuko’s luggage and then moved around to let Kazuko out of the vehicle as well. The two then proceeded into the door which was the rear staff lobby of the facility and made their way through another door into the main lobby of the facility.

A nurse sitting at the intake desk hastily stood up, “Oh Mistress Wylair! I wasn’t expecting you, what can you do for you?”

“Well for my friend here, she is scheduled for a follow-up inpatient monitoring under Doctor Tähine, if you could get her through intake paperwork, the clearance and admission itself has already been prepared by Rodolfo and will be relayed shortly.” Kezika explained to the nurse.

“Of course right away!” exclaimed the nurse before turning to Kazuko, “We’ll take you back into intake and have some paperwork and questions to fill out on the computers, just let me know when you’ve said farewells and we can proceed.”

“Alright,” Kazuko stated, turning to Kezika. “I’ll see you in 3 days, I guess. Or during visiting hours”

“Don’t you worry, it’ll only seem like a few hours at most, you’re strong,” Kezika replied, motioning an offer for a hug.

“I know. I have to be,” Kazuko accepted the offer, hugging Kezika tight. “If I’m not strong, I’ll..”

Kezika momentarily tightened the hug, “They’ll treat you well here, and I’ll be nearby if anything arises as well.” Kazuko nodded and let go, following the nurse to an office in the intake ward.

It was almost a case of deja vu for Kazuko as she seated herself in the chair in front of the intake desk, except for the fact that she was older and aware of what was going on, and had a small luggage bag containing some personal belongings. Once seated, she was given paperwork to fill out, which she immediately got to work on. It mostly contained things about her medical history and history with CEA facilities, seemingly checking for any updates against her existing records. Due to her having only been at an appointment within the past couple of weeks, there hadn’t been any changes since then. Once said paperwork was completed, she handed it back to the nurse at the desk.

“Alright, I’ll get this entered in, and meanwhile security will make sure to inventory your personals to make sure it is all allowed and what belongs to you in case anything is lost and found.” stated the nurse as she took the paperwork and began reading over it.

“Alright, that shouldn't be an issue.” Kazuko stated, opening her bag. Inside were some basic clothes, enough to last a couple days, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a hairbrush, and a plush bunny.

A security guard stepped over and quickly typed some notes on a datapad and took a picture, “Once we receive confirmation on your room I can escort you to the ward and unpack your stuff.”

“Oh, the room information has already come across, Eridanus 7,” the nurse inserted.

“Lead the way,” Kazuko stated, to which she was led to the Eridanus ward.

After Kazuko went into the intake office, Kezika made her way up from the entrance of the intake ward, through the marble accoutered rear lobby and up to the executive offices. However instead of heading into her own CEO suite she stepped into the office of her Vice President Rodolfo Moss, giving a slight knock on the door’s woodwork as she stepped through.

“Mistress Himura from our earlier discussion is doing intake paperwork, if you can make the ward determinations please,” the CEO said as she sat down at his desk.

“I’ve selected room 7 on the Eridanus ward as it has the appropriate auxiliary sleep telemetry equipment. Here’s the full room details,” Rodolfo said as he slid over a tablet.

Upon a few seconds of reviewing the room details Kezika replied, “Yes, that’s perfect, please inform the Eridanus ward staff I will be working with them as a peer support specialist during her stay.”

“Of course! Oh and don’t forget about Wednesday attire,” the VP stated as he began dialing a number on another tablet.

Kezika stood up, “Time you join in one of these Wednesdays I think,” she said as she headed out of the office, garnering a “perhaps,” in return.

The nursing station phone rang with a pulsating tone indicating a call from the C-Suite. Head Nurse Nettie hastily slid over to the phone to answer it, seeing Rodolfo’s name on the display, “Eridanus Ward!”

“Good afternoon Nettie, calling on two things, first to verify room 7 is free for an incoming patient?” he asked.

“Yes, housekeeping just came through and cleaned and restocked it,” she replied excitedly, nonetheless internally wondering why Rodolfo himself was personally verifying this, “you said there was another matter?”

“Indeed, I believe you’ve met Patron Wylair before at the grand opening,” the VP inquired.

“Oh yes at the head nurse’s dinner she held over at The Coriander Empress that night,” Nettie replied.

“Good so you’re already acquainted; she shall be visiting your ward over the next few days, and will also be acting in the role of a peer support specialist during her time on the ward, she should be down to see you within the next half hour or so,” Rodolfo explained.

“Well, we will be delighted to have her, I shall inform the staff, thank you” she said, after which Rodolfo disconnected the call.

Nettie selected a handful of her staff to pull into a meeting while telling the remaining staff members that she would gather them for a second meeting to keep the floor staffed for the duration of the first meeting. She headed into the staff conference room behind the nursing station with.

After everyone took their seats she began, “Alright, I just got off the phone with our Vice President, and he informed me that the CEO, Patron Kezika Wylair will be visiting our ward for the next few days. During this time she will be acting as a peer support specialist, blue scrubs and all. Has anyone here not met her yet?”

Three of the five staff in the room raised their hands, to which Nettie continued, “For those who haven’t met her, she’s quite grounded and personable, she has no problem with being addressed as simply Kezika. You don’t need to worry about any special protocols or anything, she does these visits from time to time, and when acting in this capacity she reports to the nurses as any other peer support specialist would, she knows this is the least disruptive way of doing things, so don’t let her being CEO put you off guard. Any questions?”

There were no questions by the staff in that meeting, so she dismissed them and gathered the remaining staff to let them know the same thing. She finished her second briefing just in time, as moments after she stepped back to the nursing station she heard someone badge in through the ward’s main door and saw Kezika step through.

Even though Kezika had done visits like this on other wards, she hadn’t done Eridanus Ward before. Nettie having only seen Kezika before in formal wear at a grand opening ceremony and business wear in the admin offices was a bit surprised to see her dressed only in blue scrubs.

Kezika had already spotted Nettie and made her way straight there, “Hey Nettie, I presume Rodolfo already briefed you?”

“Oh yes, and I just finished letting the staff know the drill, we have some of the patients in a music therapy class at the moment, and an incoming patient from intake shortly, but I think you’ve already caught Edie’s eye,” Nettie pointed out, noticing one of the patients approaching Kezika from behind with some artwork.

“Well you’re new! I’m Edie,” the patient said, catching Kezika’s attention.

“I am! I’m Kez, I’m here to do peer support, care to sit over here and show me that art while we wait for another new person?” she replied motioning over towards some of the tables that Edie had been sitting at before with art supplies.

Kazuko was led by the security guard from before through a few hallways, eventually being led to the entranceway to Eridanus Ward. Once through the airlock-esque door, the lithe woman was guided to what would be her room for the next couple of days; Room 7, as stated prior. She was then aided by the security guard in putting what few belongings she had with her away. After that task was completed, Kazuko was free to go, as long as she remained within the ward itself. The lithe woman quietly made her way through the hallway, looking around as to get her bearings, keeping locations in mind for later. After all, if she was going to be here for a couple of days, best not to get lost. In addition, she was searching for other individuals, fellow patients like herself. Kazuko’s search bore fruit once she reached one of the ‘corner’ rooms, not only spotting another like herself, but a familiar face as well.

“Kez?” Kazuko asked, her eyes widened in surprise.

“Ah finally got through the intake process did you?” Kezika asked, “Have a seat and join us.”

“Wasn’t expecting you here,” Kazuko remarked, taking one of the empty seats. “Hello to both of you.”

“I’ll be working on this ward as a Peer Support Specialist while you’re here, perfect way to make sure you have a familiar face while here since I’m licensed to act in this role,” Kezika explained.

Edie looked up after hearing Kezika stop talking to address whomever joined them “You’re new! I’m Edie!”

“I’m Kazuko. And yep, I just arrived,” Kazuko replied, giving a small smile. “And I see, Kez. That also explains your statement earlier.”

“Dinner should be arriving shortly in any case, coloring pages here to enjoy while you wait,” Kezika mentioned sliding a pile towards Kazuko.

Shortly before the therapy class going on in the conference room was completed some food warming carts and a mobile buffet were rolled in and positioned near the dining area. The clock indicated there were still a few minutes left before the music therapy class finished up.

Kazuko looked up from the coloring page she was working on upon smelling something delicious, only to spot the food warming carts AND the mobile buffet. Her stomach growled, prompting a blush upon her cheeks as she checked the nearby clock, frowning upon noticing there were a few minutes before dinner would be served. The lithe woman returned to the coloring page she was working on before, but her focus was clearly not as strong due to hunger.

A karaoke song could be heard coming to an end from the music therapy room. About a minute or so later a few of the other patients walked out along with a nurse that then headed over to the food carts and began distributing out the assigned trays that held the basics of a meal and any special dietary needs on a per patient basis. A few names were called when Kazuko heard her name called out.

Upon hearing her name called out, Kazuko made a beeline for the food carts at a brisk pace, she would have practically sprinted had the distance been longer. Once she received her tray, she immediately raced to the buffet, putting a bit of everything on her plate, as well as grabbing a soda to drink, having not had one in a while. Kazuko soon found her way to a place to sit, opting to remain near Kezika.

“You’re a hungry one aren't you,” Edie remarked as she noticed the mountain of food on Kazuko’s plate.

“Yeah, I guess I am,” Kazuko replied, keeping quiet on the exact reason why she ate so much.

Kezika waited until all the patients had received their trays before swinging by along with some of the nurses to grab from the spare trays. She also grabbed a few things from the buffet before returning to her seat with Kazuko and Edie.

Partway through the meal Doctor Tähine walked into the ward, and made his way over to Kazuko.

“Once you’re done eating we can have our first day meeting in consultation room 4,” the doctor informed Kazuko.

Kazuko looked up from her nearly finished meal upon hearing Doctor Tähine’s voice, nodding in response before returning to her food.

Once she had completely cleaned her plate, and was well sated, Kazuko bid Kezika and Edie farewell for the time being, heading straight for consultation room 4. Once inside, she took a seat in one of the chairs.

“You just arrived today, how has your time so far been?” Tähine inquired.

“It’s been alright so far. Familiar, almost,” Kazuko stated.

“That’s good to hear; on your intake paperwork you mentioned there had been a few night terrors since we last spoke, how would you rate their severity compared to the one that brought you to initially meet with me?” came the follow up from Tähine.

“Oh, those ones are much less severe,” Kazuko replied. “And they’ve returned to close to their usual frequency, too.”

“That’s a good start! Any case the room we assigned you is equipped with a cluster of sleep monitoring equipment that we can review the readouts of tomorrow and go from there,” the doctor explained, “any questions for me for now?”

“Sounds good to me,” Kazuko stated. “And no, no questions.”

“Well in that case, have a good night, I believe there is some recreation therapy planned shortly to partake in, and then sleep tight. All the monitoring stuff is hidden in a ceiling panel and uses laser microphones and other sensors to detect what needs to be detected,” the doctor explained while slowly standing up.

“I see. Thank you for letting me know about that,” Kazuko stated, slowly standing up. “And yes, you too.” With that, Kazuko left the office, making her way to the commons area.

Once inside the commons area, Kazuko looked around for either Kezika or Edie, easily spotting the former setting out board games.

“Guess I made it just in time,” she remarked, stepping closer.

“Yep! Recreation therapy time, variety of board games to play with others,” Kezika explained.

“Sounds like fun!” Kazuko exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. “Mind if I help set up?”

“Oh of course, pick whichever game you would like and set it up somewhere and we’ll see who’ll join in!” Kezika replied.

Kazuko nodded, selecting one of the card games from the stack before going to set it up. While doing so, she observed the slow trickle of other patients arriving, having finished her setup by the time the last few came in.

While Kezika moved around to other tables, helping some other patients set up their games, Edie took a seat across from Kazuko.

“What’cha playing, Kaz?” Inquired Edie. A few other patients had also joined the card game as well before Kezika made her way back to the table.

“7 cards each on this if I recall?” inquired Kezika.

“Planets to Planets,” Kazuko stated. “And yes, 7 cards each.”

“Well Kazuko is the newest person here, so she can be the judge first,” Kezika suggested.

“Certainly don’t mind that,” Kazuko stated, smiling slightly.

They played for a while, but soon it was time for snacks to come around, when Edie saw them coming out she turned to Kazuko. “I'll get snacks for us!” She exclaimed, then stood up and headed towards the snack trolley.

“Oh, that’s nice of you, Edie,” Kazuko remarked. “Thanks!”

Edie returns with a armful of snacks, having to use the bottom of her top as a basket so she could carry them all.

“Here you go!” She exclaims as she plops them all on the table in front of Kazuko, before grabbing one for herself.

“Thank you very much, Edie,” Kazuko stated, smiling before opening one of the packaged snack foods. “Quite a lot, though, hopefully there’s still some left for the others.”

“There’s still a lot on the trolley, I thought you liked to eat a lot,” Edie explained nervously. “I can take some back if you want?” she was trying not to show that she is somewhat upset at the thought that maybe she took things a bit too far again.

“You’re good, any extra can be shared,” Kezika replied.

“Oh, there’s still a lot then? That’s good,” Kazuko stated, noticing that Edie seemed a bit nervous. “Again, thank you for bringing this to me. It’s definitely enough, possibly a little more. But if it is the latter, that just means I have more for later, which is also helpful. And, like Kezika said, can share them too.”

“Ok cool, I’m glad,” Edie responded, forcing a smile. She was still a bit uncomfortable, and not wanting to be alone. Edie munches down on her snack to try to cheer herself up.

The group continued playing the game and snacking until Kezika’s watch beeped.

“Ah, looks like it’s about time for quiet time to start, so shall we clean up then and get ready for bed?” Kezika asked.

“Alright, need any help with that?” Kazuko asked.

“Should be fine, I’ll clean up here and head up to my quarters to sleep myself, and see you all tomorrow,” Kezika said addressing the group, but giving a nod to Kazuko as well.

“Ohh, already?” Edie remarked sullenly.

“Apparently, I was starting to grow a bit tired to be honest,” Kazuko remarked. “Night everyone!” With that, Kazuko headed back to her room.

Once inside her room, Kazuko made sure any windows were closed, as well as the door, before finding her luggage bag. Once it was found, she removed the clothes she was currently wearing, placing them inside-intending to use it as an impromptu laundry bin. She then retrieved her pajamas and additional undergarments from the dresser before ducking into the bathroom. Kazuko then shut the door, and turned the water on in the bathtub, slipping into it for a relaxing hot bath.

When the water became too cold for her liking, Kazuko drained the tub and stepped out to dry off. A towel (fresh from the dryer) awaited her, which she used to dry herself off before dressing into her pajamas. The lithe woman then stepped out of the bathroom and climbed into bed, setting any sleep aids that might be present to her liking before drifting off to sleep.

The airlock of the abandoned base was forced open courtesy of an overcharge, and seven suited figures rushed in. One of the figures shot a net out at Kazuko. Unable to move due to the severe pain in her turret-grazed side, the injured woman was easily captured. The ‘net’ containing her was dragged by one of the figures, able to continue to the ship from whence they came, despite Kazuko’s desperate struggles to escape. Her suit thankfully kept together despite being dragged across the base floor, then the surface of the planet, and the ship’s halls. Finally, the figure came to a stop when they reached the prison hold, to which she was thrown inside before the doors shut, leaving her in darkness.

Kazuko awoke with a shout, having kicked the sheets and blankets clear off her bed. She frantically looked around, bleary eyed and in a cold sweat, taking short, panicked breaths. Tears began to pour from her eyes as she choked back a sob, terrified to close her eyes again.

A soft knock came at the slightly ajar door as a nurse's head peeked in and looked over towards Kazuko's bed. Soft night lighting illuminates it just enough for Kazuko to be able to see her face.

"Nightmare dear?" the nurse asked with a soothing motherly tone.

Kazuko frantically nodded upon noticing the nurse peeking into her room, and hearing what she had said.

The nurse gradually brought the lights up a little, still quite dim, but a little brighter nonetheless, just enough to help see the room a good deal better.

"Care for a walk and warm drink dear? Clear the mind?" the nurse offered.

“Yes, please,” Kazuko whimpered. “And a small snack too, if that’s okay?” Her voice was still quite small. She then got up from her bed, still clutching her stuffed rabbit, and followed the nurse out the door.

The nurse walked with Kazuko and fetched her some warm tea and some cookies to snack on while taking a walk through various parts of the hospital before eventually returning to bed.

(Partial editing of night terror scene and parts before and after done by Jubei Himura. Reposted with extra point of view line on Kezika's account here.)

Well, I was able to fulfill my promises from the last log. Turns out the battle I fought in against Darkwater completely eliminated the NMLA, so that’s one nightmare faction gone. I was also able to take down Thyrisis, a higher ranking Raider who couldn’t fucking fly a ship to save his life.

But I didn’t just spend these past couple weeks on death and destruction-though I didn’t spend them on exploration either.

I spent them on trade.

You see, I worked on the Colonia Bridge Project a bit, by bringing materials to the necessary stations. I’ve gotten quite a few goodies as a result. And profit. Lots of profit. Good to cover ship expenses.

I was also able to play games in the softness of my blanket nest of a bed back home, too, and caught up on sleep rather easily-I think I spent a whole day sleeping and lazing about. Hey, I needed that sort of thing after the last couple weeks. I even got the sleep sounds and lights set up, too. I think the nest is perfect as is, but a bit more wouldn’t hurt if I spot anything that catches my eye.

Amaris got a couple tweaks too-was able to squeeze a bit more length out of her frame shift drive, and I put some lights up around the canopy and in my quarters. Perhaps both might help stave off any further episodes like the one I had before.

And finally, sometime after the end party for the expedition, I have to pack my bags. I’m taking Doctor Tähine’s advice, and getting myself evaluated. While my symptoms have not been worsening-in fact, I believe they’ve improved slightly, I still wish to make sure that I’m not overall getting worse.

I can’t wait for the end party regardless, it’s going to be fun. Especially if there’s as many people there as there were for the start. Though it’ll be quite different, since we’re using the same place we did for the last end party-to be fair, though, we used the same starting location, too. And honestly, that’s fine. Familiarity, but still different, to spice things up.

And I do know that once the matters related to my night terrors and heightened anxiety are sorted out, I have many, many ships to engineer, so it’ll be time to make connections and gather materials again.

I’m going to be honest, there’s nothing but bad news in this particular log.

I made the mistake of listening to Galnet when near one of the asteroid stations, and found out about Arissa’s abduction. I had some of the worst intrusive thoughts I’ve ever had in my life, and had a panic attack of a similar magnitude. Times like that are why I’m grateful I bring full staff on my ship during these expeditions-especially Jenelle.

Sadly, reaching the carrier didn’t put any fears at ease, as I started having more frequent night terrors, including an incredibly vivid one that had me wanting to sleep in Kezika’s room-which she was thankfully fine with. And I heavily thank Jenelle for helping me calm down and getting all of that arranged.

Kezika got me evaluated by a psychiatrist, whom is of the opinion that I had a spike in PTSD symptoms due to listening to the newscast, and was given some suggestions to help me sleep, such as the light and sound setups in the carrier rooms, and plushes-which I got two of easily, via a scavenger hunt, and a coupon for a free one from the gift shop. I was also to go for a complete evaluation after the completion of CEA 4.

I know on the next leg we’re heading back to the bubble. I’m going to blow off some steam and destroy those behind the Emperor’s abduction, as well as more of the Raiders. I’ll be doing the Empire some good clearing both out, as well as giving myself some extra peace of mind. And perhaps after that, I’ll head home, add the plush Krait Phantom and Krait MkII to my plush collection-and double check how many more blankets and plushies I need to turn my bed into a soft nest of sorts. And perhaps I’ll play a few more games while in that soft nest, catch up a bit on sleep as well, since I hadn’t slept too well for a good chunk of this leg.

And maybe I’ll tweak the sleep sounds and light effects in my apartment room…

Kazuko had only just woken up and partially unzipped her zero-g sleeping bag when she noticed Kezika sitting at a nearby table.

“Morning!” Kezika greeted. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Morning, and honestly, still a bit unnerved,” Kazuko replied. “And hungry. But that is to be expected.”

“Well, breakfast first and discuss next steps?” Kezika suggested.

“Absolutely,” Kazuko replied, her stomach grumbling slightly.

Both CEO and freelancer made their way to the galley, where there was already a buffet set out, and other passengers eating at tables. Kazuko was the first to reach the buffet table, piling her plate high with everything she could see, and Kezika following, selecting a few items for herself.

The two sat down at a nearby table before tucking into their meals, Kazuko glancing up from her food on occasion, as if to check her surroundings. The lithe woman tried to make it look like she was just taking in her surroundings out of curiosity, but her paranoia showed through, prompting Kezika to make a suggestion.

“We have some of the psychiatrists and nursing staff of C.E.A. riding aboard with us on this trip if you would like to have a meeting with any of them?” Said suggestion prompted a hesitant nod from Kazuko, who hoped nobody else saw. “Well, eat up and then I’ll see which doctor we can have you chat with,” Kezika added, before eating a bit more of her meal. Once finished with her plate, the CEO got up to get seconds, stopping by another table en route.

Kazuko continued eating, but glanced upward slightly to see where Kezika had gone, only to see her chatting with another person. The ravenous woman then returned to her meal, close to finishing off her plate, only to be interrupted by Kezika’s return.

“Alright, Doctor Tähine will meet up with us at my office on the fleet carrier after breakfast,” the CEO stated.

“Sounds good.” Kazuko replied, finishing off her plate and heading up to get seconds.

Once the two, or more accurately, Kazuko, was finished eating, both Commanders made their way to Kezika’s office aboard the fleet carrier, where the psychiatrist was already waiting for them outside.

“Hello, I’m Doctor Tähine,” The psychiatrist introduced himself, extending his hand.

“I usually work one of the wings at the Wylair Verdure Center, but I'm along for the expedition. Patron Wylair here said you were looking to meet with me?” he continued.

“Oh, just Kezika is fine,” Kezika interjected.

“Kazuko,” Kazuko returned the introduction, shaking Doctor Tähine’s hand.

“Hoo, hopefully I don’t have to refer to both of you in the same sentence,” Doctor Tähine remarked, chuckling, “Well anyhow, Kazuko, Kezika has offered her office for this meeting if you’d like, or we may meet in a location of your preference?”

“This office is fine,” Kazuko stated, not seeing much of a point in finding a different location.

Once Kazuko and Doctor Tähine were seated in Kezika’s office, Doctor Tähine was the first to speak.

“Well, this is more informal, so I don’t need to lead with all the intake mumbo jumbo. Would you like to begin by describing what’s troubling you?” Kazuko was visibly unnerved upon hearing that, but began to speak despite it.

“Had a night terror last night, and it’s not the first one I’ve had recently…” The distraught woman took a deep, shaky breath to try and calm herself before she continued, “I’ve admittedly had them for a while, but they’ve just resurfaced. Had some panic attacks as well, which Jenelle can also attest to,” Kazuko wiped a few tears from her eyes before continuing.

“There’s been some…incidents about a month prior to the start of this expedition, which already had me on edge, but everything went downhill after I made the mistake of listening to Galnet and finding out about the Emporer being abducted for a year-I couldn’t stop thinking about how the same thing could have happened to me!”

Doctor Tähine gave Kazuko a moment to collect herself before continuing.

“Would you rate the most recent one as more severe than the earlier ones, or have they been mostly the same severity?” he asked.

“Overall, yes, the one last night was the most severe,” Kazuko explained. “The ones prior to listening to the newscast were the same as usual, but the ones after were worse.”

“I see, and do you have your digital medical records with you, or would I be able to pull them from our systems?” Doctor Tähine asked.

“I have a medical ID,” Kazuko said, handing over a small card, which Doctor Tähine scanned.

“And then if you can just enter the encryption key on that keypad for me,” He then handed the card back to Kazuko, who typed in the key.

Doctor Tähine took a couple moments to read over the medical records. “Alright, so I’m seeing a history of slavery here, and residential inpatient after rescue for many years?” In response, Kazuko silently nodded, a few tears forming in her eyes. She didn’t wish to go into detail on her past, namely the time she was enslaved.

“Since the new night terrors heightened in intensity due to news about ‘capture’, I would be leaning towards this being a new anxiety symptom from that trauma being exacerbated by the news,” Doctor Tähine explained, before pondering for a few seconds. “Would it be possible to see your sleeping space to see if there is anything to be done to ease or reduce the symptoms of your night terrors?”

“Of course,” Kazuko stated. “But which sleeping quarters? While I do normally sleep in my ship’s personal quarters, anytime I am at this particular fleet carrier, I have a room there assigned to me. I’ve had night terrors regardless of location, though.”

Both pilot and psychiatrist soon headed to Kazuko’s assigned carrier room, stopping in front of it before Kazuko entered it, revealing that it was sparse of personal belongings.

“Seems to be a fairly standard carrier room,” Doctor Tähine stated. “Do you use any of the intercom’s sleep audio functions while sleeping?” “Those exist?” Kazuko asked, surprised that such a thing exists.

“Oh, yes, let me show you,” Doctor Tähine insisted. “Intercom, sleep sounds.” A voice, not unlike a COVAS, began to speak.

“Please state your soundtrack choice, or ‘list’ for the option list.”

“Distant Thunderstorm,” After Doctor Tähine made the request, the sound of rain and rolling thunder could be subtly heard through the intercom speaker.

“There are some that can have tied in lighting effects as well,” Doctor Tähine explained. “This one technically does, but you have to request it. There’s also; Intercom, change to Fireplace, with light effect.” The thunder and rain sounds faded out, replaced with the crackling of an open fire, while the ceiling borders flickered with fiery hues of yellow and orange. Kazuko quietly listened while looking around, her eyes wide with awe.

“These things can help keep your mind grounded to a comfortable scene through their effects on the subconscious,” Doctor Tähine’s explanation interrupted Kazuko’s thoughts. “Do you have any pets, or stuffed toys, even as decor?”

“I have stuffed toys at my apartment,” Kazuko responded. “Kezika also let me borrow one last night.”

“Yes, holding something while sleeping can be an excellent stress reducer, even something as simple as a pillow. We have some various astronomy related plushies aboard the carrier in the gift shop that you can select from, and put on the CEA tab. I believe one of the other doctors has brought some therapy animals along as well that you may be able to look into.”

“I might just look into both of those.”

“Kezika has been making an easter egg hunt for passengers by leaving some of the starship-shaped plushies hidden floating around the carrier sometimes as well, so she may have some of those to spare as well if you ask.” Kazuko chuckled upon hearing that.

“She offered me one of those last night-and that explains why she left it floating,” The now-relieved pilot considered looking around the carrier for some of these aforementioned plushies, would be a fun activity to keep her mind from veering onto dark subjects again.

“Everything else looks in order. I’ll transfer over the coupon for a plush from the gift shop to your tablet,” Doctor Tähine stated. “Then as mentioned earlier, it would appear to me to be additional symptomatic triggering due to recent events. I would advise getting a full work-up just in case once you have returned to the Keltim system upon the conclusion of the expedition, as long as symptoms don’t worsen between now and then. Keep us apprised if they do worsen, though.”

“I’ll certainly do so,” Kazuko stated.

“Well, I’ve added my contact details and the coupon into your tablet. If you need to reach back out, please feel more than welcome to, we can head back to where Kezika is.” Kazuko then opened the door, and stepped out into the hallway so she could look for Kezika, only for something to catch her eye. She turned around, and noticed a string tied to her door frame. At the other end was a plush ship that she immediately grabbed.

“Guess I have a point in the scavenger hunt now,” She thought aloud, remembering when she and the others at the facility she was at did such activities. Kazuko looked down at the plush, her eyes lighting up upon seeing that it was a Krait Phantom in a similar color to her own ship.

Kazuko stood with her back to the wall, her pistol raised and pointing forward with shaking hands. Surrounding her were shadowy forms, one of which made a motion with their hand. A bolt of energy shot from a far distance away, heading straight for the lithe woman, who attempted and failed to dodge out of the way. Instead of colliding with her on impact, it turned into a net-like structure, engulfing Kazuko completely.

“We’ve got her. After a couple decades, the lost goods are returned.”

Upon hearing that statement from one of the figures, the distressed woman began thrashing and screaming, desperately trying to escape her energy net prison.

The blanket on Kazuko’s bed went flying from the force of the now-awoken pilot’s thrashing, crashing into the wall of her bunk room before floating in midair, slightly soaked from the panicking woman’s sweat, which clung to her clammy skin. Kazuko’s heart pounded heavily in her chest as she frantically glanced around, rapidly breathing, clawing and kicking at something unseen.

Kazuko soon came to her senses, realizing that she was simply in her bunk on the fleet carrier, but that didn’t stop the sheer sense of dread weighing down on her, the same sense that yanked the breath from her lungs and flooded her mind with pure, unadulterated fear.

“Kazuko?” A single voice cut through her overwhelming despair like a knife. Shortly after getting no response, Jenelle stepped in, sitting on the bed across from the distraught woman and gently taking her hands.

“Kaz, focus on my voice. You’re here on Kezika’s fleet carrier, you are safe.” Jenelle kept repeating her second statement while gently squeezing Kazuko’s hands. The motion and speaking was enough to bring Kazuko back to her senses, albeit silently crying.

“Would you like me to bring you to Kezika?” Jenelle asked, to which Kazuko nodded.

Kezika’s bedside terminal pinged with the tone indicating an urgent call from a household staff member. Kezika rolled over and unzipped the side panel to take a look and noticed it was coming in from Jenelle and became quite worried as she pressed the answer button.

“Did something occur with Kazuko?” she inquired hurriedly.

“Yes, she seems to have had a panic attack,” Jenelle explained. “I was able to bring her back to her senses and calm her down to a degree-she wishes to see you.”

“Oh yes, of course, you can bring her right here, I’m in my quarters on Aristarchus,” Kezika explained, referring to her Orca.

Kezika raised the lights, slipped into mag-slippers, and waited for Kazuko to arrive. She made sure to also pull out a couple snack foods just in case Kazuko was hungry as well.

Kazuko soon entered Kezika’s quarters aboard her ship, having been escorted by Jenelle. Her eyes were red from crying, and tear stains were visible on her face. Jenelle returned to her own quarters aboard the fleet carrier, letting the two pilots have their privacy.

“Kez..?” Kazuko trailed off, her voice wavering.

“How are you feeling,” Kezika asked.

“Still shaken,” Kazuko remarked, a few tears falling from her eyes before sitting on Kezika’s bunk. “I…I had an awful nightmare.”

“Nightmares can be scary, did you want to talk about it, or more looking to not be alone?” Kezika inquired.

“Mostly looking to not be alone. I was…I was captured in that dream. I-I couldn’t escape…”

Kezika placed her hand on Kazuko’s hand, “Well for now let’s not pull at it any more and try to get some rest. I’ll pop out the secondary bed here for you as well.”

Kezika popped over to her terminal and pressed a button which began folding out a bed with a zero-g sleep bag attached, “Oh and there are some cookies there if you’re hungry,” Kezika added in.

Kazuko nodded at Kezika’s first statement, then immediately spotted the sleeve of cookies as soon as they were mentioned. The shaken woman immediately began devouring them, as she was indeed hungry. Once sated by the treats Kezika left for her, she quietly moved over to the now folded out bed, curling up in the sleeping bag in the fetal position.

Kezika moved over towards her bed, “Kaz, would you like one of these stuffed toys for the night, my doctors tell me they are good anxiety reducers, or like an extra pillow or anything?”

“Yeah, I would,” Kazuko immediately responded. “I left all of mine back at my apartment, didn’t think of bringing one with me.”

Kezika unzipped more of the side panel, and a few plushies of various kinds floated out, followed by a couple more that she pulled out and let float around. There was among other things an alpaca, what appeared to be a plush Imperial Cutter, and a quite spherically shaped penguin. In total there were seven of various sizes as well as a pillow floating around the room.

“Whichever one suits your fancy,” Kezika mentioned.

Kazuko quickly threw her magboots back on, and immediately made her way after the chubby penguin, before practically darting back into the sleeping bag bed.

Kezika pushed the others back into the tent cover of her own bed, but chose to leave the plush Imperial Cutter out floating about the room, spinning ever so slightly.

“Well sleep tight, if you need anything I’ll be right here as well, would you like the lights out, or would you like one of them to remain dimmed,” she asked.

“I think I’ll be fine with the lights out.”

“Alright, sleep well, and then tomorrow we can see how you’re feeling,” Kezika said as she turned the lights off.

I felt that it was too quiet on my ship today, so I threw on Galnet for some noise. At first, everything was typical: Federation leadership overreaching again, the Alliance’s opinions on the partnership with Sirius, Aegis matters, Imperial Senate trying to deal with NMLA fallout… you know, the standard stuff.

But, one news article made my heart leap into my throat.

‘Arissa Rescued from Year-Long Captivity’.

I slammed the throttle down to zero. The only things I could fully make out were that she was in a cryogenic pod, she was alive, and there were senators working with the NMLA. My own thoughts drowned out the remainder of the article, and one of those thoughts stuck out over all others:

That could have been me!

Who knows if the Raiders have hidden connections somewhere in the Keltim Empire League’s benefactors and politicians? Perhaps Nanurjurkass has a few plants in their staff as well? Even worse, what if they were among CEA’s politicians? Or the facility staff?

I felt like I couldn’t breathe at that thought, and quickly turned off Galnet in hopes that would stop the incoming panic attack in its tracks. Unfortunately, the silence only made the intrusive thoughts louder.

How do you think Nanurjuk found you? He couldn’t have traced your location from the black box. There has to be a tracker on your person. When could they have put one in? Could it still be active?

I’m sure the hospital staff would have removed it. They have the technology to find these things.

There could have been a plant in the hospital staff. Think about it: Keltim Empire League could have had orders to leave it in, and you were a ward of theirs.

No, it can’t be. What would they gain from that?

It makes perfect sense! They’d have seen you land, and gone after you! The only reason that you’re safe now is because of the two-pronged retaliation from Kezika and Jubei.

No, please no… I wanted to cry out, but my body wouldn’t let me. I was frozen, gripped with fear, while my brain was firing every neuron it could. Every electric charge that fired was the same horrifying thought, repeating over and over again…

You’re only safe because you’re out here, in the black.

I struggled, but knowing what was happening I hit a specific large button on the control panel. My COVAS blared, reporting a medical emergency. My last semi-rational thoughts echoed in the darkness before fading into the all consuming panic…

Why can’t I just be normal?

This is probably going to be an extremely short log, since there wasn't too much of note on this leg of the expedition. All I really did was look for some bios and whatnot.

I did, however, bump into one of the many doctors I owe my life to at the base camp meetup-and thanks to him, I made a new friend.

The doctor I bumped into apparently was one of the many people who bought tickets to ride along on the expedition aboard someone’s ship, but apparently he wasn’t aboard any old random explorer-he was aboard a luxurious Beluga, the same Beluga I saw earlier out the window overlooking the docking bays.

I ended up speaking to the Beluga’s owner, and got to tour her ship-it was quite luxurious. I even got a tour, and got to eat some of the food there. The owner, Sylvie, was also an engineer who could give me quality of life improvements for my ships if I brought her some old media. Sounds like a fair trade.

But besides that, nothing else really came up-here’s hoping more excitement occurs on this next leg-er, more interesting matters, I kind of need time to just rest, but not a long stretch of the same old, same old. After all, even the tasks I so enjoy as a Commander can get repetitive after a time.

Kazuko docked her Krait Phantom at Station X, having arrived for the pre-party meetup fairly early. She disembarked her ship, and slowly made her way over to the ship’s concourse. Upon arrival, she was disappointed to find out that nobody else had arrived yet, and that there were no appetizers at the bar. The slightly exhausted woman decided to make her way to the window overlooking the docking area, only for something to pique her interest.

“A Beluga? All the way out here?”

Despite the very brown and orange setting of the hanger, the Beluga Liner’s hull shined it’s trademark white. As it flew over the concourse in order to land, it’s name was visible on it’s side. The Southern Sun. A few minutes later, a few people came up from the elevators. None of them really scream commander by appearance, most likely passengers from the Beluga. One of them was very familiar. Kazuko’s eyes widened a bit upon seeing a passenger she recognized. Once the group was settled in the concourse, the lithe woman made her way over to the man she owed a lot to.

“Dr. Victor! I wasn’t expecting to run into you out here,” Kazuko greeted.

“Ah, Kazuko. Glad to see you’re doing well! I was about to say the same thing,” Victor replied.

“Oh, I’m one of the explorers that signed up for the CEA 4 expedition.”

“Ah, I bought tickets to ride on a luxury vessel for the entire route-The Southern Sun.”

“That must be the Beluga I saw out there-now I’m curious who’s flying it…”

The elevator pings as a woman steps out of it. An older woman with red hair with a few stray gray strands, and a somewhat pale complexion with freckles on her nose and cheeks . She was dressed fairly casually, and wearing a white flight jacket with the Saud Kruger logo on the shoulder. She had a slight smirk on her face as she checked her slate, also with the same logo on it’s back before slipping it into her jacket. She headed for the bar, forgoing getting a drink and taking a seat at one of the tables. Having noticed the flight jacket logo and slate, Kazuko headed for the bar herself, taking a seat at a table near the older woman’s-also not getting a drink.

“Never expected to see a Beluga out here.”

“Not your first choice for an exploration ship I take it?” The woman asks sarcastically with a smile. “She’s more capable than she looks, miss…?”

“More like I was recommended a different ship when I started out for exploration, and just settled into that one,” Kazuko explained, chuckling. “Belugas, like Dolphins and Orcas, can be used for things that most wouldn’t expect-friend of mine brought an Orca out here. Oh, and Kazuko.”

“Sylvie, Sylvie Wayfare. Retired Saud Kruger flight attendant, now I do pretty much the same thing, but with a smaller crew and a slightly more modified design.” She sat back a little as she said this, clearly proud of her time with the company. “I know the Dolphin and Orca models are better equipped for being made into explorers, but that beauty you saw is my one and only ship. I saw an opportunity to take people on a vacation for a while, so I made plans and here I am with some very happy sightseers.”

“Of which it turns out I know one.” Kazuko added. “Long story, and now is not the time for it.” She turned her chair so she was now facing the older woman. “So you said this particular Beluga is slightly modified? Color me interested.”

Sylvie’s smile widens slightly. “I’m glad you are. Most of the upgrades made to it I’ve done myself. All to make the ride more comfortable for myself and the passengers of The Southern Sun. Perhaps I can even be convinced to upgrade the ship of an aspiring commander, with the right offering. Care for a little tour to pique your interest?”

“I’d love to!” Kazuko exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. “Please, lead the way.”

With an hour or so to kill before the real meetup starts, the two took the elevators to reach the hanger Sylvie was using. It takes a while for both of them to reach the airlock, but once inside, Kazuko was greeted with a very high end Beluga interior.

This was far from the stock Belugas that Saud Krugar offers, and Sylvie mentioned during their walk to the ship, that most of The Southern Sun’s space is dedicated to passenger comforts. She showed off one of the many private rooms on board, set up like something for a very high end hotel room back on earth. Very comfy bedding, a nice view out the window, granted all that was outside was rock and metal of the hanger. The beds themselves could be adjusted to suit a passenger’s needs, either in terms of temperature or alignment. A separate bathroom, a little small, but very welcoming. Clearly luxury cabins, but with a few extra bells and whistles, as well as being split into several rooms to accommodate more than just one party per module.

As far as on-ship activities, The Southern Sun sported a few common viewing areas in the upper levels of the ship, with the secondary bridge containing a fully functional pool. The area that would normally contain a fighter hangar instead had a small movie theater, stocked with many different films and media, some dating back to before the 3rd world war.

The second to last stop on the tour, and one where they would get more privacy from the rest of the passengers, was the cockpit itself. It was as wide, spacious, and giving a great, unobscured view of what lies ahead as any other Beluga Liner. However, Sylvie offered Kazuko to sit in the pilot seat as they talked. It was far more comfortable then what came standard, extra cushioning and padding felt rather nice, but Sylvie pointed out a few extra buttons on the console. The seat could recline fully to a lying down position, it had seat warmers, even massagers built into the back.

“Exploring the galaxy all on your own is nice, but if you’re going to be stuck in a chair attached to a jump drive, wouldn't you want it to do more than give you a sore back after four or five jumps?” She said, smiling, happy to show off her work. Kazuko quietly looked around as the tour went on, and she eagerly sat in the pilot’s seat when the offer was given to her-the extra cushioning and padding felt amazing, and she certainly did turn the seat warmers and massagers on-and reclined the chair slightly.

“I could get used to this…” she trailed off. “And I have to agree with you. I could be here all day.” The lithe woman had to struggle a bit to keep herself from dozing off in the pilot’s seat, as it was quite close in comfort to her bed at home.

“Glad you like it. But we just scratched the surface. What if I told you I could make your supercruise assist actually take you down to a planet’s surface rather than having to do it all on your own?” Sylvie stands up and walks around the back of the seat Kazuko was in as she continued. “What if I said, I could make that same computer, also take care of the auto dock sequence and save you some additional space? Oh, and one other minor thing while you’re in that seat before you answer - why don’t you see how much time this ship gets on life support. And keep in mind, you’ll be seeing how much it gets with passengers.”

“Hell, that’s amazing!” She exclaimed. “Could save some space in my ships, and be good in case of emergency. As for the life support, let me check on that,” Kazuko then activated the right panel, and looked in the modules list, at the specs for the Beluga’s life support module. “By all the gods, forty minutes!?”

“That's taking into account the passengers as well. Granted they will need to stay in select parts of the ship, but the safety demonstrations cover that already.” Sylvie moved behind the seat, and tapped a few buttons to return the chair to a normal position, turning off the heating and back massaging elements of it. “Let's negotiate at the bar. After all, like most of my… colleagues, I don’t give out my services for free.”

Once the seat was returned to normal, Kazuko stood up, standing next to the chair. “Wouldn’t mind making negotiations. Please, lead the way to the bar. Hopefully it serves more than just alcohol,” Kazuko remarked, giving a small smile. She suddenly clapped a hand over her stomach as it let out a loud growl, a dark blush forming over the embarrassed woman’s face as the two headed to the bar. The sound made Sylvie stop, looking back in Kazuko’s direction, still smiling some before continuing back into the passenger section of the ship. “Of course it has more than alcohol dear. I’m not going to take a cruise ship full of passengers out here for a month on booze alone. Taking politicians for one way trips causes me enough trouble.” The familiar sound of a received message comes from the cockpit, stopping her in her tracks. She lets out a small sigh. “Speaking of. I’ll meet you there. Just head straight out and look for the signs taking you to the restaurant. You can’t miss it. Just let Susanne know I sent you.”

“That’s fine, I understand.” Kazuko stated, continuing on. She indeed did check the signs, following them into the bar area.

Kazuko eventually came to a set of double sliding doors that lead to the bar and restaurant. The bar was plain to see, but nobody seemed to be staffing it. Instead there was a single, rectangular screen with the Saud Kruger logo, a solid line under it, and the name ‘Susanne’ under that. These screens were dotted around various parts of the ship, but seeing this large one at the bar made it stand out. There were also some tables and seats set up in front of the bar to make the appearance of a restaurant. A few of the passengers were already seated at tables having meals or chatting. Once inside, Kazuko made her way to the large screen at the bar, seeing as it stuck out the most-plus didn’t Sylvie say she’d meet her there? Best be in an area where she’s easy to find. Another grumble escaped the lithe woman’s stomach, and she immediately looked to the screen, looking over the menu-partially to hide the sheepish look upon her rose-from-embarrassment face. A couple heads turned in Kazuko’s direction at the sound, but they went back to minding their own business soon after. A feminine, monotone voice comes from the monitor. The line on the screen shifts in tone with the voice.

“I assume you’re only here to visit? You are not part of the passenger list for this expedition.”

Kazuko thankfully didn’t notice the turning heads, but she did notice the voice, causing her to look up. “Mhm. I’m just visiting,” she stated. “I’m on the expedition, but I’m flying my own ship.”

“I will inform the pilot. Please help yourself to something on the menu while you wait.”

A thin panel slides up from the bar table in front of Kaz. On it was a menu. The menu in front of Kazuko had a few pages with quite a few high end meals. Everything from the fancy, small portions one would expect to more generous but high end cuts of steak. Of course with a complement of alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks to choose from. Kazuko’s mouth watered as she began to look over the menu panel, scrolling through the options. She frowned upon seeing how some of the portions were on the smaller side, moving closer to options with fairly generous portions. However, that only narrowed the options down some for her. The food being high-end didn’t seem to phase her too much, hinting at her being of some form of Imperial origin.

As she went through the menu, the monotone voice asked, “Will your pet be having anything as well?”

“Wait…pet…?” Kazuko trailed off. “What do you mean? It’s just me here.”

“I detect a non-human signal in your vicinity. Pets are not allowed, however, as a visitor, there is an exception.”

“I….please don’t tell anyone…it’s a parasite,” Kazuko quickly and quietly replied, trembling a bit. She didn’t want anyone to know because it was a clear sign of weakness-and to her, weakness meant punishment. The… monitor that was speaking, briefly shows the text ‘pilot profile - updated’ before the voice speaks again. “Passenger and visitor information is kept confidential. Your order is on it’s way.”

“I didn’t exactly order yet,” Kazuko insisted, only shutting up when her stomach let out another protest.

“Given your present mood, I made a choice for you. I hope you do not mind. This action can be disabled if needed.”

“Oh, no. It’s fine. Saves me from having to decide.”

The menu slides back down into the bar. A few minutes later, a section in front of Kaz on the bar opens up. A bowl comes up from inside of the bar and presents itself in front of Kazuko. An ice cream sundae, complete with chopped peanuts, whipped cream, and a cherry on top. Kazuko’s eyes lit up, and she immediately dug into the ice cream sundae. That’ll hold her over for now. Next to Kaz soon sat Sylvie.

“Sorry about that. Sometimes people don’t appreciate my ferrying services.” The menu panel starts to slide up, but Sylvie presses a finger onto the top of it, making it slide back into the bar. “And I see you’ve met Susanne.”

“I have. She’s quite nice,” Kazuko replied, still eating her ice cream sundae. “By the way…do you know how to bring the menus back up?”

“All you have to do is ask her. She was made to serve and give some assistance to anyone on board. This is just her main terminal. You’ll get more complex interactions here as opposed to the panels spread around the ship.”

“Cool, so an advanced COVAS?” Kazuko asked. “Susanne, can you please bring the menu back up? I’d like to have a meal with my dessert.” The menu, as requested, comes back up in front of her. It has changed slightly from the last time she saw it, with that same dessert as the first thing she sees, but the other pages and selections remained. Kazuko gave a small smile upon seeing her previous order show up, but scrolled through, back to the more generous portioned meals, ordering herself a nice steak.

“A bit like one, yes. Only with a little more utility.” She turns, looking at the screen. “Susanne, would you mind introducing yourself properly for our guest?” The monotone voice chimes as it speaks, clearly with a pre-made response.

“Hello. I am the Social Utility System and Neural Network Equerry, but you may call me Susanne. I was designed by Sylvie Wayfare to assist passengers and pilots on board the - Southern Sun -. Please feel free to call on me for assistance during your time here. Enjoy your stay.”

“Makes for a unique passenger experience, I take it. May have to book a trip,” Kazuko mused out loud, finishing off her ice cream sundae, gently setting the bowl and spoon aside. “Anyway, Sylvie, you said something about negotiations?”

“You’re welcome to book one. Just not at the moment. As for-” She was cut off as the ordered steak came up from the bar. “As for negotiating, it's rather simple. You’ve already seen my theater. If you can bring me some media that would be fitting for it, and as long as I don’t already have a copy, then my services are yours.”

“I’ll have to look into what I have aboard my ship,” Kazuko stated, before digging into her steak. While she did check her own slate to see if there was anything of note, she personally wanted to double-check the inventory by hand before anything was set in stone. As she did, Kazuko noticed something that Susanne pointed out immediately after.

“Sylvie. 5 minute notification for the - pre meet up party -” Sylvie sighs as she gets up.

“Time sure does fly. Susanne, send notifications to anyone who got off the ship.”

“Doing so now” the monotone voice responds in turn as Sylvie makes her way to the airlock.

“I’ll take this food to go, then,” Kazuko remarked. “Any disposable container I can put this in?” After a few moments of silence, the section of the bar Sylvie was just at opens up. A small white container sporting the Saud Kruger logo on top appears. “Would this be acceptable?”

“That is perfect, thank you,” Kazuko replied, placing the remainder of her meal into the container, before closing it. “I shall hopefully be back soon.” The lithe woman then took her leftovers and left the bar, heading for the concourse of Station X.