#rather than living among the disorganization and debris

[lady-starkiller]

decluttering/reorganizing my dwelling both exhausting and thrilling

[gunnerpalace]

YourIchiRuki (Neapolitan Ice Cream): The BattleTech AU

SUMMARY

A very slow burn (500,000+ words just for setup) of Yoruichi, Ichigo, and Rukia trying to figure out how to deal with feelings and making a relationship work in a universe beset by war and political intrigue, as complicated by the fact that they are A. mercenaries, B. members of the nobility, and C. more than a little incredulous as to how they wound up in this mess in the first place, as set within a Bleach-y adaption of the BattleTech setting.

SETTING OVERVIEW

It is the year 3016. The Inner Sphere, a region approximately 1,000 light-years in diameter encompassing some 2 million stars and 2,000 inhabited planets, is split among five Successor States of the defunct Star League, each ruled by a Great House:

The Lyran Commonwealth, ruled by House Kuchiki

The Draconis Combine, ruled by House Shihōin

The Federated Suns, ruled by House Shiba

The Capellan Confederation, ruled by House Fujita

The Free Worlds League, ruled by House Hasegawa

The Periphery and Deep Periphery beyond their reach remain comparatively disorganized. Earth and the Sol System are ruled by ComStar, currently headed by Primus Sōsuke Aizen.

The Third Succession War, one in a series of conflicts waged nominally to restore the Star League, rages onward and is entering its 150th year. It is fought through all available means of combined arms warfare, but the premiere platform of the conflict is the BattleMech, an armored walking war machine piloted by a MechWarrior.

The young Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth, Byakuya Kuchiki (26) has come to learn of the acquisition by the Federated Suns of the so-called Halstead Collection, a trove of Star League-era documents recovered during a military strike against a Draconis Combine staging area that was under construction. Realizing that House Shiba is nearing completion of their New Avalon Institute of Science to study the collection, he devises a plot to infiltrate the institution and gain access whatever secrets might have been found.

The linchpin of his plot is the world of Edo[1], a massively developed commercial and industrial hub. The cosmopolitan nature of Edo provides an easy means of inserting an agent into the society of the Federated Suns who can assume the identity of a native and then work their way onto the staff of the NAIS without raising suspicions. To this end, Byakuya dispatches his "adopted" younger sister, Baroness[2] Rukia Kuchiki (22), on an infiltration and reconnaissance mission, in order that she might prove herself. She is afforded a BattleMech[3] painted in Draconis Combine livery for the sake of additional deception and self-defense should anything go wrong (the Draconis Combine long having had designs on Edo).

After analyzing available data, Rukia decides that the best method of completing her mission and winning his approval is to infiltrate through what she reasons to be the soft underbelly of Edo: its countryside (or what passes for one). She selects the relatively sleepy city of Karakura, on the continent of New Tama, as her entry point.

Unbeknownst to either of the Kuchiki siblings, or indeed anyone in the Federated Suns, this is exactly where a former Duke of the Federated Suns, Isshin Shiba (from a branch of the main Shiba line, and now going under the adopted surname of Kurosaki) chose to flee from his responsibilities and raise a family. Although his wife died tragically some years prior, his son Ichigo Kurosaki (21) is in college, while his daughters (and fraternal twins) Karin Kurosaki and Yuzu Kurosaki (16) are in high school.

Likewise an unknown factor is that Kisuke Urahara (29) and his mercenary company (the Urahara Wild Cards) are in the same place. They have been reduced to the sorry state of having only two pilots, his chief officer (and former Coordinator of the Draconis Combine!) Yoruichi Shihōin (28) and Tessai Tsukabishi (34), as a result of most of the others having decided to go their own way (to form a company of their own called Visored). His company is actively recruiting.

The stage is set for a most curious complex of circumstances to unfold...

INITIAL PLOT SUMMARY

The idea behind this is that, although the setting features mecha, war, and political shenanigans (especially what with at least three people from the Great Houses about), I really wanted to use that as a framework for developing interpersonal relations. So, the general gist of the timeline would be that it starts off sort of like Bleach. 

Rukia shows up in Karakura and starts conducting her mission, but things quickly get out of hand. The canonical Federated Suns present themselves as being as honorable and democratic (or, at least as much so as an aristocratic system could be) but there are still vast wealth inequalities and social stratification in their lands, so my feeling is Rukia sees something or other which flips her chivalric and noblesse oblige switches, and she gets involved (eventually using her 'Mech), which draws the attention of the local military forces.

This results in a Fishbone D-style fight, which Ichigo and his family get dragged into. (Perhaps Rukia's 'Mech winds up being pushed into a residential area as she tries to retreat?) Rukia takes a hit to the cockpit while trying to shield Ichigo, getting injured by some shrapnel, mostly in her right arm. (Whoever she's fighting gets knocked down by her counterattack at the same time.) Ichigo clambers up into the cockpit (probably one side of it being torn open) to try and get to her, and finding her injured, decides he's got to fight in her place after getting her out of the ‘Mech[4].

Since he's the child of a Shiba, Isshin has probably subtly been training him to do something like pilot a 'Mech over time somehow, even if it wasn't obvious that's what it was training for. So, Ichigo is fairly naturally able to work with the 'Mech despite no prior official experience, and manages to take out the opposition without destroying the entire neighborhood in the process. He then passes out from heat exhaustion because Rukia's 'Mech is overheating and he doesn't have any kind of cooling gear on.

This is when Kisuke shows up (as in Bleach), having observed this battle from a distance and sensing an opportunity. He and his team scoop up Rukia and recover both her 'Mech and the Federated Suns one that continued pursuit, basically scouring the place for obvious evidence. Things go from there.

Ichigo wakes up the next morning in bed. Isshin, Yuzu, and Karin are fine (maybe they were knocked out through concussion or falling debris or being thrown against walls or something, but are alright; this is a bit handwavy but whatever, no one really cares that much) and seem to think it was a gas main explosion or something. The authorities are basically covering it up as exactly that. Ichigo remembers, but dismisses it as some kind of nightmare.

Until he meets Rukia on his college campus.

She's been patched up enough to be ambulatory but her arm needs time to recover and she can't pilot properly, and so she enlists Ichigo to help her with her infiltration mission by helping her with school and generally blending in and pretending to be a Federated Suns citizen. He refuses at first, but as she saved his life (and he is rather politically disaffected) and he finds there to be a charm in her notions of what honor and chivalry mean, he eventually comes around and grudgingly assists her. (It later turns out her 'Mech is in the care and repair of Kisuke, who is essentially billing her for the services and making her trade on token favors in the meantime.)

A month passes, much as in Bleach, with Rukia living out of Ichigo's room. During this time they converse quite a lot and grow close (as in Bleach and more especially its live action movie). Rukia comes to appreciate the comparative freedom of life in the Federated Suns (even compared to being a noble in the Lyran Commonwealth) and starts to genuinely doubt her mission and cause, finding them to be incompatible with how she interprets chivalry. During this time, she assists Ichigo in getting revenge on a criminal who was responsible for the death of his mother years prior (Grand Fisher equivalent, probably personal combat rather than a 'Mech fight). This is the final straw in her deciding to desert her mission and go native. She stops sending reports back to the Lyran Commonwealth.

Although Kisuke technically owns the Urahara Wild Cards, the reality of the situation is more complicated. He and Tessai were formerly retainers and subordinates of Yoruichi’s from her time as the Coordinator of the Draconis Combine; when she deserted her post to save them from certain execution (due to a convoluted conspiracy), they all wound up as dishonored ronin. Still, he shows her all due deference (if sometimes playfully) from their former lives. He prefers to take an administrative and executive role, leaving day-to-day operations to her, and logistical matters to Tessai.

It is around this time that Yoruichi returns from elsewhere on the planet, her own independent recruiting efforts in more populated areas not having yielded any results. Finding out what's been going on in her absence (with Kisuke having determined Isshin's real identity in the meantime), she's pretty stunned. (As the former leader of the Draconis Combine, finding out that both the sister of the Lyran Commonwealth's Archon and a plausible claimant to First Prince of the Federated Suns are present on such a world is pretty wild.) She joins Kisuke in taking an immediate interest in this situation, but takes care not to make her presence known around Ichigo or Rukia, reasoning at least the latter might be able to deduce who she is (or rather, used to be).

There is growing involvement from Ichigo's college friends and acquaintances (i.e., Chad, Uryuu, Orihime, Tatsuki) who get drawn into matters for personal reasons. (I'm leaning toward including them for contrast, use as sounding boards and interaction for the mains, additional pilots, and for side stories and subplots.) Of these, Uryuu might have his own (Light) 'Mech[5] already, with the Quincy perhaps being some sort of independence movement or armed militia group. (I find it debatable whether Keigo and Mizuiro should be included, but for once they rather plausibly could be.)

Another month passes, and Rukia decides it's time to leave, having come to reason that her mere presence puts Ichigo and everyone else in direct danger. Unfortunately for her, she is too late: shockingly, Byakuya himself arrives on Edo, along with a rising LCAF military commander, Renji Abarai, in order to retrieve her (again with Draconis Combine-styled 'Mechs). Byakuya has come to view her "failure" as a matter of personal honor.

This is where things start to diverge much more heavily from Bleach. Although Uryuu and Ichigo intervene, their ‘Mechs are no match for Renji's 'Mech[6], let alone Byakuya's[7]. All hope seems lost until Yoruichi, Kisuke, and Tessai deploy into battle in heavy and assault 'Mechs[8]. Suddenly outnumbered 2:5, Byakuya and Renji are forced to withdraw and retreat. However, this skirmish draws the attention of the local military much more heavily than even Rukia's initial actions.

The Urahara Wild Cards immediately make ready to leave the planet, and extend an offer to Ichigo, Rukia, and company to join them. Faced with little choice given the attention about to be brought to bear, Ichigo and Rukia choose to leave, prompting the others to join them too. (Rukia having already been prepared to leave, and Ichigo really not wanting to be apart from her but openly reasoning he was planning to leave home anyway after college. The others perhaps view it as more exciting and amenable than staying behind)

They all depart the planet and, after returning to Kisuke's orbiting DropShip (the Geta-Boshi[9], which is too large to make planetfall) soon also leave the system behind. Although Rukia initially finds the idea of becoming a mercenary distasteful for cultural reasons, a speech by Yoruichi[10], who chooses this moment to properly "introduce" herself, results in the six (or eight) deciding they might as well apply their skills as mercenaries under Kisuke's employ, bringing Urahara Wild Cards up to (at least) two full Lances worth of pilots.

The next several months are spent training and taking odd jobs. The young adults from Edo (Ichigo, Tatsuki, Chad, Orihime, and Uryuu [and maybe Keigo and Mizuiro]) come under the supervision of Yoruichi and Tessai for proper basic 'Mech training. Rukia, having received LCAF training, also gets roped into this as a co-instructor. Ichigo winds up being the star pupil of this program by virtue of his history, although Uryuu is not at all far behind.

They settle on a force structure that roughly balances out relative skill while still affording a strong main team and a good reserve team, yielding Alpha Lance (Yoruichi, Rukia, Ichigo, Chad) and Bravo Lance (Tessai, Uryuu, Tatsuki, Orihime). (If Keigo and Mizuiro are there, they're basically backbenchers until the Urahara Wild Cards get at least two more pilots[11] to form a third Lance, Charlie Lance, which would bring them up to Company strength.)

Rukia and Ichigo continue on much as they had before, on Edo. Although they both, along with everyone else, are issued fairly comfortable and private quarters (owing to the size and nature of the construction of the Geta-Boshi), more often than not Rukia chooses to spend her time in Ichigo's quarters, often falling asleep there. It relatively quickly becomes common for them to share a bed, although their relationship remains nebulous and unofficial; almost everyone else treats them as though they are a couple, but they remain very emotionally and personally intertwined rather than lovers.

The Ichigo-Yoruichi and Rukia-Yoruichi reactions are from the outset established on the basis of mutual respect, but as time goes on admiration, care, concern, and physical attraction start to creep into them. Ichigo winds up often getting additional training and instruction from both Yoruichi and Rukia, though more often from the former. He winds up becoming good friends with Yoruichi off-duty as much as on. They have sort of similar interests and approaches to things, and often wind up talking shop about hobbies or knowledge. Yoruichi and Rukia become fast friends due to a mutual background and lifestyle focus; although the Kuchiki and Shihōin are nominally bitter enemies, it turns out they have a lot more in common than it might first seem. They swap more advanced piloting techniques and train together frequently to keep each other sharp. They also spend time together when off-duty, and in the process also become closer with Tatsuki and Orihime, as there are relatively fewer women aboard the Geta-Boshi and the MechWarriors tend to stand apart from the ship's crew and the engineering staff.

A bunch of little incidents also take place that heighten their growing closeness. Two examples: 1. Ichigo winds up walking into Yoruichi's quarters to ask her a question and accidentally catches her in a state of undress; he retreats in (appreciative) embarrassment, but Yoruichi also realizes she doesn't mind that he saw anything. 2. Yoruichi, deducing during an R&R stop on a planet that Rukia is more than a little repressed, and inexperienced to the point of not even knowing how to please herself, offers to show her how as a fellow woman, then reveals she didn't know what she was doing either the first few times she tried.

If the initial time in Karakura were to take roughly 75 chapters (at about 4,000 words each), then this all would probably take at least another 75 chapters, and probably more.

Eventually, one evening Ichigo winds up joining Yoruichi at the only bar on the Geta-Boshi and they trade stories and talk about themselves and each other (although only he drinks). Yoruichi gradually realizes over the course of the evening that she enjoys the sense of connection they share, and that she genuinely finds him attractive, and has the sense that he feels the same about her. Although she's (very) well aware of Ichigo and Rukia's "not-a-relationship," she's also discerned they're not actually lovers, and although that leaves her a bit conflicted, she still chooses to act on her impulses, reasoning she's not doing anything wrong by pursuing him.

After they leave together, she gets him alone (in his 'Mech rather than in either of their quarters, not wanting to make it about power) and reveals her attraction toward him. Her understanding of her feelings is often physical, and she comes onto him, even though she knows that what she’s feeling isn’t purely lust; it’s something more emotionally meaningful and leaves her vulnerable, and the way she takes control of it is by being a bit forward. Ichigo has a kind of similar attraction and doesn’t fight her, having a sense of her perspective and emotions. They have sex, both wanting and needing it, but it’s not just that, and it’s great. Feeling awkward about just doing it and then going their separate ways, Ichigo goes back to her quarters with her, where (despite some innuendo) they probably just shower and fall asleep together (with maybe more in the early morning). This has been prototyped out as about two chapters.

Although Yoruichi initially only considered the idea of it as being a one-time thing, despite her feelings, it keeps occasionally happening over the next few weeks (maybe about every 3-5 days or so) as both of them enjoy the physical comfort of their connection, and the pillow talk afterward.

Meanwhile, Ichigo often spends his other nights finding Rukia asleep beside him, and starts to think about how deep his emotional connection to her is, and how comforting that is too. It leaves him more than a little conflicted and he starts to focus that feeling in on himself as he tries to figure out what to do.

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

This is where my sense of the plot becomes a bit less certain, and where I felt that input could be particularly insightful.

My sense is that Rukia, smart cookie that she is, would figure out what is going on very quickly. (Probably having a sense of it almost immediately, and piecing it together within a week.) Considering the undefined nature of her relationship with Ichigo, I don't think she'd be mad at him or upset with him. I do think it would also make her reflect on her feelings toward him, and together with her own growing recognition of her sexuality, would lead her to be curious and to want to try and have a physical connection with Ichigo too.

So, I think that she would prepare herself mentally and wait until a night when he was in his quarters, and make the first move. And Ichigo would not resist and quickly start to cooperate, wanting to make Rukia feel good. It'd be different between her and him than with him and Yoruichi, but just as intoxicating.

Probably the next morning, Rukia would slip out early and go to see Yoruichi to try and discuss things, having some sense of Ichigo's emotional turmoil and not wanting it to go on further.

I think they'd talk in Yoruichi’s quarters (as I don’t think Rukia would be intimidated by talking there), but they might also go somewhere private on the ship, maybe a kind of industrial or disused area as neutral ground.

Rukia would begin with just a frank admission of, "I've slept with Ichigo," not wanting to make the talk confrontational or anything.

Yoruichi would say something like, "Good. It's about time."

"That's all you have to say?" Rukia would be surprised more than anything.

Yoruichi might maneuver closer and get in her personal space, assessing her carefully and critically. Rukia might tense up a little but would hold her ground, not afraid.

Eventually Yoruichi gets closer still and leans in to just softly kiss her.

Rukia's stunned, then like, "What are you doing?!"

Yoruichi would pull back and consider her, then cross her arms over her chest as she looked away. She'd say something like, "I know you will, but make sure you take care of him," making it clear she approved.

Rukia would be stunned for a moment, giving Yoruichi the opportunity to begin to gently quiz her on the experience. Did she like it? Did Ichigo? Was it good? Where do they want to go with their relationship?

I think Rukia would see through it, and although she would answer, she would press Yoruichi on her own feelings. It would turn into a kind of Self-Sacrifice Olympics because Yoruichi would be willing to step aside, and Rukia feels bad about that because she can tell that it wasn't purely physical on Yoruichi's part, and back and forth.

They would talk through things for longer than they might have thought they would, with Rukia discerning Yoruichi's care for Ichigo and Yoruichi truly grasping how considerate Rukia is.

I think Rukia would be moved, personally, and she'd eventually return Yoruichi's initial smooch but for a different reason, to make it clear how heartfelt her respect was.

Now, of course, the goal here was to set this up together gradually, so I think that given their shared history to that point, Yoruichi would return it and it would turn into something more, more mutual and a bit handsy.

By the time they pulled apart and looked at one another, they'd both have expressions like, 'Well. What do we do now?'

I think it'd be Rukia who said, "We'll have to see what he says... together."

I don't think they would immediately become a trio from there, it'd be a lot rockier than that, with each having their doubts about the matter before them. 

Ichigo would be worried that they were just doing this for his benefit and that he didn't deserve either of them. Rukia would be less confident in her newfound sexuality and lack of experience and might have a bi crisis (or recurrent bouts of it). Yoruichi would be secure in her sexuality but be worried about hurting them and how that could affect them all professionally (to the extent of even getting them all killed).

I also think it'd take them a fair amount of time to try anything all together, even just cuddling. So it'd be a drawn out process of discovery rather than them all just jumping into it. Movie nights, hanging out, going on dates in pairs and as a trio, and splitting off to take turns as duos (Rukia and Yoruichi at first having an understanding, and eventually taking the step of trying being with each other). It would probably take almost as much time to process through as it did to set up before they finally fully settled in together. 

Meanwhile, the surrounding situation would also obviously be growing more complicated...

In addition to mercenary adventures and dealing with the continuing wrath of Byakuya and the Lyran Commonwealth, there is an even larger picture owing to the Third Succession War.

While, obviously, this does not slavishly follow BattleTech's history as it is, nor will it going forward, taking elements and using them seems prudent. In BattleTech canon, the Third Succession War ends in 3025 with the Lyran Commonwealth and Federated Suns signing a defensive pact (in 3022) which is ultimately designed to unify them (into the "Federated Commonwealth"). The Free World League, Draconis Combine, and Capellan Confederation then ink their own agreement to counterbalance the threat of this.

My feeling is that the FedCom pact could have an interesting basis in Ichigo and Rukia coming together (and, because I'm a basic and predictable bitch, Byakuya and Kuukaku getting involved), although Yoruichi's presence would make things more interesting and complicated. Regardless, I think that with three Great Houses being represented (by Yoruichi, Rukia, and Ichigo) the crew would wind up playing some sort of role in the Third Succession War's resolution.

Other characters can be integrated variously throughout in different ways as well.

FOOTNOTES

[1] Likely standing in for Robinson in the actual BattleTech setting. [2] Rukia's official title of nobility is quite low considering her relation at this time. [3] Rukia, operating on behalf of her brother, has a rare customized 'Mech: an FS9-H Firestarter with 3/4 of the Flamers replaced by Medium Lasers, changing its BV (2.0) from 694 to 883. The rear-facing Flamer is the one retained. This would give it decent staying combat power for something so light. Looks something like this. [4] In BattleTech, the Successor States lost the knowledge of many Star League-era technologies ("lostech"). One of them was cooling suits for MechWarriors; "typical" garb is instead a cooling jacket and as little clothing as possible, usually a sleeveless leotard. So this could be a kind of funny scene if that's kept. (How hard is it to turn a vest into a suit though...) This would make Yoruichi's preferred taste in attire in Bleach fairly normative, though. Alternatively, the standard could be more like what was envisioned in one of the latest video game adaptations. [5] Probably a bog-standard LCT-1V Locust, the most common sort around. Looks something like this. [6] Perhaps an HBK-4G Hunchback. Looks something like this. Renji can have an ugly 'Mech to start with. [7] I'm thinking of a stock VTR-9B Victor. Looks something like this. [8] I think Yoruichi might have a TDR-5SE Thunderbolt (looks), Kisuke might have a MAD-3R Marauder (looks), and Tessai might have a BLR-1G BattleMaster (looks). [9] Kisuke, Yoruichi, and Tessai have somehow found (and renamed) the Argo. [10] It's notable that the Draconis Combine hates mercenaries, so that Yoruichi is here (with Kisuke and Tessai) doing mercenary work also Says Something. [11] As I am constantly saying Fullbring should’ve been introduced early in Bleach, maybe they meet (and beat) rival mercenary group Xcution and take on the remnants (probably Jackie, Yukio, and Riruka) as pilots?

[styx-n-stone]

The maintenance check

Lace Agate stared at the planet. "5,000 years and nothing has changed" She spoke in introspective reflection. "Pity, it would have been nice to have a new planet in this system." She turned to face her crew, busy at work. "Emeralds" she ordered the small gems. The psychic warriors scuffled over and aligned in front of her. "Yes Lace Agate" spoken in unison. "How do you see the landing going?" Lace said. The Emeralds looked at each other briefly before getting in their "thinking pose", as they call it. One by one they respond. "Lights!" "Poof" "Exhilarating!" Lace rolled her eyes, noting to herself to request a sapphire instead of the extra gem power. "That will be all" she grumbled , dismissing them. The Emeralds ran off giggling. Gray pearl approached her liege. "Olivine said we will be landing momentarily." Lace nodded. "Thank you, pearl." Pearl left muttering something like 'about time' or 'not soon enough'. Lace heard these, but had grown quite use to it. Pearl did good work albeit bitterly. The Agate was accustomed to getting the duds and less than exemplary, unfortunately. She thought in more depth about her crew. It wasn't much, to be fair. Two quartzes- Cloudy and Rutilated- for guards. Rarely were any real threats present, so they mostly assisted in keeping the Emeralds in check and any mechanical needs of the Olivine. Cloudy was honest and reliable, though occasionally caught daydreaming about stars know what. She generally helped Olivine with mechanical matinence. Her gem was milky white that always looked dirty, despite no reason to be. Ruttilated (the Emeralds gave her the nickname Rudy) was anxious. There was almost nothing about her that was soldierly. In fact, her gem seemed to have multiple cracks in it. Or, at least, appeared to. Ironically, she was the best at handling the Emeralds. The Emeralds were immature, spastic, and vague about everything. They were always together and always causing mischief. In all honesty, it made sense. Emeralds are the discount Sapphires and Premium rubies: warriors that can see the future. Good idea in theory, but no where near standards in practice. They gave each other nicknames. Their leader was "Eymerald", the smart one, who usually gave visual predictions. Then there was "Button", the sensitive one who gave feeling predictions. And finally "Anmerald" who.. was the unpredictable one. Her visons made no sense until retrospective. Olivine was an efficient and enthusiastic technician. Very witty but easily irritated. She worked but chatted the entire time. Lace felt lucky that cloudy kept her company. The Agate wouldn't last 5 minutes of "and the peridots think you can just REWIRE the main frame. Who does that? Anyway-" Then there was... Citrine. Citrines are supposed be more stealthy than Quartzes. But this Citrine... Is the laziest gem she's ever met. The most she does is talk to pearl and hang with the Emeralds. Lace frowned to herself. They can't help it. Production quality has gone down over the past few centuries. Less resources means less efficiency. At least she HAS a crew. The ship made an loud sound. Something like metal groaning as it's pushed against a wooden ground. "What was that?" She ordered. Olivine ran into the main deck. Almost stumbling. Cloudy managed to catch her before hand. "SOMETHING JUST FLEW PAST US AT WARP. THE NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING." Lace looked over to her flight crew. They awaited her guidance. She opened her mouth to speak only to be thrown into the dash with a loud bang. The ship started a corkscrew. Rudy cried out and hid under the dash. The Emeralds joined her huddling against the Quartz. Cloudy secured Olivine. Citrine and Gray hung on railing. Lace realized what the Emeralds meant. She gripped the dashboard and attempted to turn the stabilizer on. Emergency lights strobing and smoke entering the bridge. The ship burning from the frictave atmosphere. Gravity took effect. Screaming Crash Smoke Then silence. Lace used the dash to pull her self up. She shifted her head to her disheveled crew. No one had dissipated. She lucked out. The crew gave a long hard moan of pain. "Olivine, diagnosis" Olivine pushed cloudy off of her and went over to a panel. "No response, power cell is most likely damaged- among other things." "Repair time?" "With the resources we possess?....21 to 42 lunar rotations. Perhaps 3-5 solar rotations at worst. " Lace grunted in dissatisfaction. "Open the door" Gray pearl attempted the key pad, but it was no use. Cloudy kicked the door open. it hit the ground with a loud bang that caused everyone to flinch. Lace lead the company out of the ship. They were on the edge of a lake. Somehow they avoided being submerged in water. A few trees were knocked over but for the most part the forrest appeared to be empty of intelligent life (other than insects). Lace nodded for Olivine to survey the exterior damage. She went off, cloudy instinctually following her. "Pearl, Ruttilated Quartz, search the area for inhabitants." Lace commanded. She turned to citrine, who was lazing on a tree branch. "Citrine!" The peach gem lost her balance and landed on the grass. "I need you em the wat-" she cleared her throat and spoke again, slower and more precise. " I need you to keep watch on the Emeralds." Then picking up pace again "Report any visions they have to me immediately." Citrine nodded and gave a poorly executed salute. "Aye aye Agate!" And left. Lace looked out into the open water. She only looked back at the ship briefly to double check if the Emeralds were there. They were. For a while, she was alone to her thoughts.... Pearl and Rudy walked through the many trees. Gray nearly blended with the shadows, Rudy noted. She knows why Lace wanted her to go scouting instead of citrine like usual. (Citrine had a tendency to wonder off) Still, she much rather had been with the Emeralds. They were kind to her, and took much comfort around her while also having the same affect on her. There was always reassurance about the future like "you aren't gonna be shattered" or "you're will do a good job" or - She walked into a tree. Gray pearl stopped and looked at her. "Watch where you walk, clod" she said, and walked on. Gray doesn't know why she was put with these lackluster fools. She curses the day Onyx betrayed homeworld. She curses the day Onyx was shattered, leaving her to be distributed to a low ranking corps who don't even take her advice. If she were an Agate she'd have them all harvested. If she were a Diamond she would have harvested and conquered all the planets in this galaxy. This orb was a pathetic waste of space. She tripped over a log. She could hear Rudy giggling. "Watch your step, cl-" Gray's head whipped to face the quartz with ill intent. Rudy shut her mouth tight. She actually wanted to live today. Meanwhile back at ship, Olivine and Cloudy surveyed the damage. The extensive amount of damage Olive continued to keep notes in her log "thrusters collapsed, router devices 4-12 are gone, front is detached from back, etc etc etc.." cloudy lifted some debris out of the way to help get into blocked off sectors. It was routine as usual. "You think you can fix it?" The Quartz asked. Olivine pulled up the notes and hummed in thought like an old computer calculating. She rubbed her visor to get some of the extra dust off. She grimaced. "With difficulty, but it's doable." She looked for any notes on earths resources. "This planet is supposed to be rich in material. We should be abto-" olive stared at the screen. "UHH" the noise from her theist was alarming. Cloudy leaned over to see the screen better. "Destruction imminent. 2 weeks overdue. Travel inadvisable." Olivine let loose a horrified screech and took off towards Lace Agate, stumbling over her limb enhancers repeatedly. Cloudy followed with similar urgency. ... Citrine messed with some of the buttons on the dash. "Where's the A/C on this thing?" Clearly, the dashboard didn't work, but citrine had assumed there was some back up power reserve Which there wasn't The Emeralds on the other hand, took this as an opportunity to not work. They took turns sitting in Lace's command chair and ordering each other around. Currently, Ann was in charge. "Emeralds, there is an intruder aboard. Attack!" "Aye aye Emerald!" The others yelled before tackling citrine. The yellow orange gem laughed. "Oh no! The great Ann has captured me. I'm at the mercy of the Green Diamond!" Eye and button lifted the soldier. "For The Diamonds!" They shouted, parading around Ann in militants fashion. An froze. So did button and eye. Citrine stared at her captors. "Uh, you guys ok?" She stood up. "'Ralds?" They stared into blank space. "We've got company" they said, in perfect unison. Citrine scratched her head. "What?" She looked to the gaping hole in the wall that was the entrance. No one was there. The only thing she could see was Lace Agate staring at the water. She turned back to the green group, "what are you talking-" but they had already resumed their game. Maybe Lace should know about this one. An hour had passed. Lace had already gone from introspective to pure day dream. She hadn't realized it at the moment. There was a group of fish that had caught her eye. She didn't even hear the sound of running and screaming behind her. "LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE" Olivine fell into the mud bellow Laces feet. Lace was startled. "Olivine is that anyway to compose yourself." She responded, though her voice barely coming back to her. Cloudy helped Olivine up. No less than a second later she went off about the situation, speaking 12 words a second. "Olivine, please slow down. I can't understand you." Olivine didn't hear her. Citrine had found her way over to the Agate as well and attempted communication. This was also ineffective, only making more disorganized noise. "EXCUSE ME" she barked. Both gems shut their mouths tightly. "Olivine, what is the matter." Olivine began to speak "Slowly." The technician blinked and began slowly. "A few centuries back during the gem war" "No, what is the matter now" "Oh well, two weeks ago the-" "Today! Olivine! Today!" "This planets going to explode." There was silence. "What." "The cluster that was scheduled to emerge is two weeks overdue" "What?!" Lace, Citrine, and the Emeralds (who had wondered over during a game of tag) were now in an abstract state of terror: Paralyzed. "WELL WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO ABOUT IT?! WE NEED THE SHIP FIXED NOW!" Lace said, figuratively spitting venom. Olivine trembled. "I CAN NOT FIX IT FAST. I COULDNT IF I HAD ALL THE RESOURCES AND UPDATED TECH WITH ME. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE." She was almost crying. The event was interrupted by gray and Rudy returned. "We've got company." Said Gray. The company looked to them. Lace raised an eyebrow. "Who?" The Agate asked in a low voice that might as well been a growl. "Oh Craaaazy Laaaaaaacce~ is that you?" A familiar voice sung out. Lace Agate finally understood how truly miserable her situation is. She hissed the name she hadn't spoken in centuries. "Apatite"