Gift Fic for bubbly
To: bubbly
From: kochan_addict
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Title: A Day In A Life
Pairing/Group: No pairings really but a lot kind of implied. Contains Toma, KinKi Kids, MA, KAT-TUN, TOKIO, Kanjani8, Shounentai, T&T, Arashi and others I probably forgot.
Rating: PG-13 for a kiss and my imagination.
Warnings: OOCness, a lot of it. My attempt at some crack. Confusion. Lack of actual plot.
Notes: I tried to keep it “real”, but I think I failed on epic proportions T_T I’m sorry T_T Also, NO PR0N I’M SO SORRY!
Summary: Johnny’s in Space. What more do you need to know?!
Thinking back, it really was a no brainer. His mother wanted him to be an accountant, his dad wanted him to keep the family tradition and be a space-port control-panel operator, but the moment he saw the Academy’s promotional video, Toma knew what he was going to be - a starship captain.
Granted, he wasn’t there quiet yet, but as the Second in Command of the ES Shock, he was getting pretty close. Toma runs his fingers over the leather of his chair, absent-mindedly noting its warmth and softness while supervising the last jump back to Delta Sector’s Primary Base.
The ES Shock has changed a lot since he last had the privilege of serving on her. A fine ship, some say the Fleet’s best, specially designed, and some say personally crafted for its captain, by the ever eccentric Head Architect. Whatever and whoever brought her creation into being, the ES Shock was one of a kind and Toma can still remember how happy he was when he was chosen to clean her decks on one of her short and rare stops at the Academy’s port.
He, Shunsuke and Jun walked her corridors in great awe, cleaning every inch with an almost zealous dedication (some of which was due to pure fear of doing a bad job and getting yelled at by Instructor Go). They were all hoping to get a glimpse of her captain, anxious to be noticed, but as it were, General Higashiyama, the Academy’s headmaster, had taken hold of the man and the Shock was left with only her crew for the better part of the weekend.
That didn’t stop Toma and his friends from exploring every part of her, under the guise of careful scrubbing, until they were caught red handed by the ship’s cook. They got the scare of their lives; No one wants to see Akiyama’s face THIS CLOSE. To their great shame, they had all screamed, Akiyama included.
“What got you so amused?”
Thoughts disrupted, Toma turns his head to the ship’s pilot, his fingers on the armrest steeling.
“What?”
“You were smiling just now,” Yara says with a grin, somehow managing to look at Toma while managing the ship’s controls and keeping track of her ever-flowing data.
“I was not!” Yara exaggerates, it was only a tiny smirk, but Toma feels the need to defend himself nonetheless.
Just before Yara can make a remark on Toma’s blush (which Toma would have denied, of course), Koichi walks in and both pilot and Second resume what Yonehana likes to call their Busy Faces.
Captain Domoto Koichi looks nothing like he did seven years ago, when Toma managed to get a glimpse before the Shock left port. Physically, it’s like time had stopped sometime 15 years ago; disturbingly, Koichi looks exactly the same as when he was just a young, inexperienced cadet. The Shock’s crew has an ongoing bet on how exactly that is possible, with leading bets on Koichi being either an alien (maybe those secretive fairies from Zeta Sector) or a robot (though AI humanoid robots were banned 125 Standard Galactic Years ago and no way Koichi’s been around that long).
But if it weren’t for his face, Toma would never associate the meticulously dressed man he saw back then with the man about to sit next to him in the Command Bridge. Koichi yawns and Toma watches with amusement as his captain tugs off the towel from his disheveled hair and makes himself comfortable in the big chair. The chair, undoubtfully even more comfortable than Toma’s, manages to dwarf Koichi’s not-exactly-big figure.
“How are we doing?”
“We’ll be in port just in time for dinner, as planned.”
Koichi nods his approval and turns his attention to the screens. With his unbuttoned, Fleet issued jacket, barely zipped boots and generally disheveled state, Koichi looks more like a drunkard spacebum than one of Fleet’s most respected captains. However, Toma knows once they get closer to base, Koichi will gruntingly fix his appearance and go greet the officials with no little amount of exasperation. Koichi hates bureaucracy almost as much as Yara. Almost.
Toma keeps an eye on the data stream as Yara takes them out of hyper-space, stars and planets coming into sudden existence around them. This is the closest to base they are allowed to exit hyper-space; from here on it is a little over two hours in “regular” engine speed.
He can’t get enough of it all - Space is so big, so vast, still filled with wonders no one has seen before, and though the Shock’s missions, for the most, do not include exploring, in his short time aboard her decks he had seen more than he had ever seen before. And still, there is so much more to see out there, so many places he had only heard of from stories told by Instructors.
He has been fascinated by it ever since he saw young cadets exploring planets and a young officer, smiling brightly while manning the bridge, in a colorful video made to dazzle future candidates. Toma’s excitement only grew with each new thing he learned in the Academy and Akki had told him once, it was his “wonder of the world” that had prompted Koichi to choose him as Shock’s next Second.
The blip coming from Koichi’s com link draws Toma out of his mental monolog.
“Display.”
The short and very curt message displays on the small data pad in Koichi’s chair and Toma doesn’t like the frown forming on Koichi’s face.
“Looks like we can’t go home just yet,” Koichi sighs and displays the message on the main screen. They are ordered to go deal with some hoodlums spotted at the edge of the system. Damn it, they were so close to finally returning to base on time for the night shows.
“Yara, enter the new coordinates. If it is who I think it is, I’m going to rip him a new one. I’m going to be late to a da-meeting!” Koichi sounds more complaining than threatening.
“Toma, you better tell the KAT-TUN we’re going on a little trip.”
“Don’t you want to tell them yourself?” Toma tries not to grin.
“Hell no,” Koichi buries his head in the data pad and pretends he’s looking over the details of their new mission. A complete façade since the 3 lines hold no new information and no deeper meaning to things. Toma catches Yonehana’s snicker before he puts himself to the task.
“Open audio link KAT-TUN.”
“Wassup, yo?”
“Koki, that’s no way of answering a superior officer,” Toma can’t help but jab.
“Superior my ass. What’s up, man?”
“You might want to tone it down,” Toma says around a smile. “The captain is here with me.”
“Yo! Koichi!” Koki sounds just as enthusiastic and Koichi lowers his head even more until his nose is almost touching the pad.
“Listen, we have a small change of plans,” Toma tries to get back to the issue at hand. “We need to do a little detour. Orders from above.”
“Oh, man! Let me get Kame,” and the next moment, the Shock’s crew can hear Koki’s voice yelling for his commanding officer to stop chasing their mechanic around and get his skinny ass to the bridge. “He’ll be here in a minute,” he says to Toma over the voice of Kame, muffled as it goes through the link, telling Koki to shove it.
A moment later, Kame’s voice sounds much clearer and much more annoyed.
“He keeps messing up with the engine! Damn Taguchi is trying to fix it himself again!”
“I’ll go make sure he doesn’t blow the whole ship this time. Toma’s on the line for you.”
“Toma?! What’s up?”
“Kazuya,” Toma glares at Yara, who’s holding a hand to his mouth to muffle his laughter. “We need to do a little detour. New orders. You guys will have to hold on for a little longer. Are your shields working? You might need them.”
“Damn, let me check. Do you want to keep dragging us or maybe you can leave us here and come pick us up when you’re done, shields are working properly but I will need a software repair for the panels.”
“Yara’s sending it as we speak,” Toma says about 0.12 seconds after Yara had started typing, fingers flying over his controls.
“We’re not leaving you guys here unsupervised,” Koichi pipes in. “I don’t trust Taguchi to not blow you guys out of space. Your mechanic is crazy, Kamenashi. Do something about it! Next time something breaks because he tried to improve it, I’m not coming to the rescue. I’m going to leave you stranded in deep space and hope you become someone else’s problem.”
“You’re going to leave Maru all alone, stranded in deep space?!” Kame sounds amused and Toma wonder if he even tries to hide it.
“He does make good chicken,” Koichi contemplates out loud. “I’ll have to think about it. Anyway, tell the guys to hold on to something, we’re making a jump.” Koichi waits only long enough for Toma to quickly shout a warning to their own crew about the jump, before he signals Yara to hit it and the Shock slides gracefully into hyper-space.
“Koki is going to complain about this,” Yone remarks from his console, not bothering to hold back the grin.
Koichi doesn’t bother to keep the smile off his face as he starts buttoning his jacket, but he keeps quiet the whole time until Yara warns they are coming out of hyper-space. The image on the main screen has Toma torn between a grin and a sigh. Koichi, however, has no such problem.
“Oh for crying out loud! Not again!” he sighs. “Open visual, hail the TOKIO.”
The second the link is formed, the big man on the screen bursts into a way-too-happy smile.
“KOUCHAN!!! KOUCHAN KOUCHAN GUYS IT’S KOUCHAN!”
To the infinite amusement of the crew present, and to Toma’s growing surprise, Koichi facepalms. The TOKIO’s reputation of mischief and general lack of sanity has some much founded roots, dating back to their days at the Academy. And general Academy knowledge places Koichi side by side with TOKIO’s Second. They were rumored to be a secret, special unit and some even said Nagase was the reason Koichi had gone solo in the first place, but all those talks were hushed when the unthinkable happened.
The TOKIO and its crew, once one of Fleet’s most advanced combat unit, had decided some time ago to go red and became what Fleet was calling “space hoodlums” and everyone else was calling “space pirates”. One of the things Toma has learned under Koichi’s command is that things weren’t always as black and white as he was told at the Academy. TOKIO and its crew were one of those shades of grey; long time Fleet officers, gone rouge because of what Koichi had called “conflicting views on space policies”. Some people, Koichi had said, just have to do what they see right, even if it’s going against rules and regulations, and sometimes you have to deal with them, even if they are your best friend.
Toma didn’t quite get it back then, but he does now. He still doesn’t know what he’ll do if he ever meets Pi again, still can’t decide what he’d say to his former classmate and how he can walk the line between friends and enemies. They will probably exchange a few punches, there is bound to be some yelling, but beyond that, Toma is not sure how things will roll. After all, what DO you say to your long time best friend, who went with you from planetside school to Space Academy and tactical combat training, after he walks out on his crew and goes solo, working for shady figures and trafficking questionable merchandise.
Watching Koichi and Nagase exchanging words, Toma feels hopeful. Koichi is more exasperated than angry and though he’s yelling at Nagase to get the hell out of his sector before he finally throws him in jail for messing up things in his’s sector and why the hell does Nagase have to be in Koichi’s sector and doesn’t he know how hard it is to keep the TOKIO out of Fleet reach every single time, seriously Nagase, give me a break - even though he’s yelling, Toma sees gentleness in Koichi’s eyes. However, Toma also has to admit, not many can stand before the Nagase Charm (usually projected by a guileless smile, followed by a compliment and an offer of food and booze) and stay unaffected.
“Where’s Leader?” Koichi demands to know. “There’s no talking to you! Idiot!”
“Oh… umm,” Nagase looks a bit puzzled. “Well… we were playing hide and seek to pass the time and we kinda can’t find him.”
“YOU CAN’T FIND YOUR OWN CAPTAIN?!?!”
At this point, Yara stops pretending he’s not laughing and just lets it all out, joined by Akki’s booming laughter from behind (and when the hell did he come in?!).
“I’m sure we’ll find him eventually!” Nagase defends himself and actually pouts. It looks extremely out of place on his rugged face, which only serves to send Yara into another fit of the giggles.
“Will you please just go? I would REALLY like to get to base today and I’ve been dragging KAT-TUN behind me for the last 2 days! I NEED to get them to base!” Koichi actually sounds desperate. A bad move, Toma thinks. Pirates are known for exploiting weaknesses, and though he might not be privy on the details of this obvious relationship between his captain and the pirate Second, he can take a wild guess where this is going.
“I’ll go if you promise to come to my birthday party.”
“No thank you. I know your parties all too well! You will get everyone drunk and Leader will end up naked. Together with half your crew!”
“Not to mention you’ll get molested by the other half,” Yone adds off handedly from his controls. Machida squeaks, a first sound from their mechanic since the evening started. Koichi sends a murderous look at their Security Officer, before frowning at Nagase.
“What he said!”
In Nagase’s background, half the crew is nodding while the other half looks either amused or scheming. You can never know with that lot. And frankly, Toma’s not sure he wants to know.
A single ping announces an incoming link and before Koichi can say anything, Nagase answers the call with a loud “KAT-TUN!” and merges the visuals.
“Nagase! Yo yo yo!”
“Koki! Wanna come to my party next cycle? You can even bring your skinny captain!”
“We’re not going anywhere and Koki, who gave you permission to hail a pirate ship?!” Kame looks indignant and from there on, Koichi’s patience dissipates exponentially to the noise coming through the link.
“We have a ship approaching,” Yara warns, suddenly serious. “It’s not Fleet.”
“It’s the K8,” Yone informs them a second before a third video shows on the main screen, Subaru’s face taking all the space.
“Tomoya! We’re here! OH, GUYS! LOOK! IT’S KOUCHAN!” Seven new faces try to squeeze themselves into the limited space and the noise, defying all known laws of physics, grows even louder.
Toma has no idea how to react to the unbelievable scene before him. On the main screen, the TOKIO and the K8, two pirate ships, are having what can only be described as a competition of who can talk faster and louder, while engaged in a loud flailing session with the KAT-TUN, a Fleet class-A ship, to the great amusement of the Shock, minus its captain.
Koichi looks like he wants to either kill them all or kill himself. Toma thinks it’s a fifty-fifty. He himself is torn between amusement, bewilderment, and an automatic reaction, polished by the Academy, to take the two pirate ships under custody and lock the criminals in jail. He’s suddenly very grateful he’s not in Koichi’s shoes.
“ENOUGH!” Koichi commands, surprisingly even louder than everyone else.
More awe inspiring is the sudden silence, crews of 4 ships looking at Koichi with startlement sprinkled with respect and the occasional fearful gaze (mainly from the KAT-TUN screen).
“Kame, get your crew under control and get ready for jump. Nagase, I’ll come if you get out of my sector, and take these troublemakers with you,” Koichi gestures at the K8, causing the 8 men crew to gasp in shock and hurt. But before Yasu can say how unfair Koichi is being, Koichi hushes them with a look.
“I knew you’d come to your senses,” Nagase smiles.
Koichi narrows his eyes at Nagase’s part of the screen.
“Now!”
“I’ll send the details to Tsuyoshi,” Nagase laughs and before Koichi can be tempted into violence, the visual is cut off, quickly followed by the K8.
On the screen, the two pirate ships gun their engines, turn and disappear into hyper-space. Koichi leans back and rubs his temple.
“Yara.”
“Ready when you are!”
“You all better hold on to something,” he warns half-heartedly before instructing their pilot. “Jump.”
Once they’re in hyper-space, Koichi orders everyone, except Yara, off the bridge with various invented tasks - Yone go check Yamada has everything ready in the storage, Machin go make sure we’re ready for inspection and Akiyama go… do something - and then climbs out his chair and heads towards the captain’s office.
“Yara, you’re in charge. Toma, come with me.”
“About what happened just now,” Koichi starts the minute the door closes behind Toma.
“I won’t tell,” Toma says even before Koichi can finish his sentence. He understands Koichi’s concern as well as he understands his own reasoning - some things are more complicated than they look and he trusts Koichi to make the right choices. Besides, it looked like no one else had any problem with the whole fraternizing with pirates thing, so why would he.
Koichi looks at him, more intensely than Toma has ever seen before, and for a moment it feels like Koichi is trying to look into his soul. Whatever he sees is apparently good enough because a moment later, Koichi nods and they move to talk on the Shock’s upcoming regulatory check-up and specks for some new equipment.
“You’re doing a good job,” Koichi says when they are done and Toma has just finished saving the new data. “You’ve been with us for a few cycles now, how are you liking it?”
“I love it,” Toma says with all the honesty he can possibly have. “I hope you will let me stay here for many cycles more.”
“That might not be as long as you think it will,” Koichi says with a smile that baffles Toma.
“Cap-“
“I have a feeling you were meant for bigger and better things.”
“I don-“
“Don’t tell anyone I told you, but you’re here because Command wants me to show you a thing or two,” Koichi’s smile turns into something a bit more feral.
“I thought I was here because you chose me?” Toma’s confusion only grows. He also suddenly feels like he might be a burden to Koichi.
“Oh, I did,” Koichi says with a wave of his hand. “But I was also asked to keep an eye on you. Don’t look so worried!” Koichi bursts into laughter at Toma’s wide eyes. “It’s a good thing!”
“I hope,” Toma starts, hesitatingly, “you will let me stay for more than just a few cycles. I feel there is a lot I can learn here, a lot of things I can experience, serving on this ship, with you and the crew.”
Koichi looks a bit flattered.
“Don’t worry. I have no intentions of letting you go anytime soon.” He pats Toma on the shoulder and pushes him towards the door. “Now go make sure Uekusa has all the medical data updated before we dock or we’ll get yelled at again for another incomplete data transfer.”
And with that, Toma finds himself in the corridor. He’s confused still, but also happy, and flattered to know the higher-ups have noticed him, but he’s also a bit weary because knowing you’re being watched by the higher-ups is a bit scary. Today is proving to be a bit emotionally confusing on his part.
With a shake of his head, Toma turns towards the infirmary. On his way to Deck C, he runs his fingers on the walls, trailing the delicate lines of the intricate design etched into the ship’s walls. The Shock has changed a lot since seven years ago. When he was on his knees, scrubbing her floor, the Shock was a ship to behold. Her outside still is one of the most ingenious designs to ever be produced by the Fleet; sleek and elegant lines, tougher than a destroyer and more graceful than a cruiser.
Her inside was as elaborated as her outside was simple. Her walls adorned an intricate design of flowing lines and changing motifs, painted deep green and warm ambers over soft cream, her floors polished wood artificially enforced with steel. Every room was lavishly furnished with the best you could find. Carpeted quarters and walls painted with Nano-colors programmed to change for each person individually. Polished brass and gilded doorways and light fixtures that should have been placed in museums, rather than on a military used space ship. Her corridors curved elegantly and her ceiling flowed like water. She was a beauty.
But a few years ago, Koichi had decided he needed something else and had changed most of her inner design to something simpler, yet no less impressive. The corridors he left as they were; the design on them so beautiful, even the fashion-idiot Koichi recognized as true art. The furnishers he changed, replacing fur and silk to leather and suede in deep browns and yellows and reds. The walls were repainted to something more calming and permanent. And as the ship became more refined, her crew became more permanent, more dedicated, unique.
Except her Seconds. It was a well circulated rumor in the Academy, and later when Toma went to serve on other ships - serving on the Shock was a jumping board. Her Seconds were always offered sought-after positions. And not only her Seconds. General knowledge has every member of her crew propositioned several times with offers including job, rank and money. Toma can’t help but wonder what positions he might be offered, considering Koichi’s previous words.
He reaches the infirmary and shakes his head to clear him mind. These thoughts are of no use to him right now. Hadn’t he just asked Koichi to let him serve on the Shock for a long, long time? He likes it here, likes it very much. He puts these thoughts away and spends the next twenty minutes talking to their Medical Officer, listening to his stories about days past and trying to keep the good doctor on track with docking procedures.
“We’re coming out of hyper-space guys. Toma, get your ass in here, I need to go pee.”
Toma can’t help the flinch. Yara’s uncensored announcement came over the general link.
“OMG Yara! You use the toilet?!” Koichi’s scandalized voice over the general link makes Toma want to bang his head against the wall. He’ll never get used to the toilet jokes the entire crew seems to enjoy sharing over the general link for everyone to hear. At any hour of the day. Thank goodness they don’t have any female personal.
“I’m on my way,” he says into his Personal Data Link, making a note to try and convince Koichi again it is a good idea to enforce some sort of behavioral code regarding lingo over the general link.
Just when he’s about to open the Command Bridge’s door, his PDL blips.
“Toma, where are you?!” Koichi sounds annoyed. Not a good thing.
“Right here,” he says as he walks into the room, his eyes automatically going to the main screen, making sure everything is clear, before focusing on Koichi. His captain doesn’t look happy, leaning over Yara’s shoulder, eyes intent on the controls.
“Yara, go. Toma, we’re not going to make it to dinner,” Koichi takes Yara’s place at the console, fingers stroking combinations with practiced ease. “The station at P-344 shut down so they’re routing all traffic to Delta. The first circle is packed and the second is getting crowded, fast. Tower already issued us a number for docking, but it’s going to take a while.”
Well, that sucks. If the second circle around the space station is already getting crowded with ships, by the time they get there, they will be stuck in traffic for hours. Tower will probably let only the smallest ships from P-344 dock while the others will have to settle for shuttles and supply distribution. The Shock’s spot was, is and always will be reserved for her, so they don’t need to worry about docking space. And the KAT-TUN is heading towards the repair docks so that shouldn’t be a problem either. But the station itself is going to be crowded as hell.
“I better tell Akki he needs to start on dinner after all.”
“Tell everyone inventory will have to be adjusted accordingly.”
“On it,” Toma moves to sit in his chair to update the crew. “Do you want me to tell Kamenashi?”
“He got the message. We’re working on adjusting their life support software and reconfigure the power generator. We need to preserve power so I’m going to shut down the beam and lower the connecting force field.” Koichi says without looking anywhere but at the console. “They should be fine, but I offered to bring them here anyway. They said no. Ueda doesn’t want to leave their samples unsupervised. We’re also on emergency alert.”
Which means they have to be ready in case any ship in their vicinity needs any kind of help, from power supply to technical support to medical care. Toma routes instructions to the rest of the crew and calls their doctor on the link because the old man doesn’t like checking the emergency board he’s supposed to pay attention to.
An hour and a half later, they hit the beginning of the traffic surrounding the station. Delta base is one of the largest and busiest stations in the sector, with P-344 right behind it. No doubt, capable ships have already been routed to other stations, but many of the ships at P-344 were small, private held cruisers, incapable of making long journeys.
As the ship glides through traffic to her designated space in the line, the crew was finishing the last preparations to their unexpected situation.
“That’s a lot of ships,” Yara remarks as he guides Shock into her place and the engines are brought to a stop. The main screen is filled with more ships than Toma had ever seen in one place, in all shapes and sizes, organized in a grid around the station.
It takes four hours and two trips in their mini shuttle to replace fuel cells, before their assigned area finally calms down. Toma is just handing Koichi a cup, when a gilded little cruiser slides into place not far from them.
“It’s the Twenty Two. It’s hailing.”
“On screen.”
“Koichi! Long time no see!”
“It’s only been a few cycles,” Koichi laughs at his previous Second. “How are you doing, Tsubasa? Are they treating you OK in Planet Affairs?”
“I’m doing great, thank you! How are you guys? Toma, don’t let our dear captain bully you too much!”
“He doesn’t bully me at all,” Toma answers, a little shy and a little intimidated by his predecessor. Tsubasa has been Shock’s Second for many cycles, longer than anyone else and not because of lacks of offers to leave.
“Hey!” Koichi protests next to him. “I have a reputation to maintain here!”
“Are you talking to the Shock?!” a voice comes from behind Tsubasa. “I wanna say hey to Kouchan too!”
Machin says Tsubasa would still be on the Shock, if the job offer didn’t come with a certain partner. Takizawa Hideaki has been a rising star in Ground’s ranks. So much so that even Fleet cadets were talking about him. It was a bit difficult to associate the sever looking young commander in Ground pamphlets with the guy enthusiastically waving at them from behind Tsubasa’s shoulder.
“I hope wasn’t like that in the talks on Sentron 3,” Koichi remarks dryly.
“Don’t worry,” Tsubasa laughs. “I’m the one doing all the talking anyway. He’s just here for the looks.”
“How are the talks going?” Toma has been following the situation on Sentron 3 closely, the tension in the area threatening to turn into an inner-system war. After all, his home was just one system over.
“Between you and me, it’s all just a poor attempt to influence the Union Council. But we’re getting there. We left Senga there for the Planetary Independent Celebration month and came here for the council meeting.” Tsubasa, youngest in his position, has been given the responsibility over the delegation to the area.
“Good luck with that one,” Koichi says and Toma wonders how much of it is sarcasm. Council meetings are not known for their decision making, order keeping routines.
“We’re just going to report,” Tsubasa shurgs. “They can bicker over it all they want. It’s not going to change the situation, only how long it’s going to take before things are solved. One way or the other.”
“You better keep him safe, Tackey.” Koichi says and only half of it is a joke.
“Of course I will! I didn’t steal him from you just to lose him now.” Tackey’s smile rivals Nagase’s.
They spend the next hour exchanging mission stories, updates on different sectors and some Fleet gossip.
“-and guess who caught them in bed, in the middle of some fluid exchange!”
“Toma, we need you in the kitchen Matsu and Akki are at it again!” Machin’s hysteric voice cuts into the conversation.
“I’m on my way.”
“Are those two still fighting over Koichi’s affection?!”
“Some things never change,” Toma says before exiting the bridge, catching Koichi blushing before the door swishes closed.
He’s one corridor down when his PDL comes to life.
“So, how are you doing?” Tsubasa’s voice in his ear is soft and affectionate. “These guys can be more than a handful. Not that I think you can’t handle them, but it can get intense over there.”
Toma is touched. He hasn’t had many chances to meet Tsubasa, an upper-classmate, nor was he ever able to talk to the man before he took this position. There was much he wanted to ask Tsubasa that first cycle, many times he felt he was being compared to his predecessor without knowing to which standards he was trying to live up to. But the ship, her captain and her crew were all very nice and for the most part understanding, and he likes to think he’s doing a good job in not just filling the void left by Tsubasa, but also in setting new standards.
“I’m good, sir. I really am.”
“You can cut the formalities. Koichi’s dislike for it has kind of rubbed on.” Toma can hear the gentle smile behind the words. “Well, if there is anything I can do for you, anything you want to ask, you should feel free to contact me. I know I haven’t been of any help until now, but still.”
“I really appreciate it, Tsubasa.” And though he doesn’t need anything, not at the moment, he does have a bit of curiosity he feels bold enough to try and satisfy. “I do have a question regarding our captain, if you don’t mind telling ship secrets…”
“Fire away,” Tsubasa encourages, with no little amount of glee in his voice, and for the next 10 minutes they exchange valuable, inner information.
By the time Toma returns from the kitchen (and a little detour to the engines room), the Shock has moved to the edges of the first circle. It takes another hour and a bit before it’s their turn to enter the station. Toma is about to start the docking sequence, when Koichi beats him to the general link.
“Listen up! We’re going to put the KAT-TUN in the workshop first. We’re going to have to rear them into it because even the shop is crowded and there is no maneuver room. I don’t need to tell you to keep your eyes open on your stations.” Koichi, in all his commanding glory, is something Toma deeply respects. “We’re then going to circle to the left towards our spot, to keep the traffic going and then we dock. Make sure you’re all done and ready with your tasks because one we dock, you all have two hours to clear this ship. You get the week off. Everyone.”
Surprised cheers go around the bridge. The unexpected vacation time is most welcome.
“But before I send you all to the bars,” Koichi continues with a smile, “lets finish our mission and get our extra baggage back home. Open link, KAT-TUN.”
They all work together like a well-oiled machine, giving Toma the sense of being part of something bigger, something greater than the sum of individuals working to station a crippled ship. They big farewell to Kame and his crew and by the time the Shock silences her engines, it’s almost time for breakfast.
“Good job, people. Now get your things and get the hell off my ship. Anyone left here after two hours will be locked in here for a week.”
Of course, it takes a little over two hours to finish everything and everyone is exhausted by the time the ship starts to clear off. Toma is, of course, one of the last to leave the ship. In fact, he’s pretty sure the only ones still on are Yone and Koichi. He’s just about to step down the ramp to the dock when he’s stopped.
“You have plans for today?” Koichi’s voice sounds behind him and Toma turns to see his captain, leaning against the wall with a data pad in his hand.
For all the world, Koichi looks engrossed with whatever data is running on the pad. Toma is almost curious enough to ask what he’s looking at. Almost.
“Not really. I was supposed to meet a friend but… I guess I’ll just call him later.” Toma shrugs, even though Koichi’s not looking.
“He’s waiting for you at the check-point. Go, have fun. That’s an order.”
“I… sure, I will.” Toma is, understandably, confused. How does Koichi know who he was planning on meeting and where that person is right now?! He’s about to ask, when Koichi turns and walks back into the ship.
“I don’t want to hear from you until next week!” he throws over his shoulder. “And happy birthday.”
It takes Toma a full minute to realize it really is his birthday today. He’s not sure what surprises him more - that he didn’t notice or that his I-don’t-remember-stuff-like-that captain had. And a sneaking suspicious tells him this might be connected to their unexpected vacation. He feels warmth, from the inside out, a kind of happiness he finds difficult to explain. If he ever needed or wanted signs of acceptance, of recognition, this was it.
He makes his way to the check-point, his smile forming even before he spots the small man sitting by the wall and staring into space. And when he sees who’s waiting with him, his smile grows wider.
“Satoshi! Guys!”
Five heads turn his way and before he can protest much, he’s being squished from all directions.
“Welcome back, man!” the taller one ruffles his hair and pulls him into a second hug.
“What the hell took you so long? We’ve been waiting for hours!”
“Guys, now that he’s here, can we finally go eat?!”
“Yeah, I’m good for some noodles.”
“You had noodles for dinner!”
“Toma,” everyone quiets down as Toma turns to the man. “Happy birthday,” Satoshi says and leans to softly kiss Toma’s cheek.
“Yeah, man. Happy birthday.” The five smiles he gets fill him to the brim.
“Thanks, guys,” he smiles, unable to hold down the happiness that radiates from every cell of his body. “I got a vacation now too. What do you guys wanna do?”
The End.
From: kochan_addict
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Title: A Day In A Life
Pairing/Group: No pairings really but a lot kind of implied. Contains Toma, KinKi Kids, MA, KAT-TUN, TOKIO, Kanjani8, Shounentai, T&T, Arashi and others I probably forgot.
Rating: PG-13 for a kiss and my imagination.
Warnings: OOCness, a lot of it. My attempt at some crack. Confusion. Lack of actual plot.
Notes: I tried to keep it “real”, but I think I failed on epic proportions T_T I’m sorry T_T Also, NO PR0N I’M SO SORRY!
Summary: Johnny’s in Space. What more do you need to know?!
Thinking back, it really was a no brainer. His mother wanted him to be an accountant, his dad wanted him to keep the family tradition and be a space-port control-panel operator, but the moment he saw the Academy’s promotional video, Toma knew what he was going to be - a starship captain.
Granted, he wasn’t there quiet yet, but as the Second in Command of the ES Shock, he was getting pretty close. Toma runs his fingers over the leather of his chair, absent-mindedly noting its warmth and softness while supervising the last jump back to Delta Sector’s Primary Base.
The ES Shock has changed a lot since he last had the privilege of serving on her. A fine ship, some say the Fleet’s best, specially designed, and some say personally crafted for its captain, by the ever eccentric Head Architect. Whatever and whoever brought her creation into being, the ES Shock was one of a kind and Toma can still remember how happy he was when he was chosen to clean her decks on one of her short and rare stops at the Academy’s port.
He, Shunsuke and Jun walked her corridors in great awe, cleaning every inch with an almost zealous dedication (some of which was due to pure fear of doing a bad job and getting yelled at by Instructor Go). They were all hoping to get a glimpse of her captain, anxious to be noticed, but as it were, General Higashiyama, the Academy’s headmaster, had taken hold of the man and the Shock was left with only her crew for the better part of the weekend.
That didn’t stop Toma and his friends from exploring every part of her, under the guise of careful scrubbing, until they were caught red handed by the ship’s cook. They got the scare of their lives; No one wants to see Akiyama’s face THIS CLOSE. To their great shame, they had all screamed, Akiyama included.
“What got you so amused?”
Thoughts disrupted, Toma turns his head to the ship’s pilot, his fingers on the armrest steeling.
“What?”
“You were smiling just now,” Yara says with a grin, somehow managing to look at Toma while managing the ship’s controls and keeping track of her ever-flowing data.
“I was not!” Yara exaggerates, it was only a tiny smirk, but Toma feels the need to defend himself nonetheless.
Just before Yara can make a remark on Toma’s blush (which Toma would have denied, of course), Koichi walks in and both pilot and Second resume what Yonehana likes to call their Busy Faces.
Captain Domoto Koichi looks nothing like he did seven years ago, when Toma managed to get a glimpse before the Shock left port. Physically, it’s like time had stopped sometime 15 years ago; disturbingly, Koichi looks exactly the same as when he was just a young, inexperienced cadet. The Shock’s crew has an ongoing bet on how exactly that is possible, with leading bets on Koichi being either an alien (maybe those secretive fairies from Zeta Sector) or a robot (though AI humanoid robots were banned 125 Standard Galactic Years ago and no way Koichi’s been around that long).
But if it weren’t for his face, Toma would never associate the meticulously dressed man he saw back then with the man about to sit next to him in the Command Bridge. Koichi yawns and Toma watches with amusement as his captain tugs off the towel from his disheveled hair and makes himself comfortable in the big chair. The chair, undoubtfully even more comfortable than Toma’s, manages to dwarf Koichi’s not-exactly-big figure.
“How are we doing?”
“We’ll be in port just in time for dinner, as planned.”
Koichi nods his approval and turns his attention to the screens. With his unbuttoned, Fleet issued jacket, barely zipped boots and generally disheveled state, Koichi looks more like a drunkard spacebum than one of Fleet’s most respected captains. However, Toma knows once they get closer to base, Koichi will gruntingly fix his appearance and go greet the officials with no little amount of exasperation. Koichi hates bureaucracy almost as much as Yara. Almost.
Toma keeps an eye on the data stream as Yara takes them out of hyper-space, stars and planets coming into sudden existence around them. This is the closest to base they are allowed to exit hyper-space; from here on it is a little over two hours in “regular” engine speed.
He can’t get enough of it all - Space is so big, so vast, still filled with wonders no one has seen before, and though the Shock’s missions, for the most, do not include exploring, in his short time aboard her decks he had seen more than he had ever seen before. And still, there is so much more to see out there, so many places he had only heard of from stories told by Instructors.
He has been fascinated by it ever since he saw young cadets exploring planets and a young officer, smiling brightly while manning the bridge, in a colorful video made to dazzle future candidates. Toma’s excitement only grew with each new thing he learned in the Academy and Akki had told him once, it was his “wonder of the world” that had prompted Koichi to choose him as Shock’s next Second.
The blip coming from Koichi’s com link draws Toma out of his mental monolog.
“Display.”
The short and very curt message displays on the small data pad in Koichi’s chair and Toma doesn’t like the frown forming on Koichi’s face.
“Looks like we can’t go home just yet,” Koichi sighs and displays the message on the main screen. They are ordered to go deal with some hoodlums spotted at the edge of the system. Damn it, they were so close to finally returning to base on time for the night shows.
“Yara, enter the new coordinates. If it is who I think it is, I’m going to rip him a new one. I’m going to be late to a da-meeting!” Koichi sounds more complaining than threatening.
“Toma, you better tell the KAT-TUN we’re going on a little trip.”
“Don’t you want to tell them yourself?” Toma tries not to grin.
“Hell no,” Koichi buries his head in the data pad and pretends he’s looking over the details of their new mission. A complete façade since the 3 lines hold no new information and no deeper meaning to things. Toma catches Yonehana’s snicker before he puts himself to the task.
“Open audio link KAT-TUN.”
“Wassup, yo?”
“Koki, that’s no way of answering a superior officer,” Toma can’t help but jab.
“Superior my ass. What’s up, man?”
“You might want to tone it down,” Toma says around a smile. “The captain is here with me.”
“Yo! Koichi!” Koki sounds just as enthusiastic and Koichi lowers his head even more until his nose is almost touching the pad.
“Listen, we have a small change of plans,” Toma tries to get back to the issue at hand. “We need to do a little detour. Orders from above.”
“Oh, man! Let me get Kame,” and the next moment, the Shock’s crew can hear Koki’s voice yelling for his commanding officer to stop chasing their mechanic around and get his skinny ass to the bridge. “He’ll be here in a minute,” he says to Toma over the voice of Kame, muffled as it goes through the link, telling Koki to shove it.
A moment later, Kame’s voice sounds much clearer and much more annoyed.
“He keeps messing up with the engine! Damn Taguchi is trying to fix it himself again!”
“I’ll go make sure he doesn’t blow the whole ship this time. Toma’s on the line for you.”
“Toma?! What’s up?”
“Kazuya,” Toma glares at Yara, who’s holding a hand to his mouth to muffle his laughter. “We need to do a little detour. New orders. You guys will have to hold on for a little longer. Are your shields working? You might need them.”
“Damn, let me check. Do you want to keep dragging us or maybe you can leave us here and come pick us up when you’re done, shields are working properly but I will need a software repair for the panels.”
“Yara’s sending it as we speak,” Toma says about 0.12 seconds after Yara had started typing, fingers flying over his controls.
“We’re not leaving you guys here unsupervised,” Koichi pipes in. “I don’t trust Taguchi to not blow you guys out of space. Your mechanic is crazy, Kamenashi. Do something about it! Next time something breaks because he tried to improve it, I’m not coming to the rescue. I’m going to leave you stranded in deep space and hope you become someone else’s problem.”
“You’re going to leave Maru all alone, stranded in deep space?!” Kame sounds amused and Toma wonder if he even tries to hide it.
“He does make good chicken,” Koichi contemplates out loud. “I’ll have to think about it. Anyway, tell the guys to hold on to something, we’re making a jump.” Koichi waits only long enough for Toma to quickly shout a warning to their own crew about the jump, before he signals Yara to hit it and the Shock slides gracefully into hyper-space.
“Koki is going to complain about this,” Yone remarks from his console, not bothering to hold back the grin.
Koichi doesn’t bother to keep the smile off his face as he starts buttoning his jacket, but he keeps quiet the whole time until Yara warns they are coming out of hyper-space. The image on the main screen has Toma torn between a grin and a sigh. Koichi, however, has no such problem.
“Oh for crying out loud! Not again!” he sighs. “Open visual, hail the TOKIO.”
The second the link is formed, the big man on the screen bursts into a way-too-happy smile.
“KOUCHAN!!! KOUCHAN KOUCHAN GUYS IT’S KOUCHAN!”
To the infinite amusement of the crew present, and to Toma’s growing surprise, Koichi facepalms. The TOKIO’s reputation of mischief and general lack of sanity has some much founded roots, dating back to their days at the Academy. And general Academy knowledge places Koichi side by side with TOKIO’s Second. They were rumored to be a secret, special unit and some even said Nagase was the reason Koichi had gone solo in the first place, but all those talks were hushed when the unthinkable happened.
The TOKIO and its crew, once one of Fleet’s most advanced combat unit, had decided some time ago to go red and became what Fleet was calling “space hoodlums” and everyone else was calling “space pirates”. One of the things Toma has learned under Koichi’s command is that things weren’t always as black and white as he was told at the Academy. TOKIO and its crew were one of those shades of grey; long time Fleet officers, gone rouge because of what Koichi had called “conflicting views on space policies”. Some people, Koichi had said, just have to do what they see right, even if it’s going against rules and regulations, and sometimes you have to deal with them, even if they are your best friend.
Toma didn’t quite get it back then, but he does now. He still doesn’t know what he’ll do if he ever meets Pi again, still can’t decide what he’d say to his former classmate and how he can walk the line between friends and enemies. They will probably exchange a few punches, there is bound to be some yelling, but beyond that, Toma is not sure how things will roll. After all, what DO you say to your long time best friend, who went with you from planetside school to Space Academy and tactical combat training, after he walks out on his crew and goes solo, working for shady figures and trafficking questionable merchandise.
Watching Koichi and Nagase exchanging words, Toma feels hopeful. Koichi is more exasperated than angry and though he’s yelling at Nagase to get the hell out of his sector before he finally throws him in jail for messing up things in his’s sector and why the hell does Nagase have to be in Koichi’s sector and doesn’t he know how hard it is to keep the TOKIO out of Fleet reach every single time, seriously Nagase, give me a break - even though he’s yelling, Toma sees gentleness in Koichi’s eyes. However, Toma also has to admit, not many can stand before the Nagase Charm (usually projected by a guileless smile, followed by a compliment and an offer of food and booze) and stay unaffected.
“Where’s Leader?” Koichi demands to know. “There’s no talking to you! Idiot!”
“Oh… umm,” Nagase looks a bit puzzled. “Well… we were playing hide and seek to pass the time and we kinda can’t find him.”
“YOU CAN’T FIND YOUR OWN CAPTAIN?!?!”
At this point, Yara stops pretending he’s not laughing and just lets it all out, joined by Akki’s booming laughter from behind (and when the hell did he come in?!).
“I’m sure we’ll find him eventually!” Nagase defends himself and actually pouts. It looks extremely out of place on his rugged face, which only serves to send Yara into another fit of the giggles.
“Will you please just go? I would REALLY like to get to base today and I’ve been dragging KAT-TUN behind me for the last 2 days! I NEED to get them to base!” Koichi actually sounds desperate. A bad move, Toma thinks. Pirates are known for exploiting weaknesses, and though he might not be privy on the details of this obvious relationship between his captain and the pirate Second, he can take a wild guess where this is going.
“I’ll go if you promise to come to my birthday party.”
“No thank you. I know your parties all too well! You will get everyone drunk and Leader will end up naked. Together with half your crew!”
“Not to mention you’ll get molested by the other half,” Yone adds off handedly from his controls. Machida squeaks, a first sound from their mechanic since the evening started. Koichi sends a murderous look at their Security Officer, before frowning at Nagase.
“What he said!”
In Nagase’s background, half the crew is nodding while the other half looks either amused or scheming. You can never know with that lot. And frankly, Toma’s not sure he wants to know.
A single ping announces an incoming link and before Koichi can say anything, Nagase answers the call with a loud “KAT-TUN!” and merges the visuals.
“Nagase! Yo yo yo!”
“Koki! Wanna come to my party next cycle? You can even bring your skinny captain!”
“We’re not going anywhere and Koki, who gave you permission to hail a pirate ship?!” Kame looks indignant and from there on, Koichi’s patience dissipates exponentially to the noise coming through the link.
“We have a ship approaching,” Yara warns, suddenly serious. “It’s not Fleet.”
“It’s the K8,” Yone informs them a second before a third video shows on the main screen, Subaru’s face taking all the space.
“Tomoya! We’re here! OH, GUYS! LOOK! IT’S KOUCHAN!” Seven new faces try to squeeze themselves into the limited space and the noise, defying all known laws of physics, grows even louder.
Toma has no idea how to react to the unbelievable scene before him. On the main screen, the TOKIO and the K8, two pirate ships, are having what can only be described as a competition of who can talk faster and louder, while engaged in a loud flailing session with the KAT-TUN, a Fleet class-A ship, to the great amusement of the Shock, minus its captain.
Koichi looks like he wants to either kill them all or kill himself. Toma thinks it’s a fifty-fifty. He himself is torn between amusement, bewilderment, and an automatic reaction, polished by the Academy, to take the two pirate ships under custody and lock the criminals in jail. He’s suddenly very grateful he’s not in Koichi’s shoes.
“ENOUGH!” Koichi commands, surprisingly even louder than everyone else.
More awe inspiring is the sudden silence, crews of 4 ships looking at Koichi with startlement sprinkled with respect and the occasional fearful gaze (mainly from the KAT-TUN screen).
“Kame, get your crew under control and get ready for jump. Nagase, I’ll come if you get out of my sector, and take these troublemakers with you,” Koichi gestures at the K8, causing the 8 men crew to gasp in shock and hurt. But before Yasu can say how unfair Koichi is being, Koichi hushes them with a look.
“I knew you’d come to your senses,” Nagase smiles.
Koichi narrows his eyes at Nagase’s part of the screen.
“Now!”
“I’ll send the details to Tsuyoshi,” Nagase laughs and before Koichi can be tempted into violence, the visual is cut off, quickly followed by the K8.
On the screen, the two pirate ships gun their engines, turn and disappear into hyper-space. Koichi leans back and rubs his temple.
“Yara.”
“Ready when you are!”
“You all better hold on to something,” he warns half-heartedly before instructing their pilot. “Jump.”
Once they’re in hyper-space, Koichi orders everyone, except Yara, off the bridge with various invented tasks - Yone go check Yamada has everything ready in the storage, Machin go make sure we’re ready for inspection and Akiyama go… do something - and then climbs out his chair and heads towards the captain’s office.
“Yara, you’re in charge. Toma, come with me.”
“About what happened just now,” Koichi starts the minute the door closes behind Toma.
“I won’t tell,” Toma says even before Koichi can finish his sentence. He understands Koichi’s concern as well as he understands his own reasoning - some things are more complicated than they look and he trusts Koichi to make the right choices. Besides, it looked like no one else had any problem with the whole fraternizing with pirates thing, so why would he.
Koichi looks at him, more intensely than Toma has ever seen before, and for a moment it feels like Koichi is trying to look into his soul. Whatever he sees is apparently good enough because a moment later, Koichi nods and they move to talk on the Shock’s upcoming regulatory check-up and specks for some new equipment.
“You’re doing a good job,” Koichi says when they are done and Toma has just finished saving the new data. “You’ve been with us for a few cycles now, how are you liking it?”
“I love it,” Toma says with all the honesty he can possibly have. “I hope you will let me stay here for many cycles more.”
“That might not be as long as you think it will,” Koichi says with a smile that baffles Toma.
“Cap-“
“I have a feeling you were meant for bigger and better things.”
“I don-“
“Don’t tell anyone I told you, but you’re here because Command wants me to show you a thing or two,” Koichi’s smile turns into something a bit more feral.
“I thought I was here because you chose me?” Toma’s confusion only grows. He also suddenly feels like he might be a burden to Koichi.
“Oh, I did,” Koichi says with a wave of his hand. “But I was also asked to keep an eye on you. Don’t look so worried!” Koichi bursts into laughter at Toma’s wide eyes. “It’s a good thing!”
“I hope,” Toma starts, hesitatingly, “you will let me stay for more than just a few cycles. I feel there is a lot I can learn here, a lot of things I can experience, serving on this ship, with you and the crew.”
Koichi looks a bit flattered.
“Don’t worry. I have no intentions of letting you go anytime soon.” He pats Toma on the shoulder and pushes him towards the door. “Now go make sure Uekusa has all the medical data updated before we dock or we’ll get yelled at again for another incomplete data transfer.”
And with that, Toma finds himself in the corridor. He’s confused still, but also happy, and flattered to know the higher-ups have noticed him, but he’s also a bit weary because knowing you’re being watched by the higher-ups is a bit scary. Today is proving to be a bit emotionally confusing on his part.
With a shake of his head, Toma turns towards the infirmary. On his way to Deck C, he runs his fingers on the walls, trailing the delicate lines of the intricate design etched into the ship’s walls. The Shock has changed a lot since seven years ago. When he was on his knees, scrubbing her floor, the Shock was a ship to behold. Her outside still is one of the most ingenious designs to ever be produced by the Fleet; sleek and elegant lines, tougher than a destroyer and more graceful than a cruiser.
Her inside was as elaborated as her outside was simple. Her walls adorned an intricate design of flowing lines and changing motifs, painted deep green and warm ambers over soft cream, her floors polished wood artificially enforced with steel. Every room was lavishly furnished with the best you could find. Carpeted quarters and walls painted with Nano-colors programmed to change for each person individually. Polished brass and gilded doorways and light fixtures that should have been placed in museums, rather than on a military used space ship. Her corridors curved elegantly and her ceiling flowed like water. She was a beauty.
But a few years ago, Koichi had decided he needed something else and had changed most of her inner design to something simpler, yet no less impressive. The corridors he left as they were; the design on them so beautiful, even the fashion-idiot Koichi recognized as true art. The furnishers he changed, replacing fur and silk to leather and suede in deep browns and yellows and reds. The walls were repainted to something more calming and permanent. And as the ship became more refined, her crew became more permanent, more dedicated, unique.
Except her Seconds. It was a well circulated rumor in the Academy, and later when Toma went to serve on other ships - serving on the Shock was a jumping board. Her Seconds were always offered sought-after positions. And not only her Seconds. General knowledge has every member of her crew propositioned several times with offers including job, rank and money. Toma can’t help but wonder what positions he might be offered, considering Koichi’s previous words.
He reaches the infirmary and shakes his head to clear him mind. These thoughts are of no use to him right now. Hadn’t he just asked Koichi to let him serve on the Shock for a long, long time? He likes it here, likes it very much. He puts these thoughts away and spends the next twenty minutes talking to their Medical Officer, listening to his stories about days past and trying to keep the good doctor on track with docking procedures.
“We’re coming out of hyper-space guys. Toma, get your ass in here, I need to go pee.”
Toma can’t help the flinch. Yara’s uncensored announcement came over the general link.
“OMG Yara! You use the toilet?!” Koichi’s scandalized voice over the general link makes Toma want to bang his head against the wall. He’ll never get used to the toilet jokes the entire crew seems to enjoy sharing over the general link for everyone to hear. At any hour of the day. Thank goodness they don’t have any female personal.
“I’m on my way,” he says into his Personal Data Link, making a note to try and convince Koichi again it is a good idea to enforce some sort of behavioral code regarding lingo over the general link.
Just when he’s about to open the Command Bridge’s door, his PDL blips.
“Toma, where are you?!” Koichi sounds annoyed. Not a good thing.
“Right here,” he says as he walks into the room, his eyes automatically going to the main screen, making sure everything is clear, before focusing on Koichi. His captain doesn’t look happy, leaning over Yara’s shoulder, eyes intent on the controls.
“Yara, go. Toma, we’re not going to make it to dinner,” Koichi takes Yara’s place at the console, fingers stroking combinations with practiced ease. “The station at P-344 shut down so they’re routing all traffic to Delta. The first circle is packed and the second is getting crowded, fast. Tower already issued us a number for docking, but it’s going to take a while.”
Well, that sucks. If the second circle around the space station is already getting crowded with ships, by the time they get there, they will be stuck in traffic for hours. Tower will probably let only the smallest ships from P-344 dock while the others will have to settle for shuttles and supply distribution. The Shock’s spot was, is and always will be reserved for her, so they don’t need to worry about docking space. And the KAT-TUN is heading towards the repair docks so that shouldn’t be a problem either. But the station itself is going to be crowded as hell.
“I better tell Akki he needs to start on dinner after all.”
“Tell everyone inventory will have to be adjusted accordingly.”
“On it,” Toma moves to sit in his chair to update the crew. “Do you want me to tell Kamenashi?”
“He got the message. We’re working on adjusting their life support software and reconfigure the power generator. We need to preserve power so I’m going to shut down the beam and lower the connecting force field.” Koichi says without looking anywhere but at the console. “They should be fine, but I offered to bring them here anyway. They said no. Ueda doesn’t want to leave their samples unsupervised. We’re also on emergency alert.”
Which means they have to be ready in case any ship in their vicinity needs any kind of help, from power supply to technical support to medical care. Toma routes instructions to the rest of the crew and calls their doctor on the link because the old man doesn’t like checking the emergency board he’s supposed to pay attention to.
An hour and a half later, they hit the beginning of the traffic surrounding the station. Delta base is one of the largest and busiest stations in the sector, with P-344 right behind it. No doubt, capable ships have already been routed to other stations, but many of the ships at P-344 were small, private held cruisers, incapable of making long journeys.
As the ship glides through traffic to her designated space in the line, the crew was finishing the last preparations to their unexpected situation.
“That’s a lot of ships,” Yara remarks as he guides Shock into her place and the engines are brought to a stop. The main screen is filled with more ships than Toma had ever seen in one place, in all shapes and sizes, organized in a grid around the station.
It takes four hours and two trips in their mini shuttle to replace fuel cells, before their assigned area finally calms down. Toma is just handing Koichi a cup, when a gilded little cruiser slides into place not far from them.
“It’s the Twenty Two. It’s hailing.”
“On screen.”
“Koichi! Long time no see!”
“It’s only been a few cycles,” Koichi laughs at his previous Second. “How are you doing, Tsubasa? Are they treating you OK in Planet Affairs?”
“I’m doing great, thank you! How are you guys? Toma, don’t let our dear captain bully you too much!”
“He doesn’t bully me at all,” Toma answers, a little shy and a little intimidated by his predecessor. Tsubasa has been Shock’s Second for many cycles, longer than anyone else and not because of lacks of offers to leave.
“Hey!” Koichi protests next to him. “I have a reputation to maintain here!”
“Are you talking to the Shock?!” a voice comes from behind Tsubasa. “I wanna say hey to Kouchan too!”
Machin says Tsubasa would still be on the Shock, if the job offer didn’t come with a certain partner. Takizawa Hideaki has been a rising star in Ground’s ranks. So much so that even Fleet cadets were talking about him. It was a bit difficult to associate the sever looking young commander in Ground pamphlets with the guy enthusiastically waving at them from behind Tsubasa’s shoulder.
“I hope wasn’t like that in the talks on Sentron 3,” Koichi remarks dryly.
“Don’t worry,” Tsubasa laughs. “I’m the one doing all the talking anyway. He’s just here for the looks.”
“How are the talks going?” Toma has been following the situation on Sentron 3 closely, the tension in the area threatening to turn into an inner-system war. After all, his home was just one system over.
“Between you and me, it’s all just a poor attempt to influence the Union Council. But we’re getting there. We left Senga there for the Planetary Independent Celebration month and came here for the council meeting.” Tsubasa, youngest in his position, has been given the responsibility over the delegation to the area.
“Good luck with that one,” Koichi says and Toma wonders how much of it is sarcasm. Council meetings are not known for their decision making, order keeping routines.
“We’re just going to report,” Tsubasa shurgs. “They can bicker over it all they want. It’s not going to change the situation, only how long it’s going to take before things are solved. One way or the other.”
“You better keep him safe, Tackey.” Koichi says and only half of it is a joke.
“Of course I will! I didn’t steal him from you just to lose him now.” Tackey’s smile rivals Nagase’s.
They spend the next hour exchanging mission stories, updates on different sectors and some Fleet gossip.
“-and guess who caught them in bed, in the middle of some fluid exchange!”
“Toma, we need you in the kitchen Matsu and Akki are at it again!” Machin’s hysteric voice cuts into the conversation.
“I’m on my way.”
“Are those two still fighting over Koichi’s affection?!”
“Some things never change,” Toma says before exiting the bridge, catching Koichi blushing before the door swishes closed.
He’s one corridor down when his PDL comes to life.
“So, how are you doing?” Tsubasa’s voice in his ear is soft and affectionate. “These guys can be more than a handful. Not that I think you can’t handle them, but it can get intense over there.”
Toma is touched. He hasn’t had many chances to meet Tsubasa, an upper-classmate, nor was he ever able to talk to the man before he took this position. There was much he wanted to ask Tsubasa that first cycle, many times he felt he was being compared to his predecessor without knowing to which standards he was trying to live up to. But the ship, her captain and her crew were all very nice and for the most part understanding, and he likes to think he’s doing a good job in not just filling the void left by Tsubasa, but also in setting new standards.
“I’m good, sir. I really am.”
“You can cut the formalities. Koichi’s dislike for it has kind of rubbed on.” Toma can hear the gentle smile behind the words. “Well, if there is anything I can do for you, anything you want to ask, you should feel free to contact me. I know I haven’t been of any help until now, but still.”
“I really appreciate it, Tsubasa.” And though he doesn’t need anything, not at the moment, he does have a bit of curiosity he feels bold enough to try and satisfy. “I do have a question regarding our captain, if you don’t mind telling ship secrets…”
“Fire away,” Tsubasa encourages, with no little amount of glee in his voice, and for the next 10 minutes they exchange valuable, inner information.
By the time Toma returns from the kitchen (and a little detour to the engines room), the Shock has moved to the edges of the first circle. It takes another hour and a bit before it’s their turn to enter the station. Toma is about to start the docking sequence, when Koichi beats him to the general link.
“Listen up! We’re going to put the KAT-TUN in the workshop first. We’re going to have to rear them into it because even the shop is crowded and there is no maneuver room. I don’t need to tell you to keep your eyes open on your stations.” Koichi, in all his commanding glory, is something Toma deeply respects. “We’re then going to circle to the left towards our spot, to keep the traffic going and then we dock. Make sure you’re all done and ready with your tasks because one we dock, you all have two hours to clear this ship. You get the week off. Everyone.”
Surprised cheers go around the bridge. The unexpected vacation time is most welcome.
“But before I send you all to the bars,” Koichi continues with a smile, “lets finish our mission and get our extra baggage back home. Open link, KAT-TUN.”
They all work together like a well-oiled machine, giving Toma the sense of being part of something bigger, something greater than the sum of individuals working to station a crippled ship. They big farewell to Kame and his crew and by the time the Shock silences her engines, it’s almost time for breakfast.
“Good job, people. Now get your things and get the hell off my ship. Anyone left here after two hours will be locked in here for a week.”
Of course, it takes a little over two hours to finish everything and everyone is exhausted by the time the ship starts to clear off. Toma is, of course, one of the last to leave the ship. In fact, he’s pretty sure the only ones still on are Yone and Koichi. He’s just about to step down the ramp to the dock when he’s stopped.
“You have plans for today?” Koichi’s voice sounds behind him and Toma turns to see his captain, leaning against the wall with a data pad in his hand.
For all the world, Koichi looks engrossed with whatever data is running on the pad. Toma is almost curious enough to ask what he’s looking at. Almost.
“Not really. I was supposed to meet a friend but… I guess I’ll just call him later.” Toma shrugs, even though Koichi’s not looking.
“He’s waiting for you at the check-point. Go, have fun. That’s an order.”
“I… sure, I will.” Toma is, understandably, confused. How does Koichi know who he was planning on meeting and where that person is right now?! He’s about to ask, when Koichi turns and walks back into the ship.
“I don’t want to hear from you until next week!” he throws over his shoulder. “And happy birthday.”
It takes Toma a full minute to realize it really is his birthday today. He’s not sure what surprises him more - that he didn’t notice or that his I-don’t-remember-stuff-like-that captain had. And a sneaking suspicious tells him this might be connected to their unexpected vacation. He feels warmth, from the inside out, a kind of happiness he finds difficult to explain. If he ever needed or wanted signs of acceptance, of recognition, this was it.
He makes his way to the check-point, his smile forming even before he spots the small man sitting by the wall and staring into space. And when he sees who’s waiting with him, his smile grows wider.
“Satoshi! Guys!”
Five heads turn his way and before he can protest much, he’s being squished from all directions.
“Welcome back, man!” the taller one ruffles his hair and pulls him into a second hug.
“What the hell took you so long? We’ve been waiting for hours!”
“Guys, now that he’s here, can we finally go eat?!”
“Yeah, I’m good for some noodles.”
“You had noodles for dinner!”
“Toma,” everyone quiets down as Toma turns to the man. “Happy birthday,” Satoshi says and leans to softly kiss Toma’s cheek.
“Yeah, man. Happy birthday.” The five smiles he gets fill him to the brim.
“Thanks, guys,” he smiles, unable to hold down the happiness that radiates from every cell of his body. “I got a vacation now too. What do you guys wanna do?”
The End.