Interlude 146 - 147 Part 2: Crossing Paths with Kaori
NorCal CBT
Interlude 146 - 147 Part 2: Crossing Paths with Kaori
Date/Location:
July 20, 3065 / Muphrid, Lyran Alliance (Class B)
New Calenaton SpacePort, 13:05 local time
It had been two uneventful weeks since they arrived on Muphrid. Miss Black had kept herself busy by meeting with officers of the Twenty-third Arcturan Guards, the unit they were to be supporting. They had been tight-lipped about their goals here on Muphrid, and her orders were simple: maintain readiness for a battalion-sized force, but to do so with minimal visibility. That made her job easy, but she couldn’t shake this feeling that something was off…
Just then XO Thames entered the office they’d been using. He set two glass bottles on her desk. The labels on the bottles read ‘New Dublin Distillers Premium Single Malt Irish Whiskey’.
Miss Black gave a nonplussed look at the bottles and then to the XO. “You disappeared for two days to make a booze run?”
Thames chuckled and responded, “No. I was actually reconing New Dublin and was fortunate enough to find the best whiskey distillers on the planet, so I got us both a bottle of their finest product.”
Miss Black was just about to admonish the XO for squandering time when a petite asian woman with a thick Japanese accent interrupted.
“Excuse me, is this the office of Acme Amalgamated?” she asked.
Both Miss Black and XO Thames turned to face her. Thames immediately recognized her as Kaori Kawasaki, but before he could speak Miss Black replied, “Yes it is. What can I help you with?”
“Apologies for my confusion, but I was expecting to see Mr. Pink here,” Kaori said.
“He’s gone on sabbatical. I am the acting President of Acme Amalgamated in his absence. You can call me Miss Black.” Miss Black extended a hand towards Kaori who responded, “Misu Burakku, my name is Kaori Kawaski. You can call me Miss Kawasaki or Kawasaki-san. Pleased to meet you.” Kaori bowed, prompting Miss Black to lower her hand and bow in kind.
“Kawasaki-san, o-hisashiburi desu,” XO Thames said as he bowed. “O-genki desu ka?” he asked as he rose from his bow.
“Hai, hai, arigatou gozaimasu,” she replied before pausing for a moment in thought. “Eto…Reben pairotto desu ka?” she asked the XO.
“Hai, sou desu,” the XO replied with a smile. He turned to Miss Black.
“AA worked with Kawasaki-san on Styx in the Draconis Combine a few years before you joined. She was instrumental in helping us navigate a military and political morass there that involved rogue mercs, our rivals, ComStar, and somehow even the Clans. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better tactician and logistics expert in the Combine.”
“You do me great honors, Temezu-san,” Kaori said with a grin.
“What can we help you with, Miss Kawasaki?” Miss Black asked.
“I came here following a group of criminals the Dragon wants apprehended and returned to the Combine. Because of the current conflict, it is necessary for me to use a third party to execute the Dragon’s will here. I was pleased to see your company listed in the local hiring hall and I hope that we can do business on this matter,” Kaori responded.
“I believe we can spare the forces required. Tell me more, Miss Kawasaki,” said Miss Black.
“Of course, Misu Burakku, but before that, would you mind if I call you Kuroi-san?” Kaori asked.