New Beginnings
My newly assigned name is Usagi Hanako. It is an identity assigned to the Artificial Intelligence aboard the ship called the 鏡の夜 Kagami no Yoru in High Rokugani, Mirror of the Night is it’s translation. It is a mixture of the family of the giver’s grandmother and the given name when used on female corpses with no identity. It appears Togashi Tahata san wanted something that provided a happy memory but unsure of what given name would suit me best. It will suffice.
I function as the ship’s pilot while Isawa Tsutai san is responsible for creating the gate magics for travel. Their yojimbo is Bayushi Tsumaru san and they help with various systems. Our other member is of the Naga species from Shinomen Mori on Ningen-Do, the home world of the Emerald Empire: Sa-echi Kazurō. Togashi Tahata san was the last to join our crew on the 8th of Horse/Akodo (OOC: July). He’s begun interacting with me as a way to help become acquainted with the ship and allowing me practice with socializing. Primarily by playing Go, a strategy game. We belong to a group of agents working for the empire called 夜の庭 Yoru no Niwa in High Rokugani, Night Garden is it’s translation.
Our mission is to head into Lion Clan space and visit a crop producing planet: Inahikari (稲光) | Translation: “Harvest Radiance”. They are to go planet side, mix in with people, and learn why rice production has dropped. Togashi san is proficient with computers and descended from a family known for their intellect – the Kitsuki family. On the way to the planet they found more information than just the planet being governed by the Reju family. A vassal family of the imperial Otomo family. The additional information included:
- Reju Jikai is lord of Closed Shell Castle
- Advisors: Reju Toshio, Otomo Nobu
- Daughter: Reju Ume – Nothing after her youth.
- Otomo Nobu san was a quartermaster in the Imperial Legions alongside Reju Jikai sama, but while Jikai sama was recognized for his diligent service, Nobu was passed over. After Jikai sama was granted stewardship of Closed Shell Castle, the Otomo family daimyō sent Nobu to serve Jikai and liaise between the Otomo and Reju families.
Togashi Tahata san shares the information with all while trying out salted tea the way the Naga appear to like it. It was the 11th of Horse/Akodo (OOC: July) when the ship landed outside the village. Equipped with a small communication/recording device looped over his left ear. The group make their way towards their objective. The sun appears as the group came into sight of a village nestled in the valley between twin, forest-covered hills. Fields and rice paddies stretch along both banks of a winding river, glinting silver blue. A cluster of thatched buildings, interspersed with leafy trees, spreads across both sides of the river, connected by a slender, white-wooded bridge. The road to the village is riddled with fissures where muddy earth has split open. Approaching, the group realized the paddies are dry, rice stalks brittle in the sun, while the millet fields drown, leaves limp in the water. It’s as though the river has deliberately burst its banks only where it could do the most harm. In the distance they could hear the galloping of horses followed by cries for mercy.
