Two Ensigns, Two Friends

Posted on Tue Feb 2nd, 2021 @ 10:44pm by Ensign Mikko Ishigami & Lieutenant JG Mika Fujimoto 'Pickpocket'

1,027 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Allegations
Location: Docking port

--ON--

Mika Fujimoto stood on the gangplank of the USS Tokyo, waiting for her friend, Mikko Ishigami. Mikko had promised that they would meet again at a later date way back on the briefing day, but their conflicting schedules meant they just kept missing one another. Mika was hoping that, now that they were in dry dock for the foreseeable future, Mikko would finally run out of excuses to blow her off, but she couldn't quite be sure as she waited, strumming some Finnish folk song on her Kantele to pass the time.

Mikko turned up a few minutes later. "Sorry for being late. I had to make sure the engines were cold" she explained simply. "You know how those dockyard engineers can be..."

Mika looked up from her Kantele and smiled.

"Like the old saying goes, better late than never." She replied. "I'm glad you finally ran out of excuses to blow me off..."

"I'd hardly calling us being attacked and having to manually navigate here an excuse" Mikko sighed. "Rumours have been spreading you know. What's happening with that pilot down in your country?" She asked.

"You mean Lieutenant Riverside?" Mika responded. "She's been rather... Evasive on the subject: She was saying something about taking advantage of our time here to show me and Ensign Busujima her idea of 'a grand old time', but I have no intention of following through with it..."

Mika plucked a couple chords on her Kantele.

"I figured I would go home, see my old man at our tempura restaurant, and take the old 86 out for a little spin." She explained. "It's been so long, and I bet that little Trueno's just itching to get out and stretch its tires..."

Mikko simply smiled. "Sounds just like you. I on the other hand have other plans" she explained to her. "I'm popping in to visit my parents, before heading back to the Tokyo. We've got new Shuttlecraft coming in that I need to oversee"

"That sure sounds like you; burying your nose in your work to hide your shame." Mika chuckled. "I don't think you ever really got over not being able to beat me on the mountain pass, despite driving cars that were faster than mine."

Mikko sighed. "I don't drive anymore. I prefer flying" she replied simply. "I'm a pilot now, although it was fun back then. I want to one day make Lieutenant"

Mika lowered her head.

"It's my belief that every now and then, a pilot needs to return to their roots." She explained with a sigh. "However, if you do not wish to join me, than I understand."

Mikko smirked. "My roots lie behind the helm console of an old type six shuttlecraft. One of the first I ever trained in"

"Maybe that's what you believe." Mika said with a smirk. "But I know my roots lie behind the wheel of that Toyota Sprinter Trueno, running Tempura deliveries early in the morning when nobody else was on the road. I consider that 86 more my roots than that shuttlecraft I... Borrowed."

"Tempura..." Mikko said. "I think you'll find it was Tofu" she corrected Mikko. "If you borrowed that shuttlecraft, how come you never gave it back either?" Mikko asked as she began to walk down the corridor off the Tokyo.

"I think I'd know what I've been hauling in the boot since I was in the 7th grade." Mika said, also starting down the corridor after Mikko. "And if you want answers as to where that shuttlecraft went, you should ask the junkyard they hauled the wreckage off to."

Mikko simply rolled her eyes. "Well, we're not going to get anywhere if you keep dawdling. You'll miss the transport back to Earth at this rate"

Mika smiled. If there was one thing she knew Mikko for, it was her penchant to rush everything.

"Of course." She said. "Let us be on our way, then."

Leading the way, Mikko walked over towards the other side of the docking port gangway. She stopped just before she crossed and held out a hand to stop Mika. "Just, don't get into trouble. Thats the last thing this ship and any of us need"

Mika stopped just shy of Mikko's arm, quite taken aback by what she had said.

"My goodness, there's so much Starfleet officer in you I barely recognize you." She said. "Whatever happened to that risk taker I knew so well in school?"

"She joined Starfleet" Mikko replied coldly. "I don't take risks when I'm at the helm now. Have you ever seen Captain Aisaka's temper?" she asked.

"Never seen it, but I've heard about it." Mika replied, assuming a serious tone. "I heard it deeply affected Lieutenant Nakazato, and I suspect it might be one of the reasons why he betrayed the crew."

"Yeah. Although hes an idiot for doing so. Captain Aisaka did nothing wrong" Mikko replied.

Mika was surprised at how quickly Mikko was to condemn the Air Boss as a traitor, despite having likely never met the man.

"You know, for someone part of an organization that values tolerance and the sharing of ideas, you sure are quick to condemn someone for daring to think differently than you." Mika explained. "Especially when you've probably never met Lieutenant Nakazato. He might have a legitimate reason for doing what he's doing."

Mika plucked a few chords on her kantele, lower in tone than the normal range she'd play.

"Perhaps the lieutenant's not wrong for equating the command structure to the running of a cult." She suggested.

Mikko just shrugged as she walked. "Who know's whats going on. I just know that the Lieutenant will have a hard time to pursuade others that Captain Aisaka has done wrong when he was following her orders too"

"Anyways" she said. "How about we forgot about all this, its way above our pay grade. Lets just go enjoy the shoreleavet hat we're lucky to be getting all things considering"

Mika smiled.

"I can agree to that." She said. "Guess I'll be seeing you back here sometime then."

Posting by

Ensign Mikko Ishigami
Flight Control Officer

Ensign Mika Fujimoto 'Pickpocket'
Starfighter Pilot

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