//------------------------------// // One. One: Captain Kuyaki // Story: Sins Never Die // by CodenameOne //------------------------------// Sins Never Die Written by CodenameOne “Maybe I knew there was an alien alliance burning our worlds when I signed up. Maybe I knew that every ship had a 3 in 5 chance of being destroyed by the Covenant. Maybe I knew there was probably no chance of ever returning back home alive. Maybe I didn’t give a damn about all that.” “But I don’t think I ever knew I’d end up where I am now.” -=-=-=-=- One. One Captain Kuyaki -=-=-=-=- To: Director of UNSC NAVSPECWAR From: UNSC Captain J. Keyes. Service number 01928-19912-JK Subject: UNSC Kabato’s mission Officer in Charge(OIC): Captain Adam Kuyaki. Service number 01002-677430-AK Ship name/classification: UNSC Destroyer Kabato. DES-454 Mission statement: CLASSIFIED Current time: 1405 hours Date: November 19, 2547 The King has made his move. -Keyes. END MESSAGE -=-=-=-=- Standing at the fore-front of the observation deck of the UNSC Kabato was Captain Adam Kuyaki, 22 year veteran of the Human-Covenant war and distinguished combatant of the battle for Gemini 9. He was 5 feet, 11 inches tall, 190 pounds, with heterochromia; he had one blue eye and one hazel. He was a Japanese-American, born two months after his parents emigrated to the United States. They chose ‘Adam’ to be his name in an effort to cement their new life in the new country. Twenty-three years later the Human-Covenant war began. Staring down through the plexi-glass floor at the planet below Captain Kuyaki stroked his thick facial hair in wonder, knowing what was down there but still unwilling to believe it all. His ship had arrived in the system two weeks ago and they had run extensive scans on all the planets, finding a single life sign on one planet, and millions on another. The first investigation had turned up nothing, but the second one revealed the inhabitants of the planet the Captain was looking down on right now. The Equestrian Matriarchy, the Canine Republic, the Dragon Empire, the Crystal Empire, the Minotaur Parliament, and the Spider People of the Northern Isles made up the many races living upon the planet below the Captain mused, know that would have to go in his report. Captain Kuyaki had initially not believed what he had seen when they had first landed upon the planet; a race of intelligent equines, two of which were of mythical varieties. Numerous radiation and chemical tests proved the creatures were not hallucinations, and after the initial shock and introductions the Captain and his cohorts were educated on the ponies and the other races on the planet. The entire process of meeting all the species had taken the two weeks the Kabato had been in system. Today marked the first day the Equestrians would sit down and learn about the UNSC, the human race, and the Covenant. The doors to the observation deck slid open and in stepped one of the bridge officer’s; Lieutenant Junior Grade Madison Preston, who snapped a salute which the Captain returned. “Sir, it’s nearly time for our delegation with the Equestrians” the Lieutenant said. “Understood, Lieutenant. Let’s head to the hangar” Captain Kuyaki replied, joining the younger officer as they walked through the Kabato, the halls of the destroyer as familiar to Kuyaki as his hands. The delegation to the Equestrians was strictly political, though a lightly-armed escort was mandated by protocol. Captain Kuyaki never went anywhere without his own sidearm, thus affording him some manner of personal protection. His favorite was the M6D magnum, though he only carried 7-round magazines on him, which fit flush with the bottom of the grip. He felt the 12-round mags stuck out too far and made the gun unwieldy. Passing through the maintenance bays Captain Kuyaki and Lieutenant J.G. Preston reached hangar A-1, on the port-side of the ship. Entering the hangar the Captain was greeted to the clangs of tools and the sizzle of welding arcs as various vehicles were tweaked or tightened up, the majority of the Pelican dropships squared away and the blast doors secured over them. One was out, however, which the two officers approached. Standing outside the lowered boarding ramp, patiently waiting for the delegation, was the pilot of Pelican Victor-445, Major Michael Cromley. His Pelican the D77H-TCI model, which was the successor to the original D77-TC. Cromley’s Pelican was fitted with absolutely no weapons in accordance with the peace agreement between the human ship and the Equestrians. The co-pilot and crew chief were already in the Pelican. “Sir!” Lieutenant Cromley stated, snapping the Captain a salute, which was returned. “The delegation is ready, let’s head down to the surface” Captain Kuyaki replied, following Cromley as he stepped into his Pelican, the ramp bobbing under the weight of the humans boarding it. Taking seats closest to the doors the two officers strapped in as Lieutenant Cromley took position in the pilot’s seat, raising and vacuum-sealing the Pelican and starting the engines. All personnel were ordered to leave hangar A-1 by the ship’s sixth generation ‘Smart’ AI and the area was decompressed, allowing for the blast doors to open safely. V-445 was released by the docking clamps and became free-floating as the engines took on the weight of the vehicle. “Happy hunting, Captain” the AI joked over the communicator. “This is no hunt, Excalibur” Kuyaki replied, his smile heard rather than seen by the AI. Accelerating away from the Kabato the Pelican turned down towards the planet, the pilot pushing the engines to their max speed. The ride down was uneventful, save for the usual jostling when they were entering the planet’s atmosphere. The view from the ramp’s window was limited, as always, and afforded barely any kind of sight-seeing. The Captain took in the sights mostly when they were in the city of Canterlot, which was Equestria’s capital. Reducing speed the Pelican glided above the city, the pilot heading for the airship dock. Equestria, though strangely advanced in most ways, still relied heavily on hot-air balloons and airships for flight travel for those who did not possess wings or couldn’t fly far enough. Finding an open spot Cromley eased V-445 into position and the dock-workers put the magic clamps into position, a few others extending a special bridge which allowed the humans to disembark from the lowered ramp. “Consider this unofficial leave, Lieutenant. You and your crew are free to do as you please in the city while the delegation is going on. Be back to this spot no later than 1900 hours, understood?” Captain Kuyaki said to Cromley, who saluted and smiled, bringing his men with him as they went their own ways into Canterlot. “Let’s get moving, Lieutenant Preston” the Captain said, beginning their trek to Canterlot Tower.