Nobuo 'Tatsu' Takayama's Story

Nobuo 'Tatsu' Takayama laughed. "I thought you were going to request my daughter, she so very outgoing... it shall be done, I will find this Fahim and bring him to Wing City, I am to also understand that a Mary Munroe needs to be taken back to Terra as well, as a token of my grace, I will do so... as for a job, perhaps there may yet be one, I want you to speak with Director Aramaki about a position in Section 9, you'll be working to not only clean our streets, but helping with foreign affairs."

Nobuo 'Tatsu' Takayama is present.

Nobuo 'Tatsu' Takayama The Taiyou orbital relay station was a small complex in the middle of a deep-space orbit. When it recieved the identification of a Terran ship, the station automatically produced a relay beacon, before a large gateway opened up besides the station, a thick japanese accented voice echoing on the communications.

"The Hyperspace Gate will take you to Niihama, maintain your present speed and trajectory, have a nice flight." The Attendant said boredly, as they were allowed to pass through the hyperspace station, emerging on the other side into tightly controlled lanes of starships coming and going from the planet, streaks of light from ship re-entries seen in the planet's atmosphere, the multi-layered city of Niihama City seen below, poking up into the clouds, and carpeting hald the planet in a dense blanket of blues, greys and puffy whites mixed in. It would seem there was a stellar traffic jam, and the civilian cruiser would no doubt have to wait.

One of the things they would likely notice in their wait, was that Military ships had the priority to come and go as they pleased. And as they waited, two black and white starships, with red flashing lights and Taiyou text on the side seemed to move up, one of them docking with the ship's airlock, a message coming through. "Disengage your passenger airlock and open the door." Was all the voice said, as a second, armed black and white ship pulled alongside the cockpit, similar ships seen moving like bees from ship to ship, docking and leaving like bees to a flower.

There was another dull thud, and the ship in front of them was pulled upwards into a designated lane, and escorted off to a nearby defense platform. If they opened the door, several uniformed men, in dark blue uniforms entered, one of them, with a blue uniform and white epaulettes entered the ship.

"State the nature of your visit, I also want shipping manifests, passports, and identification for all passengers and crew."

The two officers looked to the man with the white epaulettes, they began to converse Briefly in Taiyou, this conversation lasted several moments, before the man in charged turned and inclined his head, handing the documents back. "Does Tenno Heika expect your arrival?" He said, before he turned to his other men, they then began to spread out and search through the ship and the belongings brought with those that came to Niihama.

"Tenno Heika is meeting with the other AXIS Delegates." He said, gesturing to a massive spherical space station in orbit beyond the lines of spacecraft. "He will not return to his Palace in several days." He paused a moment, making a brief communication. "You can appeal to Tenno Heika in the AXIS Station." He said, motioning to a series of green markers that began to flash, leading to a docking port in the station.

"You have been cleared to approach for the diplomatic visit, follow our escort." He said, turning and speaking briefly in Taiyou to the other officers, having been satisfied with their search, they returned to their vessels, which disengaged, pulled back, and began to head to the station.

Once the Docking process had been complete, and the ship was admitted into one of the many docking bays in the massive station, they would be greeted by an airport like concourse, which was manned by a single Taiyou Foreign Affairs representative in a bright red uniform. "Welcome to the AXIS Station, unfortunately, Tenno Heika is meeting with the AXIS, you are welcome to watch the proceedings, and the AXIS has been made aware of your arrival, please, being coming with me this way." He said, his english somewhat broken.

The man led them through a series of Taiyou halls and concourses, passing barracks and the Emperor's throne room, before emerging into a massive chamber, with Niihama looming above a glass ceiling.

The Chamber was filled with thousands of beings, some humanoid, others disgustingly alien. The Emperor, a strange green hooded figure, a disgusting tentacled monstrocity of an alien, with a long head, teeth, and twenty eyes, in a robe trimmed with gold. What looked like a Roman Emperor, a bald headed humanoid head mounted on a spider like robot, a blonde man in a white uniform, almost reminiscent of Raphael, a strange reptillian alien, and an older man in a green uniform.

The Emperor was addressing the AXIS in regards to several foreign situations, and when the commotion died down, the Emperor turned to spot the Terrans among the delegates from all over Andromeda.

"Ahh, representatives from Terra, it is so glad of you to join us, what brings you before the AXIS?"

The Emperor nodded a moment, before the strange tentacled being began to address him, in a bizzare cacophony of clicks, buzzes, chirps and trills, a Taiyou adjutant whispering in the Emperor's ear, while the Axis translator, a young Taiyou man spoke. "Thane Wattinree has heard of your world, but asks why you come all the way here, and beseech the Taiyou to fight an enemy they have no vested interest in, against an enemy that has superior technology."

The strange hooded humanoid then slowly stood. "We stand by the Qal'Gamek Dominion and ask the same question, certainly a conflict so far beyond our borders shouldn't concern us, though we offer our deepest condolences for the plight of your people, why should we risk our security to help a world, that has offered us nothing? And from what I Understand, shun and reject the Taiyou."

The Emperor remained silent, letting his allies do the talking.

There was a brief cacophony of alien noises as the translators of the various species digested the information and presented it to them. The strange hooded being nodded sagely, before turning to the Emperor, then back to the Terrans. "And when the Aschen come to our doorstep, we will stop them, as we have countless enemies before them." He said, the Emperor nodding.

"What do we stand to gain, from helping your planet? You have nothing we could want." He said, crossing his arms. "UCON will defeat the Aschen, and push them out of Terra, and back into the holes they came out of, my only interest is protecting my people, and rescuing my wife, which I might add your world seeks to imprison, do you think I have forgotten that so easily?"

Nobuo 'Tatsu' Takayama nodded. "I have already assigned Major Kusanagi to rescue my wife, but there is more, those already living on Terra, they will abide by your laws but they are my subjects." The Emperor interjected, before he rose from his seat.

"I am sure the Coalition will drive the Aschen from their space, the Aschen are weak, small in number, though their Technology is vast and their ships powerful, they cannot fight the Coalition forever."

Nobuo 'Tatsu' Takayama was silent a moment, listening to the other AXIS delegates propose an isolationist policy for the inhabitants of the Galaxy. "Moving an armada three million light years is not an easy task." The man in the white uniform said, his voice loud and his english clear.

"A commitment from the Taiyou will come at a price, the Terran Government, though generous in it's offer to drop the charges, I don't know... last time we trusted an extra-galactic, the Zion wars broke out." The man complained.

Nobuo nodded, then he spoke. "You understand that men and women will fight and die in my name, for a world that isn't even theirs, such a task will be hard to motivate the Military to complete."

Nobuo 'Tatsu' Takayama nodded. "I cannot commit the lives of my people to protect a world that isn't theirs, however, I will arm and provide spare hardware to your resistance, I will also send advisers to train them, in addition to a fleet of decommissioned warships. It's not much, Admiral Yamamoto and Prime Minister Kayabuki will provide the specifics, but you will leave this Galaxy with the necessary hardware to effectively fight the Aschen."

The Emperor then slowly stood up.

"But if you defy me in the future, I will remember my generosity, and the Terrans will never know my generosity again. This will also be on the sole condition, that my wife is brought home safely."

The Taiyou Empire was a massive, sprawling Empire that consumed a good portion of this sector of the Galaxy. Upon arrival to Taiyou space, the Coalition would have been greeted by a singular Taiyou diplomatic envoy. Of course, having been informed of the Coalition's arrival, a small Taiyou ship party would be there to greet them. The Movements through Taiyou space, especially the Ni system would be well controlled, and Coalition ships would be greeted by an immense crowded solar system, easily Billions of ships coming and going from this hive of activity, all moving through tightly controlled lanes of traffic. The well-organized space lanes snaked around various astronomical objects, into Hyperspace Gates, and ultimately to various portions of the Empire itself.

Niihama's Space elevators seemed to be reserved for Military use, but the catapult launch system used to propel Taiyou ships into orbit, had been modified to accomodate the Coalition ships. As they were escorted through, they would be given the option to bring their ships on one of Niihama City's specialized landing approaches, which calculated trajectory based on the ship's mass, size and shape. Indeed off in the distance, a Shogun battleship was seen descending into the atmosphere for landing.

The Taiyou had made the decision for them, reserving one of the Space Elevators extending up from Niihama City, the Coalition ship would be allowed to dock with one of the massive Taiyou space anchorages attached to the elevator.

The Coalition delegation would be greeted in the orbital anchorage by the infamous Taiyou princess

Yukiko Takayama had been quietly standing there, alongside the infamous Taiyou Prime Minister, Yoko Kayabuki, both of them offering a slight bow.

"Welcome to Niihama, the nerve center of the AXIS, and the entire Taiyou Empire." Niihama's Sprawling urban landscape would be quite evident, even from orbit.

Nobuo 'Tatsu' Takayama slowly approached Regievko, as he moved from the Sedan Chair, of course. As a slave quickly held an umbrella over his head, and people knelt on all fours to provide human stairs for the Emperor to step down upon, another Taiyou rolling carpet beneath his feet, the Emperor slowly walking towards Regievko, surveying him for a moment.

"It is an honor to finally meet the Prime Minister of a nation of your caliber." He said, extending his hand, trying to conform slightly to the Scatterran's culture. "I apologize if I am not in the best of moods, but my wife was kidnapped by the Aschen, and they refuse to return her." He explained, before he gestured to the Palace. "I have accommodations for you and all your men, or you may choose to stay in Niihama City's many hotels, it will be my pleasure to accommodate you any way you see fit." The Emperor said, as he began to walk, Taiyou placing towels and rugs under his feet, to keep his shoes from getting muddy.

"I must ask, that when you enter my home, you remove your shoes, slippers will be provided." The Emperor added, approaching the wooden steps leading to the main doors of the Palace.

As a Taiyou whispered in his ear, the Emperor nodded slightly. "You also mention Military matters that need to be brought to my attention? I am aware of the Aschen situation in your Galaxy, but I am afraid the Empire cannot intercede without the blessing from the AXIS."

The Emperor inclined his head slightly. "Though I admire your willingness to bring peace and prosperity to the galaxy, as I said before my hands are tied until I can convince the rest of the AXIS that a disarmed Aschen would benefit all." Takayama explained, as he led the men through the ancient building, which had all the trappings of a medieval Japanese building, but fitted with modern amenities. "The Original Imperial Palace, a building that was ten thousand years old, was destroyed in an unfortunate Hataf attack that left our Empire marred and broken, this one, though modernized, is built to resemble the old Palace.. it saddens me though.. the Imperial Palace was the symbol of our Imperial Longevity, a lineage that has existed since Emperor Taisho in the founding of our civilization, the man that united a nation that would conquer a Galaxy." Takayama explained, gesturing to a Sumi-e painting of an ancient Taiyou Emperor sitting upon a throne.

"Unlike the Aschen Empire, which shames and desecrates the sacred title of Emperor, with a madman that would declare himself dictator and abuse his people, the Taiyou Empire strives on the work of the common man towards the greater goal, I pride myself on leading my civilization to glorious prosperity for all sentience, regardless of species, race, or national Origin."

The Emperor led the Regievko into a large room, filled with ancient Taiyou artifacts.

"Given enough time, any man may master the physical. With enough knowledge, any man may become wise. It is a true warrior who can master both." The Emperor explained, before he looked about to the men.

"What role, would a nation as far away from you as ours, play in your vision? Prime Minister?"

Nobuo 'Tatsu' Takayama inclined his head slowly and deliberately. "There are good people among the Aschen too, my wife was a woman once blinded by their hatred and their ignorance, but during her time spent here, her eyes were opened and she worked to better not only the Empire, but those around us. However, not a night goes by where she does not awaken in night, weeping for her sins, like every Aschen whom has wronged their brothers should." The Emperor explained, standing beside a tarnished Katana.

"The Zion wars however, truely saw our liberation from magic and superstition, from ancient beings that would seek to enslave us, those in this galaxy were not fortunate to have the strong will of Scatterrans to free them from the oppression of the Precursors, we broke their irons ourselves, and for it we have known suffering." The Emperor nodded solemnly.

"Speaking with you here has also opened my eyes, in the time you were traveling from your home, to ours, I have studied your people and your culture extensively, and I have learned that Scatterrans should not be a people to direct our ignorance and hatred towards, I learned, that the Taiyou Empire, and the Coalition, despite our immeasurable distance, are more alike than many of my more conservative advisers care to admit, a common ground which will foster a friendship the Ancients themselves would tremble before."

There had been audible bickering just outside the room for several moments, shouting in what seemed to be Taiyou. This persisted for about ten minutes, before the door opened, and as soon as it opened, both Imperial Warriors whom had yet to leave, both quickly went prostrate before the man.

"It seems I may have been too late." The bald headed man said, as the two Imperial Warriors slowly rose back to their feet. "The Empire would not take land from your world, I think the Admiral misunderstands the point I had tried to convey to him earlier." The Man said, his voice calm and almost warm.

"I want assurances from your new government, that the Contributions the Empire has made are compensated in both... raw materials, mining rights, and the assurances that the people on your world, are allowed to govern themselves with representation on your Parliament, as part of the Terran Nations, Sometimes.. the words do not translate like they should." The man said, turning to Austin.

"I am sure you understand, Imperial Contributions to this conflict are in the spirit of a larger peace and prosperity, but my people have their... what is the word... reservations."

Nobuo 'Tatsu' Takayama stood there, inclining his head slightly, but quickly bristling at the words 'Rippana Kotei' His look betrayed offense, and it was evident as both Imperial Warriors began to shake, despite their clean appearance and polished armor, before the Emperor glared directly at Austin.

"Were we not on Niihama, where you would.. have been properly dressed with our cultural conventions, I would have had you beheaded for that address, if you ever Address me as Kotei again, I will never again dialogue with the Terran People." He said, his voice cold and brimming with his offense.

"I will forgive this only once, Marshall-san." He then looked up. "Do not speak our language in my presence again either, the very utterance of the words of my people, massacred by your tongue and grammar, is an affront to me and the Empire as a whole, do I make myself clear?" The word 'Clear' was practically shouted, barked in a disciplining manner.

"Now, we have cleared that unfortunate business out. He said, inclining his head, acknowledging the Terrans correction. I am willing to devote, whatever necessary materials needed to liberate your world, and assist in it's liberation. And if those terms are met, than you can have yourselves an ally in the Taiyou Empire." He then turned to Austin. "But I respectfully request you discipline your Agent for his ignorance."

Nobuo 'Tatsu' Takayama sat there with a satisfied look to see Austin backhanded across the back of his head. "Secual Harassment complaints, you must be referring to the lawsuit I talked our Prime Minister out of." He said, looking to Austin coyly. "Mind your tongue, Marshall-San, it could wind up cut off."

The Imperial Palace had been completely rebuilt since the attack Hataf had launched nearly a decade ago on the Taiyou Home world. The medieval Japanese architecture set upon a towering cement spire that seemed to tower above the rest of the city quite evident, And when the Terrans reached the Palace itself, it would seem as if the Taiyou Imperial Palace was sitting in heaven itself, perched just above the now glowing white clouds, with the occasional Taiyou building peeking up above the overcast skies.

The Elevator ride was several minutes, an ascension into the grounds of the Palace itself, the walk a few more minutes. Upon entry, the Terran party was politely asked to remove their shoes, and the warm wooden floors would greet them with the offer of slippers, even Imperial Warriors were wearing soft soled slippers, as opposed to their armored boots. The Palace was very serene, built within specific specifications and in perfect Zen.

The Emperor himself was perched upon the throne, two Imperial Shinobi guarding him on either side, with the Emperor enjoying a meal of rice, sashimi, grilled squid, and a warm Sake.

"It's been getting colder since Winter has set in." He commented as he watched the Terrans step into his throne room.

"I am glad you did not bring Agent Marshall, for I would fear he would disrespect me again, and I would have to follow the convictions of Tradition." Takayama said, not moving from his throne, and silently observing the Terrans to see if they would follow Taiyou custom.

Nobuo 'Tatsu' Takayama nodded and slowly sipped his Sake, before he gestured his hand slightly, and a young woman approached from the right, bowing deeply before the Terrans and offering them hot tea. "I find that tea warms the soul in these cold days." The Emperor said gesturing for them to be served some tea.

"I understand you finally received word that we are treating Drulovic, as your Prime Minister can explain, I would insist she remain in our care. I am sure that the Government of your exiled world can agree that Drulovic would be best suited to remain in Imperial care for the time being." He said, gesturing for them to kneel before him. "Please, sit." He said, the same flunky that served the tea, placed small red cushions for them to kneel upon. Along with small tables with food and drink.