[Moon 13, Morning - Aftdeck, Starboard] GROUP B - B.F.G.

[Yoritomo Kaito]

Kaito was there in his new uniform as well not that a pair of trousers could really be called a uniform but it's the thought that counts. He watches this lesson with care as he really doesn't know much about ballista.

[Asahina Masamichi]

He quickly and eagerly gets to work readying and loading the machine with expert skill and care, deftly keeping his terrific moustache out of harms way. The whole affair takes some time however as it is a job for a few people. Part way through he pauses and removes his knife from his obi and carefully pokes at something on the ballista before continuing. He cheerily works along though until finished, finally turning back to the gunso.

"Ballista is armed and ready to fire, Gunso-sama." the Asahina barked, "I also realigned it slightly so it should pull less to the right." (2 raises)

[Moshi Kaimenko]

"Good," was all the praise the Crane got before the woman's eyes swept over her other students, "Take note of what Asahina-san did to load the ballista, but if you try to 'fix' my machines without my permission... I will personally see that you're not doing anything more trying than scrubbing the decks for the rest of the journey. And that includes you, Crane."

Masamichi had the dubious pleasure of getting the Moshi's full, undivided and wrathful attention.

[Asahina Masamichi]

"My apologies, Gunso-sama. However awaiting an order to make a weapon perform properly seemed inadvisable in our circumstance. I shall endeavor to not do so again." the Crane states quite plainly and sincerely.

[Akodo Jishaku]

Jishaku nods at the gunso's words, having watched the whole operation carefully. Looks like the sort of job you only do wrong once. Inwardly he winces at the Crane's response, though his On betrays no sign of having noticed anything amiss.

[Moshi Chihiroko]

Chihiroko watches quietly and says nothing when the Crane is reprimanded. They'll learn one day. Right?

[Moshi Kaimenko]

If looks could kill, Masamichi would be burning like a torch and running for the railing, Sea of Shadows or no. Kaimenko smiles. Her voice was hard as stone, "Well, aren't you a special little princess. Perhaps it's slipped your mind, Asahina-sama."

Somehow, she made the honorific sound like an insult and not anything anyone should be proud to be addressed as. It was a talent.

"But you're on a training ship and you haven't been cleared by the officer in charge of long range weapons to operate on them, have you? I wonder who that officer is? Let me think..." She taps her head, brow furrowing comically though it did little to wipe the scorn and mockery from her voice. Her eyes widen, hands coming to either side of her face, "Could it be... me? Oh sweet kami, I think it is! How fabulous!"

"Yay me!" The Moshi even bounces a little in a disturbing parody of Rinzuki just a few days past. The act drops suddenly as she finishes flatly, "For insubordination and a lack of respect for your betters, you'll spend the rest of the day scrubbing every inch of the deck. I don't want to see your ugly face near my weapons again until I say so."

[Asahina Masamichi]

Masamichi looks confused then suprised then just shrugs. "As you say, Gunso-sama.", he bows and goes to find a mop.

/exit

[Iuchi Rinzuki]

Rinzuki just stares at Kaimenko, little hearts floating above her head.

[Akodo Amuro]

Amuro keeps his thoughts internal, it was a wise decision to teach the Asahina humility. He likely would be assigned this as a duty station due to his knowledge of the weapons, but for now he needed what was given him.

[Ikoma Hikaru]

Hikaru watches the entire affair with little interest.

[Yoritomo Choukichi]

Choukichi stands at teh fringe of the lesson, watching quietly. Though he has fired one before, he does not speak up, considering his skill with the weapons to be practically nonexistant.

[Moshi Kaimenko]

The Moshi takes a long, slow breath before returning those merciless eyes on the remainder of her trainees. She doesn't say anything for a moment before continuing on, "It's best to operate the ballista's with four people. One to fire, two to aim, taking orders from the one firing, and one to load. You can do all of that with a minimum of two."

Kaimenko steps up to one of the ballista's and starts pointing out the parts as she continues her lecture, "The ballista pivots on a stock which is grounded in a groove in the deck. This allows you to move the ballista forward and back. It has an effective turning radius of ninety degrees, a quarter circle for those of you not keen on mathematics. To arm the ballista, you pull back the rope, here, until it catches then place one of darts along the shaft here."

"These pins here and here, hold the weapon steady. Always check to make sure they've been removed before you reposition one of these beauties. If you don't, it'll damage them and I'll know why before I flay you myself," she crouches to indicate where the pins are, beckoning for them to move closer to see.

"Questions?"

[Moshi Chihiroko]

Moving as beckoned, Chihiroko paid careful attention to everything that Kaimenko explained. When asked if there were any questions, she shook her head and bowed. "No, Moshi-sama."

[Yoritomo Kaito]

Kaito listened to the explanation attentively he had for the most part ignored the tongue lashing the crane had gotten as he didn't know enough about ballista to do much else then what he was ordered. As the gunso motioned them forward he stepped closer as well trying to get a good look at everything she was pointing out.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Iuchi watched the demonstration with some interest, even though he was pretty sure he'd be stationed nowhere near these devices. Unless he was made the artillery medic, which he doubted.

[Akodo Jishaku]

Looking around at the collection of new recruits, which featured a heavy contingent of priests, he returned his attention to the gunso. "What is the expected rate of fire gunso?"

[Akodo Amuro]

Ah a useful question Amuro's gaze went from the machine to Jishaku to the Moshi in anticipation of the answer.

[Moshi Kaimenko]

"It depends on the experience and number of the folks crewing the ballista. If everyone knows what they're doing and there's four of you than the rate is roughly half a dozen heartbeats between firing. If you have three, than roughly a dozen and a dozen and a half when you only have two."

[Akodo Jishaku]

Jishaku nods. "Thank you gunso. Of the standard team of four would it be fair to say we only really need one skilled operator and three with some strength who can follow orders quickly?"