Tenma made finger guns at the Lion, nearly dropping the densai in the process, but managing to not do so.

"That. But I could be biased too; We all have our unique biases and experiences, after all."

She looked back down at the survey.

"Anyways, I apologize if I'm causing a fuss; That was not intended. I have a habit of butting into things though."

"Hai. I would argue that if a leader has deep insight about something, then it helps them know the depth such knowledge can have, and allows them to better appreciate those around them that they rely upon for their knowledge and expertise."

He closes his eyes a moment, "I can think of at least a dozen leaders who were renowned for their expertise in go, music, xenobiology, or engineering, for instance. But I do think you've the right of the need for general knowledge on a lot of things."

Ishiyo blinks at some of the rough language being used, almost blushing at the outburst. This was entirely different from the aristocratic airs of her fellow pilots.

"I am not an expert on such mattehs but I believe that careful examination of the minutiae as you call it has proven useful in past conflicts. I mean sometimes only through looking at the little pieces in detail can you see how it fits into a bigger picture. As with most things it seems a balancing act."

Her smile turns more pensive, "And of course a good papeh trail covehs yourself if someone higheh up finds dissatisfaction with the information they see filteh-ing up."

"There's a lotta schools of thought, I'm sure," Chiyoko nodded. "And whose to say who is right, eh, save the big wigs at the top who make the decisions. I'm happy to have most of my decisions involve which target is the right one to down."

"I can get behind that sentiment, Matsu-san," Ishiyo nods again, "Squadron leadeh spent much of his time flying a desk and the Space Wing Commandeh neveh left his desk. I find it much more preferable to stay in the fighteh. The thrill of the dogfight. The noble aerial duel of samurai and thei-eh high tech stead against one anotheh."

A hint of excitement creeps into her voice, "Closing in, through deft manuevehs and skill handling of you-eh machine! Waiting for the precise moment to strike! Pow-pow-pow! And up in flames they go! Then a swoop to the left to drop onto the tail of anotheh enemy engine and...." She stops, "Ah...my apologies, I got a bit carried away there."

While the others chatted, Ryuu found a seat. He examined the questionaire. Idly listening to the conversation as he filled it out. After he completed it, he sent it back to the Asako.

"I hope you find my responses concise and useful." He bowed again. There was something... off... about him. He was polite, and fairly handsome, but just that constant edge of unease just surrounding him.

Mal-Chin looks down at the little notification. "Thank you Daigotsu-san."

If the Phoenix was off-put by the Spider, he was able to hide it.

"There's certainly a lot of songs put out about piloting. Or maybe that's just what reaches us here."

Oh, right, the survey. Tenma looked back down at it, jotted down some answers, and handed the thing back to the Phoenix.

"This should do for your purposes, I hope."

He accepts it back thankfully. "Hopefully it will benefit you!" He looks around to the samurai on the shuttle. "Feel free to give a copy of the original questionnaire to your clanmates if you'd like. I'll be trying to ask everyone that I can, but don't know when I'll be able to get to everyone. Thank you everyone."

Michiya nods to Mal-Chin. "Eh, the bureaucracy isn't exciting, but it's part of what keeps the empire running. The officer in charge of Matsu-san's unit needs to file a requisition that gets compiled into innumerable reports above them so that her commander can ensure she has the equipment she needs to perform her duty. Her daimyo will never care about the model rifle she uses and the ammunition she needs, but if nobody in the chain did she wouldn't get them. The details simply build the big picture, each requisition and report being a drop in the ocean that represents the Lion legions' supply needs. There is a drop that covers her equipment, one for her training, another for her food and so on. And the only thing her champion really cares about is that ocean, a picture painted by the final expense report compiled by his staff."

Chiyoko has to suppress a small laugh at Ishiyo's enthusiasm. "You sound like every Akodo pilot I have ever met, Daidoji-san. Perhaps there is a certain willingness to thrill that's required of all fighter pilots, eh?

"For me, the ground works well enough. If I'm being honest, I like to be able to see the face of the person I'm killing. Gives it a certain... weight. Reminds me that I'm not just fighting machines."

"It is a different world I imagine from you-eh own Matsu-san," Ishiyo smiles a bit at that, still a little embarrassed she had rambled on in front of strangers. "To be honest I have neveh even flown oveh a battlefield, the closest I have come to you-eh world is escorting Daidoji breachehs as they assaulted an enemy station."

"The Daidoji marines were not the sort predisposed to sniping though, thei-eh ways were more direct. They tell me boarding actions are brutal business."

She continues, "But as fo-eh fighting machines, trust me when I say this Matsu-san...it is very cleah one is not fighting a machine during a dogfight. At least I have yet to meet the drone who could out think and out fight a samurai pilot. Still I take you meaning, it is different to only know an opponent through thei-eh skill at flying and to actually look them directly in the eye."

"Well, it's hard to look someone in the eye from 1000 feet," Chiyoko shook her head. "From there, usually I just get a decent look at their face from the scope. Hence why I don't really say *fighting*, either." She shook her head. "It isn't quite the same, I'd say, as being right up there with a normal service rifle. A Matsu's kiai doesn't have quite the same power when at best you can barely hear it." Surprisingly, she seems to have a bit of a humored attitude as she speaks. Like she is acknowledging, but not regretful of, her role.

"Matsu kiai?" Ishiyo asked, "Oh....I remembeh something about that from historical records. You still shout as you make you-eh charge? Does that work as intended? We just call out targets and contacts while flying, battle cries would get in the way of communication."

"It's hard to say. I had only been part of one engagement as part of regular forces, and the Scorpion were already in retreat. After that battle I was reassigned to Sharpshooter's division. And my division is, by necessity, a bit... quieter. I do still whisper prayers to my Ancestors to guide my shot, mind you."

"Just one battle oh one tou-eh?" She asks back, "I have only been on one tou-eh myself. But a few battles as part of it, of course my battles were likely of shoteh duration then you-eh own. Fighteh's having limited flying time of course."

"One battle," she answered. "Command recommended me for reassignment after my actions in that battle," she explained. "That said, I also did a tour in Crossroads System in the Shapshooter's division. I do not know how long fighter engagements tend to be, but a typical assignment sometimes has me in the field for a week or more."

"Well the tou-eh was about a yeah, but a battle is usually only a few hou-ehs. Though I have read of extended actions were two carrieh groups play a sort of cat and mouse game that could last fo-eh a few days." Ishiyo sat back and rested her chin on a hand. "Oh...yes, I seem to recall word of a famous snipeh in the Crossroads. I thought she was an Akodo but perhaps I was merely remembehing the school. My apologies fo-eh my poo-eh memory, Matsu-san."

"Oh, I've no training from the Akodo," she shook her head.

"Different person then," She adds with a light chuckle, "But back to you-eh comment, I would imagine much you-eh time is spent preparing fo-eh battle then fighting it yes? I think fo-eh every hou-eh I spent in combat or even just flying, I spent 100 hou-ehs just oveh seeing my fighteh's readiness."

Her blues eyes shift from the Matsu to the Imperial and Phoenix, "And filling out papeh work of course." Then her gaze drifts back to the Chikyo.