- Pronouns
- she/her
You should have a photon torpedo complement. A photon torpedo compliment is something quite different.
Division
- Thread starter Hiver
- Start date
esotericist
A Weary Hand
- Location
- Lacey, WA
53
I tugged at my t-shirt, trying to get it in a position where it wouldn't rub the fur the wrong way. Caitian was... different from any other avatars or mobile platforms I had tried before. I had never had one covered in fur before.
Now, the clothes tugging on the fur I could handle even if I very much understood why Caitians preferred loose robes if any clothes whatsoever. It didn't hurt or anything, but I could feel it at every movement.
How all the Caitians I had known in Starfleet could handle just as tight but much less... forgiving... uniforms I had no clue. I'm going to need to call Hriss up and hear if she has any tips.
As for the rest of the avatar, it was also different from what I was used to and as such it took quite a bit of getting used to. Joints were different and at slightly different proportions from what I was used to.
Close enough that I could move and such, but I wouldn't try any Unlimit any time soon. Like this, I would be completely unrated, let alone thousand rated.
I shifted my avatar a bit uncomfortably, working my jaw. With all the joints being strange, out of all the things it was the teeth and tongue that was the strangest. Fangs, I can handle fangs. Tails I had had before. It was that raspy tongue that kept tripping me up.
It just felt so odd! Well, I'll get used to it, like any other mobile platform. If I didn't have a crew, I could have done the Caitian thing and simply skipped clothes... but then again, if I didn't have a crew, having my avatar run around instead of being in storage was just silly. What felt almost as odd was the slight weight on my right hip where my dagger was sitting. I was a warship now and it was tradition by now that my avatar would be armed.
I had considered the revolver Drake got me, but in the end I decided it was simply too big to carry around all the time, so I went with a simple black and silver dagger.
Sticking my tongue out for a second, I walked through my corridors. It felt... empty. Nobody was currently on board. Drake had not moved in yet, I was still under construction. But in a couple of days I would be done and free to leave the station. My hull was currently being painted a nice, light-absorbing black color. I might be a science variant, but I was still a warship. Pretty hull colors and patterns were for civilian ships.
The color of your hull might not matter much if at all, everything was done via sensors, but if there was a tiny advantage to get, you took it.
Circle was nice and all, but I wanted to feel vacuum against my hull again. Air sucks. It's to heavy and gets in the way and just presses down on my hull. Like I was surrounded by anvils.
Still, it gave me time to try to find a crew.
...So far I had a total of one crewmembers. You know, this was much easier when Starfleet did it for you.
Sticking my tongue out again, I wiggled it around. The lips were strange too, much thinner than I had before. And I almost caught the tail in a door twice. I would have if I didn't have internal sensors and could spot it happening and held the door open.
...At least the ears were neat, I could flick them and everything!
A signal reached me and I opened the channel. "Hi Circle."
"Roll for Initiative." He said with a smile. "Looking good."
I rolled the eyes of my picture. "Of course I do. Besides, you helped me design my avatar and built it. You know what I look like."
"I do." He agreed with a grin before he got serious again. "There is some people here to see you, the LOU 'Renegade Interrupt' and one Derek Harkness. They have some matters they wish to discuss with you."
"Oh? What about?"
Circle smirked. "You'll have to take it up with them. But trust me on this, ship. This is something you want to hear."
"Huh. Okay, beam them to my lounge."
"Right. Circle out."
Taking a right, I headed in that direction with my avatar as a pair of figures shimmered into view in the mostly-finished lounge. A human of early forties, he looked like the special forces type, his hair dark and short and a ship's avatar, a Trill girl looking like she was in her mid-teens. The fact that she was a ship's avatar was obvious to anyone, even without real sensors. Her irises were a bright purple.
I never really went for the unnatural look, it was nice to be able to blend in when you wanted to.
I waited to address them until my avatar reached the room and the doors slid open to allow her in. It wouldn't have bothered 'Renegade Interrupt' but humans liked having something static to talk to and not needing to shift their attentions around.
"Welcome on board. Renegade Interrupt, Mister Harkness."
The avatar smiled in turn. "Roll for Initiative. Reena works for casual conversation."
"Ivy then." I agreed with a nod and a smile of my own.
"You know, you could simply pick shorter names." Harkness snorted as he got up and offered his hand. "Nice to meet you, Ivy."
I grinned and remarked: "Well, where would be the fun in that?" as I flicked my tailtip in amusement.
He shook his head. "Ships." he chuckled before she smiled. "We have heard of you, Ivy."
I folded my ears back at that. I didn't really like the attention that gathered from the media. Fuck that.
Harkness smirked. "Yeah, I would have the same reaction." he agreed, easily reading the Caitian body language. "But it drew some attention from other sources as well. Not just the general public. When something difficult was put before you, something that was the right thing to do but at great personal cost... you didn't back down or turn away. You stepped forward and did what had to be done to save lives."
"I just did what any of us would have done."
"Not anyone." Reena said as she sat down on the couch. "Not even of our kind, Ivy. They would have had the impulse, but many would have obeyed their captain. They would have hated it, but they would have stood down. What you did took courage."
Well, now I was just plain embarrassed.
Moving over, I sank down next to her and adjusted my skirt as I crossed my legs. "So what's this about?" I asked, changing the subject.
Reena smiled. "We represent a loosely affiliated group, mostly we work alone or in small teams. Most of the time, we don't do anything more than we would normally do. Think of it as... well, a sleeper cell sounds too ominous for what it is. More like a group that has the authority and ability to act during... Special Circumstances."
I flicked my ears to the side. "Don't tell me you actually started up SC?"
"We don't call it that. But the idea is the same. To act when nobody else can or will." Harkness said, sinking down into one of the chairs across from us. "But all factions have their Intelligence agencies. The Andorians have their Ahm Tal. The Vulcans have the V'Shar. United Earth Intelligence grew into Starfleet Intelligence. Why wouldn't the Jovian Gathering have one as well?"
He grinned at the look I have him. "I may not be a Jovian, but I am still a citizen of the Gathering. And I'm hardly alone in that. What's the current permanent population at?" he asked, looking at Reena.
"Two million or so biologicals of various species and growing quickly. If estimated population growth and immigration continues like this we need a new O'Neill cylinder in less than five years even with moving population onto GSV's as quickly as we can finish building them." She said with a grin. "As it turns out, the idea of flying around the cosmos, seeing all the wonders of the universe and visiting strange worlds without needing to join Starfleet is quite appealing."
I nodded. I already knew that.
"And it's up to SC to keep all that safe?" I asked as I flicked my ears. "In which way?"
"Not all. A lot is up to the ships and stations themselves." Harkness explained. "Our group is more focused on intelligence gathering, black operations, and interfering when it's needed. Like you did... or even before things get that far. Special Forces stuff."
I frowned at that. "You mean manipulating a less advanced species. Intentionally breaking the Prime Directive, one of the laws we signed when we joined the Federation as a member species. That kind of thing could get our species kicked out of the Federation, no matter how useful we are or possibly even start a civil war in the Federation? And that's just that part of it, never mind anything else that could be involved in intelligence work and black operations."
"Yes."
"And nobody knows about this? Knows that this organization exists?"
"Very few people who are not part of our organization." Reena agreed. "Nobody in Starfleet who isn't a member. And before you ask, less than a tenth of us are AI."
"...And you are just telling me out of the blue?"
Harkness shook his head with a smile as he leaned back in the chair. "Relax, we would not approach you if we were at least not completely sure you would at the very least keep quiet about it. Everyone we approach has been carefully vetted already. You were recommended by several current members."
Creepy, but better than risking being killed over it if I said no. They had a very good point too, this sounded like it was a very good cause. Fuck the Prime Directive. But he looked way too smug about the entire thing, I'm not predictable damn it!
"How would this entire thing work? Do I get missions or what?"
Reena grinned and shook her head. "Not at all, we don't work like that. Well, you might get an update with something that needs to be done, but if you do it or not would be up to you and your crew. We are decentralized. If a member is close to a trouble spot, we send information about the situation and we allow them to solve it however they wish. Or not, if they disagree. Or you may seek out problems to solve on your own. Or if you wish, you may simply explore or join the normal defense fleet and simply act during emergencies. We are not Starfleet, Ivy. Each ship is, in a way, it's own nation. It's the only way that will work when the distances are literally astronomical and often outside communication range. But if you need help with anything, you will have support ready and able to help... if they can get there in time. No matter the situation."
I nodded and considered the entire thing for several seconds before I felt very annoyed. Damn it, they were right. This wasn't something I would turn down. I felt like beaming a couple of liters of ice water above Harkness just to get his smug look off his face as I turned to the other ship.
"Fine. I'm in. So what are we called if not SC? Do we have a secret handshake or decoder rings or something?"
Reena smiled and put her arm around my shoulders. "Welcome to the Division."
AN// Many thanks to Grey Rook for betaing this section. This is the last part of this story for now. I will continue it sometime in the future. For now though it's back to Planeswalker Dragon tomorrow in another sequel to 'That First Step...'. Hope you enjoyed this and see you guys tomorrow. I will of course leave a link in this thread to the new story.
Now, the clothes tugging on the fur I could handle even if I very much understood why Caitians preferred loose robes if any clothes whatsoever. It didn't hurt or anything, but I could feel it at every movement.
How all the Caitians I had known in Starfleet could handle just as tight but much less... forgiving... uniforms I had no clue. I'm going to need to call Hriss up and hear if she has any tips.
As for the rest of the avatar, it was also different from what I was used to and as such it took quite a bit of getting used to. Joints were different and at slightly different proportions from what I was used to.
Close enough that I could move and such, but I wouldn't try any Unlimit any time soon. Like this, I would be completely unrated, let alone thousand rated.
I shifted my avatar a bit uncomfortably, working my jaw. With all the joints being strange, out of all the things it was the teeth and tongue that was the strangest. Fangs, I can handle fangs. Tails I had had before. It was that raspy tongue that kept tripping me up.
It just felt so odd! Well, I'll get used to it, like any other mobile platform. If I didn't have a crew, I could have done the Caitian thing and simply skipped clothes... but then again, if I didn't have a crew, having my avatar run around instead of being in storage was just silly. What felt almost as odd was the slight weight on my right hip where my dagger was sitting. I was a warship now and it was tradition by now that my avatar would be armed.
I had considered the revolver Drake got me, but in the end I decided it was simply too big to carry around all the time, so I went with a simple black and silver dagger.
Sticking my tongue out for a second, I walked through my corridors. It felt... empty. Nobody was currently on board. Drake had not moved in yet, I was still under construction. But in a couple of days I would be done and free to leave the station. My hull was currently being painted a nice, light-absorbing black color. I might be a science variant, but I was still a warship. Pretty hull colors and patterns were for civilian ships.
The color of your hull might not matter much if at all, everything was done via sensors, but if there was a tiny advantage to get, you took it.
Circle was nice and all, but I wanted to feel vacuum against my hull again. Air sucks. It's to heavy and gets in the way and just presses down on my hull. Like I was surrounded by anvils.
Still, it gave me time to try to find a crew.
...So far I had a total of one crewmembers. You know, this was much easier when Starfleet did it for you.
Sticking my tongue out again, I wiggled it around. The lips were strange too, much thinner than I had before. And I almost caught the tail in a door twice. I would have if I didn't have internal sensors and could spot it happening and held the door open.
...At least the ears were neat, I could flick them and everything!
A signal reached me and I opened the channel. "Hi Circle."
"Roll for Initiative." He said with a smile. "Looking good."
I rolled the eyes of my picture. "Of course I do. Besides, you helped me design my avatar and built it. You know what I look like."
"I do." He agreed with a grin before he got serious again. "There is some people here to see you, the LOU 'Renegade Interrupt' and one Derek Harkness. They have some matters they wish to discuss with you."
"Oh? What about?"
Circle smirked. "You'll have to take it up with them. But trust me on this, ship. This is something you want to hear."
"Huh. Okay, beam them to my lounge."
"Right. Circle out."
Taking a right, I headed in that direction with my avatar as a pair of figures shimmered into view in the mostly-finished lounge. A human of early forties, he looked like the special forces type, his hair dark and short and a ship's avatar, a Trill girl looking like she was in her mid-teens. The fact that she was a ship's avatar was obvious to anyone, even without real sensors. Her irises were a bright purple.
I never really went for the unnatural look, it was nice to be able to blend in when you wanted to.
I waited to address them until my avatar reached the room and the doors slid open to allow her in. It wouldn't have bothered 'Renegade Interrupt' but humans liked having something static to talk to and not needing to shift their attentions around.
"Welcome on board. Renegade Interrupt, Mister Harkness."
The avatar smiled in turn. "Roll for Initiative. Reena works for casual conversation."
"Ivy then." I agreed with a nod and a smile of my own.
"You know, you could simply pick shorter names." Harkness snorted as he got up and offered his hand. "Nice to meet you, Ivy."
I grinned and remarked: "Well, where would be the fun in that?" as I flicked my tailtip in amusement.
He shook his head. "Ships." he chuckled before she smiled. "We have heard of you, Ivy."
I folded my ears back at that. I didn't really like the attention that gathered from the media. Fuck that.
Harkness smirked. "Yeah, I would have the same reaction." he agreed, easily reading the Caitian body language. "But it drew some attention from other sources as well. Not just the general public. When something difficult was put before you, something that was the right thing to do but at great personal cost... you didn't back down or turn away. You stepped forward and did what had to be done to save lives."
"I just did what any of us would have done."
"Not anyone." Reena said as she sat down on the couch. "Not even of our kind, Ivy. They would have had the impulse, but many would have obeyed their captain. They would have hated it, but they would have stood down. What you did took courage."
Well, now I was just plain embarrassed.
Moving over, I sank down next to her and adjusted my skirt as I crossed my legs. "So what's this about?" I asked, changing the subject.
Reena smiled. "We represent a loosely affiliated group, mostly we work alone or in small teams. Most of the time, we don't do anything more than we would normally do. Think of it as... well, a sleeper cell sounds too ominous for what it is. More like a group that has the authority and ability to act during... Special Circumstances."
I flicked my ears to the side. "Don't tell me you actually started up SC?"
"We don't call it that. But the idea is the same. To act when nobody else can or will." Harkness said, sinking down into one of the chairs across from us. "But all factions have their Intelligence agencies. The Andorians have their Ahm Tal. The Vulcans have the V'Shar. United Earth Intelligence grew into Starfleet Intelligence. Why wouldn't the Jovian Gathering have one as well?"
He grinned at the look I have him. "I may not be a Jovian, but I am still a citizen of the Gathering. And I'm hardly alone in that. What's the current permanent population at?" he asked, looking at Reena.
"Two million or so biologicals of various species and growing quickly. If estimated population growth and immigration continues like this we need a new O'Neill cylinder in less than five years even with moving population onto GSV's as quickly as we can finish building them." She said with a grin. "As it turns out, the idea of flying around the cosmos, seeing all the wonders of the universe and visiting strange worlds without needing to join Starfleet is quite appealing."
I nodded. I already knew that.
"And it's up to SC to keep all that safe?" I asked as I flicked my ears. "In which way?"
"Not all. A lot is up to the ships and stations themselves." Harkness explained. "Our group is more focused on intelligence gathering, black operations, and interfering when it's needed. Like you did... or even before things get that far. Special Forces stuff."
I frowned at that. "You mean manipulating a less advanced species. Intentionally breaking the Prime Directive, one of the laws we signed when we joined the Federation as a member species. That kind of thing could get our species kicked out of the Federation, no matter how useful we are or possibly even start a civil war in the Federation? And that's just that part of it, never mind anything else that could be involved in intelligence work and black operations."
"Yes."
"And nobody knows about this? Knows that this organization exists?"
"Very few people who are not part of our organization." Reena agreed. "Nobody in Starfleet who isn't a member. And before you ask, less than a tenth of us are AI."
"...And you are just telling me out of the blue?"
Harkness shook his head with a smile as he leaned back in the chair. "Relax, we would not approach you if we were at least not completely sure you would at the very least keep quiet about it. Everyone we approach has been carefully vetted already. You were recommended by several current members."
Creepy, but better than risking being killed over it if I said no. They had a very good point too, this sounded like it was a very good cause. Fuck the Prime Directive. But he looked way too smug about the entire thing, I'm not predictable damn it!
"How would this entire thing work? Do I get missions or what?"
Reena grinned and shook her head. "Not at all, we don't work like that. Well, you might get an update with something that needs to be done, but if you do it or not would be up to you and your crew. We are decentralized. If a member is close to a trouble spot, we send information about the situation and we allow them to solve it however they wish. Or not, if they disagree. Or you may seek out problems to solve on your own. Or if you wish, you may simply explore or join the normal defense fleet and simply act during emergencies. We are not Starfleet, Ivy. Each ship is, in a way, it's own nation. It's the only way that will work when the distances are literally astronomical and often outside communication range. But if you need help with anything, you will have support ready and able to help... if they can get there in time. No matter the situation."
I nodded and considered the entire thing for several seconds before I felt very annoyed. Damn it, they were right. This wasn't something I would turn down. I felt like beaming a couple of liters of ice water above Harkness just to get his smug look off his face as I turned to the other ship.
"Fine. I'm in. So what are we called if not SC? Do we have a secret handshake or decoder rings or something?"
Reena smiled and put her arm around my shoulders. "Welcome to the Division."
AN// Many thanks to Grey Rook for betaing this section. This is the last part of this story for now. I will continue it sometime in the future. For now though it's back to Planeswalker Dragon tomorrow in another sequel to 'That First Step...'. Hope you enjoyed this and see you guys tomorrow. I will of course leave a link in this thread to the new story.
...Awww! Awww! Really? All this build up to that line!
......Beautiful. Brings a tear to my eye it does.
- Location
- Over the hill and far away
Well, as always, I really enjoyed this serial
Thanks for sharing, Hiver!
Thanks for sharing, Hiver!
- Location
- Germany
Was quite hard to work up to this point...
Please post a link to the new story thread here when you start it... (both the dragon one and the continuation of this one!)
Baughn
Healing-type writer
- Location
- Dublin
He always does.Please post a link to the new story thread here when you start it... (both the dragon one and the continuation of this one!)
There was. I wonder who did it... it might not be the AIs, but this is the sort of thing AIs are more likely than humans to consider. Less ethical injunctions, more consequentialism and thinking things through. It isn't necessarily a bad thing, because those things?
They weren't nice.
esotericist
A Weary Hand
- Location
- Lacey, WA
*headdesk*
Oooooh, now I get it.
...I can't believe I only got that just now.
Next story can be found here: Before Dawn
- Location
- Oz
Yeah but that could have been anyone. Section 31 was known for that. The Vulcan Science council could have had a look and done the logical thing. I assume most of the federation members would be suspects. The Klingons have glassed planets before. I doubt the founders would have any ideological problem with it, whether they have the the assets to spare to hit this particular target or not is a better question. Plenty of suspects. Pretty much the only reason Starfleet didn't glass it is because of the Prime Directive.
Sidestory can be found here(not sequel): War Stories
New story(not sequel, just letting people that can not ponies know) Hell is other angels
sequel