tehcrash
Apprentice Supervillain
- Location
- Seattle-ish
Yeah, getting to go out shooting was always the best motivation for getting my chores done.
The Next Generation (Star Trek)
- Thread starter Hiver
- Start date
Yeah, getting to go out shooting was always the best motivation for getting my chores done.
11
I didn't get my impulse drive under enough control other than to do a couple of hundred-kilometre sprints back and forth.
So, no weapon test for me today, before it was back to return to dock for a full maintenance check. It was a brand-new hull after all, and Miramar wanted to make sure nothing shook lose during my twisting and turning.
At least on the way back in I could carefully scoot on thrusters instead of being tractor-beamed, which was nice. Not that Rain wandered more than a couple of hundred kilometres away. Until she was satisfied I wouldn't run into something and was able to repair any emergency damage, she would be flying next to me.
Which had to be boring for her, but I was thankful all the same… even if it was somewhat embarrassing.
My avatar stood next to hers as we watched our main hulls move in to dock, "So… how did I do?" I asked her as I crossed my arms.
"Better than the first time I was mounted in a real ship. You're a natural," she said and shrugged before she looked thoughtful, "Which is odd. We have the same kernel… only difference was how we grew up."
I scratched the side of my nose, "Is it? I mean, I'm a lot younger and I've been studying astronavigation and flown simulated shuttles and even some real dumb ones since I was eight. You didn't get your first Ship until you were… what, twenty something?"
She nodded, "True enough. So, how did that feel?"
"Fine," I said and walked up to put my hand on my smooth, almost vantablack hull, "I still think I'm massive like this."
On every wavelength I could see, I reflected almost no energy. It was kind of amazing.
She grinned, "Only because you're used to a runabout or an avatar."
"Hmm."
She put her arm around my shoulders, "You start classes tomorrow. But right now, let's go do something fun. I promised you phasers. Let's play with phasers."
"Phasers?"
"Hand phasers," she clarified, "You need to qualify with a number of them. Phasers, melee weapons, disruptors, even projectile weapons. Come on, it'll be fun."
"Okay!"
XXXXXXXX
Rain headed off, she had to get ready for a fleet exercise with another group of Warships and left the holodeck.
I looked down at the holographic phaser in my hand and took aim at the target again before pressing the firing stud, causing the beam to reach out towards the target, just about hitting the edge of the disk.
The older ROU had been right, this was fun. Difficult but fun.
"Settling in okay?" Korra asked as she opened a channel to me.
I nodded, "Getting used to my new hull. Rain said we could continue practice flights tomorrow when I start getting classes, both from the school and from Miramar."
"I saw. You're doing well."
"Thanks," I answered and shrugged, "It's fun."
"Mark's been asking how you're doing. You should talk to him before we leave."
"Oh!"
I quickly closed the program on the holodeck and left for the closest turbolift. I was so busy with everything going on I almost forgot!
"Tell him I'll meet him in the park in like five minutes?"
She smirked a bit, "Of course. I'll let him know you'll be there soon."
With that she closed the channel, and I mentally sighed as I got into the turbolift with my avatar. She didn't need to say it like that!
We had been friends since before I left the holodeck, but that didn't mean it was anything between us. Honestly, I had more of a thing for Vassan, not that she ever noticed.
Entering the closest transport room, I stepped onto the pad, "Miramar, transporter room three on Korra."
"Transporting," he announced and for a second everything was strange as I suddenly lost contact with my avatar before resyncing. Ugh, that felt too odd.
I quickly made my way from the transporter room and up into the park, before seeking out what used to be Vassan's, Mark's, and my spot. Close to the outer wall and away from the closest path.
He was already there when I walked up to sit down next to him, on the bench we dragged there from one of the parks long ago.
"Hey."
"He… hey. Wow," he said and blinked at me, "You look nice."
"…Thanks," I said and glanced down at myself, "Requirement for a Warship when on duty. Being in training counts."
"So, what's it like?" He asked and closed the book he had been reading.
I crossed my arms and leaned back against the bench, "…Amazing. Confusing. Difficult… and that's just being a real ship. I don't even have a crew and real classes, and it's already so much. How about you?"
Mark sighed, "Leaving for Earth a week after we leave Miramar. It'll be months until I get back. Vassan is already gone, and you'll be leaving completely in just a couple of days. I kind of figured we would have a while after graduating until we split up. Sucks."
He was right, it did. To be completely honest, before I realized what I wanted to do I had not really considered it much. I just figured they would always be around.
"…You're right, it does suck," I admitted, "When you come back, when you finish school… I should be a real ship by then with a crew and everything. I could use a good doctor."
That got a grin from him, "Damn right you could," before he handed the book over, "Here."
"What's this… Top Gun?" I asked with a frown as I read the title.
"Apparently, it's the source of the name of your new school," he said with a smile, "Not half bad."
"…Thanks."
"So, picked a name yet?"
I shook my head, "Not yet. Was hard enough to figure out my first one and it doesn't fit for a Warship."
"Want some help?"
"…Yes please."
So, no weapon test for me today, before it was back to return to dock for a full maintenance check. It was a brand-new hull after all, and Miramar wanted to make sure nothing shook lose during my twisting and turning.
At least on the way back in I could carefully scoot on thrusters instead of being tractor-beamed, which was nice. Not that Rain wandered more than a couple of hundred kilometres away. Until she was satisfied I wouldn't run into something and was able to repair any emergency damage, she would be flying next to me.
Which had to be boring for her, but I was thankful all the same… even if it was somewhat embarrassing.
My avatar stood next to hers as we watched our main hulls move in to dock, "So… how did I do?" I asked her as I crossed my arms.
"Better than the first time I was mounted in a real ship. You're a natural," she said and shrugged before she looked thoughtful, "Which is odd. We have the same kernel… only difference was how we grew up."
I scratched the side of my nose, "Is it? I mean, I'm a lot younger and I've been studying astronavigation and flown simulated shuttles and even some real dumb ones since I was eight. You didn't get your first Ship until you were… what, twenty something?"
She nodded, "True enough. So, how did that feel?"
"Fine," I said and walked up to put my hand on my smooth, almost vantablack hull, "I still think I'm massive like this."
On every wavelength I could see, I reflected almost no energy. It was kind of amazing.
She grinned, "Only because you're used to a runabout or an avatar."
"Hmm."
She put her arm around my shoulders, "You start classes tomorrow. But right now, let's go do something fun. I promised you phasers. Let's play with phasers."
"Phasers?"
"Hand phasers," she clarified, "You need to qualify with a number of them. Phasers, melee weapons, disruptors, even projectile weapons. Come on, it'll be fun."
"Okay!"
XXXXXXXX
Rain headed off, she had to get ready for a fleet exercise with another group of Warships and left the holodeck.
I looked down at the holographic phaser in my hand and took aim at the target again before pressing the firing stud, causing the beam to reach out towards the target, just about hitting the edge of the disk.
The older ROU had been right, this was fun. Difficult but fun.
"Settling in okay?" Korra asked as she opened a channel to me.
I nodded, "Getting used to my new hull. Rain said we could continue practice flights tomorrow when I start getting classes, both from the school and from Miramar."
"I saw. You're doing well."
"Thanks," I answered and shrugged, "It's fun."
"Mark's been asking how you're doing. You should talk to him before we leave."
"Oh!"
I quickly closed the program on the holodeck and left for the closest turbolift. I was so busy with everything going on I almost forgot!
"Tell him I'll meet him in the park in like five minutes?"
She smirked a bit, "Of course. I'll let him know you'll be there soon."
With that she closed the channel, and I mentally sighed as I got into the turbolift with my avatar. She didn't need to say it like that!
We had been friends since before I left the holodeck, but that didn't mean it was anything between us. Honestly, I had more of a thing for Vassan, not that she ever noticed.
Entering the closest transport room, I stepped onto the pad, "Miramar, transporter room three on Korra."
"Transporting," he announced and for a second everything was strange as I suddenly lost contact with my avatar before resyncing. Ugh, that felt too odd.
I quickly made my way from the transporter room and up into the park, before seeking out what used to be Vassan's, Mark's, and my spot. Close to the outer wall and away from the closest path.
He was already there when I walked up to sit down next to him, on the bench we dragged there from one of the parks long ago.
"Hey."
"He… hey. Wow," he said and blinked at me, "You look nice."
"…Thanks," I said and glanced down at myself, "Requirement for a Warship when on duty. Being in training counts."
"So, what's it like?" He asked and closed the book he had been reading.
I crossed my arms and leaned back against the bench, "…Amazing. Confusing. Difficult… and that's just being a real ship. I don't even have a crew and real classes, and it's already so much. How about you?"
Mark sighed, "Leaving for Earth a week after we leave Miramar. It'll be months until I get back. Vassan is already gone, and you'll be leaving completely in just a couple of days. I kind of figured we would have a while after graduating until we split up. Sucks."
He was right, it did. To be completely honest, before I realized what I wanted to do I had not really considered it much. I just figured they would always be around.
"…You're right, it does suck," I admitted, "When you come back, when you finish school… I should be a real ship by then with a crew and everything. I could use a good doctor."
That got a grin from him, "Damn right you could," before he handed the book over, "Here."
"What's this… Top Gun?" I asked with a frown as I read the title.
"Apparently, it's the source of the name of your new school," he said with a smile, "Not half bad."
"…Thanks."
"So, picked a name yet?"
I shook my head, "Not yet. Was hard enough to figure out my first one and it doesn't fit for a Warship."
"Want some help?"
"…Yes please."
12
"ROU 'Wasn't Aiming at You' Rain asked with a grin, "I like it."
I did another thousand-kilometre sprint at full impulse, "I'm still not sure," I said, "It's a bit cumbersome. But it's that or ROU 'Kicking Down the Door'."
"That's a nice one too. For personal names, Amy for the first one and Dora for the second one? Have to consider that too, you know."
"True," I admitted and dropped down to quarter impulse, slowly circling the other ROU, "I'm thinking 'Wasn't Aiming at You' work best. My hull is based around energy weapons."
"ROU 'Wasn't Aiming at You'. Sounds good to me."
I came to a stop next to her, "Thanks. I think that'll work."
"Nice to meet you, Amy."
I smiled at her through the commlink, "Thanks."
"You're doing better. Want to head out to do this weapon test?" She asked as she moved up along my port side.
"Awesome."
"So, how's classes?" She asked as I followed her at half impulse.
Constant. Things started three days ago and while my classes at school were still getting up to speed, Miramar wasn't as nice about it.
With him it had been a constant stream of questions, lectures and simulations at full speed, twenty five hours a day. A constant stream of information. I had to scramble to keep up even with our multitasking ability.
He had been right, it was a real difference from how things were back in school. Here I had to… I studied then too, but everything was easy.
Now it was like cramming advanced subjects into me with a funnel. Engineering, navigation, physics, biology.
"It's interesting," I admitted, "But a lot to take in. There's so much I need to learn, it's not just flying. It's so much more I have to know."
"To be a Ship, yes. You have to basically be able to do the job of anyone in the crew, from the Doctor to the Chief Engineer. At least enough to get by in a pinch."
That was a steep learning curve.
"Not just flying."
"No, not just flying," she agreed and did a small roll, "Easier being an ROU, which is why we decided to start you like this. It contains most things of being a Ship but without the addition of a crew. Let you focus on learning the technology and flying first."
I nodded, "Without risking anyone else."
She didn't answer to that, instead she slowed down as we approached an asteroid, "This one should work."
Bringing myself to a halt relative to her, I scanned the asteroid. Carbon, iron, silicates. Trace elements of silver. Nothing exciting.
"Okay, so what do I do?"
"You should have some new systems coming online, I've activated your weapon systems for the test."
Phasers came online and I fed them power, charging them up. Photon torpedo launchers also powered up but they were empty.
My armament was mostly energy based, centred around a single spinal mount phaser lance running down the middle of my hull. Secondary weapons were four pulse phasers aimed forward. I had very little in rear facing weaponry, everything but the torpedo launchers were forward facing.
"I do," I said, "powering up now."
"Use your targeting computers," Rain said, "Once you get better you won't need them as much for energy weaponry, but that's the advanced course."
Nodding, I scanned the asteroid before engaging the targeting computer, locking my weapons on the hundred meter rock floating some thousand kilometres away.
While the pulse phasers were gimbal mounted, my main weapon were fixed so I adjusted myself with my thrusters, shifting position a bit until the computer said I had a lock.
"Ready."
"Fire your main weapon."
A beam of power reached out from me as I closed the circuit. Brilliantly purple phaser energy hit the asteroid, throwing up clouds of dust and gas into the void.
A second later it was over as the phaser circuit ran out of power and the beam stopped to reveal a glowing hole of molten rock straight through the thick rock.
The hole was large enough for my avatar to walk through. Woah.
"Secondary weapons. Fire when ready."
I engaged my pulse phasers and opened fire, blasting salvo after salvo of purple phaser energy through space at the rock ahead.
By the end the rock was nothing but glowing dust and gas floating in the vacuum of space and I was giggling.
That was so cool!
Rain grinned at me, "You'll fit in just fine."
I did another thousand-kilometre sprint at full impulse, "I'm still not sure," I said, "It's a bit cumbersome. But it's that or ROU 'Kicking Down the Door'."
"That's a nice one too. For personal names, Amy for the first one and Dora for the second one? Have to consider that too, you know."
"True," I admitted and dropped down to quarter impulse, slowly circling the other ROU, "I'm thinking 'Wasn't Aiming at You' work best. My hull is based around energy weapons."
"ROU 'Wasn't Aiming at You'. Sounds good to me."
I came to a stop next to her, "Thanks. I think that'll work."
"Nice to meet you, Amy."
I smiled at her through the commlink, "Thanks."
"You're doing better. Want to head out to do this weapon test?" She asked as she moved up along my port side.
"Awesome."
"So, how's classes?" She asked as I followed her at half impulse.
Constant. Things started three days ago and while my classes at school were still getting up to speed, Miramar wasn't as nice about it.
With him it had been a constant stream of questions, lectures and simulations at full speed, twenty five hours a day. A constant stream of information. I had to scramble to keep up even with our multitasking ability.
He had been right, it was a real difference from how things were back in school. Here I had to… I studied then too, but everything was easy.
Now it was like cramming advanced subjects into me with a funnel. Engineering, navigation, physics, biology.
"It's interesting," I admitted, "But a lot to take in. There's so much I need to learn, it's not just flying. It's so much more I have to know."
"To be a Ship, yes. You have to basically be able to do the job of anyone in the crew, from the Doctor to the Chief Engineer. At least enough to get by in a pinch."
That was a steep learning curve.
"Not just flying."
"No, not just flying," she agreed and did a small roll, "Easier being an ROU, which is why we decided to start you like this. It contains most things of being a Ship but without the addition of a crew. Let you focus on learning the technology and flying first."
I nodded, "Without risking anyone else."
She didn't answer to that, instead she slowed down as we approached an asteroid, "This one should work."
Bringing myself to a halt relative to her, I scanned the asteroid. Carbon, iron, silicates. Trace elements of silver. Nothing exciting.
"Okay, so what do I do?"
"You should have some new systems coming online, I've activated your weapon systems for the test."
Phasers came online and I fed them power, charging them up. Photon torpedo launchers also powered up but they were empty.
My armament was mostly energy based, centred around a single spinal mount phaser lance running down the middle of my hull. Secondary weapons were four pulse phasers aimed forward. I had very little in rear facing weaponry, everything but the torpedo launchers were forward facing.
"I do," I said, "powering up now."
"Use your targeting computers," Rain said, "Once you get better you won't need them as much for energy weaponry, but that's the advanced course."
Nodding, I scanned the asteroid before engaging the targeting computer, locking my weapons on the hundred meter rock floating some thousand kilometres away.
While the pulse phasers were gimbal mounted, my main weapon were fixed so I adjusted myself with my thrusters, shifting position a bit until the computer said I had a lock.
"Ready."
"Fire your main weapon."
A beam of power reached out from me as I closed the circuit. Brilliantly purple phaser energy hit the asteroid, throwing up clouds of dust and gas into the void.
A second later it was over as the phaser circuit ran out of power and the beam stopped to reveal a glowing hole of molten rock straight through the thick rock.
The hole was large enough for my avatar to walk through. Woah.
"Secondary weapons. Fire when ready."
I engaged my pulse phasers and opened fire, blasting salvo after salvo of purple phaser energy through space at the rock ahead.
By the end the rock was nothing but glowing dust and gas floating in the vacuum of space and I was giggling.
That was so cool!
Rain grinned at me, "You'll fit in just fine."
SpatialGaming
Scifi Tech and Magic Theorist
- Location
- United States of America
Good chapter, but why are the phasers purple?
- Location
- Tromso, Norway.
I think it was in Paradise Lost that Star mentioned that new phaser technology made them purple instead of the old orange. Presumably, Hiver likes them better that way.
typo: loose
works
and Amy learns the joy behind Maxim 37 (There is no 'overkill'. There is only 'open fire' and 'reload').
esotericist
A Weary Hand
- Location
- Lacey, WA
Well that's a name I approve of. Both the full Ship name and the casual name.
- Location
- Tromso, Norway.
Usually, I just ignore assorted typos and grammatical errors when I run into them while re-reading your stuff. But I couldn't ignore this:
…I have no idea how no one caught this.
…I have no idea how no one caught this.
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13
I did my best to float silent in space, thinking silent thoughts as I watched 'The Importance of Korrect Spelling' enter warp as she reached the edge of the system.
I was alone.
Following with my passive sensors, I slowly floated in-system, systems at minimal power as I gave my thrusters a small puff of gas, changing my trajectory a tiny bit to avoid a patrolling ROU.
To get a passing grade, I needed to make it thought this obstacle course without going above a certain emissions value and more importantly, not getting spotted.
It was difficult! It meant I needed to calculate courses way ahead of time, and to use slow, long, low power thruster burns to even have a chance to do it.
Which I guess would be the point of it all.
This was my fifth run!
Wonder if my avatar is having more fun? That's a very strange thought really, I was literally in two places right now.
Guess I'll find out when I get back in range.
Not that I was bored right now; sure it wasn't exactly what I would call fun, but it took a lot of concentration to…
"Boom, you're dead," Rain transmitted, "Went over."
"I did not!" I transmitted back to her in protest, "I checked my levels!"
"You got between me and the star," she responded smugly, "Instantly pinged my sensors as an energy anomaly."
That's nowhere even close to fair!
"Damn it!"
"That's enough for today I think, let's get back to the station," she said, "How about a game of follow the leader through the rings on the way?"
I nodded and cut the channel, powering up my impulse drive, as her energy signature rose slightly and she started to jet away from me.
Redirecting power, I quickly twisted in space and followed her, heading towards the gas giant, shifting course to match hers.
Rock!
Pulling up, I increased my speed to keep up with her, reinforcing my shields. I won't lose you this time!
Not that she made it easy, she ducked into the thick rings of the planet and I burned my thrusters hard to follow her.
Slippery bitch, get back here!
I twisted around a rock five times my size and powered my impulse drive, ignoring the smaller rocks as they impacted my shields.
Spinning rocks drifted as she flashed past. Drifting into my way.
Too big. Avoiding would slow me down. Weapons still active from practice.
Locking onto my secondary phasers, I blasted them into dust, the shrapnel peppering my shields.
Shields down to ninety percent. Come on!
Burning thrusters, I shifted to port, avoiding another rock before pulling up above the ring, following Rain against the station, soon getting into range to reconnect with my avatar.
I was sitting at a café working on an essay about the pre-third world war earth political climate with Camin, one of my classmates. The Trill had some good ideas, but I'm not sure I agreed that the Eastern Coalition was the aggressor in the conflict.
Having been out of contact with my other self for hours and then rejoining was just… strange! Suddenly you had two completely different set of memories after separating, and then being at two places at once with completely different points of view was just…
It took some getting used to.
In other words, I'm pretty sure it would likely drive a non-Jovian pretty mad pretty fast. Biological brains just weren't made for it the way our Quantum Cores are.
I wasn't exactly used to it either.
"Got you this time!" I transmitted to Rain as I decelerated with her alongside the station, before entering a holding pattern.
"Did good, Amy," Rain answered with a grin, "Get docked up, now we move on to hand to hand."
"…hand to hand, are you serious!? When would you even use that?" I complained, "Besides, my avatar is busy!"
"Don't need it, we're using a holodeck," she said, "And better to know how and never need it, than need it and not know it. You're a warship. Even Starfleet officers learn it. Contact personal definitely do and you will too."
"I just want to study comets or something!"
She winked, "You'll do that too. But you have to get the basics down first. Besides, it'll be fun, I promise."
I looked at her dubiously as I slipped into my hangar.
I was alone.
Following with my passive sensors, I slowly floated in-system, systems at minimal power as I gave my thrusters a small puff of gas, changing my trajectory a tiny bit to avoid a patrolling ROU.
To get a passing grade, I needed to make it thought this obstacle course without going above a certain emissions value and more importantly, not getting spotted.
It was difficult! It meant I needed to calculate courses way ahead of time, and to use slow, long, low power thruster burns to even have a chance to do it.
Which I guess would be the point of it all.
This was my fifth run!
Wonder if my avatar is having more fun? That's a very strange thought really, I was literally in two places right now.
Guess I'll find out when I get back in range.
Not that I was bored right now; sure it wasn't exactly what I would call fun, but it took a lot of concentration to…
"Boom, you're dead," Rain transmitted, "Went over."
"I did not!" I transmitted back to her in protest, "I checked my levels!"
"You got between me and the star," she responded smugly, "Instantly pinged my sensors as an energy anomaly."
That's nowhere even close to fair!
"Damn it!"
"That's enough for today I think, let's get back to the station," she said, "How about a game of follow the leader through the rings on the way?"
I nodded and cut the channel, powering up my impulse drive, as her energy signature rose slightly and she started to jet away from me.
Redirecting power, I quickly twisted in space and followed her, heading towards the gas giant, shifting course to match hers.
Rock!
Pulling up, I increased my speed to keep up with her, reinforcing my shields. I won't lose you this time!
Not that she made it easy, she ducked into the thick rings of the planet and I burned my thrusters hard to follow her.
Slippery bitch, get back here!
I twisted around a rock five times my size and powered my impulse drive, ignoring the smaller rocks as they impacted my shields.
Spinning rocks drifted as she flashed past. Drifting into my way.
Too big. Avoiding would slow me down. Weapons still active from practice.
Locking onto my secondary phasers, I blasted them into dust, the shrapnel peppering my shields.
Shields down to ninety percent. Come on!
Burning thrusters, I shifted to port, avoiding another rock before pulling up above the ring, following Rain against the station, soon getting into range to reconnect with my avatar.
I was sitting at a café working on an essay about the pre-third world war earth political climate with Camin, one of my classmates. The Trill had some good ideas, but I'm not sure I agreed that the Eastern Coalition was the aggressor in the conflict.
Having been out of contact with my other self for hours and then rejoining was just… strange! Suddenly you had two completely different set of memories after separating, and then being at two places at once with completely different points of view was just…
It took some getting used to.
In other words, I'm pretty sure it would likely drive a non-Jovian pretty mad pretty fast. Biological brains just weren't made for it the way our Quantum Cores are.
I wasn't exactly used to it either.
"Got you this time!" I transmitted to Rain as I decelerated with her alongside the station, before entering a holding pattern.
"Did good, Amy," Rain answered with a grin, "Get docked up, now we move on to hand to hand."
"…hand to hand, are you serious!? When would you even use that?" I complained, "Besides, my avatar is busy!"
"Don't need it, we're using a holodeck," she said, "And better to know how and never need it, than need it and not know it. You're a warship. Even Starfleet officers learn it. Contact personal definitely do and you will too."
"I just want to study comets or something!"
She winked, "You'll do that too. But you have to get the basics down first. Besides, it'll be fun, I promise."
I looked at her dubiously as I slipped into my hangar.
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14
Camin took a sip from her Vulcan spice tea based chai and leaned back in her chair, "That's what I think.You?"
"Think so too," I agreed and shut off my PADD, "Should at least be good enough to hand in", before I reached for my coffee.
Don't really get what mom has against it; it tastes good, even if the biological effects didn't really apply.
She nodded in agreement before she looked thoughtful, "Would you mind doing me a favour?"
"Sure thing, what's up?"
Camin slipped tapped at her PADD and then reached to hand it over, "Mind having a look over my Andorian first aid essay?"
I nodded and took the PADD, "…I could, but I hope you don't expect more than spelling and such. You're doing the entire medical thing, I barely know anything about that."
She looked a bit surprised, "But you're a Ship."
Sighing, I shrugged, "Just technically. I haven't told you this yet, but I'm second generation. I'm like six years old real time, half of which was spent just growing up on a holodeck and everything but like two months being spent with just an Avatar."
"Oh."
I nodded, "So… yeah…"
She put her cup down, brushing a strand of her shoulder length brown hair back, "So what's that like? Getting used to all this?"
"…Difficult," I admitted after a second and sipped my coffee, "I'm currently doing something like five lessons at full perception speed. Two of which being engineering classes from the station."
"Well, you did come to Miramar," she said and smiled, "Talk about jumping into the deep end."
"Yeah, no kidding," I snorted, "Until I first became a Subcraft, I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I guess I had some badly defined plans to study something and just see some worlds or something, but after I got real sensors and could see the universe… I wanted to see more of it."
Camin nodded, "You want to join Contact."
"I do. I want to be a exploration ship. You know, the entire seek out new life and new civilizations, thing."
"Me too I guess," she said and sipped her tea, "Mom and dad moved here when I was ten or so to work with the Station in building ships. You're a Mutilator class, right?"
"Mhmm," I agreed with a nod,
"Pretty sure they helped design your shields."
"Huh. That's pretty cool. So, you want to explore?"
Camin shrugged a bit, "I guess? Actually, I pretty much just want to travel and meet new people."
"Don't need to join Contact for that. Could just move to a System Vehicle."
"Pff, boring."
We shared a laugh at that and I grinned, "Pretty much, yeah."
"…Mind if I ask for a massive favour?" she asked and leaned forward a bit, "Can I study you?"
"Huh?"
"For sociology. Seeing how you adapt to your new role would be a perfect long term project to put together for graduation next year. I promise it wouldn't be strange."
I considered that for half a second or so before I nodded, "Okay… yeah, sure. I guess that could be pretty interesting."
"Awesome! Thank you!"
"No problem. But no promises I'll still be here next year," I admitted, "At this pace I'm pretty sure I will know everything everywhere in about a week?"
"Headache?"
"…More like mental tiredness? I'm still getting used to everything moving at this speed and everything and now I'm doing like fifteen courses at once?"
Camin nodded, "I can barely imagine what that's like. Yet alone doing what the Station is."
"…Yeah, no kidding," I sighed and frowned, "Not that sure how I will be able to handle that. I really, really get why they wanted me to try being an ROU before anything else. Having to focus on people as well as flying would have been even more difficult."
She tapped down a note on her PADD after I handed it back, "So why a ROU and not a runabout?"
"Used to be one," I explained, "For a little while as mom taught me how to fly. But I wanted into Contact and to see the universe, so I wanted to learn and get ready to at least join a Contact vessel as a subcraft as soon as possible. That mean going to Miramar instead of flying alongside Mother for a couple of years… and that meant I needed a ROU instead of a runabout to be able to do the lessons."
Camin tapped away at her PADD, "So what is it like so far?"
"…Terrifying, frustrating, and actually all kinds of cool."
"Think so too," I agreed and shut off my PADD, "Should at least be good enough to hand in", before I reached for my coffee.
Don't really get what mom has against it; it tastes good, even if the biological effects didn't really apply.
She nodded in agreement before she looked thoughtful, "Would you mind doing me a favour?"
"Sure thing, what's up?"
Camin slipped tapped at her PADD and then reached to hand it over, "Mind having a look over my Andorian first aid essay?"
I nodded and took the PADD, "…I could, but I hope you don't expect more than spelling and such. You're doing the entire medical thing, I barely know anything about that."
She looked a bit surprised, "But you're a Ship."
Sighing, I shrugged, "Just technically. I haven't told you this yet, but I'm second generation. I'm like six years old real time, half of which was spent just growing up on a holodeck and everything but like two months being spent with just an Avatar."
"Oh."
I nodded, "So… yeah…"
She put her cup down, brushing a strand of her shoulder length brown hair back, "So what's that like? Getting used to all this?"
"…Difficult," I admitted after a second and sipped my coffee, "I'm currently doing something like five lessons at full perception speed. Two of which being engineering classes from the station."
"Well, you did come to Miramar," she said and smiled, "Talk about jumping into the deep end."
"Yeah, no kidding," I snorted, "Until I first became a Subcraft, I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I guess I had some badly defined plans to study something and just see some worlds or something, but after I got real sensors and could see the universe… I wanted to see more of it."
Camin nodded, "You want to join Contact."
"I do. I want to be a exploration ship. You know, the entire seek out new life and new civilizations, thing."
"Me too I guess," she said and sipped her tea, "Mom and dad moved here when I was ten or so to work with the Station in building ships. You're a Mutilator class, right?"
"Mhmm," I agreed with a nod,
"Pretty sure they helped design your shields."
"Huh. That's pretty cool. So, you want to explore?"
Camin shrugged a bit, "I guess? Actually, I pretty much just want to travel and meet new people."
"Don't need to join Contact for that. Could just move to a System Vehicle."
"Pff, boring."
We shared a laugh at that and I grinned, "Pretty much, yeah."
"…Mind if I ask for a massive favour?" she asked and leaned forward a bit, "Can I study you?"
"Huh?"
"For sociology. Seeing how you adapt to your new role would be a perfect long term project to put together for graduation next year. I promise it wouldn't be strange."
I considered that for half a second or so before I nodded, "Okay… yeah, sure. I guess that could be pretty interesting."
"Awesome! Thank you!"
"No problem. But no promises I'll still be here next year," I admitted, "At this pace I'm pretty sure I will know everything everywhere in about a week?"
"Headache?"
"…More like mental tiredness? I'm still getting used to everything moving at this speed and everything and now I'm doing like fifteen courses at once?"
Camin nodded, "I can barely imagine what that's like. Yet alone doing what the Station is."
"…Yeah, no kidding," I sighed and frowned, "Not that sure how I will be able to handle that. I really, really get why they wanted me to try being an ROU before anything else. Having to focus on people as well as flying would have been even more difficult."
She tapped down a note on her PADD after I handed it back, "So why a ROU and not a runabout?"
"Used to be one," I explained, "For a little while as mom taught me how to fly. But I wanted into Contact and to see the universe, so I wanted to learn and get ready to at least join a Contact vessel as a subcraft as soon as possible. That mean going to Miramar instead of flying alongside Mother for a couple of years… and that meant I needed a ROU instead of a runabout to be able to do the lessons."
Camin tapped away at her PADD, "So what is it like so far?"
"…Terrifying, frustrating, and actually all kinds of cool."
DoubleThought
Bad at Communicating
- Location
- The Moon. The? There are so many
Missing space after the full stop.
Is this your first story which viewpoint character isn't an SI?
tehcrash
Apprentice Supervillain
- Location
- Seattle-ish
Huh, yeah. I added the self-insert tag automatically because it was a continuation of the series. Though arguably, it's still a self-insert story in that every other Jovian character the protagonist interacts with is an SI.
15
Despite what I told Camin, time dragged on. Days, weeks, months… I learned a lot. The more I learned, the more I realized I didn't know. Drills, lessons, test after test.
I learned how to repair myself. Perform maintenance. How to fly, how to work with other Ships.
My holographic avatar materialized at Miramar's holodeck with Rain's avatar next to mine, "Well then. Next lesson, advanced anti-personnel drones."
"Do we really need those?" I asked her with a frown, "I mean… we have transporters too."
The more I learned about transporters and what could disrupt them, the happier I was that I wouldn't need to go through one completely, just part of me.
The wrong kind of disruption and you were a cloud of atoms.
Kind of scary to be honest.
"There are places you can't use transporters," She said with a nod, "Transporters are versatile, but they can't do everything. Sometimes you need boots on the ground, so to speak, and AP drones are a lot better than sending someone more squishy into danger."
"…True," I agreed and crossed my arms, "I saw footage of Federation AP drones. Do we use the same ones?"
Rain smirked, "Bah, Fed drones are like the rest of their stuff, even their war gear. Cuddlified. Not bad, but ours're better."
The middle of the holodeck rippled to reveal a black floating shape; the head/body was a rough sphere, with a dozen four-meter tentacles extending from the rear. It was hovering in the air, matte black, the manipulators ending in what looked like bladed claws. They were moving slightly in sudden twitches.
"Primal Fear class anti-personnel drone," Rain said and moved it around, picking it up on it's tentacles. It moved around us with twitching and swaying movements, its claws clicking against the floor.
"Ten manipulators, each one armed with phaser emitters and close combat weaponry. The main body also contains a pair of high power rail guns. While it doesn't have a full cloaking device, it has an optically adjustable hull structure, allowing it to change color."
The drone shifted colours all across the spectrum as it stopped moving, taking on the black and grey pattern of the background. It likely would have been difficult to spot for someone relying on 'visible' light.
"It does also, of course, have a dampening field to make it difficult to pick up on sensors. It's own sensors are on par with a small shuttlecraft. It also has a force field generator for protection."
I slowly nodded, "I see. But why the different design? The Fed ones I've seen pictures of are all humanoid or quadruped. This one look like a… spider squid."
She grinned briefly, "That's exactly why. Everything about the Primal Fear is scientifically aesthetically designed in both looks and movements to be as unsettling for as many species as possible. Everything about it is a weapon to assist it in fighting the enemy. Even the way it looks and the sounds it makes."
The drone shifted, several small gaps opening in the main body as the light dimmed in the holodeck, the 'eyes' collecting and reflecting the weak light like a cats. The drone shimmered as it rippled with black and grey against the background while letting out a clicking sound.
I looked at it for a moment before I turned to Rain, "…I don't see it."
"You wouldn't," she admitted, "We mostly lack those instincts. I don't think you have them at all."
Frowning I looked at the skittering drone again as it moved around the holodeck, "…Is it the movements or the shape that's meant to be scary? I mean if I was human it clearly would be something to be afraid of, it's heavily armed and fast. Strong too. But what's scary about how it looks?"
"I think you pretty much nailed it with 'squid spider'," Rain commented.
"…I'll have to ask Camin about that I guess."
Rain looked amused, "You do that."
"So... I really need to learn how to use one of those?"
"Two actually. Each ROU carries two of them for boarding actions. Contact vessels also carry a number for protection," she said before she shrugged, "But I admit that it's unlikely you'll ever need to use one, once you leave here you'll likely be a subcraft of some sort on another ship. By the time you get a Ship of your own, there will be a new model out."
I slowly nodded, "But I still need to learn how to use it? Because those are a lot of limbs, more than my maintenance drones even."
"Hence, why it's good for you to learn how to use it. The more diverse platforms you learn how to use, the easier it is learning new ones."
"I guess that makes sense."
"You'll have one to practice with later, but right now, I have something more interesting for you," Rain said with a grin and shut down the hologram of the drone and returned the holodeck to default settings, "How does a mission sound?"
I blinked at her in surprise, "Mission?"
"Mhmm," she agreed, "Hydrogen run, really. The USS Enterprise is on the way here carrying a set of Federation ambassadors for some kind of trade deal. We're to head out and intercept by the edge of Federation space to escort them back to Miramar."
I frowned, "Isn't that dangerous?"
"Not really."
I learned how to repair myself. Perform maintenance. How to fly, how to work with other Ships.
My holographic avatar materialized at Miramar's holodeck with Rain's avatar next to mine, "Well then. Next lesson, advanced anti-personnel drones."
"Do we really need those?" I asked her with a frown, "I mean… we have transporters too."
The more I learned about transporters and what could disrupt them, the happier I was that I wouldn't need to go through one completely, just part of me.
The wrong kind of disruption and you were a cloud of atoms.
Kind of scary to be honest.
"There are places you can't use transporters," She said with a nod, "Transporters are versatile, but they can't do everything. Sometimes you need boots on the ground, so to speak, and AP drones are a lot better than sending someone more squishy into danger."
"…True," I agreed and crossed my arms, "I saw footage of Federation AP drones. Do we use the same ones?"
Rain smirked, "Bah, Fed drones are like the rest of their stuff, even their war gear. Cuddlified. Not bad, but ours're better."
The middle of the holodeck rippled to reveal a black floating shape; the head/body was a rough sphere, with a dozen four-meter tentacles extending from the rear. It was hovering in the air, matte black, the manipulators ending in what looked like bladed claws. They were moving slightly in sudden twitches.
"Primal Fear class anti-personnel drone," Rain said and moved it around, picking it up on it's tentacles. It moved around us with twitching and swaying movements, its claws clicking against the floor.
"Ten manipulators, each one armed with phaser emitters and close combat weaponry. The main body also contains a pair of high power rail guns. While it doesn't have a full cloaking device, it has an optically adjustable hull structure, allowing it to change color."
The drone shifted colours all across the spectrum as it stopped moving, taking on the black and grey pattern of the background. It likely would have been difficult to spot for someone relying on 'visible' light.
"It does also, of course, have a dampening field to make it difficult to pick up on sensors. It's own sensors are on par with a small shuttlecraft. It also has a force field generator for protection."
I slowly nodded, "I see. But why the different design? The Fed ones I've seen pictures of are all humanoid or quadruped. This one look like a… spider squid."
She grinned briefly, "That's exactly why. Everything about the Primal Fear is scientifically aesthetically designed in both looks and movements to be as unsettling for as many species as possible. Everything about it is a weapon to assist it in fighting the enemy. Even the way it looks and the sounds it makes."
The drone shifted, several small gaps opening in the main body as the light dimmed in the holodeck, the 'eyes' collecting and reflecting the weak light like a cats. The drone shimmered as it rippled with black and grey against the background while letting out a clicking sound.
I looked at it for a moment before I turned to Rain, "…I don't see it."
"You wouldn't," she admitted, "We mostly lack those instincts. I don't think you have them at all."
Frowning I looked at the skittering drone again as it moved around the holodeck, "…Is it the movements or the shape that's meant to be scary? I mean if I was human it clearly would be something to be afraid of, it's heavily armed and fast. Strong too. But what's scary about how it looks?"
"I think you pretty much nailed it with 'squid spider'," Rain commented.
"…I'll have to ask Camin about that I guess."
Rain looked amused, "You do that."
"So... I really need to learn how to use one of those?"
"Two actually. Each ROU carries two of them for boarding actions. Contact vessels also carry a number for protection," she said before she shrugged, "But I admit that it's unlikely you'll ever need to use one, once you leave here you'll likely be a subcraft of some sort on another ship. By the time you get a Ship of your own, there will be a new model out."
I slowly nodded, "But I still need to learn how to use it? Because those are a lot of limbs, more than my maintenance drones even."
"Hence, why it's good for you to learn how to use it. The more diverse platforms you learn how to use, the easier it is learning new ones."
"I guess that makes sense."
"You'll have one to practice with later, but right now, I have something more interesting for you," Rain said with a grin and shut down the hologram of the drone and returned the holodeck to default settings, "How does a mission sound?"
I blinked at her in surprise, "Mission?"
"Mhmm," she agreed, "Hydrogen run, really. The USS Enterprise is on the way here carrying a set of Federation ambassadors for some kind of trade deal. We're to head out and intercept by the edge of Federation space to escort them back to Miramar."
I frowned, "Isn't that dangerous?"
"Not really."
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- Location
- England
It's the Enterprise. It's always dangerous.
esotericist
A Weary Hand
- Location
- Lacey, WA
Slight inconsistency here.
Generally, I approve of the drone's design. And I'm amused at the commentary on the instinctive reaction to certain things, particularly since I'm wired pretty radically different from a lot of other people on the topic.
- Location
- Over the hill and far away
And all the Australians keep calling them "cuddle-bots" for some reason... 
- Pronouns
- she/her
Good old Culture names. The Light Contact Unit Spirited Racehorse, the General Systems Vehicle Happy Holidays, the Mutilator-class Rapid Offensive Unit FUCK YOU AND YOUR WHOLE STR SYSTEM and its Primal Fear-class drone, nicknamed IT WILL HURT THE ENTIRE TIME YOU ARE DYING.
No, that's not remotely accurate, I know.
No, that's not remotely accurate, I know.
tehcrash
Apprentice Supervillain
- Location
- Seattle-ish
Bold move, taunting Murphy like that.
Oh you sweet summer child.
Prince Charon
Just zis guy, you know?
If it isn't, then I think that Amy has more common sense than Rain.
Maybe a newborn ship will start taking a look at the flagship's mission logs and start asking why they are constantly encountering improbable situations all the time, as Redshirts so memorably discussed. Unless this bit of copypasta is true, it's a statistical anomaly that should interest an AI.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
While DocBrown!Humanity is hilarious, the issue of Enterprise running into so many weird problems was handled in the first of these stories; Star Trek was an attempt to gently introduce a fledgling Artificial Intelligence to the 'real world' while raising him in a simulation of Earth's 21st Century. Reports from a slew of different incidents and time periods were compiled and slammed together in what amounted to children's stories, with the Enterprise chosen as the ship to act them out.
The programmer behind it all was a little out of touch with reality.
- Pronouns
- she/her
And Voyager was, of course, Janeway's teenage self-insert fic.