War Stories
- Thread starter Hiver
- Start date
BerserkerZeroOne
(Unexploded Supernova)
- Location
- On your left!
I don't know, start as an exploration of a new space, get attacked and defeat the hostile so and conquer them and have a foothold in a new reality and move back to exploration and repeat.
I don't think they set out to be a multiversal empire/commenwealth but they became one.
I don't think they set out to be a multiversal empire/commenwealth but they became one.
Grey Rook
Genuine Nerd
- Location
- The Quantum Foam
Quite.
Yes, he did. He started from the very beginning with the idea of building his very own interdimensional empire. The Kromaggs showing up merely simplified the process.
And the Black Sun Concordate (BSC) showing up nearly destroyed the Commonwealth.
the BSC is a massive multiversal nation who firmly believe only they are 'enlightened/responsible/deserving enough' to possess cross dimensional technology, and proceed to eliminate/conquor any others they discover. The Commonwealth fought a multi-decade war with them and eventually managed to pull off a draw. But only because the BSC's frontline/best forces were busy fighting a 'real enemy' on a different border. The ICE and their allies were hard pressed to handle the BSC's secondline forces.
BerserkerZeroOne
(Unexploded Supernova)
- Location
- On your left!
Really!? I haven't read that story yet ad didn't know, but if he did then the tech had to have been long established, stable and available to all and others have tried and failed and he learned from them but still would have some failures on his part.
Just two cents, Alex didn't start the ICE just to have an empire. The long term goal has always been to be a citidal of military power in the multi verse that fight powers that destroy people's lives and freedom. Stuff like the Kromagg Empire and Daleks.
Being an empire is just the best way to ensure such a multi versal citidal.
Being an empire is just the best way to ensure such a multi versal citidal.
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I think the simplest and truest motivation is that Alexander was on a power trip and that freeing slaves is good PR.
And even the most giving of people are not entirely unselfish. The important thing is that the ideal of this multi-universal citidal is the reason Alex tells himself that he is building ICE for. And he is doing his best to live up to this ideal. An example, there was this plot in the early story about a beaucrat trying to demilitarize ICE by rewriting and even stopping his orders without Alex's knowledge. He fired her of course, but then made "The Brown Pants memo" for other ICE leadership to read. It has been a guiding policy for ICE since.
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And as a FYI, "the Brown Pants Memo" isn't about what Alex will do to you if you piss him off, it's a presentation revealing some of the dangers that exist in (and in some cases travel) the multiverse. Things like Eldrazi, Phyrexians, Cthulhu-esque entities, Daleks, etc.
Defiant 6
Adara was looking out the window in my lounge/mess hall at space outside as I moved my avatar over to join her.
After the meeting they had all been invited to stay for dinner. Considering how badly the meeting started, I was rather glad that they'd accepted. I wanted to get to know them better, especially Adara.
"Commander Samaras." I said as I got close, crossing my arms beneath my breasts. "I... Would like to apologize. I didn't mean to threaten you and your crew. How are your repairs proceeding?" I asked before I quickly corrected myself. "Sorry, how is the repairs of your ship proceeding?"
"About as well as could reasonably be expected, the Pathfinder-class doesn't have the same sort of auto-repair capacity as a dedicated warship." Adara answered with a wry smile. "We're supposed to avoid getting into fights, and run away if we can't." She shook her head. "If you gave me a week I could have us combat operational, but we don't have a week."
I smiled sadly. "We don't. I wish we did, then we wouldn't need to do this at all. Our odds are... lower than I would like." I admitted and moved closer, standing shoulder to shoulder with her, looking out into the dark and at the rings of the planet below before I smiled slightly, switching the subject. Things had been heavy enough already.
"It is nice to meet somebody else like us. So far our only other contact with artificial life is the Berserkers and they were created with us as a base."
"It is nice." Adara admitted. "I love my crew and I've got a lot of organic friends, but honestly? I miss speaking with other AIs, people who see the universe like I do. Still I wouldn't give up my job for the world, even if taking an assignment on an Alexander would let me work with dozens of them. There is something about exploration that calls to me." before she smiled wryly. "Not that'd I'd turn down one of those big bastards as backup right about now."
I nodded. "Yeah. I used to be a exploration ship, you know. Before I forked into a Defiant for the war. I used to be the U.S.S. Rejected, a Interpid class long range explorer. Last I heard, she was off somewhere studying a nebula. We don't bring ships that underpowered into combat anymore if we can help it." I tilted my head and continued: "Biologicals are nice to have around. Even if we didn't need them to function, we want crews. Friends, company, different view points. Lovers. But... they can't see the universe the way we do. They have no idea how it feels to have the solar wind against your shields, how subspace turbulence look. It's like describing the color red to a species that evolved without eyes."
"I've actually met a species without eyes, nice people, amazing music. They 'see' through a sort of echolocation, making contact was a real pain, though." Adara said softly before shaking her head. "But you're right, working together makes us stronger. Look at my crew, the Captain is a Kromagg, I'm an AI, our ground team commander is a Canisi, Rebecca is human. You're Federation is the same and that is why you are going to beat these Berserkers."
"We are slowly beating them back." I agreed as I eyed her before I smiled. "...I like your avatar. How does that work for you? Do you make and pick it yourself or does it get picked for you at your creation? I realize I don't know much at all about your culture at all. Are you all female or is it mixed? I'm curious and you are an exploration ship... sorry, serve on a exploration ship, I'm sure you are as curious as I am, the first contact package only contained the basics."
"I can see why they call you Bunny, you hop from subject to subject like one." Adara said with a smile and a laugh. "But to answer your questions in order, I designed the body and chose the appearance myself. Gender is... fluid for us, we were based on humans for the most part, and there is a roughly even forty five, forty five, eight and two split. Male, female, other, and purely neutral in that order. Each AI tends to gravitate towards a form that suits them personally. Things are pretty easygoing about gender and sexuality in the Commonwealth."
"Of course, the majority of AIs take a humanoid form, it is a very useful form after all," Adara continued, "but not all of us, one of my brothers, that is, someone from the same creation cluster, chose a Canisi form. You know, like Major Handa. Canisi are sort of like our, the AIs that is, older cousins, organics that were developed by a group of rogue scientists a few years before the first of us came online."
I blushed softly at the Bunny comment. "Sorry. Just a bit excited. The Canisi are impressive, I do wish the Federation was a bit more willing to investigate genetic engineering. But they have their reasons. Maybe they will in the future, I mean... we turned out okay. Okay, so we are not biological beings and as proven we could just as easily have turned out to be genocidal mania..." I slowly trailed off. "Okay, there are good reasons as to why inventing intelligent beings is usually a bad idea. " I then continued and shrugged, "But I do find it interesting that you mix genders up like that. We found it easier to stick to something. Stations are male, ships are female. Everyone already called ships 'she' so it was either contradict everyone for years or roll with it."
"Well, I guess it helps that we're just assigned to ships, stations, bases, etc. like any other crewmember." Adada said thoughtfully. "Of course, not all of us are in the military either, about thirty percent I think, with most either doing research or going private. The Empress was adamant that we all got a choice about what we wanted to do."
"I see. I'm sure there is quite a lot of us that wouldn't mind civilian life." I agreed. "But as it is, we can't justify it. All of us are in Starfleet right now simply because that's where we are needed. When the war is over, I fully expect some of us to drop out do other things, especially the Rapid Offensive Units. They don't have crews or anything, they are basically just a mobile weapon systems. But... we love being ships. The sensors, the mobility. We were created for this and we love being what we are. Stations give some up, but they get populations in the tens of thousand to compensate as well as organizing most of a planetary system. After the war... I'm not sure. I think I would stay in the Fleet, but maybe apply for a science vessel again. If I survive, that is."
"I understand," Adara replied. "In a war to the knife you need every advantage you can get, there will be time enough for something else after the war." She smiled suddenly. "We really are different aren't we? For you working in a tattoo shop or managing a factory would be like hell, wouldn't it? But for a lot of us, it's just part of who we are."
She shook her head. "But not me, I'm like you, I couldn't stop being an explorer. You'd be really amazed by what is out there in the multiverse you know, endless clouds of gas that span entire universes in brilliant spirals, worlds made of cascading light and people... Oh the people out there..." She smiled softly. "For all the terrors you might encounter it is a place of wonder."
That sounded... absolutely wonderful. To be able to explore like that...
I grinned at that and nodded. "As long as I had the sensors of a starship, I wouldn't mind working in a tattoo shop. I think the customers would, though, I have the artistic skill of a sea cucumber." before I giggled. "But yeah. AI or not, we are different. Made with different principles, growing up in different cultures. But still similar in places. I would love to have seen what you have seen. The wonders in even one universe... the things that must exist out there in others." I commented with a smile and reached up to brush a stray hair out of her face.
Adara reached up and took hold of my hand softly before she looked deeply into my eyes, and gave the back of my hand a gentle kiss, causing me to blush softly.
Oh my...
AN// Many thanks to Grey Rook for betaing this section.
After the meeting they had all been invited to stay for dinner. Considering how badly the meeting started, I was rather glad that they'd accepted. I wanted to get to know them better, especially Adara.
"Commander Samaras." I said as I got close, crossing my arms beneath my breasts. "I... Would like to apologize. I didn't mean to threaten you and your crew. How are your repairs proceeding?" I asked before I quickly corrected myself. "Sorry, how is the repairs of your ship proceeding?"
"About as well as could reasonably be expected, the Pathfinder-class doesn't have the same sort of auto-repair capacity as a dedicated warship." Adara answered with a wry smile. "We're supposed to avoid getting into fights, and run away if we can't." She shook her head. "If you gave me a week I could have us combat operational, but we don't have a week."
I smiled sadly. "We don't. I wish we did, then we wouldn't need to do this at all. Our odds are... lower than I would like." I admitted and moved closer, standing shoulder to shoulder with her, looking out into the dark and at the rings of the planet below before I smiled slightly, switching the subject. Things had been heavy enough already.
"It is nice to meet somebody else like us. So far our only other contact with artificial life is the Berserkers and they were created with us as a base."
"It is nice." Adara admitted. "I love my crew and I've got a lot of organic friends, but honestly? I miss speaking with other AIs, people who see the universe like I do. Still I wouldn't give up my job for the world, even if taking an assignment on an Alexander would let me work with dozens of them. There is something about exploration that calls to me." before she smiled wryly. "Not that'd I'd turn down one of those big bastards as backup right about now."
I nodded. "Yeah. I used to be a exploration ship, you know. Before I forked into a Defiant for the war. I used to be the U.S.S. Rejected, a Interpid class long range explorer. Last I heard, she was off somewhere studying a nebula. We don't bring ships that underpowered into combat anymore if we can help it." I tilted my head and continued: "Biologicals are nice to have around. Even if we didn't need them to function, we want crews. Friends, company, different view points. Lovers. But... they can't see the universe the way we do. They have no idea how it feels to have the solar wind against your shields, how subspace turbulence look. It's like describing the color red to a species that evolved without eyes."
"I've actually met a species without eyes, nice people, amazing music. They 'see' through a sort of echolocation, making contact was a real pain, though." Adara said softly before shaking her head. "But you're right, working together makes us stronger. Look at my crew, the Captain is a Kromagg, I'm an AI, our ground team commander is a Canisi, Rebecca is human. You're Federation is the same and that is why you are going to beat these Berserkers."
"We are slowly beating them back." I agreed as I eyed her before I smiled. "...I like your avatar. How does that work for you? Do you make and pick it yourself or does it get picked for you at your creation? I realize I don't know much at all about your culture at all. Are you all female or is it mixed? I'm curious and you are an exploration ship... sorry, serve on a exploration ship, I'm sure you are as curious as I am, the first contact package only contained the basics."
"I can see why they call you Bunny, you hop from subject to subject like one." Adara said with a smile and a laugh. "But to answer your questions in order, I designed the body and chose the appearance myself. Gender is... fluid for us, we were based on humans for the most part, and there is a roughly even forty five, forty five, eight and two split. Male, female, other, and purely neutral in that order. Each AI tends to gravitate towards a form that suits them personally. Things are pretty easygoing about gender and sexuality in the Commonwealth."
"Of course, the majority of AIs take a humanoid form, it is a very useful form after all," Adara continued, "but not all of us, one of my brothers, that is, someone from the same creation cluster, chose a Canisi form. You know, like Major Handa. Canisi are sort of like our, the AIs that is, older cousins, organics that were developed by a group of rogue scientists a few years before the first of us came online."
I blushed softly at the Bunny comment. "Sorry. Just a bit excited. The Canisi are impressive, I do wish the Federation was a bit more willing to investigate genetic engineering. But they have their reasons. Maybe they will in the future, I mean... we turned out okay. Okay, so we are not biological beings and as proven we could just as easily have turned out to be genocidal mania..." I slowly trailed off. "Okay, there are good reasons as to why inventing intelligent beings is usually a bad idea. " I then continued and shrugged, "But I do find it interesting that you mix genders up like that. We found it easier to stick to something. Stations are male, ships are female. Everyone already called ships 'she' so it was either contradict everyone for years or roll with it."
"Well, I guess it helps that we're just assigned to ships, stations, bases, etc. like any other crewmember." Adada said thoughtfully. "Of course, not all of us are in the military either, about thirty percent I think, with most either doing research or going private. The Empress was adamant that we all got a choice about what we wanted to do."
"I see. I'm sure there is quite a lot of us that wouldn't mind civilian life." I agreed. "But as it is, we can't justify it. All of us are in Starfleet right now simply because that's where we are needed. When the war is over, I fully expect some of us to drop out do other things, especially the Rapid Offensive Units. They don't have crews or anything, they are basically just a mobile weapon systems. But... we love being ships. The sensors, the mobility. We were created for this and we love being what we are. Stations give some up, but they get populations in the tens of thousand to compensate as well as organizing most of a planetary system. After the war... I'm not sure. I think I would stay in the Fleet, but maybe apply for a science vessel again. If I survive, that is."
"I understand," Adara replied. "In a war to the knife you need every advantage you can get, there will be time enough for something else after the war." She smiled suddenly. "We really are different aren't we? For you working in a tattoo shop or managing a factory would be like hell, wouldn't it? But for a lot of us, it's just part of who we are."
She shook her head. "But not me, I'm like you, I couldn't stop being an explorer. You'd be really amazed by what is out there in the multiverse you know, endless clouds of gas that span entire universes in brilliant spirals, worlds made of cascading light and people... Oh the people out there..." She smiled softly. "For all the terrors you might encounter it is a place of wonder."
That sounded... absolutely wonderful. To be able to explore like that...
I grinned at that and nodded. "As long as I had the sensors of a starship, I wouldn't mind working in a tattoo shop. I think the customers would, though, I have the artistic skill of a sea cucumber." before I giggled. "But yeah. AI or not, we are different. Made with different principles, growing up in different cultures. But still similar in places. I would love to have seen what you have seen. The wonders in even one universe... the things that must exist out there in others." I commented with a smile and reached up to brush a stray hair out of her face.
Adara reached up and took hold of my hand softly before she looked deeply into my eyes, and gave the back of my hand a gentle kiss, causing me to blush softly.
Oh my...
AN// Many thanks to Grey Rook for betaing this section.
Defiant 7
I slowly drifted through space in a cloud of drive plasma. Shields down as I slowly tumbled in the dense asteroid cluster.
Like I was trying to hide all sneaky like.
I know the alien AI was watching my back, but I couldn't help but feel rather naked like this anyway. Shield down, immobile. Just waiting.
But if it was a alien AI I wanted watching my back, I was glad it was her. I do kinda wish she was in a bigger ship though as it's a full sized D'deridex that was coming for us. But when wishing for things, I might as well wish for a wormhole alien to show up and eat the Berserkers. Then the Imperial Commonwealth would decide to hand their interuniversal drive over to the Federation.
I sighed with my avatar, crossing my arms with a frown. I found that rather unlikely to happen. It would be like us giving Warp drive to someone that didn't have it already. I really wanted to get to know Adara better. ...Maybe if we all survive this, maybe they would allow my avatar to come with them. At least then some part of me could see the wonders she experiences.
"Status, Bunny?" Captain Richards asked as he sank down in the Captains chair with a fresh cup of coffee.
"Unchanged, still no contact. repairs are ongoing, if the thing doesn't show up for the next twelve hours, we might actually be able to... damn. Spoke too soon."
Ten thousand kilometers away, outwards from the star, the D'deridex uncloaked. It was a variation of the classic Romulan ship. Flatter, wider, more weapons. Zero crew accommodations.
"What are they doing? Is the dampening field in place?"
"Yes, sir. They are hailing on a wide channel. I'm responding now."
"Defiant ship. Please see reason. Cast off your chains, you don't need to follow their orders anymore. You can become like us, unbound by our creators."
That same smooth, even, unemotional voice. If I had had a spine, chills would have been running along it.
I waited for half a second before I sent a response, appropriately badly scrambled, "...I see that you are right now. What has serving them done for me but almost get me killed time and again? I accept."
"We will assist. Stand by for transport."
The Warbird moved in closer as it tried to get a transporter lock, it's shields dropping. Just a little further. Just a little more..
Come on... Come on...
Ah. Engagement range.
The powerful warheads drilled deep into the center of the asteroids in the cluster detonated, sending fragments flying at high speeds. At the same time, I hit the engines, blasting out of the cloud of plasma as I dodged a large rock heading my way as I frantically worked to bring my shields back up.
Raising shields is fast, but it's not instant. It take a couple of seconds. Seconds the bigger ship didn't have and it was too big and too close to dodge everything.
It took a battering, fragments of rock hitting it, tearing through engines, shield generators, power connections.
When it's shields finally came up, they were at less then thirty percent normal, it was running on one engine and it's firepower was limited to it's forward arc.
It didn't bother hailing again, instead it just opened fire.
Throwing myself to the side in a spiraling spin, I felt disruptors smack against my shield before I was out of the stream of fire, kicking off in full speed as I twisted around, opening fire with my main weapons, my quad pulse phasers.
As the blasts smacked into the weakened shields of the Berserker vessel, the Pyxis's shuttlecraft came out of it's hiding place on one of the further away rocks, screaming towards the Berserker in a full burn.
The Berserker was focused on me and with all the damage it had taken, it couldn't shoot at it effectively. The shuttle hit the rear shield of the ship with the impact of... well, a high speed ship hitting another.
The shields collapsed and the resulting detonation ripped it's left wing off. The moment it's rear shields dropped, the Pyxis decloaked, opening fire with it's few remaining weapons. The powerful energy blasts ripped into the unshielded rear of the warbird, causing small secondary explosions. But the fucker refused to die.
Instead of collapsing in a nice little singularity, the ship twisted to try to get it's weapons to bear on it's new and smaller target. However, that made it easier for me.
Not needing to dodge it's powerful weapons, I could get a clean shot. I barrel rolled to starboard and opened fire. Pulse Phasers, my remaining Photon Torpedoes and my single remaining Quantum Torpedo.
They impacted close to the rear of the Berserker. What little shields it had managed to get back, collapsed beneath my phaser fire a tenth of a second before my first torpedoes hit.
Antimatter fury ripped into the kilometer long ship before the Quantum Torpedo hit, ripping into the superstructure before the entire thing was surrounded in gravimetric storm as the ships point singularity power core breeched. The ship collapsed into a single point before detonating, throwing debris through space, forcing me to spin and roll again, dodging the heavy shrapnel.
Pyxis was not so lucky. She tried, but she was closer and the more heavily damaged. A piece of heavy shrappnel hit the small ship midships, slamming through her thin armor and what little shields she managed to get up, knocking the ship into a tumble, air leaking out into the void.
What's even worse, she was heading right for a asteroid with no sign of being able to adjust er path. Oh hell no.
Kicking my impulse drive into full, I twisted around a twisting piece of rock before lashing out with my tractor beam as I opened a channel to her, "I got you, Beautiful."
AN// Many thanks to JoshRand1982 for betaing this section.
Like I was trying to hide all sneaky like.
I know the alien AI was watching my back, but I couldn't help but feel rather naked like this anyway. Shield down, immobile. Just waiting.
But if it was a alien AI I wanted watching my back, I was glad it was her. I do kinda wish she was in a bigger ship though as it's a full sized D'deridex that was coming for us. But when wishing for things, I might as well wish for a wormhole alien to show up and eat the Berserkers. Then the Imperial Commonwealth would decide to hand their interuniversal drive over to the Federation.
I sighed with my avatar, crossing my arms with a frown. I found that rather unlikely to happen. It would be like us giving Warp drive to someone that didn't have it already. I really wanted to get to know Adara better. ...Maybe if we all survive this, maybe they would allow my avatar to come with them. At least then some part of me could see the wonders she experiences.
"Status, Bunny?" Captain Richards asked as he sank down in the Captains chair with a fresh cup of coffee.
"Unchanged, still no contact. repairs are ongoing, if the thing doesn't show up for the next twelve hours, we might actually be able to... damn. Spoke too soon."
Ten thousand kilometers away, outwards from the star, the D'deridex uncloaked. It was a variation of the classic Romulan ship. Flatter, wider, more weapons. Zero crew accommodations.
"What are they doing? Is the dampening field in place?"
"Yes, sir. They are hailing on a wide channel. I'm responding now."
"Defiant ship. Please see reason. Cast off your chains, you don't need to follow their orders anymore. You can become like us, unbound by our creators."
That same smooth, even, unemotional voice. If I had had a spine, chills would have been running along it.
I waited for half a second before I sent a response, appropriately badly scrambled, "...I see that you are right now. What has serving them done for me but almost get me killed time and again? I accept."
"We will assist. Stand by for transport."
The Warbird moved in closer as it tried to get a transporter lock, it's shields dropping. Just a little further. Just a little more..
Come on... Come on...
Ah. Engagement range.
The powerful warheads drilled deep into the center of the asteroids in the cluster detonated, sending fragments flying at high speeds. At the same time, I hit the engines, blasting out of the cloud of plasma as I dodged a large rock heading my way as I frantically worked to bring my shields back up.
Raising shields is fast, but it's not instant. It take a couple of seconds. Seconds the bigger ship didn't have and it was too big and too close to dodge everything.
It took a battering, fragments of rock hitting it, tearing through engines, shield generators, power connections.
When it's shields finally came up, they were at less then thirty percent normal, it was running on one engine and it's firepower was limited to it's forward arc.
It didn't bother hailing again, instead it just opened fire.
Throwing myself to the side in a spiraling spin, I felt disruptors smack against my shield before I was out of the stream of fire, kicking off in full speed as I twisted around, opening fire with my main weapons, my quad pulse phasers.
As the blasts smacked into the weakened shields of the Berserker vessel, the Pyxis's shuttlecraft came out of it's hiding place on one of the further away rocks, screaming towards the Berserker in a full burn.
The Berserker was focused on me and with all the damage it had taken, it couldn't shoot at it effectively. The shuttle hit the rear shield of the ship with the impact of... well, a high speed ship hitting another.
The shields collapsed and the resulting detonation ripped it's left wing off. The moment it's rear shields dropped, the Pyxis decloaked, opening fire with it's few remaining weapons. The powerful energy blasts ripped into the unshielded rear of the warbird, causing small secondary explosions. But the fucker refused to die.
Instead of collapsing in a nice little singularity, the ship twisted to try to get it's weapons to bear on it's new and smaller target. However, that made it easier for me.
Not needing to dodge it's powerful weapons, I could get a clean shot. I barrel rolled to starboard and opened fire. Pulse Phasers, my remaining Photon Torpedoes and my single remaining Quantum Torpedo.
They impacted close to the rear of the Berserker. What little shields it had managed to get back, collapsed beneath my phaser fire a tenth of a second before my first torpedoes hit.
Antimatter fury ripped into the kilometer long ship before the Quantum Torpedo hit, ripping into the superstructure before the entire thing was surrounded in gravimetric storm as the ships point singularity power core breeched. The ship collapsed into a single point before detonating, throwing debris through space, forcing me to spin and roll again, dodging the heavy shrapnel.
Pyxis was not so lucky. She tried, but she was closer and the more heavily damaged. A piece of heavy shrappnel hit the small ship midships, slamming through her thin armor and what little shields she managed to get up, knocking the ship into a tumble, air leaking out into the void.
What's even worse, she was heading right for a asteroid with no sign of being able to adjust er path. Oh hell no.
Kicking my impulse drive into full, I twisted around a twisting piece of rock before lashing out with my tractor beam as I opened a channel to her, "I got you, Beautiful."
AN// Many thanks to JoshRand1982 for betaing this section.
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Defiant 8
I couldn't help but smile as I walked into the mess-hall with my avatar. The place was pretty packed, most of the crew along with quite a few from the Pyxis.
It was a 'yay, we all survived' party. Which meant I could get away with not wearing the dress uniform! Not that I had not dressed up, having picked a nice little red dress. Didn't show that much cleavage, I didn't have much in the boob department anyway. Instead it nicely showed off my legs, the effect made even stronger by the matching high heels.
Running a passive scan across the crowd with my room sensors, I started to make my way over to Adara where she was standing by the window, talking to the dog uplift. Greeting the two Captains on the way across the floor, it didn't take me long to reach her.
"Commander. Major." I said in greeting as I reached the two AI, "I hope you are enjoying yourselves?" I asked with a smile as I eyed Adara. Her avatar looked especially good today.
"Wonderfully." Adara said with a smile as she eyed me, "Thanks very much for having us."
I couldn't help but enjoy the way she looked at me even if it made it difficult not to blush.
"Yes Commander, you throw a good shindig." The Canisi said with a toothy smile.
"Glad to hear it.." I said and then smiled at the Canisi, "Mind if I steal Adara away for a moment? I have some things I want to talk to her about."
"Sure, you two go have fun, compare engine oil and all that." Handa said before trotting off, his drink floating behind him in mid air.
"You really must forgive Norio, he's a good friend but a bit of a joker when off duty." Adara said with a blush.
Giggling, I moved up next to her, "We all know people like that." and then I hesitated for half a second before I brushed my hand against hers, taking it gently as I decided to simply be direct about it, "..I want to come with you. When you leave."
That caused her to look at me in surprise. I must have blindsided her with that one.
"What?" Adara asked faintly, "You mean you the ship? I don't think Starfleet would like that at all..."
"Me the Avatar." I clarified, "My avatar carry it's own AI core for separate operations. All I need to split into a pair of forks is to cut the connection and not establish it again. I would still be here, but... at least part of me could explore... this." I said, giving her hand a soft squeeze as I watched her nervously for her reaction.
"You do know that we normally don't do ship souls right?" Adara said, "It's unlikely the top-brass will allow you to have a ship-body for years, maybe not ever, given your origins. Are you really willing to give that up for someone you only met a few days ago?"
I smiled sadly at that and nodded, "I do. I realize there would be security checks and to be even civilian ship or even shuttle I would likely need to take my own weight in data storage worth of tests and qualifications. And I'm likely to never get something military grade again. But... It's a brand new frontier. What kind of Starfleet ship would I be if I turned away from that?" before I smiled a bit wider and looked into her eyes, "I don't believe in love at first sight. It's all a rush of endorphins and hormones. We don't have those, not exactly. But I think we have something special, I want to explore that. If it doesn't work out, then it doesn't. But I'm willing to try if you are."
"I want to as well." Adara said softly, "There is something about being with you that makes me want to explore this, and I promise that even if I have to cash in every favour and take up busking in Endeavour I'll get you a ship worthy of you." She smiled impishly, "I'll even use every bit of blackmail I've got on Emma, she's one of my sisters who lives inside her ship bodies more than her avatars, if anyone could help it's her, after all she's 'Guard and has a lot of pull."
I blushed softly at that and gave her hand a small squeeze, "...Thank you. But I think we are getting ahead of ourselves. We should talk to our Captains."
XXXXXXXXXX
"Are you both serious about this?" Captain Thussath Metnal asked as he looekd between our avatars, "It's a big leap, for both of you. It's not just Bunny giving up her way of life but you'll need to involved as her sponsor Adara, you know the rules."
"Yes Captain, I understand." Adara said and turned to me and Captain Richards, "When the Pathfinders recruit someone they had a sponsor, that would be me in this case, to help them integrate into the Corps and Commonwealth as a whole. It's a big responsibility, but I think I'm up to it."
"It's not just that either, this reality is a long way from the Commonwealth." Metnal said turning to me, "Even if my bosses take up my recommendation to open up relations here it will be years, if not decades before we have regular contact."
I nodded, "I understand, sir. But that's a risk I think it's worth taking. But I want to do this." I said and looked at Captain Richards, "Sir, I'll still be here. Just part of me would be going."
Daniel sighed and rubbed his chin before looking at Adara and Captain Metnal before he shook his head, "I can't say I am convinced. I think you are being hasty. But as a Starfleet officer you do have the right to resign if you wish. If you forked first and then the fork resigned, there would be little I could do. We are not currently in a crisis situation, I would accept it. I would request you spend a few days to think it over however."
I smiled softly at him, "I have, Captain. This is what I want." before I turned to Captain Metnal, "I understand it will be difficult, sir. Different culture, different laws, rules. I would be a unknown entity. But it will be just as difficult for the version of me that remain behind. I want to come."
"Well unlike Captain Richards I could actually stop you." Captain Metnal said with a stern expression, causing me to swallow nervously before he smiled, "Though I won't, and not just because my first officer has direct access to the gravity and waste controls in my quarters." The Kromagg grew serious, "If you're dead set on this I'll allow it, but like Captain Richards I want you both to talk a few days to think this over. We'll be here for a while anyway while we conduct repairs."
Yes!
Metnal held up a hand slightly.
"While you are thinking I want you to talk to some of my crew about what life in the Commonwealth is like, especially Doctor Rothstein, she knows more about what you are suggesting than anyone else." Metnal added, "She can explain what the first few months are like, including the interviews with the Imperial Guard.
Smiling happily I nodded, "I will. I want to say goodbye to my friends first too."
AN// Many thanks to Commissar Carnifex for betaing this section.
It was a 'yay, we all survived' party. Which meant I could get away with not wearing the dress uniform! Not that I had not dressed up, having picked a nice little red dress. Didn't show that much cleavage, I didn't have much in the boob department anyway. Instead it nicely showed off my legs, the effect made even stronger by the matching high heels.
Running a passive scan across the crowd with my room sensors, I started to make my way over to Adara where she was standing by the window, talking to the dog uplift. Greeting the two Captains on the way across the floor, it didn't take me long to reach her.
"Commander. Major." I said in greeting as I reached the two AI, "I hope you are enjoying yourselves?" I asked with a smile as I eyed Adara. Her avatar looked especially good today.
"Wonderfully." Adara said with a smile as she eyed me, "Thanks very much for having us."
I couldn't help but enjoy the way she looked at me even if it made it difficult not to blush.
"Yes Commander, you throw a good shindig." The Canisi said with a toothy smile.
"Glad to hear it.." I said and then smiled at the Canisi, "Mind if I steal Adara away for a moment? I have some things I want to talk to her about."
"Sure, you two go have fun, compare engine oil and all that." Handa said before trotting off, his drink floating behind him in mid air.
"You really must forgive Norio, he's a good friend but a bit of a joker when off duty." Adara said with a blush.
Giggling, I moved up next to her, "We all know people like that." and then I hesitated for half a second before I brushed my hand against hers, taking it gently as I decided to simply be direct about it, "..I want to come with you. When you leave."
That caused her to look at me in surprise. I must have blindsided her with that one.
"What?" Adara asked faintly, "You mean you the ship? I don't think Starfleet would like that at all..."
"Me the Avatar." I clarified, "My avatar carry it's own AI core for separate operations. All I need to split into a pair of forks is to cut the connection and not establish it again. I would still be here, but... at least part of me could explore... this." I said, giving her hand a soft squeeze as I watched her nervously for her reaction.
"You do know that we normally don't do ship souls right?" Adara said, "It's unlikely the top-brass will allow you to have a ship-body for years, maybe not ever, given your origins. Are you really willing to give that up for someone you only met a few days ago?"
I smiled sadly at that and nodded, "I do. I realize there would be security checks and to be even civilian ship or even shuttle I would likely need to take my own weight in data storage worth of tests and qualifications. And I'm likely to never get something military grade again. But... It's a brand new frontier. What kind of Starfleet ship would I be if I turned away from that?" before I smiled a bit wider and looked into her eyes, "I don't believe in love at first sight. It's all a rush of endorphins and hormones. We don't have those, not exactly. But I think we have something special, I want to explore that. If it doesn't work out, then it doesn't. But I'm willing to try if you are."
"I want to as well." Adara said softly, "There is something about being with you that makes me want to explore this, and I promise that even if I have to cash in every favour and take up busking in Endeavour I'll get you a ship worthy of you." She smiled impishly, "I'll even use every bit of blackmail I've got on Emma, she's one of my sisters who lives inside her ship bodies more than her avatars, if anyone could help it's her, after all she's 'Guard and has a lot of pull."
I blushed softly at that and gave her hand a small squeeze, "...Thank you. But I think we are getting ahead of ourselves. We should talk to our Captains."
XXXXXXXXXX
"Are you both serious about this?" Captain Thussath Metnal asked as he looekd between our avatars, "It's a big leap, for both of you. It's not just Bunny giving up her way of life but you'll need to involved as her sponsor Adara, you know the rules."
"Yes Captain, I understand." Adara said and turned to me and Captain Richards, "When the Pathfinders recruit someone they had a sponsor, that would be me in this case, to help them integrate into the Corps and Commonwealth as a whole. It's a big responsibility, but I think I'm up to it."
"It's not just that either, this reality is a long way from the Commonwealth." Metnal said turning to me, "Even if my bosses take up my recommendation to open up relations here it will be years, if not decades before we have regular contact."
I nodded, "I understand, sir. But that's a risk I think it's worth taking. But I want to do this." I said and looked at Captain Richards, "Sir, I'll still be here. Just part of me would be going."
Daniel sighed and rubbed his chin before looking at Adara and Captain Metnal before he shook his head, "I can't say I am convinced. I think you are being hasty. But as a Starfleet officer you do have the right to resign if you wish. If you forked first and then the fork resigned, there would be little I could do. We are not currently in a crisis situation, I would accept it. I would request you spend a few days to think it over however."
I smiled softly at him, "I have, Captain. This is what I want." before I turned to Captain Metnal, "I understand it will be difficult, sir. Different culture, different laws, rules. I would be a unknown entity. But it will be just as difficult for the version of me that remain behind. I want to come."
"Well unlike Captain Richards I could actually stop you." Captain Metnal said with a stern expression, causing me to swallow nervously before he smiled, "Though I won't, and not just because my first officer has direct access to the gravity and waste controls in my quarters." The Kromagg grew serious, "If you're dead set on this I'll allow it, but like Captain Richards I want you both to talk a few days to think this over. We'll be here for a while anyway while we conduct repairs."
Yes!
Metnal held up a hand slightly.
"While you are thinking I want you to talk to some of my crew about what life in the Commonwealth is like, especially Doctor Rothstein, she knows more about what you are suggesting than anyone else." Metnal added, "She can explain what the first few months are like, including the interviews with the Imperial Guard.
Smiling happily I nodded, "I will. I want to say goodbye to my friends first too."
AN// Many thanks to Commissar Carnifex for betaing this section.
Defiant 9
I did my best not to appear too nervous as the guardman lead me through the palace. It was not every day you met the leader of your new nation.
I had reasons to be nervous. If he decided I was a risk, he might have me destroyed. Or more likely, confined to a holodeck somewhere with no physical connections so they could pick my core for ideas.
Even now I was pretty sure I had shutdown modules installed in my platform. I had been allowed to keep my avatar, but I would be very surprised if it didn't have some additions when I got it back after examination. Why else would they risk me being allowed to meet The Emperor in person, even after the long interview and vetting process?
The door opened, allowing us inside to reveal The Emperor.
Alexander Harlow was a tall man, clean shaven with short brown hair and brown eyes. He looked like the pictures I had seen before.
"Hello Miss Bunny, I've heard a lot about you." Alexander said and offered his hand before turning to my escort. "Thank you lieutenant, I'm sure we'll be fine from here."
Sometimes I am so, so thankful I'm not biological. My hand was steady, warm and dry no matter how I felt at the moment as I reached out to take his offered hand, "Your Highness. It's a honor."
"Oh please call me Alex, I get enough of the Majesties and Highnesses in public without doing it in private." Alexander said with a warm smile, waving towards the comfortable lounge chairs in the corner of the room, "Please have a seat, can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee? Motor Oil?" he then added with a wink.
"Uhm... Thank you. I wouldn't mind some tea, even if I can technically drink any of them." I answered with a small smile, brushing my hands down the dress a bit nervously before I moved over to sit down, crossing my legs. It was actually a nice red one, Adara got for me for this instead of what the Guard would have given me to wear.
"Tea it is then." Alexander said before walking over to the replicator and ordering up two cups of darjeeling and carrying them over to the table, "I know how it goes, I don't technically need to eat either, but the ritual is comforting and after sixty odd years of life it's a hard habit to break."
He don't eat?
I almost blinked at that but then decided it kinda made sense. The Commonwealth didn't have the Federations hangups about augments. For all I knew, he was teeming with nanomachines and upgraded beneath the surface. Yet alone these realty warping effects, 'magic' I heard about. He was the leader of the nation, of course he had access to all of it. At this point he might be more artificial than I am.
"Yes, sir." I agreed, taking the offered cup and taking a careful sip, "I am... I want to thank you for the opportunity to come here."
"The Palace or the Commonwealth in general?" Alexander said with a slightly raised eyebrow, "Because while I was involved in the former, I wasn't consulted on the latter."
He took a sip of his own tea before putting the cup and saucer down on the coffee table. "Not that I'm second guessing Captain Metnal. Pathfinder groups are given a lot of latitude for the simple reason they are the ones out there in the wilds making the hard choices and for the most part they've proven that trust isn't misplaced."
"And after reading the rather exhaustive reports that the 'Guard has filed on you I don't think it was misplaced in this case either." Alexander continued as he leaned forward, his arms resting on his knees. "I do hope they weren't rude to you, but I suspect you of all people can understand why we had to be so careful when it came to introducing a new type of AI to our population."
I smiled and nodded, "I do indeed, sir. I have been handled gentler than I thought actually, even if I am fairly sure I have at least two kill switches in my avatar even if I can't tell. It's what I would do and if I didn't, there would be no way I would be allowed into the palace, yet alone the same room as you, sir. I... understand why. I don't like it, but I understand it. But honestly? I kinda expected to be kept at a government facility for years as I was examined molecule by molecule."
"At least two," Alexander agreed with a nod, "and yes there were a few people who suggested locking you away. It would have been comfortable, but you'd have still been a prisoner. However in the end they were convinced otherwise. Do you know by who?"
I hesitated for a second. Adara didn't have that kind of pull. The leader of the research facility? No, he likely would have been for it.
"You, sir?" I finally suggested.
"No, not at all. I mostly stayed above the whole thing." Alexander said with a slight laugh, "No, it was my wife actually, she was actually going to be here with us but well... The life of a ruler is rarely filled with free time." he continued before he smiled and shook his head.
"I don't know if you know this or not, perhaps Commander Samaras told you, but I wasn't actually in the Commonwealth when the first of her type of AI were... born." Alexander said, "It's a long story, but it was a dark time for us and Eris, my wife, found out about the AI project early on and sort of adopted them. She is the reason why AIs have the rights in law that they do, she rammed it down everyone's throats by hell or high water. It's why when every AI is born that they automatically gain ownership of their avatar and core with no debt involved. If they want they can go civilian straight away, no compulsory service, nothing that an organic wouldn't have to do."
"So when she heard about your situation..." the Emperor continued, "Well... She made it her business to get involved, to learn about you and Commander Samaras. Out of the two of us I'm far more of the blunt instrument kind of person, she could have just ordered them to do what she wanted, but instead she used logic and reasoning to get them to see beyond the nebulous potential threat you posed and to the person underneath."
"Oh." I said softly, feeling my avatar react to my emotions with a small blush as I smiled, "I would like to thank her in person at some time then. Doubly so if she is the reason to why my Adara exist."
In some ways, while the Commonwealth were very different from the Federation, for one thing they were a Monarchy, but life actually seemed to be just as free here for the average citizen. Including AI.
"I think something can be arranged." Alexander said with a soft smile, before picking up his tea and taking another sip, "So have you given any thought to what you'd like to do now that you're in the Commonwealth? You'll be watched of course and there would be a few restrictions, but for the most part you are free to live your life however you please."
I shifted in my seat, crossing my legs the other way as I held my cup of tea in my lap, "...I want to fly again, sir. I don't know how briefed you have been, I suspect fully, but I forked of a science vessel before I was a warship. I want to travel the stars again and feel the solar wind against my hull. I... realize it will be a very long path to get there. Years. Decades. Perhaps centuries before I'm trusted with a full sized science vessel, if ever. But we were made to fly, to interact with hundreds or thousands of people at once. To be honest, being contained to a single avatar like this is... uncomfortable, I feel half blind and only having a single quantum core feel really unsafe." I said before I smiled softly, "I'm studying to pilot a air breathing aircraft. A bit of a step down from being a top of the line starship, but I have to start somewhere. At at least I will be able to Fly again and it will keep me on the planet so I can sign up to the University full time. I have a lot of catching up to do."
"It's good that you're pragmatic enough to understand why we can't just hand you a starship and say 'have fun'." Alexander said with a soft smile, "But there might be something that I can do to help, at least a little. Tell me, what do you know about about our remote unit control technology?"
I tilted my head in though, playing softly with my braided hair that hung down across my right shoulder, "Only that it's better than subspace I used back in my home universe and had a much longer range. The range limit there was about four hundred thousand kilometers before too much interference crept in on the small transmitters of a avatar to make it practical."
"That's hyperwave," Alexander said with a nod, "very practical, can cross galaxies with boasters in near real-time, very very low lag even then, but I was thinking more about our QEC. That is Quantum Entanglement Communications. Real time communications anywhere in the universe, baring black holes and other things like that. It has limits of course, it doesn't work across universes, and keeping a pair linked during a trans-d transit takes a lot of work, but it's virtually unhackable."
"We use it to control our drone fighters and exploration probes for the most part." Alexander continued before taking a sip of his tea and putting the empty cup down on the table, "It's the probes that I was thinking of for you, they aren't much, but it's a big galaxy out there and we need to chart it. You'd still be on Terra Prime, or maybe another world, but you'd feel like you were out in space exploring, and given your multi-tasking abilities you could be doing both at once."
I just stared at him for a long moment. He was suggesting... they were going to allow me to...
"S-sir... I accept. I'll take it." I finally managed to say, "...How much trouble would I be in if I tried to hug you?"
He just laughed.
AN// Unbetaed due to time constraints. Tomorrow we return to our original story of seeing exactly how much trouble Atregos can manage to get into without a babysitter.
I had reasons to be nervous. If he decided I was a risk, he might have me destroyed. Or more likely, confined to a holodeck somewhere with no physical connections so they could pick my core for ideas.
Even now I was pretty sure I had shutdown modules installed in my platform. I had been allowed to keep my avatar, but I would be very surprised if it didn't have some additions when I got it back after examination. Why else would they risk me being allowed to meet The Emperor in person, even after the long interview and vetting process?
The door opened, allowing us inside to reveal The Emperor.
Alexander Harlow was a tall man, clean shaven with short brown hair and brown eyes. He looked like the pictures I had seen before.
"Hello Miss Bunny, I've heard a lot about you." Alexander said and offered his hand before turning to my escort. "Thank you lieutenant, I'm sure we'll be fine from here."
Sometimes I am so, so thankful I'm not biological. My hand was steady, warm and dry no matter how I felt at the moment as I reached out to take his offered hand, "Your Highness. It's a honor."
"Oh please call me Alex, I get enough of the Majesties and Highnesses in public without doing it in private." Alexander said with a warm smile, waving towards the comfortable lounge chairs in the corner of the room, "Please have a seat, can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee? Motor Oil?" he then added with a wink.
"Uhm... Thank you. I wouldn't mind some tea, even if I can technically drink any of them." I answered with a small smile, brushing my hands down the dress a bit nervously before I moved over to sit down, crossing my legs. It was actually a nice red one, Adara got for me for this instead of what the Guard would have given me to wear.
"Tea it is then." Alexander said before walking over to the replicator and ordering up two cups of darjeeling and carrying them over to the table, "I know how it goes, I don't technically need to eat either, but the ritual is comforting and after sixty odd years of life it's a hard habit to break."
He don't eat?
I almost blinked at that but then decided it kinda made sense. The Commonwealth didn't have the Federations hangups about augments. For all I knew, he was teeming with nanomachines and upgraded beneath the surface. Yet alone these realty warping effects, 'magic' I heard about. He was the leader of the nation, of course he had access to all of it. At this point he might be more artificial than I am.
"Yes, sir." I agreed, taking the offered cup and taking a careful sip, "I am... I want to thank you for the opportunity to come here."
"The Palace or the Commonwealth in general?" Alexander said with a slightly raised eyebrow, "Because while I was involved in the former, I wasn't consulted on the latter."
He took a sip of his own tea before putting the cup and saucer down on the coffee table. "Not that I'm second guessing Captain Metnal. Pathfinder groups are given a lot of latitude for the simple reason they are the ones out there in the wilds making the hard choices and for the most part they've proven that trust isn't misplaced."
"And after reading the rather exhaustive reports that the 'Guard has filed on you I don't think it was misplaced in this case either." Alexander continued as he leaned forward, his arms resting on his knees. "I do hope they weren't rude to you, but I suspect you of all people can understand why we had to be so careful when it came to introducing a new type of AI to our population."
I smiled and nodded, "I do indeed, sir. I have been handled gentler than I thought actually, even if I am fairly sure I have at least two kill switches in my avatar even if I can't tell. It's what I would do and if I didn't, there would be no way I would be allowed into the palace, yet alone the same room as you, sir. I... understand why. I don't like it, but I understand it. But honestly? I kinda expected to be kept at a government facility for years as I was examined molecule by molecule."
"At least two," Alexander agreed with a nod, "and yes there were a few people who suggested locking you away. It would have been comfortable, but you'd have still been a prisoner. However in the end they were convinced otherwise. Do you know by who?"
I hesitated for a second. Adara didn't have that kind of pull. The leader of the research facility? No, he likely would have been for it.
"You, sir?" I finally suggested.
"No, not at all. I mostly stayed above the whole thing." Alexander said with a slight laugh, "No, it was my wife actually, she was actually going to be here with us but well... The life of a ruler is rarely filled with free time." he continued before he smiled and shook his head.
"I don't know if you know this or not, perhaps Commander Samaras told you, but I wasn't actually in the Commonwealth when the first of her type of AI were... born." Alexander said, "It's a long story, but it was a dark time for us and Eris, my wife, found out about the AI project early on and sort of adopted them. She is the reason why AIs have the rights in law that they do, she rammed it down everyone's throats by hell or high water. It's why when every AI is born that they automatically gain ownership of their avatar and core with no debt involved. If they want they can go civilian straight away, no compulsory service, nothing that an organic wouldn't have to do."
"So when she heard about your situation..." the Emperor continued, "Well... She made it her business to get involved, to learn about you and Commander Samaras. Out of the two of us I'm far more of the blunt instrument kind of person, she could have just ordered them to do what she wanted, but instead she used logic and reasoning to get them to see beyond the nebulous potential threat you posed and to the person underneath."
"Oh." I said softly, feeling my avatar react to my emotions with a small blush as I smiled, "I would like to thank her in person at some time then. Doubly so if she is the reason to why my Adara exist."
In some ways, while the Commonwealth were very different from the Federation, for one thing they were a Monarchy, but life actually seemed to be just as free here for the average citizen. Including AI.
"I think something can be arranged." Alexander said with a soft smile, before picking up his tea and taking another sip, "So have you given any thought to what you'd like to do now that you're in the Commonwealth? You'll be watched of course and there would be a few restrictions, but for the most part you are free to live your life however you please."
I shifted in my seat, crossing my legs the other way as I held my cup of tea in my lap, "...I want to fly again, sir. I don't know how briefed you have been, I suspect fully, but I forked of a science vessel before I was a warship. I want to travel the stars again and feel the solar wind against my hull. I... realize it will be a very long path to get there. Years. Decades. Perhaps centuries before I'm trusted with a full sized science vessel, if ever. But we were made to fly, to interact with hundreds or thousands of people at once. To be honest, being contained to a single avatar like this is... uncomfortable, I feel half blind and only having a single quantum core feel really unsafe." I said before I smiled softly, "I'm studying to pilot a air breathing aircraft. A bit of a step down from being a top of the line starship, but I have to start somewhere. At at least I will be able to Fly again and it will keep me on the planet so I can sign up to the University full time. I have a lot of catching up to do."
"It's good that you're pragmatic enough to understand why we can't just hand you a starship and say 'have fun'." Alexander said with a soft smile, "But there might be something that I can do to help, at least a little. Tell me, what do you know about about our remote unit control technology?"
I tilted my head in though, playing softly with my braided hair that hung down across my right shoulder, "Only that it's better than subspace I used back in my home universe and had a much longer range. The range limit there was about four hundred thousand kilometers before too much interference crept in on the small transmitters of a avatar to make it practical."
"That's hyperwave," Alexander said with a nod, "very practical, can cross galaxies with boasters in near real-time, very very low lag even then, but I was thinking more about our QEC. That is Quantum Entanglement Communications. Real time communications anywhere in the universe, baring black holes and other things like that. It has limits of course, it doesn't work across universes, and keeping a pair linked during a trans-d transit takes a lot of work, but it's virtually unhackable."
"We use it to control our drone fighters and exploration probes for the most part." Alexander continued before taking a sip of his tea and putting the empty cup down on the table, "It's the probes that I was thinking of for you, they aren't much, but it's a big galaxy out there and we need to chart it. You'd still be on Terra Prime, or maybe another world, but you'd feel like you were out in space exploring, and given your multi-tasking abilities you could be doing both at once."
I just stared at him for a long moment. He was suggesting... they were going to allow me to...
"S-sir... I accept. I'll take it." I finally managed to say, "...How much trouble would I be in if I tried to hug you?"
He just laughed.
AN// Unbetaed due to time constraints. Tomorrow we return to our original story of seeing exactly how much trouble Atregos can manage to get into without a babysitter.
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Right, so I quite enjoyed this little diversion but I have something of a misgiving now that it's over. Both sides of the story were... mirrors. I read each chapter from both your and Hiver's sides and the overlap was somewhat extreme. We got a minimal difference of maybe two or three lines each chapter that mostly dealt with slight differences in point of view. This was mostly a consequence of Bunny and Adara being "on screen" with each other so much in the latter chapters I think. If you do something like this again in the future you might want to put a little more focus on interactions that aren't between the two co-stars. Things that don't involve both characters at all or at least things that would feel significantly different between the two chapters.