Colorful Souls
21 Jul 2023Ryuko Ntsikana
Thanks to Blackbeard Operations for their cooperation in this.
Utley Hub, Kokoller System
_____________________________
No one said a word or looked at Monty as passed through the medical facilities hallways, down the lift to the lower entrance levels, and out the front exit. As he made his way to the tram, that would transport him to the hangar and maintenance deck, no one glanced in his direction or said a word in acknowledgment of his existence. Monty only knew what he was told, that a ship was being prepared for them. Not if it was the ship he had been found in; not that he had any firm memories of it.
As an inspector, he knew the best way to find an answer was to ask the question of the one who had it. In this circumstance, it would be the information panel outside of the pilot’s lounge, located at the head of the corridor leading to the various hangars. Walking up to the display, a scanning beam washed over his face, assuring the person attempting access was entitled to such. The display panel in front of him lit up showing the hangar his ship was in, and its current status.
Monty was impressed to see that it was a newer model Diamondback Explorer class ship. The maintenance logs showed recent and extensive engineering modifications being completed as recently as the previous day. Monty shook his head and chuckled. ‘It figures that you would have planned this, before our agreement.’
‘The adventure would have happened either way. To have your willing compliance was the best alternative for each of us.’
‘If what you have shown me is achievable, and within our agreement, then I want to see it with my own eyes. Besides, this is better than becoming a non-compliant meat puppet.’
‘We concur. The navigation system has already been programmed with the necessary information. We will be docking aboard a Blackbeard Operations fleet carrier, in the Kaukamine system, that will depart in less than two days.’
Monty stared at the display for a moment, taking a deep breath to contemplate the large leap he was about to take. It wasn’t that he had a choice. His only alternative was to be a willing participant. The ultimate form of blackmail. Join in or be imprisoned inside of his own mind, until his body was ended either by his captor, or another. On the other side of the same coin was what he had been shown. If such a thing were possible, observing it would be more unique than meeting a Thargoid in person.
‘Would you like to continue your contemplation onboard your new ship, or would you like to find a local restaurant, and do so with a meal?’
Monty shook his head again, chuckling once more. A meal did sound nice, after living the last few days on his back in a hospital bed, with his main nourishment being through the tubes in his arms.
‘I doubt it but do you have a preference?’
‘Whatever pleases you and works the best for this body. I would not have it damaged due to dietary carelessness.’
Monty chuckled again, walking back to the tram, that would take him to the station's concourse.
‘Food it is.’
Dryooe Flyou pc-v e2-457 System
_____________________________
Avery wondered if it were possible for an android to experience anxiety as Xochitl abandoned her work on the moon with active volcanism sites, in favor of moving as quickly as her Dolphin class ship could take her, over three-hundred light-years distance to begin surveying the discovery.
The supernova event was not a new occurrence, it was only recently discovered due to its expanding colorful cloud of gas and dust. Though its brilliance could be seen more clearly, once they were inside a hundred light-years from it, Xochitl was more interested in what was at its core, a black hole.
Avery knew from Xochitl’s wild charge across the stars that getting between her and seeing this astrological garbage disposal, would make her only push harder. If Avery learned anything about her charge it was she was like a magnet. Telling her not to do something produced the result of drawing her towards it.
The ship being a lesser extension of herself, as she was to the carrier’s AI, Avery knew that Xochitl could detect her presence, as she could connect to the ship via her neural processor. To keep Xochitl safe, Avery would enlist the ship's cooperation to conceal its primary function of keeping Xochitl safe and only act when the limit was reached, where it would be too dangerous to continue.
This would go against Xochitl’s wishes, to push past the boundaries. This would be a violation of her obedience coding, under ordinary circumstances, except when it conflicted with the higher priority of ensuring safety. In this lesser directives were forfeited to the greater, even if it meant deactivation.
The colorful gas and dust cloud was an impressive sight, even for an android. The variations of wavelengths cast their presence beyond what a human eye could detect. Avery looked at Xochitl. Both her cybernetic eye’s iris and human eye iris were opened wide at the scene growing larger before them. She could see it from both perspectives at the same time. If it were possible to be jealous, Avery knew she would be experiencing it. Instead, she calculated the two variants of information Xochitl was experiencing, were beyond what she herself could see.
A brief chime sounded on the bridge. ‘Jet emissions and gravitational waves are being detected. Processing their audible frequencies. Storing for later scientific examination. Would you care to listen?’
Xochitl nodded as the low-frequency growling filled the bridge. A higher-pitched passing whining sound would rise and fade with the variations of the strong magnetic fields. This was followed by an ethereal collection of what could be misidentified as the groaning and moaning of lost souls. ‘Now that is terrifying. Let’s get a closer look.’
Avery’s eyes turned sideways, watching Xochitl.
