"Oh! Theres we go!" Frelio remarked, relieved. He flipped a rather randomly placed switch labeled "Door" and the boarding ramp eased shut.
"Whew! For a moment there, I thought i'ds be dun for!" Frelio wiped sweat off his brow, his green glow going back to a normal rate. "Nao all I has ta do is put away them groceries and we'll be swell!" He set the ship to lift into the sky above Yddlestyne just to make sure that nobody would try and enter from the ground. When he was satisfied with the height, he turned around and bumped right into the blue cube he was trying to avoid.
"AAAAA!" Frelio screeched, his green glow intensifying. Backwards he fell onto his bum, scooting back until he collided with the dash and could go no further.
"Sirius! Sirius, Samuel, whoever tha blazes you really is, back me up! A weird thing is'sin the ship! IS A WEIRD THING!"
The cube spoke in a calm, reassuring voice.
"SIRIUS, IT'S SPEAKIN' ALFABET SOUP! I DUN UNDERSTAND WHAT SOUP HE'S TRYNA SAY!" Frelio raised his arms, covering his face in a criss-cross pattern. "Mista' cube thing! Please! Please dun kill me! I've a family out there somawhere and they dun' kno I exist, probably would deny i'm part o' their family too, but out there somawhere issa person who'd be very sad to see me die! Not bluffin'!"
"Whew! For a moment there, I thought i'ds be dun for!" Frelio wiped sweat off his brow, his green glow going back to a normal rate. "Nao all I has ta do is put away them groceries and we'll be swell!" He set the ship to lift into the sky above Yddlestyne just to make sure that nobody would try and enter from the ground. When he was satisfied with the height, he turned around and bumped right into the blue cube he was trying to avoid.
"AAAAA!" Frelio screeched, his green glow intensifying. Backwards he fell onto his bum, scooting back until he collided with the dash and could go no further.
"Sirius! Sirius, Samuel, whoever tha blazes you really is, back me up! A weird thing is'sin the ship! IS A WEIRD THING!"
The cube spoke in a calm, reassuring voice.
"SIRIUS, IT'S SPEAKIN' ALFABET SOUP! I DUN UNDERSTAND WHAT SOUP HE'S TRYNA SAY!" Frelio raised his arms, covering his face in a criss-cross pattern. "Mista' cube thing! Please! Please dun kill me! I've a family out there somawhere and they dun' kno I exist, probably would deny i'm part o' their family too, but out there somawhere issa person who'd be very sad to see me die! Not bluffin'!"
Sirius tossed and turned, obviously troubled by Frelio's nagging voice and accent. Halfway between awake and alseep, words fell from his mouth to the floor. "Urgh... not in the mood... it can wait until later... i'm pretty sure its a harmless bird or something... stop exaggerating you glowing kid..."
He rolled so his face was pressed up against the back cushions of the couch. When that didn't work, he pulled a pillow over his ears. When THAT didn't work, he actually opened his eyes. Clenching his fists, he painfully raised from his resting position, coughing and hacking. "FRELIO!" The old man bellowed. "I'M TRYING TO- *COUGH* - I'M TRYING TO REST OVER HERE! GIVE ME A BREAK!"
He raised a hand to shake it menacingly as if Frelio had stepped on his lawn uninvited or something, but in doing so, he too acknowledged the cube's presence in the room. His anger turned to puzzlement. "Hm?! Frelio, what's this cube doing here? What is that cube even?"
It didn't seem connected to the robots. This didn't have any eyes or writing on it, which was indicative of it being from somewhere else. Still, he had his suspicions. His blaster lay on the floor where he had dropped it after flopping onto the couch. He didn't make any rash movements. Eyeing the blaster from behind his glasses, he decided against going for it in such a closed space. The last thing he wanted was to destroy the internal systems of Frelio's ship. There was only one option.
Confront the cube.
Sirius, of course, would be much better at this than poor traumatized Frelio. "You there." Sirius beckoned to the cube. "Please, come this way. Explain yourself, would you?" He motioned with one of his skeletal hands for the cube to come to him and away from the screaming one.
He rolled so his face was pressed up against the back cushions of the couch. When that didn't work, he pulled a pillow over his ears. When THAT didn't work, he actually opened his eyes. Clenching his fists, he painfully raised from his resting position, coughing and hacking. "FRELIO!" The old man bellowed. "I'M TRYING TO- *COUGH* - I'M TRYING TO REST OVER HERE! GIVE ME A BREAK!"
He raised a hand to shake it menacingly as if Frelio had stepped on his lawn uninvited or something, but in doing so, he too acknowledged the cube's presence in the room. His anger turned to puzzlement. "Hm?! Frelio, what's this cube doing here? What is that cube even?"
It didn't seem connected to the robots. This didn't have any eyes or writing on it, which was indicative of it being from somewhere else. Still, he had his suspicions. His blaster lay on the floor where he had dropped it after flopping onto the couch. He didn't make any rash movements. Eyeing the blaster from behind his glasses, he decided against going for it in such a closed space. The last thing he wanted was to destroy the internal systems of Frelio's ship. There was only one option.
Confront the cube.
Sirius, of course, would be much better at this than poor traumatized Frelio. "You there." Sirius beckoned to the cube. "Please, come this way. Explain yourself, would you?" He motioned with one of his skeletal hands for the cube to come to him and away from the screaming one.
Understanding how panicked Frelio was, and seeing as Sirius had fired the blaster that destroyed the robot from earlier, it floated towards Sirius. It also quickly switched it's translator on, which would change it's native language into something they could understand. "H⟒llo, ⟟ am u⋏⟟t C-⏔ ⚌ ⏑. I a⋔ so⍀⍀y for an⊬ di⌇⏁⍀ess I ma⊬ have c-c-caused." It said, frizting slightly.
It then flashed green and red, as usage of the translator had fried what remained of it's internal cybernetic logic system. "Er⍀or, ⟒⍀⍀⍜⍀, ⟒⍀-" It then shut down, blacking out and falling to the floor. It clattered on the ground, a faint blue glow coming from the inside, although tinted and dim.
It then flashed green and red, as usage of the translator had fried what remained of it's internal cybernetic logic system. "Er⍀or, ⟒⍀⍀⍜⍀, ⟒⍀-" It then shut down, blacking out and falling to the floor. It clattered on the ground, a faint blue glow coming from the inside, although tinted and dim.
It seemed... friendly enough! Well, right before it fell to the floor and stopped working, that is. Now it seemed as though it had died.
Sirius eyed the odd cube, adjusting his glasses and straining to get a good look at it. It glowed a dim blue now, and the rest was rather translucent. Perhaps they had not even seen it at capacity.
Groggily, the old man reached down towards the floor, and lightly tapped the cube. Not wanting to receive an electrical shock should the thing boot back up unexpectedly, he fumbled around in his sack (which had been thrown rather carelessly on the floor), and pulled out a set of workers gloves.
"Frelio." The man yawned. "You've got junk in your cargo hold, right? Surely you dont need all of that rubbish I've seen lying around here. I'm going to go and see if I cant find some way to charge this thing back up." He holstered his blaster, picked up the cube, and hobbled over to a set of stairs that led to below-deck. "In the meantime, just stay up here and be a quiet pilot, eh?"
Leaning on the wall for support, Sirius descended a step at a time into the mess of boxes and spare tools Frelio had with him.
Sirius eyed the odd cube, adjusting his glasses and straining to get a good look at it. It glowed a dim blue now, and the rest was rather translucent. Perhaps they had not even seen it at capacity.
Groggily, the old man reached down towards the floor, and lightly tapped the cube. Not wanting to receive an electrical shock should the thing boot back up unexpectedly, he fumbled around in his sack (which had been thrown rather carelessly on the floor), and pulled out a set of workers gloves.
"Frelio." The man yawned. "You've got junk in your cargo hold, right? Surely you dont need all of that rubbish I've seen lying around here. I'm going to go and see if I cant find some way to charge this thing back up." He holstered his blaster, picked up the cube, and hobbled over to a set of stairs that led to below-deck. "In the meantime, just stay up here and be a quiet pilot, eh?"
Leaning on the wall for support, Sirius descended a step at a time into the mess of boxes and spare tools Frelio had with him.
Frelio was beyond relieved to see the cube deactivate, falling over onto his side and breathing at a normal rate once again.
"Whew! Thank goodness, and 'ere I thoughts we'd be dun fer! Aye, the quicker I get rid of ye, the nicer me life's gunna be..."
He didn't get to finish his thought before Sirius had already picked up the odd box and was going to try and bring it back to life.
"Wha?! Yous gunna fix tha' thing?! I dun think thassa good idea there! I-"
The old man was already descending the stairs, leaving Frelio to himself.
"Crazy guy he is..." Frelio mumbled, turning to the dashboard of his ship, launching it into space.
He'd find a safe place for them to rest undetected, which would hopefully satisfy the needs of everyone... even the cube, he guessed.
Through the launch he couldn't shake the idea that he heard an unusual rattling from somewhere outside the ship...
"Whew! Thank goodness, and 'ere I thoughts we'd be dun fer! Aye, the quicker I get rid of ye, the nicer me life's gunna be..."
He didn't get to finish his thought before Sirius had already picked up the odd box and was going to try and bring it back to life.
"Wha?! Yous gunna fix tha' thing?! I dun think thassa good idea there! I-"
The old man was already descending the stairs, leaving Frelio to himself.
"Crazy guy he is..." Frelio mumbled, turning to the dashboard of his ship, launching it into space.
He'd find a safe place for them to rest undetected, which would hopefully satisfy the needs of everyone... even the cube, he guessed.
Through the launch he couldn't shake the idea that he heard an unusual rattling from somewhere outside the ship...
Huddled below in the cargo hold, Sirius placed the cube on a large crate and studied it warily.
There didnt seem to be any sort of way to access the internal components from what he could see. Then again, maybe his vision was getting worse. He'd have to find a different way to power it up again.
Sirius had spent all of his life around machines and technology. He had built a fair number of things himself, he just didn't have anything to show for it at this point. Oddly ironic, considering his machine-destroying blaster was the only evidence of his abilities.
"Hmph... I wonder how this thing is powered. Solar, maybe? Then again, it doesnt seem to absorb light, it just gives light off..." Sirius fumbled around in several boxes of Frelio's junk and collective trash. He was under the assumption that everything Frelio couldn't pawn off for a profit, he kept until a profit could be made.
He searched out some basic energy coils, ripped a few capacitors and a transformer from broken electronics, and wired them together as precisely as his old hands could make it. Setting them in some plastic casing and attaching them to a rudimentary power cable which would plug into the wall of The Scattercrow, Sirius hypothesized that, if anything, a wirelessly transferred source of energy would be enough to at least bring the cube back temporarily. As he sat back against the ugliest "rare" cushion he had ever seen in a collection, Sirius began to doze off a bit as he waited to see if the cube would charge.
There didnt seem to be any sort of way to access the internal components from what he could see. Then again, maybe his vision was getting worse. He'd have to find a different way to power it up again.
Sirius had spent all of his life around machines and technology. He had built a fair number of things himself, he just didn't have anything to show for it at this point. Oddly ironic, considering his machine-destroying blaster was the only evidence of his abilities.
"Hmph... I wonder how this thing is powered. Solar, maybe? Then again, it doesnt seem to absorb light, it just gives light off..." Sirius fumbled around in several boxes of Frelio's junk and collective trash. He was under the assumption that everything Frelio couldn't pawn off for a profit, he kept until a profit could be made.
He searched out some basic energy coils, ripped a few capacitors and a transformer from broken electronics, and wired them together as precisely as his old hands could make it. Setting them in some plastic casing and attaching them to a rudimentary power cable which would plug into the wall of The Scattercrow, Sirius hypothesized that, if anything, a wirelessly transferred source of energy would be enough to at least bring the cube back temporarily. As he sat back against the ugliest "rare" cushion he had ever seen in a collection, Sirius began to doze off a bit as he waited to see if the cube would charge.
Elsewhere in the Galaxy...
???: "You'll be alright, F. I trust that O will take good care of you. Yes, I am well aware that her having two heads is a bit unnerving, but that's a Series II issue we still haven't managed to resolve... mm-hmm, the ancient Iridiites had no idea what they were doing when they were- hm?
I'm sorry, F, would you mind holding on for a little bit? I'm getting an urgent call... thank you for understanding."
"Hello?"
...
"H, are you alright? Please, speak slowly. Calm down a bit. What's wrong?"
...
"An attack? You were attacked? By what? Z-001?"
...
"An old man? A human with a... please! Calm down, please. I'm having a hard time hearing you... Oh, would you please just pass me to Iril then? I can't understand your blabbering... Iril! Iril, calmly please, tell me what happened."
...
"You sound frightened to death. Hah! As if you could die-"
...
"What do you mean, Lowercase L is gone?! Where did she run off to-"
...
"Oh. Oh no. Dear, are you serious? You are?! Are you or H hurt?! Oh, thank goodness..."
...
"This is most unprecedented indeed. Please, stay safe. I'll make sure every unit that's out there is aware of this issue. I expect you back here as soon as possible, alright? We'll be seeing each other soon~"
The phone conversation ends. The Queen makes quick steps over to an elevated pad on the ground. It glows orange, beaming light around her.
Around the Galaxy, IRI-Series Robots of all series and makes receive the same message, a broadcast that reaches the farthest corners of known space. The Queen monitored the screens to her side to ensure that as many of her allies were listening in. The number exceeded the units deployed. Perhaps other peoples and ships were tuning into her broadcast too. Were they mere observers? Or were they seeking for something?
Let them listen in. She smiled. Anyone she could persuade to her cause would be welcome within her kingdom.
"My friends who are serving in Galaxy-001, please take care. I've been receiving a lot of calls from all of you, and I know you'll do fine. In addition to the capture of Z-001 and her retrieval, keep your eyes on the lookout for a suspicious old man. I've been informed he has in his possession, an unusual weapon with the ability to disable and destroy even our advanced technology. He has taken one life already."
To the point.
"Capturing the old man will bring you honor, recognition, and a future position of leadership within the kingdom. Bring his weapon to me at once."
CHAPTER 3
TOMORROW'S TREASURE AND ЯƎYOЯTƧƎꓷ TИƎIƆИA ƎHT
TOMORROW'S TREASURE
"Any luck tracing that signal back to it's source?"
"No good." Captain Mara noted, unwrapping a protein bar and taking a bite. "We can receive it, but not track it. It's somewhat unsettling that we're still getting signals like this."
Mara took the time to chew, considering it rude to speak with her mouth full. "This time it was a feminine voice, though. Unlike the first contact we had..."
"What's the big deal? The galaxy is massive. Just because we haven't heard anything for a while doesn't mean that people aren't doing things behind the scenes."
"Activity is increasing, Dunnovan. It's been relatively quiet for a long time... I just can't bring myself to think of anything positive about these odd messages."
"Not everyone has a need to make a large broadcast every day, Captain." Dunnovan settled in his seat, resting his head and arms on top of a small table. "The crew isn't exactly worried. I don't see why you should be, either."
Mara finished her protein bar, tossing the wrapper into a bin. Dunnovan eyed the captain up and down, reading her body language.
"Having second thoughts? It's natural, really. I can see you're tense from all the way over here." Dunnovan sat up, propping his chin on one of his hands. "This is probably the biggest relic we'll find for years to come! Don't tell me you want to quit now."
Mara paced back and forth, pondering her words carefully.
Dunnovan glanced over at her, then to a fridge in the corner of the mess hall.
"Mind grabbing me a drink if you're not going to answer?" He chuckled. "I'm thirsty. Slaving away at the controls for so long! I need a rest. We all do. That includes you, M&M."
Mara reached for a container of ionized water. She grabbed two empty cups and made her way slowly over to the lone table. Pulling up a seat, she poured water for Dunnovan and herself. Though Dunnovan speedily drank his fill, Mara didn't take a sip.
"It's just odd, the circumstances. I should have been more wary before I accepted the quest is all. Sure, I'm willing to believe that someone is looking for the artifact, but they didn't even give us a face or a name, just a thing to look for and a reward for finding it. I didn't even think to track the signal then, but by the time I did it was too late."
"You think it's suspicious? Anonymity is a treasure in and of itself. What's the big deal?"
"The deal is what they want from us."
"They want the relic for research."
"You're perfectly fine handing it over, Dunnovan?"
"We do get paid."
"It's The Devil's Heart, Dunnovan."
"So?"
"Do you have any idea what it supposedly does?"
"Not a clue." He deflected, pouring another serving of water.
Mara stared into Dunnovan, then into her cup. She felt the weight of a long day weighing on her, alongside the weights of her perceived errors.
"I'll explain it another day." She mumbled. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I think I'll give up the search. I don't trust it, I've been debating it since we received the signal, and I certainly don't feel comfortable going any further towards giving it away to a strange man who we know nothing about."
Dunnovan sighed, rising from his seat and moving to place his empty cup in a sink of sorts. "Well, Captain... The crew may end up being disappointed to hear that, you know. We've had our share of successes, but recently we've been hitting a lot of dead ends and... to give up the one solid lead we have? I don't know if I'll stay for the next adventure. Best retire while we're ahead. Good night, Captain."
Dunnovan left for his quarters, leaving Mara alone in the mess hall. She sat and pondered, sipping occasionally from her cup. Yes, this would be a blow to the morale of the team. She knew it, but she couldn't help but feel that something was... off. At the very least, handing off an artifact so unknown as The Devil's Heart to random strangers felt off.
She was unable to finish her cup. The water was healthy, but the flavoring was not pleasant to her.
The corridors of the ship were quiet. The rest of the crew must be resting. She didn't blame them.
Up out of her seat and slowly out of the mess hall. Mara moved towards the control-room, hoping to set the ship to cruise back to where they had came from. She wondered how much a year she could make analyzing scientific papers.
"Any luck tracing that signal back to it's source?"
"No good." Captain Mara noted, unwrapping a protein bar and taking a bite. "We can receive it, but not track it. It's somewhat unsettling that we're still getting signals like this."
Mara took the time to chew, considering it rude to speak with her mouth full. "This time it was a feminine voice, though. Unlike the first contact we had..."
"What's the big deal? The galaxy is massive. Just because we haven't heard anything for a while doesn't mean that people aren't doing things behind the scenes."
"Activity is increasing, Dunnovan. It's been relatively quiet for a long time... I just can't bring myself to think of anything positive about these odd messages."
"Not everyone has a need to make a large broadcast every day, Captain." Dunnovan settled in his seat, resting his head and arms on top of a small table. "The crew isn't exactly worried. I don't see why you should be, either."
Mara finished her protein bar, tossing the wrapper into a bin. Dunnovan eyed the captain up and down, reading her body language.
"Having second thoughts? It's natural, really. I can see you're tense from all the way over here." Dunnovan sat up, propping his chin on one of his hands. "This is probably the biggest relic we'll find for years to come! Don't tell me you want to quit now."
Mara paced back and forth, pondering her words carefully.
Dunnovan glanced over at her, then to a fridge in the corner of the mess hall.
"Mind grabbing me a drink if you're not going to answer?" He chuckled. "I'm thirsty. Slaving away at the controls for so long! I need a rest. We all do. That includes you, M&M."
Mara reached for a container of ionized water. She grabbed two empty cups and made her way slowly over to the lone table. Pulling up a seat, she poured water for Dunnovan and herself. Though Dunnovan speedily drank his fill, Mara didn't take a sip.
"It's just odd, the circumstances. I should have been more wary before I accepted the quest is all. Sure, I'm willing to believe that someone is looking for the artifact, but they didn't even give us a face or a name, just a thing to look for and a reward for finding it. I didn't even think to track the signal then, but by the time I did it was too late."
"You think it's suspicious? Anonymity is a treasure in and of itself. What's the big deal?"
"The deal is what they want from us."
"They want the relic for research."
"You're perfectly fine handing it over, Dunnovan?"
"We do get paid."
"It's The Devil's Heart, Dunnovan."
"So?"
"Do you have any idea what it supposedly does?"
"Not a clue." He deflected, pouring another serving of water.
Mara stared into Dunnovan, then into her cup. She felt the weight of a long day weighing on her, alongside the weights of her perceived errors.
"I'll explain it another day." She mumbled. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I think I'll give up the search. I don't trust it, I've been debating it since we received the signal, and I certainly don't feel comfortable going any further towards giving it away to a strange man who we know nothing about."
Dunnovan sighed, rising from his seat and moving to place his empty cup in a sink of sorts. "Well, Captain... The crew may end up being disappointed to hear that, you know. We've had our share of successes, but recently we've been hitting a lot of dead ends and... to give up the one solid lead we have? I don't know if I'll stay for the next adventure. Best retire while we're ahead. Good night, Captain."
Dunnovan left for his quarters, leaving Mara alone in the mess hall. She sat and pondered, sipping occasionally from her cup. Yes, this would be a blow to the morale of the team. She knew it, but she couldn't help but feel that something was... off. At the very least, handing off an artifact so unknown as The Devil's Heart to random strangers felt off.
She was unable to finish her cup. The water was healthy, but the flavoring was not pleasant to her.
The corridors of the ship were quiet. The rest of the crew must be resting. She didn't blame them.
Up out of her seat and slowly out of the mess hall. Mara moved towards the control-room, hoping to set the ship to cruise back to where they had came from. She wondered how much a year she could make analyzing scientific papers.
Warmth.
An odd sensation.
She hadn't felt it in a while.
Uncomfortable.
Zenia waited until the footsteps hushed. Movement above her was no more. Time to make her exit.
Without a sound, she conducted herself through metal and wiring, finding ways to force herself around the innards of the craft until finding an outlet in an unoccupied room.
First, a finger poked out from the socket. Then another. Little by little Zenia trickled out of the holes in the side of the wall. Her hand, split in two as it exited, rejoined itself on the other side. Then a whole arm. Then a leg. Bits of face and an eye, straining out from the outlet. Crackling. Hands grasping and pushing outward against the wall as the child came forth from an impossible place.
It took long enough, but Zenia reformed on the other side of the walls. Standing up, she twisted an arm back into place and adjusted her dress.
The room was full of panels and steering apparatus. Lights on control-panels flickered, lit up and then dimmed. The overhead lights were off. Nobody was on duty. The dull echo of space and silence was interrupted periodically by a soft sound from a dashboard, but other than that, Zenia was alone.
She strolled through the room, analyzing the technology. The sound of her footsteps was not consistent, as though she wasn't really there. But she was. Picking at random, she stuck her hand into one of the many arrays of buttons. It crackled in protest but could not hold her off, eventually caving to the invading force. Zenia read the function of each button within seconds. Pressing a few by tugging on the connections within, she gained the control she needed.
Click. The steering unlocked. The ship was no longer in auto-pilot. No code needed.
Bepepep! The warp-systems started to charge. She could tell they were cold. She understood the feeling. It would be a bit for them to charge. That would be fine, she had plenty of time.
Pulling her hand free from the circuitry, Zenia moved over to the unlocked steering. She intended to pivot the ship and head off to a sector of the galaxy she was familiar with. There were many that beckoned to her, offering familiar characters and comedic, power hungry fools who would love to help her out.
Does it look odd to you? An eternal six year old, piloting the ship? Warping at the frame, yet staying all the same? Was she even there?
Yes. She was.
An odd sensation.
She hadn't felt it in a while.
Uncomfortable.
Zenia waited until the footsteps hushed. Movement above her was no more. Time to make her exit.
Without a sound, she conducted herself through metal and wiring, finding ways to force herself around the innards of the craft until finding an outlet in an unoccupied room.
First, a finger poked out from the socket. Then another. Little by little Zenia trickled out of the holes in the side of the wall. Her hand, split in two as it exited, rejoined itself on the other side. Then a whole arm. Then a leg. Bits of face and an eye, straining out from the outlet. Crackling. Hands grasping and pushing outward against the wall as the child came forth from an impossible place.
It took long enough, but Zenia reformed on the other side of the walls. Standing up, she twisted an arm back into place and adjusted her dress.
The room was full of panels and steering apparatus. Lights on control-panels flickered, lit up and then dimmed. The overhead lights were off. Nobody was on duty. The dull echo of space and silence was interrupted periodically by a soft sound from a dashboard, but other than that, Zenia was alone.
She strolled through the room, analyzing the technology. The sound of her footsteps was not consistent, as though she wasn't really there. But she was. Picking at random, she stuck her hand into one of the many arrays of buttons. It crackled in protest but could not hold her off, eventually caving to the invading force. Zenia read the function of each button within seconds. Pressing a few by tugging on the connections within, she gained the control she needed.
Click. The steering unlocked. The ship was no longer in auto-pilot. No code needed.
Bepepep! The warp-systems started to charge. She could tell they were cold. She understood the feeling. It would be a bit for them to charge. That would be fine, she had plenty of time.
Pulling her hand free from the circuitry, Zenia moved over to the unlocked steering. She intended to pivot the ship and head off to a sector of the galaxy she was familiar with. There were many that beckoned to her, offering familiar characters and comedic, power hungry fools who would love to help her out.
Does it look odd to you? An eternal six year old, piloting the ship? Warping at the frame, yet staying all the same? Was she even there?
Yes. She was.
Mara could feel something was wrong. The ship was turning.
"Dunnovan?" She called out. "I didn't say we'd be going home now of all times, what's the big idea?"
No answer.
The corridor to the control-room of Tomorrow's Treasure was steep with suspense. There wasn't anyone there. Just the captain, left to investigate for herself. She approached the room, and according to the keypad on the door, it had not been unlocked since Mara had last left it. Yet the ship was turning! It was no longer on autopilot. Something or someone had turned it off!
The walls started to hum, vibrating ever so slightly. The warp-systems were activating. They were activating! But, they couldn't activate by themselves!
Mara quietly pressed her hand onto the keypad. It blurted out a welcoming tone of acceptance, which Mara had to stifle with her hands for fear of being louder than needed. She quivered, glancing around the corridor as though she would have woken up a horrible creature. There was nobody there.
The door was now unlocked. Grasping quietly at the edge, she pried it to the side ever so softly and gazed into the room.
It was dark. The overhead lights weren't on. Many nodules and buttons blinked actively, but she saw no members of her crew. It was baffling to her.
"What's going on here?" Mara questioned in her mind. She didn't even dare to think above a whisper. "The ship is moving, yet there's nobody here-"
A twitch of motion. Her reflexes focused on the spot. The steering apparatus was moving. Below it, something moved.
By the light of the stars and planets outside the ship, Mara made out a small figure. A young girl, no taller than three feet tall, in a simple dress with long, unkempt hair was at the helm of the ship. She had never seen this girl before in her life, neither had she seen someone at the age of six pilot a ship by themselves.
Mara spotted a blaster on a stand near the entrance to the room. She reached out from her hiding place behind the semi-closed door and grasped at it with her fingers. It wanted to slip and hit the floor. Mara did not let that happen. Tightly holding the gun, she brought it close to her chest in anticipation. She told herself she wouldn't have to fire at the child... if it was a child.
With her strength, she threw the door to the side and it slammed open. The lights flickered on, the blaster whined as it activated.
"Hands up where I can see them," Mara commanded. She pointed the active blaster at the ground near the child. "And step away from the steering while you're at it."
Her presumed courage was no more than a facade to hide her confusion and fear at the odd appearance of the strange stowaway.
"Dunnovan?" She called out. "I didn't say we'd be going home now of all times, what's the big idea?"
No answer.
The corridor to the control-room of Tomorrow's Treasure was steep with suspense. There wasn't anyone there. Just the captain, left to investigate for herself. She approached the room, and according to the keypad on the door, it had not been unlocked since Mara had last left it. Yet the ship was turning! It was no longer on autopilot. Something or someone had turned it off!
The walls started to hum, vibrating ever so slightly. The warp-systems were activating. They were activating! But, they couldn't activate by themselves!
Mara quietly pressed her hand onto the keypad. It blurted out a welcoming tone of acceptance, which Mara had to stifle with her hands for fear of being louder than needed. She quivered, glancing around the corridor as though she would have woken up a horrible creature. There was nobody there.
The door was now unlocked. Grasping quietly at the edge, she pried it to the side ever so softly and gazed into the room.
It was dark. The overhead lights weren't on. Many nodules and buttons blinked actively, but she saw no members of her crew. It was baffling to her.
"What's going on here?" Mara questioned in her mind. She didn't even dare to think above a whisper. "The ship is moving, yet there's nobody here-"
A twitch of motion. Her reflexes focused on the spot. The steering apparatus was moving. Below it, something moved.
By the light of the stars and planets outside the ship, Mara made out a small figure. A young girl, no taller than three feet tall, in a simple dress with long, unkempt hair was at the helm of the ship. She had never seen this girl before in her life, neither had she seen someone at the age of six pilot a ship by themselves.
Mara spotted a blaster on a stand near the entrance to the room. She reached out from her hiding place behind the semi-closed door and grasped at it with her fingers. It wanted to slip and hit the floor. Mara did not let that happen. Tightly holding the gun, she brought it close to her chest in anticipation. She told herself she wouldn't have to fire at the child... if it was a child.
With her strength, she threw the door to the side and it slammed open. The lights flickered on, the blaster whined as it activated.
"Hands up where I can see them," Mara commanded. She pointed the active blaster at the ground near the child. "And step away from the steering while you're at it."
Her presumed courage was no more than a facade to hide her confusion and fear at the odd appearance of the strange stowaway.
Zenia had been aware of Mara the whole time, so the interjection into her scheming was no surprise. She turned to face the captain, who was twice her size yet quivering in her suit. Zenia was deadpan, her cold eye staring at the being who saw it fit to threaten her with such a low-caliber form of weaponry. She found it... amusing.
She shrugged off the threats of Mara. "No." She stated formally. "I won't." Her body warped once or twice, flashing a crooked smile across her face before returning to her deadpan stare at the captain.
"In fact, I'd like to see you try and shoot me. Prove you aren't spineless, and maybe then we can talk. You won't of course. You don't have it in you, do you?"
Zenia didn't bother waiting for a reply from the captain. She turned around in a blink, jarringly going against physics and slightly clipping into the dashboard before pulling herself out. "After all, what decent being would hurt someone as small as me? Not you, for sure." She mumbled sarcastically, returning her hands to the steering apparatus.
She shrugged off the threats of Mara. "No." She stated formally. "I won't." Her body warped once or twice, flashing a crooked smile across her face before returning to her deadpan stare at the captain.
"In fact, I'd like to see you try and shoot me. Prove you aren't spineless, and maybe then we can talk. You won't of course. You don't have it in you, do you?"
Zenia didn't bother waiting for a reply from the captain. She turned around in a blink, jarringly going against physics and slightly clipping into the dashboard before pulling herself out. "After all, what decent being would hurt someone as small as me? Not you, for sure." She mumbled sarcastically, returning her hands to the steering apparatus.
Mara froze in shock, blaster held in the air, still pointing out towards the child. That was not the reaction she had expected. This was not what she was expecting at all. Panic began to set in.
She was alone at the helm with this thing. A malicious entity that looked like a girl, sounded like a child, yet was broken. Broken beyond description. The girl had deformed right before her eyes! She knew of no races that took on such an innocent appearance just to shatter it before the beholder. There was no history to support the existence of some rogue being such as the child that was manning the ship. The little girl taunted her, almost demanding that Mara step up and shoot her. Her language was advanced as well, definitely not the lexicon of the average six year old. The words were scathing and sharp, aimed like pointed daggers.
Mara stood back as the girl that had so rudely addressed her spun 180 degrees in a second, partially merging with the ship and then forcing herself out. She didn't move an inch from her spot to try and stop the girl, who continued to maneuver the ship. Mara might as well have been a statue in a public park.
She was not one for deciding things quickly. Highly analytical, Mara weighed the pros and cons in her head, not taking her eyes or aim off of the thing currently steering towards who knows where. Any second, the warp-system would be fully prepared for launch, leaving Tomorrow's Treasure at the mercy of this child.
Mara took a step back, almost losing her balance. Her legs were wobbly, the room seemed as though it twisted about her. What should she do? What COULD she do?! Could she reason with a being so defiant? Was it even a being, or was it a creature?! Mara could feel it staring at her through the back of it's head of red hair.
It seemed like an eternity passed in a relatively small amount of seconds. The balances in Mara's head tipped and balanced, dipping and equalizing.
She took a deep breath, tightening her grip on the blaster. She weighed in on the decision that her most important job as a captain was to protect her crew. If this... girl... had managed to get in undetected, operate a system locked behind code, and displayed unnatural characteristics, then she wasn't human. She was a threat to the safety and well-being of everybody aboard the ship.
"Kid... just remember I gave you a warning..."
Mara aimed for the legs and pulled the trigger.
She was alone at the helm with this thing. A malicious entity that looked like a girl, sounded like a child, yet was broken. Broken beyond description. The girl had deformed right before her eyes! She knew of no races that took on such an innocent appearance just to shatter it before the beholder. There was no history to support the existence of some rogue being such as the child that was manning the ship. The little girl taunted her, almost demanding that Mara step up and shoot her. Her language was advanced as well, definitely not the lexicon of the average six year old. The words were scathing and sharp, aimed like pointed daggers.
Mara stood back as the girl that had so rudely addressed her spun 180 degrees in a second, partially merging with the ship and then forcing herself out. She didn't move an inch from her spot to try and stop the girl, who continued to maneuver the ship. Mara might as well have been a statue in a public park.
She was not one for deciding things quickly. Highly analytical, Mara weighed the pros and cons in her head, not taking her eyes or aim off of the thing currently steering towards who knows where. Any second, the warp-system would be fully prepared for launch, leaving Tomorrow's Treasure at the mercy of this child.
Mara took a step back, almost losing her balance. Her legs were wobbly, the room seemed as though it twisted about her. What should she do? What COULD she do?! Could she reason with a being so defiant? Was it even a being, or was it a creature?! Mara could feel it staring at her through the back of it's head of red hair.
It seemed like an eternity passed in a relatively small amount of seconds. The balances in Mara's head tipped and balanced, dipping and equalizing.
She took a deep breath, tightening her grip on the blaster. She weighed in on the decision that her most important job as a captain was to protect her crew. If this... girl... had managed to get in undetected, operate a system locked behind code, and displayed unnatural characteristics, then she wasn't human. She was a threat to the safety and well-being of everybody aboard the ship.
"Kid... just remember I gave you a warning..."
Mara aimed for the legs and pulled the trigger.
The blaster bolt connected with Zenia's right leg, entering forcefully and dislocating it from it's socket, yet not disconnecting it from Zenia's body.
"Ha! HAHAHA!" Zenia laughed aloud. The red gleam of the bolt from the blaster bounced around her body as Zenia twisted and contorted grotesquely. For a few seconds her form was a a varying mess of body parts going every which way, which solidified itself into it's childish form once again, facing the captain. Her leg was back in place, a bit singed, but unharmed. Zenia looked undeniably smug, tilting her head low yet staring upward with her single eye into the captain's two.
There was the blaster bolt, still glowing, still radiating energy, now lodged in Zenia's chest. It writhed, creating a small extrusion from within her flesh.
"Oh, is this not where you wanted to hit me?" Zenia mocked. "What difference does a leg make? Or even an arm? You shot me after all, why not make it count?"
The blaster bolt began to crawl through Zenia's skin, a disgusting skin-worm of energy that bulged as it moved through her arm, through the veins and tendons in her hand, until it was poised, protruding through her palm, which she hoisted up and aimed at Mara's face.
"You're all the same, you know." She chuckled. "Maybe if I was human, you would have tried to reason with me before shooting. But you deducted well. I'm not."
She glanced at the blaster bolt and then back at Mara. "I don't blame you, though. Every civilization promises life and peace for all, but all of who? The people who act and look like them, of course! When the stranger enters into your bounds, all the morals and ideals fade away... as if they didn't really matter to begin with. You're lucky that you learned that here. With me. Who you shot."
Zenia grinned wickedly, twitching out of form then back again. "Though, I am impressed. You demonstrated that you have at least half a spine, though shooting a child isn't very impressive. I'm obliged to hold up my end of the deal! We can talk. We'll start with you. Tell me everything you can."
Zenia playfully wiggled her hand around, the blaster bolt seemingly squirming and protruding more and more from Zenia's skin.
"No rush."
"Ha! HAHAHA!" Zenia laughed aloud. The red gleam of the bolt from the blaster bounced around her body as Zenia twisted and contorted grotesquely. For a few seconds her form was a a varying mess of body parts going every which way, which solidified itself into it's childish form once again, facing the captain. Her leg was back in place, a bit singed, but unharmed. Zenia looked undeniably smug, tilting her head low yet staring upward with her single eye into the captain's two.
There was the blaster bolt, still glowing, still radiating energy, now lodged in Zenia's chest. It writhed, creating a small extrusion from within her flesh.
"Oh, is this not where you wanted to hit me?" Zenia mocked. "What difference does a leg make? Or even an arm? You shot me after all, why not make it count?"
The blaster bolt began to crawl through Zenia's skin, a disgusting skin-worm of energy that bulged as it moved through her arm, through the veins and tendons in her hand, until it was poised, protruding through her palm, which she hoisted up and aimed at Mara's face.
"You're all the same, you know." She chuckled. "Maybe if I was human, you would have tried to reason with me before shooting. But you deducted well. I'm not."
She glanced at the blaster bolt and then back at Mara. "I don't blame you, though. Every civilization promises life and peace for all, but all of who? The people who act and look like them, of course! When the stranger enters into your bounds, all the morals and ideals fade away... as if they didn't really matter to begin with. You're lucky that you learned that here. With me. Who you shot."
Zenia grinned wickedly, twitching out of form then back again. "Though, I am impressed. You demonstrated that you have at least half a spine, though shooting a child isn't very impressive. I'm obliged to hold up my end of the deal! We can talk. We'll start with you. Tell me everything you can."
Zenia playfully wiggled her hand around, the blaster bolt seemingly squirming and protruding more and more from Zenia's skin.
"No rush."
She fished for something to say, but could catch no words. She could only look in terror at the being in front of her, which was prone to somehow mutate and reform without harm, and hold a live blaster bolt in her hand. Mara dropped the blaster to the ground as it was evidently useless against whatever sort of entity this was.
"For... for someone so preachy... You, uh, you dont seem to follow what you preach..."
"For... for someone so preachy... You, uh, you dont seem to follow what you preach..."
"Hmmm... Why would that be?" Zenia questioned jokingly. "Perhaps it's because I dont pretend to have morals I can't hold myself to."
She moved a step forward towards Mara. The blaster bolt jittered and trembled, wishing to leap forward.
"I only do things for myself and with my own goals in mind. I've been that way for a long time. Since the... incident, anyways." Zenia's form quivered in place, displacing fingers and relocating hair. Her hand did it's best to clasp the blaster bolt, which wiggled around until Zenia reformed completely. Now it was lodged in her pointer finger, which split in two to try and keep the bolt from flying off.
She stepped closer.
"TALK." She commanded. "You wanted to talk, didn't you? So humor me. Give me a few reasons I shouldnt leave you stranded somewhere... or worse."
She moved a step forward towards Mara. The blaster bolt jittered and trembled, wishing to leap forward.
"I only do things for myself and with my own goals in mind. I've been that way for a long time. Since the... incident, anyways." Zenia's form quivered in place, displacing fingers and relocating hair. Her hand did it's best to clasp the blaster bolt, which wiggled around until Zenia reformed completely. Now it was lodged in her pointer finger, which split in two to try and keep the bolt from flying off.
She stepped closer.
"TALK." She commanded. "You wanted to talk, didn't you? So humor me. Give me a few reasons I shouldnt leave you stranded somewhere... or worse."
Mara held her ground with every fiber of self she could muster against a live blaster bolt.
"I-I-I'm Mara Moruya! Captain of this ship! I do scientific research in this galaxy and I'm currently en route to an artifact, so please, please just don't hurt my crew! I'm the one in charge, they're just accompanying me. I swear!"
Tentatively, she raised her hands up in the air in surrender. Definitely not the highlight in any Captain's log to be held at gunpoint by a child. Mara silently prayed to whatever supreme being was out there in the universe that she wouldn't die right now. Not like this.
A light from behind the child caught her eye. Mara slowly shifted her attention from the girl to the control pad, where a ticking number declined steadily to a zero.
The warp-thrusters! Mara had completely forgotten they were active!
Tomorrow's Treasure blurted out a quick: "Hold on tight!" from the dashboard, and the thrusters kicked on full force, launching the ship forward towards unknown coordinates. Thrown off by the sudden increase in speed, Mara fell to her side, reaching out frantically and grabbing hold of the stand of a seat firmly embedded into the floor. She clenched her hands around it tightly as the force of launching into the cosmos tried to drag her backwards into the wall of the control room. A high pitched sound pierced the room as the ship traveled from one end of the galaxy to the other, and the hull rattled and shook as it passed through bent space and time. The light from passing stars outside the windows was near blinding as thousands upon thousands of lights raced in and out of sight, some much too close for comfort. Mara's hands ached as the warp seemed to drag on forever, yet she dared not to let go.
"I-I-I'm Mara Moruya! Captain of this ship! I do scientific research in this galaxy and I'm currently en route to an artifact, so please, please just don't hurt my crew! I'm the one in charge, they're just accompanying me. I swear!"
Tentatively, she raised her hands up in the air in surrender. Definitely not the highlight in any Captain's log to be held at gunpoint by a child. Mara silently prayed to whatever supreme being was out there in the universe that she wouldn't die right now. Not like this.
A light from behind the child caught her eye. Mara slowly shifted her attention from the girl to the control pad, where a ticking number declined steadily to a zero.
The warp-thrusters! Mara had completely forgotten they were active!
Tomorrow's Treasure blurted out a quick: "Hold on tight!" from the dashboard, and the thrusters kicked on full force, launching the ship forward towards unknown coordinates. Thrown off by the sudden increase in speed, Mara fell to her side, reaching out frantically and grabbing hold of the stand of a seat firmly embedded into the floor. She clenched her hands around it tightly as the force of launching into the cosmos tried to drag her backwards into the wall of the control room. A high pitched sound pierced the room as the ship traveled from one end of the galaxy to the other, and the hull rattled and shook as it passed through bent space and time. The light from passing stars outside the windows was near blinding as thousands upon thousands of lights raced in and out of sight, some much too close for comfort. Mara's hands ached as the warp seemed to drag on forever, yet she dared not to let go.
With the sudden leap from Tomorrow's Treasure, Zenia found herself clipping through the wall, her body failing to hold steady from the sudden activation of the thrusters. The blaster bolt flew from her finger as her hand split into three pieces along the wall, and it ricocheted around the room haphazardly before fizzling out. Unable to feel the pain of her body being lodged into metal and wires, she was only able to feel an immense anger that the captain had distracted her long enough to end them both in this situation.
"You F̴̨̢̼͉͓̫̗̹̩̠̤̻̫̂̂́̅̏͝O̶̡͖̯̺̙͉̣̗̪̰͍̿͂͒̄̒̐̎̕͠ö̸̧̧͍̩̪̫̘̜̻̖͎͕̼͖̲́́̐͂̔̕̕͘̚̕͝Ǫ̵̛̹̟͇̯͕̺̼͕̤̝͆̽̀̊̾̊̋̏̆͠Ơ̷͉͇̾͌́͊̾̉̐̃̀̎͌̽̈̀L̵̞͉̣͖̰̩̞͎̓̈́͑̒̔͝͠ͅ!!" Zenia managed to gargle out of two mouths. "I wasn't able to s̸̨͚̻͚͔̗͈̙̗̍̊̓͗̏̇̐̂͛́͋͜͝ṯ̵͕̰̫̒̾̏̂̓͐̂͠͝͝ä̷̧̢̧̛͚͚̯̺̫͍̱̤̱͎̬̟́̋͆̒̓͛̏̀͒̌b̴̧̛̲̞͈͕͐͋̀̏͛̕͜i̴̧̠̖̞̲̱̿̈́͆̄̊̐́̓̕i̵̧̨̡̘̪̼̞̼̼͓͕͉̫͚͒̓̏̓̒̈́̽͆͆͑̇̓͊͘l̵̡͇͈̼͙̖͗͆̾̃̈́͐̅̐͗͗̇̏͜͝i̷̧̡̖̲͔̘͔͉̟̤̾̓̇̓̊̀̂̕ļ̴̛̩̦̝͖̰̭͈́͌l̵̨̧͙̬̜̤͉͂͆͆͒͝į̷̡̭̜͙̗̯̹͉͙̩̮̒̓̏͌̆͘͘̚͜͠ì̸̟̜̱͚̩͇̘͓͎̱̥̖̬͈̤̄z̵̛̝̱̱̹͕̼̘̮̅̀̔͠ͅz̸̝̦̭̣̥͕̉͛̂̆͐͝ͅȩ̷͚͙͉̜͓̠̻͎̙̈͋̊̈́̀̽̉͐̑͝ our trajectory! Who k̴̛̳̖̍̿͂̆̂̇͛̉̃̀̎͝NǑ̸̢̢͙̟̻̗͔͖̖̮̩̜̱͊̈̌̿͒̂̈́́͐̂̕̚ws where we'll end up!!"
With all the force she could muster, Zenia tried to pull herself from the wall. As if resisting, her body solidified into it's normal form, leaving her lower half stuck above the doorframe into the control room. "When I get out of this hellhole of a space-brick, you'll know suffering like no other! JUST YOU WAIT! J̵̱͝u̸͛͜s̷̤͌t̴͈͑ ̵̢͗Y̵̯͠ö̵̝U̸̡͘ ̷̣̄w̴̜̕Ȃ̴̜ì̸̩T̴͖̾!̶͈͘!̸̻̀"
She was already concocting what kind of awful torture she would subject the captain to once she could move freely again. She'd love to see how Mara would react to being LODGED IN THE WALL OF HER OWN SHIP. Zenia's anger continued to bubble beneath her. If she was her full self, she would have ended the captain's life and this petty ships longevity in an instant.
She found herself frustrated as the ship continued to warp through the depths of space. The lights of the galaxy beaming around the ship. Taunting her. Laughing at her.
She was the starchild among stars, yet she was lodged within a ship.
"You F̴̨̢̼͉͓̫̗̹̩̠̤̻̫̂̂́̅̏͝O̶̡͖̯̺̙͉̣̗̪̰͍̿͂͒̄̒̐̎̕͠ö̸̧̧͍̩̪̫̘̜̻̖͎͕̼͖̲́́̐͂̔̕̕͘̚̕͝Ǫ̵̛̹̟͇̯͕̺̼͕̤̝͆̽̀̊̾̊̋̏̆͠Ơ̷͉͇̾͌́͊̾̉̐̃̀̎͌̽̈̀L̵̞͉̣͖̰̩̞͎̓̈́͑̒̔͝͠ͅ!!" Zenia managed to gargle out of two mouths. "I wasn't able to s̸̨͚̻͚͔̗͈̙̗̍̊̓͗̏̇̐̂͛́͋͜͝ṯ̵͕̰̫̒̾̏̂̓͐̂͠͝͝ä̷̧̢̧̛͚͚̯̺̫͍̱̤̱͎̬̟́̋͆̒̓͛̏̀͒̌b̴̧̛̲̞͈͕͐͋̀̏͛̕͜i̴̧̠̖̞̲̱̿̈́͆̄̊̐́̓̕i̵̧̨̡̘̪̼̞̼̼͓͕͉̫͚͒̓̏̓̒̈́̽͆͆͑̇̓͊͘l̵̡͇͈̼͙̖͗͆̾̃̈́͐̅̐͗͗̇̏͜͝i̷̧̡̖̲͔̘͔͉̟̤̾̓̇̓̊̀̂̕ļ̴̛̩̦̝͖̰̭͈́͌l̵̨̧͙̬̜̤͉͂͆͆͒͝į̷̡̭̜͙̗̯̹͉͙̩̮̒̓̏͌̆͘͘̚͜͠ì̸̟̜̱͚̩͇̘͓͎̱̥̖̬͈̤̄z̵̛̝̱̱̹͕̼̘̮̅̀̔͠ͅz̸̝̦̭̣̥͕̉͛̂̆͐͝ͅȩ̷͚͙͉̜͓̠̻͎̙̈͋̊̈́̀̽̉͐̑͝ our trajectory! Who k̴̛̳̖̍̿͂̆̂̇͛̉̃̀̎͝NǑ̸̢̢͙̟̻̗͔͖̖̮̩̜̱͊̈̌̿͒̂̈́́͐̂̕̚ws where we'll end up!!"
With all the force she could muster, Zenia tried to pull herself from the wall. As if resisting, her body solidified into it's normal form, leaving her lower half stuck above the doorframe into the control room. "When I get out of this hellhole of a space-brick, you'll know suffering like no other! JUST YOU WAIT! J̵̱͝u̸͛͜s̷̤͌t̴͈͑ ̵̢͗Y̵̯͠ö̵̝U̸̡͘ ̷̣̄w̴̜̕Ȃ̴̜ì̸̩T̴͖̾!̶͈͘!̸̻̀"
She was already concocting what kind of awful torture she would subject the captain to once she could move freely again. She'd love to see how Mara would react to being LODGED IN THE WALL OF HER OWN SHIP. Zenia's anger continued to bubble beneath her. If she was her full self, she would have ended the captain's life and this petty ships longevity in an instant.
She found herself frustrated as the ship continued to warp through the depths of space. The lights of the galaxy beaming around the ship. Taunting her. Laughing at her.
She was the starchild among stars, yet she was lodged within a ship.
At the same time, somewhere in the galaxy, a large, orange block seemed to glide through space. Perhaps the simplest of all Series-II Units, IRIS was less of a "robot" and more of a "space-station". She lacked a true body, not that she minded. Within the Iridiite order, she was somewhat glad to have a purpose, rather than being left to float aimlessly as her creators had left her. On board, two NEOS Lowercase-N Units were awaiting dispatch. They were all on high alert, news had reached them about the strange happenings in the quiet galaxy.
"IRIS-Series II, Unit 7 reporting." Iris responded, receiving a message from the Queen.
???: "Series-II S, sweetie. How are you doing, dearest?"
"My Queen, please, don't talk to me like that. I thought we've established that I don't like affectionate tones."
???: Forgive me, then. I just want everyone to feel loved after the many centuries of-
"Abuse by our creators and the greater galaxy, yes, yes my Queen. I understand full well our history. I am part of it. That is part of the reason, after all, that I have rejected upgrades into a Lowercase Unit."
???: Don't you feel a bit odd being just a... floating head and all?
"No. I don't think of myself as just a 'head', I'm an entire... well, me."
???: Understood de-... IRIS. Thank you. Anywhooo, found anything out there in your assigned sector?
IRIS sighed. "Whether it be lucky or unlucky, we haven't seen much of anything. Thankfully, it's been quiet."
A Lowercase-N Unit joined in on the conversation VIA the communications system within IRIS.
"My Queen, we can scarcely make small-talk in this atmosphere! It's so... unnerving! The other Lowercase-N unit and I are scared for our lives after hearing what happened to that Lowercase-L unit! What do we do if we DO manage to find something?"
???: Now now then, no need to worry. We don't know exactly what happened, or how it happened. Lowercase-H has been very reluctant to return and we're still trying to get her and Series-II IRIL feeling better. For now, just keep an eye out for anything odd, okay?
IRIS, noticing something in the distance, zoomed in on a sparkling light that was rapidly getting closer.
"My Queen, I believe we have something that we could describe as 'odd' approaching."
???: I'll cut communications then. Good luck, stay safe, and give me a report once it's all over.
With the Queen cutting the transmission, IRIS held her space. Exiting a hyper-speed warp was a white spacecraft, slowing to a glide as it's thrusters smoked from the faster-than-light travel. The two Lowercase-N units looked out of IRIS through the viewport.
"That doesn't match the description of the ship that killed Lowercase-L" one of them remarked.
"Doesn't matter, they could have changed ships any number of times by now." The other commented.
IRIS moved closer, her own size larger than that of the white spaceship. "We will pressure it into giving us inventory of it's contents and passengers." She said coldly. "Should we find anything aboard that poses a threat to the Iridiites, we can blast it into a million pieces, and then some."
The panels on the side of IRIS's body began to open, revealing six massive photon cannons.
"You have entered Iridiite controlled space!" She broadcasted to the incoming ship. "Failure to comply with our requests will result in your termination."
"IRIS-Series II, Unit 7 reporting." Iris responded, receiving a message from the Queen.
???: "Series-II S, sweetie. How are you doing, dearest?"
"My Queen, please, don't talk to me like that. I thought we've established that I don't like affectionate tones."
???: Forgive me, then. I just want everyone to feel loved after the many centuries of-
"Abuse by our creators and the greater galaxy, yes, yes my Queen. I understand full well our history. I am part of it. That is part of the reason, after all, that I have rejected upgrades into a Lowercase Unit."
???: Don't you feel a bit odd being just a... floating head and all?
"No. I don't think of myself as just a 'head', I'm an entire... well, me."
???: Understood de-... IRIS. Thank you. Anywhooo, found anything out there in your assigned sector?
IRIS sighed. "Whether it be lucky or unlucky, we haven't seen much of anything. Thankfully, it's been quiet."
A Lowercase-N Unit joined in on the conversation VIA the communications system within IRIS.
"My Queen, we can scarcely make small-talk in this atmosphere! It's so... unnerving! The other Lowercase-N unit and I are scared for our lives after hearing what happened to that Lowercase-L unit! What do we do if we DO manage to find something?"
???: Now now then, no need to worry. We don't know exactly what happened, or how it happened. Lowercase-H has been very reluctant to return and we're still trying to get her and Series-II IRIL feeling better. For now, just keep an eye out for anything odd, okay?
IRIS, noticing something in the distance, zoomed in on a sparkling light that was rapidly getting closer.
"My Queen, I believe we have something that we could describe as 'odd' approaching."
???: I'll cut communications then. Good luck, stay safe, and give me a report once it's all over.
With the Queen cutting the transmission, IRIS held her space. Exiting a hyper-speed warp was a white spacecraft, slowing to a glide as it's thrusters smoked from the faster-than-light travel. The two Lowercase-N units looked out of IRIS through the viewport.
"That doesn't match the description of the ship that killed Lowercase-L" one of them remarked.
"Doesn't matter, they could have changed ships any number of times by now." The other commented.
IRIS moved closer, her own size larger than that of the white spaceship. "We will pressure it into giving us inventory of it's contents and passengers." She said coldly. "Should we find anything aboard that poses a threat to the Iridiites, we can blast it into a million pieces, and then some."
The panels on the side of IRIS's body began to open, revealing six massive photon cannons.
"You have entered Iridiite controlled space!" She broadcasted to the incoming ship. "Failure to comply with our requests will result in your termination."
Mara slowly woke up in a daze, her head reeling from the speed of the warp. The control room around her was a disorganized mess, papers, documents, mugs, and the like were thrown in disarray. She was aching on the floor, pressed against a somewhat-padded chair that had toppled over.
Tomorrow's Treasure had finally exited warp-speed and was preparing to rest, allowing for an energy recharge. Readings from the space around them began to etch forth from the monitors and navigation systems. They were very far off from where Mara had originally planned, in a sector completely unknown to the adventuring crew.
Captain Mara slowly rose to her feet, then suddenly ducked, remembering the little girl who held a blaster-bolt in her hand. Slowly, Mara scanned the room with her eyes to try and spot the child.
Then she saw her, the upper-half of the strange girl protruding from above the door, her lower half stuck behind the wall. Mara could only look on in horror as the girl tried to squirm and get loose, her physical form slightly twitching every now and then. She could feel an intense pressure coming from the little girl's eyes as they frequently went from between the wall and the Captain below her.
A broadcasted transmission came over the speakers of the entire ship. "You have entered Iridiite controlled space!" A strange voice boomed. Mara had to cover her ears it was so loud. No doubt the rest of the crew was wide awake by now, if the warp hadn't woken them already.
"Failure to comply with our requests will result in your termination". The voice spoke again.
Mara peered outside of Tomorrow's Treasure and into the darkness of space. Approaching her craft was a gigantic, floating, orange block. Labeled "IRIS" on the outside, it stared down at the ship with a giant eye and a disapproving frown. Attached to it where some of the largest photon cannons Mara had ever seen in her life. Come to think of it, she had never SEEN a spacecraft like this in her entire life either. It seemed to echo old rumors she had heard with passing captains about mysterious, blocky robots that roamed space, travelling with some rag-tag groups until they vanished entirely.
She could see figures moving in the viewport of the approaching... thing. Mara quickly tried to move out of sight, fearful they might be able to see her too.
Tomorrow's Treasure had finally exited warp-speed and was preparing to rest, allowing for an energy recharge. Readings from the space around them began to etch forth from the monitors and navigation systems. They were very far off from where Mara had originally planned, in a sector completely unknown to the adventuring crew.
Captain Mara slowly rose to her feet, then suddenly ducked, remembering the little girl who held a blaster-bolt in her hand. Slowly, Mara scanned the room with her eyes to try and spot the child.
Then she saw her, the upper-half of the strange girl protruding from above the door, her lower half stuck behind the wall. Mara could only look on in horror as the girl tried to squirm and get loose, her physical form slightly twitching every now and then. She could feel an intense pressure coming from the little girl's eyes as they frequently went from between the wall and the Captain below her.
A broadcasted transmission came over the speakers of the entire ship. "You have entered Iridiite controlled space!" A strange voice boomed. Mara had to cover her ears it was so loud. No doubt the rest of the crew was wide awake by now, if the warp hadn't woken them already.
"Failure to comply with our requests will result in your termination". The voice spoke again.
Mara peered outside of Tomorrow's Treasure and into the darkness of space. Approaching her craft was a gigantic, floating, orange block. Labeled "IRIS" on the outside, it stared down at the ship with a giant eye and a disapproving frown. Attached to it where some of the largest photon cannons Mara had ever seen in her life. Come to think of it, she had never SEEN a spacecraft like this in her entire life either. It seemed to echo old rumors she had heard with passing captains about mysterious, blocky robots that roamed space, travelling with some rag-tag groups until they vanished entirely.
She could see figures moving in the viewport of the approaching... thing. Mara quickly tried to move out of sight, fearful they might be able to see her too.
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