SYNC Kwabba-an/Kyle

Transcript of Audio Message
From: !Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi
To: Kyle Dee

You need not keep it short. You did not dump too much. I enjoy listening to you speak even when I do not understand everything that you say.

There is much I do not know. I did not know of Tami. I do not know of the NDC. Nor what it takes to become a Taisho. But I do know that the proud daughters and sons of Yamatai will stand by your side until the end.

*hums to the tune of Daughters of Yamatai*

You are expressing your thoughts very clearly, contrary to what you told me back at the Airlock. Are you still distracted by your work? I find it easier to speak while I am performing. I believe it occupies enough of my mind that I do not overthink what I am saying.

Transcript of Audio Message
From: Kyle Dee
To: Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi.

I'm better talking over recordings- who's saying these are the first drafts that I'm sending? And yeah- I'm working on a project to make a drone. Hopefully, it will help with scouting missions and not placing actual people on the front lines. Tactics are not exactly Yamatai's strong point- just send people in full charge only works for so long.

When I'm working, working on a project, or playing games, my brain just doesn't recognize that I'm talking to people I suppose? I don't know, it just works. It's almost... Nevermind. You seemed to have the same problem when we first started talking? Unless I just startled you- As soon as I saw you on stage I was just, speechless. I was scared you wouldn't even talk to me, it's why I was so anxious, I thought you were some celebrity.

Transcript of Audio Message
From: !Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi
To: Kyle Dee

Interesting. From this message onwards I will be trying to tell if your words have been practised. I like to think that I would be able to tell by the sound of your voice.

Tactics are also one of my weak points. Why not send actual people to the front lines, when they are clad in Mindies? *long pause and then she continues very quietly* We would crush our enemies, see them driven before us, and hear the lamentation of their men... *clears her throat* Excuse me, I was lost in thought for a moment.

Yes, I understand how you feel about your brain. I feel similarly while performing. Something comes over me and I do not worry about my social awkwardness.

I am, as you may have realized, no celebrity. I am not aware of any celebrities who play at the Airlock. They pay nothing and will book anyone they think will show up. It is the first place I ever played live when I was just starting my studies at the Kyoto Academy for the Arts. That they are not picky worked well in my favour. I doubt I would have been given much of a chance as a completely unknown secondary school student. The crowd was at least as inhospitable back then. Perhaps even more so. It was a good experience in the end, though it was somewhat traumatic at the time. I learned how to get the attention of those who were not interested. And I learned how to shut people down if they were interested in conflict.

Speaking of schooling, where did you learn to do what you do? You mentioned that you were *in a close approximation of his voice* "preparing yourself for the military." Was this at school? Or did you do some form of apprenticeship?

Transcript of Audio Message
From: Kyle Dee
To: Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi.

Not a celebrity? Well I suppose I was only partially correct, because you look like a star to me... AHHHHHHH Why did I say that-

Anyway- Might be fun going back there and taking a crack on stage? Heh, but I rather live long enough to have kids. Wait, you went to the Academy of the Arts? I don't know why I'm surprised to hear that, but I guess I know where the polish comes from. I can completely agree with college being a pain, I myself having been to a few... the people can REALLY be scary and pushy. Glad I was eventually left alone and no one talked to me.

I ah, I never really went to one place, like I said. I went to many community colleges while I was in high school. I self studied as well, I'm currently doing online for Astro-Engineering. I also have a degree from Osman University for Astro Navigation and Astro Physics, but that place I'm glad I'm gone from. I rather not go back there, too many people who I want nothing to do with anymore... *His last sentence being stated with slight*

But if you wanted, I could help you with fighting at another time? Just using your amazing and attractive... strength is ah, well, it only goes so far. Once you gain some finesse and athletics, you'll be able to go toe to toe with even an ID-SOL, maybe...

Transcript of Audio Message
From: !Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi
To: Kyle Dee

I can tell by your exclamation that this was your first take. I am pleased that you feel comfortable enough to send me unedited and unrehearsed spoken messages.

You will, as you say, take a crack on stage. Do not be afraid. I will be there with you to ensure that you live through the experience so you may procreate someday.

Yes, I went to the Academy for the Arts, but it is not a college. It is a preparatory school. It offers some primary education, but it is focused on secondary. The intention is to prepare students for the most selective university arts programs. I felt adequately prepared by the end of my studies but was not interested in further education after my traumatic experiences there. Though I did thoroughly enjoy the breadth of musical studies offered. I learned much about traditional Yamataian music and about the construction of acoustic instruments.

Now that you mention it, I remember you telling me at the Airlock that you had studied such things. Why are you only Santô Hei? I do not understand ranks very well, but I thought a university degree made you eligible to start as an officer.

It would please me to train my fighting ability with you. Basic training was very difficult for me. I only really excelled at tasks involving strength or manual dexterity, which were thankfully many. Aside from strength, I am quite unfit compared to others. And my hand/eye coordination is quite poor if my marksmanship is anything to go by. I am not sure what an ID-SOL is, but if it would be a challenge, then I would fight one.

Transcript of Audio Message
From: Kyle Dee
To: Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi.

I ah, I wanted to prove myself as a soldier before I became an officer. I'll wait till I become a Jôtô Heisho before I apply for officer. Want to climb the ranks that way, call it me wanting to be a completionist and get all of the rank patches- Just doesn't feel right becoming an officer, I rather earn it first. I don't know- just feels like what I have to do.

Oh right, ID-SOLs are basically the Nepleslian version of a super soldier. I don't know too much beyond that, aside from they're like Nekos but MASSIVE. And I don't think they're as strong? But Holy Heck are they scary. I read and saw some of their fights between the Greens, Reds, Yellows, and Blacks. Creative names, I know, but I'm not Nepleslian. I'm not gonna judge their naming system. Just look at the NDC and their weird names.

At basic they only taught basic, unless you were going to specialize as a PA or Infantry, you weren't taught much. I was fortunate to have learned before I joined. Although it was through many years of getting by butt broken and bruised... Other species kids like to beat me because I was human and weaker so- Had to learn to be crafty.

Transcript of Audio Message
From: !Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi
To: Kyle Dee

You intend to be the man from the legend who gives away the fortune he inherited in order to earn it back and prove that he deserved it. This is an admirable thing. Foolhardy, but admirable. Not entirely unlike the musician who dons power armour and fights for her empress.

Greens, Reds, Yellows, and Blacks are not at all creative names. The colony of my mother was Those Who Lead the Charge. As I mentioned, my mother was First Among Queens. This was a title bestowed on her by and giving her executive power over the Confederation of Queens. Other colonies in the confederation were: Those Who Make the Ground Quake, Those Who Are Feared by Death, Those Who Would Unmake Themselves to Crush Their Enemies, and Those Who Have Conquered the Darkest Depths. These names are also not creative, but they are at least descriptive. They also sound better in Khoekhoe. Their names really roll off the mandibles.

It must have seemed very basic for someone who has *she mimicks Kyle's voice* a degree from Osman University for Astro Navigation and Astro Physics, *back to her regular, slightly distracted-sounding soprano voice* but it was two gruelling months for me. Perhaps you meant there was not much combat training. This is true. The combat section was short compared to the horrible classroom section. I am suspicious of this "learning to be crafty," as it sounds more like the classroom section of basic training than it does the combat section.

Transcript of Audio Message
From: Kyle Dee
To: Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi.

No no no! What I meant by that was to fight dirty a bit. I had to learn to hit people in their weak spot or catch them off guard. It's why I didn't just use one form of self defense, I learned many. Because, if you do, then you can surprise them... you know? Then they can't predict your next move... I don't know how else to describe that...

I ah, I wouldn't call it legendary- *laughs nervously* Not yet anyway, I am no where near that. I'd like to be though. Thanks for the confidence boost, hearing you mimic me just makes talking with you amazing-! Pretty cool skill that you have there... I can do some impressions, but nothing to your level.

Transcript of Audio Message
From: !Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi
To: Kyle Dee

This "dirty fighting" of which you speak sounds intriguing. You will show me. The best music is both predictable and surprising. Perhaps the same is true of fighting. Give the enemy enough that they feel they can predict your next move, then, and only then, surprise them. And as a weak human, you would want to make the most of this surprise strike.

You are not yet legendary. But your aspirations are. This is admirable. My own are quite mundane. As I said, I would like to grow my family. I do not mean by this to take a partner and produce offspring. Rather, I would like to build a network of friends with whom I have bonded to the degree that we would support each other in any time of need. My friends Sanda and Kozakura, for example. We fought side-by-side on the scrapyard planet before Glimmergold. I consider them sisters and would do anything for them.

I can hear in the ear of my mind the microtonal fluctuations in your voice the first time we spoke. The sounds that people make are always easier for me to recall than the messages they are trying to communicate. The difficulty is in reproducing the sounds with my own limited vocal range. Your voice is just barely within the range that I can reproduce, and even then there are significant differences to my ear.

Transcript of Audio Message
From: Kyle Dee
To: !Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi.

I wouldn't say that you're choices are mundane. I see them as far more achievable than what I want- Heh. You even have friends and family to support you achieve them, which should make it easier for you. Especially when you get your friend web, or should I call it a colony?

And yeah, it may not be glamorous, but it's what I had to learn in order to survive. Should be easy enough to teach? I think I can teach it- I'll figure it out... *THUD* OW! Dang it! I banged my toe... Ah ha ha ha... Ow... Gah! I love and hate this dang room. WHY DO I NEED THIS BED!? Not like I use it, I sleep in the closet anyway-

Sorry, just stubbed my toe, where was I? *Moment of silence* Oh yeah, even still, I don't think you should sell yourself short. Unlike me, just like you said, I'm a "Weak Human". So I gotta try harder... To be honest, I could just use Occam's Razor and apply for officer now and jump through the ranks, but where's the effort? Wouldn't feel like I've earned it. Would be gammy, just playing the system. Would also mean I would be a leader- and I do not trust myself leading right now. I am a mess. To say the least, I survive only off of coffee and rations. My diet is wack, but I'm poor and have no family or clan so, I'm broke and eat broke. At least I'm used to it, right? Heh.

Transcript of Audio Message
From: !Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi
To: Kyle Dee

A colony does sound good, but that makes me think of a group all working together. In some sense, the Star Army is my colony, and the Empress is my queen. I suppose I am trying to build a kind of distributed colony...no, the comparison immediately breaks down. I am confused. I am sure of what I want, but now I am not what to call it.

Are you well? It displeases me for you to suffer unintentional pain.

It also displeases me that your *she mimicks Kyle's voice* diet is wack. *Back to normal* I am not sure what is "wack" but from context clues, I gather that it is not good. If you have access to a wider variety of nourishment than rations, you will eat properly or I will be very displeased. If you displease me in this way, you will be forced to endure the exquisite agony of intentional pain.

Transcript of Audio Message
From: Kyle Dee
To: !Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi.

Yeah, I'm fine, just walked into my bed while using my VR headset. And yeah, I'm able to eat more, I just choose not to because it gets in the way of- yeah it gets in the way of me doing other things... I'm eating the essentials and nothing more, don't want to waste more resources than I have to. I like to leave as small of a footprint as possible with that. As much as I'm sure that the food is good, I rather others have it and I take the 'lesser' foods. I'm no super-soldier, so they need their energy more than I do.

Don't worry too much about me, I'm a technician, I'll just fix any problem I come into! Oh- wack means... well it doesn't mean good, but it's not necessarily bad either. Could definitely be better. The more I explain this the worse it sounds... I'm starting to realize why I don't talk to people often. Yeah... could we please change topics?

Transcript of Audio Message
From: !Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi
To: Kyle Dee

*The message begins with a long silence before Kwabba-an begins to speak in a serious tone, unlike any she has used before.*

It displeases me that you would treat yourself so poorly, but I will not dwell on the topic if you wish.

*Another moment passes with no speech, during which there is the sound of a long breath being drawn before the sound of strings being plucked very softly. The melody starts at a frantic pace but then calms down into a meandering tune that resembles the distracted way that Kwabba-an normally talks. When she begins to speak, her voice is back to normal.*

How is your work progressing on this drone? My friend Kozakura has a camera drone. Its name is *she mimics another woman's voice* Maru.

Transcript of Audio Message
From: Kyle Dee
To: !Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi.

Life has made me eke for years, it does not dissuade me from preforming at my best. Please do not worry too much for me, I can assure you that I am okay. Anyways, the machine that I am working on is not a Drone. A Drone would imply that it is an aircraft, when it is not. Now, technically it does have some capacity to fly, however, I believe the correct identification would be... I suppose a robot, despite it's lack of a hominoid appearance. Currently taking the design of the Mindy IV and trying to turn it into a robot. Now, I don't trust myself with designing it an AI, and I really don't want to put PANTHEON into it.

To keep it simple, I'm making a robot to augment Mindy teams. I wish I could go into further detail, however I do not wish to make promises that will be changed later. I will at least say, it's not a simple camera drone. It's a heavy piece of war machinery. Well, this along with some other projects that I have been distracting myself with.

You know, I really do look forward to meeting you again... even if I have, no idea what I'm doing. I ah, I really at least want someone to talk to. Even if we... never mind, I rather not be pessimistic. I really want to try to impress you - Oh! Have you tried to blend your meals? I know your mouth structure is different, so why not take meals, any that you have to chew anyway, and blend it into a smoothie and drink it from a straw? Would make eating food we eat easier, right?

Transcript of Audio Message
From: !Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi
To: Kyle Dee

Your performance is not my concern, your health is.

You called it a drone. *Mimicking Kyle's voice again.* I'm working on a project to make a drone. *Back to normal.* Mindies are quite humanoid in appearance since they are meant to be worn as armour around a humanoid body. I am very confused with what you are trying to describe. That said, I am confused by many things, so do not be overly concerned.

Your technical aptitude is most impressive to me because it is something I do not possess and do not have the patience to acquire.

After your suggestion, I tried blending one of my meals. I do not have a blender, but I chopped up the solid food into small pieces and mixed it with juice. You are intimately aware of my unique oral physiology, and these "smoothies" proved very easy for me to ingest without the difficult process of chewing. This pleased me. Thank you.

Transcript of Audio Message
From: Kyle Dee
To: !Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi.

I'm tired, so I may or may not have misspoken when saying what it was exactly. I'll have to make myself some more coffee, can't sleep yet when I'm almost done with this part... *yawns* Lord I'm tired, I need to get myself some coffee soon. But yeah, I think that you should make them, it would make it very much easier on your mandables... heh... I suppose I would know the insides of your mouth wouldn't I?

Alright- I think I got most of this done by now, just a little more then I will be done. You said something about my health? Oh, yes, don't worry about it. I've been through MUCH worse. Trust me, lack of food and sleep is the least of my problems. Expecially after having been kidnapped half a dozen times- But don't worry, I'm fine. You should be more concerned about your other friends. The ones you spend more in person time with, because you're probably more likely to be dragged into fights than I am. If I die- which I won't, I'll come back, even if it would flipping suck.

It just sounds like a horror show if I explain too much... *Clears throat* Have you ever ah, tried to work out stuff with the care takers to do a morale boosting event? Maybe a show during chow or something? Would sound like fun, or Karioke.

Transcript of Audio Message
From: !Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi
To: Kyle Dee

Yes, you have more intimate knowledge of my mouthparts than anyone else. I am pleased that you are putting this knowledge to good use.

I am not sure which caretakers I would have to work stuff out with, but I would very much enjoy playing music during chow. We have been travelling around Yamatai since Glimmergold while our ship finishes construction. I expect once we have our ship, things will settle at least enough for me to play music for the crew. It would please me deeply if I could do something for the benefit of my crewmates, even if it were something small.

That you have been through much worse does nothing to allay my concern for your continued health. Are you expecting to be kidnapped again? If the lack of food and sleep is the least of your problems, then what is the greatest? I am very afraid of death, even though I understand the basic idea of soul transference. I am afraid of my own death, of yours, and those of all of my crewmates. But death is not alone among my fears.

It scares me that you may be casually causing yourself long-term harm through neglect. You may not notice its effects until you are irrevocably harmed. But I accept that there is little I can do to stop you. Please understand that there is a point at which your self-neglect harms me, and I will take action to defend myself.

Transcript of Audio Message
From: Kyle Dee
To:!Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi.

I'm not going to purposely or carelessly go and get myself killed... After I lost them... I'm not going to allow that to happen again... I'm sorry I scare you with my actions. When I'm done with this project, I'll send myself to bed. Don't need my Queen to be worrying over a lone drone, right? And, no, I'm not going to be kidnapped again. That's not going to happen, or at least not without a fight. But I'm not expecting it, I was just being pessimistic, which, I'm sorry for. I have... a lot I still have to... get over. There's a lot of death everywhere, and I just don't know how to process it yet. So I have... thoughts, thoughts that I talk aloud on sometimes.

You'll figure something out with them. You're gonna take their voices away! So, you have a good night, I'll talk to you whenever I get the chance again- Night Kwabba-an.

Transcript of Audio Message
From: !Kwabba-an Ternifac-xuralkhi
To: Kyle Dee

You have suffered more than your fair share in ways that I can never fully understand, but I understand enough to see that this makes some things very difficult. I will do what I can to help make things easier.

I would take their voices away? Yes, that would please me. Although now that I think about it, I may not want to do that at mealtime. I believe my crewmates enjoy socializing and have few opportunities to do so except during chow. I should perhaps give them something uplifting to lighten their moods but quiet enough that they can talk over it. It will be a delicate balance, but I am up to the challenge.

Good night, Kyle.