Gardener in the dark
Inactive Member
The Core rested in it’s protective tub as it worked on the important business of running the ship, when she felt a prickle from outside sensors, and comsystems. "Stand by for honors" she reported to the crew "A Flag Captain has been asigned to the ship. He is currently preparing to board by airlock 5. Please report to airlock 5 in order to give him the appropriate honors
The ship was docked with the massive Exodus station which was to be the first leaping point for the virgin colony program that The Union was seemingly sinking all of its money, research and personnel into. Tam and his XO sub-commander Zeensshn were already in route via the main corridor to air lock five subsection B. Tam was still reeling from his encounter with the Union core earlier that week, but his facial expression and tone of voice was quite jolly as he passed various members of his crew and Zeensshn's clan. Tam's uniform was impeccably clean today, and he like Zeenssh were easily told apart from the enlisted crew by the different pattern of the long over coats they wore. With a sharp hiss the air air lock doors opened allowing Tam and Zeenssh to enter the main boarding clamp. "Tam...Thank you for doing this." Zeenssh said as he looked at the older commander. Tam let out a soft snarl. "Don't thank me, If i wasn't for you i'd be having retirement forced on me...plus this is the only way I we can get out of the system. If I have to spend the rest of my life looking at rocks and herding them together in crates, I'd still thank you." Tam looked to Zeensh, who was not by any means young, but a thin and handsome man with his pale sand colored skin. Zeensh smiled revealing a of sharp teeth. "I heard you you took a peak at our ship's computer core...what did you think?" Tam's smile droped, and his face contorted to a solumn expression as he turned his head back to the reception that caught him off guard. "It disturbed me...."
The airlock door slid open, revealing the crew standing at attention. "Captain" a woman's voice said over the intercom "I am transferring command of my body to you sir." Her voice was very close to, but not quite, emotionless. "Would you like a quick tour of your new command sir?"
At ease" Tam said sharply in his well practiced ithsai(Primary government sanctioned Gartagen Language and dialect). He did not salute back, he merely crossed his arms and shifted a stern glare to the young men and women under his command. Zeensshn Fell looked up above his head. "That must be it." He said smiling once more. "That heavenly voice must be the core." He said looking around the deck for imperfections. Tam nodded. "Well Sub-commander, does your commander wish for a tour." Zeensshn took that as a sign to take on his role. "Yes my leader. Core, The Commander does wish to take a tour of his new command." Zeensshn's voice was stern and solid, and certainly commanded the respect that Tam had for him.
“I assure you that my voice is not transmitting from a local contained within the afterlife". The voice responded. With, perhaps, a touch of humor. "Certainly. This fleet command vessil was built on a convertible chassis so that it can serve as a heavy transport, a carrier, a mining vessel, or a heavy battleship. Please follow the lights on the walls for a tour of the various decks. Is there any particular place you would like to begin?" Lights began lighting up along the halls, one by one, leading the captain and his second in command through the defensivly laid out hulls. "This is one of several chokepoints designed to protect the ship from bording attempts. Automated turrets are located here, here, and here" three guns pop out of hidden protective plates, before returning to their repose "The door here is very strong and would take an estimated two hours to half hour to cut through depending on the equipment brought by the bording party"
“That is a lot of ordinance in case we get boarded." Zeensshn said as he observed the quick demonstration. Tam did not seem to even flinch. "It s confidential, but fleet has knowledge of alien intelligences out side of our home system. They are taking no chances, not even on a Humble mining vessel like this." Tam said almost at a whisper. Zeenshn nodded, and looked up above his head. "She has a sense of humor." He said as if changing the subject. Tam let a smirk spread across his blue lips "Good It will give me somebody to talk too besides you and your wife." Zeensshn let out a laugh. "Take us to the bridge, Core." He said as he cleared his throat. "You can talk to my kids...and my siblings...my parents are working the processing plant."
“ If you continue to the left path path, closer to the outer hull is the location of my mess halls and sleeping quarters. They are located near my hull in order to absorb combat damages as they are less then vital components, and any gartegen sleeping during combat report deserves the possible decompression." She said with a hint of savagry to her voice "Past the next set of chokepoints are my outer cargo bays. My inner cargo bays hold provisions and material, the outer bays are empty at present, it is our delta tertiary mission objective to fill them with as much valuable ore as possible." she sounds almost eager at that prospect "Traveling in the other direction there are three more choke-points, and then my bridge which is nestled safely near the center of my body." The lights light up leading them "My core is located on the self contained bridge, as is a set of fold away bunks, emergancy food, medical, and air supplies so that, if needed, it is possible to stay alive on the bridge for a signifigant period of time even if the rest of my body is damaged." She leads them along the hulls to the moderatly large room that was the bridge. It was draped in computer screens and wires. A small power generator sat near the corner of the room next to a large button labled 'emergancy generator start button'. “Captain on the bridge" she declaired “Welcome to my heart Captain, first officer"
Both Zeesshn and Tam chuckled at the idea of a Gartagen sleeping during combat. Every Gartagen was a trained soldier, and loved to fight. The sparse command staff was busy running diagnostics over computer terminals, and the maintenance crew was moving about placing bulk head pannels up and other wise cleaning the bridge. The Bridge was oval shaped, with weapons station, comms, sensors, all arranged in a trench around an elevated platform that loomed over them. The platform had a command station over it with a three dimensional imaging system, as well as 3d HUD that was hanging over the command podium. THis centralized system allowed for the captain to easily address his officers, as well as keep up with information as it was sent to him. Tam and Zeesshn both walked up the small stairs and were standing near the podium. "This is our station." Tam said in his raspy voice. "My clan your ship" Zeesshn said smiling as be began studying the command podium. "The Navy is really pushing some radical technology forward...ive never seen such an elaborate.." Tam Interrupted his XO "Wait till you see the Core...Core" Tam said loudly. "Take us to you
"Sir" she said with a virtual nod "My brain is currently stowed in it's protective compartment. You should have been given the acess code when you were given command. If you do not have it, the head technition could supply it. It needs to be inputed on the key-terminal by the captain's crash-webbing" the voice says "My brain's ability to feel, and move is deactivated while it is connected with my body
Tam had studied the ship's commands very intently. He marched over to his impact webbing witch was against the rear bulkhead of the bridge, and flipped open the small terminal. Tam's jaw tensed as his claws softly tapped and glided across the terminal's interface. "Brace your self Sub-Commander. Zeesshn looked up from the command terminal and waited patiently. His yellow eyes did not blink as he took in the captain's cold expression.
A klaxon sounded, and a hole opened in the floor. A large tub raised out of the ground. Floating in the tub and ravished by her protective cacoon of wires, was the body of a young woman. She was lying on her side in a fetal position in that cramped space, surrounded by armored bulkheads and shock absorbing gells. She would be pretty... not drop dead gorgious, just pretty, were it not for the gaping plugs in her skin, the odd black cybernetics occasionaly piercing the surface, the metal and wire exoskeliton that had clearly been strapped to her body so long that there were calloses on her skin where it contacted. She also had a large black metal headband. Her eyes were open, but obviously sightless and her body was completely still. Nutriants and wastes flowed very slowly through several tubes. She was unclothed, and not nude, but naked and frail looking. "Sirs, this is my brain." the voice said "The operating manual recomends that it remains stowed in the protective compartment, and only be removed for maintance, such as regular exersize to retain muscle tone” Her body dripped wetly in the tub, acessable for the touch now that the top was removed. "There are other link points throughout the ship, many possissing a much reduced datacapacitance” The way in which she discusses her body... with utter detachment to it, as though it was just a piece of equipment, and not even a particularly valuable one, was probably interesting to note
Zeesshn's jaw dropped, as he came to a rest on his haunches with his tail acting as the support. "Much reduced..does command know?" Tam nodded yes. "They innovated and funded this technology." Zeesshn snarled. "Abomination!" He growled as he advanced on the tub. "Were did she come from?" Tam merely lowered his head. "I inquired with fleet command...." “They said told me if i valued my life, keep all of my questions and objections silent until after we leave the solar system." Zeesshn loomed over the tub. "Core, what is your name?”
As Zeesshn advanced on the tub the voice sounded a touch worried "Sir, you do not have permission to contact my brain from the captain. Only the chief technician, captain, and chief medtech have unrestricted access to contact with my brain, and otherwise only on-duty medtechs and technicians may contact my body without permission of the captain." The voice says, the nervious edge growing stronger with each step. "I was a volenteer sir. I do not recall my name. They had to remove my memories as part of the procedure sir Please step away from My Brain sir. You do not know the proper disconnection codes, and improper disconnection could harm me." At this close range her nakedness was all the more obvious
Tam stood and merely watched. He heard emotion in her voice. "So she is not all machine..." He said as his left claw reached up and touched the tip of his chin. Zeesshn halted his advance at her behest. and looked at Tam for direction. "Thats good enough Sub-Commander." He said holding his hand up. Tam's rotund body began advancing on the tub as the other Gartagens in the room spoke to each other in hushed tones about what they had just witnessed. Zeesshn took a moment to compose him self. He then stood up and looked over at the crew who had all their eyes locked onto the tub. "What are you inbred pouchlings looking at BACK TO WORK!" He roared. Tam loomed over the tank, but did not move to touch her. "D'jehendrazade..." He said softly, almost affectionately. The XO turned around "Sir?" Tam did not look up. "She does not have a name, so we will give her one. D'jehendrazade." Zeesshn looked confused "That is the name of the ship sir. Tam smiled "I read in the manifest that if she is essential for the ship and fleet to function...she is the ship, and she ship is her. It fits." Zeesshn nodded solemnly.
“Yes sir" she says "I am the ship... Also, paragraph 12 of the manifest subsection 3b recomends that the thought of me as a gategan is avoided. The psyche officers believe that thinking of me as a gartegan instead of a fancy computer system may lead to moral issue." she said, though Tam might notice a hint of whistfulness in her voice. Perhaps a touch of desire to be a person instead of an object.
“Well this is my ship, and I am your commander." He said calmly. "I will treat you as I see fit." His voice was stern, but obviously well meaning. Zeesshn tilted his head to the side and spoke informaly. "You always were the crusader..."Tam smirked. "This is a ship, not an army unit, this ship is our home, and we are all family..you know that." Zeesshn said nothing, he nodded. "D'jehendrazade." He said calmly. Several of the crew repeated the core's new name aloud. This event would be the talk of the ship by the mourning, and the Core would be being called D'jehendrazade by ever member of the mining fleet by the end of the week.
Yes sir" she says, her voice pleasent, perhaps with a subtle touch of pleasure. "Sir, do you want me to stow my brain, or do you desire to disconnect it and make certain it is up to spec as part of your inspection?" she asks "Also, if you do want me to be visible to the bridge crew, there is another storage tank that is more suited to that then this one, with similar data capacity though...<Blind_snotling>...less protective abilities”
Tam spoke calmly " This tank is perfect." He said pausing to think of an answer to her query. He then shifted a sympathetic look to Zeesshn. Zeesshn looked at his commander and smirked. "Crusader. D'jehendrazade, what do you want to do
"Sir, while disconnection of my brain and body is uncomfortable and disorienting, it is recommended in the manifest that you inspect my brain soon after aquiring the ship so that you can tell if there are any state changes in it, just in case the chief medtech failed to for some reason" The voice responded, this time with less emotion
Tam's voice echoed behind the core's "What is it that you wish to do?" He said sternly seriously wanting to know what she wanted to do. He could make it a command, but that may run the risk of drawing her out. Zeesshn kept his mouth shut as he wished to see what the core decided to do. Freedom was something strange to a Gartagen, but this lack of it seemed an almost alien concept to the two commanders of the D'jehendrazade
There was a pause. If Tam could read the displays he'd see a flurry of data running across them. "You should probably inspect my brain" she said, after some time. Suddenly several systems went silent. One of the technicians stood up "Sir, the CORE has begun the disconnection procedures.” Sounds were heard as her life support systems cycled down. Her chest started to move as her lungs started working, and fluids were pulled from the tubes into the systems until they were empty, then each tube and wire disconnected from it's plug one at a time. Not popping dramaticaly out, just releasing their locks. Her eyes began to move. She laid there, not moving, watching captain Tam, waiting. There was... anticipation of something in her eyes, though it was hard to read what
Tam held his hand out for her to grasp it. He was careful with his grip, holding his claws out so as not to slice into her flesh. If she accepted he would carefully lift her out of the kiosk and help her to her feet.
Her hand reached for his, her skin was purple and had an unusual texture and sheen due to the treatments it had. Her purple skin was also covered with complex fingerprint like black tatoos, a sort of barcode The exoskeliton lay along her wrist and the outside of her fingers, whirring slightly as it assisted her muscles in moving her body. as he raised her out of the fluid he saw that her hair was interwoven with wires, and that her limbs possessed metal bars and servos running along the outside. Most of these were anchored into ports in to her skin in various locations, and he saw some D rings anchored somewhere below her skin. One on each forearm, one on each leg near the ankle. Two from her hips near her waist, one emerging from her sternum and one emerging from the center of her neck. Her hair was long, and wild doing it's best to hide the long cables and wires interwoven with it. A doube line of LED status lights graced her left breast, and ran along her back. Her eyebrow possessed a single black ring. There was a mechanical whirr and a lens dropped from her headband over her large eye, as she inspected him carefuly and removed her mask, revealing her large small mouth and regal nose. Her tail had several rings around it, attached to a segmented wireframe, and she began to slowly whip it around, for stability as she stood. "Captain, my captain?" she said, softly, inspecting the man. She was not drop dead gorgious, just pretty, but that prettyness was ruined by the harsh lines of her exoskeliton and the small black box covered in lights set into her belly where her bellybutton would be. Her ears were covered with odd metal clamshells, though the clamshells quickly folded back into her black headband. The headband did not look removable. Her body had several scars, most noticibly along the belly, inner thighs, and up the back. She also had small scars under each eye on her cheek, and scars running along the underside of her jaw. These scars had stitch marks, and were very straight, surgical, and profesional looking, as though a doctor had tried very hard to minimise the scaring.They also ran along her inner forarms, and her neck. Her voice was weak, and had a slight buzz to it, as though it wasn't made completely with her own voicebox
Tam helped the young woman to her feet, and his dark eyes danced over her body as he analyzed every moving part. His gaze was not one of passion nor wanting, but more like a scientist trying to figure out exctally what it was he was dealing with. Zeesshn's jaw was on the floor as he along side the rest of the bridge crew watched the specticle with a mixture of shock and dismay. This young woman was a representation of the pinnacle of Gartagen technology. She was also a representation of what the union was willing to sacrifice to achieve its own salvation. Tam was by no means handsome, he was aging, and overweight. But he did not shy away when he unfastened his naval coat and removed it from his body. He then placed the open coat onto the core to hide her nakedness from. Were it not for his stoic stature, and stony caricature, he would have looked like a common civilian with his plain shirt and black pants with a sword tired to his hip by a sash. Zeesshn looked at the gesture his Commander had afforded the woman. "It is Commander." He corrected with a stern, yet forgiving voice as if to remind her of the man's status. That coat. Tam never would have taken it off and handed it to another. Possessions for Gartagens were rare things, and an ornate coat such as a commander's was worth it's weight in
"Yes commander" she said with a blink, looking as the coat as the thick pink goup she had raised from slowly soaked into it. "Commander, why did you hand me your coat? there is a high probability of it getting damaged" she said, blinking her eyes at him. Her voice sounded... mystified and a bit distant. He got the feeling that she was much less used to seeing the world from this perspective then from the perspective of the ship
Tam lied. "I did not want you to get cold, it may damaged your cell structure and this could damage your implants." His hands were thrown behind his back. Nudity was not a strange concept, but to line officers, and a core was considered an officer some dignity was to be afforded. Honestly he had an ulterior motive. He had deck crew observing her intently, The last thing tam wanted was for this young girl to be alienated from them the way Navy Command clearly wanted them to. Zeesshn approached and began shamelessly peeking in the coat, he was not lecherous, he was just amazed by her very exhistanceThe funding...the craft.." His voice was a mix of awe and distress. "This girl can't be much older then my daughter..." Tam's voice was hard as if growing irritated with Zeesshn's prodding. "Had your daughter scored well enough on the pre-tests during school trial, it could have been her." Zeesshn pulled away from the core very suddenly after hearing this.
The ship was docked with the massive Exodus station which was to be the first leaping point for the virgin colony program that The Union was seemingly sinking all of its money, research and personnel into. Tam and his XO sub-commander Zeensshn were already in route via the main corridor to air lock five subsection B. Tam was still reeling from his encounter with the Union core earlier that week, but his facial expression and tone of voice was quite jolly as he passed various members of his crew and Zeensshn's clan. Tam's uniform was impeccably clean today, and he like Zeenssh were easily told apart from the enlisted crew by the different pattern of the long over coats they wore. With a sharp hiss the air air lock doors opened allowing Tam and Zeenssh to enter the main boarding clamp. "Tam...Thank you for doing this." Zeenssh said as he looked at the older commander. Tam let out a soft snarl. "Don't thank me, If i wasn't for you i'd be having retirement forced on me...plus this is the only way I we can get out of the system. If I have to spend the rest of my life looking at rocks and herding them together in crates, I'd still thank you." Tam looked to Zeensh, who was not by any means young, but a thin and handsome man with his pale sand colored skin. Zeensh smiled revealing a of sharp teeth. "I heard you you took a peak at our ship's computer core...what did you think?" Tam's smile droped, and his face contorted to a solumn expression as he turned his head back to the reception that caught him off guard. "It disturbed me...."
The airlock door slid open, revealing the crew standing at attention. "Captain" a woman's voice said over the intercom "I am transferring command of my body to you sir." Her voice was very close to, but not quite, emotionless. "Would you like a quick tour of your new command sir?"
At ease" Tam said sharply in his well practiced ithsai(Primary government sanctioned Gartagen Language and dialect). He did not salute back, he merely crossed his arms and shifted a stern glare to the young men and women under his command. Zeensshn Fell looked up above his head. "That must be it." He said smiling once more. "That heavenly voice must be the core." He said looking around the deck for imperfections. Tam nodded. "Well Sub-commander, does your commander wish for a tour." Zeensshn took that as a sign to take on his role. "Yes my leader. Core, The Commander does wish to take a tour of his new command." Zeensshn's voice was stern and solid, and certainly commanded the respect that Tam had for him.
“I assure you that my voice is not transmitting from a local contained within the afterlife". The voice responded. With, perhaps, a touch of humor. "Certainly. This fleet command vessil was built on a convertible chassis so that it can serve as a heavy transport, a carrier, a mining vessel, or a heavy battleship. Please follow the lights on the walls for a tour of the various decks. Is there any particular place you would like to begin?" Lights began lighting up along the halls, one by one, leading the captain and his second in command through the defensivly laid out hulls. "This is one of several chokepoints designed to protect the ship from bording attempts. Automated turrets are located here, here, and here" three guns pop out of hidden protective plates, before returning to their repose "The door here is very strong and would take an estimated two hours to half hour to cut through depending on the equipment brought by the bording party"
“That is a lot of ordinance in case we get boarded." Zeensshn said as he observed the quick demonstration. Tam did not seem to even flinch. "It s confidential, but fleet has knowledge of alien intelligences out side of our home system. They are taking no chances, not even on a Humble mining vessel like this." Tam said almost at a whisper. Zeenshn nodded, and looked up above his head. "She has a sense of humor." He said as if changing the subject. Tam let a smirk spread across his blue lips "Good It will give me somebody to talk too besides you and your wife." Zeensshn let out a laugh. "Take us to the bridge, Core." He said as he cleared his throat. "You can talk to my kids...and my siblings...my parents are working the processing plant."
“ If you continue to the left path path, closer to the outer hull is the location of my mess halls and sleeping quarters. They are located near my hull in order to absorb combat damages as they are less then vital components, and any gartegen sleeping during combat report deserves the possible decompression." She said with a hint of savagry to her voice "Past the next set of chokepoints are my outer cargo bays. My inner cargo bays hold provisions and material, the outer bays are empty at present, it is our delta tertiary mission objective to fill them with as much valuable ore as possible." she sounds almost eager at that prospect "Traveling in the other direction there are three more choke-points, and then my bridge which is nestled safely near the center of my body." The lights light up leading them "My core is located on the self contained bridge, as is a set of fold away bunks, emergancy food, medical, and air supplies so that, if needed, it is possible to stay alive on the bridge for a signifigant period of time even if the rest of my body is damaged." She leads them along the hulls to the moderatly large room that was the bridge. It was draped in computer screens and wires. A small power generator sat near the corner of the room next to a large button labled 'emergancy generator start button'. “Captain on the bridge" she declaired “Welcome to my heart Captain, first officer"
Both Zeesshn and Tam chuckled at the idea of a Gartagen sleeping during combat. Every Gartagen was a trained soldier, and loved to fight. The sparse command staff was busy running diagnostics over computer terminals, and the maintenance crew was moving about placing bulk head pannels up and other wise cleaning the bridge. The Bridge was oval shaped, with weapons station, comms, sensors, all arranged in a trench around an elevated platform that loomed over them. The platform had a command station over it with a three dimensional imaging system, as well as 3d HUD that was hanging over the command podium. THis centralized system allowed for the captain to easily address his officers, as well as keep up with information as it was sent to him. Tam and Zeesshn both walked up the small stairs and were standing near the podium. "This is our station." Tam said in his raspy voice. "My clan your ship" Zeesshn said smiling as be began studying the command podium. "The Navy is really pushing some radical technology forward...ive never seen such an elaborate.." Tam Interrupted his XO "Wait till you see the Core...Core" Tam said loudly. "Take us to you
"Sir" she said with a virtual nod "My brain is currently stowed in it's protective compartment. You should have been given the acess code when you were given command. If you do not have it, the head technition could supply it. It needs to be inputed on the key-terminal by the captain's crash-webbing" the voice says "My brain's ability to feel, and move is deactivated while it is connected with my body
Tam had studied the ship's commands very intently. He marched over to his impact webbing witch was against the rear bulkhead of the bridge, and flipped open the small terminal. Tam's jaw tensed as his claws softly tapped and glided across the terminal's interface. "Brace your self Sub-Commander. Zeesshn looked up from the command terminal and waited patiently. His yellow eyes did not blink as he took in the captain's cold expression.
A klaxon sounded, and a hole opened in the floor. A large tub raised out of the ground. Floating in the tub and ravished by her protective cacoon of wires, was the body of a young woman. She was lying on her side in a fetal position in that cramped space, surrounded by armored bulkheads and shock absorbing gells. She would be pretty... not drop dead gorgious, just pretty, were it not for the gaping plugs in her skin, the odd black cybernetics occasionaly piercing the surface, the metal and wire exoskeliton that had clearly been strapped to her body so long that there were calloses on her skin where it contacted. She also had a large black metal headband. Her eyes were open, but obviously sightless and her body was completely still. Nutriants and wastes flowed very slowly through several tubes. She was unclothed, and not nude, but naked and frail looking. "Sirs, this is my brain." the voice said "The operating manual recomends that it remains stowed in the protective compartment, and only be removed for maintance, such as regular exersize to retain muscle tone” Her body dripped wetly in the tub, acessable for the touch now that the top was removed. "There are other link points throughout the ship, many possissing a much reduced datacapacitance” The way in which she discusses her body... with utter detachment to it, as though it was just a piece of equipment, and not even a particularly valuable one, was probably interesting to note
Zeesshn's jaw dropped, as he came to a rest on his haunches with his tail acting as the support. "Much reduced..does command know?" Tam nodded yes. "They innovated and funded this technology." Zeesshn snarled. "Abomination!" He growled as he advanced on the tub. "Were did she come from?" Tam merely lowered his head. "I inquired with fleet command...." “They said told me if i valued my life, keep all of my questions and objections silent until after we leave the solar system." Zeesshn loomed over the tub. "Core, what is your name?”
As Zeesshn advanced on the tub the voice sounded a touch worried "Sir, you do not have permission to contact my brain from the captain. Only the chief technician, captain, and chief medtech have unrestricted access to contact with my brain, and otherwise only on-duty medtechs and technicians may contact my body without permission of the captain." The voice says, the nervious edge growing stronger with each step. "I was a volenteer sir. I do not recall my name. They had to remove my memories as part of the procedure sir Please step away from My Brain sir. You do not know the proper disconnection codes, and improper disconnection could harm me." At this close range her nakedness was all the more obvious
Tam stood and merely watched. He heard emotion in her voice. "So she is not all machine..." He said as his left claw reached up and touched the tip of his chin. Zeesshn halted his advance at her behest. and looked at Tam for direction. "Thats good enough Sub-Commander." He said holding his hand up. Tam's rotund body began advancing on the tub as the other Gartagens in the room spoke to each other in hushed tones about what they had just witnessed. Zeesshn took a moment to compose him self. He then stood up and looked over at the crew who had all their eyes locked onto the tub. "What are you inbred pouchlings looking at BACK TO WORK!" He roared. Tam loomed over the tank, but did not move to touch her. "D'jehendrazade..." He said softly, almost affectionately. The XO turned around "Sir?" Tam did not look up. "She does not have a name, so we will give her one. D'jehendrazade." Zeesshn looked confused "That is the name of the ship sir. Tam smiled "I read in the manifest that if she is essential for the ship and fleet to function...she is the ship, and she ship is her. It fits." Zeesshn nodded solemnly.
“Yes sir" she says "I am the ship... Also, paragraph 12 of the manifest subsection 3b recomends that the thought of me as a gategan is avoided. The psyche officers believe that thinking of me as a gartegan instead of a fancy computer system may lead to moral issue." she said, though Tam might notice a hint of whistfulness in her voice. Perhaps a touch of desire to be a person instead of an object.
“Well this is my ship, and I am your commander." He said calmly. "I will treat you as I see fit." His voice was stern, but obviously well meaning. Zeesshn tilted his head to the side and spoke informaly. "You always were the crusader..."Tam smirked. "This is a ship, not an army unit, this ship is our home, and we are all family..you know that." Zeesshn said nothing, he nodded. "D'jehendrazade." He said calmly. Several of the crew repeated the core's new name aloud. This event would be the talk of the ship by the mourning, and the Core would be being called D'jehendrazade by ever member of the mining fleet by the end of the week.
Yes sir" she says, her voice pleasent, perhaps with a subtle touch of pleasure. "Sir, do you want me to stow my brain, or do you desire to disconnect it and make certain it is up to spec as part of your inspection?" she asks "Also, if you do want me to be visible to the bridge crew, there is another storage tank that is more suited to that then this one, with similar data capacity though...<Blind_snotling>...less protective abilities”
Tam spoke calmly " This tank is perfect." He said pausing to think of an answer to her query. He then shifted a sympathetic look to Zeesshn. Zeesshn looked at his commander and smirked. "Crusader. D'jehendrazade, what do you want to do
"Sir, while disconnection of my brain and body is uncomfortable and disorienting, it is recommended in the manifest that you inspect my brain soon after aquiring the ship so that you can tell if there are any state changes in it, just in case the chief medtech failed to for some reason" The voice responded, this time with less emotion
Tam's voice echoed behind the core's "What is it that you wish to do?" He said sternly seriously wanting to know what she wanted to do. He could make it a command, but that may run the risk of drawing her out. Zeesshn kept his mouth shut as he wished to see what the core decided to do. Freedom was something strange to a Gartagen, but this lack of it seemed an almost alien concept to the two commanders of the D'jehendrazade
There was a pause. If Tam could read the displays he'd see a flurry of data running across them. "You should probably inspect my brain" she said, after some time. Suddenly several systems went silent. One of the technicians stood up "Sir, the CORE has begun the disconnection procedures.” Sounds were heard as her life support systems cycled down. Her chest started to move as her lungs started working, and fluids were pulled from the tubes into the systems until they were empty, then each tube and wire disconnected from it's plug one at a time. Not popping dramaticaly out, just releasing their locks. Her eyes began to move. She laid there, not moving, watching captain Tam, waiting. There was... anticipation of something in her eyes, though it was hard to read what
Tam held his hand out for her to grasp it. He was careful with his grip, holding his claws out so as not to slice into her flesh. If she accepted he would carefully lift her out of the kiosk and help her to her feet.
Her hand reached for his, her skin was purple and had an unusual texture and sheen due to the treatments it had. Her purple skin was also covered with complex fingerprint like black tatoos, a sort of barcode The exoskeliton lay along her wrist and the outside of her fingers, whirring slightly as it assisted her muscles in moving her body. as he raised her out of the fluid he saw that her hair was interwoven with wires, and that her limbs possessed metal bars and servos running along the outside. Most of these were anchored into ports in to her skin in various locations, and he saw some D rings anchored somewhere below her skin. One on each forearm, one on each leg near the ankle. Two from her hips near her waist, one emerging from her sternum and one emerging from the center of her neck. Her hair was long, and wild doing it's best to hide the long cables and wires interwoven with it. A doube line of LED status lights graced her left breast, and ran along her back. Her eyebrow possessed a single black ring. There was a mechanical whirr and a lens dropped from her headband over her large eye, as she inspected him carefuly and removed her mask, revealing her large small mouth and regal nose. Her tail had several rings around it, attached to a segmented wireframe, and she began to slowly whip it around, for stability as she stood. "Captain, my captain?" she said, softly, inspecting the man. She was not drop dead gorgious, just pretty, but that prettyness was ruined by the harsh lines of her exoskeliton and the small black box covered in lights set into her belly where her bellybutton would be. Her ears were covered with odd metal clamshells, though the clamshells quickly folded back into her black headband. The headband did not look removable. Her body had several scars, most noticibly along the belly, inner thighs, and up the back. She also had small scars under each eye on her cheek, and scars running along the underside of her jaw. These scars had stitch marks, and were very straight, surgical, and profesional looking, as though a doctor had tried very hard to minimise the scaring.They also ran along her inner forarms, and her neck. Her voice was weak, and had a slight buzz to it, as though it wasn't made completely with her own voicebox
Tam helped the young woman to her feet, and his dark eyes danced over her body as he analyzed every moving part. His gaze was not one of passion nor wanting, but more like a scientist trying to figure out exctally what it was he was dealing with. Zeesshn's jaw was on the floor as he along side the rest of the bridge crew watched the specticle with a mixture of shock and dismay. This young woman was a representation of the pinnacle of Gartagen technology. She was also a representation of what the union was willing to sacrifice to achieve its own salvation. Tam was by no means handsome, he was aging, and overweight. But he did not shy away when he unfastened his naval coat and removed it from his body. He then placed the open coat onto the core to hide her nakedness from. Were it not for his stoic stature, and stony caricature, he would have looked like a common civilian with his plain shirt and black pants with a sword tired to his hip by a sash. Zeesshn looked at the gesture his Commander had afforded the woman. "It is Commander." He corrected with a stern, yet forgiving voice as if to remind her of the man's status. That coat. Tam never would have taken it off and handed it to another. Possessions for Gartagens were rare things, and an ornate coat such as a commander's was worth it's weight in
"Yes commander" she said with a blink, looking as the coat as the thick pink goup she had raised from slowly soaked into it. "Commander, why did you hand me your coat? there is a high probability of it getting damaged" she said, blinking her eyes at him. Her voice sounded... mystified and a bit distant. He got the feeling that she was much less used to seeing the world from this perspective then from the perspective of the ship
Tam lied. "I did not want you to get cold, it may damaged your cell structure and this could damage your implants." His hands were thrown behind his back. Nudity was not a strange concept, but to line officers, and a core was considered an officer some dignity was to be afforded. Honestly he had an ulterior motive. He had deck crew observing her intently, The last thing tam wanted was for this young girl to be alienated from them the way Navy Command clearly wanted them to. Zeesshn approached and began shamelessly peeking in the coat, he was not lecherous, he was just amazed by her very exhistanceThe funding...the craft.." His voice was a mix of awe and distress. "This girl can't be much older then my daughter..." Tam's voice was hard as if growing irritated with Zeesshn's prodding. "Had your daughter scored well enough on the pre-tests during school trial, it could have been her." Zeesshn pulled away from the core very suddenly after hearing this.
