Zack
Inactive Member
188604, Starport>
188604's starport had certainly changed a lot. Only a year ago the entire area was nothing but uninhabitable desert wasteland. Now it was completely paved over with a type of concrete. It stretched out away from the main city as far as the eye could see, though on one side there was more desert waste, on the other was the increasingly large, rectangular shapes of the automated factories that the machines were building.
The large, flat, area was somewhat protected by sandstorms thanks to the nearby mountains... which used to be the nearby mountain until it had to be blown up.
Though there were a few small structures here and there, the entire area was mostly flat, dotted with a few starships having landed for offloading, and the occasional traveling APC or car going to and from the city.
It was one of these offloading starships from which Neera padded down the cargo ramp to stop and survey her surroundings. She had never been here before, then again she hadn't been anywhere much, being created in a lab that is. This world was where Neera was to find her new owner, A man by the name of Jack Pine.
Neera decided to head in the direction the cargo was being taken, a mass collection of buildings, which seemed the best place to start. With luck, she could find someone to point her in the right direction.
A woman dressed in grey would be the first to stop the animal as it disembarked. A frown on her face as she saw it step off onto the planet. Her tone matched the precisely fitting outfit she wore, "This animal does not have shipping labels attached." She stated. "Who's is responsible for routing it?"
"I dunno, I seemed to have taken care of that myself." Neera said with a clearly peeved tone of voice.
That gave Vier a moment of pause.
"I see you are Sentient." She stated, Vier trying to connect to any built in wireless setup the creature might have. "... Do you require assistance arranging for transport? You may have a hard time using a datapad."
"That's why I carry a modified model of datapad, but I digress, I'm looking for a certain individual. A Jack Pine, if you could take me to him, or at the very least point the way. It would be very appreciated." Neera says motionint to the small pack on her back, before continuing on as she still surveyed the starport.
It would take a moment, but Vier would eventually 'click'into the wireless built into the creature's pack. Queuing up a maps of the city as well as tracking markers for where Jack was currently located.
"I have provided you with that information. I can provide you transport... which I would recomend taking. Your physiology may not be well suited for the planet."
It wasn't hard to tell what Vier meant, the air here wasn't as rich in oxygen as most other worlds, it was a bit harder to breathe... and not just because of the amount of sand kicked up by the wind.
Neera was feeling what she meant, her breathing since disembarking had been slightly elevated, and she was glad to have a ride to her destination. "As I said, I am grateful for it. If you would please direct me to said transport, I must meet with him." she said now fully placing her attention on the woman before her.
It wouldn't take long before one of those transports would show up, a smooth looking APC pulling up alongside the group as spider like robots continued to unload the ship, its back ramp opening up for the dog.
Vier would wait a few moments, and then make the decision to join the short trip, getting in back and cliping herself into one of the three avalible seats along the wall in the back of the transport.
"Why are you designed that way?" She asked.
"What do you mean?", Neera asked with a tilt of her head in confusion.
"You resemble a dog." Vier replied.
"Technically I'm a wolf, but what are you getting at exactly, what do you want clarified?" Neera asked slightly peeved at the mistake, but not showing it outwardly.
"The form is not optimal for most tasks." Vier stated.
"Is there certain tasks you expect me to be doing?" Neera asked only more confused now.
"I am not certain what functions you can do." Vier responded.
"I act as a companion. Jack will be my new caretaker, who I will keep company and help him however I can." Neera said as if should have been obvious. "You don't act like the other Humans I have met, you seem different." she added tilting her head.
"You should know that there are not many humans left around here. Those that are tend to be somewhat more than strictly human anyways." Vier replied. "This means you are a support unit designed for... companionship?""
"Support unit, you make me sound like some drone or such, I'm a living being. Yes I was made but to be a friend and company for my guardian, that is more than other creations might get." Neera stated now slightly irritated, which she did not even attempt to hide.
"I think you could have been better designed. If you are interested in changing bodies I can certainly assist with that." Vier offered, as the transport slowed to a halt out infront of the small building Jack was calling his headquarters.
"I'm perfectly fine with the way I am for now, but if I ever change my mind I'll let you know." Neera stated as she readied to disembark. "So do you know him well, what kind of person is he?" she asked as she slightly became nervous about the realization was finally hitting her that she was meeting someone she would be around the majority of the time from now on.
"Green, but ambitious," Vier replied quickly.
"That doesn't exactly tell me much, so I guess you really don't know him well then." Neera sighed more irritated then before.
"And you do?" Vier asked.
"Only what I was given of his military records and what little data there was on his life in Nepleslia's orphanage system. Parents dead at birth, pretty much described as a loner, showed physical mutations in hair and eye color, everything between is spotty at best, spotless military record, multiple commendations, ranked at Lieutenant, praise for the squad he lead eliminating rebels, called them "The Angels of Retribution", all teamates save one KIA, never reenlisted due to Psych and personal reasons. As I understand it they were quite pervailent in the Nep news for a while for there work, and are well known therefore. Other than that, not much, and that doesn't exactly give me his full character. So as someone I presume has known him for at least a decent amount of time, I figure you could give me more detail. You seem like a person for keeping detailed data." Neera spoke clarifying.
"I keep clarity," Drei replied.
Of course there was more to it than that. She gave thought to talking about the data she did store, about how that data was processed and churned to create usable lists. About how those lists were indexed and processed.
"I need only to know what my next action items will be. In Jack's case he is a leader. We have few of those, which makes him of value. However he does not comprehend the scope of the task infront of him. He will find himself outmatched completely, by people willing to give up their friends and families to devote themselves entirely to their craft. He will be forced to make that same choice himself. This is only where the real battle starts, and every step up will be harder than the one before it."
Vier would pause, she knew she couldn't convey the scope of the problem through words, especially not to a creature so new. The sheer volume, the scope of it all, was not something that anyone could really wrap their head around until they ran into it themselves.
"The Nepleslians had been killing themselves for hundreds of years. It was my father and my predecessor that put a stop to the continual civil war. I have access to soldiers, drones, and weapons in vast numbers. We have some of the best people we can get our hands on... I helped blow up a star once. And all of this is still not nearly enough."
"Sometimes not forsaking those close is what makes someone strong, or so I'm told, same along the lines of the more allies the better the empire. And I can understand that much about him, he's never had a place to go, belong, call home, or even had a family. So can you blame him, I am surprised he's still sane." Neera said getting better picture of the man she would meet and hopefully call friend.
"That is a question these people have been trying to answer for quite some time. Separating what is real from what is a collaborative fiction is not much easier.
I find it easier if you measure based on what you have accomplished. Self improvement is not something that will be handed out, nor can you expect the universe to go easy on you because of some past history." Vier replied, "I hate to phrase it as... you will understand when you are older. It sounds condescending, and it is an admission I do not know how to fully explain the problem to you, nor do I fully understand exactly how this problem is structured.
Just, that it is there, and that eventually you will have to decide to face it head on, or retreat to a comfortably safe bubble."
"Well you're all a fun bunch aren't ya. I can just tell you guys are just looking for friends. Ever thought about being a model for grumps magazine?" Neera said peeved at Viers negative comments as she bagan to get smart.
"Do you know who to talk to in order to get on the cover?" Vier asked, adding a rare smile, the transport coming to a stop and the rear door opening up, "I really do not mean to come off that way. I am here to save as many people as possible... much like I hope Jack is."
"Yeah the person you want to talk to is my ass, and if you want to save people, you seem to not have a lot of faith in them." Neera said as she disembarked.
"I am not here to talk you into or out of trusting people. I am here to work. Perhaps we will have more luck working together, than talking aimlessly." Vier replied.
Neera disembarked, leaving Vier, and made her way to the front entrance of the building. She made her way inside and wandered through what appeared to be several workshops and labs before finding the door of a large office space. on the metal sliding door was printed Jack Pine, director of Section 6, and Commander of Saber forces. Below that was an emblem of a crimson sword with jet black wings stylized with white detailing for the feathers of the wings. She scratched at the door, and was rewarded with the sound of boots moving from behind something towards the door. A moment later the door opened to show a man in his early twenties with snow white hair, crimson eyes, a scar running down his right eye, and a black double helix tattoo curved around his left eye. "Hello?" he said as he looked right to left confused.
Neera huffed before saying, "Down here."
"Oh, didn't see you there, you must be Neera. You arrived much sooner than expected." Jack said before kneeling. "Welcome to 188604, things have changed quite a bit since I put in that order a year ago. I have a wife now, a home, and people to protect." Jack said ushering her into the office. which had been furnished with polished wood paneling, a good sized desk, with a comfortable chair behind it. "I think we will become fast friends." he added finally before sitting in the chair.
"Sounds like your outlook has gotten much better than your file suggested, and I hope we will." Neera added before taking a slightly smaller chair in front of the desk.
Neera and Jack would talk for many hours afterwards, then heading to Jack's house to be introduced to Isabelle.
188604's starport had certainly changed a lot. Only a year ago the entire area was nothing but uninhabitable desert wasteland. Now it was completely paved over with a type of concrete. It stretched out away from the main city as far as the eye could see, though on one side there was more desert waste, on the other was the increasingly large, rectangular shapes of the automated factories that the machines were building.
The large, flat, area was somewhat protected by sandstorms thanks to the nearby mountains... which used to be the nearby mountain until it had to be blown up.
Though there were a few small structures here and there, the entire area was mostly flat, dotted with a few starships having landed for offloading, and the occasional traveling APC or car going to and from the city.
It was one of these offloading starships from which Neera padded down the cargo ramp to stop and survey her surroundings. She had never been here before, then again she hadn't been anywhere much, being created in a lab that is. This world was where Neera was to find her new owner, A man by the name of Jack Pine.
Neera decided to head in the direction the cargo was being taken, a mass collection of buildings, which seemed the best place to start. With luck, she could find someone to point her in the right direction.
A woman dressed in grey would be the first to stop the animal as it disembarked. A frown on her face as she saw it step off onto the planet. Her tone matched the precisely fitting outfit she wore, "This animal does not have shipping labels attached." She stated. "Who's is responsible for routing it?"
"I dunno, I seemed to have taken care of that myself." Neera said with a clearly peeved tone of voice.
That gave Vier a moment of pause.
"I see you are Sentient." She stated, Vier trying to connect to any built in wireless setup the creature might have. "... Do you require assistance arranging for transport? You may have a hard time using a datapad."
"That's why I carry a modified model of datapad, but I digress, I'm looking for a certain individual. A Jack Pine, if you could take me to him, or at the very least point the way. It would be very appreciated." Neera says motionint to the small pack on her back, before continuing on as she still surveyed the starport.
It would take a moment, but Vier would eventually 'click'into the wireless built into the creature's pack. Queuing up a maps of the city as well as tracking markers for where Jack was currently located.
"I have provided you with that information. I can provide you transport... which I would recomend taking. Your physiology may not be well suited for the planet."
It wasn't hard to tell what Vier meant, the air here wasn't as rich in oxygen as most other worlds, it was a bit harder to breathe... and not just because of the amount of sand kicked up by the wind.
Neera was feeling what she meant, her breathing since disembarking had been slightly elevated, and she was glad to have a ride to her destination. "As I said, I am grateful for it. If you would please direct me to said transport, I must meet with him." she said now fully placing her attention on the woman before her.
It wouldn't take long before one of those transports would show up, a smooth looking APC pulling up alongside the group as spider like robots continued to unload the ship, its back ramp opening up for the dog.
Vier would wait a few moments, and then make the decision to join the short trip, getting in back and cliping herself into one of the three avalible seats along the wall in the back of the transport.
"Why are you designed that way?" She asked.
"What do you mean?", Neera asked with a tilt of her head in confusion.
"You resemble a dog." Vier replied.
"Technically I'm a wolf, but what are you getting at exactly, what do you want clarified?" Neera asked slightly peeved at the mistake, but not showing it outwardly.
"The form is not optimal for most tasks." Vier stated.
"Is there certain tasks you expect me to be doing?" Neera asked only more confused now.
"I am not certain what functions you can do." Vier responded.
"I act as a companion. Jack will be my new caretaker, who I will keep company and help him however I can." Neera said as if should have been obvious. "You don't act like the other Humans I have met, you seem different." she added tilting her head.
"You should know that there are not many humans left around here. Those that are tend to be somewhat more than strictly human anyways." Vier replied. "This means you are a support unit designed for... companionship?""
"Support unit, you make me sound like some drone or such, I'm a living being. Yes I was made but to be a friend and company for my guardian, that is more than other creations might get." Neera stated now slightly irritated, which she did not even attempt to hide.
"I think you could have been better designed. If you are interested in changing bodies I can certainly assist with that." Vier offered, as the transport slowed to a halt out infront of the small building Jack was calling his headquarters.
"I'm perfectly fine with the way I am for now, but if I ever change my mind I'll let you know." Neera stated as she readied to disembark. "So do you know him well, what kind of person is he?" she asked as she slightly became nervous about the realization was finally hitting her that she was meeting someone she would be around the majority of the time from now on.
"Green, but ambitious," Vier replied quickly.
"That doesn't exactly tell me much, so I guess you really don't know him well then." Neera sighed more irritated then before.
"And you do?" Vier asked.
"Only what I was given of his military records and what little data there was on his life in Nepleslia's orphanage system. Parents dead at birth, pretty much described as a loner, showed physical mutations in hair and eye color, everything between is spotty at best, spotless military record, multiple commendations, ranked at Lieutenant, praise for the squad he lead eliminating rebels, called them "The Angels of Retribution", all teamates save one KIA, never reenlisted due to Psych and personal reasons. As I understand it they were quite pervailent in the Nep news for a while for there work, and are well known therefore. Other than that, not much, and that doesn't exactly give me his full character. So as someone I presume has known him for at least a decent amount of time, I figure you could give me more detail. You seem like a person for keeping detailed data." Neera spoke clarifying.
"I keep clarity," Drei replied.
Of course there was more to it than that. She gave thought to talking about the data she did store, about how that data was processed and churned to create usable lists. About how those lists were indexed and processed.
"I need only to know what my next action items will be. In Jack's case he is a leader. We have few of those, which makes him of value. However he does not comprehend the scope of the task infront of him. He will find himself outmatched completely, by people willing to give up their friends and families to devote themselves entirely to their craft. He will be forced to make that same choice himself. This is only where the real battle starts, and every step up will be harder than the one before it."
Vier would pause, she knew she couldn't convey the scope of the problem through words, especially not to a creature so new. The sheer volume, the scope of it all, was not something that anyone could really wrap their head around until they ran into it themselves.
"The Nepleslians had been killing themselves for hundreds of years. It was my father and my predecessor that put a stop to the continual civil war. I have access to soldiers, drones, and weapons in vast numbers. We have some of the best people we can get our hands on... I helped blow up a star once. And all of this is still not nearly enough."
"Sometimes not forsaking those close is what makes someone strong, or so I'm told, same along the lines of the more allies the better the empire. And I can understand that much about him, he's never had a place to go, belong, call home, or even had a family. So can you blame him, I am surprised he's still sane." Neera said getting better picture of the man she would meet and hopefully call friend.
"That is a question these people have been trying to answer for quite some time. Separating what is real from what is a collaborative fiction is not much easier.
I find it easier if you measure based on what you have accomplished. Self improvement is not something that will be handed out, nor can you expect the universe to go easy on you because of some past history." Vier replied, "I hate to phrase it as... you will understand when you are older. It sounds condescending, and it is an admission I do not know how to fully explain the problem to you, nor do I fully understand exactly how this problem is structured.
Just, that it is there, and that eventually you will have to decide to face it head on, or retreat to a comfortably safe bubble."
"Well you're all a fun bunch aren't ya. I can just tell you guys are just looking for friends. Ever thought about being a model for grumps magazine?" Neera said peeved at Viers negative comments as she bagan to get smart.
"Do you know who to talk to in order to get on the cover?" Vier asked, adding a rare smile, the transport coming to a stop and the rear door opening up, "I really do not mean to come off that way. I am here to save as many people as possible... much like I hope Jack is."
"Yeah the person you want to talk to is my ass, and if you want to save people, you seem to not have a lot of faith in them." Neera said as she disembarked.
"I am not here to talk you into or out of trusting people. I am here to work. Perhaps we will have more luck working together, than talking aimlessly." Vier replied.
Neera disembarked, leaving Vier, and made her way to the front entrance of the building. She made her way inside and wandered through what appeared to be several workshops and labs before finding the door of a large office space. on the metal sliding door was printed Jack Pine, director of Section 6, and Commander of Saber forces. Below that was an emblem of a crimson sword with jet black wings stylized with white detailing for the feathers of the wings. She scratched at the door, and was rewarded with the sound of boots moving from behind something towards the door. A moment later the door opened to show a man in his early twenties with snow white hair, crimson eyes, a scar running down his right eye, and a black double helix tattoo curved around his left eye. "Hello?" he said as he looked right to left confused.
Neera huffed before saying, "Down here."
"Oh, didn't see you there, you must be Neera. You arrived much sooner than expected." Jack said before kneeling. "Welcome to 188604, things have changed quite a bit since I put in that order a year ago. I have a wife now, a home, and people to protect." Jack said ushering her into the office. which had been furnished with polished wood paneling, a good sized desk, with a comfortable chair behind it. "I think we will become fast friends." he added finally before sitting in the chair.
"Sounds like your outlook has gotten much better than your file suggested, and I hope we will." Neera added before taking a slightly smaller chair in front of the desk.
Neera and Jack would talk for many hours afterwards, then heading to Jack's house to be introduced to Isabelle.
