(Giobhioni Station, uncharted space)
The vessel I was staring at had me in awe.
Where the one Stacy had set me to rebuild was ugly as sin, and barely bigger than an escape pod with a hypertunnel drive strapped to it, this one was much bigger. Its lines were sleek and elegant, reminding him vaguely of the manta rays of earth’s oceans. Twin bulges towards the rear of its belly spoke of powerful engines for its size, if his brief understanding of their tech working on the previous ship gave any indication, this thing would have speed like nothing from the Terran Commonwealth fleet.
Twin viewports towards its bow underbelly, and a large clear canopy along its upper keel would give some remarkable views to anyone within. There was just so much to take in about this ship that I couldn’t speak for some time after the hangar door had opened.
“Huh,” Stacy’s voice intruded into my thoughts, “if he’s so speechless at just the sight of the ship, I’m just going to have to take it over. Then I can experience him getting inside me for the first time all over again!”
The laugh that erupted from me was startling, Jophixa shook her head though, <Do you really have to be so filthy minded? He’s not even Giobhioni! And you’re an AI!>
The sound that came from my speakers was the closest thing to a raspberry I would have expected from anything that didn’t have a physical tongue. “Give her a break Jophixa, she’s been alone for so long, she’s just having fun.” I told the diminutive woman to my right. With the way they looked, I’d had a number of worries as we walked here, that my fellow humans would cause a diplomatic incident by calling them goblins, and they’d take it poorly.
At least they weren’t the characterized beings from our earlier popular media, the ones that were thought to have been racist portrayals of a certain racial group back home. THAT, I thought to myself, I’m sure would not go over well.
<The crew is gonna get annoyed if they have to spend all their time dealing with her flirting with them.>
“I only flirt with Thomas!” Stacy declared, “after all, he’s got me wrapped around his…everything”
<ARG!>
“Wasn’t this supposed to be the Commander’s personal vessel, Chief?” Stacy asked to change the subject. She wasn’t stupid, just silly.
Walking over to the ship, Jophixa smiled, <Yes, it was,> she explained, <Its commissioning was an award from fleet command for his exemplary service here. He had a personal hand in its design, and asked me for advice when it came to her tactical systems. Commander Zentrani had a gift for ship design. Now that he is gone, and there has been no contact from fleet command, it seems the ship is mine to designate as needed.”
I walked over to join her near the ship, and hesitantly reached my hand to touch the sleek hull. “Nothing in the Commonwealth compares. Most of the Commonwealth Fleet’s ships are rather blocky, they say it’s to keep costs down. And even civilian ships, while less so, still don’t reach the sheer elegance of this beauty. Surely she needs more crew than just one, she’s so much larger than that…than the other ship.”
I heard a chuckle, and looked down at her. Her eyes were unfocused, as if lost in thought. <Most of our own astronautics engineers are much the same. They default towards practical, cost effective designs. Maximize interior space, minimize material needed. Keep mass down, keep agility up.> She shook her head, walking over to a panel near a landing strut and entering a security code. <But the Commander couldn’t stand to have something so boring, and he’d been given broad discretion on the budget for this ship after the success of our latest battlecruiser design. The arguments with the astronautics department were epic>
From the bottom of the ship, a loading ramp lowered, and I could see lighting start to flicker to life inside. <But he was the commander, and he had authority to commission what he wanted. This ship does require a crew of three, though it can manage with two if they know what they are doing. You won’t be leaving here alone. You will have at least two Giobhioni going with you, and our best VI will be installed as soon as the team is ready to work.>
“Commander Jophixa, Ma’am…” Stacy began.
<No Stacy.> Jophixa said sternly <We can’t risk you out there. You can’t possibly know how special you are to us. There’s too much risk, if the Ktonshi Contagion starts spreading again, the entirety of their region will fall to chaos. You might be lost!>
“But…”
“She’s probably right Stacy.” I cut in. “I’d love to have you alone, you’ve been a great friend these last few days, and I really did want to introduce you to my Boudya and her mate, but A.I.s are rare out there. I’ll come back if they let me, and we’ll work towards getting you a chance to go out and explore the galaxy. Okay?”
She didn’t respond, and I really felt bad for taking Jophixa’s side on this, but it was dangerous out there, and if a self actualized A.I. was rare even to Giobhioni… I didn’t want to be the reason her existence got snuffed out.
“So is this thing built to accommodate ‘Big Jobs’ like myself?” I asked, changing the subject to give Stacy time to deal with the disappointment, “Or am I going to need to crawl everywhere while on board?”
<You’ll be fine.> she replied dismissively. <the Commander expected he might have to ferry V.I.P.s around occasionally, so designed her internals to be adaptive to work for any of the known species we were in contact with at the time. Bunks, seats, it all adjusts. As soon as the right crew is awake and prepared, we can get you heading home.”
“You sure you can’t just let me use a comms terminal? There’d be no need to rush things, or put any of your people out there in harm’s way.”
Jophixa shook her head. <Stacy examined your comms systems and determined our tech doesn’t work the same way. At all. We’d have to not just build new comms terminals, but build the parts and the equipment to build them. You humans took an odd path with your communications technology. By the time we got all that set up, you could likely already be warning someone in person.
<Besides,> she frowned at me, <I’m still a bit worried about someone in your Commonwealth tracking the signal back here. I’m not prepared to allow your people to have the location of this facility yet, and until we have all the systems checked over, I don’t want to risk trying to relocate it.>
“Move…” I blinked, contemplating the sheer amount of power it would take to move this entire planetoid station, especially if they planned to move it to another star system. “You can move this place?”
She nodded, stepping up the loading ramp of the ship, and walking down a corridor, <And I plan to, as soon as we complete all the necessary checks and maintenance.> She stopped in front of a door, tapped a button to open it and waved me inside. She hadn’t been lying. The interior was as roomy as any Terran Commonwealth ship. <I don’t like the fact that your Captain Barstol knows the location of this place, even if he doesn’t know exactly what’s here. It’s enough he’ll be tempted to come back to investigate deeper, or sell the location to someone else. Either way, it’s best for us to relocate.>
When I stepped through the door, I found myself looking at a spartan but sizable stateroom. A bed large enough for my taller than average build, a comfortable looking armchair, a small table-slash-desk, and a door opening into a private head, complete with shower stall. <You might as well bunk down here while we get everything prepared for getting you home.> Jophixa explained. <and no, before you ask, you aren’t being confined here. I don’t think Stacy would let me do that even if I ordered it. You can have Stacy show you around, but don’t try to go anywhere she says you can’t go, ok?>
“I can live with that. Will be nice to sleep in an actual bed after 2 weeks on floors and whatnot.” I eyed the bed for a moment, suddenly nervous, “Giobhioni do like their beds cushioned right? You don’t have some preference for sharp, prickly, hard as a rock, or anything like that right? I met this Hontralli lass years ago, their people slept on beds of jagged gravel! My knees took a week to heal!”This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
I heard a giggle-snort come from my speakers. I knew Stacy wouldn’t be able to stay silent through that comment. Jophixa, however, just rolled her eyes at me. <We like our creature comforts quite well. You’ll be fine. Now, most of the ship is off limits until I get back, I want to show you around myself, but I need to go make sure the other stasis pods are cycling properly. The medical staff will be the first to awaken, and I want to brief them in person. Don’t cause any trouble.>
I gave what I hoped was a disarming smile. “I wouldn’t dream of it. I’m honestly planning to strip down and have a nice long nap. I don’t suppose there might be a place where a guy my size can find pajamas around here is there?”
She let out a snort and said <If you can get Stacy talking, ask her to unlock the minifac kiosk for you, she has my authorization. She’ll tell you how it works.> with that, she strode out of the room on her short legs, moving fast regardless.
I caught myself staring at her as she left and shook my head. Don’t even think about it Thomas, we’re leaving here soon, and probably won’t see her again.
“She does have a nice ass though, doesn’t she?” Stacy giggled from my speakers. I couldn’t help it, I blushed.
Two days later, after learning more about the unnamed ship I was to be traveling on, studying more of the Giobhioni language, and taking a brief tour of the closer sections of the station (the parts I had clearance for anyway), I was introduced to one Tsika Gwatri, or Dr. Gwatri in English.
<I have been asked to run some scans of your brain>, he said one he’d introduced himself, <and adapt our interface implant for you if necessary. You do wish to receive an implant correct? I would hate to go through all that trouble if you had no intention of having it implanted. I understand you are “getting by” quite well with your “subtitles” for translation.>
The older Giobhioni, I was guessing due to his slightly wizened stature and acerbic tone, seemed nonplussed by my presence. I couldn’t decide if he was all out offended by me, or just being asked to deal with me right after waking up. Or maybe the guy was just one of those naturally anti-social types, like that doctor with no name on the one Star Trek series. Can’t blame someone for being genetically snobbish, if that was the case.
“Well then, how about I just get a bit more info first?” I replied, scratching my beard. I hadn’t gotten around to asking if they had something for me to shave with, and I was honestly considering keeping it. I was half afraid of seeing how sunken my face looked after so long on minimal calorie intake. “This implant is like a universal translator kind of deal? I’ll ‘hear’ what other people say in my own language, in layman’s terms anyway?”
He nodded, sitting down a case he’d been carrying, and taking a handheld device out of it. <In layman’s terms, yes.> he explained, <It will interface with your auditory cortex, and reroute signals from your ears through itself, replacing languages it knows with your own language so that you will understand them. Since it is in line with your auditory cortex, it will also serve as a short range communicator. Without a signal booster or relay station, you would be able to communicate with others within a…1.32km radius. You would, of course, have to speak out loud for the implant to pick up your own voice, since the base model is not designed to pick up signals from your speech centers.>
“But there’s an upgraded implant that could do that?”
<There is, but Commander Throhx would have to authorize you to receive it.> He told me haughtily, waving the object he’d taken from the case slowly around my head. Obviously some kind of medical scanner. <I only have authorization for the standard implant at the moment.>
“Makes sense I guess,” I said, shrugging carefully, trying to keep my head still for him so he didn’t snap at me. “And there’s really no point in even asking her for authorization until you know if the implant will even work with my physiology, or if I consent to have it implanted, correct?”
He harrumphed softly, continuing his scan. <At least you’re smarter than a Tradnian warrior. Not that that really says much mind you, but it’s certainly a relief. And your skull is certainly not as thick. Need to turn the scanner up to maximum power just to get through their cranial wall to diagnose a concussion. Stunted ones they are.>
I couldn’t help myself, I chuckled.
<Anyway. The standard implant can also be used as an emergency transponder. Again, short range; A rescue team would need to be within comms range in order to get a location reading from your implant, unless you were near a booster or relay. One reason why explorer teams have always taken such things with them when going beyond civilization. Such things can be integrated into backpacks, tool belts->
“Or EVA suits?”
He gave a curt but satisfied nod, <Indeed. Standard equipment on all Giobhioni EVA suits. And most other species have something similar. There are far too many risks of accidents on space walks, and it’s far too easy for one to end up out of range quickly in the case of one of them. The EVA suit having a booster means a recovery crew is able to pin down their location and retrieve them right quick, and minimize loss of personnel.>
“Are there security protocols on the transponder codes?” I asked after a moment’s thought. Overall, I was liking the sounds of this implant, especially if I could get a booster built into my suit, and include some in an everyday carry kit or something. My one concern was just anyone being able to trace the implant, and I voice as much.
<Much smarter than a Tradnian Warrior.> he responded with another chuckle. <I’ve had others not think to ask such questions. Yes, there are security protocols. Generally, access to these codes are only provided to authorized security and search and rescue teams, and command personnel. The files are kept under the heaviest encryption we have. Nobody just gets someone’s implant code unless they are authorized by high command, or are given it personally by the subject themselves. We highly recommend you consult with security experts before you give out your code however. You may think a person is trustworthy, but giving out that code is giving away your exact location for life, or until you can explain to an authorized cyber surgeon why you need your implant’s firmware flashed to rewrite your code. Better to let them know who to contact in the Line of Command if they should need to.>
I chewed my lip for a moment, and considered what had happened on my last run with Barstol. I can only imagine what could have happened if he’d had the means to track me down no matter where I was after I testified against him. When he got out of prison, he’d have come gunning for me, I know he would have.
“Makes perfect sense, and I will remember your advice. Especially since you are the only cyber surgeon I know that deals with these implants.”
<Good.> he responded, placing the scanner down, <It appears that your neural and genetic structure are incredibly close to Giobhioni. So much so, I think, that interspecies viability is over 94% by my estimation. I will still need to fine tune the implant slightly, but it will take no more than an hour or so. Have you decided whether you wish to receive it?>
“As long as there’s no nasty surprises like a cranial bomb or something that’ll override my personality and turn me into a sleeper agent or something, I’m all for it.”
He stopped dead and turned slowly from where he was packing up the scanner. The look in his eyes was at once furious and horrified. <Do you take me for one of the Kstansi?> He demanded with such fierceness, I wondered for a moment if he was gonna pick up the case and club me with it. <That you would ask if a Tsaki would even consider doing such a thing is reprehensible! To do such deliberate harm to one under our care is deplorable! What kinds of Tsaki do you have among your kind that you would even think such a thing!>
“Easy doc!” I held my hands up, backing up slightly, “it was meant as a joke. Turns out it was a bad one. But there has been a lot of fiction and conspiracy theories on my world speculating about such things, whether they’ve been used, are real, and if they have or have not been used. Popular opinion is just as yours is. The use of such things would be horrifically immoral and unethical, and the perpetrators should be blown out of an airlock at the soonest opportunity, for the safety of the rest of us. And remember, I’ve only known your people for a few days, and I’m about to let you implant something in my head. There are a lot of people of my species, my own sister included, who would call me a complete moron for trusting you so easily. If it were not for Stacy, I wouldn’t. Not because I think you’re untrustworthy, but because I don’t know if you’re trustworthy.
“But I have spent enough time to build a rapport with Stacy to know that if you’re about to do something skeezy to me, she’s not going to be too happy. She might, in fact, arrange for you to be blown out an airlock at the earliest convenience. Am I right Stacy?”
“Damn Straight Sugar baby!” came the voice over the P.A., causing the Doctor to look up and scowl worriedly. “The Giobhioni need you to establish good relations if they are gonna integrate with this time period. And you’re my friend. As a VI I wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone, and they might very well lock me out of some systems after this. But trust me Tsaki, if by some far out reason you were to break from what everything in my data banks says is strict Giobhioni medical ethics, and put some kind of shady implant in my Sugarplum here, I would find a way to make sure you never did it again. Don’t make me go Terminator on your short green ass. Oh, and I will also go looking for whoever ordered you to do it. Even if it’s the Commander. Even if it means the extinction of the entire Giobhioni race. Don’t mess with my sweetcheeks!”
If Tsaki Gwatri weren’t Giobhioni, with the green skin that came with that, I swear he’d be looking a bit green in the gills right about now. Not that I think it was from guilt at all. His reaction to my comment earlier seemed honest and heartfelt – not that I’m an expert at reading people – and I knew Stacy would likely have warned me if she caught wind of anything untowards in this whole deal. No, I guessed it was completely due to the fact that Stacy was exhibiting the willingness to avenge a friend. A friend who is not Giobhioni. Against Giobhioni. When she was built by them.
Nature versus Nurture I guess. They might have built and coded her virtual genetics, but I was her first friend, and that seemed to mean something to her. Seemed to mean a LOT to her. Note to self: always do right by your AI friend. For she trusts you, and may be psychologically delicate. She is also fucking scary it seems.