This EVA suit is seriously the coolest thing I own. I’ve been digging on this rock for hours with my sundering staff and I’m only just running out of breathable air. This baby has rebreathers, and a damned atmospheric synthesizer that feeds off Aether. I need to put one of those in the shuttle.
Speaking of, I need to return and hook my primary backups for a recharge, and maybe check in on Melissa. I’m sad that I don’t have access to enough funds to put a building in that hole. Astoria is really pretty from up here.
I close the hatch, pressurize the shuttle, and pop my helmet off when it finishes. I have some blinking notices in my HUD so I transfer it to the main screen. An incoming call.
“Katie? Hey, what’s the emergency?”
“Former Councilman Viper shouted words of sedition with conviction, so I went into the colony menus and sent you some notices to confirm.”
“How’d the vote go?”
“There wasn’t much of a meeting after you left. The boys started shouting, Frannie shouted back, someone pulled a gun and they got ferociously electrocuted by my anti-tampering protocols. I was glad to see they worked. After they shook off the shock, they yelled again and a few stormed off. The three of us left decided on the last option and distributed the funds minutes ago. Where are you? There appears to be a delay.”
“On the moon. Venting and digging a hole.”
“You should install a defense laser.” She says, matter of fact.
“Hah, yeah, I probably should. Do you mind if you put small ansible up here?”
“I would if I were you. I say go for it.”
“Thanks Katie. Anything else?”
“I want to have a bloody tryst with you on the moon?” She says something that ridiculous with a strait face, and it’s impressive.
“Jeez, that planet is lousy with horny women.” For the first time in days I see a crack in her stony façade.
Allow to leave, revoke citizenship. Set relations as “strained”
Well that feels like a loaded question. Lets change some organization. Astoria Sovereignty, led by Penny Astoria, with Consuls O’Connell, and Hunsaker. Colony Curator Summer established the Independently governed Summer Station Vassal State. Summer Station is the current Capital of Astoria.
//Astorian Decree: Independently Governed Colonies are permitted to establish Astorian Vassal States on all system gravity rounded bodies//
->> Sovereign Astoria! I represent the V’tek Collective and would like to declare our intent to establish a colony in your system after our motion before the Andromeda Forum, on your behalf, is concluded. <<-
Holy hell that was fast.
They were likely the reason that prompt came up after you released the others from their citizenship.
->> Tentative agreement, representative! A proposed settlement site and desired rights and ranges will be required before permanent structures can be established. <<-
->> Promising Opportunity! Your allowance is appreciated, Sovereign. <<-
Is it weird that I actually like how they talk? Lead with the conclusion, explain the rationale after. It all depends on an exchange that appears to be equitable.
They are strangely okay with you maintaining rule over their colony.
I imagine they are viewing it as a contractor that is granted a license to operate. I would have been more concerned, that the decree basically claimed sovereignty over all system assets, only inviting others to my planets and moons.
Where the vast majority of accessible mining mass is in orbital debris, asteroids and comets. I see. And with your sundering devices being theoretically scalable, you could mine a system clean in a few centuries.
That and I have actionable plans to claim four more systems. And in less than a hex, the Supercluster leadership will know that we can make Moon Breakers—an unidentified technology of T-3 destructive capabilities.
I believe you’ve learned the wrong things from Earthen Politics.
I feel as though, don’t mess with me and I don’t have to destabilize your star conveys my desired emotion.
Should I begin to refer to you as her Imperial Majesty?
NO! of course not Tessa. We’re in this together, they shall refer to us as “Our Imperial Majesties.” She cackles in my brain, not really needing any work on her villain laugh.
I ring up Melissa because it has been minutes since their meeting ended.
“Hey Mel. I heard that the meeting went well and that Katie wants to have my puppies.”
“Pfft. She’s a cat, Penny, but yes, after your show of power, she would happily bear your kittens. I would space her, but we kind of need her to run things. She’s hot too.”
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“Fact. She is good at the management work and a good kisser.”
She grumps at the last part, but moves on “I saw the new authority structure, what motivated that?” She leans back, showing that she’s sitting on a video call in her underwear.
“Plant collective. They want a piece of Astoria after their Matrix meeting. That and it allows for Viper to establish a nest if he wants. OH! Conference. Tessa, bring Katie in.”
I get a picture in picture of Katie clearly taking a shower. “Do I need to call you back?”
“No, why?” She asks, washing her hair while talking at the camera. Well if she doesn’t care.
“I wanted to issue a noon tomorrow to vacate with the possessions you can physically carry.”
“With the hierarchy you just put in place, that’s Frannie’s call. Lets bring her in.”
Doc’s in the tub with a glass of wine and a unicorn rubber ducky. Is that a Narduck? Swordfowl? SaberSwan? Doc takes a moment to look around at her display.
“Penny, you are over dressed for this meeting.”
The other three of us burst out laughing at the absurdity of her statement. I walk offscreen and teleport out of my EVA suit then walk back in in my rash guards.
“Better?” Nods all around. “Good. I was telling Katie about my plan for a get out by noon, with anything you can carry. Thoughts?”
“Mmm. Anything not purchased with government funds, of course. I think I would extend it to all personal belongings not purchased with government funds. Would you agree to ferry them to a new site?”
“No.” Melissa frowns hard at me. “but I will agree to ferry their gathered belongings to a site that they find.”
She sighs, “that will do, I guess.”
“I would offer to send them to the moon, but I am not willing to sacrifice any room on my dastardly moon lair.”
“Bring me a crate of soil?”
“Can do Curator. Anything else?”
“I have a very large tub if any of you are interested.”
“Andromeda save us from horny women.” Katie stole my line and we all laughed anyway. Katie and Francesca sign off.
“You coming home?”
“That was the plan. I just needed a couple of hours. I was so tempted to set the man on fire. Or space him.”
“I’m glad you didn’t. But I was so scared for you in there Penny. It’s killing me not to be connected to you anymore, to have your warm presence snuggled against my thoughts. Can I please install another bracelet?” It bothers me that she thinks she’ll be getting the same access to my head as before. ‘Cause that’s not happening.
To my surprise, Tessa chimes in. “I don’t think your mod is going to work anymore, Tessa. Her recent modules are trying to upgrade her systems, and now that an Aether-electric synapse network has started, it can’t just stop. It either finishes or it reverts. You need a few magitech implants to replicate those results.”
“As reluctant as I am. Some of my conduits relied on those connections, so yeah, I’m onboard. But we need Katie to make it happen. I can hack my way through a drone, but Countess O’Connell leaves me in the dust when it comes to integrated Manatech.”
“Boo. I don’t want to invite her into our house when I’m not finished moving in.” Melisssa growls.
“Oh? What happened to everyone shares Penny, Melissa dear?”
“But she doesn’t like me, Penny,” she whines.
“She likes you fine, she’s just not in love with you.”
“But, . . .”
“Aaaand you should have thought of that before opening this can of worms.”
“I did, but I thought she’d warmed up to me.” Ugh, now we’re back into pre-meditated actions that got me mad in the first place.
“And I’m mad again. We’re not excluding Katie because you’re regretting things. If you’re not already considering what you’re willing to compromise to make this work like I am, you should be.”
You know she’s jealous right?
How could you possibly understand jealousy?
You felt it on the V’tek ship so I sifted through your memories for more explanation.
At least when you do it, you’re honest with me.
Ease up and realize she’s hurting too. Talk it out with Katie if you have to. Hammering your point home isn’t a smart option right now.
I look up from my screens to see that Melissa is crying. I pull her into a hug, which she fights weekly and then slumps into me.
“We’re all hurting Mel, and I really don’t mean to make it worse. I’m sorry if my processing is hurting you more.”
“I know you’re not trying, Pen. But I’m scared to lose you, and I’m having trouble with there not being an undo button.” She sniffles into my shoulder.
I chuckle at that, some things would be better with an undo button, but I don’t think this is one of them. I don’t say that though.
“Can we go back to work and not talk about feelings for a while? I can work on the Nav system for your shuttle if you have the new warp array, while Katie works on the Manatech integration.”
I cringe. “I haven’t built them yet. Side note, Can you make a plug and play harness for a runic interface?”
“I can use Katie’s anchors for the thrusters you limit tested and probably make a control stick to link them to the nav system?”
“That sounds like a dream Mel. The fewer cables we have to run the better.”
“I’ve also been working with Tessa and Atropos.”
“Is that what Katie named her AI?”
“It’s what the AI named itself, after the Greek fate of resolve, inflexible decisions, and unrelenting commitment.”
“Holy hell, she’s leaning into the Vampire life a little hard, and her reaper AI isn’t helping.”
“ANYWAY, we were working together and found a way to enhance your sensor suite, but it requires an operator to jack in.”
“This is a lot to think about. I hadn’t even considered upgrading sensors for this ship. But yeah, I have some work orders I want to push and those can go in when the hull fix happens.”
“Pen pen. All of the boys left.”
“But only two abandoned their citizenship, and they have ‘till tomorrow to decide. I’m issuing work orders for Beecham.”
Administration is melting my brain.
/Beecham, Hull job, 3-man crew, six weeks. 400AE a week for the crew./
/You’d still talk to us?/
/There’s three of you that didn’t quit the colony, so that’s my offer. You want out for good, may the Universe guide your path./
/I can’t promise anything, but is there rations on the Job?/
/Yeah, I can do that. Six weeks of daily rations. You can stay in the dorms./
/Nah, like, we need to be off-site, Admiral./
/Copy, Sailor. Flag for pickup, three days./
/Not sure if I like Admiral Astoria or Admiral Mercer better./
“Tessa, Mel, Katie, never in my life would I imagine I would say this, but I need help building a moon base on Mercy.”
“Beam me up Hottie.” Fucking Katie. I can’t ignore that one-liner though.
I zip to Katie and put her in the shuttle. I give her a quick kiss, “Snappy line Countess.” Then I grab Mel and zip her to the shuttle as well.
“Kay, since when do you watch Star Trek?”
“I’ve been holding that line since she learned to teleport, you should really just be ashamed of yourself.”
“You’re such a bitch.” Mel says, not much effort in it.
“Hot though.” She replies.
“Yep.” Mel; and I say, then glare at each other.
I ask the ladies if they can pick a nice subterranean lair with a hangar for under 30kAE and they start searching.
I can afford that right Tessa?
Your adjudicated expedition awarded you 101kAE. The successful defense of your colony against a superior threat, netted you 40CE.
Daaang. The conversion is better, so we should spend the CE for the moon base and satellite ansible. The customization prompts for the structure are maddening, but we kept it under 30 CE with the caveat that I have to dig the hangar cavern myself. Realistically, we bought a box and we needed to put the systems in too.
Better start digging and buy a fabricator so the boys can get to work.