Six months after the start of refugee operations sees Astorian industry start to recover. Beecham gets his crew back to the shipyards, immigration is now dedicated employees instead of local volunteers, and the volunteer city planners group are now full-on Empire employees working on several new communities that people are wanting between Penbroke and Aelea boroughs. Aelean Heights has been a sought-after location for those with credits, but the rough and tumble folk are superfans of Vooselton. In fact, there is now a collective bargaining agreement with the citizens of Vooselton to sell meat and medicinal herbs to the Empire as an alternative payment method for lease-to-own.
Aelean Heights pooled together and got themselves off of the Imperial teat and bought their borough. My AI, Katie, and some industrious private contractors found that these former Warlords and heads of state retained much of their former wealth while migrating with their families and former attendants. They scrounged together the buy-in of 10k CE as the surprisingly prosperous City of Ash and created the Silvergrass Duchy. I declined to let them rename the Borough of Aelean Heights until they made a second settlement City or re-negotiated their governance structure.
That being said. All four boroughs of Aelea have more than ten thousand people, Penbroke now being the largest population center of Aelea, and near equal with the City of Ash around 60 thousand people.
The Empire is booming with people, but private commerce and Exchange sales have been stagnant as people have been trying to anchor their new reality with their life goals. Aka, what does the City of Ash look like with four times as many people? How is that new Economy or new infrastructure going to handle that load? The same is true with Aelea, but the Capital region is powered and public works ready for 10 million. The Duchy of A.S.H is only currently prepared for a million, but they took the Aelean blueprint and it is able to expand with a vengeance.
“Penny, I could use your help.” Tessa approaches me in my garden lab on the outside habitat of floors 41-47 of my castle.
Penny-one Kenobi, you are my only hope. “Hey bestie, Science, government or aether?”
“Magitech and production?” She looks confused, but I get the idea. I motion for her to continue. “Okay, yeah. I have the body and skin made for this construct, and your weird skin-based shield matrix to help animate and power everything, but I’m having problems imprinting on a purely tech intelligence matrix.”
“Tessa, it’s seems that you need a biotech matrix. They are readily available on the t-3 shop for a million credits.” I go back to working on my automatons. I long ago figured that any intelligence pattern worthwhile needed a magitech interface so I started with a crystal spur to hold a thought resonance and a mechanical tech brain to do the rest. Not ashamed to say Katie helped me with the interface, but only in correspondence.
“What the hell is that!?” She palms my Oren mark 5’s brain and I taze her elbow to let it go.
“It’s a magitech intelligence core for my automatons. I use biocor crystals for a base and attach a proto intelligent drone brain.”
“So, what you’re saying, is that you have what I’ve needed the whole time, and you’ve been keeping it from me?!”
“Easy Tessa. Back off on the jealous girlfriend vibes. Naomi’s husband and I have been developing learning constructs, and his algorithms need something as complicated as a bio-imprint to work properly. I’ve had zero luck with anything besides my native bones and magitech interfaces to hold such an imprint, so that’s what I’ve been testing. Oren 4 was a reasoning being, but when he tried to level, weird right? His brain de-laminated and the tech and crystal parts tried to mutate independently.” I sigh at that catastrophe. “He died a horrible death.”
“No way you can make a Matrix capable construct. Not with just tier 3 integration.”
“Tessa, like I’m super willing to help, but whatever this gatekeeping jealousy is, it’s gotta stop. After this, I was going to try a synth brain, but if you’re going to be an ass, do it yourself.”
“Penny, no, please. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, sure. Now that you’ve uploaded into Alaris, you’ve been distant and shitty to me. I guess I deserve it for how much I relied on you, but it doesn’t mean you get to treat me like this. I even went so far as to work on a smaller version of my crystal, but now I’m feeling petty. Maybe when I’m finished testing it you can have it for re-programming or something.”
“But I came to you for help.” Her sorrowful tone affects me, but it doesn’t quell my frustration.
“And the help I have right now is use the bioframe on the Exchange, or use my last test brain to develop something that works for you. Long term, I might have more, but I’m not going to guess how patient you are going to be.”
Tessa makes a ton of facial expressions but falls short of growling at me. She agrees to take the remnants of my last Oren prototype. I can’t focus too much on the ebb and flow. It seems that when one of my relationships gets better, one of them gets worse. Katie has been around more, and greets me with a familiar kiss and casual touches, but nothing more intimate yet. Still an improvement and Katie’s being more involved in Astoria after she said she gathered the heads she wanted.
That reminds me, it’s been a fuming and desperate six months. Maybe I should check my notifications.
At least you’ve been checking your messages or the Empire would be in ruin.
You know what Tessa? Cool off. You are banned from communications that are not inherent to your construct framework.
>/Alaris, Tessa is being assigned as on a leave of absence in the Navy until further notice./<
>/Acknowledged Admiral./<
And then, let’er rip.
I shouldn’t still be getting those, but I guess since I developed a mechanical ripple drive I get the benefit of a magical one and learning from it. Hehe, now I just need to spend some time on Mercy to test my ideas on the Ripple Cannon.
/Capitol Crimes gain you a small measure of xp when resolved /Precedence has been established for Officials to enact justice unless altered in the interface
Well, let’s just add some checks and balances to those two. Vendettas must be validated by the Consul of War (conflict) or the Consul of the Navy (peace). And let us say that Justice will be served by Justicars, Frontier Sheriffs, the Empress, and Planetary Justices systems as proscribed buy the Governors. Or otherwise noted by the Empress.
I know that the last two were Katie finishing her “Business to attend to” but I’m not sure I can handle more of these notices.
WHAT THE EVERLIVING SHIT!?
/Query: HOW THE FUCK AM I PREGNANT?!?
/Response: As an aether-based life form, committing a level and developmental energies to component materials of your race can spawn a proto-form of your race. Proto-forms develop at a pace consistent with aether absorption and material and pattern development of the species and race.>
Please chose a development structure or your proto-lifeform: Human trait breeding simulation: Spouse Aether Entity Diversity emulation: Self
No no no, this isn’t happening. It isn’t giving me a choice. I should have had this discussion with Katie before hand. Hell, if we had talked, I probably would have bought the t-3 procreation integration module with her.
As soon as that message displays, the majority of my aether is directed to my abdomen and absorbed by the tempestuous meat in that region. With a quick flick to my aether eyes, I see a new web of aether flowing to the teeniest vortex just below the miniature magitech intelligence framework that I built. Holy shit, it has a heart now. She has a heart now. Oh Andromeda what do I do?!
Stolen novel; please report.
>P] Katie do you have a moment for a little panic Penny? [<
>K] Not really in wife mode, Penny [<
>P] Do you have a friend mode then? [<
>K] Sure, with knowing that you don’t handle my mood cycles well, and that I don’t want to stop knowing you; how can I help? [<
>P] Nevermind. That sentiment doesn’t feel good. I’ll talk with someone that can handle the panic part, then I’ll tell you some other time. [<
While this new and different mind set from Katie is better than comms dark Katie, it’s still hard for me. How much do I let her figure her shit out? How much of this is going to be actual cyclical? Periodic girlfriend sounds okay, I guess, but periodic wife—especially with a pixie on the way—sounds terrible for me and the kid.
>/Francesca, do you have time for me to be nervous at you with a bottle of wine in hand?/<
>/Empire stuff?/<
>/Personal/<
>/I’ll be up in ten./<
I blip into my room and change into a swimsuit and blip up to the hot tub bar. Oren Mk 3 greets me and hands me an aether beer and a galaxy fruit slice. I stuff the fruit in my maw to get the tingle of aether and a little buzz, then drink a few quick sips of beer.
//Query: Does alcohol affect the development of aether-based creatures?
//Response: The presence of Alcohol in the natural formation process of Corundum would complicate, delay, or destroy crystal formation based on concentration. Aether Forged Biologic Crystal formations do not rely on such delicate processes, however, solvent compounds such as alcohol, mineral spirits, petrol products, etc. may interfere with muscle fiber creation and would interfere with aether-composite flesh formations. Intelligence faculties are already formed and would not be affected.
“Well, Oren, Juice and Tonic for me after this.”
“Yes Empress.” He replies and then walks off into the bar cubby he came out of.
Some time and a Juice and Tonic later, Summers walks out of the elevator in a sarong and a bikini top. “Already at the spa-bar? This must be serious.” She jokes.
I look up at her with mild terror in my eyes, clutching my glass like a life-preserver.
“Oh, Penny.” She takes a swig of her hooch and then climbs in next to me with a hug and keeps an arm around me, knowing I’m a an of comforting touches. “What’s wrong, sweetie?”
“I uh, I had an accident in my lab earlier, and I . . . “ I bury my head in her shoulder and start sniffing. Checking my messages while growing a project had such life-changing consequences. I start crying at how ridiculous an accidental juxtaposition led to a pregnancy.
“Let it out Pens, I’m here for you.”
I cry and sob into her shoulder, “To think we started clawing at each other, and now you’re my best friend.”
“Jealousy is a weird bitch. Mean too. But you’re my best friend too, Pens, Katie is having a hard time being Human right now, let alone a friend.”
I cry so much harder, the hit of my wife being so cold, so distance when I need her.
“There, there, Pens; I can’t swear or drink appropriately until you let it out.” She rubs a hand down my side, cupping my ribs to pull me closer.
I wrap my arms around her and squeeze. “I’m so used to blowing myself up or destroying property with my science accidents, who knew you could accidentally get pregnant.”
Francesca snorts and starts coughing in fits and starts and then starts laughing. “Now remember kids, practice safe science. Remember to wear you goggles and gloves or you’ll catch a case of babies.” She snorts again and giggles madly
I squeeze her tighter, hating that it would have been funny as hell if I wasn’t pregnant actual. I decide to check my status to make sure.
Race: Pixie (Primus) Andromeda Code: T-S Imbalance T+1 Subrace: Faerie Queen Track: Artificing (t-3, lvl. 53) Intelligence: A, Clever: A Awareness: B Beauty: A Charm: D Presence: A Strength: C Agility: B Fitness: B Capacity: S Refinement: B Power: S Skills Aether Engraving: Expert, step 10; GW-1/1, MW 2/5 Aether forging: Intermediate, step 1 Aether insight: Expert, step 1; Aether manipulation: Expert, step 3; Basic constructs: Intermediate, step 3 Brawling: Novice, step 9 Bureaucracy Advanced step 1 Elemental Manifestation: Beginner, step 3 Empire Administration: Advanced, step 4 Enchanting: Advanced, step 3; Field Dressing: Beginner step 1 Gem cutting and shaping: Advanced, step 2 Gun Fu: Intermediate, step 1 Knowledge absorption: Intermediate, step 8 (tech assist); Leadership: Novice, step 8 Magitech Integration: Advanced, step 3 Mind Over Matter: Advanced, step 6 Multi-core Processing (Magitech): Intermediate, step 7 My Will Be Done: Master, step 3 Pain Suppression: Intermediate, step 6; Performance: Oratory; Beginner, step 7 Sheilding: Advanced, step 7; Space manipulation: Expert , step 1 Swordsmanship: Beginner step 5 Transmutation: Advanced, step 5 Void Manipulation: Intermediate, step 5 Status Effects Pregnant (proto-pixie) Shit, there it is. Having myself a little proto pixie. Guess that’s the benefit of being a Pixie instead of a Human proto golem, or whatever. My silence calmed Francesca and she pulled my head up to look at her. I search her eyes with my pouty face. “You’re serious?! You scienced yourself pregnant? I didn’t even know you were trying!” “I wasn’t!! Fran, I seriously was working on building a brain for my next construct when I checked my messages. The Matrix told me that I put biologic material where my baby maker was, so it consumed a level and a half and made it a fetus!” “You shoved an experiment up there?!” “What the fuck? No. I cut my belly open and stuffed it in there. I don’t need most internal organs, so it’s just aether-infused meat.” She blinks at me a few times, looks down at my body a few times, then stares me down. “I know I saw lady bits after your last mutation. What gives?” That makes me laugh. “I’m still a woman, Dr. Summers. The fun parts aren’t in your uterus.” “Why couldn’t you have been more specific before I imagined you stuffing a robot head up your cooch?” she then proceeds to tickle the breath out of me—I don’t even need to breathe and it was tiring. “Okay! Okay. Stop please.” “You know, it’s pretty cool that with as changed as you are, you’re still a person. You could just as easily see us as inferior aliens.” I can’t tell what’s going on in her head as her comments are all over the place, but she seems happy for me and worried for everyone else. “Heh, I guess. I still feel like plain Penny some times. I lean into alien when I see the monsters that masquerade as Human back on Earth.” She nods. “Part of why I said that. Rumors and tales are taking root about your extermination outside of Jakarta.” “Ah, yeah. That was far more personal than blowing up a space ship full of pirates. They were killing civilians by the hundreds for levels. I lost my patience.” Something about what I said surprised her. “Are you really that strong?” She asks. I shrug. “Hard to tell. I got my arm gored off while fighting a tier 3 beast in tier 2 armor, then killed it with bombs, a ship, and a sword. I’d say I’m scrappy more than anything. That was half a dozen levels and a tier ago.” “I mean, I’m tier 3 Penny, but somehow I don’t think I’m as robust as you.” “Oh?” I look up at her and smile. “Congrats Frannie! That’s great news. When the bot came by to give us swarms and a symbiote, I qualified for either and I asked for both. Consumed a portion of my Primus benefits to get it. Now I have to level tech and aether to get a level. There’s a lot to it, but whatever fails to kill me makes me crazy stronger.” “I think you told me you were Primus already? Plus, when Morris couldn’t Command either of us, it was basically a spoiler.” “Andromeda, am I glad Katie smoked that asshole.” After that, we just talked. About her plant experiments with the silvergrass to make a grain crop, imported mustard plants to see how they mutate, and the prolific trees on Astoria. On the trees, she’s trying to get their sap to mutate so that it’s easier to make resin out of it, or at the very least a rubber substance. Sadly that’s two different directions and she also has taken rubber plants to mutate. I warn her about practicing safe science as a proto-dryad and she has a solid chuckle at that. “How is that, by the way, the dryad thing?” “Hm? It’s fine. I chose not to lean into it on my last upgrade, so it should be a while before I have to think about it again. Though I might actually try next time. Being so close to the native trees with my research is making me tingly and it’s slightly addictive.” “If you need help, I have a paper or two on gaining aether affinity and acclimatizing. A trip to Elysium and to the V’tek Vassalage might do you some good.” “I’ve been aching to start a research farm there. I know we released those livestock in that small lake valley, but your stories on the aether forged beasts would be a great opportunity if I could aether forge some plants in a direction I can control.” “Well, coming from an Aether-forged, hyper-mutated Human, it does have some benefits.” I take a minute to sip my drink and think about our situation and how the two of us have really put the work into science-ing and experiencing the Matrix. “I forget sometimes how amazing the people around me are. Especially you.” “You don’t have to butter me up Penny, but I love you too bestie.” I snort a laugh. “Yeah, that fits.” With my hand on her firm stomach, a stupid joke pops into my head. “As a female dryad, do you still wake up with morning wood?” She groans at my joke and stands, swatting my hands away. “You’ve been a parent for less than a day and yet you break out the dad jokes.” “Nooo! Don’t go! I’m sorry.” “No, your joke was sorry. Plus, I am getting drunk and horny, and you’re not allowed to help me out. So, I need to leave in any case.” “Bah, fine. Thanks for letting me cry on you. I really appreciate you coming over.” “No worries. But you owe me a sleepover and some lazy river sushi.” “For sure! Just chat me.” I climb out of the hot tub and walk her to the elevator for a goodbye hug. Oren comes out with a wine box for her. She raises a questioning eyebrow. “I talked to a vendor that makes fizzy drinks and asked them to make seltzers with your hooch. His test run survey should be back in a few weeks, hopefully with a contract for you. You should try it.” “I could get white-girl wasted. Thanks Penny.” It only takes a few minutes before I’m thinking about my little pixie again. Thinking hard enough that I use my aether sight to analyze it. Proto Pixie The result of an asexual reproductive process of a Faerie Queen. Gestation period—unknown Progress—unknown What am I supposed to do?