To the amazement of everyone except himself, Eric quickly produced five more Dungeon cores one after another and fed it into the receptacle that Luna once more extruded at Eric’s request.
[Reserves are at sixty-two percent.] Luna reported proudly when all the cores had been put in, almost as if she were a cat purring with satisfaction.
[The Command Center is fully powered and operational.]
A small shudder ran through the chamber floor, as if the ship was a dog shaking itself after awakening.
The lights of the room became brighter, and each seat and console came to life, the humming and beeping of activated machines breaking the silence. Then, a few moments later, the immense forward screen that occupied the entire wall in front of the command throne flickered with light, rectangular windows appearing to reveal what looked to be several areas on the ship. Over ninety percent of these viewscreens remained dark or blank, showing no image, while most of those that were active showed only empty corridors or rooms.
[Integumental aether accumulation fields are at fifty percent deployment and rising, pending clean-up and repairs. Command Center maintenance protocols are activated and running diagnostics.]
Some of the monitoring cameras began to show small ant-like drones emerging from cunningly hidden deployment ports, mechanical antennae waving. In other areas the drones were winged, rising into the air to begin sweeping patrols and aerial reconnaissance missions.
[It is a pleasure to finally be even nominally operational, Commander.]
“Very good Luna,” Eric said warmly, patting the surface of the console. “Considering that it is very likely that all of us here will be dependent on you staying operational for us to remain alive, I am very glad to help keep you that way.”
[Much has been lost during the centuries of my inactivation, Commander, although I sense most of the Vital Cores are still connected, viable and performing within minimal parameters.]
“What are these Vital Cores?” Eric asked, confused.
[They are
“Why couldn’t you use the aether from those Cores to run your systems, then?” Serra asked as she studied the video feeds being displayed on the large screen, looking for defensible chokepoints and ambush areas by force of habit, a necessary duty she had often been tasked with in Eric’s team. Osar stood beside her, taking notes on a large brown notebook that he had pulled out of his ring.
[The Vital Cores are kept completely separate from the Obsidian Moon’s main operating and command systems, crewman.] Although she answered Serra, Eric could sense that the Vessel Interface was not accustomed to being addressed by what it considered the rank and file. Best to nip that attitude in the bud, Eric thought. [Those Cores were installed as passive sources of essential aether, which are aspected by processes natural to any free-seeded Core before being directed to certain specific areas of the Ark.]
“So, you're saying there’s no way you can tap into these Dungeon Cores to sustain yourself?”
[No Commander.]
“That is unfortunate,” Eric murmured, once more rubbing at his chin. “Seems like an inefficient method to operate.”
[The First Commander must have had valid reasons for choosing to arrange everything just so… Although I cannot prove or disprove that assertion since such sensitive information regarding critical systems are very likely stored in higher classification mem-modules that I currently cannot access.]
“You have inaccessible mem-modules?”
[That is the most likely reason for my current diminished state Commander... Since I have been revived I have noticed a very marked decline in my processing capacities: Many memories and some very specific functions seem to be locked behind blocks I cannot yet breach.]
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Can you be more specific?”
[I have severely limited access to any information classified Citrine-level and above from the time before the last Commander fled with the Key. I also currently have no access at all to the lower floors.]
“How many other floors are there to this ship?” Cid managed to interject.
[I am unsure, crewman.]
Eric imagined he heard a note of frustration in Luna’s artificial voice.
“Captain, if I may?” Cid said, almost bursting with the effort of holding all of his questions in.
“Wait a moment, Mr. Arth-Veda,” Eric said, keeping his expression serious, quelling the rebellious look in the scientist’s eye with a warning glance. There was something he wanted to get done sooner rather than later. “Luna, may I introduce you to my crew.”
[Certainly, Commander.]
Though Luna’s tone had not changed, Eric was suddenly very sure that the Vessel Interface was very pleased. Was there an empath projector hidden somewhere in the room?
“The big Urgan over there looming over us all is Osar Baratuu, my Weapons Chief and Protocol Officer.” As Eric finished his brief introduction a thin beam of light seemed to issue from Luna’s eyes, quickly going over Osar from crown to boots. Eric had no doubt it was some manner of identification scanner. The big Urgan’s eyes opened wide in surprise at Eric’s designations of him even as he bowed towards Luna’s projected face.
[Ser Baratuu.] The large disembodied face bowed back.
“This young woman is Serra Jakobin, my Second-in-Command and Security Chief.”
Serra gave the hovering Vessel Interface a jaunty salute even as another light ray scanned and tagged her..
[Mes Jakobin.]
“And this curious fellow,” Eric said as he draped an arm around Cid and brought him closer. “Who undoubtedly has a million questions to pester you with, is Cid Arth-Veda, my Science and Research Chief.”
[Ser Arth-Veda. I am of course ready to provide any answers I can.]
“Good,” Eric said. “Do you have us all scanned and catalogued now?”
[Yes, I have, Commander.]
“Excellent! Just one more thing, then.” Eric said before looking up at Luna’s pixelated visage with a hopeful look. “Tell me Luna, what do you have here for food?”
His hopeful expression turned into a look of dismay when the Vessel Interface gave its answer
[Unfortunately, Commander, the Obsidian Moon currently does not have any food stocks available.]
Eric was so disheartened by Luna’s answer that he lost his grip on Cid, who broke free and soon started to engage the Virtual Interface in a spirited and highly technical conversation. A glance at his internal chrono had shown Eric that it was nearly lunchtime in what had already been a very busy day. He could feel the hunger pangs growing and yet, despite that, he was reluctant to make do with a third meal of depressingly unseasoned scorched dragon meat.
It was Osar who once more came to the rescue, assuring everyone that he had lunch for them all. At Eric’s suggestion, the big Urgan and Serra bodily dragged Cid away from his conversation with Luna and brought the protesting scientist with them out of the Command Center.
Once back in the anteroom, Osar produced a low table, some covered baskets, plates and utensils, and some mismatched chairs from his spatial ring and told them all to sit. The Urgan then handed all three Terrans each a chewy, chunky sandwich consisting of thick slabs of golden bread slathered with a sweet-sour spread, slightly bitter vegetables, and a rich layer of spiced shredded meat that left a pleasant burn that the group washed down with bulbs of cold, dark, creamy mushroom beer. As they reached the midpoint of their meal Osar then served them a dessert consisting of a double handful of crunchy, tart-tasting dried fruits with seeds that burst with freshness in your mouth.
As they ate, the conversation naturally turned to what Cid should take for his Prime Core as well as what his plans were for a build.
“It needs to be a knowledge or intellect centered build,” Cid explained, waving his sandwich dangerously in the air as he spoke animatedly. “I’d probably work best as a mechanic or weapons crafter for everyone… I even have some explosive ideas right now that I’m very excited to try out."
The bearded scientist waggled his eyebrows as he emphasized the word explosive, earning him an encouraging but singularly evil smile from Serra.
“Osar,” Serra addressed the big Urgan eagerly, speaking through a mouthful of meat and bread. “You’re the nearest thing we have to an expert on the System here, what do you think Cid’s first core should be?”
“It is an intriguing exercise, thinking up builds.” Osar began, smoothing out his little chin tentacles as he spoke, probably in an attempt to look dignified. “But I think it should be a conversation for when Cid is able to see all the Cores we receive for loot, yes?”
“What do you mean ‘all the loot’? Do you mean there could be more Cores stashed away in those rings we got off your former friends?” Eric asked, trying to keep a straight face although everyone could tell he was visibly excited with the thought of more loot.
Osar snorted, a twinkle in his eye as he remembered one particular image he had seen on the Command Center’s big screen.
“I'm surprised none of you have stopped to wonder how I and the Geludan arrived on this rock?”