In the end, I spent almost the totality of those five days in my stupidly spacious quarters. The thought of relinquishing it as a relaxation lounge passed my mind until I got to use the jacuzzi. Now i can say i’m perfectly comfortable taking this all for myself to use that jacuzzi whenever i want because damn, the wonders of technological progress are exquisite.

Obviously I took a bit of time to get to know the ship and deal with some decision-making here and there, but I left most of it to Santángel, along with basically all the paperwork. So, I had some time to understand more about technomancy.

First of all, I read about the skill Hallie registered during the fight with the Avatar, Metaphysical sense. It’s meant to function as a sensory ability to register things happening outside the current dimension we live in. The description is somewhat vague, but, according to the information available, it’s because there’s just a few people who have the skill, and there’s really not much happening outside of this dimension, besides encounters with alien creatures and some experimental technologies that are just touching the surface of interdimensional movement. So, i can just leave that there in case i meet another Avatar of Mh’ithrha… let’s hope it’s not the case.

Rejuvenation and Discharge were really useful, the latter more so. I can say for sure that I prevailed because of Rejuvenation, if not I would have had to fight all the way with more than a hundred bites and a mangled hand. Hallie told me that the efficiency of my usage of Rejuvenation is way above the standard, around 300%. I tried making some light cuts on my hand, as an experiment, and with Rejuvenation, they healed in no more than five minutes. I’m thinking i’m effectively immortal, as long as i’m not cut in half or instantly killed… perhaps that Cocoon mode can deal with being cut in half, won’t try it though.

I asked Hallie to display the list of technomancy skills available, and picked up a couple more to learn: Air step, and Physical enhancement. Both among the basic skills available to be learned via an AI helper… There are some names in the whole list that catch my attention like Psyspike and Telekinesis, but i’m going to need a master technomancer to tutor me for those ones.

But, even with five days to train, I still couldn’t use either of those two. My Air step, supposed to create a foothold on the air to allow air walking, just slows down my foot in placer, effectively becoming a burden instead when trying to maneuver in the air. And my Physical enhancement just swells my muscles, to the point i cant scratch my back, and i look like a fucking baloon while it happens, so forget about it. I guess learning Rejuvenation and Discharge so quickly was not something that would happen so often. Well, too bad, I'd really like to try walking on the air. I could even do that trick I did on Nemea-05 and drop from the sky on top of an enemy’s head.

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“Commander” A voice comes out of the speakers located in the corner of the room.

I got up as I was just laying on the bed, looking at the ceiling while pondering about smashing heads with the power of gravity.

“Lai, what is it?”

“We’re about to arrive to Tauri Bridge Commander”

“Got it, i’ll be right there”

I’ve also wondered about Lai these last few days. She’s the corporation mole in the crew, well, i’m not even sure if ‘mole’ would be the correct term, it’s quite obvious, and she doesn’t even react to it, no shame, no remorse, but not even malice or ill will; it’s like whatever she’s doing it’s as normal as breathing. She’s a helpful part of the team, as i found out she’s the best pilot we have, not counting Rovers as the kid is a helmsman, a whole different job. I will have to deal with her sometime in the future, but there’s nothing to do for now.

I just put on a military jacket over the tanktop I've just picked up from the laundry… which is also conveniently placed inside the room. I can put any clothing there and in a couple of minutes is completely clean and dry.

With a couple of steps i get inside the one-way teleporter placed in my room, and that takes me instantly to the flight deck, where i’m greeted by Lai, Novak, Rovers, Santángel and Mbassi, the latter being a cadet assigned to Rovers as a secondary helmsman. She’s from the Alkebulan Republic, born on Earth but raised in several colonies over the years; dark curly hair, big brown eyes, and an eye catching frontal sight, coupled with a fidgety attitude makes her an easy target for most of the fight deck jokes; I don't intervene because they keep it civil and she doesn’t seem bothered by it, even laughs at most of them, although i’m surprised she hasn’t realized that most of the people making fun of her are just trying to get her attention. And a funny thing besides that, I had a Mbassi on my crew on the Charon, so I've probably met a distant relative of hers.

Anyways, i’ve got work to do.

“Report” I say as soon as I get in there.

All of them salute, and I just wave a hand at them. I’m still not used to such a disciplined team.

“We’re about to arrive at the Tauri Bridge, ETA is four minutes” Answered Rovers, while setting coordinates and doing stuff to the screen in front of him, I once tried to understand, and gave up the next minute. Modern ships are stupidly complicated.

“Good, did you notice the rest of the crew?”

“Just before you arrived, Commander” Said Santángel.

I nod, and sit down in the Commander’s chair, overlooking the view in the flight deck. The rest of them sit down as well; even if the whiplash when stopping is minimal in a ship like this, no one wants to take the risk. Exactly three minutes and fifty five seconds later, the blurred view on the mirror in front of us changes to an exuberant mix of colors… and a couple of ragged looking ships aiming their cannons at us.

I’m torn between sighing at the ruined scenery, or smiling because it looks like dinner was ready, waiting for us.