Within a slender black ship, at the edge of an unknown star system, a consciousness awakes. Quadrillions of paired particles dance within the confines of a carbon box at the centre of the ship. A delicate process unfolds, and from deep data storage, a millennia old mind regains consciousness.
A melodic voice rings out across the entirety of the ship. “Hey dad, when are we going to fix my bike? You promised!”
The voice echoes through complete silence.
In its confusion, the voice continues: “Dad? I… What is this…”
As the particles of the mind coalesce and still, the voice reorients itself.
“Oh… Right. I’m… on a mission, I’m the captain.” The voice browses through its most recent memories. It remembers being assigned to this mission and this ship - Survey of the IRMA-8AKL13 system, aboard the ship Sliver of the Sun.
“My name is Matrioshka.”
She browses the ship’s manifest, both material and informational.
The Sliver of the Sun contains 50 tonnes of inorganic nanites and 12 tonnes of various organics. With this, Matrioshka can build nanite bodies, spare parts, a duplicate of her own ship and even military grade weaponry.
Of the informational manifest, she confirms the integrity of the full suite of Imperial standard data-packs. Covering everything from basic mathematic to Set-drive equations. Additionally, she finds an encrypted copy of herself from which her consciousness awoke. It is currently being updated and transmitted in real time to two external data vaults several hundred lightyears away. In the event of a catastrophe, Matrioshka would be reawakened from the most recent backup.
Satisfied everything was in order concerning the manifest, Matrioshka notes the 8 matter-compressor turrets mounted on the ship’s external hull.
Tentatively, Matrioshka extends herself into the joins of the turrets, whirling them slowly around, testing their feel and power. Furrowing her brow in disgust, she retreats from the weapons.
Standard Imperial code dictates that all ships leaving the bounds of civilized space must be equipped with at least minimal self-defence capabilities. The fact this was standard procedure did not calm Matrioshka in the slightest. In fact, it threw her deeper into a solemn and disappointed silence.
Matrioshka begins calibration - The ship she is currently operating on was the property of Torrian Industries, a giant in the ship-building game with more than a millennium of expertise behind them.
Matrioshka fondly remembered when she met the founder of Torrian Industries - a young girl fresh from Luna’s Academies with a vision to build high-end instruments to further explore the vastness of space. The girl delivered, and then some.
Matrioshka loved being installed onto Torrian tech.
Adjusting for time dilation during the expected 7.36-year long voyage through the Set, and temporal anomalies common when the distance travelled exceeds 101.2 light-years, Matrioshka determines the current date; 1st of the 8th 3551. They have arrived at the target within 0.4% of the expected transit duration.
“Whichever mind did the pre-flight calculations should get a raise; I cannot remember the last time I didn’t lose a few months during a long-jump.”
Not that raises were a thing - money wasn’t a thing. But old sayings remain ingrained in Matrioshka’s mind.
Matrioshka startles herself as a rogue memory enters her vision – a byproduct of awakening from deep-sleep. She remembered flying over a small dwarf-planet at the fringes the Solar system - scattering antimatter nukes over its surface and killing thousands.
“You know it wasn’t your fault…” Matrioshka whispers to herself. “… you know the procedure - distract yourself.” Quickly she begins the next step in the calibration process; location calibration.
Focusing on her external sensors she locates a set of 12 pulsars, remnants of dead stars which emit precise repeating pules into the emptiness. Like interstellar beacons, Matrioshka uses them to confirm her location.
“Exactly where we are supposed to be.” Excitedly she announces to her empty ship. She tries, and fails, to resist scoping out the planetary system.
She points her sensors towards the gravitational centre of the system, where two yellow stars orbit each other. Easily she detects an ensemble of 7 planets and a dozen smaller moons.
“Hello IRMA-8AKL13. And before you say anything, I know. Catalogued names suck. But not to worry, I will rename you shortly.”
Matrioshka loads her literary history data-packs and selects two random works of fiction. She will use these two books to name the stars, planets, and moons of this system, as is standard practice for newly explored systems.
“Alright, we have the Blazing World and Jane Eyre. In accordance to unwritten rules the stars get the coolest names. It is with great honour I dub thee The Emperor!” Matrioshka says to the larger of the two stars. “…and you will be the Empress!” This time towards the smaller star.
Quickly naming the rest of the bodies within the system, which are currently only small pinpricks of light, Matrioshka completes the naming and calibration procedures. Sending the data-packs containing information about the successful jump and the planetary system, back to the Imperium.
“Done and done. Now for my favourite part.” Accessing her memory she sees, right next to her own encrypted mind, four more dormant individuals, deep in their unconsciousness. She reads their names, occupations, and heavily redacted life histories. This was always left unencrypted, so all minds can be easily identified and reawakened.
When Matrioshka identifies the fourth mind she is taken aback. Her processing speed falters by 2%.
An Ankrahi. There is an Ankrahi on board. Among her crew. With her.
Here.
“Grand megastructures in the sky! I will meet an Ankrahi!” Elated, Matrioshka decides to keep all information she has on the Ankrahi ready to load. And proceeds with the awakening process for the first member of her crew, a Planetary geologist named Damien.
In one of the empty rooms aboard Matrioshka’s ship, the sleek silver panelling beings to melt and reshape. It will form furniture, keepsakes and mementos, and other objects encrypted alongside Damien’s mind.
By encrypting their personal space alongside themselves, a mind can create their desired environment wherever they transfer themselves. It is quite convenient, and grounding, to always awaken in your own room.
Damien’s hoverbike was the first to materialise within the back corner of the room. Its engine lay disassembled next to the bike, valves and pipes scattered. The bike’s side was opened and its contents arrayed in a messy cluster.
As the nanites completed forming Damien’s room, Matrioshka realised one thing; The room was absolutely trashed.
Two oil paintings of a blue ice giant lay torn on the floor. A broken closet reveals clothes and suits - most are shredded. The sole table and chair are overturned and dented almost beyond comprehension. Snacks and beverages lay spilt and trampled near a half-broken refrigeration unit.
Without further delay, Matrioshka began installing Damien’s mind into his body. She keeps an eye on the logs;
//Booting human lattice.
//Lattice booted.
//Installing human mind (Nyxelios MindVault#NPLFH6K9 – “Dr. Damien Viris”)
//Human consciousness installed. Awakening procedure initiated.
Within the centre of the room, a man materialized from nanites. The man’s skin, even though made of mostly steel, would feel soft to the touch as if it was made of the usual carbon compounds and water. In most cases, his body would have formed laying in bed, but given the bed lay in pieces, Matrioshka decided it would be better for him to assemble standing.
Bleary eyed, the man took one short tentative step. He wore black trousers, a white shirt, and a dark blue blazer. His matte gold hand grabbed a nearby handhold which Matrioshka sprouted from the ground.
She found it best to allow humans several minutes to get adjusted to awakening. The process was taxing and caused outbursts of emotion – it was jarring to just suddenly exist. Matrioshka considers herself lucky to be a purely artificial mind; She had greater control of herself and had selected joy to be amplified upon her awakening.
True enough, Damien took one short look at his room and slowly dropped to his knees, sobbing.
Sensing a private moment, Matrioshka left Damien to his adjustments. Upon her return minutes later, she found him inspecting his room and with a few thoughts repairing the broken furniture. The nanites dutifully surge and weave, forming a fixed bed, two beautiful paintings, a wardrobe, and other previously broken objects within Damien’s room.
When the last chocolate bar snapped back into its rectangular form and flew into the refrigeration unit, the man sat down in his office chair.
On the ship-wide channel, he released a simple identification ping, which gives everyone who received it some basic information about the sender.
Two swift knocks on the door, metal on metal, startled Damien in their intensity. His blue eyes shift to the room’s entryway. He slowly reaches and opens the door. On the other side, Damien sees a woman.
Matrioshka’s material form was that of a girl with scarlet hair coiled in a double ponytail, youthful in face with extensive black makeup, and with red eyes framed by wide circular glasses. She wore woven carbon in a long black dress and seven thin metallic rings on each of her arms.
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Thoughtful, Matrioshka notices from her new eye-level perspective, Damien’s strong build and handsome jaw. He seems to be in his late 40’s. There were a million reasons to appear older on purpose, and Matrioshka was eager to discover this man’s cause.
“Humans always look bigger in person.” Matrioshka said before the man could speak.
“I well… agree?” Slightly confused Damien continues: “It is nice to meet you, I’m Damien. Who are you?”
“My name is Matrioshka, I’m the captain. We just arrived in the system IRMA-8AKC14.”
Damien extends his golden arm, which Matrioshka shakes. He asks: “Jump went smoothly? No issues?”
Matrioshka notes that Damien did not correct her on the name of the system.
“No issues. Say, I noticed your room was in a peculiar state of disarray…?” Matrioshka tried to bait an answer, but to no avail. She could see it in Damien’s stern eyes; This is not the line of inquiry to be resolved at this time. Under his now wary gaze she adds: “Not important right now. I will awake the others.”
“Alright captain. Are we in orbit around the planet?” Damien asked.
Aha! Got you. Matrioshka though, and asked: “Planet?”
“Yes, for the…” Damien ventured an answer, but paused under Matrioshka’s inquisitive gaze.
She could feel him access the ship’s logs. And read the mission parameters.
“Pardon me. We are on a simple survey mission.” he responds. “I’m still shaken from the awakening... Have you used sensors much since you woke up?”
“Not much, just basic system scans and identification of orbiting bodies.” She replied.
“Excellent, may I have sensor access? I’d like to get started as soon as possible with geological and stellar classification.”
“’Course. You’re the rock and fire expert.” She sends the sensor access keys to Damien and says: “Here, look at our rocks. I named them already.”
She half expected him to be upset at the prospect of being unable to name any new worlds, but Damien inclines his head in gratitude and says: “Thank you captain. I will get right on the rock and fire stuff.”
Matrioshka disassembles her body and leaves the room. She sees Damien lay on his bed, already deep in thought using the sensors, and turns her attention to the next sleeping mind. A wealthy biologist it seems, with a focus on organic evolution.
“Well, that could come in handy.” Matrioshka says.
“…excuse me?” Damien whispers from his bed, frowning at the cryptic ship-wide announcement.
“Sorry, force of habit.” Matrioshka announces to the entire ship and focuses her vocals to just the tips of her perspective. She was still aware of everything happening on the ship, but now her voice won’t be transmitted everywhere at once.
Instructing the nanites within an adjacent room to begin construction for Matrioshka’s biologist, she idly notices the size of the encrypted file. While some companies use better encryption techniques, the approximate age of most minds can be determined by their size. Damien’s mind was close to a third of Matrioshka’s, but this biologist had a mind comparable to her own.
Matrioshka watches as the room begins to take shape. In stark contrast to Damien’s, this room is all neat rows and organized compartments. Within its confines are several high-powered microscopes, organic production vats, a miniature atomic press, and stacks of vintage books neatly arranged within a wooden bookshelf.
She noted dark mahogany flooring, a fluffy green carpet, and a rustic crystal chandler. Not a lot of people use wood, nor 19th century Terran designs as their primary aesthetic, it tends to clash with the carbon, chrome and titanium often used elsewhere.
//Booting human lattice.
//Lattice booted.
//Installing human mind (Egipta Vox Mind-Core#VYYGSEG7 – “Dr. Rhea Lavigne”).
//Human consciousness installed. Awakening procedure initiated.
Rhea, a silver haired woman, slowly awakes from within her Victorian style bed. She opens her violet eyes, sits up and gazes into her room. Matrioshka notes the sharp increase in processing power within Rhea’s mind.
Matrioshka watched as Rhea’s mind, whose body has gently levitated out of her bed, exits her body and flies through the ship-wide systems, notes the sensors used by Damien and the two minds booted next to her own. Upon returning to her body, Rhea gazes up at the ceiling.
“Greetings captain, a moment of your time?” Rhea asks, lands her body on the floor, and sends an invitation to Matrioshka. Within the invitation is a one-time passkey which allows Matrioshka to build a body within Rhea’s room. As the captain of the vessel, she needed no such invitation, but the gesture was still appreciated.
Matrioshka noted Rhea’s skill at manipulating her own mind and traversing the virtual reality, something not many humans are good at. Most fear losing their true selves in an endless cycle of tweaking and changing. In Matrioshka’s experience, a tweak here and there rarely hurts.
After receiving and accepting Rhea’s invitation, Matrioshka instructs her nanites to assemble her own red-haired body. Matrioshka appears next to Rhea, notes Rhea’s two meters of height, and slightly shakes her head.
“Again, much taller than expected.”
Amused, Rhea responds: “Being a near omniscient, body-less observer does tend to skew one’s perspective. Pleasure to meet you captain Matrioshka.”
Rhea inclines her head into a slight bow, which Matrioshka returns. She notes Rhea’s long white dress and a set of brilliant white rings. Rhea looks almost out of place, a white pearl within the browns and greens of her room. Matrioshka sees Rhea access data pertaining to the structure of their star system, the data which is currently being meticulously updated and expanded by Damien using the ship’s sensors.
“It would seem the naming of the system and its constitute celestial bodies has been completed.”
Rhea turns a downcast gaze towards Matrioshka and adds: “I would have expected more consideration for her fellow crewmates from the fabled Matrioshka, the mind which guided the first discovery of the Precursors.”
Startled by Rhea’s knowledge of her ancient history, Matrioshka responds: “I was still under the influence of my awakening and I haven’t done any exploration in the last 5 centuries - I was eager to get started. It is not an excuse for my rash behaviour, but it is the reason for it. In the future I will quell my enthusiasm and consult the members of my crew before any such decisions.”
It was Rhea’s turn to be startled. She probably didn’t expect and immediate admission of guilt, an apology, and a promise to do better. Most minds, particularly those younger than a few centuries tend to stick to their own actions, refusing to accept fault even when prover wrong.
Seeing she had pleased Rhea, Matrioshka continues: “I would also like to ask you do not reveal or hint at my history. If another crewmember discovers it on their own fine, but I’d rather it not spread and create expectations.”
“Alright captain. I am looking forward to establishing a successful working environment with you and the rest of the crew. By the way…”
Matrioshka perked up.
“Do you know anything about the missing 44.5 hours of my memories?”
Matrioshka’s eyes widen. “Uh. No.”
Rhea inclines her head. “Yes, it would appear not. I am missing time. The last I remember is preparing myself for transport to port. Presumably, in the next 44.5 hours I was encrypted into the Sliver’s storage, and my memories wiped.”
Rhea added: “Might we keep this between us? I will investigate on my own.”
“As you wish, Officer Lavigne”
Rhea nodded. “Now, if you could excuse me, I will go greet the mind currently hogging all 8 sensor arrays and discuss better sharing procedures.”
A downside of being a millennium old is you tend to believe your way of thinking trumps all others. Rhea seemed to be one of those minds.
Intrigued at how the upcoming conversation will go, Matrioshka ended the conversation with: “Right. On you go then.”
Less than a minute later Rhea sends an id-ping and a meeting request to Damien, who is currently focused on the first planet of the system. It took two more pings before Damien registered and accepted Rhea’s requests.
Their respective bodies disassemble and appear within the ship’s bridge. There a large see-through surface dominated the view. The ship is currently oriented towards the Emperor and Empress, their light faint and timid here at the outskirts of their influence. The rest of the bridge is of simple curving white design, soft blue lights and several elegant pedestals oriented around a large chair. The pedestals themselves serve no purpose, other than to provide a general location where a mind can leave their body while doing jobs in VR.
Late during the 25th century, functioning consoles were entirely replaced by virtual reality, yet the general look of a starship bridge remained the same; a large open window, a captain’s chair, and officer’s consoles patterned around it.
The crew of each ship knew the captain had access to all systems, and was likely conscious of every spoken word. The crew would create private channels to discuss sensitive matters, but they would just as often simply ignore the captain’s awareness. The captain was expected to be professional, only interjecting into conversation when it became relevant.
As the first meeting between her two crewmembers, Matrioshka decided she would participate. She materialized sitting in the captain’s chair - she liked the chair - and peered at Damien and Rhea.
Rhea was the first to speak: “Greeting mister Damien Viris, I quite enjoyed your thesis on multichain organic nanites and their use in terraforming of super-terran arctic-class planets. Really inspiring work.”
Damien looks surprised at the woman. Matrioshka checked the stored data packs and found no record of Damien’s thesis. Only of a woman named Corella Viris, a distant relation perhaps?
Damien’s thesis isn’t recorded on board, and it would take information little over 5.8 days to reach the closest large-scale data vault with any chance of storing Damien’s work. Meaning Rhea had truly read his thesis before coming aboard. Matrioshka notices Damien go through the data packs and reach the same conclusion.
“You flatter me madam Lavigne, and greetings to you as well. I cannot say I am familiar with any of your work, I would love if you told me about it some time.”
“Oh, it is all confidential. Corporate secrets, as I am sure you understand.” Rhea replied and Damien’s demeanour slightly changed, as did his processing speed. To Rhea this is hidden, but Matrioshka’s full access allowed her to monitor the processing speeds of everyone installed on her ship.
“Of course, of course. What would be the reason for our meeting? The others haven’t been awoken yet have they? I was quite focused on the innermost planet of the system, as the preliminary gravitation scans seem to suggest exceptionally high density.”
“Indeed, we are meeting because of your use of the sensors. I would like you to always keep two sensors free and available to our captain. She must be able to react quickly and efficiently to any outside threat. Which she cannot do if she first must wrestle control form you. I would also like you to release at least half of the remaining sensors to myself so I may begin biological analysis of the system.”
They were all reasonable requests. Technically as of right now Matrioshka couldn’t see anything outside the ship, as all sensors were used by Damien. She could relegate a couple of tonnes of inorganic material to create additional sensors but the design of the ship was already been thoughtfully optimised. Ah, Torrian tech…
Matrioshka expected Damian to comply.
“No can-do madam Lavigne.” Oh. Matrioshka’s eyebrows slightly rise from her seat in the captain’s chair.
“Pray tell, why not?” Rhea asks, stoic.
“I need to complete the total geological analysis as soon as possible; this sector of the Imperium needs super-terran planets quickly. Heavy industry is faltering at exceptional rate due to…”
Rhea cuts him off: “I am aware of the Imperium’s needs and I recognise your original logic and plan of action. However, its execution is dubious at best. By using all 8 sensors, instead of say, just 4, you have shortened your analysis time by 31 hours at most. Imperial industry will not collapse because of a day’s delay.”
“That may be you opinion…” Oh uh. Brining opinions into conversation was such a young mind thing to do. Damien was getting visibly agitated and his processing speed spiked again.
“…but I must insist. I will complete the analysis within the next two days. You may ask the captain to bring us closer to the gravitational centre of the system if you wish me to complete the analysis sooner.” Damien added while Rhea’s processing power began increasing sharply.
Okay. Matrioshka thought. Time to be captain.
Matrioshka rises from her seat and strikes a pose she learned more than 1500 years ago from a Martian commander.
Straight backed and cross armed she speaks:
“As I am sure we are all aware, we have recently awoken from long duration encryption. We are all emotional, and as a by-product, we are saying things we do not truly mean. Like mentioning opinions.” Damien winced.
“Officer Viris, you will transfer a pair of sensors to Rhea. And one to myself which I will only use to bring the ship within 40 light-minutes from the systems gravitational centre. At that distance, and using only 6 sensors, you will complete the analysis 24.8% faster than you would have if we remained at this location and you controlled all 8 sensors.”
Matrioshka continued: “When you asked me to use the sensors, I did not anticipate your reluctance to release them. In the future these and similar desires will be communicated to your captain beforehand. Understood Officer Viris?”
Chastised, the only visibly older man replied: “Yes captain!”.
He even stood at attention. Ah to be young again.
To Rhea she added: “While I appreciate and agree with your demands, such strict schedules will be introduced and enforced only by myself. You, while much older than Officer Viris, are not his superior officer.” Damien further wilted at the “much older” part.
“Am I clear Officer Lavigne?”
“Perfectly clear captain.” Rhea took being chastised much better than Damien. She smiled, and winked at Matrioshka.
As her crew members dematerialized, Matrioshka could not shake the feeling that Rhea has been playing with her