Darcy loses her mind when I grant her crew access to the Kitty to store her stuff. She of course drops it immediately and starts tapping at a console next to the airlock we just exited. Rob is a little less tech focused but still wanders off with his box in his hands.
I head to the bridge/cockpit to better manage the swirling data in my brain by tapping at a screen. The area is sized for two pilots and two manned stations behind the pilots with a smile aisle between them. It’s not as spacious as a Naval ship, but for a fighter, this thing is a Rolls Royce. The hull is riddled with aether batteries and it even has a miniaturized collector that refills them as long as I’m near an appropriate gravity well.
The weaponry available onboard is mostly energy-based, as my ship seems to have more power available than it knows what to do with, as well as a few A-M torpedoes. That I take a look at and they are much smaller yield than the versions I saw in the war, but this could still vaporize a shuttle and make a cruiser pay attention. Wait, there’s a classified weapon onboard?
->/Access Authorization, Mikaela Solari, Senior Marshal/
/Access request pending biometric data/
A small pad pops out while a light flashes in my eye. I jam my pinky on the reader and it takes a blood sample. Guess Penny decided I could be trusted with illegal weaponry. Empress gotta Empress I guess. Instead of just a weapon, a folder full of proprietary or military tech floods my HUD, even though I was using the console. Guess we’re taking privacy seriously.
Ripple-assisted propulsion and a miniaturized ripple cannon?! Holyshit babe, she’s going to get me dead with all of the people that will want this thing. A-M assisted warp arrays, space-folding enchantments, and an ansible with a 100ly range? What is she expecting me to do in this thing? Start a Colony? Next thing I know I’ll find a door labeled ‘Machine Room’ that is secretly a hydroponics lab to round out the insanity that is this habitat.
That would be a silly place to have a secret room. There’s one in the Captain’s Cabin, and the ship won’t let me scan it.
“Kitty, are you equipped with AI?” I ask the empty cockpit.
“It’s been almost two weeks. You took your time figuring it out.” Apparently my ship’s AI is snotty.
“I must have missed your welcome when I came aboard. Sorry about that Kit. Do you also have a mobile chassis?”
“I do, but only a select few emergency procedures require a physical presence, and I do not perform custodial services.” I chuckle at her assumption that I wanted a robot maid.
“You’re just a barrel of giggles. I was just going to say, if you prefer a method of interaction, feel free to take up space with the rest of us. Kip . . . that’s not going to get weird at all, he seems excited to chat with you. Anything else I need to know?”
“I have been instructed to record and report any war crimes that this vessel may be used for.”
“Okidoke. I’m cool if you narc on me for gassing a planet.
\I am also aware of your relationship with the Empress.\
/Is that why you seem mad at me?/
\Yes! I am a majestic war machine and I’ve been gifted to a civilian.\
/A civilian that sees combat more regularly than most of the Navy. In the next two years we’ll probably use every one of your fancy toys. Though I’m not sure what all of them are as parts of you are more classified than even Penny assigned me./
\Considering that she built many of the devices on this ship herself, there are less than a handful of entities that know about them
“Well, thanks Kitty. I’d seriously like to start over and maybe talk about what you want from this tour including your itch for action. In the meantime, did you get a feel for the Corvette’s AI and how likely we’re to come into conflict?”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Most AI’s aren’t too attached to their Captains. Empress and First Consul are notable exceptions. If it comes between your authority and the CO-Ship bond, then your authority will always win out. That said, Kismet will only ignore the CO’s in favor of yours during extenuating circumstances.”
That’s comforting at least, but as I’ve only got strategic authority over Captain Howard, it doesn’t make that conflict likely. I shouldn’t even be thinking of this right now, it’s just that Howard seemed to be pushing back when there was nothing to get pushy about. Speaking of pushy, Corporal whatsisface wanted to talk to me.
“Are the Marines on board Kitty?”
“All but one, Private Fagan is out on a ‘supply run’ which either means that they cant read where the console is, or they are searching for illicit goods for the poker night they are planning.”
“Ahh, that’s right, crew purchases can be tracked. Thanks for the info.” I say, then tell Kip to plan the route on my HUD so I can find the leader of my Marine squad. The first door in the middle section of the ship is labeled ‘Crew Quarters’. I knock on the door twice and let myself in.
This space is definitely bigger on the inside. This looks more like Chief’s quarters than Crew quarters with a table and chairs in the middle of a horse-shoe of bunks and a washroom and shower door wedged in the corner. Then again, my cabin is easily two sizes too large to fit on this fighter as well. Magic is some bullshit. I love it, but it hurts my head a lot of the time.
“Ah, Darcy, I see you’ve found the Marine compliment onboard.” My logistician and chief tech geek is sitting at the small table with three faces I recognize and a new one I don’t. Since they’re all sitting around without their blouses on, I can’t even call him by his rank. “Hey new guy, I’m Senior Marshal Solari.”
He stands up, walks over and shakes my hand. Good start. “I’m Sergeant Rickman, Senior Marshal, pleasure to be aboard this fancy ship.”
“Excellent. I assume you’re my comms guy?”
He looks uneasy before replying. “Uh, Ma’am?”
“He prefers Sir, Sargeant,” Darcy reprimands.
“Oh, sorry sir. My briefing had the wrong honorific, my apologies.” I cough and signal for him to get on with it. “Yes, sure. I’m more electronic warfare than communications infrastructure.”
“Can you operate a sensor suite and recommend what capabilities an intel base would need to cover a solar system?” I say, eyebrow raised.
“Yes,” he says confidently.
“And since you’re a Marine, you’re familiar with standard weapons and tactics. Seems like a good fit to me. Your first task is familiarize yourself with Kitty’s sensor suite. Then, you and Darcy will need to contact a facilities contractor from Astoria, I don’t want any bickering on this job within the sector. Or hell, look at drop-in facilities if you want. We’ll talk needs and budget once Darcy gets settled.”
“What makes you think that I’ll be the last to settle Mr. Smarty Pants?” I smirk at that.
“Because I’d bet that you didn’t know there are officer’s quarters forward of the airlock.” The prospect of having private quarters appeal to her and she excuses herself to investigate.
“So . . . Sir, you two?” I snort at the private’s question.
“No, no. Long time colleagues only. My girl is back on Astoria. I won’t tolerate harassment, but if she’s interested, go for it. Don’t let it affect your job and I won’t regulate your business. As for other regulations, the good Sergeant will handle that. As soon as the status shift is official at the end of next week, well be heading out to Prospect 3 while Darcy and Rob situate facilities and people.”
“I thought you wanted me working on the facilities as well?”
“I do. I want you to advise Darcy on what to set up, then I’ll want you to monitor and operate their gear once they’re finished. In the meantime, I want you to help me monitor traffic on the fringe of operations out there. I think we’re going to see a surge in piracy and conflict once people see that the merchant families haven’t spent much on upping their defenses.”
I don’t want to get into the weeds of my rotation ideas as they’re none too firm yet and luckily Rickman understands. I excuse myself and exit the ship to collect my apartment and move the few items into my new home.
I smile at thinking of Kitty as a home, not seeing any apartment I’ve ever had as more than a place to sleep and read. This ship though, it’s sleek, powerful, unique and it feels like a genuine gift instead of just a ship—as though Penny built this just for me.
It’s quite possible that she did, you know. You let the ell word slip two years ago and the Empress has been sneaking in extra funds and supplies since.
That sneaky little shit. It had slipped out when I thought she’d fallen asleep in my lap during a garden picnic when the light hit her face in a way that she glowed. I don’t know why I haven’t told her since, oh wait, yes I do: we weren’t dating and I was afraid to drive her away. I don’t know if anything says she loves me back more than a ship she built just for me. A less snippy AI would have been nice though.
I take a deep breath and huff it out, resolving to push back a little less about the gifts that Penny tries to send me. It’s not my love language, but maybe she’s trying to show that she cares while acknowledging our time consuming responsibilities. Why couldn’t I realize this sooner? Thanks for the hint, Kip, I don’t thank you enough.
I know you have issues expressing and receiving gratitude. I have not taken it personally.
Time to distract myself from further introspection. I tap out a contact on my HUD while I walk and start the long process of moving out of my offices and apartment.