In search of the next story

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel recognised the raised eyebrow and smiled. It was a bad joke, but it was too good to pass up. And she could sense that Orihime was more comfortable with their surroundings than she was. It wasn’t that she was entirely uncomfortable – it was rather that she felt the ship felt odd, and she hadn’t got entirely used to it. Like a new pair of boots. She just needed to ‘break the ship in.’

And no sooner had she begun to feel more familiar than they reached what must have been the bridge and she saw what looked like a large basin full of jelly. And in her mind, she just knew that at some point they would be expected to investigate. She wondered if it were the ship’s brain – but figured it wouldn’t be so exposed if it were. So her next thought tumbled from her lips.

“Is that…jelly…some sort of interface. Do we, I mean ‘you,’ need to put a hand in there or something.”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

She was looking at her while moving and was uncertain before she spoke. "I am not certain this ship is just a lot of questions so far." She said it going over to one of the screens while touching the controls. "That tickles" Orihime looked wide eyed when she shot up and her mind was racing as she thought she might be hearing something in her head when she moved back a little turning her head around. The basin of jelly vibrated. "Over here... hey listen." She looked around and if Sorel was trying to mess with her to get her bck she was so going to find a way when she saw it. The screen shifted as a face appeared speaking from the bridge. "Hey listen.... you are jedi right?" Orihime was looking at it and the as the basin as it was vibrating when the being spoke. "Not in there... well I was, or am I. I don't remember it has been a long time since I asked to be made the pilot of the ship."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel was still a little uneasy. It was not because she didn’t understand the ship’s technology – she was used to travelling to new places and experiencing radically different cultures, species and expertise.

Perhaps she was just used to doing some homework before she encountered the more bizarre things the galaxy had to offer. Or perhaps it was a case of trust – the ship felt alive and because it was not communicating in a way she was used to, she felt uncertain of its motives. It was still unclear if the Jedi created or found this ship – so she was reverting to type, and witholding her trust right now.

“Plenty of questions, agreed,” she answered and stopped speaking when she heard the new voice. She was aware the ‘jelly’ was vibrating – or was that wobbling? Regardless, Sorel could not help but link the two. And her suspicions were confirmed as the voice continued.

“Yes, we’re Jedi,” Sorel replied. “And are you just the pilot, or do you have some other hold over this ship? It feels alive to us and I’m wondering if that’s a reflection of you, or something else.”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Orihime was looking at her and looking at what they had as she turned towards Sorel. "Yes." It was plain and vague as she was looking at some of the things. "I am the pilot... or am I the ship... maybe both.... It has been a really long time and I have been alone here. All of the others left long ago when there was something. i could feel it." Orihime was moving around and she looked at Sorel again and the holocron as she spoke remembering they had set out after the Cron supernova had decimated Ossus. With this being from around the same time period, it wasn't confirmed exactly but making the connection wasn't a serious leap in logic. "Do you have a name?" She shrugged and well if the ship was alive or the pilot part of the ship... treat it like any normal thing. "Yes... no. I am ship, they used to call me something. Jedi knight.... Oh I don't remember it has been so long and I've just been alone here sleeping." Alright then well she was not surprised by some of it just a little confused. "I have no idea where to go from here." she said it to Sorel before the ship chimed in. "I can make and show you anywhere you need to go." "Orihime looked at her. "Not what I meant."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel kept quiet as she assimilated all of the information. The jelly was the pilot. But perhaps he was the ship and the jelly was his ‘brain.’ And was he a jelly in his natural form or was he some spirit, a form of Force ghost that resided here, as part of the fabric of the ship but also having a permanent physical home in the bowl in front of them.

And unlike a Holocron’s gatekeeper, that existed in crystals and simply shared stored knowledge, this was a sentient being. But it remained to be determined if it was a ghost, a bowl of jelly or a ship. In one sense it did not matter but in another it was important – if only for the identity of the entity.

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Orihime was looking at Sorel when she was going around looking at the ship. "So what is this." She said indicating the basin and jelly when she was looking into it and it was cloudy making seeing deeper into it harder. "That is the interface pool, you can control the entire ship from in there." She looked at her while she was got an idea. "So is there anyone in the interface right now?" A good question maybe... she was uncertain while they were looking over things. "No longer." The computer was showing more of it as she walked around getting some of the ship up. "So what else is there here?" She was curious while bringing up the map and touched the screen which seemed normal at least though there was a thin membrane over the screen before she was seeing the length of the ship. Somewhere they could go. "Those are crew quarters and meditation chambers." Seemed like it could be a good place to start.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel wasn’t following one hundred percent – but she got the drift of the conversation. The jelly was some kind of interface and the disembodied voice was most likely a Force ghost and not the voice of the jelly. At least that’s what she believed.

If she was wrong, Orihime would put her right later.

Then she focused on the screens, as it showed the various areas. “Crew quarters always give clues and I’ve never visited a meditation chamber I didn’t like. Maybe these are better than average and have some technology we can use?”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Orihime was looking at Sorel. "Yes that sounds like a plan... get use to the crew quarters please." She got in and the doors opened as the walls shifted a little. Mostly with directions to show them where to go and the voice came from the ship. "I don't know what technology is still on the ship but there is a bunch of stuff they left behind. i haven't touched it." The ship she was noticing and it would almost seem rude to talk about the ship behind its back... with sorel inside of the ship. She was uncertain what to make of it. On the one hand it didn't seem like some advanced AI by any stretch. Had more emotion to it... but she coudln't really say it was a person as they seemed far to wide eyed and innocent. She was trying to think of well if there was any instances of this but they had an entire research facility where they brought obscure things from across the galaxy to study and more they tried to make. This biotechnology also dind't seem like it was vong or Aing-Tii which those were the main groups she knew who had created such things.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel found the experience interesting. In this case, ‘interesting’ was a euphemism for strange. Being guided in this way was extremely helpful – but still odd.

Sorel smiled. Usually interfaces were quite formal. She wasn’t used to droids using phrases like ‘a bunch of stuff.’ It actually endeared her to the disembodied voice.

Sorel herself didn’t pay too much attention to the why of the situation. Orihime was no doubt analysing the likely origin of the technology and would no doubt update her when she had anything to share. For now, Sorel was simply along for the ride and would have a good look around at whatever she could find that might be of use.

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Orihime was going through the ship and looking at Sorel with a look on her face. She was uncertain about the nature of the ship still but she could see so much of it before she was moving now. To come around in some of the rooms where there were things being made for the ship. Beds that were so comfy but were also part of the ship and biomechanical for themselves to be on. She was imagining it would be comfy as well, adjusted for you and never feeling the coldness that came from well from space. She had to see some of the things while they kept going and she spoke. "So are you able to make more rooms or like alter things more then the consoles... which was nice we are both kind of short." She was looking at Sorel though as another door opened and the voice came out. "Yes, I can grow and change the ship as needed for you if you like."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel both marvelled at the technology and found it creepy. Not so much that it reflected your needs, but that it changed depending on who you were. She imagined a crew of various shapes and sizes and the ship constantly morphing to accommodate. She imagined the relentless change might be unsettling for quite some while.

“Tell me,” Sorel asked, curiously. “Pain? If this is an organic ship, does it feel pain. And as its pilot, does that impact on you?”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

"Pain... oh yes there is great and terrible pain, I have felt it across the star. Thousands, millions of people dying suddenly and then going silent. over all fo this time so much has happened and there has been so much." The ship was talking and Orihime looked at Sorel curious but they were getting the answers they needed for most of the things. To provide them with more information at least before she was rolling a few ideas in her mind to what they might be able to do. "From what I know of organic ships the hull is like their skin and that can be painful it is why the vong are obsessed with pain. They respect it and can feel it. Dangerous but the few reports show that they can also heal and repair a lot better without patchwork."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel was coming to terms with the interplay between the ship and the voice. But she was slowly understanding what she believed to be the case. The ship was its own entity and organic. The voice was the pilot and effectively the ship’s interface with the crew. It just so happened it was once a Jedi Knight and was now, she surmised, a Force ghost.

It didn’t necessarily make her feel any better, but it did help her comprehend how to interact with the ship. “I’m not saying that a ship being damaged is acceptable, but I wonder if I were on board if it might affect my decision to engage anyone, knowing the ship would be hurt by any enemy fire.”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Orihime was thinking about it and had a look on her face as she thought about if they would do the same things as well. She was uncertain before they were moving around. She raised an eyebrow though as wondering what the ship might be able to do or if it was going to get hurt. She was certain it had ways to defend itself. Based on her limited knowledge of organic ships they had ways to protect their nervous systems as opposed to just being exposed and overwhelmed with a little damage. She knew zenoma ships were able to absorb and use technology like shields and hyperdrives so that they would be able to move around and properly defend themselves. She was moving around in the ship as it adjusted some parts of itself to let her see the crystalline circuits that were a mixture of crystal, organic and some metal.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel knew the inside of a ship – or rather most ships. As they travelled through the corridors, Orihime’s interest meant the ship – or perhaps the pilot – was exposing its internal workings to allow her to see the circuitry.

She recognised the metal of course and she’d seen crystal circuitry before, although never worked with it. The remainder was clearly organic and seemed odd in this context – but she at least understood how the three integrated to create an operational vessel.

“So, in terms of the organic maintenance? Does the ship perform its own, or do you need…medical droids?” She struggled initially for an appropriate term and ended up using the one she felt most comfortable with.

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Orihime looked at Sorel and good question, she was uncertain as well but it seemed like the ship might be able to do some things. Maybe it handled it all itself or it was something that needed a crew to take care of it and it took care of the crew. A symbiotic relationship if there was one but she was waiting to hear. "Well it is easier with people around ut I can do most things. I haven't moved in a long time so might need to get some food to fill my belly." Orihime was just hoping food wasn't them but she was seeing that like most things likely meant rocks or ore or technology in terms of what it could eat. "Well we'll try and find you come food, do you have any preferences?" She figured why not they could have worse thing. "Rocks, the others who used to be here brought me these rocks with crystals in them."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel listened to the pilot, although she was beginning to think of the voice as that of the ship. It spoke as if it were the ship, even if it described itself as the pilot.

And Sorel was intrigued by the concept of the ship being fuelled by rocks. She suspected in space, it could pick up small asteroids as food – and she also wondered what impact crystals had? If any? Or if they had to be Force crystals. “I’m sure we can find rocks here and there are plenty out in space. But tell me, where do we put them, so you can eat them, so to speak.”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

"Well they go into me." The voice was saying it like there was no reason other explaination and Orihime was thinking about it. "Maybe she just absorbs them and has like an area to break things down. The ship is alive so should have some components we can't see that let it survive." She shrugged though and wasn't certain but was looking at how the walls had moved to give them a space now to see and she could see all of the rooms. "This is actually rather nice and looks like some peope were here at one point or another." Curious about all of it and what they might be able to do though here.... on the ground. The ship would need to get out of the way and off world most likely to really show them things."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel struggled with the concept of mere absorption initially but figured many organisms fed without the need for a mouth, and just assimilated their food. She figured this was no different. And her rudimentary knowledge of biology threw up a new thought. One of the definitions of life was the production of waste. She wondered what form it took for a living ship, but chose not to ask the question directly. At least not yet.

“Will you need much energy to be able to take off?” It was a far safer question to ask.

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Oh a good question and as she wa walking around there was some more things to look at as the mirrors in the rooms were quite nice and reflective. "I have energy for taking off but the roof and way out of here is closed. They didn't open it up often and I can't reach the controls." Orihime looked at Sorel and she was wondering if the ship just made a joke about what they would be able to do but she wasn't going to worry about it until she was moving around. "Hmm well we can look for that, i don't know what else there might be but we should be able to see some of the nice things you have been doing here. Might be able to get you some food or whatever it is you eat.