In search of the next story

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel hadn’t considered asking the ship for the answers. In part because she had come to rely on Orihime for solutions to anything technical – and in part because, well…it simply did not occur to her. But it made perfect sense.

And in Sorel’s experience, expertise was a relative term, not an absolute one. If someone knew significantly more than you? Well that made them an expert. At least in the context of that relationship.

But then that made the pilot/ship combination a thought-leader she figured. So she listened to its response. She was still unsure if the ship itself was male, female or of indeterminate sex. Most ships were referred to as feminine, but this was organic and may take offence at being mis-sexed.

And the concept of two dozen organic fighters was incredible – as was the prospect of children. Sorel had to ask, “How large would your children be, and are they scale versions of yourself?”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

"They don't get that big and they can take a long time to grow. Right now my hanger bay is full of ships in case of an attack or something coming after me." She said it with a small sound to her voice but Orihime was not able to tell all of the expressions when she looekd to see some of the other parts. She was guessing witout a face it would rely on tone of voice to suss out emotion. That would be important for them to be able to use. "Alright, I think we would like to see some of the other ships here" She said it while standing and there were other ships. A larger one then these fighters or whatever they were white and kind of reminded her of white blood cells that would handle problems coming after the body. She was overthinking it as a small area opened up and there was a larger transport hooked up and she was guessing transport given how large the cargo hold seemed to be.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel stood almost open-mouthed as the ship showed off its own creations. The fact that they started with a full complement was a significant bonus and Sorel hoped the ship would not have to grow a new ship for quite some time – as the need would no doubt be linked to the destruction of one of those she could see. Or was that death? Sorel wasn’t entirely sure and found the whole subject still fascinating and confusing in equal measures.

“Do they have to remain here, or can they function remotely? I mean do they find their own energy or do they need to be connected to you?”

It was not often a Jedi could have a conversation where every sentence revealed a brand new fact that the galaxy did not currently know the answer to. And so Sorel rejoiced in the fact.

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

"They have enough energy to function for several days without needing to get more food but that is not usually needed as they can't travel out of a system." She said it and Orihime was looking at some fo them as she looked over one of the ships with Sorel. "These look really cool just going to say it but I have no idea how to get inside one of them." She was wondering and the ship seemed to respond to her as the hull became like water and she was sucked inside for a few moments. Then seemed to come out of it and was covered in goo. "He slimed me." She said it while sitting there for a mometn and looking at Sorel while she wiped at some of it. "Also those I don't know about using for travel they seem more wanting to protect mmommy."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel listened and before she could comment, Orihime appeared to be assimilated into one of the ships before emerging moments later covered in slime. Sorel could not hide the look of disgust on her face.

“That was gross. I guess they’re not designed to carry passengers as a rule. But it answers my question I think. They are based here and rely on the mother ship entirely.”

She looked up, as much to let Orihime know she was talking to the ship now and not her. “Do you maintain contact with them when they’re not on board. And do they travel independently or do you control them?”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

"They can do their own things when needed but we haven't had much reason to go outside or capability." The ship was speaking and she was looking at the ship itself and at Orihime when she was wiping at her eyes. "I think I need a bath." She was uncertain about many of the things before she was walking around to try and at least not squelch her boots checking where everything was. "They are also still young in some cases with simple functions. Protecting the ship itself and the transports are better able to head out and explore an area with a chance to communicate with me." She could still hear the ship when she wanted to look at Sorel. "Next time Sorel.... when there is a chance and risk we could be slimed... it is your turn."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel listened to the ship and then to Orihime. “I’d recommend a shower. Otherwise you’ll be sitting in all that slime! And soon perhaps? That noise is a little off-putting.”

Her attention returned to the ship and she better understood the purpose of the smaller ships and their connection to the mother.

Nodding to confirm her understanding, she once more focused on Orihime. “I didn’t ask you to climb into the ship you know. I mean, I’m not saying you shouldn’t have but if you rush in, that’s up to you. You could easily have pressed a finger in first, or even just an implement – rather than jumping in head first.” Her tone was friendly and it was clear the rebuke was just banter.

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Orihime looked at Sorel with a small look on her face when she went over by her. A shower sounded better but she had an idea. They were joking and having some fun in here while she walked. "Yeah I could have but where is your sense of adventure Sorel?" Orihime was waiting a moment and then she moved her arm to put it over Sorel's shoulder and share the new discovery of the goo. For being friendly as she grinned. "THough I will have to change, I just dind't bring something outside of the ship and being in my underwear while it can be fun doesn't seem like something to do on a mission." She said it and removed her arm as the ship opened a small door for them to keep going through.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel was listening intently to her friend and didn’t notice until the last moment that she was being set up for a practical joke.

She could not imagine how bad it must be to be covered in slime, given how disgusting it was just to have your shoulder and hair gooed. “And now we both have to change. Great!” She chuckled as she said it.

“Technically I am now the last to be slimed, so I think that means that officially you’re next.” She laughed now as they headed out of the ship and towards their own transport, in order to get washed and changed. “We’ll be back soon,” she said to the ship as they departed. It would have felt rude not to.

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Orihime looked at her and was glad she was in good spirits. that was what you needed when there were strange things afoot and really hard to know what anything was when you looked at more of it. She remained there, looking here then out of the ship as they exited to go and get changed. "We'll be back ship.... we should think about a name for you or what was your name before?" She didn't mind a talking ship but calling it ship seemed a little impersonal and the ship had already slimed them... there was not a lot left that could be done to them with the ship in many cases. She was looking in the hanger and there was sunlight coming from the ice as well as more tendrils absorbing the water around the ship that had melted.

Orihime though was looking at Sorel as the ship spoke. "Alright, I'll think on it and try to see if i can remember my name." That was all she could really ask for when they were looking at more of it. Wanting to get out there and to their ship. She looked at Sorel who was covered in goo herself and it was only a small amount. A small things that might have been able to happen. "Perhaps, though we will see later what we might have that could cover us in goo or slime or something sticky.... At least though we know we will not have to worry about this ship. it seems to be a very strange thing and I can feel the force energies coming off of it. It is like a force nexus now that it is awake."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel nodded when Orihime mentioned naming the ship. Even run of the mill ships were named but this one deserved its own name. And she wondered why she hadn’t thought of asking it already.

So she listened with interest as Orihime conversed with the ‘ship.’ She was disappointed that the ship couldn’t remember its name and she wondered if that was the ship talking, the pilot or some combination of the two. A point she shared with Orihime as they walked.

“You know, I’m not sure precisely who I’m speaking to sometimes. Is it the pilot, the Jedi Force Ghost? Or is it the ship and the pilot is the interface. Or are we speaking to both of them and they come up with an answer between them. And does the ship have a personality as such or is it a vessel, like the body and it is the pilot that performs the role of the brain?” She shrugged. “It no doubt matters to someone but I’m just curious.”

“And I wonder what the pilot can share or teach once it has fully woken up? And do we talk to the two of them as one entity or does the Jedi have a separate name?” She shrugged again. “Perhaps I should wait for an answer before asking any more questions.”

“And you can shower first. You need it more than me.”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Orihime was walking back to the ship and listening to Sorel as well the large notion came up to them about it and she spoke. "I am not certain either, I am not entirely certain of the pilot or ghost is male or female.... or something else. It could be a wookiee for all we know and through the ship they are able to speak basic or it could be anything really." She was certain of one thing though when they were getting back up to the ship itself. That there was a lot of work going into it, there was a lot of work to make sure everything they did was presentable to each other and.... Shower first oh yes please. "Though I think we'll learn it eventually the ship seems more then willing to teach us and let us understand the things it can remeber. If I was alone for a few thousand years then I imagine I would forget details as well." She was looking at it and going to the one area of the ship with the refresher chaging out of the slime covered clothing with a nod. "Ah do you want these in with the other things or somewhere else?"

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel walked alongside her friend. They were learning new things on a daily basis and that was entirely exciting but also fulfilling. As a Jedi, she knew of the importance of developing one’s knowledge. And that did not always have to be new Jedi powers. The education could just as easily be on ancient history or the development of science. And then there was every subject in between. And despite all of the devices in the galaxy and access to countless documents, sometimes the best approach was simply to ask. Which is where they were now. The debate they were having could be solved by the ship – once they were sure it had recovered its full memory, or as much as it was going to. It was likely the information was stored – it was just a matter of the ship identifying where and then accessing it. The Force Ghost was a different matter. It could have been constructed like a Holocron and so data would be stored in a crystal lattice somewhere. Or it may simply be a residual spirit, in which case memories and knowledge may well be lost irrevocably.

But for now Sorel focused on getting clean. “Let’s hope the ship’s washing facilities can clean the robes. But I’d recommend washing them separately, just in case.”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Sorel provided a great deal that she would be able to work with and think aout. Getting cleaned and standing there when she finished and getting a sarashi from her pack as she wrapped it around herself taking care but being decent around it. She bound it while waiting for something with an older set of training robes that she had as a padawan. The tunic and pants, the exposed arms but the built in amulet at the belt to hold it steady and sewn in circlet she could have. "Hopefully if there was any way it would be able to get the goo out or whatever it is should be on the ship." She was looking at some of the things she had as well and nodded her head in agreement. "If we do get the ship out and she ... he... it is able to fly we'll need to get this into the hanger though. Should be easier but I do not know what the ship might have or even where it might be able to go."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel’s wardrobe was not extensive. She had her everyday robes. Then she had a set she wore for special events – which were identical but immaculate given she never wore them for anything other than weddings, funerals and diplomatic meetings. And that was it. She had a second pair of everyday robes that acted as back-up if an item was damaged and in need of repair or replacement.

And given it was her clothes that had taken the brunt of the goo – except for her hair, she changed out of her cloak and wrapped her hair into a ponytail and then clipped that to the top of her head and waited for Orihime to finish showering so she could wash her own hair and put on a fresh cloak.

“I’m inclined to trust the ship to make its own way out of the hangar and out into space. It’s refuelled and we should have given it enough time to remember all the things it should recall to be able to get all of its systems up and running.”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Orihime stepped there looking at her as she gave a nod with her hair getting more dry and she wanted to work on many things. They could be prepared for anything here when she got a robe there. "Yes, the ship should know a great deal about itself and we'll be able to work with it." She stuck around when they were working on many of the things. Presenting a few of the other places. She was fresh and clean before strething out so she motioned for Sorel to be able to go out there and clean her hair and self up. "Though we have done all of the things, I am thinking a whole lot of things are here that we can work with. I want to see if some of those other ships in the hanger."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel waited patiently. Compared to her friend, she got off very lightly, it was only really her hair that needed to be cleaned – although the slime felt worse than mud or dust – possibly due to the fact it was a bodily fluid of an organic ship. She pushed the thought away – it did not pay to dwell to deeply on it.

And eventually it was Sorel’s turn. She focused on her hair and spent longer than she typically would – looking to make sure that every last remnant of goo was washed away.

Finally, she was finished and put on fresh robes before re-joining Orihime. “I hadn’t thought about the other ships. Which is silly really. They could be just as advanced but in a different way. So we’d better get back before the organic ship finds them and eats them.”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Orihime looked at Sorel when she was finally out and dressed, not terribly long but yeah now there was an important point to think about when she was looking at it and had her stuff ready. One of them would at least have to be with the ship if it could get out. Sorel could pilot this one up and back with them before she was going over somethings in her head. "We should, there might be more of the ship or some of the other things here we can see. The ship might even know some of the stuff they were doing out here like have records or maybe recordings." Some sort of holocron or information storage would be better... actually the setup she had done to record and copy the information should be done by now... they could pick that up and get what information would come in handy for themselves. "We can also pick up the datapad with all of the files from the main computer."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel nodded as she returned to Orihime and listened to her thoughts. They’d latched onto the ship as if it were the only thing here of note. For Sorel it was pretty much guaranteed to be the most significant find, but Orihime was right, the other ships deserved equal analysis as did the other items the Jedi had been working on.

“I’d be keen to see what the records show and also anything the ship itself might be able to share. And if possible, it would be great to find out which Jedi Knight is the pilot, and how they came to take on the role. And I mean the specifics as to ‘how’ not just why.”

[member="Orihime Ike"]

 

[Orihime Ike]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Looking at her with a small grin on her face at that. They had a lot to go over and pulling up all of the information here, she might be able to find something interesting and instead of reading all of the information in reports and books they could have it here compiled to review. The AI would eb able to even maybe group it into things that do and set up similar ideas or things they had been working on. She could also see the reports of things that were considered to large to move here to the facility. Something that was massive and they had to only send teams to observe. "Hmm these are something, large artifacts. Are something we might be able to see. The hand, the monoliths they observed, a ship itself outside the galaxy and there are some other things here. Looks like they were setting up teams and small camps to observe large force artifat i the galaxy that could be brought."