>>2813472
Coraline, Naomi, and the only issue you really can’t shake -- Adam. Whole reason you got into this mess. I know the day I woke up, but not when I was born. That’s what Coraline said. You think over her words again. A ship full of crazies and I’m probably one of them.

>Finally speak up. “Coraline. What in God’s name do you mean that you remember the day you woke up but not when you were born? What kind of cryptic shit is that?”
>Ignore it. Too much crazy for this early in the.. Morning? Can’t really call it morning -- Too early after waking up from a hangover. Just find something to do, read something, anything. Search on your display for something to read.
>Wake up Naomi. She’s been asleep for long enough and she probably has a hell of a hangover to take care of. Samuel the Nanny, carer of adult children.
>[write-in]

____________________________________________________________________

Welcome to For Hire.

Thank you for coming, to read and I hope you enjoy it enough to stick around.
The rules are simple but I’ll still explain them. Majority votes win and if you need to roll, I will state it. The dice system will later be explained once we get to a position when it is necessary to do so. If anyone has any questions OOC, visit my discord, tweet me, or ask them after the current session.

Discord is used only as OOC questions. Anything regarding the quest (questions, information, characters) will remain within the thread itself. Discord has a few things, pastebins, schedule reminders, changelogs, art, and miscellaneous.

Twitter: Kov_QM
Archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=FHQ
Discord: https://discord.gg/QznmEus
Schedule: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aSiHTqvMi8RuNlho-jxREmw7vczlofoLYuxITumc0kA/edit?usp=sharing

>>2813474
>>Finally speak up. “Coraline. What in God’s name do you mean that you remember the day you woke up but not when you were born? What kind of cryptic shit is that?”

>>2813474
>>[write-in]
>“Coraline, you wouldn't happen to be an android would you?"

>>2813474
>Finally speak up. “Coraline. What in God’s name do you mean that you remember the day you woke up but not when you were born? What kind of cryptic shit is that?”

>>2813474
>Ignore it. Too much crazy for this early in the.. Morning? Can’t really call it morning -- Too early after waking up from a hangover. Just find something to do, read something, anything. Search on your display for something to read.

Let's... wait for pain to subside before asking heavy questions

>>2813477
>>2813485
>>2813533
3 for asking Coraline

Writing!

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>>2813474
“Ahem,” you clear your throat before taking another sip as you watch Coraline continue to stare at the screen. She doesn’t move after you clear your throat a second time, somewhat forcefully this time, as you set down the glass. “So Coraline..”

“Yes?” She says as you trail off, though still enraptured by the small screen.

“Well… what you said earlier.. You remember when you woke up?”

“Yes,” her single reply hangs for a moment as the familiar melodic song softly plays from the screen.

“What in God’s name did you mean by that?” You say as a final attempt to get her attention, “You’ve been cryptic this entire time and honestly not even sure what you’re after at this point.”

“What I’m after?” she turns to face you, still sitting with her hands on her knees, “I’m after Zaxaminiphul--”

“Yeah. yeah, Zaximaxapad or whatever,” you cut her off, “That’s not what I meant and you know that.”

Her expression remains spartan of any emotion or change as she continues to stare at you, blinking every now and then as silence holds the air for a moment. She breaks her stare as she looks to the floor before returning your gaze still without change, “Well I remember when I woke up. It was cold and there were others.”

“Others? Cold?” you ask without skipping a beat.

“Yes. Very cold,” she says before taking her hands off her knees and trying to get up to sit cross-legged like you before bumping her head onto the ceiling of the ship and sitting quietly for a moment as she rubs the top of her head. “It was a week ago.”

“And?”

“And then I met you.”

“No, so you woke up. There were others and it was cold and around a week ago, what else?”

“Yes. There were others, they were all blond like you. My bed wasn’t like your bed, mine was standing and it wasn’t at all soft,” she says before looking to the bed with Naomi still asleep. “They were loud and they all seemed dangerous. So I left.”

“Left what?”

“I left where I woke up and took their ship.”

“What about the others, the blond people.”

“They tried to attack me. I defended myself,” She says blankly. “I didn’t have any clothes so I took theirs too. I don’t remember anything else except for the other beds.”

>”Okay, hold on. Other beds? What do you mean, like the bed that you woke up in?” Are there seriously others like her out there?
>”So you woke up. Beat up some people, and then stole their ship. You don’t remember anything before then? So you’re saying you don’t remember anything past a week ago?”
>”What happened to the ship? Why didn’t you use the ship to fly to Leo?” Why the hell does she have to fly with you since she stole their ship.
>”So you’re still wearing someone else's clothes?” Probably the reason why they don’t really fit her, most of it looks baggy and oversized.
>[write-in]

>>2813682
ago?”
>”What happened to the ship? Why didn’t you use the ship to fly to Leo?” Why the hell does she have to fly with you since she stole their ship.

>>2813682
>>[write-in]
Please describe the bed. In detail.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>2813694 1
>>2813697 2

Let's keep it rolling

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>>2813682

“What do you mean ‘beds’? Can you describe them? You said there were others, how many?”

“I don’t understand,” her face changes to a sort of confusion albeit only minimally, “They were beds. Ten of them, all standing against the wall. Five on one side, five on the other. Mine was cold.”

Before you ask another question she takes an arm and raises the sleeve pointing to her forearm, a small line of black script: [004]; Kayne, Coraline, “Each had a number on them. I’m number four.”

You sit back, watching her for a moment before looking away, to the screen she was watching. “What were the beds? Just cold?”

“Very cold,” she says as she pulls her sleeve back down.

“Were there others in the beds?”

“Yes. The others had numbers, mine was four.”

“Were the other’s beds opened?”

“I was the only one who woke up,” she turns back to her screen, now blank. “I’m not sure how long I was asleep.”

You sit still as you lean your head on the side of the bed, sliding further forward into the open cubby under the desk. A cold bed, huh? Something seems odd at the very least. Though you’re not entirely sure what it is. She was the only one who woke up, maybe the blond guys were after her specifically? Or perhaps they didn’t know what they were looking at and simply opened one at random? Maybe that was the reason only she woke up. But woke up from what would be the better question. you think to yourself for a moment before returning to look at Coraline who seems no more relaxed than she did before.

“Why did you tell me now,” you finally speak up after she turned back to you.

“You asked my age and I don’t know.”

“Yes, but you didn’t have to tell me that you only remember when you woke up, you could have just left it as it was. I mean, you’re not one for explaining yourself much anyways.”

She takes a moment before looking back to you, “You and Naomi talked.”

>”Speaking of Naomi..” wake her up.
>”Who were the blond people, do you know what they were after, or what they were doing?”
>”You said you were in a ship before taking the blond guys ship, do you remember where that ship is at?”
>”So you just wanted to talk to me?”
>[write-in]

>>2813922
>>”Who were the blon-"
It was that upcoming terrorist group wasn't it.
>Facepalm
>”So you just wanted to talk to me?”

>>2813932
alright, writing

>>2813932
Cuddle. I mean, suppport

>>2813990
I also support the cuddle.

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>>2813922
“Ah..” you trail off, watching Coraline as she stares at you meeting your eyes. A second passes as a moment before you look away, averting your eyes away from her face and to the screen. They say the eyes are the window to one’s soul. What happens if the eyes were replaced? So too does the soul? You sit. Still. Stale. Your splitting headache still throbbing against your skull, though the actual feeling of it lessened somewhat.. The air fills with an odd ambience before you turn back to her who’s still watching you. “So, you just wanted to talk?”

“Yes,” her answer is short like always. Always direct. Always simple. Always to the point, even if the point itself is misunderstood.

“You don’t usually talk a lot, well not since I met you.”

“No, no I don’t,” she shakes her head slowly before trailing off. The moment lasting longer this time as you sit.

“Do you know who the blond guys were?”

“No,” nothing. They’re probably those one guys the cybernetics guy was talking about. Though you can only guess since there’s no real way of knowing, not in any solid way. “Do you?”

“No, but I can probably guess who they are,” you’re right. She’s not much for conversation. Not like Naomi is anyways, probably the reason why she wanted to talk in the first place. “So..”

“Do you remember when you were born?”

“No.. not really, not at all. But I remember a lot about my childhood, pretty early too. All my brothers remember a lot about something or another when they were really young, around four or so. Harrison could probably tell you something from when he was two if he wanted to.”

“Harrison?”

“Ah, yeah,” you never really told her anything about your family, “Harrison is the oldest of us he’s turning twenty-two, and Benjamin is just now turning sixteen and graduating in a few months.”

“You’re from Haven, yes?”

“Yeah, mostly nothing but dust and crops. More plant than people there,” you say as you start to sit up, pulling yourself up. I can’t really ask her if she has any siblings or talk much about my own.. There’s no common ground. She’s stoic, almost static. Your thoughts trail off as your words do before you return to the previous conversation, “So you really don’t remember anything past that time?”

“No.”

“Do you ever think why you don’t remember before then?”

She pauses, a small sigh as she looks away for a second. “Only thing to think about.”

>”You said there was another ship, right? What happened to it? To the ship that had your bed.”
>”The ship you stole, where is it?”
>”You said something about Holliday at the store the other day.. What did you mean? Why do you want to go there?”
>”Where were you going to? You said you were in a ship when the blond guys tried to attack you, where was that ship going?”
>[write-in]

>>2814107
>>”Where were you going to? You said you were in a ship when the blond guys tried to attack you, where was that ship going?”

>>2814107
>[write-in]

Do not push her so much... She might look impassible, but she has feelings

"So, watcha watching" *scoots close to Coraline*

Let's try to bring up some idle chat like what kind of music she likes or foods. She may not be able to recall her past but she does have tastes. So she must be human...

>>2814141
I support, no reaspn behind it.

>>2814107
>[write-in] Have you eaten yet?

>>2814223
She almost choked on a nutrition bar. We should make some shitty soup with that instead... I wonder how does it tastes with something like a dab of onions sauce.

>>2814141
>>2814218
2 for not pushing

Writing!

>>2814223
Yeah, she was eating the nutri-bar with you last thread

>>2814277
But OP, last thread was a week ago, we should be starving by now.

Can we make something else with the nutri bars?
>>2814305
At least a flavored thick juice... I'd love it if it feels like almond milk. Taste is another issue

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>>2814319
>almond milk

>>2814329
It's as realist as it gets. I dislike it, but that powdery liquid sounds like a liquid nutri-bar from space. We could warm it up as well... also divide it into small portions to eat many meals a day. Better absorption. Trust me I study medicines

>>2814338
Oh, I can see doing it for better absorption. But you made me think you were suggesting it should taste like almond milk. And shouldn't we worry about it giving us constipation?

>>2814346
I do worry... there is only one toilet and no fiber on the ship

>>2814354
That poor toilet

>>2814346
Not really since Nutri-Bars have all you need for a single meal -- or so the packaging says.

>>2814363
But Op, fiber isn't needed. It's just there for comfort. AND it'll just take space from need nutrients like meat and potatoes

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>>2814107
You pause, letting the moment simmer as the two of you sit quietly. She’s not entirely a robot after all. She’s odd for sure though. Whatever she was, whatever she is, her past, present -- she’s just.. her. In all the complexities or simplicity that comes with it. You sit up as she turns back to her her screen, a cue to talk. “What.. what have you been watching?”

“Naomi recommended it,” she says as she touches the keypad before her, lighting the screen again. “I like it.”

You take this moment to get closer and peer over her shoulder, you had imagined her to be watching Bloodhounds since that was what you were watching last night but it seemed to be something else. She turns back to see you closer than a moment before so she scoots over a bit to let you see better as well as get closer and so you do since the screen is pretty small. You fold your left leg under your right as you lean against the bed close enough to see but not close enough to touch Coraline who started to sit the same way she was sitting when you woke up. Hands on her knees and legs folded under her, sitting on them.

She clicks onto another episode before turning back to check on you and nods before turning back. The show itself seems to be a workplace comedy focusing around four characters in a cubicle-type job -- you weren’t too sure -- it seemed to make fun of a specific character. Though most of the jokes seemed to have went over your head, Coraline seems to be enjoying herself -- or at least you think since she seems to wear the same serious expression throughout. This episode seemed to focus around one of the romance couples an air-headed woman and a very strict man. The music seemed to be really something you enjoyed though. Melodic and upbeat.

“Say, Coraline, what kind of music do you like?” you say in between some of the dialogue.

“I like this music,” she says without turning.

“I like it too, I think I know a few songs you might like if you like this then,” you say pulling yourself up into a less relaxed position.

“You do?” She turns, brow raised.

“Yeah, I --”

>>2814407
Your words are cut short as groaning from behind you starts up from a certain journalist. You turn to see Naomi holding her head, face first in your pillow. Took her long enough. She kicks her legs at the bed as you tap her shoulder. Groaning again, she turns from her pillow shield, her eyes meeting yours as half of her face is buried in the bed. Her eyes narrow and form a scowl as her face turns shades of pink, highlighting the imprints of the pillow’s folds on her cheek.

“Good morning, Naomi,” Coraline says before Naomi retreats again into the pillow.

>”Good morning. I’ll get you some water.” Bad hangover never feels good after a night of emotional conversations.
>”Go take a shower, probably’ll feel better after a cold shower.” Worked for you, albeit only minimally.
>”You hungry?” Give her one of the Nutri-Bars Coraline got for the three of you.
>Ignore her, if she doesn’t want to wake up yet don’t make her.
>{write-in]

>>2814408
>>”Go take a shower, probably’ll feel better after a cold shower.” Worked for you, albeit only minimally.

Yeah, she better wakes up first

>>2814408
>>”You hungry?” Give her one of the Nutri-Bars Coraline got for the three of you.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>2814411 1
>>2814436 2

rolling or I'm going to be lazy and just combine them

>>2814488
Here eat this in the shower.

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>>2814408
“Are you..” you see her flinch from your words. You wait a moment before talking again with a hushed voice, barely audible, “That bad huh? I got it pretty bad myself, but it’s your first time hungover, well, first time drunk too. I don’t envy you…”

She turns her head again sleepily eyeing you behind the cover of the pillow. You wait at the edge of the bed before she slowly, carefully, raises. Her hands over her ears as she turns to you, sliding out of the bed, bringing the blanket that still clung to her figure. She makes a nondescript noise as you hand her a nutri-bar.

“You shoul-” you pause and quiet yourself again as you see her grimace at your words, “you should go take a cold shower. Get something to eat, drink some water too..”

She nods slowly as she ignores the bar and heads into the shower before slowly crawling back out, heading to the locker. You watch her as she closes the shower door as you shake your head. Probably should feel more guilty but really.. At least she’s quiet. Probably would be shouting or something at this point. you sigh, give it some time.. I bet..

You turn back, placing the Nutri-Bar on the desk before looking at Coraline who seems to have all but ignored Naomi waking up. Continuing to watch the show as intensely as she started. Shrugging, you continue to watch. You’re not really interested in the show as much as you’re interested in how Coraline reacts, or how little she reacts. Every now and then you see a small smile before it gets quickly replaced with the same intense look, something akin to how she looked when she finishes one of her lollipops. Though you don’t think she’s actually disappointed, you find it funny either way.

>>2814610
It’s not before too long that you hear Naomi rummage around behind you in the locker room, skipping entirely from when she left the shower as you were too busy laughing to yourself at what Coraline looks like when surprised by one of the jokes. You hand her the nutri-bar and glass as she sits down beside you cross legged. She takes both silently as she nods slowly in thanks. It’s odd seeing her so quiet. She’s probably not going to be talking for a while. It’s only been a day since you’ve left the station and most of the morning was spent watching the comedy with Coraline. Not time wasted, but you know it’s not the best way to spend your time even if you have more time than you could actually handle yourself.

How do you spend noon?
→ Days will be split up into four times. Morning, Noon, Evening, and Night. Days will be split up during travel, you could do something in a general sense or you could do specific things that take less time. Time will resume a normal pace during events or conversations.
→ It is currently Noon.

>Catch up on some reading.
→ Cybernetics “Cybernetics: A Pedantic Guide” Or “Taking Steps toward Electric Sheep”
→ Some Engineering books you still have on your display
→ Some Articles you downloaded
>Talk with Noami or Coraline
>Continue to watch the workplace comedy that Coraline is watching
>Ask to watch the episode of bloodhounds that you weren’t able to finish last night.
>[write-in]

>>2814614
>>Catch up on some reading.
→ Some Articles you downloaded

I guess it's cool if Sam reads something light, for starters.

>>2814614
oh shit, forgot to say, that I'll be writing again tomorrow around 1pm central.

>>2814614
>Catch up on some reading.
→ Cybernetics “Cybernetics: A Pedantic Guide” Or “Taking Steps toward Electric Sheep”
I really want to figure out what's wrong with Coraline. You've got my noggin' joggin'

>>2814614
→ Cybernetics “Cybernetics: A Pedantic Guide” Or “Taking Steps toward Electric Sheep”

>>2815145
+1

>>2815145
>>2815147
>>2815157
Writing!

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>>2814614
You watch Naomi as she takes a small bite from the powdery bar before coughing a bit and then quickly taking a sip from the glass of water, “You okay?”

She just nods without looking back up from her meal, not ignoring you just absorbed in trying to eat the bar. You smile softly as you watch her continue to struggle to eat it. You have to say that it’s not really the best of meals, Nutri-Bars, but they are probably the best for your standard. Anything else just seems a luxury you can’t really afford any time soon -- something you yourself want to fix even if you’re not sure how to go about doing it. Naomi said she would pay you for flying her to Leo, though you’re not sure if she’ll be able to since you’re not really sure of her work -- journalism that is.

Thinking about Naomi and what she had paid for already, you pat your chest before remembering you took your coat off and put it into the locker. You poke Naomi in her leg before pointing over to the locker and miming you putting on a coat, “Uhh, coat.”

She nods before leaning back, opening the locker and getting your coat before tossing it back to you having it land on your lap. You rummage through the chest pockets of your coat before finding the display you had left in it. Flipping it over in your hands, you turn it on and watch as the small screen turns from white to blue to red and then flashes the all too familiar home screen of your display -- a picture of your family home on Haven.

You smile before opening the library of books you had saved over the years; most being education and academic books while others are fantasy or some of your favorite history books. You look over the relatively small library, skipping over the engineering books, mechanic books, the manual for your ship even, before reaching a section titled ‘new’. You take a moment, wondering why the section isn’t at the top of the list before ignoring it and opening the section.

Two books light the digital shelves with a golden shimmer before turning to a dull ambient light, ‘Cybernetics: A Pedantic Guide’ and ‘Taking Steps toward Electric Sheep’. You open the first one, the guide and read over some of the chapters. Most of it seems to be a large overview of each subject. ‘Connections Between Machine & Flesh,’ ‘Chemicals and Physical Adjustment,’ ‘Procedures and Implants,’ .. the chapters go on to twenty-seven having a total of five hundred and sixty four pages before finishing with the author’s notes.

>>2815731
Taking a moment to open one of the chapters at random, you see most of the writing as dry and overly wordy before you nod and close it. You open the other book to find several chapter names that seem more esoteric in nature. ‘Tuniquet of the Mind,’ ‘Singularity,’ ‘Transcendence.’ Unlike the guide, this one seems to follow a certain rhythm to the chapters and if you read them out of order then you’d only understand parts of it where as you can open the guide and select any chapter and jump in without having to read the previous chapter, a structure similar to textbooks.

You close the book and mull over the two books. ‘Taking Steps toward Electric Sheep’ seems to be almost philosophical and probably wouldn’t help much in what you want to know specifically but could point you to certain ideas to what the problem could be. So if you had read it before ‘Cybernetics: A Pedantic Guide’ you think you could identify what chapter you should read first instead of slogging through the textbook-like solid chunk of text. Though ‘Taking Steps toward Electric Sheep’ is smaller and probably easier to read, you’re not sure you would understand what they’re talking about if you hadn’t read ‘Cybernetics: A Pedantic Guide’ since it talks a lot about cybernetics and their implications within society.

You sigh. A dilemma.

>Read ‘Cybernetics: A Pedantic Guide’ you could skip to a chapter regardless if you knew what exactly it talks about. It is a textbook after all and would no doubt have the necessary information regardless.
>Read ‘Cybernetics: A Pedantic Guide’ should start from the beginning. You have the time, there’s no need to rush things.
>Read ‘Taking Steps toward Electric Sheep’ would be best to read something like this to understand the mindset and see what cybernetics are about, their place in society.
>Read ‘Taking Steps toward Electric Sheep’ it’s far more interesting than something like a brick that is the guide. You could always read the Guide later, there’s no need to rush anything.
>[write-in]

Oh shit I forgot to edit that picture

>>2815733
oof I forgot that green text doesn't continue after editing the text format.

>>2815733

>Read ‘Cybernetics: A Pedantic Guide’ you could skip to a chapter regardless if you knew what exactly it talks about. It is a textbook after all and would no doubt have the necessary information regardless.

>>2815733
>>Read ‘Cybernetics: A Pedantic Guide’ you could skip to a chapter regardless if you knew what exactly it talks about. It is a textbook after all and would no doubt have the necessary information regardless.

Let's get into her head

>>2815733

>Read ‘Cybernetics: A Pedantic Guide’ should start from the beginning. You have the time, there’s no need to rush things.

Make Coraline read some of it aloud

>>2815828
>>2815850
>>2815859

3 for reading ‘Cybernetics: A Pedantic Guide’
Writing!

>>2815865
after we read what we want we can start over from the beginning too, I want to know more about cybernetics and it may be useful for an engineer like us

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>>2815733
You look over to Naomi and Coraline before tapping Naomi’s shoulder to get her to scoot over. Pushing yourself up, you slide into your bed and push the pillow up against the top of the bed to give you some kind of head support even if it’s not a whole lot. You open the display again and find the book you were looking at earlier as Naomi moves closer to Coraline to watch the show. You don’t mind noise when you’re reading, not a whole lot anyways since you’ve gotten used to it living with two brothers and living on a farm that tends to keep you busy. When you could, you studied since most classes were short and put a lot of pressure on studying at home.

Reading over the title again, ‘Cybernetics: A Pedantic Guide’ you exhale before opening the chapters. All twenty-seven of them populated the screen in reading order from ‘Starting the Cybernetic Journey’ to ‘Author’s Notes and Diction.’ You scan the few chapters before finding a few that catch your eye. Of the twenty-seven, you see eight brain-related chapters. A whole lot considering most chapters are twenty page long essays on each topic, though you could guess the reason since the mind itself tends to be important for most cybernetic implants.

You read the titles of the chapters, ‘Chapter four; The Mind,’ ‘Chapter five; Chemicals of Cerebrum and Information,’ ‘Chapter Eight; Information Management,’ ‘Chapter Nine; The Twelve Steps of Singularity,’ ‘Chapter Ten; Emotions and Cybernetics - The Laws,’ ‘Chapter Eleven; Connections Between Machine & Flesh,’‘Chapter Fifteen, The Mental State and The Physical State,’ -- and chapter you’re not too sure of but seemed to fit -- ‘Chapter Twenty-Three; Taking Steps for Inconvenience.’
Most of the chapters seemed to have some rhythm to it but seemed to be in no particular order other than the basic information starts early on with the later chapters building on it.

You think you could understand from chapter four since the previous three chapters seemed to be introductory and basic information covering various parts of electronics and the interactions between the two whereas Chapter Eleven delves deeper into the connections. You could just read them in order or you could go to a specific chapter on it. You thought it might be easier to jump into a chapter but after looking over some of the titles, you expect it would be out of your field of knowledge since it seems to be more medical than engineering. Less wires and more neurons.

>(Options in next post)

>>2815905

>Just read them in order.
>‘Chapter four; The Mind’
>‘Chapter five; Chemicals of Cerebrum and Information’
>‘Chapter Eight; Information Management’
>‘Chapter Nine; The Twelve Steps of Singularity’
>‘Chapter Ten; Emotions and Cybernetics - The Laws’
>‘Chapter Eleven; Connections Between Machine & Flesh’
>‘Chapter Fifteen, The Mental State and The Physical State’
>‘Chapter Twenty-Three; Taking Steps for Inconvenience’
>[write-in (An order of reading them or to choose something else to do)]

>>2815907
>Just read them in order.

>>2815907
>Just read them in order.

Yeah. Even if textbooks have somewhat independant subjects, the first chapter still is the first chapter.

>>2815907
>Just read them in order.

>>2815909
>>2815931
>>2815941
3 for order not chaos
Writing!

>>2815942
WAIT!

Roll me a 1d100 for progress. best out of three, roll under.

Rolled 37 (1d100)

>>2815957

Rolled 75 (1d100)

>>2815957

Rolled 64 (1d100)

>>2815957

Rolled 18 (1d100)

>>2815957

>>2815959
>>2815978
>>2815985

37, 75, 64. Best is 37

>DC Medium = 70
>lacking Medical knowledge -20
>Textbook language -10
>No Saved Crits
>DC = 40

1 Degree of success

Writing!

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>>2815907
Looking over the chapters again, you decide it would be best to start with the fourth chapter. No need to jump into the later chapters even if it would give you an idea of how it all works, not with your limited knowledge on anything and everything medical at least. Cybernetics really does seem to be an entirely different beast than just working with machines and metal. Cybernetics combines machines with flesh, metal and sinew.

You open the fourth chapter, it starts with a brief paragraph that reads as well as you could guess, using words which you couldn’t really parse through with you having to check the offline dictionary on your display every now and then. Most of the text seems to be denser than you realized beforehand but if Naomi recommended it, it shouldn’t be too hard since she seems to know her stuff.

Chapter four starts with most of the beginning information you guessed it would have, though you didn’t expect it would go into as much detail as it does with the brain. If it wasn’t for the pictures to the sides and the various diagrams, you probably wouldn’t have been able to understand half of what the author was writing about. It reads nothing like your engineering textbooks you had to read during certification school since most of the words seemed to come from some dead language you never really heard before. ‘The medical language’ they call it in the book, but you’re not sure why they would need to make an entire language to talk about biology and chemistry.

Though you didn’t think it would really get to you but, the every now and then sudden burst of laughter from Naomi before her succumbing to a splitting headache and groaning as you do the same, really does gets to you. Especially since Naomi is sitting directly beside your head. Maybe trying to read a book after a nasty hangover doesn’t really help. You haven’t even had your morning usual since you’ve been so preoccupied with worrying about the crazies in your flying closet of a ship.

You don’t make much progress into the textbook itself but you made it through the fourth chapter without much revelation or any increase in knowledge that you hadn’t necessarily knew beforehand with the exception of more words to name the same thing. Though you do parse out a small sentence which clearly states that cybernetics tend to put an unnecessary amount of stress on the brain which requires additional implants for the brain to fully function and running over this wouldn’t help the user in the slightest.

>>2816052

You sigh as you gaze back to the small digital clock at the top of your display -- [17:33]. You didn’t think it was that late, but you did wake up somewhat later than you would have. You barely even started on the next chapter in line too. You look to your left to see Naomi and Coraline still watching shows, this time something different though you can’t really make it out through the small openings of light between Coraline and Naomi.

→ It is now Evening.

>Close the book for now, time to get something to eat.
>Continue reading. You just found some information on what could be an answer to what’s causing Coraline these issues -- If they truly are issues.
>Join the two girls in watching television, might as well let the information simmer and cook in the background while you think about other things.
>[write-in]

>>2816053
>>Close the book for now, time to get something to eat.

>>2816053
>Close the book for now, time to get something to eat.

>>2816053
>Continue reading. You just found some information on what could be an answer to what’s causing Coraline these issues -- If they truly are issues.

I mean, we already ate the nutri bar, "Enough nutrition for a day" amirite? This ship does really needs tea tough...

>Ask Naomi if she bought tea she can boil with the small gas stove... that she also bought

>>2816053
>Join the two girls in watching television, might as well let the information simmer and cook in the background while you think about other things.

>>2816062
I don't agree with continue reading but I support the tea

>>2816062
Actually, she didn't buy a gas stove, she had brought one from home and a Nutri-Bar only replaces a single meal.

>>2816054
>>2816058
>>2816063 (kinda this too)

3 to stop reading and get some grub you nerd.

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>>2816053
Clicking the side button on your display, the screen goes black as you set it down. Arching your back, you stretch your arms in front of you as you raise your toes to stretch the back of your calves. You make a hushed grunt as you feel a popping sounds follow your movements after sitting still for so long. You really didn’t expect to be reading for such a long time on just one chapter, but it’s just par for the course you suppose given it’s not really your field of expertise or rather anything you’re really familiar with. Can’t blame yourself too much though, it isn’t the easiest of books. Probably the reason why Naomi got it for you since it might be one of the more useful books in your library, at least more useful for you currently since you’ve read all your other books for certification school.

You flip your legs out from the bottom of the bed and slid to the edge before being able to sit down on Naomi’s right though you’re not able to reach the cubby under the desk so you just cross your legs and sit for a moment, watching the two be enchanted by whatever film they decided to watch while you were reading. Something funny from the sound of things earlier but nothing too crazy since it’s been quiet for a hot second. You can see the screen just barely from your angle but if you got closer to Naomi and Coraline you could probably squeeze out some more details, or at least squeeze something. Wait. No, that’s not what I meant.

You shake your head, before looking at the cabinets. Naomi said something about food a while back and it is starting to get around that time. You used to always eat around 17-19, so you’re getting kind of hungry. “Hey..”

Your sudden words make Naomi flinch as well as you but it’s not as bad as it was this morning and from what you could tell there’s no more ringing after just talking. Hangovers are mainly caused by dehydration after all.. “You guys hungry?”

Coraline looks back to you, looking between Naomi and you before speaking up herself, “Yes.”

Naomi winces a bit, though you’re pretty sure she’s being oversensitive since it’s been a while since the two of you woke up. After a moment of tightly closed eyes, she starts to speak herself, somewhat hushed but still speaking, “I have some stuff that I could cook but I only have a week or so of food.”

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>>2816153
“We could always just eat another bar,” you suggest and both Coraline and Naomi shows signs of disgust, though Coraline only marginally if you could call her change of expression anything. Then again if you ate Naomi’s food all in the first week you’d have very little to look forward to since the rest of the days would just be filled with the same food day in and day out. “What about tea? Did you get any tea?”

“Oh?” Naomi pauses for a moment, you know you still have some cans of Cal left but not much, or at least since the last time you looked. “Yeah, I have a lot of tea actually. Montaway was a border world after all, pretty cheap to get imperial tea imported there.”

>”Alright, brew some tea and we’ll just have some nutri-bars then. Can’t waste good food this early.”
>”Alright, how about we cook something that you bought today, see how things are at least. I’m pretty hungry for some real food.” Honestly you’re excited for some real food, some food cooked by someone other than you at least.
>”Let’s hold off on tea. Save it for some other occasion since we know we have it now. Nutri-Bars aren’t all that bad, right?”
>[write-in]

>>2816155
>”Alright, brew some tea and we’ll just have some nutri-bars then. Can’t waste good food this early.”

Let's hold off good food for when we don't feel sick! And I am medically interested in looking at Coraline's legs. The place where the flesh meets the machine.

>>2816155
>>”Alright, brew some tea and we’ll just have some nutri-bars then. Can’t waste good food this early.”

>>2816182
>>2816228
2 for tea time and some powdery pastries that oddly resemble disgusting nutri-bars.

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>>2816155

“Tea, yeah tea sounds great. I only thought you would since, you know, border world and all,” you say as you start to open the cabinet above Naomi.

“Isn’t that a bit racist to assume I have tea because of the imperials?” Naomi replies with a smug look on her face, waiting for you to finish.

“What? No..”

“Are you sure you’re not one of The Sons?”

“Positive. Ah..” you say as you take down three bars from the cabinet. Naomi frowns as Coraline just nods. “Nutri-Bars for everyone. Naomi, can you start the tea?”

“I can if you get your big head out of my way,” she says as she climbs across your legs to reach the locker doors to rummage around in one of her large duffle bags. She takes a moment before turning back to you, you still holding the three bars, and giving you a smile. She hefts the bag onto the side of the locker allowing her to open it from the hallway. A medium looking black electric kettle and a small tin can emerges as Naomi slowly brings herself back from leaning across your legs. “Perfect. I hope you like Assam Tea. I thought a stronger tea would be best with something so bland.”

“Good call,” Coraline says from her seat as the two of you watch Naomi set up the kettle, plugging it into a socket on one of the desk’s walls. You take down three glasses before Naomi waves you off, pointing to her duffle bag. “There’s a few cups in my bag, yunomi, they’re green and brown. Small little things without the handle, you know what I’m talking about, right?”

“Not at all, but I’ll look,” you say as you turn to her bag.

“Should be on the right side in a black box, should be about six of them in there,” she says from over her shoulder as she prepares the kettle with Coraline watching. You reach into Naomi’s duffle bag which seemed to be filled with clothes, though not the kind of delicates you’d normally associate with woman’s clothes, these are coats, pants, towels even. Running your hand against the right inside of the bag, you find a medium sized black box. Naomi, now finished with her kettle appears at your right, “No, not that one, there’s another box.”

You nod as she skirts around you and into the shower. Probably best if you didn’t go snooping around in a woman’s clothing bag but if she had any secrets in here then it’s probably not like she’d ask you to search for some cups in it. You sift through some of the clothes and find another box nestled inside two coats, a green one -- same one she normally wears, and a blue and white one. The box itself is exactly how she described so you open the lid. Six cups, slightly larger than your hand, sit nestled inside a black foam side by side. You take three out, each with the letter ‘N’ at the bottom, and place them on the desk.

>>2816388
It’s not long before Naomi appears from the shower, carrying a heavier kettle filled with water. You make yourself slim and stick to the side as she passes and crawls to the desk, placing the kettle on top of its small base. You watch as the black kettle heats the water as quickly as any other. Naomi places a small circle inside each up before taking the kettle and pouring in enough boiling water before putting the kettle back onto the stand and turning it off. “There.”

You nod in thanks as you hand Coraline and Naomi their bars. Same flavor, same texture, same feeling as before. A chalky flavorless thing. You notice both girls take significantly smaller bites that before and smile as you do the same. You enjoy the time spent quitely eating together, just the ambient sound of some show playing quietly in the background as you try to not choke on something that’s more powder than solid, the strong smell of something you’re not quite able to place but you’re assuming is the assam tea, and the quiet feeling of the ship vibrating ever so slightly as you pass through space faster than you could think.

You thank Naomi quietly as you accept the small ceramic like cup from her, the tea being a bright red. “Shouldn’t be too strong, but.. You never know,” she says, breaking the mutual silence. The tea, a complete contrast to the bar, is brisk and strong as the smell and color. Something enjoyable. As you finish you check the time, [20:10]. Time sure does seem to slink away.

→ It’s now Night.

>Take a shower, probably the best thing to do it before everyone else starts.
>Talk with Naomi and Coraline, break the silence and talk about something. [write what to talk about]
>Wash clothes, you left the towels in there without changing them up. Might as well wash everyone’s clothes too.
>Continue reading. Need to get through the chapters to see whatever is wrong with Coraline so you can try to help her, if you can.
>[write-in]

>>2816390
>>Talk with Naomi and Coraline, break the silence and talk about something.

so, what do you guys do to pass the time, know any games we can play?

>>2816405
after this we can

>Continue reading. Need to get through the chapters to see whatever is wrong with Coraline so you can try to help her, if you can.

>>2816390
>Talk with Naomi and Coraline, break the silence and talk about something.

What do you know about Point and Leo? What can we do there, I need some way to do some money


Naomi, are you writing about the disappearances or something? What do you know?

>>2816405
>>2816468
2 for talking
Writing!

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>>2816390
You nod your head as you place the cup back onto the desk, finishing it and the bar. Except for laughing, Naomi’s been quiet this entire day. You’re not sure if it’s just the hangover or if there’s something more to it -- something else. Not like paranoia, just an oddity that doesn’t seem to fit her character since she’s always been upbeat and seemingly ready to take on the world with whatever tools she has at hand. “It’s really good, definitely better than just the Nutri-Bars.”

“Yes,” Coraline agrees as she continues to sip slowly from her cup, holding it with both hands close to her face almost hiding behind it as she talks. She already finished her own bar with the small pile of wrappers collecting on the desk. Naomie hasn’t finished her bar and honestly seems to be struggling with trying to eat it. Might be the taste or any multitude of issues the Nutri-Bars bring.

“Maybe we could turn the bars into shakes. Not sure if you had bought milk or anything but I think it would taste a whole lot better dumped in a blender, some milk, maybe some frozen strawberries, bananas, some peanut butter..” you rattle on as you watch Naomi continue to eat her chalky bar. Something that tastes like powdered stale bread and hint of meat never seems as tempting as literally anything else. Though you guess you could do worse, you could just not be eating. “At least that’s what I think... “

Your words trail off as Naomi finishes her bar and places the wrapper somewhat triumphantly onto the desk with a half smile half grimace. You laugh to yourself as she turns to you with fierce looking eyes, making you stifle your laughing before you go on for too long. Clearing your throat you start again, “So.. Naomi.”

“Hmm?” she says, taking the wrappers and putting them into a waste bin. She turns back to face you, expectantly. “What?”

“So you’re a journalist?”

>>2816551
“Oh!” she suddenly gets louder as she almost jumps in place, perking up from her hungover state, “Yeah, what would you like to know? I mean, I’ve been writing for about four, five years by now. I think it’s probably one of my favorite things to do. My sister Yumi- ah- Yum-” her shoulders drop slightly as she catches herself, something a bit too obvious to pass on, “I mean.. Well, Yumi. My sister Yumi really got me into writing since I would always help them, she told me that I’d be really good at writing. It’s something that I like doing at least. Makes some decent money for me too, you know? I -- well-- anyways, what would you like to know?”

>”Yumi?” You could have guessed she was lying back when she told you her sisters names but this time you might as well push for it.
>”Ah.. I just wanted to know what you know so far about the investigation you’re writing about. The one for Leo, for Arcady.”
>”How did you start getting into writing-- well I know you said your sister -- but I mean what about journalism do you like?”
>The three of you haven’t had much conversation altogether, nothing like how you talked to Naomi or Coraline separately. Talk about the other conversations you’ve had with the two girls. Coraline’s missing memory and Naomi’s family.
>[write-in]

>>2816554
>The three of you haven’t had much conversation altogether, nothing like how you talked to Naomi or Coraline separately. Talk about the other conversations you’ve had with the two girls. Coraline’s missing memory and Naomi’s family.
Share info

Would we be able to go back to these topics later?
I really want to ask about the
>investigation

>>2816554
>>”Yumi?” You could have guessed she was lying back when she told you her sisters names but this time you might as well push for it.
>>”Ah.. I just wanted to know what you know so far about the investigation you’re writing about. The one for Leo, for Arcady.”

>>2816588
>>2816591
Can ask as many questions as you'd like. I'll tie them together as best as I can.

Writing!

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>>2816554
“Yumi?” you ask, watching as Naomi’s face turns from disappointment to acceptance as she sighs.

“Yeah.. Hana, Sumi, Yumi, and Sara. Yumi and Sara being twins.. I know, I lied.”

“No.. no, I mean, yeah, but..” you trail off before looking to Coraline, who seems to have kept the same distant air of an expression.

“That’s not really that big.. I mean, Like you said, you have your reasons,” you trail off again, a moment of silence before starting back, “I well.. You said you were--”

“Samuel and I talked as well,” Coraline chips in. You’re not sure if she was intentionally saving the conversation or just trying to start a new one, you can never tell with Coraline. That’s just par for the course.

“Oh?” Naomi says, her slouched shoulders raise back to her normal, lively, self. She shoots you a glance before turning to Coraline. “What did you talk about?”

“Birthdays,” Coraline says blankly. She hasn’t really known much about anything even if she could tell you exactly where you lived or who your parents were just by looking at you, she didn’t know you at all. She doesn’t know Naomi at all. You don’t know either except for the small talks you can gather from them, the little details around. Though, recently you have to admit that you’ve been digging a lot into their backgrounds with Coraline all but confessing she was born yesterday and Naomi basically saying almost everything she’s told you was a lie, or at least a half-truth. You just never really got to sit down and talk to them like this. Not as a group.

“Well, yeah, but Coraline said she doesn’t remember her birthday. She said that she remembered when she woke up though. I didn’t really understand but she meant that she woke up about a week ago on some ship before getting attacked by, what I’m pretty sure to be, those blond guys before I guess knocking them out, stealing their clothes and their ship, heading to Milo,” you say explaining Coraline’s lack of an answer.

“Ah?” Naomi breathes, placing a hand under her chin somewhat mimicking those detective shows. “The Sons?”

“Yeah those guys.”

“Coraline, why did you go to Milo?” Naomi says seemingly offhandedly.

“That was the ship’s destination.”

“So The Sons were going to Milo? Or maybe..”

“Maybe coming from Milo,” you finish for Naomi, “I did hear of those guys stealing a ship. That might be the reason why the ship had Milo’s coordinates in it.”

“But where were you coming from? Do you know where your ship was?”

“Unity-Point,” Coraline nonchalantly says in the same expressionless tone as she says everything in. Though you’re not, neither is Naomi. Why Unity-Point, could The Sons be connected to anything? Could The Sons be working with Arcady? What is their goal, why did they attack Coraline’s ship.

>>2816867
“Maybe..” Naomi mutters as she thinks, a scowl like face emerges as she stares at the desk sitting crosslegged.

“Something else about Carline’s ship. There were others, nine others, Coraline is apparently the fourth,” you point to her forearm, and she raises it showing Naomi what she had showed you last night. “She was in these kind of cold beds with a glass case or something, each had a number on the--”

“A cold bed and glass case?” Naomi repeats, “Standing up?”

“Yes,” Coraline answers for herself.

“Wait..” Naomi says as she looks over Coraline’s forearm. “So.. A cryopod? Those things are super fuc-- uh-- super expensive. Takes a really long time to get someone all the medicine to cryo-travel too. You’re not some super rich person, are you, Coraline? I mean that’s pretty crazy. You must have been traveling for a long time if you, and what, nine others, all traveled by cryo. I mean, if you’re not super rich then that seems like a totally different thing now. But..”

Naomi trails off as she goes into her thoughts, scowling even harder than before. Though, you can’t blame her since you’re doing the same. Cryopods? Like when you freeze people and then wake them up when they arrive? That’s some old tech, haven’t heard of cyro-travel since probably.. back when it took months or weeks for a single lightyear.

>”Cryopods? For what purpose?”
>”What are you thinking, Naomi? Why do you think The Sons would attack her ship?”
>”Well. You said Unity-Point, right? Do you know how far out it was? Maybe we could go searching for it.”
>”Uhh.. Alright. Well I’m going to go take a shower. This is a bit beyond me.”
>[write-in]

>>2816873
>”What are you thinking, Naomi? Why do you think The Sons would attack her ship?”
>”Well. You said Unity-Point, right? Do you know how far out it was? Maybe we could go searching for it.”

>>2816873
>”Well. You said Unity-Point, right? Do you know how far out it was? Maybe we could go searching for it.”


she's a super soldier! you heard here first

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>>2816982
>>2816984
2 for more questions!

>a super soldier!

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>>2816873
“You sure it was Unity?” you ask, not really sure what else to say. Coraline just gives you a sardonic smile while tilting her head. You nod, of course she’s sure. No reason to doubt her anyways since she hasn’t lied. “No, I mean, of course. Just. You know where? We could always go looking for--”

“Thaat..” Naomi speaks up from her thoughts, “That wouldn’t be the best idea. It’s been, what, a week? If anything the salvager gangs already slagged it. Worst case, they didn’t check for people… actually, no. The worst case would be that.. Hmm..”

She goes back into her thoughts, like a cacoon holding her for a moment and keeping her. It’s an almost one-eighty in her personality -- a complete turn around with how she acts. She’s completely serious, though you’re glad that’s the case. Though, it does make you worry. Coraline seems indifferent about the conversation, or at least passive, she hasn’t said much and what she had said wasn’t all that inclusive.

“What are you thinking, Naomi? The Sons? Or..”

“No, I think the sons found them on accident.”

“Why’s that?”

“They stole a ship from Milo and ran it to Unity, I’m certain they’re working with someone in unity. They found Coraline’s ship and sacked it since it was one the way. I’m not really sure why though. Might be due to something.. Well if there’s more like Coraline, cybernetic, they might have attacked it because of that. They’ve been openly against Spliced and Cybernetic users. A while back there was an incident where they attacked a few guys, at uhm, at Duncasts. Though these guys seem to be everywhere.”

“So.. How would they know that Coraline’s sh--”

“I remember where it’s at,” Coraline cuts you off. “It’s halfway between Milo and Unity-Point. A few days away. Not sure why it was there.”

“Out of fuel perha--” Naomi says before looking at Coraline, studying her. “Wait a second. Uh.. Sammy, you said that Coraline stole their clothes?”

“Yeah.. ah--” you would ask why but.. you knew why.

“Coraline, you don’t have any clothes do you?”

“I’m wearing clothes,” Coraline says blankly, patting her coat and pants.

“No I- I mean.. clothes” Naomi says as she creeps closer to Coraline, touching her coat, “So you just stole these.. and.. you don’t have any clothes? I.. well, I mean you can take some of my clothes but.. Cryosleep, I mean, so you fought them..”

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>>2817378
Naomi goes silent and for a moment you could see her face change shades before she looks away, returning to her thoughts as her question hands itself away, rhetorical. Though, that reminds you, you need to wash clothes. You check your phone, [21:28] been almost an hour and a half. You’re not really tired or anything, it’s just been an odd day.

>”Alright, well go take a shower, Coraline. Naomi will give you some new clothes.” Get Coraline to go take a shower and talk with Naomi about what you two think.
>”Talking about cybernetics.. what do you have, Coraline? I know your legs and eyes..” If her cybernetics were enough to get The Sons on her -- after her -- then there might be something that she has specifically that they don’t like.
>”Well.. I’m going to call it for tonight.” Take a shower and go to sleep.
>[write-in]

>>2817386


Wait, if you stole their clothes....what did you do to them....did you...hurt them?


[super soldier intensifies]

>>2817386
>>”Alright, well go take a shower, Coraline. Naomi will give you some new clothes.” Get Coraline to go take a shower and talk with Naomi about what you two think.

>>2817507
after this we do this

>>”Alright, well go take a shower, Coraline. Naomi will give you some new clothes.” Get Coraline to go take a shower and talk with Naomi about what you two think.

>>2817386
>”Alright, well go take a shower, Coraline. Naomi will give you some new clothes.” Get Coraline to go take a shower and talk with Naomi about what you two think.

>>2817386
>>”Talking about cybernetics.. what do you have, Coraline? I know your legs and eyes..” If her cybernetics were enough to get The Sons on her -- after her -- then there might be something that she has specifically that they don’t like.

Oh come on! I always blindly chase the waifus routes but when it counts, -you- anons want her naked and wet and I want to know how metal is she

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>>2817525
>>2817528
>>2817566
3 for take a shower you NEET!

Writing!


>>2817507
also paranoia intensifies
>>2817616
And wafuing simmering(?)

>>2817808
iijiranaide kov san

>>2817808

also, what kind of super soldiering do you think super soldier Coraline does
I bet is infiltrating and assassination

>>2817887
Sky faaaaall. Space spies men. I bet she's with the syndicate, trying to steal our blueprints.

>>2817887
Once she levels out with the maxapodolopus drug, we'll be able to judge better.

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>>2817386
“Coraline, why don’t you go take a shower then. Get out of those clothes,” Naomi perks up from her stupor of thought and shoots you a glance before giving you a smug look. You shake your head and wave her off with a limp hand, “Naomi, can you--”

Her grin turns into a cruel smile with a faux gasp and a hand on her mouth, “So sudd--”

“Noooo…” You take your left palm and tap her on her head with Naomi making a pained noise. You wait a moment as you narrow your eyes at her, “Can you give Naomi some of your clothes to change into? I mean, does she even fit anything you wear?”

“Well I’m not sure,” she says rubbing her head and pouting. “She’s taller than me.. Maybe she can wear some of your clothes, she’s around your height. I mean you’re a guy so..”

“Ehh.. well they still might not fit,” you say as you look over to Coraline who still hasn’t moved. “Might fit, but still. I don’t have a lot of clothes.”

“That’s fine,” Coraline says as she starts to make her way over to the showers from the edge of the cockpit. Naomi and you both try to make yourselfs slim as Coraline clumsily tries to crawl over you. She turns to the locker and opens it, before you could protest she had already taken a few of your clothes and closed the shower door behind her. Shaking your head, you turn back to Naomi who’s grinning. You contort your face to confusion before she rolls her eyes and looks to the screen. A moment passes as you hear Coraline moving around in the shower, the sound of the clothes container zipper opening and closing before hearing the water start.

You sigh before looking to Naomi, “So.”

“I know.. “ she replies to your non-question, returning to her serious state. “I think it’s odd.”

“Me too..” you pause, “You said before that she’s probably over the legal limit before, didn’t you?”

(1/3 (?) )

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>>2818061
“No, I said she looked like she was close,” she says looking back to you, “but I’m not sure. More importantly what does this have to do with Arcady. There’s only been three missing people and Arcady doesn’t work with cybernetics, not like they used to. Not since the Oberon Incident. Pretty much most UGE-based corporations dropped cybernetic development, probably not as profitable since people are limited on how much they can actually buy. But if Arcady is starting to work their way into Cybernetics.. I mean it doesn’t really make sense. So you take a bunch of people from Milo and turn them into robots, just doesn’t make much sense you know? I don’t understand that. Maybe she’s not a part of any of that but from what she said, Cryopods aren’t really something people mess around with nowadays. Not since.. Well I don’t know, I never really hear them talked about. Then you have The Sons and everything else with that. Maybe they’re working for Arcady to capture and bring in the people they’re moving to Leo but that wouldn’t make much sense mainly because The Sons don’t really like, uh, Arcady, you know? Probably would make sense with the CITF appearing in Unity. They’re dogs, probably their master is getting antsy with everything missing.”

“Yeah.. yeah,” you reply as Naomi starts to ramble. Is this how she thinks? “Well let’s say she isn’t Arcady.”

“Well if you say that then I don’t understand why CITF would be here unless.. Well unless Coraline is a politician or something. I never heard of a Senator Coraline Kayne, have you? Never heard of a Coraline Kayne period. She’s not a part of anything that connects to the missing girls, she’s not in management in Arcady’s Leo research center. Like how your friend.. Uhh, Mr. Tennent, Adam, Adam Tennent, yeah him, like how he was in management. Low level. Honestly thought he was one of the guys who were a part of this. Since he helped those going into Leo and was a part of receiving and helping train new arrivals at Leo,” she says as quickly as she could. Almost as if she was trying to prove something by talking so fast, even if she wasn’t on Cal she was high energy for sure. “That’s how I knew his name, yeah? He worked with the new arrivals. One of those guys. I didn’t think about it until I heard he died, one of the reasons I wanted to go to Leo, remember?”

“Yeah, you said something like that…” you trail off as the shower water stops and the sound of the clothes container’s zipper is heard. You lean in, cupping your mouth and trying to whisper, “I don’t know. Do you think she is like this for some reason? I said that there might be something wrong with one of her brain things but if she was like put into this for a reason?”

(2/3)

>>2818065
“I mean..” Naomi whispers back before fading out to the sound of the shower door opening. You turn to see Coraline crawling out wearing one of your old baseball shirts sticking to her and a pair of one of your jogging pants. Her arms look normal and besides her eyes you can’t see any other cybernetics since her legs are covered with the pants. She doesn’t seem like she’s over twenty-five percent. “Well! Why, don’t you just look comfortable! A change of clothes and a shower is always something I need. But I have to ask.. Did you shower? I mean, before. I know you did just shower but like, before? I mean, you didn’t seem like you didn’t take a shower before I just was wondering since, you know you’re.. Well..”

You watch as Naomi continues to ramble on just as she did before, maybe she put too much sugar in her tea or something. Probably can’t handle sugar at all given how she was acting before. Coraline just seems to be indifferent as she wipes her face from the water still dripping from her wet hair, “Yes.”

“Yes?” Naomi asks as her face contorts with a raised eyebrow and a confused expression.

“Yes. I’ve showered everyday,” Coraline says as she narrows her eyes at Naomi and makes the same sardonic smile and tilted head she gave you before. Placing the wet towel into the wash, she sits crosslegged at your right.

>”Well, I guess I’m next.” Time to take a shower and get ready to sleep, or read some more.
>Let Naomi take the next shower as you ask Coraline something. [write what to talk about]
>Go to sleep already, it’s pretty late and you’d rather keep your schedule since you woke up so late today.
>[write-in]

>>2818067
>>Let Naomi take the next shower as you ask Coraline something.

So, could you take us to the place where you woke up?

[scavenging intensifies]

>>2818067
>Go to sleep already, it’s pretty late and you’d rather keep your schedule since you woke up so late today.

>>2818067
Another shower!? Two showers everyday... too much. Very bad for the scalp, no sir.

>Go to sleep already, it’s pretty late and you’d rather keep your schedule since you woke up so late today.

"if you both do not feel like talking anything else, I will be moving to the bed. My neck hurts for some reason, like when you don't sleep in a comfortable way"

>>2818163
>>2818169
2 for sleeping on a sunday

>two showers.
Ayy man, space showers are less harsh on the skin and scalp. That space age shampoo and soap.

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>>2818163
Also, hey! I read your quest!

>>2818214
i thought it would be nice to be a player for once so here i am.

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>>2818067
You shake your head, you did wonder though but even then, Naomi's just too direct. Not really a terrible thing for someone like her, someone in her business -- her trade. But in normal conversation being like that isn’t just a bit rude. Coraline scoots closer before pointing to one of the padding Naomi bought the other day since the chair is so uncomfortable. You reach behind to one of the padding on the bed since what happened last night and with how things have went today you weren’t able to get anything out of Naomi except second-hand information from Coraline.

You hand Coraline the padding and she takes it before scooting back, curling into the corner near the locker and the airlock door. You watch as she tucks her legs and wraps herself in the padding and almost instantly passes out from whatever exhaustion she was feeling even if she had slept the majority of all day yesterday.

You shake your head before turning to Naomi, “Well I guess that’s my cue. I’m pretty tired myself.”

“Oh?” her mischievous smile creeps across her face again, “I don’t think I could sleep with you two nights in a row. I mean, we are newlyweds after all, but stil.. I’m not that tired.”

“Oh cut it out already..” you say tapping her head before handing her the other padding she bought, “I’m sleeping in my bed and you’re sleeping in the chair. You were drunk last night and knocked be out.”

“No fun,” Naomi says with a faux pout as she takes the padding and puts it over to the chair, “but seriously I’m not that tired. I’m going to stay up a bit if you don’t mind.”

“Whatever,” you say waving her off as you climb into your bed, lying face first into your pillow. probably should have turned on the wash, you think to yourself as you start to drift to sleep.

(1/2)

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>>2818412
You wake, probably earlier than what you’d expected you would wake since you can still hear Naomi’s shows playing in the background. You blink as you feel the pillow case against your face, adjusting to the light at the edge of the pillow case. You can’t see Naomi or the screen but the light still shines over. You continue to blink, trying to move or flip over. You can’t. You can’t move. You can’t breathe. Everything feels so heavy. You can only feel the blanket on you slide away slowly from your back as the sound of breathing envelopes you and as the feeling of your heart beating faster and faster like a drum out of rhythm.

You can’t see anything, nothing except the rim of the pillow and a soft light coming from the edges of the ship. It’s red, glowing, and before long you feel a grip on your leg as in starts to pull you. You try to scream but can’t, the words and sounds are caught inside. Forced to the edges and only the periphery of yourself as you try to move your arms the feel as heavier than you could lift. Like trying to swim in cement. The grip hardens and you can hear your bones crunch underneath it, a white pain sears within your mind as it turns you over.

Those eyes.

You jolt, everything in your body feels like it was steeped in adrenaline as you turn yourself over in your bed. Your breathing is sharp and irregular, taking a hand, you place it on your chest to feel the rhythm -- still fast. Only a dream. you breathe as you stare at the metal roof of the bed. The dream felt familiar, like something you’ve already had, but you can’t place it. A foreign feeling of familiarity. You continue to take deep breaths as you sit, ignoring the time as it passes. Looking to your left, you see Coraline still asleep -- tucked away in the corner -- and as you tilt your head up you can see Naomi’s pink hair from the ridge of the seat as she sleeps soundlessly. You probably woke up earlier than you expected.

>Alright. Well, time to get something to eat and wake up for today. A cup of Cal to calm the nerves.
>Take a shower, wake up a bit.
>Wake up Naomi, tell her about the weird dream you just had. Maybe she could tell you something, you’re not sure. You not sure what just happened. It felt so real.
>Just put something on to watch, it’s probably too late to talk to anyone and too early to get ready for anything and you’re not really in the mood to go back to sleep. Might be a good time to catch up on Bloodhounds, maybe.
>[write-in]

>>2818419
>Alright. Well, time to get something to eat and wake up for today. A cup of Cal to calm the nerves

Just a bad dream, we all have those.

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____________________________________________________________________

Gunna call it for tonight.
____________________________________________________________________

I'm debating on whether or not to continue to run throughout the week since I'm more or less free for this month instead of sticking to the schedule. AHEM https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aSiHTqvMi8RuNlho-jxREmw7vczlofoLYuxITumc0kA/edit?usp=sharing AHEM. Just so we can speed up to finish up this episode before next weekend. Not like what had happened in the last thread which I had split between two weekends. http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=FHQ . This is the second thread but the third session. Not sure if I want to be making a thread each session just because the place we stopped at in the first session was underwhelming at best and I'm not sure what place we will stop at at the end of tomorrow.

Anyways.

Twitter: @Kov_QM
Discord: https://discord.gg/QznmEus

>>2818546
gettin caught up now. Nice quest man.

>>2818546
thanks for running. Run whenever you feel like it. Have a good night.

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>>2818554
Hey man, glad you're liking the quest so far. Really glad you guys are enjoying the quest as much as I'm enjoying writing it. (It's really damn fun to write again)

>>2818568
Thanks, have a good night too. Pretty sure I'll be running through next week, kinda feel like this weekend was a bit slow on my part.

Don't have any really good reaction images for this, so have the UGE flag I made.

>>2818419
>>Alright. Well, time to get something to eat and wake up for today. A cup of Cal to calm the nerves.

>>2818419

>Wake up Naomi, tell her about the weird dream you just had. Maybe she could tell you something, you’re not sure. You not sure what just happened. It felt so real.

Speak the dream aloud before you forget it! Maybe write in down instead... so it doesn't sound like "sam sam I had a bad dream"

>>2818419
You slap your cheeks a few times to wake yourself up as you slide out of the small bed. You’re not sure what time it is, but it’s not like you’re really wanting to go back to sleep after whatever that was. Just a bad dream. Everyone has bad dreams. You sigh as your bare feet touch the cold metal floors. The main lights are still turned off in the cabin of the ship but you can see just fine with the ambient glow from any other light around. Crawling out of bed, you open the cabinet closest to the screen on the desk and reach for one of the cans you kept in the back.

It’s not something you’re unused to, irregular sleep patterns are normal for most spacers though you’re not a spacer since it’s only been a week. A short week of flying alone and now you’re chasing off into the stars to go searching for some answer. Maybe you’re just worried. Maybe it’s just stress that’s getting to you. Maybe you’re tired. Maybe not -- maybe nothing. You’re not sure. Opening the can of Cal, you close your eyes as you start to drink the strong bitter-salt beverage. You never had it with creamer like Naomi likes to drink it with but you do wonder. Drinking a can every morning used to be your usual to wake up for farm work or starting one of the stand-in jobs you had lined up.

Can, the three ‘S’s, and a meal -- usually with some meat but now all that seems like a luxury as you rub the subtly growing rough stubble on your chin. You exhale, exhausted, as you take another sip from the long can. Early morning rituals and late night disappointments. You sit, legs stretched out under the desk, though still bent, as you look around the dim cabin. Coraline still sleeps, surrounded in her cocoon, while Naomi is curled up in the cockpit. Both look uncomfortable but you did warn them beforehand that there’s not much room in your ship after all. Taking a breath, you place your can onto the desk and run your hands through your hair while closing your eyes.

It’s been a long few days, or at least very exciting. You open the locker door, making sure to be as quiet as you can be while trying to grab some new clothes before realising you don’t really have any more clean clothes, Coraline took the rest and you still haven’t washed anything since you left home. You sigh and just grab a towel, starting the wash before you crawl feet first into the shower. Not much you can do now, just take a shower and relax for a moment. You close the door behind you and place your worn clothes into the zipper-sealed plastic hamper to your left before opening the toilet and sitting down.

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>>2819582
You turn to the mirror and look examine your face, God, I need to shave. -- your only thoughts before getting up and starting the shower. You never noticed but this time the shower didn’t start freezing cold. Might be because you started the wash beforehand and that helped cycle the cold water out before you started since it’s part of the same water system and pulls from the same reservoir.

You know why it’s always cold, you just can fix it without gutting the ship and adding a new reservoir or replacing the coolant for the engines on your ship since you thought it would be smart to run the water as a coolant for your drive and have it be a sort of easy heater for your water, having it cool off at the top and sit there before either the drive or any of the water fixtures pull from it. It’s whatever since you also have coolant for the system engines, and one of the reasons why the water is colder since the coolant for the left engine sits pretty close to the reservoir, both above your bed. Turning the water off as you shake yourself from your thoughts. You put the clothes back on before stepping out and moving the now soaked towels to the dryer and putting your dirty clothes from the locker into the washer.

An average morning to put it simply.
→ It’s now Morning

>Start the day off with some light reading and by light reading you mean going back to read the textbook of a guide for cybernetics.
>Start the day off with real light reading. Articles you’ve saved from before you left Milo or something else.
>Watch some shows. Maybe find something worth watching like Bloodhounds.
>Just lay back down in your bed and think things over, no need to do anything else really.
>Wake people up, Naomi, Coraline, all of them.
>[write-in]

>>2819584
>>Start the day off with some light reading and by light reading you mean going back to read the textbook of a guide for cybernetics.

>>2819584
>>Wake people up, Naomi, Coraline, all of them.
If you suffer the wakefulness, so must the others.

>>2819584
>>Watch some shows. Maybe find something worth watching like Bloodhounds.

Catch up to the last episode of bloodhounds without being interrupted for once. I wonder how does the international space station cools off. Or if it needs to cool at all

Rolled 2 (1d3)

>>2819600 1
>>2819610 2
>>2819623 3
Sorry was eating lunch. Alright let's break this tie and keep it rolling

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>>2819584

You check your phone, [06:13]. Well, might as well wake everyone else up too. Opening the cabinet again, you take down three nutri-bars and place them on the desk along with three glasses. Laying them out, you take the glasses and crawl your way to the shower. Opening the sink up, you swirl the hot water around before turning it to cold water and filling each glass with some. After crawling back out and placing a glass with each bar. One for each person.

Looking to Coraline, you lean over to your side and stretch to poker her cocoon. “Hey, wake up.”

She doesn’t move, even after poking her again, she still doesn’t move. Crawling on your side, you get closer to her and try to peel away the padding. As you try to touch her, she suddenly pops out of the cocoon of blankets and padding to stare at you. Though her hair is comically messed up, her face remains the same with the exception of looking a bit spaced out. She blinks before narrowing her eyes slowly, still wrapped up, “Yes?”

“Wake up,” you say before getting up from laying on your side. You point to glass of water and nutri-bar as you scoot away from Coraline. “Eat, eat.”

“Fiiiiine,” she sighs as she falls over to her side with a light and padded thud. Turning away from Coraline, you shake your head as you look to Naomi, still sleeping and curled up against the chair. Sliding on the floor, you make your way to the edge of the cabin as you lean over above her.

“Naomi, wake up,” you said plainly tapping to top of her head as it’s resting against a pillow on her knees. Only a sound of annoyance is your reply, “Get up, time to wake up.”

You insist before leaning back to face the desk where Coraline started to roll to you from inside her blankets. As she bumps against you, her legs pop out from the bottom, extend into the cubby, and props herself up against the side of the bed. Dramatically, she takes her arms and sticks them out of the top and let the blanket unfold naturally before pushing herself up some more. You watch in confusement as she crosses her legs and wraps the blanket back over them before placing her hands in her lap to stare back at you expectantly. You hand her a glass and bar before hearing Naomi stirring to your left.

“Ohayo..go..zai..” she mumbles.

“Hey-o,” you reply, watching as she pushes herself up from the chair to climb out of the cockpit clumsily. Stumbling over the lip of the cabin, she crawls over to sit down at your left before grabbing her own bar.

“Ita-da..ki...mmm..” she says still barely half awake.

→ It is Morning.

>Continue to read the Guide.
>Talk with either Coraline or Naomi [write what to talk about]
>Start cleaning the place, it’s getting a bit dirty and you already started the laundry. Might be best to have today be a cleaning day.
>Put something on to watch for the morning, or play a game, or listen to music. Something. Just something on the computer screen.
>[write-in]

>>2819937
>>Start cleaning the place, it’s getting a bit dirty and you already started the laundry. Might be best to have today be a cleaning day.

>>2819937
>>Start cleaning the place, it’s getting a bit dirty and you already started the laundry. Might be best to have today be a cleaning day.

we maido

>>2819937
>Start cleaning the place, it’s getting a bit dirty and you already started the laundry. Might be best to have today be a cleaning day.

>>2819937

>Start cleaning the place, it’s getting a bit dirty and you already started the laundry. Might be best to have today be a cleaning day.

Besides, can we
>Indulge the grills to our favourite music ?

>>2819945
>>2819949
>>2819997
>>2820006
4 for 4 Maid mode activated

>>2820006
of course, music and cleaning go hand in hand.

>>2820076
inb sam gets a hand vacum and scrubs around the desk for nutri-bar powder. Done.

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>>2819937
Placing your empty wrapper in the bin underneath the desk, you look around the cabin noticing the dust and other trash that seemed to have piled up without you noticing. Mostly your own but a good majority of shopping bags and other nonsense seems to have started to grow the pile only more. You know you need to wash clothes too, your own and everyone else's along with the towels and probably all the blankets even if they tend to stay fresh for a long time. Looking straight up and arching your back, you touch the washer and dryer to check if they’re still active.

Turning around you open the dryer and take out the now clean towels and hand them to Coraline who simply holds onto them before you point to the locker room. “Put the towels up and hand me that basket at the bottom, the one tucked under to the left of you.”

Coraline nods before breaking apart the blanket and padding to crawl over to the locker. Naomi, now semi-functionally awake, looks over to you while she finishes drinking her glass of water. “Are you washing clothes today?”

“Yeah, got anything that need washing? I should have enough for everyone's clothes for the rest of the trip but I didn’t get any more wash mix at the station. Should be enough though if we wash about every week,” you explain at length while you take your basket of clothes from Coraline who, after handing over the basket, promptly falls asleep onto your bed. You stuff the washer with about a quarter of your clothes before closing it and turning it on. “Can you go and clean the glasses, Naomi? Since you have those cups and all not sure how to wash them.”

“With water, dummy,” she says sleepily as she takes the glasses and slowly makes her way into the shower. After a moment of hearing the water run, it stops and Naomi calls out from inside, “Can you turn some music on?”

“Yeah,” you call back before turning to the screen on the desk. Typing something out, you search for a playlist of the songs you used to listen to with your brothers as you help clean and maintain some of the farming equipment under the watchful eye of your father. He would always turn on the radio and would usually play it throughout the day. Most of the songs were acoustic guitars along with electric beats and string instruments along with slow vocals, the melodies followed a simple and steady rhythm. Some added harmonicas and different stringed instruments to the mix but the tones were generally the same. You grew up on this kind of music though you personally liked more of the upbeat styles, you still listened to most of it while working since it just gets you to focus.

>>2820298
“Hey, that’s not really..” she trails off while the sound of running water overpowers her words along with the rising volume of the music as you turn it up, ignoring the complaints and protests of Naomi. Taking the trash from around the desk and the floors, you place it all into the bin and then dump the entire thing into the cabinet reserved for trash disposal at the bottom right of the desk. You look over the remainder of everything before switching the laundry loads and putting another quarter of clothes into the wash.

→ It’s now Noon.

>Continue reading the cybernetics guide Naomi bought you a few days back.
>”What kind of music do people on a border world listen to since you don’t like mine.”
>”How different was it on a border world. You said you lived on Montaway, right? Right there with the Imperialists” You don’t really know much about The Royal Houses, they’re foreign to you as much as her imperial words are.
>[write-in]

>>2820298
>”How different was it on a border world. You said you lived on Montaway, right? Right there with the Imperialists” You don’t really know much about The Royal Houses, they’re foreign to you as much as her imperial words are.

Oh but ofc we want to listen to tales of a city girl, us being a country bump.

>>2820341
>Oh but ofc we want to listen to tales of a city girl, us being a country bump.
I will agree

>>2820341
>>2820366
2 for talkin with the fancy lady from space

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>>2820308
Taking a seat in front of the screen, you watch as Naomi sits down beside you with a towel hanging from her head. While you were cleaning and picking up the various wrappers and other packaging, she decided to take a shower after washing the glasses and other washables like the plastic bins and containers. She seems to have taken one of her bags out to clean as well as her laundry that you’re going to take care of and set them near the locker door. As she sat, you noticed her holding her own mobile display, probably checking the time or something but from it a chain and a small plastic pink dinosaur hung limply from the top of the mobile. You never really saw the need to decorate your mobile, but you always thought it was interesting the different things you could get for it.

As she checks her phone, you notice the background of her phone -- a group picture of her and her family or friends. No one you knew of course but they all seemed to resemble imperialists, or at least the imperialists that you would have known. The darker hair, somewhat different shade of skin, and the different shape of the eye something more almond than what you’ve known. Only people that looks like that tend to come from the Royal Houses. Though imperialists tend to stay close to the borders, you’ve only seen one other imperialist face to face and that was only for a moment as he was there to talk to your dad.

“How different is it?” you offhandedly say, watching Naomi on her mobile. She quickly jolts away her mobile, angling it away from you.

“What?”

“I mean, living on a border world, how different was it -- is it? You said you’re from Montaway, right? I mean that’s pretty close to uhh, those imperialists, right?” you prod.

“Well it’s like living anywhere. There’s people who control things for the most part, there’s work to do, and there’s family to be with,” she says avoiding your question.

“Well I mean.. I never really been anywhere except for Haven, only just now been to Milo,” you clarify, “You and Coraline there are the only real people I met outside of my home. I mean I bet living over in Montaway is pretty different than just a penal colony or really any place round here. With you being so close to the imperialists and all.”

“Yeah,” she says turning her display off and facing you, “Really it’s not that different. Like, well, there’s the food that you just can’t get anywhere else and from what I know the people seem nicer here, but other than that it’s probably just like Haven. I lived in one of the smaller cities, Burbank, it wasn’t that large, probably closer to a city you’d know.”

>>2820639
“Ahh. Well there wasn’t that many people on Haven. Most were probably communities if anything. The land was mostly used for farming with some of the business types working on station, or working on or for the station. I mean.. Tell me about what’s it like being so close to the imperialists.”

“Oh, well.. “ She says before turning to the desk, “Well, I guess you could say borderworlds get a lot of overlap with the imperialists and the ugli-- UGE. Imperial is a required language after all. So almost everyone from there knew both English and Imperial. My mom’s from Izanagi, and my dad worked on Montaway for a while so I guess learning both weren’t really a problem for me.”

“Really?” you say looking over Naomi, I guess that explains her name and all, you think as she doesn’t really look all that much like an imperialist. Her skin is just as light as yours even lighter, though you have been working in the sun most of your life, and her eyes weren’t really that same shape you know imperialists to have. You could guess that she kind of resembles an imperialist if you tried but that wasn’t your first thought.

“Yeah, she left a while back and met my dad. She’s the reason why Sumi learned to cook, mom really was a good cook. You really really really can’t find anything like that past probably Iota but good thing I brought some of the seasoning and bought some food. Really can’t wait to have some real food.”

“Ah.. I always heard the Imperialists were really strict with people leaving.”

“Yeah, mom didn’t like it there. House Tsutsui wasn’t that bad or so she says, but she left because she wanted to actually be something else. She worked as one of the kitchen workers for the lord and lady, you know those immortal guys with clones of themselves walking around, and she was able to leave with one of the guys who would freight cargo for Lord Tsutsui. She always wanted to learn to sing, but when she found my dad at one of the bars she was able to find work in, she fell for him. It really is a better story if my mom told you it herself. She’s better at telling stories.”

>”I’ll be frank with you, I don’t know anything about those house tut-too or toe-jin or whatever. And immortal? I know Arcady makes something that they say would let you live forever, but isn’t some of that stuff.. dangerous?”
>”Your mom really is imperialist? How was it like growing up in something like that? Two completely different kinds of people, cultures and all.”
>”So your mom was from the Royal Houses and she worked for one of I guess one of the big wigs. Did anyone come after her? Like try to hunt her down?”
>”So why did you leave?”
>[write-in]

>>2820643
>[write-in]

Wait so... they use weird genetic technology and make clones of themselves? That was illegal I think

>>2820643
>”So your mom was from the Royal Houses and she worked for one of I guess one of the big wigs. Did anyone come after her? Like try to hunt her down?”
>”So why did you leave?”

>>2820643
>>[write-in]
What other bio-tech are they using?
I've heard rumors of...

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>>2820659
>>2820695
Sure I guess.
2 for gene splicing question

>>2820667
1 for some real questions

>>2820733
YE!
I mean *ejem* I am just a random anon that has no beforehand information of the setting. Heya luker! You better be voting and commenting next update!

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>>2820643
“Immortality? Like with BioTech? I didn’t know the imperialists worked in that kind of stuff,” you say as thoughts race your mind about rumors about things you heard some of your school friends talk about.

“Well, Imperialists actually came up with the stuff, or so they say. The first immortal person was the Immortal Emperor, but since he died no one was able to replicate any of it.”

“Wait so do they have spliced? Is it from genetic kinda things? I mean I heard abo--”

“Nah, no no.” she replies as she opens her mobile. “Really only Arcady or probably Wynter can make splicers. That’s pretty much only UGE-side. Imperialists are better at cloning, though they usually only use cybernetics. One of the reasons why UGE decided to ban a bunch of it, even putting a tax on cybernetic imports from the houses. Hey, maybe Coraline is from the houses, you never know.”

“Wait, so what do you mean about immortality? Doesn’t that have to be genetic? Arcady has that one thing that they say would let you live forever, right?”

“Yeah, but the Lords clone themselves and then transfer their mind or something like that over to the clone. You know, like uhh, I don’t know.. Uhh, before the genetic thing took off there was a thing called the singularity process, I sent you a book that talked about it for a bit, and see the process replaces you with everything robotic. But since the limit, you can’t do that. The Oberon incident and there was the whole thing about limiting the terms of anyone holding a chair in the government. Something something, money most likely. Usually how those things go, you know?”

Naomi takes a moment and the conversation pauses as she resumes browsing her mobile. From the short instance of time that you could see her background, she seemed happy, and from what you could tell she seemed happy talking about home. Happy about what she knew, happy about who she knew. Something nostalgic with talking about your own home gets you thinking. “So why did you leave?”

“Hmm?” is her reply as she continues to look at her mobile.

“I mean, why did you leave montaway? I mean.. uhh, isn’t it hard being away from family? From your home?”

>>2820769
She pauses, not replying instantly like she usually does. Slowly, she turns off her mobile and sets it beside her still looking forward but not ignoring your question. “Well. Isn’t it hard for you too? I- Isn’t it hard being away, not.. I- uh” she pauses again and sighs, “Can’t always wait for things. You know? It’s difficult being away. I miss them, I miss Sumi, Hana, Yumi, Sara.. I miss them all. It’s just.. It’s the reason I’m out here.”

>”Yeah, I get what you mean. I’m out here because of family too. Came out here to replace family, now I’m here to find out what happened to my family, to Adam.”
>”Family’s pretty important to me. It’s difficult being away from them at times but I think what I’m doing is important.”
>”What’s the reason you’re out here?”
>Change the subject!
→ Talk about your home.
→ Talk about being out in space.
→ Ask more about cybernetics. Maybe Naomi is right about Coraline being some Imperialist super soldier or something.
>[write-in]

>>2820769
Sorry to disappoint. :3

>>2820847
>>”Yeah, I get what you mean. I’m out here because of family too. Came out here to replace family, now I’m here to find out what happened to my family, to Adam.”

>>2820847
>Change the subject!
→ Talk about your home.

It's only propper for us to talk about home now! The only way to beat melancholly is happines... talk about our awesome girlfriend muahahaha

>>2820847
>”Family’s pretty important to me. It’s difficult being away from them at times but I think what I’m doing is important.”
>”What’s the reason you’re out here?”


Let's stop being superficial

>>2820847
>>”Yeah, I get what you mean. I’m out here because of family too. Came out here to replace family, now I’m here to find out what happened to my family, to Adam.”
>”What’s the reason you’re out here?”


tell her why we are here and then ask her why she's here

>>2820855
>>2820903
>>2820885
3 for Understanding and Reasoning

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857 KB GIF

>>2820847
“Yeah. I get what you’re saying -- I think,” you say quickly. “ Family has always been important to me. Always been something that I could rely on. You can always count on family. It’s the reason I’m out here after all, just like you said,” you say tapping her shoulder, getting her to look at you, “Adam is my family. Came out to replace him and now I’m suddenly going to have to find out what happened to him. And God damn does it make me nervous. It’s crazy thinking someone you knew for your whole life would just disappear. Gone. It’s.. it’s.. It’s fucked. I heard of his death and losing the position and all I could think about is.. I haven’t even had the time to think about it before leaving. What happened to him is something that shouldn’t have happened. I know because I worked on his ship. I know because the way they told me, I know because whatever is going on in Arcady ain’t fucking good.”

You pause, breathing deeply. You really haven’t had the time to grieve. You haven’t thought about any of it, not really. All you could think about is finding what and who did this. You knew it wasn’t some sunday accident, but something that someone else did on purpose. Malicious. Evil. You knew.

Turning away from Naomi, you look to the desk, to the blank screen, “It’s just…” you pause, “You’re right. It’s the reason why I’m here. I have no idea why else I would be. I have no money, no way to do anything, no idea how to do anything, been flying by wire ever since I landed in Milo. Hadn’t had any real time to think and sitting in this can isn’t helping, what with the two of you and all, I’ve just been auto for a while,” you sigh, pausing to look back at Naomi who seems to be listening intently as if she was writing notes, “Look, I don’t know. I’m probably just being stupid, family is why I’m here. Probably shouldn’t have came, but still..”

Stopping, a pause, you sit still staring at Naomi before turning away. A spell of silence falls over you. You didn’t think you cared this much, Adam was your family, but you never seen him. Hell, you barely know why the old guy gave you the job. He was always the kind of guy who’d talk though, you always loved listening to his stories. Any time he was around you’d listen to the guy talk. He’s family, real family. But.. you just don’t know, you never really get this worked up, not since, well, not since graduation. Been a quiet few years until you got a message from Adam. You guess he trusted you. You guess there was something, but you’re still just as confused as you were at graduation. Just some confused kid, alone. Again.

>>2821094
The moment lasts longer than you’d expect, the air stale and the conversation dry as you sit still. Not sure, maybe you’re afraid if you moved then what you said was real. Maybe something else, but your voice is lost. Somewhere in your throat -- near your heart. Maybe you looked stoic. Probably not. A sigh from Naomi breaks the silence as the two of you sit against the bed where Coraline lies sleeping. “Sumi.”

You’re not sure if you hear her correctly since she was quiet and said it in an almost whisper to you. You turn to see her looking down, averting her eyes from your gaze or to just keep her view static to avoid something else. Sumi? You didn’t have to ask though, it was clear enough. She was here because of her sister.

>You’re not sure what to do. Just stay quiet, maybe avoiding it is best. Step on a landmine and you’re done. Step on three and you’re gone.
>”Sumi?” Ask the obvious. You know the answer, you just want to know more of the answer. Why would she be out here for her sister? Was her sister somehow caught up in all of this? One of the missing girls? Maybe that was why she reacted so poorly the first time you brought it up.
>It’s still early but time flows differently out in space. Time to break out the alcohol before someone breaks out the tears.
>”I’m lost out here too. We’re both alone. Neither of our faults, neither of our problems. Away from home, family, safety, a hot shower.. But we’re out here sticking our noses into something that doesn’t really concern us.” Searching for something and getting answers is why you’re here. Same with her.
>[write-in]

>>2821097
>>”I’m lost out here too. We’re both alone. Neither of our faults, neither of our problems. Away from home, family, safety, a hot shower.. But we’re out here sticking our noses into something that doesn’t really concern us.” Searching for something and getting answers is why you’re here. Same with her.

We'll find something, if we help each other I'm sure we'll find something


is it time for hugs? I think it's time for hugs

>>2821104
+1

Hugs

>>2821104
>>2821120
2 for fixing things with hugs and kind words

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>>2821097
Sumi. It’s her family. She’s out here because of family, so are you. You might not know everything but you don’t have to -- you understand. Maybe it’s because she’s here because Sumi is in danger. Arcady? The Imperial Mafia or something? Money troubles? It doesn’t really matter. Purpose. Purpose matters and that purpose is family. You’re both out here, alone, without family, and without a real idea what you’re supposed to do but you’re both out here for one thing -- family. The moment passes, the stale air turning warm. “I’m lost out here too.”

She doesn’t look up from her thoughts, trapped or just unwilling to talk. Afraid, or maybe you’re just projecting your fear, maybe she’s said enough. You haven’t -- not nearly enough. “We’re both out here. Lost… We’re both looking. No, I understand when you mean you’re here for family. I’m here too. I’m here for family. Alone? Maybe, but not if it’s for family. Not for family because I’m doing it for family. Look, my dad always told me to not stick my nose in shit to try to smell the flowers underneath. Honestly, I don’t know what the hell he was talking about but he probably meant for me to not try to get myself in trouble for something that wasn’t really worth it even if it had a some reward it would be ruined by the journey or the experience or something -- or at least that’s what I got from it. The old man would say some off the wall stuff but it would always stick and if it didn’t it would make you think for a bit on what the hell he meant.”

You pause gauging Naomi’s reaction as you can see her face again, lifted from whatever she was stuck in. A small smile and a sharp exhale, “What I’m trying to say is.. That we’re both out here. It’s not really our fault, not really our problem that we’re chasing. We’re away from home, family, a hot shower and we’re sticking our noses into something that doesn’t concern us, not directly at least. I’m just saying we’re the same. At least on some level. Both here for family, both here for answers. Both searching. We’re not sticking our noses in shit for the flowers, we’re sticking our noses in shit to know who took it. The pay off isn’t sweet. It doesn’t have to be but someone took a shit on my porch and I sure as hell would like to know who.”

Probably should have stopped with the shit metaphor but at least you got her out of hiding from someone inches away. She doesn’t say anything but you think she understands at least the very minimum of what you were trying to say. You’re both here for family. You take a deep breath, shakily exhaling as you look away from Naomi. “Got a long road ahead of us.”

>>2821365
You of course know that’s not just literal. It’s been a weird couple of days and you’re for sure getting too worked up about everything. It’s not like you to be so worried, but you are. You're out of your wits end with worrying about the next day and the day after that, worried about what you’ll do when you get there, worried about what would happen, about what could happen, about what should happen. Emotional, vulnerable, exhausted. That could describe either of you and you just woke up not too long ago.

A simple morning and an average day but a long exhausting conversation later -- you’re surprised. Not about your thoughts but Naomi as she starts to cling to you, arms wrapped around you and head burying into your side. You reciprocate and wrap your own arm around her back as she leans into you, pushing you ever so slightly over. A warmth of kindness fills what was once stale. Maybe not kindness but at least it’s not the silence of before but a silence of catharsis.

→ It is now Evening.

>You’ve said your piece. Just enjoy the moment.
>It’s around the time to start eating, let’s get something out to make. Get Naomi cooking, you’re excited to get something and you think the two of you would need the warm meal. Much more than just eating a Nutri-Bar and calling it a day.
>You’re exhausted. Mentally. Physically. You’re not hungry, or wanting of anything. It would be best to just sleep, sleep on what was said. No real need to do anything else today, it’s been a long day of talking.
>[write-in]

____________________________________________________________________

Gunna call it for tonight.
____________________________________________________________________

Yeah like I said last night, I'll be running through the week when I have the time.

Twitter: @Kov_QM
Discord: https://discord.gg/QznmEus

>>2821366
>It’s around the time to start eating, let’s get something out to make. Get Naomi cooking, you’re excited to get something and you think the two of you would need the warm meal. Much more than just eating a Nutri-Bar and calling it a day.
>Wake Coraline so she can eat some real food too.

>>2821366

>You’ve said your piece. Just enjoy the moment.

;)

>>2821500
sorry, I couldn't be here during the session.
>>2821874
supporting

>>2821366
>You’ve said your piece. Just enjoy the moment.
After a while we
>It’s around the time to start eating, let’s get something out to make. Get Naomi cooking, you’re excited to get something and you think the two of you would need the warm meal. Much more than just eating a Nutri-Bar and calling it a day.
Raise some spirits

>>2821366
>>You’ve said your piece. Just enjoy the moment.

File: Strong Willed Distorted.jpg (201 KB, 640x640)

201 KB JPG

>>2821874
>>2821879
>>2822001
>>2822025
>>2822035
5 for Moments before Bells

Writing!

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16 KB JPG

>>2821366
The two of you sit motionless and attached to each other. You’re not even sure why she started hugging you, it’s not as if you said anything deeply profound or meaningful throughout your somewhat stuttering mess of an imitation lecture of one your father would have given you when you were down. Even took notes from his book of crude metaphors. It doesn’t really matter -- worrying about why -- just that it’s happening. A hug, though you don’t really know where it’s coming from, is still a hug and you accept it either way.

You never thought you’d be hugging anyone, much less find any to hug, outside of Haven. You never thought you’d even get this close to Naomi when you saw her alone those few days ago. These few days have been moving so fast you just never been able to stop, and now you’re forced you have no idea how to slow down. Being trapped out in space like this with barely anything to do except talk never really passed your mind that talking itself would become an issue. Pick a scab, the wound bleeds.

A second stretched into a moment stretched into an hour. Though it ended as quick as it started, it felt longer. Might have been your surprise that stretched it or the quickening of your heart. Looking down you see Naomi nestled between your arm and torso, nearly on top of you as she had almost pushed you over entirely, she looks up to meet your eyes. Though she started it, her face turns turns several shades redder as she starts to get up and nervously apologize, trying to escape again. “Sorry, sorry..”

Instead of saying anything, you just smile and wrap your arms around her. She hangs limply in your embrace, defeated and probably exhausted like you. “No need to apologize. I probably said some stupid stuff.”

“No.. no, It’s not that..” She says still bound by you with her face buried in your chest -- muffled and hushed. “It’s just..”

Her voice goes quiet as you rub her head trying to comfort her or ease your own nerves -- your not sure which. You’re not sure what to do, you’ve never had a girl cry into you before. You haven’t even really talked to one since Jessica and even then you’ve never had to deal with anything like this in all four years of dating her. After a long moment of warm silence you take a deep breath and take her by her shoulders to hold her out at arms length. A second passes as you mull over your words since you’ve only been comforted by your mom and never really comforted anyone else. You’re just unsure so instead you just go with your gut feeling. “Are you.. Hungry?”

>>2822525
You probably said it weird. She doesn’t look at you for a moment before she meets your eyes and sits there. Maybe she thinks you think that she’s that way because she’s hungry. Maybe she thinks you’re being apathetic or -- “Ye.. yeah.”

You smile and sharply exhale before closing your eyes and bring her close again. Squeezing her between your arms and torso before releasing again, “I’ll wake up Coraline if you’re going to start cooking then.”

“Cooking?”

“Of course, warm meals are best on cold nights. That’s what my mom always used to say, at least I think.. Anyways, what did you say you were going to cook?”

“Oh.. uhh.. Well” she says before turning away from you. She stays silent for a moment as she stares at the desk, avoiding your gaze. “Yeah.. no, like, that makes sense. Alright, alright uh.. Well I have some stuff for Sukiyaki hotpot, some fish, some stuff for uh.. Sushi, and umm.. Some curry.. Also some pot pies that I can make.. Uh..beef tips and gravy and some other things..”

>Hotpot. Thats the same thing from the store she got excited about -- Sukiyaki. Maybe it’s really good, it’ll probably cheer her up.
>Fish. Sounds pretty simple, just fish you guess. Probably cooked with some imperial sauce no doubt.
>Sushi Rolls. You’ve never had sushi, you’re actually pretty weary of trying anything that sounds foreign and from what you heard from other people -- sushi really is foreign.
>Curry. You’ve never heard of it. It’s probably good.. But then again you’re not sure.
>Pot Pies -- Something that actually sounds like it’s from home.
>Beef tips and gravy, your mom actually used to make this and you haven’t had it in a while been months since she last cooked it and feels like years since you actually eaten anything like it.

>>2822531
>>Hotpot. Thats the same thing from the store she got excited about -- Sukiyaki. Maybe it’s really good, it’ll probably cheer her up.

>>2822531
>Hotpot. Thats the same thing from the store she got excited about -- Sukiyaki. Maybe it’s really good, it’ll probably cheer her up.

>>2822591
also.

tell her if she ever needs to talk we are here for her

>>2822591
>>2822597
2 for Hotpot Holiday

>>2822599
and and extra dash of encouragement

Writing!

File: Hotpot.gif (1.2 MB, 480x257)

1.2 MB GIF

>>2822531
Hot pot. Sounds warm and this sounds like a cold night to you. God, I’m sounding more and more like some adult trying to give advice to a kid. I hope she doesn’t notice I have no idea what I’m doing… stick to the cryptic shit then.. You think as Naomi waits for your answer since you brought up the whole cooking idea. She seems so vulnerable, just like the day you met her, alone and just like you only from a different place. A different home but with the same values -- same ideas. You smile softly before speaking, “The.. uh.. Suzu.. uh- Sukey yoako? Sukey..”

She exhales sharply as a smile crawls across her face, “Don’t strain yourself.. Sukiyaki beef hot pot.”

“Y-yeah..” you laugh as she corrects you. Turning to Coraline, you push her shoulder lightly as you try to rouse Coraline, Naomi taps your shoulder.

“Why don’t you help me with this and we can wake her after?” her words stay your hand as you turn to meet her.

“Yeah, sure. What all do you need?”

“Just, uh, get the beef and the.. Get the beef, udon noodles, the cabbage, mushrooms, leeks, what else.. The beef of course, the carrots, onions.. Eggs and.. The, oh yeah, the tofu. You can probably get all the stuff on the right cabinet. You know.. Since I put up everything anyways..” she smiles before turning to the locker, “Yeah, get out the meats and stuff and I’ll get the sauces after I set up the gas stove.”

You agree to her demands and get to work preparing the desk and opening the cabinet you know that they put the cold box. Pulling down the white box, you find the long list of ingredients she asked you to get out and lay them on the desk. None of them are frozen so you wouldn't have to wait for them to thaw out. Scooting over, you watch Naomi place the hot plate looking stove on the top of the desk before getting the cold box and putting it back into the cabinet. She sighs as she sets everything up, moving most of the stuff you took out and taking out various bottles and spices along with a knife, chopping block, and a few small containers.

She starts off by cutting up the various small items and starting the stove up before she mixes the sauces and spices. After a few minutes she places most of the ingredients onto the stovetop letting them simmer together. You didn’t do much but watch her as she worked. You didn’t really pin her as a hard worker the first time you saw her but from the time she started getting serious last night and today, you guess that she just gets excited about things she’s interested in.

>>2822782
After finishing most of the work she turns to you and gives a wide smile. “It’s a Bordeleaux family recipe, well not really a Bordeleaux recipe since that’s my dad’s side and the recipe comes from my mom and runaway imperialists don’t have last.. Or well.. Family names since family names are kinda house oriented and well since she left.. Uh..” she shakes her head, pausing her rambling again, “never mind, you can wake up Coraline now if you want, the food shouldn’t be too long from now anyways. It’s probably one of my favorites since it’s one of the things my mom and all of us would make. It’s also something that just taste great with other people around and..”

Listening as Naomi rambles, you turn back and wake Coraline up. Letting the three of you actually enjoy a warm meal. Hell, you’re not even sure Coraline remembers ever eating a warm meal. You tap Coraline’s shoulder before telling her to wake up, pushing on her harder. Quickly she turns around and stares at you for a moment before lazily blinking and trying to stand up from the bed and hitting the roof of the bed. Rubbing her head she slides out of the bed and meets the two of you as Naomi hands each of you a small plastic bowl and sticks. You’re not really sure what the sticks are for but you take a fork as Naomi starts using the sticks to grab food from the pot.

You grab one of the thin slices of beef eating it whole while holding the plastic bowl under your mouth. The sweet sauces and extremely delicate meat melts in your mouth as you grab a few of the vegetables and mushrooms. Unsurprisingly Naomi’s favorite food is also pretty sweet tasting but still delicious regardless. You have to hand it to her, it’s not as terrifying from what you thought it would be given the weird imperial names and their record for eating really weird things. You watch as Coraline and Naomi happily eat something that doesn’t force them to be as careful as trying to make a house of cards. Every bite Naomi takes she smiles, and for one of the first times Coraline seems to be really enjoying it as well.

→ It’s now Night.


>You’ve spent most of the day talking and being with Naomi, might as well spend the rest of the night talking with her.
>It’s time to relax and by relax.. You mean read. The guide is important, you know that.
>You’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the two girls instead of yourself. Today at least, is a day that you realized you haven’t been thinking. It’s time to figure out what you’re wanting to do. Seriously.
>All of that can wait, well, at least wait a few hours. You’re tired, exhausted even. It’s night and well.. It certainly has been a day. Time to sleep, worries are for the next day.
>[write-in]

>>2822784
>>It’s time to relax and by relax.. You mean read. The guide is important, you know that.

>>2822784

>You’ve spent most of the day talking and being with Naomi, might as well spend the rest of the night talking with her.

MOAR

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>2822906 1
>>2822929 2
let's roll

>>2822906
Alright well since the option rolled on requires a roll..

Give me three 1d100 roll under.

>DC Medium = 70
>lacking Medical knowledge -20
>Textbook language -10
>No Saved Crits
>DC = 40

Rolled 29 (1d100)

>>2823026

Rolled 91 (1d100)

>>2823026

Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>2823026

File: Calculating.gif (2.17 MB, 500x400)

2.17 MB GIF

>>2823050 29
>>2823083 91
>>2823116 41 [so close]

One degree of success, zero criticals.

>0 - you learn nothing or it’s too difficult to read to progress any further
>1 - you struggle through the next chapter and understand it only partially.
>2 - you read through a few chapters. You understand most of it and could have an idea of what is wrong with Coraline.
>3 - you read through a good chunk of the chapters and understand most of it along with an idea of what is wrong with Coraline. You also gain proficiency in the cybernetics mastery.

Writing! I'll tell you what masteries are later.

Rolled 62, 49, 21, 65, 25, 17, 16, 91, 38, 95 = 479 (10d100)

I dispell all high die from this thread!

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>>2822784
A smile softly grabs a hold of your face as you enjoy each moment of food. It may have only been a week of eating the same grueling meal but it’s been a long tiring week with the finally at the end of the dimly lit tunnel being a darker tunnel. Though this time you’re not alone, not when you have understood you’re doing this for family, not when you’re here with these two not total strangers. Stuck as you may be it’s not the kind of stuck like in a quicksand or a brick tied to your leg in water stuck but more like a sandcastle on the beach kind of stuck. The point is, you’re not alone and now you understand that. Naomi has the same goals, fueled by seemingly similar passions and purpose, and she is here.

You were always told that the journey was more important than the destination -- that you should enjoy the time you have on the road to your goals or wants or needs. There’s only so much time. You take the bowl and set it onto the desk letting it settle comfortably on it before turning to Naomi who seems slightly disappointed that the hot pot went by so quickly. Even if she has some extra ingredients, she probably wouldn’t be able to reproduce the same meal in the future not unless she gets some more ingredients. Although she seems disappointed, you know she thoroughly enjoyed cooking and eating it and from what you can tell really helped improve her mood.

Coraline seems to be absolutely enamoured with the entire thing as she had been since she had woke up. The loss of her memory is still something you’re worried about, something you’re sure Naomi is worried about as the two of you share a look. It’s been something you were unsure of since the time you met her -- she seems off. It wasn’t the kind of off that you knew as a cultural clash kind of off that you got with Naomi but a kind of off that seemed inhuman. Everything about her seemed a bit inhuman: her legs, her eyes, her beauty, the way she talks, the way she holds herself, her distant stare, and her straight logic.

The first time you met her she was different. Each time you talk to her she seemed different. Coraline doesn’t seem to be one who would do anything or at least not that you would know since she had somehow lost her memories. Whether it was intentional or accidental or some malfunction within her, what you assume, her many cybernetics jammed inside that confused brain of hers. Even if.. Even if she seems passive or indifferent, she could be dangerous to herself -- or to you -- if you don’t figure out a way somehow fix whatever it is that’s causing her this.

(1/??)

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>>2823587
Though.. If what you think could be true, that she is somehow connected to something far more dangerous than giving her the memories back or fixing whatever it is then it could be dangerous to you. At this point you might as well be asking what would have happened if you joined Darious and his crew to Unity-Point. There’s no way to know -- no way for sure, that is.

Your thoughts stray as you watch Naomi take the dishes into the shower and as Coraline starts to wrap herself back up into the corner she had slept in last night. She is practically harmless -- or at least helpless. Maybe it’s paranoia from being out in space for so long, not being able to trust anyone. Naomi smiles lightly as she crawls back out of the shower placing the now clean dishes and other items onto the desk before starting to place things back up. Helping her, you dismantle the gas stove, folding it and placing it on the other side of Naomi as she was reaching into the cabinet. Though you’re not sure you could trust anyone. Abigaille, the secretary from the interview, told you that much -- probably can’t trust her. Dangerous road without friends. Even more so if you suspect everyone. You knew that. Paranoia or not, you want to know what’s going on in Coraline’s head.

“Thanks,” Naomi says as she finishes placing the last of the stuff that had littered the desk. Taking a moment to realize you were being the one spoken to, you pause turning to face her. A small smile takes hold as she tilts her head before bowing her head, though you’re not sure why. “Thanks,” she repeats, “It’s been a.. It’s been a long day. Thank you. I think I’m going to get some sleep.. Good idea with the food.. Well with the everything. I mean.. You did force me to cook everything for you. Even after I asked you didn’t do anything.”

“Oh.. I’m.. uh..”

She hits you on your shoulder lightly as she laughs equally softly, “I’m kidding, uh, anyway I’m going to go to sleep. Like I said, long day and everything.”

“Yeah.. Yeah it’s been a long day,” you say before looking back to Coraline, “Though I think I’m going to be staying up for a while. Gotta put those books you got me to good use, yeah?”

She exhales sharply before waving lazily and turning to slink into the chair, “Night, Sammy.”

You shake your head before climbing into your bed, feeling the still imprinted foam from Coraline as the main cabin lights dull out to Naomi’s behest. Taking the pillow behind you, you prop it up and angle your upper back just slightly and take out your mobile. The light dully meets you back before you lower the brightness. The top of the screen shows a soft [20:26] as you open the offline library of books you have it resumes where you last left off at -- the end of chapter four.

>>2823590
You remember it was a pretty difficult read with everything being mostly referring to words you had never even heard of in a language you weren’t even sure was real. Looking over the summary of the next chapter it seemed to be much of the same difficult words though you could guess some of the chemicals since chemistry was a part of the curriculum you had taken.

Still the majority was medical as you had expected it would be. You sigh, resigning that this would probably take much of the night to just slog through most of the language and the writing itself being a pain with how annoyingly awkward the author had written it. As you read you find some parts to be a bit interesting, that much of the heavy lifting was done by several things called Docks which would be implanted to help relieve the strain off of the user. Though much of that was from the previous chapter some parts of emotional ties that link the usefulness of cybernetics and the state of the user.

As when brain chemistry alters, so too does the cybernetic piece. That was one of the large reasons why some the the cybernetics are “thoughtless” and work as if they were seemingly always there like a limb or a replacement part. Though things like extra limbs tend to be more or less requiring you to learn how to appropriately use it.

The farther you read into it the more you feel like you understand the language although in a miniscule amount. Some words seem to be frequently used while most required a quick search on your mobile to learn it. Emotions seem to be an important factor with cybernetics, though..

You yawn as you look back to the clock, [24:42]. God. you lost track of time. It seemed to have went by faster than you had expected as you close the mobile and stretch, feeling the top of the cabin roof. Before you knew it, you had fallen asleep.

→ It is now Morning.

>Time to take a shower, you’re not even awake and you want to take a shower and get clean in general. Yesterday’s talk had worn you dry.
>Food. You’re hungry, last night was fantastic, but time doesn’t care.
>Watch the orange light in the corner of your eye, maybe that seems interesting.
>Talk to the person sitting at the edge of your bed, they.. Seem nice?
>wait a second.

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>>2823597
You jolt up, feeling your surroundings the soft blankets and the warmth that is your bed. Blinking as the light from the cabin floods in and assaults your eyes.Taking a moment to adjust, you sigh in relief as you look to your side seeing you had woken up later than everyone else. Probably because you went to sleep after everyone else. You sigh and accept that before shifting your weight. Coraline and Naomi seem to be enthralled into some show they’re watching while eating a set of Nutri-Bars. One sits to Coraline’s right with your figurative name on it.

→ It is now Morning.

>Time to take a shower, for real this time. You’re awake.
>Nutri-Bars are still food, kinda. Either way, time to eat. Eat and watch whatever they’re watching.
>You’re still tired, really tired. Turn over and go back to sleep.
>You were off to a good start, go back to reading your guide. Chemicals? Brains? Emotions? Something like that.
>[write-in]

>>2823602
>>2823597

Arghhh stoaaap messing with my heaad.

>[write-in] Ask Coraline if she can read stuff inside her head, like the book Sam is reading. Also how much money does she have! I want to know... I wonder if she just hacked the system or something.

>>2823602
>Watch the orange light in the corner of your eye, maybe that seems interesting.

>You were off to a good start, go back to reading your guide. Chemicals? Brains? Emotions? Something like that.

Focus while its fresh

>>2823756
first option... Sam was half asleep. He had another sleep paralysis

>>2823665
>>2823756
I want both, ask the questions and then read.

but don't ask how much money she has, that's just rude

>>2823665
>>2823815
>>2823756
3 for coraline's confession and reading rocks

Writing!

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>>2823602
“Coraline,” your voice coaks out as you lean slightly out of your bed. Of course she didn’t hear you over the show but you still said her name anyways. Taking a hand on the side, you edge closer before reaching out and tapping her on her shoulder. She turns slowly to look at you as you lay twisted to reach out to her. She quickly looks down to her right and picks up the Nutri-Bar as she holds her own, first trying to hand you hers before slowly retracting it and holding out the one they had out for you. You shake your head and lazily wave off the bar, “I need to ask you something.”

Naomi turns to see what the two of you were talking about, “Oh.. that sounds serious. Did find something in the books I sent you?”

“No no..” you shake your head, “nothing serious just wanted to know if Coraline can read using her eye things.”

“Yes I know how to read.”

“Yeah, pretty sure she can read,” Naomi says obviously joking.

“No, I mean, can you use your eyes to read without having to use anything like a display?” you say, waiting for Coraline’s response as you take out your display to show her the book. “Like, can your eyes use the library?”

“Yes,” she says plainly before pausing for a moment. You assume she’s opening or accessing her own library as she sits still. “I have a library, though it is empty.”

“Empty?” Naomi asks before taking out her own display, “What do you mean? You at least have something in there.”

“Yes empty, and no, no I don’t have anything saved. There seems to be a record but I’m unable to access it. It says it’s corrupted,” Coraline replies before looking back to you. Every conversation with her seems so serious.

“So.. What does that mean?” Naomi asks, turning completely around to face the two of you.

“It means the information is inaccessible and Samuel will have to take out one of my docks and repair it.”

“Wait.. wait a second, why do I have to repair it?” you protest, “I don’t even know anything about cybernetics.”

“You were at the cybernetic store when I met you and you have an engineering certificate. That is why I asked you to help me, have I not told you that?” she says somewhat lazily as she raises an eyebrow.

“Uh.. no, no you didn’t mention that. Uhm, wait. So you thought I could fix whatever?”

>>2824100
“Yes. The store owner told me I would need someone to perform repairs on me after I had told him my leg felt unstable. He then told me to go to Iota Persei since there I am able to buy Zaxaminiphul,” she reaches into the jar of lollipops sitting on the desk and takes out a blue one. You take a moment to figure out what she’s saying, which doesn’t really take much time since she’s so direct. Which is also why she’s wanting to get Zamaminiphul just because the man at the counter told her that’s what she needed and just believed him. You’re pretty sure she said something like this before though. But you didn’t know she wanted you specifically just because she thought you could help.

>”Well I guess if I’m supposed to be the designated ‘Fix Coraline’ guy then I should probably start reading the guides.”
>”Why don’t you just read these books and fix yourself?”
>”What else is uhh.. Corrupted or whatever, what else needs to be repaired?”
>”So.. Why didn’t you tell me this since the beginning instead of saying nothing and assuming that I was going to just, not only know how to fix you, but also fix you just because?”
>[write-in]

>>2824107
>”Why don’t you just read these books and fix yourself?” However! Add a dash of "let's fix you together!" and one dab of

>”What else is uhh.. Corrupted or whatever, what else needs to be repaired?”

>>2824107
>”What else is uhh.. Corrupted or whatever, what else needs to be repaired?”
>”Well I guess if I’m supposed to be the designated ‘Fix Coraline’ guy then I should probably start reading the guides.”

>>2824107
>>”Well I guess if I’m supposed to be the designated ‘Fix Coraline’ guy then I should probably start reading the guides.”
>>2824107
>”What else is uhh.. Corrupted or whatever, what else needs to be repaired?”

>‘Chapter four; The Mind’ [Completed]
>‘Chapter five; Chemicals of Cerebrum and Information’
>‘Chapter Eight; Information Management’
>‘Chapter Nine; The Twelve Steps of Singularity’
>‘Chapter Ten; Emotions and Cybernetics - The Laws’
>‘Chapter Eleven; Connections Between Machine & Flesh’
>‘Chapter Fifteen, The Mental State and The Physical State’
>‘Chapter Twenty-Three; Taking Steps for Inconvenience’

Where is the chapter of "How to not get tissue rejection and live to tell the tale"? This book is almost esoteric in nature.... chapter 23 has potential to answer the Zaxaminiphul question...

>>2824180
>>2815733

>You open the other book to find several chapter names that seem more esoteric in nature.
was in reference to 'Taking Steps toward Electric Sheep’. The guide is just difficult to read since it's a textbook.

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>>2824133
>>2824141
>>2824179
3 for Corrupted Constellations and 2 for reading

Writing!

>>2824263
____________________________________________________________________

Gunna call it for tonight.
____________________________________________________________________

Actually I'm going to pause for today. Going to the Doctors office some time tomorrow for a test thing. Sorry about the short run for today. been kinda weird this last weekend and for today. I'll run tomorrow around 5pm central.

Twitter: @Kov_QM
Discord: https://discord.gg/QznmEus

>>2824317
cheers

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>>2824107
“What.. what all do you know that’s corrupted? Is there a diagnosis of some sort that you could read out to me?” you ask somewhat still half awake. You’re not sure exactly but you’re positive that this is probably one of the main reasons why she’s been acting this way. There’s nothing to really base this assumption off of but you’re certain that Coraline has something wrong with her cybernetics in her brain. Some wire misplaced, some screw loose, something’s not working right up there.

“No.”

“No?” you ask, a bit taken aback. It’s still early and you’re still groggy from your somewhat restless night of tiring reading and weird dreams plaguing you whenever you close your eyes.

“No,” she says the same way as she had said it before. She’s sure that there’s no readout or diagnosis. If that’s the case then there’s no real way in understanding what issues she has. “I only know my bio-monitors are malfunctioning as well as my left leg. There is nothing that tells me why.”

“Bio-monitors?” You ask running a hand through your messy hair.

“They’re kinda like heart rate monitors but for everything,” Naomi clues you in.

You nod and think for a moment, “Wait.. why don’t you help fix Coraline since you know so much about cybernetics?”

“I don’t, like, know nearly enough to actually do anything with what I do know. All I did was read some basic knowledge stuff online. I was thinking of actually, like, getting some stuff installed but then thought it was too much to worry about. Not to mention everything was way too over my head. I only thought it was interesting at the time, you know?” she says before pausing to take a sip from a glass you didn’t see her take out. “Anyways, you have more knowledge and experience with electronics and such given you did the whole engineering thing. I just read a few books, so.”

You pause, taking a moment to let the conversation rest as you think, “So the bio-monitors are probably where you get the diagnosis I’m guessing then, if they’re anything like other system monitors. Might be something about the connection between the monitor and then thing that connects to the monitors. Maybe it’s the main console itself. Like the dock, or the whole system is fried, though I’m not really sure about the rest of it. So if there’s something wrong with everything then there might be an overall issue. By then you might as well scrap the whole system and replace it. I mean working on my ship I had to replace a lot more than I was able to fix since most parts aren’t really worth saving and fit better as slag than anything.” you say somewhat blankly as you think out loud.

>>2826473
Looking over to Naomi you notice her look of quiet dred as she gives you a look of ‘what the hell’, making you realize what you had said forgetting you’re talking about Coraline rather than just a machine. Calmly, you look to Coraline who remains placid as ever.

“I- I mean, if there’s something that bad I’m pretty sure I couldn’t fix it,” you say trying to smooth things over. “A-anyways if I’m going to be the designated ‘fix coraline guy’ then I should probably finish reading the book. Say, can you actually download anything? Since you can use your library, maybe you can download the books I have and read them whenever.”

“I can,” Coraline says blankly. If she did then she would have to download directly from your mobile since going faster than light forces you to stay offline.

>Let Coraline download the book and get her to read it as well since it would probably be useful to her as well since she’s the one stuck with cybernetics not you.
→ Yes (Would have to wait until she downloaded it to use your mobile)
→ No

>Start reading right away, no rest of the wicked, especially if the wicked have already rested.
>Start of the day, get clean and eat some food.
>[write-in]

>>2826478
→ No
Like, space porn library? I don't want Coraling learning *that* stuff being only weeks old. Too young her age is not even on the clock.

>Start reading right away, no rest of the wicked, especially if the wicked have already rested.

Use the recent talk to feel more interested and invested into reading the book and munch a nutri bar when hungry.

>>2826478
>Start reading right away, no rest of the wicked, especially if the wicked have already rested.

Let her download later when we are doing something else

>>2826478
>>Start reading right away, no rest of the wicked, especially if the wicked have already rested.
→ Yes

>>2826488
>>2826510
>>2826515
Read a lot!

Roll me three 1d100

>DC Medium = 70
>lacking Medical knowledge -20
>Textbook language -10
>No Saved Crits
>DC = 40

>0 - you learn nothing or it’s too difficult to read to progress any further
>1 - you struggle through the next chapter and understand it only partially.
>2 - you read through a few chapters. You understand most of it and could have an idea of what is wrong with Coraline.
>3 - you read through a good chunk of the chapters and understand most of it along with an idea of what is wrong with Coraline. You also gain proficiency in the cybernetics mastery.

Rolled 80 (1d100)

>>2826550
Hah! Tis low die is but a joke

Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>2826550

>>2826560
f7uk

Rolled 6 (1d100)

>>2826550

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>>2826560 80
>>2826563 46
>>2826578 6
wew lad, you guys are having trouble with this book

One degree of success, zero criticals.

>0 - you learn nothing or it’s too difficult to read to progress any further
>1 - you struggle through the next chapter and understand it only partially.
>2 - you read through a few chapters. You understand most of it and could have an idea of what is wrong with Coraline.
>3 - you read through a good chunk of the chapters and understand most of it along with an idea of what is wrong with Coraline. You also gain proficiency in the cybernetics mastery.

Writing!

Rolled 93, 57, 3, 31, 97, 35, 67, 81, 80, 87, 86, 12, 41, 1, 8, 8, 46, 9, 94, 1 = 937 (20d100)

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>>2826594
>3
>12
>1
>8
>8
>9
>1

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>>2826478
“Alright, well I’ll let you read it when I’m not busy with my mobile. Just started to get used to the thing..” you sigh as you open the mobile, laying back down, “if only slightly… Say, Naomi, did you read this thing?”

Coraline turns around placing the Nutri-Bar she had kept out for you onto the desk, sliding it to the back wall as Naomi turns to face you, “The guide? Yeah, no, I kinda just skimmed through it last time I had bought it. There was something about the cyber-eyes that I wanted. Thought they would come in handy after I met with a spacer who had them but I didn’t have the money at the time to do it along with all the other things the eyes needed before then plus I couldn’t really wait to get adjusted to the things. Plus after a while it kinda seemed more like a hassle than anything to keep up with them. Mainly because the whole you know connected thing and repairs and stuff, plus I already had eyes, so why get them replaced.”

“Yeah.. I guess that makes sense.. Uhh..” you say propping yourself up on your pillow.

“So what about your eyes, I always thought they looked really cool… “ Turning to Coraline, Naomi starts to ask her about her eyes as the show in the background continues on adding to the ambient noise. You’ve never really cared for noise when you read so it didn’t bother you either way. As Naomi continues the conversation without you, you find your way through to the library once more. Third time’s a charm you guess. Opening the book, you find the next chapter in your reorganized list of what to read.

You run a hand through your hair, styling it to the side as you look over the summary. Chapter eight seemed to fit with most of what you were reading in chapter five but delved more into how information was usually processed within the cybernetics. Most of the chapter seemed pretty familiar with the exception of the language and the words used in much of it feeling odd at times.

The majority of it felt familiar because you’ve read something similar when dealing with some of the electronics. There is a main dock where most of it is sorted through including information from the senses, limbs, the thoughts, and emotions. All of the information gathered by anything in the system was transmitted through the dock and stored on a sort of storage hard drive that you’re not really familiar with since it somehow allows the user to transmit information and access it through some series of confusing processes.

>>2826641
Not too different from say, a computer and its processes, but it was still in territory almost completely foreign. As the end of the chapter draws, you check the time, [13:20]. Apparently you had slept in a bit later than you expected though the reading probably didn’t help it all that much. You sigh feeling yourself becoming hungry since you skipped out on the whole food thing, not to mention the grime feeling as you rub your tongue against your teeth and the sweat under your arm.

You turn to look over a Naomi and Coraline who seemed to have still carried the conversation but seem to have moved onto family. Naomi’s mainly talking about what the two of you had talked about last night while also giving Coraline several recipes for dishes you’ve never heard of.

>Well. Time to eat something, you learned just as much as you thought you would.
>Hygiene is important, even in space. Take a shower and clean yourself up.
>No! You can eat, sleep, and shower later. You’re so close to understanding SOMETHING! Taking a break now would only make it even slower!
>[write-in]

>>2826643
>>Hygiene is important, even in space. Take a shower and clean yourself up.
Especially after that tast

>>2826643
> rub your tongue against your teeth and the sweat under your arm.

haha oh FUCK

as you rub your tongue against your teeth along with noticing the sweat gathering under your arm.

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>>2826655
[OH FUCK]

>>2826643
>>Hygiene is important, even in space. Take a shower and clean yourself up.

Also
>Plug Coraline to the mobile so she downloads the book while Sam showers and brush his teeth.

>>2826643

This >>2826662