Futurecraft: Macropolitical Personification Iteration #3

[Professor Fenway]

"I'm closer to a QI," JAG said, analyzing the brief burst of information coming from Laura. "Uploaded consciousness coupled with sub-space dimensional computation, but that's besides the point."

"Sub-space computing? Impossible," Laura said.

"With your technology, indeed impossible. But irrelevant. I am the ship AI. And I am not in control of this ship. That is a problem, especially given that we are currently hurtling at several million kilometers per second towards a Spectral Class O-Three hypergiant."

[Archduke Daynel, PhD]

"Two QIs on one day. Is it hogswatch already?"
Zuguth picked up the cube.
"So I suppose you can't move on your own, then. Now, I guess you're supposed to be placed somewhere? Wow, can't wait to hear all the secrets of this-"
And just then, Zuguth became aware of what JAG had just said, and his expression immediately turned to one of alarm.
"Hurtling how fast towards a what now?"

[Error]

"3,012,456 kilometers per second, on a course intersecting the Spectral-class O-Three supergiant R6A-242." replied Laura smoothly. "And consequently, I suggest locating a helm or FTL system to attempt a course correction."

"Really?" muttered Val, rolling her eyes. "Why would you advise that?"

"Alert; life-form detected. Tajerian. Marking." Laura replied, a small marker appearing on the HUDs of Hexalan and Val. The Aurelian raised her weapon and dropped to a firing stance, waiting.

[Archduke Daynel, PhD]

Zuguth sighed, and slid his iCore down one of the inner pockets of his jacket.
"Tajer? An owl is enough but a sympathizer for the Maroon Menace? Anyone got a gun to spare?"

[Error]

"Here." replied Val, tossing him the pistol. Glancing around briefly, she moved over to beside the door, her officer's sword (sorry Vin forgot to put that in the app, standard for CNI officers) at the ready.

[Professor Fenway]

"Tajer?" JAG blinked several times. "From Laura's processor, I can tell that they are rather aggressive and effectively a dictatorship, yet a part of the UGC. But wouldn't they cease hostilities in the interest of self-preservation?"

[Archduke Daynel, PhD]

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. They're crazy facists though so it matters little."

[Shadowcatbot]

As the door slid open John noticed the sword wielding human and a number of guns pointed at him "Nope." And then he pressed the button to shut the door and wandered down the hallway the other way.

[Error]

(Not human, Aurelian. You know. Short, rabbit ears, tail... unless Tajer is the most ignorant SOB this side of the Strigiforme Empire.)

[Shadowcatbot]

Human, Aurelian, it's all the same to someone who didn't want to look at the first pages.

[Vinyl]

"Great... just... great. Well, I suppose this room has divulged its share of secrets, so it is in my opinion we move on, in that Tajer's general direction. Also, Zuguth, you should probably check your pockets more often."

Zuguth, a confused look on his face, felt around for a minute in his pockets, revealing what seemed to be a mere gun handle. "What are yo-" before he could finish, the barrel unfolded from it.

[Error]

Val chuckled, retrieving her own sidearm from the stunned Zuguth. "Hexalan, troll extraordinaire. Laura, map?"

A holographic map appeared, detailing the corridors and rooms nearby.

"Unfortunately, my limited sensor suite only has a fifty-meter range. I advise again we find a dataport compatible with either myself or JAG."

[Professor Fenway]

"Every device on the ship has a port I can interface with," JAG said. As he spoke, a small panel on the holo-table slid open silently, revealing a very square and rather small hole. Multiple lines- white lines- covered the walls of the port. "If you would plug me into the slot I just opened on the holo-table, that would be very helpful. Starting with translations."

"You can translate the symbols?" Val asked.

"I think I can. Plug me in and we'll find out." Zuguth walked over to the panel and carefully inserted JAG into the slot, which promptly slid closed. When JAG spoke again, it emanated from the room itself rather than the box itself.

"Ah, here we go. It's a blend of every language we know of, combined with a few I don't recognize. Anyone have a Ark'Thur translation key?"

"I'll send one-" Laura started.

"Already got it, thank you." There was a brief whirring. "There we go, the translated console should appear soon." The holographic map reappeared, but the previously foreign words were fading out, and being replaced with English.

[Error]

"I'd prefer you don't poke through my database as you please." said Laura, sounding peeved. "You'd hardly invade a lady's underwear drawer to find a book, would you?"

Val just facepalmed.

[Professor Fenway]

"Actually, I would darling. Books are practically worth their weight in antimatter in NeoRome. But i'll keep my snooping as minimal as possible."