Aberrant: Children of Quantum Fire - [Interlude] GNS - Galactic Navigation Services [FIN]

[Sailor OOC]

Mars

"I... I don't know. After today and the seeming cold reception I'm getting, I think I'm more as a figurehead now than anything. I really don't know what I'm doing anymore."

Kamiko gets up and walks back into her shelter. "I might be of a better mindset tomorrow, just ring the airlock to let me know you've returned... I need some rest. And time to consider what I want from GNS."

Kamiko goes back inside and closes the airlock door behind her.

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Location: Martian Patio Rendezvous

Star thought to herself for several moments. Incredibly rude. Incredibly disrespectful and unprofessional. Not. Acceptable. How difficult is it to follow a meeting format one topic at a time? Does she realize there isn't enough time to play around? Does this girl not see the opportunity she is walking away from?

"Mr. Hawkins. I can remain here and we can go over this if you like ... or I can drop you and Sonjia anywhere you like. However, I am beginning to have doubts ... this may not be a viable arrangement. All I can say is that - professionally speaking - no one walks away from me a third time without the door being closed behind them. Its just reached a level of disrespect I am having difficulty tolerating."

"Either way, I'll come and pick Kamiko up. She needs some time to cool off.... Again."

[Dan Hawkins]

Dan nodded.. "I can do tomorrow as well, perhaps I'll have some better answers for you then." He watched Kamiko leave and shook his head. "So much of her mother in her I wonder if there's anything of Michael at all." There was a wistfulness in his voice.

He looked at Star. "I'd advise against a telepath, that will just unnerve people. I could get one easily enough, but I'd prefer not to.. This is supposed to be an open spectacle, so we don't want people worrying about their privacy."

He massaged one of his shoulders idly. "Sonja and I will remain for now. I'm going to have a little talk with Kamiko, something I should have done before now it seems. Thank you though for the offer. Perhaps tomorrow after we've concluded the day's affairs you'd be kind enough to take us home then."

"I do apologize on her behalf, it is far from normal behavior for her, something I put down to the situation she has both been thrust into, and found her way to herself. At heart she is a good young woman, though I too have my reservations about her involvement. She's always been a very passionate girl, taking after her mother fully there. It's one area I wish she'd inherited abit more of her father's traits."

The words were classic in that they resembled something meant to save face, and hopefully but the needed time for Kamiko to sort things out within herself. Still Dan was sincere, he did want to sort this out, and it was plain to see that Dan would at least honor his own comittment to this first voyage, and do his best to see if he could improve security.

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Location: Martian Patio Rendezvous

"Yeah, never been comfortable with telepathy myself. I think we can do as well or better with a soundly designed interview process. The other thing I would like you to ponder is bio-machinery. We have ways of disabling, detecting, or barring pretty much any kind of equipment. Except bio-tech."

...

"All I can say about Kamiko is ... if you could get through to her. I just want to give her an opportunity. Yet it seems like she just doesn't want it. She doesn't want to participate in any sort of process ... maybe she just isn't ready. She's a good friend, but - at least right now - a terrible addition to a chain of command."

"I think, she's going to react very badly when I break the news to her. I don't want that ... but emotional reaction and apologies don't run a ship."

"Can you do anything to get her on track? I'm willing to give it one more shot. Just one more though."

[Dan Hawkins]

Dan nodded. "I imagine I can, once Sonja goes to be this evening. I believe I can handle any biotech that involves electricity,, though I know more than a few that don't."

"I'm sure a scanner of such nature could be devised to scan for them, but not in only a few days time. She wants to be a part of this, but at the same time, I don't believe she's truly ready yet." There was a pain in his voice at that admission. "We'll talk tonight though, with any luck it will sink in or it will not. It will be her choice in the end, unless she makes it mine."

He was her legal guardian at the moment, and technically he could axe her involvement, but thus far he'd not done so, because he liked Star, and saw her as a good influence on Kamiko.

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Location: Martian Patio Rendezvous

"I appreciate anything you can do. I am open to other roles for Kamiko too. Not lesser, but different."

"Whatever you think might be best ... I just want to make sure that we remain friends. Friendship is first, and there is time for everything else later."

[Dan Hawkins]

"I don't think this is something that will end a friendship. What She'll need to understand is this is done from a Command perspective, she's not quite where she needs to be to shoulder the responsibility you'd be entrusting her with."

He nodded. "Still, I'm sure we can think of something for her to do to keep her involved.

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Location: Martian Patio Rendevous

"We will find something for her. It can't be a step down either - it has to be a lateral move. Something really suited to her talents. I am sure there is some sort of fleet wide mandate that she will excel at. I know she had incredible talent, and when she spreads her wings ..."

...

"Alright. Well, lets get together at ... oh six hundred Tokyo time tomorrow?"

Star gave Dan a firm handshake ... but there was warmth there too. She gave Sonjia a hug, and stuffed her pockets with the rest of the treats she'd favored - getting the rest from her Shuttle.

With a final wave, Star boarded and the little ship was away.

[Sailor OOC]

Kamiko sat in her shelter, on her bed. Looking at Star leave she realized this was harder than she thought it would be and maybe... maybe... she's trying to be someone she's not.

She opens the door to the airlock and steps out. "Dan... you and Sonja can use the shelter tonight. Get comfortable and get changed or whatever if you plan on staying. If not, I'll need to take a walk to get my head on straight before I attempt to see if I can open a Warp to Earth. Unless... you want to talk first. And I wager there is a lot to be said at this point, Dan."

[Shosuro Miren]

Puck nodded, letting himself be led along to the medical bay. He was still trying to grasp everything he'd seen on his brief sojourn out to the rim of the universe and back again. It had been incredible and felt as natural as the body he was in now. It took a few tries while Star watched him before he managed to switch again, his body swirling into the energy pattern she'd seen the first time. He managed to hold his mind in and just...stood? floated?...where he was while the Stars recorded their measurements on various pieces of equipment.

By all the machine readings, he was a pattern of pure quantum in this form, the energy itself simply concentrated enough to excite the particles moving around and through him and create the silvery-golden glow that gave visibility to the form. When he spoke, her machines picked up no actual sound waves, but instead pulses of pure quantum that were somehow translating to her as mundane sounds and words. "This is...really neat. I can't wait to show Eden and the others! And...hey, I don't have to ask that ass Teithwyr for a ride anymore. Or keep bugging you." She couldn't really make out delicate features on the form, but she could "hear" the smile as he chatted excitedly. "And, I've got to take you out to where I was, really! It was...I've never seen anything so beautiful...or so humbling. So many galaxies, just floating, dancing....everything like some shining...I don't even have words. I'll have to make one up for Bodhi once I've gotten some other people's reactions, too."

The pattern that was Puck reached out and tried to lay a hand on her shoulder, only to pass through her in a rather tingling sensation; even as little more than a concentration of quantum, Puck was still embedded with supernatural sensuality. Which was only slightly marred by the almost girlish giggle that followed the fumble, "Oops. Well, anyways....I was going to say thanks. Seeing the belt and your home, figuring out another power or whatever this is, it's been an incredible day for me. And this...added with the other things I can do...there's some things that I had sort of thought of that this makes so much simpler now. If I can do what I think I can - which I might be able to test, if you don't mind me moving an asteroid or two around out there a little later on?"

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Location: Star's Ship, Sol Inner Belt

"No thanks necessary Puck. I think you are one of my closest friends. I don't have a proper family, so with you and Exalt! ... well you know ..." Star said ... not one to get too emotional, so trailing off at what didn't need to be said but Puck could feel.

"I think I've exhausted what we can test here, at least without a few days to devise some new apparatus. Its always like this with Nova testing, this is what I had lying around from previous trials I've developed for me. Even at big labs, most of the equipment has to be fitted to the Nova for any real results. Still, we have some pretty good results supporting the conclusions ... I would say, from a rough calc ... four sigma significance. Not conclusive proof, but our readings have 6,200 defects per million opportunities – or 99.4% error-free. Most scientific discoveries are hailed as proof at five sigma, that is 230 defects per million opportunities – or 99.8% error-free."

"We really should get a proper lab together ... but I have been thinking that it won't be something the powers that be like."

Star took Puck to see the rest of the ship. For a space vessel of the current era, she is insanely huge ... as a yacht she'd just be on the upper side of medium. The styling was futuristic and refined, but in a mildly retro-sci-fi sort of way. At least where the tech was concerned. Lots of controls, lots of knobs and switches arranged in highly ergonomic fashion. Lots of features like cup holders, to optimize the environment for micro-gravity. Everything on the inside non-flammable, next to nothing that outgasses - but the ceramics and metals were sometimes patterned to look and feel like other materials ... even textiles made of metal and cushions filled with rock wool.

On the other hand, there were the energy forms. The inner energy hull - the quantum construct that she wove over secure compartments on the inside of the strong nickle-steel hull - that was utterly alien. Something Hollywood would have to work at getting right on screen - a luminous, biologically inspired, bit of unreality woven real. The energy hulls, both inner and outer - and there could be variable numbers, configurations, etc. provided light, heat, protection, propulsion, sensing, and a host of other capabilities far beyond what even most quantum tech could do.

As they toured they talked "Much of this is required to accommodate baselines and Novas with near human physiology. It does make things comfortable for any of us though, familiar - which is important in an operational environment."

"We should go out and play. There is another of me not too far from here doing some ore processing and sphere-smelting. Bridge cameras just got a directed holo message, essentially it recorded a holographic billboard from the work site that another me used because its much less detectable than radio ... we're using Bodhi now by the way... see?" Star showed Puck the video "Its so much quicker, even in the form we're using. Apparently we're separating out alloy grades and heavy elements today - have to get some platinum and silver out of a big batch of nickel steel. Want to go?"

[Shosuro Miren]

Puck smiled at her words, fairly radiating his pride and happiness that she considered him and Exalt! her family. That was a good part of why and how he'd built the organization, to give that sense, with all it's joys and complications, to everyone that joined. "Thank you for that, Star," he said softly. "You are family, never doubt that."

He grinned at the sight of the Bodhi and nodded enthusiastically. "Um, why don't you move us out there, though? Just to make sure we don't have an unexpected side trip somewhere far enough away to be completely unnamed?"

Star smiled and nodded, opening up a warp to the excavation site for the two of them. Puck floated out, still in his energy form, and "walked" around where another Star was busily at work separating out metals from the rock and slush of the rest of the asteroid. "Y'know, I've been thinking," he mused, seemingly unaware that he was moving his lips even though there was no air in the Void to run over his vocal cords, "about what you said about warps and whatnot being an easier way for people to go from planet to planet directly, with 'way station' towns in-between. That would certainly work, but it still makes people, both novas and baselines, dependent on a nova with the right power to make the jump. Would you be willing to head up a team looking for a technological equivalent? That way there would be both an alternative and a backup to the warp or teleport novas. Baselines especially wouldn't feel stranded, then, and no group of novas alone could put a choke-hold on interstellar travel. I've been doing some reading, and it just reminds me of the oil situation just before the Galatea explosion - it's easy to exploit, even if novas like you and I would do our best to make sure it didn't happen."

He dipped through a spur in the asteroid, fascinated by being able to look at the inside of a solid object without having to break it open, then floated back out. "It's just a thought, but I thought it was important to bring up. Maybe something to 'leak' to the Paracara group, once we get them set up and established."

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Star, answering back in her own Bodhi Holo, complete with graphics for major points. Star communicates "Its possible to do a gate machine, for example, with quantum tech. The problem is it needs constant calibration or maintenance. Relative to baseline tech, which can work for centuries if its built right. Neither Mother nor I really got into it, though some of her colleagues were in that field at Cal-tech. It's basically nova patterns in a can."

"Conventional technology ... has a long way to go before it can do anything like that. Maybe, maybe if we scouted for aliens and traded. They'd have to be several centuries or more ahead of us though. Even with Nova's driving science, without the shortcuts that Q-tech involves it would be a major breakthrough. I can image the machine would be huge too - maybe a big stadium sized generator. Goodness knows how much power required ... incredible amounts. Hundreds of fission reactor cores - big ones."

"Oh, yeah ... the problem with Q-tech is it has high energy levels, and tends to explode if you let the quantum circuits degrade. Happens in months, even weeks sometimes ..."

....

She lets Puck soak in the beauty of the belt. It was completely different from 'inside' the belt - though they were in an area where the asteroids were larger ... the local gravity had accumulated the particulates from the aura. This little pocket was like a cleanroom - in hard vacuum.

The other Star was off in the distance, directing huge organic looking 'industrial machinery'. If the work hadn't been going on, the huge dimly lit and vaguely crystalline 'things' might have been mistaken for tentacled horrors. Just then, the other Star in the distance opened up a gate and rushing through came through yellow-hot spinning spheres of molten material about five meters in diameter, one after the other. The industrial constructs caught and stopped the spheres - allowing them to continue spinning, but translating some of the rotational energy into enough movement to place the spheres in grid patterns.

"We used to use solar reflectors to heat up the spheres ...but I realized that with a little shifting I could survive the corona-sphere of the Sun. So now we dip them in Sol and then spin them on the way back. All of these spheres have various compositions - collected piles of rubble originally warpped in some heavy foil. Then put 'in the oven' like a big baked potatoe."

Puck could see the spheres being rotated at very specific speeds, managed by the tentacled space horrors as if they were galactic dee-jays.

"We rotate them properly, as the other me takes temperature readings in basic infra-red. The denser elements separate to the outer layers, managed right we can get good purity after even a couple of dip-and-spins. This batch will take several hours to cool down ... and even the outer slag layers are saved. Lots of heavy elements in what essentially is a very dense glass."

"That one, over there, is on it's fourth cycle. Its quite a bit smaller than the rest, because its silver and platinum series elements. That one is for you, for exalt. We have quite a bit of slag glass incredibly rich in rare earths, some lanthanide series stock you can sell too. I have quite a bit of gold rich ore, but have yet to smelt it - need a few days sometime to do the heat-spin-cool cycles on it."

"I save everything - put it into selected trajectories out in the black ... the void off the ecliptic plane. Pick it up any time. Even the 'worthless' slag glass might be a weapon someday. Think about a giant cylindrical form ...say radius 4.8 meters and length in the 15 meter range. SI density of 3.9 to 4.2 or so ... Have something like one of my industrial movers get it up to speed - and gate it right over an enemy facility. Boom, Tunguska level event ... though much more localized being low altitude. No fallout either."

"Just so you know though, its not like I would just nuke someplace. I just, well, plan for the worst sometimes."

[Shosuro Miren]

"Well...maybe instead of ballistics, we could use it for building materials? It seems like it would be incredible for underwater structures. Very strong for the pressure and constant attempts at erosion, and clear so you could see the ocean around you." He grinned at her, knowing that she'd pick right up on what he was saying from the picnic a few days ago. He floated a little ways off, watching the spinning disks of metal with intense curiosity.

When he spoke again it was if he were still standing right next to her. "What about building gates in space, with easy access to massive amounts of solar energy? I know that would still have the logistics of getting people from planetside to the warpgate, but it could be an intermediary step at least. Would that satisfy the power needs? But you're right on needing something sturdy, something that won't need constant or even really regular maintenance, if we want it to be viable on the long-term. But think if that would work! We could have a gate for every star with habitation, either a planet or space stations or whatever!" He was obviously more enthusiastic than trained in engineering, but as usual his enthusiasm was infectious.

[Doctor Varroxxian]

"I'm willing to try on the gates ...but I won't sugar coat it. That kind of effort is a long term project. We are going to have to recruit allies, the best of Novakind, and have a massive infrastructure. When i say massive I am talking massive in terms of what I can imagine. I can imagine on a galactic scale, and what we need will be challenging to do on Earth. When I say allies, I mean Novas who have better minds than me at my current best. Of course, I may think differently post apotheosis."

"Even doing it the quantum tech way, would take more than we have ... but I would say that Q-tech is a dead end. All you end up doing is forcing your best scientists to spend time maintaining something that a Nova can learn to do. Better to actually train warpers instead of doing it that way. Even with big space gates, we'll still want a corps of warpers ... a guild of navigators. Novas will always be more versatile."

"Its worth thinking about locating and trading with more advanced alien races. Given it is probable they exist."

...

"Now construction, that's easy. The space stations, I can do now - even huge ones given some infrastructure or time. Solar power won't cut it ... very very low power density unless we actually put it close to the sun. I also have the feeling that strong gravity wells might interfere with. The way to go is fission or fusion, and really good thorium reactors are so easy. The fuel is incredibly plentiful, and its safe - you can't make a nuclear explosion with Thorium. Humanity figured it all out in the 1940's ... maybe even earlier ... but they wanted to make nuclear weapons so never funded Thorium. Uranium is actually really hard to work with, wasteful, dangerous, produces nasty byproducts, and is quite rare."

"As to building materials - slag is only so-so. Stone is preferable, something with a good micro-crystalline structure - not a glass. We can use slag for one piece waterproofing ... but I know many really nice metamorphic options. Easily quarried ... marine construction, needs big blocks well over the threshold that can be shifted by Terran oceanic phenomena. I'll have a quarry running in ninety seven hours. There is plenty of alloy stock for roofing and decks - I'll just hold more ship construction till later. The three shell hulls I have now are enough."

"I would imagine these structures are going to be ... tropical? Star adds with a knowing look.

[Sailor OOC]

Mars

Kamiko sits on the chair left by Star.She sighs looking down at the reddish soil at her feet. "Then again, Dan I probably wouldn't talk to me after what I just pulled either. This whole thing has gotten out of hand and I've completely destroyed whatever sort of trust Star's had in me for anything outside of janitorial work."

She looks to Sonja before turning back to Dan. "I've been a horrible example, and a worse student... Particularly today. I've taken all this for granted haven't I?"

[Dan Hawkins]

Dan looked to Sonja who nodded. "I'll go get our beds ready okay?" He smiled as his understanding six year old went to the dome. He remained seated. "You have made choices I find unwise."

"Would you like to explain, or hear my thoughts first?" It was a test of course, as she should well know by now.

[Sailor OOC]

"To be honest right now... just wanting to state how bad things got with my outburst makes me feel one-hundered percent worse right now, Dan... at least hearing it from you... I might know I am on the right track as to how bad it was. I doubt, at least in your view, that at the moment I am capable of self-analysis. An outside observer is then required."

Dan's seen this a couple times before. When she is at a loggerhead she tries to look at things almost like an engineer. Perhaps so cold and disconnected it doesn't serve her right.

"I'm... yeah... you first."

[Dan Hawkins]

"She proved to me, to herself and to you, I feel, that you are not fit for a command role. Your reactions to her questions show you've yet to come to terms with your parents' death. You stormed off in a passionate rage, forcing me to apologize for your childish behavior."

"Coming back so soon shows you are indecisive."

He nodded. "Those stand out most prominently. That said She does wish to be your friend Kamiko, you just need to grow up."

[Sailor OOC]

Kamiko looks down at the ground.

"Just as I assessed, Dan. She found just the right weakness to exploit."

She looks back up. "I never really got over that... and that's a wedge anyone who knows about me could use against me. And what if there are other... explosive... subjects that are rattling around I've yet to confront... She's right I am rightly screwed up in the head on this."

She spits a curse on herself in aramaic... one she didn't want Dan or Sonja to hear... "So damn close... You don't know how badly I wanted this, Dan."

[Dan Hawkins]

"You can still have it. she wants you to be involved, In time, you could have your own ship, when you're ready for it Kamiko. You're still very young you know."

[Sailor OOC]

"I understand... I don't know... maybe I ignored the pain and today... today it came out and laid bare a lot of immaturity still in me."

She stands up.

"If you intend to stay, I think I'm going to take a walk until martian nightfall. Let me grab some things from the shelter first as well. You're welcome to the rations."

She heads into the shelter and grabs her small ruck sack and places a small shoebox into the bag and a couple MRE packs before walking back out. "And Dan... at least from you... I can understand where I am. I have to admit right now... I'm not the only one with personality issues."

"I like Star as a friend, no doubt, but she seems so cold... aloof... mechanical. Maybe... maybe that's what also set me off. She's different and I reacted impulsively when I should have just tried to understand her. This was an opportunity for growth I missed because I stereotyped her."

[Dan Hawkins]

"No two novas are the same Kamiko, and if you truly wish to go somewhere, I suggest Olympus Mons. Be sure that you are back by nightfall. We are not done talking, and Sonja will worry about you."

[Sailor OOC]

Mars

"Sure thing, Dan. I know. I worry about you two as well... worried I might be more of a burden."

She starts to walk off. not looking back. "I will return before nightfall."

A few hours later

Kamiko is smiling as she returned. There was still some light left and she enjoyed the walk.

"Dan! I got pictures!" She shouts. "I remembered to bring the camera! I also got some geologic pictures Star could oogle over. I know she likes the sciency stuff!"

She smiles as she Nears the shelter. But then she remembers... he still wanted to talk. Her expression becomes more serious.

[Shosuro Miren]

Puck & Star

Puck grinned his afirmative, then realized she probably couldn't see that in his current form. "Yes, that might just be," his 'voice' teased, no less devastating or alluring than it was when air and vocal chords were involved. "Though I bow to your knowledge and experience when it comes to all of this..."

"Mmm...well, if gates are such a big production, is it more difficult to figure out some sort of faster than light engines? And a ship that won't be pulverized or kill everyone inside at those speeds? I mean, when I...uh...moved....before, I could feel the movement, not like how I've heard teleporting described, but it would have had to have been movement faster than light. Until then, though....a hop-scotch line of spacestation wild west towns, huh?" The energy pattern had been floating and flitting around and at the end of his question he blinked out of existence only to reappear a few feet from her.

"Now, I want to try something, but I need to be okay to move a large amount of stuff around, at least for a minute. Come with me? I might need some help with putting things back right." Star nodded and a wave of quantum flowed out from the figure, inundating her with Puck's signature in a manner that could, at least when he was like this, be seen by the naked eye. Suddenly they were somewhere else; Star gave the area a quick look over and realized that they were -at least- in another star system. She was searching for triangulation points when Puck murmured, "We're still in the Milky Way, I just didn't want to freak out some astronomer or mess something up by moving too much stuff around in our own system. This system has twelve large planets, three asteroid belts and hundreds of moons."

They blinked again and were floating next to a field of smaller asteroids - relatively speaking, the rocks still dwarfed the two novas by magnitudes. "Okay, I'm going to start attuning stuff and moving it. Let me know if you see anything interesting while I'm doing it or want me to repeat something. I know you don't have all the amenities of a lab here, but this is just goofing off, too." She could feel the smile she couldn't make out in his voice, and then the silver-gold glow began spreading out over the closest asteroid.

He played for hours, slowly building how much matter he was attuning at a time and pushing himself to the limits of his ability to spend and regenerate quantum. The amount he could attune was...stellar, almost literally. His final flourish of effort was near mind-blowing: he blinked over to one of the larger planets and settled on the surface of one the smaller, rocky moons; by Star's quick estimation the moon had only a little less mass (relatively speaking) than the whole of the asteroid belt that she lived within. He stood for a minute, pulling together everything Darrik had been teaching him and the power he'd gained with his Apotheosis. He pushed out, his glow slowly suffusing the entire planetoid, the energy pattern looked up at Star for a moment. Then they were gone, nova and moon together.

They reappeared a moment later halfway around the oversized planet that hosted Puck's chosen moon, still in the normal orbital path of the moon. He'd been practicing precision as much as stretching his powers and had gotten the coordinates from his partner-in-crime. One last blink and he was at her side, his voice overlaid with exertion and the stirrings of exhaustion, "Okay. That's it for today. Awesome, but I've got to get us back. And then...well, either I need some time alone to relax or..." He let the offer or request, which ever it was, remain unsaid, but the sensual purr to his words were almost indecently explicit. He reached out one last time before she could answer, attuning her and jumping them both back to her home in the inner Solar belt.

He whuffed back into a flesh form as he launched himself onto one of the couches; he'd forgotten about the microgravity, so it wasn't so much of a lounge as a comic bounce off the furniture. He let out a tired laugh and shook his head. "That was fun...I don't think I've ever done...well, anything like that before. Thanks for helping me discover this part of myself, Star." His words were sincere, but his eyes tracked her as he floated through the room, wondering how she'd respond to what he'd said before jumping them back. Or if she'd say anything at all.

Attunement rolls

Attunement as extended action combining the skill and the power -

Matter Attunement, last 8 mega as always:

Malachite *rolls* 26d10: 8+2+6+4+7+4+9+4+1+3+8+1+10+4+6+10+8+8+3+2+9+8+8+10+10+1: 154

Malachite *rolls* 2d10: 2+3: 5

20 successes

Power Maxxing x6

Malachite *rolls* 48d10: 6+4+10+9+3+7+6+1+4+9+1+2+5+4+7+10+6+3+5+7+5+3+3+10+1+7+7+3+3+1+5+9+6+6+9+8+3+6+9+6+4+1+9+1+4+8+10+9: 265

18 successes

Total of 38 success for Matter Attunement, bringing his kg total to 1.35 x 10^20 kg

[Malachite] 3:23 am: Modulate skill, megas last 8 as usual:

Malachite *rolls* 20d10: 9+3+6+6+6+1+10+7+9+6+4+2+6+6+2+8+4+3+1+4: 103

Malachite *rolls* 1d10: 9: 9

7 successes (only 5 can be used) + 3 auto successes from Mega-Wits 8

Final kg's: 2.2 x 10^21, or roughly half again the size of Charon.

He's also pretty much out of quantum at this point and pretty low on willpower, having spent and forced regeneration of his quantum pool.

There's six temp taint from powermaxxing, if you want this to count. I did the rolls to know how far Puck could go in this scene, but it's mostly meant for fluff. I don't mind either way, but he -can't- channel the temp taint in this scene because he doesn't have enough quantum and the rules don't really state how long you have to channel temp taint to temp chrysalis. If he's taking the taint and can't channel it per the book, I'd like to write his figuring out that application of Living Chrysalis from this (in a later scene, but from this rush of taint into him).

[Dan Hawkins]

Dan nodded, the look on his face showing he wasn't in an excited mood.

"Did you think about what you needed to? Have you come to a real decision?"

[Sailor OOC]

Mars, near nightfall

"I have to walk foreward, not backward, if I want to continue." Kamiko says. Setting her shoebox on the ground, and the clipboard with alot written down on it in Japanese on top. "I have to trust Star on this. This is her baby. I have to follow her head to the letter if this is going to work. She didn't mean any harm by what she did today and I misread that intent. What's more, I have to show the utmost restraint from here on. It's obvious there is something in me that can lash out if wronged and I have to control that monster."

She brushes off alot of collected red dust and sets down a couple tools near the box. "The question I should ask when she returns, is what can I do for her, not what can GNS do for me, as I stated before. I just have to believe everyone here is looking not only for my best interests but for the mission as a whole."

[Dan Hawkins]

He nodded. "And have you determined what exactly you can do?" The question had many meanings and context that was unspoken.

[Sailor OOC]

"I... am a scientist, and a scholar. I'm here to learn and to discover and to find. To think I was going to be in a command position at my age and experience is playful, selfish childish behavior. Punctuated with todays incident. I've gone off the tracks and I have to return to them. Mother did say I would become a living archive if I kept up my thirst for finding the unknown."

"How blind can one be yet know so much, Dan? That is a question once I answer then I deserve to lead."

[Dan Hawkins]

"That you know to ask it, that is a beginning Kamiko." he rose from his seat and hugged her in the same fatherly fashion Long did, save not from an eight foot height. "Your mothers, both of them would be proud of that step."

"Now, come on, I expect Sonja's tired of waiting for us."

[Sailor OOC]

Mars

Kamiko smiles. The hug wasn't as smothering as Long, or as soft as Doryoku's but it hat it's own quality.

"Aye... by the way... I know this would sound cheesy to suggest... but you think I could be Star's science officer? Seems she needs that position filled. I took the documents with me to study while I walked and collected smaples. I wanted to show her I got some scientific chops." She shows the rocks she collected in her shoebox, each enclosed in a sterile, sealed bag. "I also took photos of the trip."

She grabs the rest of her stuff. "I... would ask that you don't read what I wrote on that tablet, Dan. At least until I let Star read it for herself and see if she felt right revealing it you the rest of us."

She smiles, following Dan up to the airlock door. "I was thinking of sleeping outside tonight but the atmosphere here is not conducive at all to astronomical observation... I wager Sonja's starving by now."

She smiles and lets Dan step in first.

[Dan Hawkins]

He nodded. "You may wish to hide it from Sonja then. I think you'd do well in that position."

He led the way inside, to reveal Sonja having their MRE's ready and heated, sitting there with a couple of card games, ready to play. "Took you long enough." Her voice was impish, and her smile made Dan smile. In that moment she reminded him of her mother, on many nights camping in years past.

[Sailor OOC]

Kamiko smiled. "Cadet Sonja... your creativity with the MRE's is... commendible."

She smiles when she noticed Sonja had been properly using the sauces and actually managed to improvise with a few creature comforts Kamiko brought along for seasoning. "Yes... now there is a question what's Sonja going to do while onboard?"

She smiles as she takes a seat and starts eating. "I'm sure she'll be a fine admiral someday."

The next martian sunrise...

Kamiko starts doing some warmup pushups and situps. She's had to multiply her efforts by several fold since the planet's gravity is lower than earth's. She sees Dan and Sonja step out.

"Oh... thought since we had a little time before Star's arrival, that I'd get some excersize in." She says. She's got no sweat on her... probably evaporated instantly on contact with the martian atmosphere. She puts her shirt back on from last night. "Hopefully I didn't disturb everyone."

[Dan Hawkins]

"Of course not. Are you ready?"

[Sailor OOC]

"Indeed... we just wait for Star now..."

She puts her hat on, still dusty from her prospecting. "Hopefully things will be far better today than it was yesterday."

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Location: Star's Ship, Sol Inner Belt

Puck had been making subtle, and semi-subtle advances for quite some time. Star hadn't ever done anything ...she'd never been with anyone, not even kissed with any sort of eros. She was attracted to males more than females, but Puck had an alluring touch of the feminine too.

She had, however, thought about it. She liked arousal, and had some 'intentional experience' on her own .... and Puck is divine. Of course, he's not the pair bonding sort. No illusions there. Star's own social model was strong on pair bonding, but from a biological perspective she doubted that would work for her. She lived as many people at once - it would overwhelm a partner in an exclusive relationship.

Logic didn't completely drive her, but in many cases emotional factors originating from the influence of society or others meant little more to her than being factors in a logical expression. She had become somehow 'autonomous' in a social sense - able to do without the approval and link with other sentient beings. Not dependent on it as most other were - whether they realized it or not.

Still, she had emotion. She had desire, and Puck ... simply put was desirable. She also had fear ... an edge of trepidation on taking a first step like this.

Her eyes told Puck everything he needed to know. She wanted him, but it was complicated ... delicate. She reached out for him, and put her hands around his waist in the fluid way that her flexible form allowed. She drew him in, there in microgravity - magnetic slippers un-clicking from the deck plate. Still, she hesitated ... waited for him to take the lead.

She wanted to say something, but didn't want to ruin the moment ...

[Shosuro Miren]

Puck smiled and traced his fingertips over her cheeks and then down her arms. The touch was light but electrifying; he'd found since his apotheosis that he hardly needed to call on his empowered touch to make a partner quiver (though, he did still love to use the more energetic uses of that particular gift) and he knew he should be gentle and slow with the beautiful nova looking up at him with such longing and trust. He leaned down and kissed her softly, just a light brush of lips, and wrapped his own arms around her, pulling her against his body while they floated in the micro-gravity.

Mature Content Link

The Moon and the Stars Side Fiction

Several hours later Puck tickled a hand up her bare side, eliciting a delighted giggle and a quite pleasurable wiggle from his newest lover. They were still intertwined and comfortably naked; they'd been caressing and kissing as chastely as Puck ever could in the afterglow of their lovemaking for a while now. Puck nuzzled contentedly against her; he could (and had) have done even just this for days, basking in the sensual touch and the warmth of love given and taken in equal measure. But that had been well before Exalt! and all the other exciting things he'd gotten up to in the past year or so, the only downside being that such things required a constant amount of attention and by necessity broke up the pleasant spells of lovemaking and even just cuddling that made him feel so warm and good.

He wrapped his arms around Star just a little tighter, not willing to give up the feel of her just yet, but murmured, "I think we might have to actually get back to work." His tone teased at being disgusted at the thought and he still his fingers with their sensual, electric touch over her, languidly teasing the sensitive spots of her skin even as he pulled them both back to the many, many projects at hand. "But," he added in purr, "I leave myself to your command, my lovely Starseed. Say the word; whatever you wish to do."

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Location: Exalt Japan Temporary Offices, Tokyo

Date: May 13, 2027 - New York / May 14, 2027 - Tokyo

Time: 1515 Hours - New York / 0115 Hours - Tokyo

Unexpected delays were expected, this was Japanese bureaucratic practice. Exalt! Japan was proceeding smoothly through the start-up phase, but there had been an official in the regional construction safety office who had not realized what organization he was dealing with. Nova's lending their weight to efforts that would stimulate the economy were supposed to be given the green light - but as an unwritten rule it was not written. In this case, there had been a foul up in the permits department and it threatened to not only throw the Exalt! Japan timeline off but there was a far worse danger: The director of the office might loose face because of this.

Of course, they would not acknowledge such a mistake and would invent reasons why things had not gone on schedule. Unfortunately, those reasons might well serve to delay the permits they needed further. Fortunately Star had been studying the culture in depth, and had an expert knowledge of the social order.

Yesterday night, she had invited the entire senior staff of the office to dinner at a prestigious local restaurant. She had shifted in to a similar but achingly beautiful form for the duration ... and negotiations with the restaurant manager had easily won her a comped event - open bar and all. She knew what to say, knew to imply how her holding her event here would show the district that the establishment was the place to be. In Japan, to be a Nova and to know the culture was to have power.

The construction safety staff was very happy to accept. For workers of this type of civil service department to be invited by a Nova was a rare and special thing. Furthermore, she had spent some discretionary funds to have traditional gift boxes ... replete with Edo period finery and the best square gift melons - to the office that morning. Accompanying the gifts was an invitation, and a carefully crafted letter.

The letter had thanked - even subtly praised the staff of the department for their dedication and keen observational abilities. Thanks to their efforts and the delay of the first round permits the negligence of a foreign contractor had been uncovered. This company, which was subtly yet effectively vilified, was a minor player in the construction ... and the American manager for this zone was such a dunce he'd never realize anything about this move - his company would shortly receive an injunction to operations that was common these days. These injunctions were never explained to foreign organizations, because it was blatant protectionism for local Japanese industry of one sort or another. To explain it would be to admit it, and obviously such things are simply 'not permitted to occur' when clearly they happen all the time. The department was a heroic group in this case, in that they were enforcing all important fire and electrical codes but also protecting the very interests of the Japanese economy and people in the same stroke.

All of this was clearly implied and artfully explained - between the lines of the thank you letter. The invitation to dinner that had come later, this was just confirmation ... they had done their duty and rewards were due. To have the gratitude of Novas ... that was an incredible stroke of good fortune on top of it all. Some of the senior management knew that their mistake had delayed the permits, but this would easily and effectively mask their mistake. They could claim that suspicious practices on the part of the contractors had raised flags, and only now was approval proceeding as it should.

Of course, Star had filed a commendation with the central office so that the regional office would receive official recognition. The party went very well, and she pulled in another of her-selves to pose as a mysterious Japanese male Nova ... an elite type who 'could not reveal his name, but would answer to "Ichigo"'. It was a calculated bit of deception that worked brilliantly ... Exalt! was known to have several Nova's involved but clearly they had pull outside of their circle too. The party went on late, and Star made quite a few new friends at the office. Though she had been quite manipulative, no one except a faceless corporation would suffer for it. They'd made their money already and didn't really care. The managers at the office might even be in line for promotions, and they'd have stories to talk about for years.

The permits came a mere seven hours later, hand delivered. She'd even recived pre-approval from several other unrelated civil service offices ... word travels, and apparently Exalt! is an organization with influential Novas and impeccable manners. It wasn't exactly a foreign group either, apparently, their social status had changed that day. She guessed it was in part due to "Ichigo" the mysterious Nova. These sorts of Novas often work for the Japanese Intelligence service, or maybe even the Major Corporations. So in a dozen ways, the event and the manner which she had conducted the communications of the previous day had shifted the perception of Exalt! Japan from 'foreign' to 'domestic'.

It had been lucky though, because this kind of shift had been something she'd been trying to orchestrate. A master sphinx would have been quicker, but she was getting there. Just as she was thinking how it would be incredible to have more help from some of the truly hyper-social Novas in Exalt! She heard a familiar voice at the door.

"Hello? Star? ... Its Darrik. None of these offices have name plates and ..." just then he poked his head through the door "Hi. There you are! Wasn't sure I'd catch you in ... but I saw an e-mail from you an hour ago and figured I'd drop by. See if you could use a hand with anything here - since you are working round the clock late."

Star replied "Hi!" and jumped up to give him a little bow - shallow but not too shallow - cute but still professional. Just the right level of respect and welcoming warmth. "Funny, I was just thinking of you." She was in a Japanese frame, and didn't go for the friendly hug she would have in America. Public Displays of Affection were just not a part of polite or professional Japanese society.

Realizing he hadn't been to the temporary offices - and that they did look very plain - Star added "Yeah the addresses around here don't make complete sense either. Its a system all its own. Glad you found the place - didn't need to spend on luxury offices for this phase of development. Its also in a banking block, so the address itself commands a measure of respect for those who know the bankers around here. Plus they have low level quantum interference fields, again ... its a secure building mostly intended for financial

companies."

Financial Expansion

Star id making a resources roll to expand her finanances - small steps, for dot 2 here ... based on GNS goings on and likely a modest stipend for a formal position at Exalt! Japan. Waiting on Krul ... will be using an investment strategy with lucky stock picks ...

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik gave her a little bow, and a polite, congratulating grin. "You've got things in hand from the sound of it, Star-chan. I did hear about the party, a shame that I was unable to show up." Darrik of course, as they both knew, was Outreach Lead, so it was his business to know these things. "So... since I'm clearly on your mind-" the sexy grin and half-hinted implication was a common trait Darrik had in common with Puck, "- what can I do for you?"

[Doctor Varroxxian]

Location: Exalt Japan Temporary Offices, Tokyo

"Well, hmmm .... " says Star, checking over her new data-band. Direct laser retina write mode - how cool. Only in Japan, and so small - easy to shield with a stylish bronze arm brace Faraday cage. Barter and more barter.

"Everything jumped ahead with the party. Pre-approval for permits I though would take all week at the pace of government."

She checked again, making some gestures for the air-writer interface mode.

"Yes, well ... maybe I could get your help with something else. I've been a bit busy these days with Exalt!, and because I've got another major project on the go. I trust you, so I can bring you in ... its not public knowledge..."

... she brings up the projection mode on her data-band. It begins to display a promotional piece that's been on the op-net for about a day now. It was for GNS ... enough buzz was about that Darrik recognized it. Japanese company, offering the first public trip to another Star. Contest winners would get seats, along with mystery celebs and important academics ... pretty cool stuff.

The launch was to kick off a facilitation service, basically the company had warpers and for cheap they'd gate your vehicle to the planets or stars so long as you met some basic safety checks. Enough supplies, minimum tech standards, basic training and such. People, not corporations, be even people with some wealth were already commissioning all sorts of vehicles. Planetary rovers, little deep space ships - all to go jaunting about on the other side of a gate for weeks, possibly even months. Normal people, small business, these people were going "out there" ... there had been some pretty cool blogs and even popular mechanics had picked it up.

As the promo piece - quite well done, if a little too Nippon Corp for a perfect fit outside Japan, finished Darrik could see the possibilities.

"All it took was a little explaining." Said Star, "Of course, I haven't released my name yet. Its a numbered corporation with legal counsel standing in for the paperwork. I've been delaying the real press conference for a bit now. Just put out the promo piece because I realized I need a spokesman. Puck is helping, but he's not a good fit for spokesperson - more like hot new celeb guest. Plus I know you can change faces, be subtle about things ..."

"How about it ... wanna assume a secret ID and help take the culture to the stars? Wanna help save the world?"