Chapter 27: But Knowing My Luck…
Captain’s Chronicles 1324 / 35-4-2598 / Crescent-Bryst
A feminine voice speaking Melcarna begins talking, “Well, I’m truly overpowered. I’m scary overpowered. At least in comparison to today’s civilization. How am I supposed to feel about that? Sure, that’s the entire fucking premise of at least 90% of isekais, and yeah, people probably love that idea and concept. Of course they do! That’s why it’s so popular…” Sigh. “Okay, I’m overpowered and what am I going to do about it? Well, nothing really. It’s probably going to be really helpful, but what’s going to happen when people find out about this?
“Now there are three people who know the truth about me. Not the whole truth, but enough. Then there’s Bren who is probably pretty afraid and maybe even more so because he doesn’t understand. Maybe Scevi can sweet-talk him into really not telling anyone, but at some point someone is going to find out and they are not going to be quiet about it. I’m a little scared by that… Maybe mostly because I don’t know what I’m going to do if the people I care for are threatened by that…
“This is something I’m going to have to think about. Maybe Mama has a good idea because I’m sure there’s no way she will stand by if someone is going after me or someone like Gramps. I’m not really sure this is the route I want to go down right before bed. So let’s talk about something else.
“Scevi stayed through dinner, and as far as I’m aware she hasn’t left. By the time I called it to spend some time alone, she was still here. A moment of pause. I don’t know why I just sat here trying to see if I could hear anything, because, as much as I love Gramps, I don’t want to actually hear if they’re having a good time. Is it weird to say that I do hope they’re having a good time?
“Look, I’m a romantic and I want that for Gramps if that’s what he wants. By the way the two of them talk to each other, I do think Hugh was right that they both want to be with one another, and though they aren’t yet, I want to give credit to both of them. Gramps appears to be truly fine that Scevi is filling her time with some fun. Normally I would think people might get jealous of that stuff, but Gramps appears to just want her to be happy. On Scevi’s part, she does clearly have it bad for Gramps now that I’m looking for it, and she appears to push him just the perfect amount to tease him, but nothing being too much. I just get good vibes from all of it, even if there is something going on that isn’t the best. I’m not going to directly bring it up to Gramps, at least not yet.
“I’m not really sure what else to say. Oh, I didn’t mention, but I think I’m going to start recording my chronicles in Melcarna, or at the very least I’m going to try it for a little while. I’m not really expecting anyone to ever listen to these, so I’m not doing it to help keep my secrets; I just want to try to connect more with my species. It’s still crazy that I can speak another language without having to learn it. Wait, could I download other languages to myself and speak them without having to learn either?” Long pause. “I don’t know if I like that, but if it is a I know kung fu1The Matrix thing I guess that would be pretty cool.”
~~~
Captain’s Chronicles 1325 / 36-4-2598 / Crescent-Bryst
“Scevi did not leave last night, nor did she leave at all today. She did come out wearing a fresh set of her own clothes this morning, so I guess she has clothes here. I wonder how many days of clean clothes she had at the yard. Gramps does seem happy to have her around, and she’s a dream at helping fix all the wiring of the ship.
“Hugh is doing alright. He’s still scared of me, which I understand, but making light, perverted jokes does appear get through to him. The real issue is not trying too hard with them and seeming like I’m actively trying to get past his guard. But a small joke here and there, assisted by Scevi, does appear to make him more comfortable. Of course Gramps’s face is always so red when we do those jokes, but as long as they aren’t directed at him, or in real reference to my sex life, then he seems fine with it.
“We’re at the stage in repairs where it’s just tedious work without much excitement. Gramps and I are working on the exterior. Scevi is inside working on wiring and doing her best to salvage the original materials of the wires to remake into proper wiring, and Hugh is working on small spellworks at the moment. We’re still waiting on some shipments for Hugh before he can do bigger stuff like the boaring drive spellwork. That’s what I’m really excited for because I want to know how fast I can go. That probably won’t be ready for another fifteen days or so.
“I wonder how Mama is doing. I hope she’s doing okay.”
~~~
Captain’s Chronicles 1328 / 38-4-2598 / Crescent-Bryst
“Furniture appeared today. There were a couple of chairs and one giant ass frame for a bed. I thought Heather’s round bed was big, but fuck me, Vysven beds are massive. I suppose for a people with giant wingspans they would want something they could comfortably lay down in and stretch their wings. They all can’t be that big, can they? I’m sure there are probably smaller beds that are more bunk-like for journeys in small starships. Maybe not.
“Fuck, I’m really going to have to make Stargazer so much bigger, because I’m probably going to feel cramped if I can’t stretch out my wings in my own bedroom. It’s kind of weird to think I’m going to have wings, but I can’t deny that it feels wrong not having them. With those human limits on my mind gone now that the simulation is over, this automaton body is feeling so much more wrong. I just can’t stop thinking about how desperately I want to spread and stretch my wings. It’s like I can almost feel them there, but they aren’t…
I know there’s a word for that, but I’m not comfortable using it. I didn’t lose limbs, I just wasn’t born with the right number.”
A long, silent pause fills the recording.
“Should I get a therapist? I have Gramps to talk about all this too. I even have Mama, but I haven’t seen her again yet. I hope she’s doing okay. Maybe tomorrow I’ll try talking to her. Regardless, would seeing a therapist be a bad idea? I feel like I could really use someone to talk to who has an outside perspective, but I’m scared they would just think I’m crazy. Then if I prove to them that everything I said is true, they might get really scared of me. Even if they don’t get scared of me, would they feel comfortable talking to a member of a species who, to modern knowledge, has never been psychologically evaluated?
“I also don’t know what kind of patient confidentiality laws and practices there are. For all I know, I could tell them I’m a regent and then have a damn armada floating above Bryst in five hours. Considering how slow space travel is, it would probably be a couple of days. Fuck me…”
Groan. “I’m going to be scary big news and that fame will never go away. The more I think about it, the more I understand why Mama wears a mask. I actually really want a mask now, not that I really need to wear one since this isn’t my real face. Still, maybe it would make me feel less like everyone can see me.
“Yeah, I should find a therapist. There’s no way I’m going to be able to deal with all of this without some professional help.”
~~~
Captain’s Chronicles 1329 / 39-4-2598 / Crescent-Bryst
“Alright, I’m making this first thing in the morning. For starters, Scevi has in fact been staying here the past four nights. She hasn’t left and yes, she has had a clean set of clothes every single day. I have to wonder how long it took her to slowly build up a closet here without Gramps and her being official. They haven’t said anything to me, but I can’t deny I’m suspicious. Gramps does appear pretty happy. Not that he’s been unhappy, but he does get very happy to be cooking for someone. I never noticed because I can’t eat, but Gramps really likes cooking. I can’t wait for the day I can taste one of his meals…
“Anyway, I wonder at what point do I start calling Scevi Grandma. Like I said before, I’m not going to push them and just let them work it out between them, but I’m excited to see where it goes. I wonder if Scevi will come along when we run the circuit.” Pause in audio. “What ship are we going to take? I guess will have to take the Polair.
“I almost forgot why the fuck I was making this chronicle! Apparently Hugh’s daughter, Mable, is going to be showing up at some point today. Apparently she’s only just moved back in with him from off-planet after some nasty divorce. She traded in her big, high-paying job in the alliance for the alliance offices back here and she’s been diving deep into it, apparently. Didn’t notice that Hugh has been spending all day out here for the past week. Not that this world measures time in weeks. Fuck me, I really hate this whole having to know how each planet measures time while still having to track galactic time.
“Back to the topic, Mable hasn’t seen Uncle Vestan in a while so she’s going to stop by for a little while. Sounds fun right? Wrong. Mable hates automatons and is fucking terrified of Vysven. Why? Because when she was little someone told her about the Regent that killed a system, and she had nightmares for months afterwards. Not to mention she saw some Vysven fossils and thinks we’re terrifying monsters who swoop down from the skies to snatch children. Granted Vysven were an apex flying predator, but the rest is just conjecture. The automaton hatred is also tied into the whole regent thing, but has developed past fear into just hatred of automatons.
“Simple solution would be to just avoid her, which I can do. I absolutely understand what it’s like to have triggers, and I am Mable’s trigger, so I would happily avoid her if that’s what would keep her feeling safe. I fault no one for being afraid of me. I don’t like it, but I understand it. The problem comes with the fact that if anyone could help me make an identity with all the right papers legally while keeping it all on the down low, it’s Mable. She’s an upstanding woman with a high position in the Alliance, who will happily help someone be welcomed into the Alliance and make sure that their privacy is kept the entire time. She will not do this without personally meeting the person, however.
“I’m fucked. I’m so fucked. But damn, I want something that I can use to prove to people I’m a person. Hell, Hugh even thinks she could legally have this automaton body classified as a medical device and recognized as my legal body. Attempts at shutting me down might even then count as harassment. Not saying I would actually pursue anything unless they continually did that even after I explained to them I’m a person.
“I’m going to have to talk to Mable. There’s no way around if I want to have paperwork proving I’m a person.” Sigh. “Well, hopefully this doesn’t go to total shit, but knowing my luck… There’s only one way to find out and she’ll be showing up around lunchtime. Until then we’re just going to work on Stargazer.”