Boiling Hot Oil

Posted on Wed 7th Oct, 2020 @ 4:43am by Captain Jason Harrington & Exo-Comp EXQT
Edited on on Wed 7th Oct, 2020 @ 4:46am

1,380 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Denouement
Location: Harrington's vessel
Timeline: MD 2, 1925

As Mia led the way down the corridor to engineering, four little bots bobbled along behind her. She heard a variety of noises coming from them, and somehow they managed to sound anxious. Puzzling, but she had a feeling that these new acquisitions were going to provide more than one puzzle.

<{[ZOMBIE]-[all](RskAsm;&variable&[MIRAUMEREL])(ESCAPE%?)}>

<{[PEGGY]*(reply[ZOMBIE])*(NEGATIVE))}{[MIRAUMIREL](88%prob%+ADMIN:SUPPORT=INDICATED)(ADMIN.SUPPORT:REQUIRED)}>

<{[BANSHEE](Task:Defense-prt.initiated)(TASER/SONIC/ECM)}>

<{[PEGGY](CMDimp:"StandDown")(Insufficient.Methodology)}{[CAPTHARRINGTON]*[MIRAUMEREL](exceeds:defense-prt)(RskAsm13%)}>

<{[NESSY](Addition+Defense-prt)(Holo-image*[MIRAUMEREL])}>

<{[PEGGY](CMDIMP:"CALM DOWN")([PEGGY]*assigned:Admin-Defense.prt.)([PEGGY]Setbrkpt-Defensive.action@^Xv^rate)}>

Automatically speaking with calm, Merel led them into a work station. "Okay, now I think I promised you a nice oil bath first thing, didn't I?" She opened a cabinet and peered inside to find the best lubricating oil they had available and began stacking it on the counter.

The small ship made sounds, and it frightened them at every rumble. a slight shudder from the changeover to a new Deuterium pod cause Nessy to drop to the deck and activate maglocks. Zombie hovered closer to Nessy, the two of them exchanging beeps. Peggy floated to Mirau's workstation with trepidation. Nessy had worked out a voice for them to use, based on her most used contacts so Peggy tried to communicate directly,

<{[PEGGY](application:"Trust/verify")(Process:[MIRAUMEREL](allowed>inspection.result)(#EXTERNAL-Output:Audio#"Worktime must occur, value is set by contribution."#)}>

What came over Nessy's speaker was a pleasant albeit inhuman voice saying, "Work time must occur, value is set by contribution."

Mia laughed. "Don't worry, work time will occur. You can't work until you are fit to work, however, so tell everyone to pipe down and enjoy being pampered for a little while. There will be plenty for your team to do before long." She'd argue with them about the parameters of what set value later.

The others had returned to their flanking and ready position behind Peggy, nervous for whatever deadly assignment they would be given. Zombie had worked out several likely options, a ship like this had constantly shifting needs, strain on loading systems and engines created filth to be scoured. The group was ready for work, hoping this place was different and would let them work together.

Jason had been on the Bridge making sure that the vessel had left orbit without any issues. Now the ship was traveling at warp two in route to their next destination. They had procured 10 thousand metric tons of grain and a dozen containers of various types of seeds for planting crops and necessary parts for repairing atmospheric processors and mining equipment. The settlers on Narendra 4 needed the items and had supplied Jason with the funds to purchase them. Now all that was needed was the delivery of the product.

Once that transaction had been completed then the settlers would give Jason precious minerals to transport to an ore processing facility on Taruga Prime. Such was the life of a freighter.

Jason stepped into Engineering and watched as Mia had begun to work on the little bots. He smiled, "Let me help you with the oil bath."

Jason reached behind Mia and opened a panel to slide out the oil bath that was normally used in cleaning and lubricating various tools and should work perfectly for the bots. He attached the power cable so the bath could start warming. "There we go," he said, "Just a couple of minutes after all the oil is in then the bots will be ready to go in."

Mia emptied a couple of the oil containers into the tub and looked at the bots. "I think you're going to have to take turns she said to the one which had spoken to her. "No worries, though, there's plenty for all."

A series of beeps announced Banshee's sheer excitement. Zombie, who was impetuous, moved to immerse itself but Peggy swooped into its path.

<{[PEGGY]*[ZOMBIE](SysRestore:Emotion/antisocial:shame)([ZOMBIE](Control:response>declination!)}>

They waited in eager anticipation, Peggy settled who would go first with a round of winner takes all game of whatever was their equivalent to Paper/Rock/Scissors. When Zombie was announced as the winner, it defaulted to Nessy instead.

<{[NESSY]*[ZOMBIE](Operational>Emotional:SYSmetrics:Offer/invalid)}{[ZOMBIE](Tolerances=exceeded(goal:<[UNIT]Survival>)}>

They worked it out, settling on Zombie to go first since that was the result of the game, following the next winner and so on.

Peggy was still trying to work out the expectations. All business, once the others were sorted, Peggy sent a message to play through Nessy. A text component accompanied it sent to the nearby terminal.

"[MIRAUMEREL] Offer/Accept Gratitude. Decline unfit tasks, present requirements for task, accomplish tasks? Maintenance Cycle commencement unit [ZOMBIE]"

The voice Nessy used was not mechanical yet when saying the unit name a harsh mechanical rasp came over, as though the machine preferred it be pronounced that way.

"Oh, you're very welcome," Merel said, motioning to the first bot to get in the warming oil.

Zombie didn't wait. Boiling oil would have splashed but the careful bot used a containment field around the surface and shimmied under the thick viscous waves to disappear in a moment.

"Really, if we're going to be a team, everyone has to be at their best, right? After everyone's in top shape again, though it may be a while before we find another quantum core for ... Peggy, I think it is? Anyway, then I'll ask you to help me figure out what is the most urgent work the ship needs. You can probably tell by the sounds of things, there's plenty of work to do." She laughed and glanced at Jason.

"I think these fellas are going to work out fine, and you'll more than get your money's worth. It actually sounds to me like someone built in a work ethic," she told him.

Jason nodded, "We do need help with the ship, since you and I are the Engineers. If they are solid workers, we may just keep them around. Only time will tell." Jason leaned a little closer to one of the bots, "I have to get back up to the Bridge and drive this ship, but Mia will fix you guys up as good as new. We should be able to replicate any basic pieces that you're missing. Anything you need other than the nice, hot oil bath, just ask Mia and we'll see what we can do for you." He smiled at the bots and stood upright, "Welcome aboard our ship."

Nessy took to Captain Harrington well, allowing the full extent of its sensors and stalk to show. As a cat would nuzzle its master, Nessy scanned Harrington's face from up close

<{[NESSY]*[PEGGY]([CAPTHARRINGTON/=[JARENPSYKGRAF]*[MAOLIMORANIS]*[FIRSTENGINEERSCOTT])(Parametric

Peggy couldn't disagree. While Nessy was trusting, it was also delicate and needed to be protected. So far these two biological admin units had shown great attention to their needs. This was acceptable for now, but only so long as they remained united. Peggy had lost three family members to date. Bio-units to blame for each of them. There had to be a time for trust, so Peggy learned again, adjusting the cautious pessimism to a cautious optimism, updating the table values for the rest. Zombie's mood immediately improved, and Banshee cooed pleasantly.

Nessy spoke again, the Cyrano act from Peggy providing the words. "[CAPTHARRINGTON]*[MIRAUMEREL]Administrative access is a privilege. Cooperation results in greater efficiency. Yourshipgrainbusinessmoneyairbreathingspeed will become more efficient." Peggy was nervous to speak to a Captain directly, even if it was with Nessy's voice.

"I look forward to working with you all and getting to know you." Jason said before adding, "Right now it's just Mia and myself repairing the ship, and if you guys could help out, it would be greatly appreciated. You would have access to the oil bath any time you wanted." He smiled warmly.

Mia looked on with interest. If she didn't know better, she'd say at least one of the bots was bonding with her boss. There was more to these four than met the eye!

 

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