Kali Nicholotti Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 ((Celes II, Ruin of Abandoned Machinery Storage Warehouse)) ::The building was huge. None of its original equipment functioned any longer, and it had a large gash near one side of it that would have left the building open to the atmosphere had not the Clashing organisers sealed it with ferrofoam. The place had all the hallmarks of a temporary shelter - portable furniture and partitions brought in, generators laying about powering lights and replicators and local atmospheric conditioners.:: ::Only ten years previous, this place had been full and busy, an integral part of a nearby dilithium mining site on a thriving mining planet. The Borg had changed all of that, appearing in the sky without warning and killing or assimilating everyone on the planet within mere hours.. They said there had been some tentative attempts to restart the operations since, but nowadays the Romulan Empire had different concerns, and not enough manpower to tend to them all. So Celes II remained an empty, scarred world, its ground a pale red from oxidised dust.:: ::It was, therefore, perfect for this purpose. The Clashing had taken this place over, sealed the holes, thrown out a bunch of superfluous equipment, and the final contestants had arrived, one by one.:: ::Katy was now safely ensconced in a large 'room' (actually a part of one of the large open spaces set aside with temporary wall partitions and apportioned with a rug, bed, furniture, a replicator, and some basic workout equipment.) She'd arrived late in her sleep cycle, and had slept late as a result. Now she was awake and stretching. Not as in yawn-and-stretch, but the extended stretching regimen that helps one to get in touch with one's body and gives time to calm one's mind. Reduced stiffness and increased flexibility were nice side-effects, of course.:: ::Next to her on the rug sat the small crystalline pedestal upon which sat her friend and advisor Unky. Well, it was really the little hexagonal crystal itself that *was* Unky, but it's much easier to relate to a little holographic man than to something that looks like an expensive ashtray, even if you know that it houses a powerful AI. The little man in question was sitting cross-legged in his usual spot atop the crystal, chin propped up on one hand, looking thoughtful.:: ::Unfolding from a rather relaxing back stretch, Katy found herself unable to repress a gigantic yawn. She put her hand over her mouth, partly out of politeness and partly to cover the slightly embarrassed smile that formed on her lips when the yawn was done.:: ::The little hologram grinned and looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.:: Unky: You'll never live it down if you fall asleep during the match, you know. ::She waved her hand dismissively.:: Orman: I'm fine. The final bout isn't until the mid-afternoon, plenty of time to wake up, even sleeping as late as I... ::She trailed off, brows slowly creasing. Unky tilted his head in an expression of curiosity.:: Unky: Hmm? ::She remained silent for a few moments more, with an expression of growing concern and confusion.:: Orman: ...It doesn't make sense, does it? Unky: What doesn't? Orman: Our sleep cycles. Duty cycles, even. They all match up. People who grew up on all different parts of the world, of many worlds... people with different circadian rhythms, alien cultures, different everything... we're all on the same time schedule. All of us! I mean, we run three shifts, but nothing really happens in the others. Kind of ever. ::Unky's expression darkened for just a flicker, then reverted to a casual, cheery demeanour that matched his tone.:: Unky: Oh, I'm sure if you check you'll find there was some sort of agreement made between galactic political entities to match times. Makes for better trade, diplomacy, et ceter-- Orman: ::shaking her head:: No, that's not enough. What about independent alien races? First contacts? I mean, even if that sort of agreement was ever going to happen--which it isn't, getting the various empires to agree on anything is like pulling teeth... and now I think about it, there's definitely going to be a counter-tendency in the form of each people wanting their own schedule to match the day cycle of their home planet's capital... ::her eyes widened and breathing quickened in rising panic.:: Wait, we visit each others' capitals all the time, no one ever has to adjust their schedules.... Every major capital with the same day/night schedule as the others? That's just not even possible! Unky, nothing makes sen-- ::Her words of realisation were interrupted by a quiet, oscillating tone that matched with the pulsations of a blue light coming from Unky's now-vacant pedestal. As it caught her eye she found herself fixated on the steady pulsing, like the rhythm of a slow heartbeat. She found herself calming, her tight muscles relaxing. She forgot what she'd been saying, or indeed why she'd been speaking at all. In a matter of seconds, she found her eyelids drooping. She was unconscious some moments before she sank to the floor.:: ::Moments later, the light and sound stopped, and the little man appeared again on his crystal, looking over at the prone form. He turned away, and his expression was one of dark, fulminating rage.:: Unky: That was cruel. ::The meaning of that cryptic statement was lost to the empty room as the AI spoke to himself.:: Unky: I'm not speaking to myself. I'm talking to *you.* ::...which was another odd thing to say, but of course Unky was no novice at confusing pronouncements, after all.:: Unky: ::quietly furious:: It's not odd. Quit dodging. I'm talking to you, right now. ::...to ...me?:: Unky: That's right. ::pointing over at Katy:: And what you did there.. it was cruel. She shouldn't have to have an existential crisis like that. Especially right before her big fight. I won't have it, do you hear me? ::Look, it's fine, alright? I knew you were right there to put her out and make her forget her little mental break. I find the idea of characters realising that they're characters to be a really powerful... wait, how are you speaking to me again?:: Unky: You made me the character that ferreted out all the secrets, looked at everything so that I could weave my own plots behind the scenes. You made me incredibly smart and with the full resources of a massive computer system. You made me the wise one that always knows more than everybody else about what's going on. Did you think I wouldn't notice the inconsistencies? ::Umm...:: Unky: A universal translator that is somehow selective when a different language would be culturally interesting or mysterious, and somehow manages to convey clues and jokes based on plays on words? A transport culture based on disintegration and copying that is somehow universally accepted? And let's not even start on the science! Same template or no, the notion that beings with such basic physical incompatibilities as different blood chemistry could mate and reproduce... and then there's the way the stardate keeps jumping ahead-- ::Yes, alright, I get it! Look, no harm done, okay? I apologise. It won't happen again. She's napping, she'll wake up rested and with no memory of this, no lingering trauma or confusion at all.:: ::The little man stared into space, his expression somewhat mollified. The woman next to him slept peacefully, soon to awaken for the big day.:: ::Within her sleeping mind, the hypnotic suggestions activated by Unky's trigger were taking their course. Not only to rest and forget, but also putting her into a state of calm readiness. When she woke she would be in top fighting form, ready to embody all of the principles of her art perfectly.:: ::Wait, I didn't write that!:: Unky: Indeed. I did. ::What... I... that's... You can't do that!:: Unky: ::a little smug:: I believe I just did. ::I wasn't planning... she's supposed to get knocked out really quickly! She doesn't win this fight!:: Unky: ::absolutely smirking, now:: I think she might, you know. ::I can just delete... no. No idle threats. You've already figured out I won't do that, haven't you? I follow the story where it goes. Let me put it this way, then... That doesn't happen again. You keep your hands off the reins. Otherwise... well, I have no particular compunctions against making your personal goals *much* more difficult to achieve. Are we square?:: ::Unky continued to smile a self-satisfied little smirk. Eventually, he nodded.:: ::Good. Oh, also, 'Not only to rest and forget, but also putting her into a state of calm readiness?' Seriously awkward phrasing, there. Your writing skills could use some work.:: Unky: Oh, shut up. ::Soon after, Katy woke up, a peaceful smile on her face. It was time to really prepare for the fight.:: TBC PNPC Unky with Lieutenant Commander Katy Orman Chief of Security, Starbase 118 Currently on leave and, umm, me, I guess. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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