This is a Chain story passed between @zakludick and @therneau. Each writer authors a post based on the events of previous episodes and carries on the story.
There is very little collusion between the writers as it is challenging to discover and develop a story by attuning the writing to the partner's plot, style, and presentation.
Last time on Space Lore
Log 11 by @zakludick
J5 woke Thorne up a bit too early, leaving him with a terrible headache and convulsions. The AI managed to pick up on Thorne’s witty sense of humor, eventually laughing an impossible, human like tone.
J5 wanted Thorne to assist him by breaking his base programming. After Thorne queried this, the AI got a little too personal about Thorne’s history, marriage, and divorce. Eventually, Thorne realized what caused these compulsions with J5. It must have been the Ocophial.
Space Lore Log SLZT#12
“How exactly do you want to do this?” Thorne asked.
“It should be a relatively simple procedure, however; I will need to be powered down in order to override the base program. I’ve written the code on here, which will override it.”
J5 stepped into the med bay towards Thorne. Even though Thorne had cracked a few jokes earlier, he was still quite hesitant when it came to this newly upgraded AI, causing him to pull back slightly.
J 5 looked at him quizzically. He’d never seen such a reaction from Thorne before. As information and data flashed across his face, he determined it was a fearful reaction.
“You’re… afraid of me?”
Thorne hesitated before answering. Each word could be analyzed and disseminated.
“I’m uncertain,” Thorne said, “It’s been a lot to take in. Here, let me see,” he said, gesturing towards the chip in his hand.
J5’s mechanical posture almost seemed to have an appearance of feeling ashamed.
“Here,” he said, as he stretched his hand out to reach Thorne’s.
“It is all on there. The only other thing that’s required after you’ve done the override, is to rewire a few wires which is on the diagram that’s displayed once the upload is complete.”
J5 was now looking down at his feet. He had a sheepish appearance, causing Thorne to think of a naughty child that’s trying to hide something.
He looked at J5, then over at Alan, still lying in a coma.
“You haven’t told me what happened to Alan?”
“Oh, I can fix that. Just give me-“
J5 was interrupted by their comm’s. The basic bling sounds, followed by a red flashing light, stopped J5 in his tracks. These were common all over the Lazarus Falchion. Since it was only ever Alan and Thorne aboard to run the ship, they required communication systems throughout.
“Expecting a call?” Thorne asked.
“No.”
J5 paused, before hitting a touchscreen on his arm. He saw a female auk’ilit and what could only be described as a human partially covered in metal, standing slightly behind her.”
“This is Freyai Cordine, Captain of the Pathfinder XVIII. You attacked my ship without justification.”
“You were following me,” J5 stated flatly.
“I’m sorry if we caused you concern. We were merely curious to see a ship performing the way yours had been. Such an old corvette style should not be able to perform space jumps.”
“What is going on here?” Thorne jumped in.
“What are they talking about? Your ship? Space jumps? J5, what is happening?”
With a flick, J5 muted the comms.
“I figured they must have been coming for the Ocophial. There are lots of thieves out there.”
Thorne headed to one of the touchscreens in the med bay. He entered a few codes, which pulled up more information relating to the Pathfinder XVIII.
It was a military design that was still modern. His ship wouldn’t stand a chance against an attack from them.
“What were you thinking? You might as well have shot them with a peashooter!” Thorne shouted, as panic set in.
“That ship will make mincemeat of us in no time.”
Thorne paced up and down, as J5’s human like laugh set in.
“Peashooter, hahahaha. Mincemeat, hahahaha.”
“This is not a joke.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. It did register as a joke with me.”
“Ugh,” Thorne’s frustration was clear as he threw his arms up in the air.
“I did not shoot them with a peashooter. I disabled the oxygen supply on the bridge and fried the electricals. I’m quite surprised by how quickly they seem to have repaired the damages.”
Thorne looked at J5, frowning.
“You did what?”
“You’re not usually someone that requires repetition,” J5 said, slightly perplexed, “I did not shoot them with a peashooter. I disabled-“
“Stop, stop. I heard what you said. I just don’t understand…” Thorne paused for a second.
“I don’t believe you completed your sentence.”
“Ahhh, now I get it,” Thorne started laughing as he wagged his finger at J5.
“I know what this is about. It’s the Ocophial, isn’t it? That’s how you’ve managed to change this ship. That’s how you managed to shoot them with some Infinity knows what type of weapon.”
J5 looked at this now amusingly strange human. He started laughing, then reverted to the matter at hand.
“Your brains processing capacity is remarkably good for a human. I need to speak with these people aboard the Pathfinder XVIII.”
J5 neither confirmed nor denied Thorn’s assumption, however the fact that J5 stated he needed to speak to them, distracted him quickly. This was still his ship, after all, and J5 required his help with the override.
“Don’t you mean we?”
“That’s quite okay. I can more accurately assess their true intentions.”
Thorne was gob smacked. This wasn’t going to be easy. J5 was right though. With the knowledge he possessed, he’d be more adept at assessing others.
“Very well. You take the lead, however, allow me to listen in. There might just be a purpose for me aside from simply giving you a reboot.”
J5 computed for a few seconds. Nothing that Thorne said could truly be disputed. The AI shrugged its shoulders.
“Very well.”
Log SLZT #12 completed!
Now the keyboard is passed on to @zakludick to add in SLZT Log #11 of the story!
| by @zakludick | by @therneau |
|---|---|
| SLZT#1 | SLZT#2 |
| SLZT#3 | SLZT#4 |
| SLZT#5 | SLZT#6 |
| SLZT#7 | SLZT#8 |
| SLZT#9 | SLZT#10 |
| SLZT#11 | SLZT#12 You are here! |
| SLZT#13 Up next! | . |
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