Cellulose & Steel | By : Not-Taylor Category: Misc Books > FemmeSlash Views: 1028 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I don't own HDG or its characters and I don't make money from this work. |
The messaging system chimes happily as it accepts Plan’s username. It hadn’t taken long to find the application since Verda allowed it so few icons. Sound waves approaching a gesturing vine, or it thinks that’s what that’s supposed to be… There are the usual contacts and new tabs, all of which are empty. It’s much more stoic than the Affini’s usual UI. That isn’t a problem for Plan, who’s used to the even barer Terran command lines.
The part where account creation required a fingerprint was… unfortunate, but there was never a possibility of Plan using Affini networks to organize a floret rebellion anyway. There wasn’t anywhere that said “floret” either, so it supposes that means that it’s the same system for everyone. Maybe not, but so far there’s no evidence either way. What makes it pause, however, is that at the top of the “recommended contacts” tab is somebody listed under proximity. Nobody else is there so far. How does the system know where it is to that degree? It really doesn’t want to think about that.
In under a minute, that name sends Plan a contact request. It knows better than to reject the advances of SpaceDryad5. The shuffling across the room eradicates any doubts it might’ve had as to that user’s identity. A flurry of new recommendations appears as a colored dot manifests next to Dryad’s name.
[SpaceDryad5]> chat: Hello, darling! I’m happy you figured it out by yourself <3
[membership_plan_11]> chat: It wasn’t complicated. We have these at home.
[SpaceDryad5]> chat: That’s very true, since you’re home right now and you have fleetwide messaging working.
A little flower symbol appears to the left of every message either of them sends.
“This is only active across the fleet?”
“Yes… I didn’t think I’d need to register you for the Compact’s communications system. Who do you want to talk to out there?”
Ginger. No, it can’t use her because she’s here too. Not that Plan would have any interest in talking to that loyal floret- which is to say, the treacherous plantfucker who ruined its life. There’s literally nobody outside the ship it’d ever want to talk to. That’s… really sad, isn’t it? Most of its favorite bloggers would probably have retired by now, especially if they were all domesticated. At least they’d be “happy” now, but that doesn’t help Plan. Its college friends… It hasn’t spoken to them since the Treaty, and most of them it hasn’t spoken to in a lot longer than that.
“My parents.”
“Really? I can find them for you if you’d really like to talk. They’d be pleased to know how you’re doing, I’m sure.”
They probably wouldn’t. They weren’t awful people, but there wasn’t much reason to stay in contact even before it joined the Cosmic Navy. Hopefully Verda won’t actually try to find them…
“This place feels small.”
“It does, doesn’t it? I believe I mentioned that I liked the feel of being aboard a nimble, efficiently designed ship. Would you like to move to a bigger one? A change of scenery wouldn’t be a bad thing… A change of people too.” She’s clearly thinking of Ginger. But if Plan leaves, it won’t see Evlen again. That isn’t ideal. Then it wouldn’t be able to turn him to its side.
“It’s… fine. I guess. It doesn’t matter.”
“Thank you for bringing that up, darling. The subject is one we ought to discuss, though it can wait until some other time easily.”
Verda turns to her tablet as though she’s expecting Plan to do something. That reminds it that it should be messaging Evlen. He must be really upset by now. It’s been a whole day since they last spoke. Putting his name, len_pickle, into the appropriate box is about as simple as it could be. There are no prepackaged gifs to send, but that’s fine. Maybe nobody thought to suggest that to the Affini software engineers. Then again, this is a military ship and that communications apparatus is quite similar to Song’s. He doesn’t take very long to reply.
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: Song!
[membership_plan_11] chat: Evlen!
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: Did something happen?
[membership_plan_11]> chat: It did. I was busy. Then I couldn’t pick a username.
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: Oh. I agree as to the difficulty of the task. That’s how I ended up with one as uncreative as mine.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: Uncreative?
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: It’s the second half of my name, and then the first food item that I could think of.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: Oh. Lol.
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: Where did yours come from?
[membership_plan_11]> chat: I liked its sound. And you could say I was planning something lol. I might not be. You never know.
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: You’re so cryptic haha.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: I am! I like to keep everyone guessing.
The light that Song has deduced means the other person is typing remains lit for a while.
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: It *did* get my attention.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: I know
[membership_plan_11]> chat: That reminds me, how did you know I was contacting you?
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: It couldn’t have been anyone else. Plus I guess it felt like you.
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle:: It felt like something you’d call yourself.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: Good, then I succeeded in my naming.
Evlen takes a while before saying anything more.
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: What were you doing all day?
[membership_plan_11]> chat: Verda took me to an arcade and made me play some sport.
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: Was it terrible?
Song has to think for a bit about that. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t that fun either. She guesses that it was decent. She’d play again, with a better partner.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: It wasn’t that bad, really. It took a lot of focus.
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: What were you playing?
[membership_plan_11]> chat: Scrimmage, I think. It’s like tennis, if you have any idea what that is.
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: Oh.
He doesn’t type for a while, letting Song relax. She thinks about turning on some music. Maybe Verda would give her something new to listen to if she asked.
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: Scrappitch? My mistress says that’s what you’re talking about.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: That's it.
He doesn’t respond instantly. When he finally does, he pauses a few times writing the message out.
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: How did that work? How did you compete?
[membership_plan_11]> chat: Verda said it wasn’t a competition. Was she lying to me? Can I report her if she was?
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: No. My mistress says, and commands me to repeat literally: “Scrappitch is a team based competitive game. Your little girlfriend’s duet with her mistress would be competing against other duets.”
He stops typing after he posts that, but starts again before Song can angrily reply..
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: She wanted to verify that you were terran since that would make it hard for you to play very well.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: Verda said I did well.
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: My mistress thinks that’s very funny. She wants to add you.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: That's fine.
[membership_plan_11]> Support: house_call has sent a contact request. Accept? [y/n]
[membership_plan_11]> self: y
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: Hi there, little cutie! It’s so nice to speak to the girl my adorable floret has been telling me about. Has your mistress been doing a good job of nursing you back to health?
Yuck.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: Good day. I am well. Thank you for asking. How are you?
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: I’m spectacular, and I’m glad you’ve been recovering. Evlen warned me that you didn’t talk much. I’d love to chat, but I’m sure you have other things to do with your mistress so I’ll get to the point. You were telling my prickly boy about a game you and your mistress played somewhere, right?
[membership_plan_11]> chat: I was.
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: Could you go into some detail? Would you mind?
[membership_plan_11]> chat: I could.
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: Please?
She can't be serious about doing this.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: We went to a VR place and played the wall ball hitting game. That’s all.
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: Scrappitch?
[membership_plan_11]> chat: She called it that.
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: Who did, blossom?
[membership_plan_11]> chat: Verda.
There's a pause.
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: Evlen tells me you still call your mistress by her name. I think it’s adorable how slowly you’re being domesticated, so that she can savor every step of the process. If your mistress ever decides she can’t handle you, feel free to call me up and we’ll take you in. Don’t tell Evlen I said that. I think you know how he’d react ;)
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: Sorry, I got distracted, little one. If you don’t mind, may I ask how you played? Describe it, please.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: I just did it how Verda said. I held the rackets the way she showed me and hit the balls as they bounced. Is it more complicated than that?”
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: No, it's not.
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: I'm not sure what to say to that. Uh
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: That’s all right. Thank you for answering me!”
[membership_plan_11]> chat: What’s your name?
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: What do you mean?
[membership_plan_11]> chat: I mean what I wrote.
Evlen’s mistress proves her inherent inferiority by failing to comprehend an extremely simple question. How’s this giving her trouble, of all things? How did she become a doctor if this is her level of coherence?
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: Cia Endiwai Spelt, third bloom. Why do you ask, little athlete?
[membership_plan_11]> chat: Because you wanted to message me and we’ve never met.
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: Oh. Yes. You’re very right. I should've introduced myself more explicitly. And you said your mistress was Verda. Is that Verda Edok?
[membership_plan_11]> chat: You know her?
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: I don’t know your mistress personally, but I recognize her name. She’s sort of famous on our ship. I’m glad she has somebody as clever as you to keep her steady!
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: And it’s nice to meet you, Song Edok, first floret.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: Verda says I’m a second floret.
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: Then what I said, except Song Edok, second floret :)
[membership_plan_11]> chat: Mutual, I'm sure.
Some supernatural sense tells her that Sia’s gushing to Evlen about her right now. If she didn’t know better she’d think it was early wizard powers. These affini are almost impossible to read, after all, so it must be psionics.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: I wanted to ask something. Why did you call me Evlen’s girlfriend?
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: Aren't you?
[membership_plan_11]> chat: ...
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: Between the two of us, would you like to be? I might be able to pull some tendrils for you.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: “Pull some tendrils?"
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: I thought that was the expression. I hope I was clear, at least?
[membership_plan_11]> chat: You were clear. I think I can handle this myself, but thank you for the offer.
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: Well, thank you for being so direct with me, Song! As I said, this will stay between us two. If you’d like to meet up with Evlen some time, don’t worry about my having plans for him. There isn’t much that can’t wait lol.
And she just called Song direct. Oh well, nothing’s been lost, has it? She may as well take advantage of the offer.
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: I really ought to be off since Evlen wants to talk to you, but I hope we can meet in person some time. It’s been very nice speaking with you, Song.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: Goodbye, Sia.
[Ruby Trunk]> house_call: Actually, it’s Cia Endiwai. You’ve got to say the whole thing or it doesn’t make sense. Goodbye!
Song now remembers why she believed- believes that the affini are degenerate xeno weeds who want to pervert and corrupt those around them. Because they are. What was that all about?
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: My mistress likes you a lot.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: She does?
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: She made a loud noise when she stopped talking to you, so I hope so. She didn’t look angry.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: Good.
[Ruby Trunk]> len_pickle: She's smiling. That isn't a good sign. Haha.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: I know what you mean. When my weed does that I know something’s wrong.
[Ruby_Trunk]> Support: Message failed to send. Reason: Your message contains a slur.
[membership_plan_11]> chat: I know what you mean. When my vveed does that, I know something’s wrong.
Evlen doesn’t reply. He doesn’t even start typing. She hopes nothing serious happened to him. That would be unfortunate. She’d rather not speculate on the things that Cia would be doing to him. She shudders.
“Pet.”
“What.”
“I received a notification about your online conduct.”
“...”
“You referred to me as your ‘weed.’”
“Is that news?”
“No, pet. It’s more paperwork for me to sort through when you do that, and the system doesn’t like it. Could you try not to speak that way over the messager?”
“I will.”
“Thank you, darling. For the record, it instantly sends me the entire message that contains the word.”
“So I can’t talk about any weeds at all?”
“Not if you aren’t discussing your tending of one of the ship’s gardens. Please do your best not to get into trouble in a way other people will have to deal with.”
“Fine. Do you know anyone named Cia Endiwai?”
Verda starts laughing.
“Why is that funny?”
“Tell me more about ‘Cia Endiwai.’” She seems to find this increasingly amusing as time passes.
“Cia Endiwai Spelt, third bloom.”
“Cia Endiwai, Spelt! That’s a good one. I almost wish I’d thought of it first.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Think about it, darling. You will.” She chuckles to herself and returns to her reading.
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