Power’s Pink Price - Chapter 028

After I finish repairs (which takes just twenty UPBs for materials, one hour and fifteen minutes for time; buffs are handy) I start thinking about how we're going to actually do this… fortunately, Stephanie can pilot herself. So I climb into Stephanie, enable her cloak, get back out, climb into the baby, give instructions over the com, and then take off myself.

I'm not used to flying a ship.  I've been having Stephanie do the work of actually flying… but thanks to that flexible skill I picked up last level, I can handle it just fine with a little notice.

We head to Absalom Station (it’s a trade hub: Best place to sell the old hardware and buy new) where I rent out a shuttle bay again; after all, I'm going to need to show off the goods when making the sale… which means tours and inspections: That's easier when people don't need EVA gear. Mind you, nearly everyone at Absalom Station HAS EVA gear, and wears it nearly constantly… but still.

I still don't need to sleep… but I also don't want to stay here too long. So I get a nice little engineering job for eight hours a day while I see about managing trades… the job covers the bay rental and a little extra.

I talk things over with Stephanie, of course.

“So you know your current body doesn't have much in the way of space for upgrades, officers, visitors, and such… how do you feel about switching frames?” I mean, given what Patricia and I did to her, I know the answer, but still….

“Whatever you think best, captain… will I get to keep my lovely looks?” She sounds hesitant.

Fortunately, I've already discussed this with Patricia, “Yes. Well… more accurately, you'll get them back after a bit. Once you accept that the new hardware is you, now, your soul will suffuse it and that will trigger the same transformation that happened to your current body.  And if I get a bigger frame, we'll be able to load you up even more; I know how much you enjoy that.”

“Yes please!” That's the result I wanted from my girl.

Lucky for us, ships are in high demand… I end up trading Stephanie Steel's child to a shipping company that needed some escorts for their ships, and getting a disarmed Oma in return - it's a “medium” sized biomechanical starship (which means it can self-repair, within certain limits, in the light of a star… but radiation does bad things to ship's systems once the shields are down…I don't plan to let that happen), made from the corpse of a space whale (seriously: The game has starship-scale whales that swim through the void of space and send out a recognizable telepathic death song just before they die of old age… at which point, people harvest their corpses and turn them into biomechanical starships) that also happened to be one of the base frames I was considering… because it's the most durable base frame that can still be managed by one person. This one was apparently salvaged or refitted by the Norikama Syndicate at some point, as it has the same faux-luxury materials as Stephanie had.

Most of that conversation is just haggling, but I do end up having to bend the truth quite a bit.

“Okay, yes, it's a fair fighter... but why does the firmware say it was built here on Absalom Station?” The merchant's rep is a big, muscular, bald black guy. I guess they thought that would be imposing? It's not like muscle power can do much to me anymore.

But I'm not going to let him know that, “I'm not sure,” not entirely, anyway, “I first laid eyes on this little gem out on an uninhabited moon of a gas giant,” the sonogram doesn't count as ‘eyes’, “nobody else there to lay claim,” it was just Stephanie and myself, we checked, “fixed it up as best I could with what I had on my contracted ship,” the only problem was no reaction mass, and yes, Stephanie's milk makers are on her, “and claimed it as salvage,” there's very little law that applies here. I can call it whatever I want.

“Are we going to be making any enemies by taking this off your hands?” Savy, theft happens.

“I'm reasonably confident nobody's going to come looking.” She's not stolen, the closest thing it has to an owner is my ship, I'm doing this with her permission, and she is getting the benefits of the sale, “She wasn't in working order when I first laid eyes on her,” couldn't fly, out of reaction mass, “and again: An uninhabited moon. I could ask you the same thing.” I did my homework, though, so I don’t need to.  You're from a nice merchant guild that is very good at keeping deals, and works mostly above board.  The new ship is as clean as it gets around here.

He smiles at that, and we do successfully cut the deal.  Ships, especially combat-capable ships, are in high demand.

I of course transfer Stephanie over, as well as the cloak (seriously, it's a good cloak) and the sensors. I then trade off the remaining components (including the base frame) of Stephanie's old body for various upgrades for her new one. In the end, I go from a tier three pioneer good for three people and a tier two fighter good for two to a tier six ship good for six people.  I still don't bother with weapons: If we're in a fight, we already made a mistake, and should be running.

And that's exactly how I select things when I'm making trades. The biggest thrusters the ship can handle, magically enchanted (for improved maneuverability - it shortens her turning radius and makes her easier to handle) and enhanced with Horacalcum (a special material that increases her speed a little) to boot. There may be a few Tiny ships that can keep up (our thrusters are rated at a speed of twelve hexes... thirteen with the Horacalcum… Tiny ships can get up to fourteen, fifteen with similar materials)... but those have trouble packing a punch. And of course, Tiny ships can't have many crew members, so I can Divert Power to the thrusters for a nice speed boost while Stephanie pilots… putting us right at that same fifteen hexes.

I also set us up as a long-term survey ship. A fuel synthesizer (and associated robotic appendage... Stephanie will have working arms!) means we can... well, do what it says on the tin: Make our own fuel. I also picked up an Industry, setup for UPB production. It's not automated (unfortunately), but it allows me - with a skill check - to make those UPBs that can be used for essentially everything. Stephanie is now civilization in a bottle: As long as we can scavenge materials from asteroids and things… we can maintain our current lifestyle indefinitely, without needing to stop at a station.

I do add one risky device in with all the others: A consciousness uplink drive. It allows me to use my Accelerated Datajack to do more: I'll be able to squeeze out more actions in a fight. Most of the time, I'll be taking the Chief Mate position for “Maintenance Panel Access” to allow myself to use the “Divert Power” action to help two systems: Shields and engines. While Stephanie is steering us away so we can run, we'll also be recovering our shields.  The risk is that damage to ship's systems ends up mapping to my body while I'm hooked in... but mostly we'll be avoiding fights, and I do regenerate.

I also pick up a set of sensor drones for survey work: They'll mostly explore a system for us, to locate all of the planets. Exploratory work sounds good to me: Money, time away from everyone who's mental emanations will slowly push me towards a ridiculously proportioned fantasy, and little to no fighting.

And that still leaves us with four expansion bays for cargo: a Medium ship can still land planetside (it’s Huge and larger ships that can't), so we're still good to go as an independent shipper.

So when we're finally done retrofitting Stephanie's new body, we depart Absalom Station, and I “park” her in orbit around a planet… so I can get out and take a good look at what we've wrought.

From the outside, she's a graceful whale, a good hundred and sixty feet long (above average for an oma… but they're grown, so variation is expected). The frame is modified a bit, but the sleek lines… they aren't ruined by weapons blisters or anything: The harvesters did a fine job converting her to a starship. The robotic limbs I installed are well hidden under paneling, the lines where they enter the frame blending in seamlessly with the natural lines of the magnificent creature it once was.

“You’re beautiful,” I let slip over the com.

“Thank you Mistress,” my ship whispers back… and at that moment she fully accepts her new body.

I watch as the ship morphs from a space whale a hundred sixty feet long to a giant woman one hundred eighty feet tall. Her tail fin splits out into a pair of dainty feet, a split which continues up the tail which further morphs into two legs built more for comfort than speed, which expand to become some of the widest hips imaginable (with a matching caboose), which quickly narrow down into a waist fit to make a wasp proud, as swellings show up on the ship's chest, quickly ballooning into some seriously huge hooters, as the head separates slightly, forming a neck and human facial features; meanwhile, the front flippers alter into arms… which move; seems that's where the robotic appendage went… as the outer hull's coloration turns fleshy… and once again, Stephanie Steel is a hugely naked giant of a woman.

Of course. Oh well… back to neon pink living quarters….

After I finish repairs which takes just twenty UPBs for materials, one hour and fifteen minutes for time; buffs are handy I start thinking about how we're going to actually do this fortunately, Stephanie can pilot herself. So I climb into Stephanie, enable her cloak, get back out, climb into the baby, give instructions over the com, and then take off myself. I'm not used to flying a ship. I've been having Stephanie do the work of actually flying but thanks to that flexible skill I picked up last level, I can handle it just fine with a little notice. We head to Absalom Station it's a trade hub: Best place to sell the old hardware and buy new where I rent out a shuttle bay again; after all, I'm going to need to show off the goods when making the sale which means tours and inspections: That's easier when people don't need EVA gear. Mind you, nearly everyone at Absalom Station HAS EVA gear, and wears it nearly constantly but still. I still don't need to sleep but I also don't want to stay here too long. So I get a nice little engineering job for eight hours a day while I see about managing trades the job covers the bay rental and a little extra. I talk things over with Stephanie, of course. So you know your current body doesn't have much in the way of space for upgrades, officers, visitors, and such how do you feel about switching frames? I mean, given what Patricia and I did to her, I know the answer, but still. Whatever you think best, captain will I get to keep my lovely looks? She sounds hesitant. Fortunately, I've already discussed this with Patricia, Yes. Well more accurately, you'll get them back after a bit. Once you accept that the new hardware is you, now, your soul will suffuse it and that will trigger the same transformation that happened to your current body. And if I get a bigger frame, we'll be able to load you up even more; I know how much you enjoy that. Yes please! That's the result I wanted from my girl. Lucky for us, ships are in high demand I end up trading Stephanie Steel's child to a shipping company that needed some escorts for their ships, and getting a disarmed Oma in return - it's a medium sized biomechanical starship which means it can self-repair, within certain limits, in the light of a star but radiation does bad things to ship's systems once the shields are downI don't plan to let that happen, made from the corpse of a space whale seriously: The game has starship-scale whales that swim through the void of space and send out a recognizable telepathic death song just before they die of old age at which point, people harvest their corpses and turn them into biomechanical starships that also happened to be one of the base frames I was considering because it's the most durable base frame that can still be managed by one person. This one was apparently salvaged or refitted by the Norikama Syndicate at some point, as it has the same faux-luxury materials as Stephanie had. Most of that conversation is just haggling, but I do end up having to bend the truth quite a bit. Okay, yes, it's a fair fighter... but why does the firmware say it was built here on Absalom Station? The merchant's rep is a big, muscular, bald black guy. I guess they thought that would be imposing? It's not like muscle power can do much to me anymore. But I'm not going to let him know that, I'm not sure, not entirely, anyway, I first laid eyes on this little gem out on an uninhabited moon of a gas giant, the sonogram doesn't count as eyes', nobody else there to lay claim, it was just Stephanie and myself, we checked, fixed it up as best I could with what I had on my contracted ship, the only problem was no reaction mass, and yes, Stephanie's milk makers are on her, and claimed it as salvage, there's very little law that applies here. I can call it whatever I want. Are we going to be making any enemies by taking this off your hands? Savy, theft happens. I'm reasonably confident nobody's going to come looking. She's not stolen, the closest thing it has to an owner is my ship, I'm doing this with her permission, and she is getting the benefits of the sale, She wasn't in working order when I first laid eyes on her, couldn't fly, out of reaction mass, and again: An uninhabited moon. I could ask you the same thing. I did my homework, though, so I don't need to. You're from a nice merchant guild that is very good at keeping deals, and works mostly above board. The new ship is as clean as it gets around here. He smiles at that, and we do successfully cut the deal. Ships, especially combat-capable ships, are in high demand. I of course transfer Stephanie over, as well as the cloak seriously, it's a good cloak and the sensors. I then trade off the remaining components including the base frame of Stephanie's old body for various upgrades for her new one. In the end, I go from a tier three pioneer good for three people and a tier two fighter good for two to a tier six ship good for six people. I still don't bother with weapons: If we're in a fight, we already made a mistake, and should be running. And that's exactly how I select things when I'm making trades. The biggest thrusters the ship can handle, magically enchanted for improved maneuverability - it shortens her turning radius and makes her easier to handle and enhanced with Horacalcum a special material that increases her speed a little to boot. There may be a few Tiny ships that can keep up our thrusters are rated at a speed of twelve hexes... thirteen with the Horacalcum Tiny ships can get up to fourteen, fifteen with similar materials... but those have trouble packing a punch. And of course, Tiny ships can't have many crew members, so I can Divert Power to the thrusters for a nice speed boost while Stephanie pilots putting us right at that same fifteen hexes. I also set us up as a long-term survey ship. A fuel synthesizer and associated robotic appendage... Stephanie will have working arms! means we can... well, do what it says on the tin: Make our own fuel. I also picked up an Industry, setup for UPB production. It's not automated unfortunately, but it allows me - with a skill check - to make those UPBs that can be used for essentially everything. Stephanie is now civilization in a bottle: As long as we can scavenge materials from asteroids and things we can maintain our current lifestyle indefinitely, without needing to stop at a station. I do add one risky device in with all the others: A consciousness uplink drive. It allows me to use my Accelerated Datajack to do more: I'll be able to squeeze out more actions in a fight. Most of the time, I'll be taking the Chief Mate position for Maintenance Panel Access to allow myself to use the Divert Power action to help two systems: Shields and engines. While Stephanie is steering us away so we can run, we'll also be recovering our shields. The risk is that damage to ship's systems ends up mapping to my body while I'm hooked in... but mostly we'll be avoiding fights, and I do regenerate. I also pick up a set of sensor drones for survey work: They'll mostly explore a system for us, to locate all of the planets. Exploratory work sounds good to me: Money, time away from everyone who's mental emanations will slowly push me towards a ridiculously proportioned fantasy, and little to no fighting. And that still leaves us with four expansion bays for cargo: a Medium ship can still land planetside it's Huge and larger ships that can't, so we're still good to go as an independent shipper. So when we're finally done retrofitting Stephanie's new body, we depart Absalom Station, and I park her in orbit around a planet so I can get out and take a good look at what we've wrought. From the outside, she's a graceful whale, a good hundred and sixty feet long above average for an oma but they're grown, so variation is expected. The frame is modified a bit, but the sleek lines they aren't ruined by weapons blisters or anything: The harvesters did a fine job converting her to a starship. The robotic limbs I installed are well hidden under paneling, the lines where they enter the frame blending in seamlessly with the natural lines of the magnificent creature it once was. You're beautiful, I let slip over the com. Thank you Mistress, my ship whispers back and at that moment she fully accepts her new body. I watch as the ship morphs from a space whale a hundred sixty feet long to a giant woman one hundred eighty feet tall. Her tail fin splits out into a pair of dainty feet, a split which continues up the tail which further morphs into two legs built more for comfort than speed, which expand to become some of the widest hips imaginable with a matching caboose, which quickly narrow down into a waist fit to make a wasp proud, as swellings show up on the ship's chest, quickly ballooning into some seriously huge hooters, as the head separates slightly, forming a neck and human facial features; meanwhile, the front flippers alter into arms which move; seems that's where the robotic appendage went as the outer hull's coloration turns fleshy and once again, Stephanie Steel is a hugely naked giant of a woman. Of course. Oh well back to neon pink living quarters.