Chapter 29 - The Reactions - Part 1
After bidding Diana farewell at the grand entrance of Wayne Manor, Orach remained at the door for an additional five minutes. He relished the cool, crisp breeze that swept across the vast estate, finding a moment of tranquility amidst the chaos of the day.
Once he had taken in the peaceful atmosphere, Orach resolutely closed the imposing door of the mansion and made his way towards the hidden sanctuary below - the Batcave.
As he descended into the depths, he caught sight of Bruce engrossed in his work at the main computer. "Hey Bruce. Will you be burning the midnight oil? Remember to take a break, or you might compromise your health," Orach advised.
Bruce, however, seemed unfazed. "I will, don't worry. I just need to organize my upcoming appointments and inform Lucius to come over tomorrow for a strategic discussion," he replied. Even as he responded, his attention remained fixed on the screen before him.
Orach responded with a simple nod, before inquiring, "Alright. Do we need to rise at a specific time?"
Bruce shook his head slightly, not diverting his focus from his work. "Don't worry about that. Have a good night's rest. If you happen to wake up late in the afternoon, just let Alfred know when you're ready. I plan to invite Lucius in the evening for a meet and greet, followed by strategic planning," Bruce responded.
Orach acknowledged this with a succinct, "Alright then, Bruce. See you tomorrow," before turning on his heel and heading up the staircase to the guest room Alfred had shown him earlier that day.
Upon entering the spacious room, Orach was greeted by a large, inviting bed. He took a moment to survey his surroundings, noting the plush bed, comfortable sofa, spacious closet, and grand windows that showcased a picturesque garden view. Seemingly satisfied with his accommodations, he instructed his wristband terminal, Mother Empress, to conduct a thorough scan of the room and disable any hidden recording devices.
Despite his respect for Bruce, Orach harbored a sense of mistrust. After the initial scan turned up no bugs, a pulse from the Mother Empress effectively disrupted any potential hidden electronics that could have breached Orach's privacy.
Assured of his safety, Orach stretched out on the bed, letting his mind wander to the events of the day.
"Today was…quite the eventful day," Orach murmured to himself.
Almost instantly, Mother Empress's hologram materialized, agreeing, "Yes. We were thrown into a decent world, despite the unforeseen circumstances. The gravity here is lighter, the natives' strength is comparatively weaker, and above all, you encountered Diana and experienced love for the very first time."
"Indeed, that was truly unexpected, to put it mildly. I've spent my entire life surrounded by beauties, yet the emotions I'm feeling now are entirely new. I was certainly attracted to them, but it didn't resonate as deeply as this does. My mother, and Frisee would undoubtedly take immense pleasure in teasing me about it. How I laugh thinking about it... I miss them," Orach mused, his mind wandering to his loved ones' likely reactions to Diana and feeling a profound sense of their absence.
"Yes, young master. While I cannot presume to know how Vice Captain Frisee would react, I am confident that Master Gula would have been overjoyed by this turn of events. She would be absolutely ecstatic, likely teasing you relentlessly," Mother Empress responded in a soft, gentle voice, her words carrying a comforting warmth.
"Young Master, I know I am not your mother, Master Gula, nor could I ever hope to replace her. However, my behavioral parameters are based on your beloved mother's personality. It is my sincerest hope that one day you can be as candid and open with me as you were with her," Mother Empress expressed genuinely, her voice imbued with the same love and care as the woman she was modeled after.
Orach listened, his gaze fixated on the holographic figure projected from his wrist. Despite the heartache of his loss, he was deeply grateful for this companion that his mother had painstakingly prepared for him. He was profoundly thankful to have this Artificial Intelligence at his side in this unfamiliar world. Stumbling upon Diana had been a stroke of good luck, but if he had not met her and found himself alone in this strange new world, he would have grappled with the disconcerting feelings of displacement and loss that came with being so far from home.
"Mother Empress, thank you for being here with me. I can't predict what this journey will bring, but knowing that you're by my side brings me great comfort. You're my partner, the only semblance of family I have left," Orach expressed sincerely, his words heavy with emotion.
"Young master, thank you! I promise to always strive to live up to your faith in me. As you said to Diana, our knowledge is limited. Let's work together to locate that support ship and extract the facts from the data onboard," Mother Empress responded, her tone determined, her words a beacon of hope meant to lift Orach's spirits in these trying times.
Orach, with a gentle smile on his face, offered a nod of agreement. "Indeed, you're absolutely right. And while we're on the topic, I think it would be a good idea for you to provide me with a detailed situation report. I'd like to know everything that's happened from the moment you were activated until this very moment."
"Certainly, Young Master," Mother Empress responded promptly. "According to the data logs that I have managed to accumulate thus far, the AI known as SAGE was responsible for my installation on the prototype ship. This action was initiated on the premises of Captain Gula's estate. My activation took place once we had successfully made our escape from the planet, which was possible due to the activation of the Space Law Drive. About ten hours into our journey, our onboard sensors detected a spatial anomaly directly ahead of us. This anomaly appeared without any prior warning. Both the attack pod and the support ship were unexpectedly sucked into this anomaly. Our entrance into the anomaly caused a significant disturbance in the Space Law Drive and the internal chronometer. Although both ships managed to exit the anomaly at approximately the same time, the attack pod, equipped with the active Space Law Drive, proceeded towards Earth. The drive seemed to be malfunctioning, as it was not responding to any commands. Recognizing that the star positions did not match up with the ones in the navigation database, I took the decision to deploy the buoys at the edge of each other's detection range with the attack pod's telemetry data. The last buoy was dropped on a dwarf planet located on the fringe of this system. However, Young Master, I must inform you that there is a high likelihood that the support ship, which is equipped with another advanced AI based on SAGE, will catch up to us," Mother Empress reported, in a calm and systematic manner.
Orach listened attentively, his mind actively processing the information.
"A spatial anomaly appearing out of nowhere without any prior warning? That's odd. I personally oversaw the design of the drive and made sure it was adequately shielded against any external factors. Why would it malfunction and bring me to this unfamiliar world? It's almost as if...I was intentionally guided here!" Orach mused out loud, a sudden realization dawning upon him.
"Young Master, I believe your assumption might be correct. It could very well be divine intervention at play. Our realm is one of the highest, located closest to the God's realm. Our race has been known to produce the mighty Saiyan God who ascended to the God's realm. Furthermore, as protectors of realms, our race has received blessings from the Gods. Your mother was a recipient of Goddess Parvati's blessing. Don't you also offer your prayers to Lord Shiv, the God of all Gods? And it's important to remember that you were supposedly born under the protection sign of Lord Ganesh, revered for his wisdom and known for removing obstacles. Perhaps Lord Ganesh himself interfered, clearing any hurdles in your path, and in his infinite wisdom, guided you towards where you were most needed," Mother Empress speculated, suggesting potential divine entities who might have had a hand in her young master's journey.
"You...might be onto something. Har Har Mahadev! I don't yet understand why I am needed in this place, but I promise to uphold my mother's...no...the Captain's orders. Regardless of the strength or nature of this realm, I will seek out places to train, face every challenge that comes my way, push beyond my limits, and awaken all my latent potential. I will strive to become stronger, find a path back home without giving up what I have gained here, bring Diana along with me, and find my parents and comrades. But if...if the worst has indeed occurred, I will find their bodies, give them a respectful cremation, and then...then I will begin my hunt!" Orach declared, his tone filled with resolve, his face serious, and his demeanor eerily calm.
Mother Empress, the sole witness to his solemn oath, silently made a vow of her own to provide unwavering support in helping her Young Master fulfill his.