18 The Raven
Chapter 18
upon waking up, we did another check of the systems. Once all checked out as good we did maneuverability tests checking the reaction time of the counter gravity. It was tuned way too well. When we accelerated we didn't feel a thing. So we re-tuned the counter gravity so we feel up to 1 gravity at full acceleration. Once that was done I had Mom shoot a dust cloud at us to check how the counter gravity is affected by the impact. The impact knocked the ship around but the counter gravity didn't activate to through us around. It was great.
Later we tried out the sensors and weapons on the edge of the asteroid field. We found a few asteroids that had precious and high value materials. We used the sensors to find the asteroids and the weapons to shave them down then we pushed them out of the field using the shields as a bumper. Once out we stopped the asteroid by going around to the other side and applying reverse thrust to bring the asteroid a stop. Then sent a message off to Mom with the information on the asteroid. Over all we found 10 asteroids that we set aside for Mom to send a Tug-Droid after them.
Over all it was a pleasant cruse around the belt. We also decided on an improved paint scheme and a name for the ship. At first we were thinking of going with Hearts Rest, but as this ship was just a starter and eventually we would move to a bigger ship, we figured that would not do it due service. So we went with The Raven.
Now that we have a name all that was left is a paint scheme. At first it was going to be a gunmetal gray, then white, then black. Once we started talking about black paint I remembered a paint called Vanta Black that had light absorbing properties. That there starts an intense discussion on how to get the accents to light up. Eventually we came to the decision to put a base coat of pearlescent white with dark blue light emitters in all of the recesses and paint the rest in Vanta Black. The ship on our 3D render looks amazing. There is a black ship with a stripe of blue going around the front and down both sides with another going down the wings.
You can see 'The Raven' painted in high gloss black just under both sides of the cockpit. Now you think black on black would be impossible to read. Well in this case you are wrong. With the way it was done 'The Raven' looks to just pop off of the sides of the ship. The other interesting feature that is amazing is something Bastille did. She changed the paint on the air foils the extend out the back of the wings for atmospheric flight to look like feather tips buy changing out some of the Vanta black with mat-Black. The effect is similar to the name of the ship but a bit subtler and doesn't seem to pop in your face it just lets you know its there.
After 2 and a half days of watching hundreds of ships arrive at the space station and doing an assortment of flight tests, we were back at the Mega-Miner and getting it painted. The other thing we did was to change to refrigerator door to open in the opposite direction. While that was going on we had our last meal with Mom and Dad. After dinner Mom had a few announcements.
"Alright you two. Now I know its likely to happen but I don't want you two to give me grand kids until you are both over 18 galactic standard. So if you get 'experimental' use protection.
Bastille you are already safe to play. I had dock insert a hormonal inhibitor to prevent pregnancies. It should wear out around your 18th birthday. Unfortunately the male inhibitor causes more adverse effects and some can become permanent, and I want grand babies so I'm not taking the chance."
"Honey I know you don't mean to, but I think you broke them..."
Bastille and Eddie be like "... ... ... ... ... ..."
"S#it your right. Well no time like the present. I love you both too much but I know that this whole tradition has its place and needs to be done so, lets get you both to The Raven, Good name by the way, now be on your way."
"They will be fine. They have 36 hours to leave the system. Now you two have a great journey and we will see you both on your Mothers birthday. Don't worry about coming here for mine as its only 14 days before your Mom's.
Na-Ni pleas take care of the children. Also make sure to point your sensors at the joining of the suns it should be spectacular, but make sure you jump before the arms of plasma join together."
"Yes sir. Come children."
Na-Ni proceeds to usher us to The Raven. Once we were in the cockpit we initiated launch procedures and took off heading for a hyper space exit with a good view of the convergence point. A minute before we jumped I saw a Portal, a hole in space, a mirror. I don't know what to call it, it was hundreds of miles in diameter, its edges began to glow with the power of two suns. It started softly and quickly gained luminance. Just as we jumped I could have sworn I saw a ship that looked like the Normandy from mass effect. I didn't get a length look at it so im not sure which one it was, but there were a few differences in the exterior illumination and it looked to have different drives. I only saw it for an instant before we jumped so I'm not sure what I saw.
When I pulled up the recordings of what happened it didn't show the phenomenon that I saw. It just showed both of the solar arcs reaching for each other and miles away from touching and getting closer at ridiculous speeds.
"Bastille, what did you see when the solar plasma was about to touch."
"I don't get it but I saw my self on a ship next to you with others smiling this way. I can't tell you who they were or what they looked like as it was too quick but I must say that we looked... Older? That might be the right term. I could clearly recognize us easily, we just seemed to have matured..."
"For me I saw a ship. It's the ship I would have made if we didn't have these restrictions placed on us. How bout you Na-Ni what did you see?"
"I'm sorry young master I was looking after my charges." (AN: Cheshire grin)
"I guess Na-Ni didn't see any thing on the other side. Was it like the mirror from Harried Potter that shows not your face but your hearts desire. Or maybe it was a glimpse in to the future I don't know. I do how ever know that where ever I go you will be beside me."
"I appreciate and reciprocate the sentiment Bastille."
"So where are we going? I wasn't paying attention as I was focused on the system read outs when you programed the jump."
"Well I know how our ship is under supplied on the material side of things so I figured we would go to Lothal minor to pick up some usable items and scavenge for resources. We still have over a year until the invasion of Naboo and I want to be there to witness it."
The gaze of Bastille burns in to my side.
"OK OK. I also want to commandeer some of the equipment used by the trade federation. Like send a few lukrehulks back to Mom. She would appreciate getting several hundred thousand droids. The planet has a few more years yet before it cools enough but Mom can reprogram the droids and use them to better facilitate terra forming of Prime use the Droid star fighters to push water ice in to the planet or impact trajectories to create an ocean. Or use the droids to work the terrain in to usable features. And if any are left in 50 years they can be used to plant the planet."
The gaze is still burning but less so.
"Alright I don't want to waste our money on upgrades when I know where to get the materials for free..."
"Good. Im glad your being honest. You take a lot after your Dad.
Well come on we need to get some sleep and it looks like the jump should last another 15 hours."
"Na-Ni you have Command."
"Yes sir. I have Command. And may you two have a nice bath and sleep. I was instructed, by her lady ship, to use a bucket of ice and water if you didn't"
"" Yes Na-Ni"" Bastille and I cried out as we left the cockpit.
"Bastille you want to hear a Clean Joke?"
"Judging by your grin, I'm going to regret this. Go ahead."
"I took a bath with Bubbles, want to hear a dirty joke?"
"..."
"Bubbles was my sister."
"I think its time to see how long you can hold your breath."
After a fun time in the bath. (We are 10, so no hanky panky) we got ready for bed. We pulled down the bed and locked it in place and saw a box. It was wrapped up in red white and green striped paper with a bow made out of two inch red ribbon. The tag read; To: The Brat and his Girlfriend. From: SB and Moe.
Inside the box was a card which read
_____
Here are the storage spaces you asked for. Also a made a few bets with a few of the others on what you would do, and made quite a lot of Karma from them. So in return for making me a killing I added a few extra gifts.
First is your storage space. Just giving you an inventory doesn't work with the local laws so I bound them to a ring inside you will find a ring box that has a ring indentation in the top. In side you will find a silver ring. Take the ring and put it on. You will feel a bit of a pinch. Wait a few minutes before taking it and placing it in the indentation on the lid of the ring box. Press down with your thumb and then open the box. There should be another ring. Give that ring to Bastille.
The ring is attached to your storage space which is a 10x10x10 meter amorphous volume.
It also enhances your link to one another. It can also only be removed or used by the owner others will think it's a ring and that's it.
The last thing in the box is a nearly indestructible tablet with most of earths library of entertainment down loaded to it. I made sure it had movies and music from your earth with the ability to download more to the tablet from other sources. I'm sure that there are other things on there as Moe was playing with it for awhile. I am a bit worried as he was cackling on his sofa while he was doing what ever he was doing.
In other things good luck and lets not meet for a long time.
_____
After that page there was another one that had clearly different writing
PAGE 2
_____
Yeah.... I lost my bet with SB so all I could do is make a few selections for the tablet. Here is a clue
The Internet is for ____
The Internet is for ____
So grab your ____ and double click
The Internet is for ____!
I added a few other things like hard light controllers and an expandable screen.
To expand or contract the screen just grab in apposite corners and pull apart or push together depending on which way you want it to go.
For the controllers using one hand place your thumb over one of the glowing lights and pull away from the center of the screen the controller should manifest in your hand, if not then you just dropped it, that's ok. The controllers last for about 8 hours before they discorporate and if that happens just grab another one from the same dot. When you are done just press on the center glowing light and the controller will discorporate itself.
Right now the games are limited to Sega Classic for any things else you will need to by using real world money. Pleas go to the shop tab to see prices and selection.
In other news I hope to never see you again.
Moe
_____
As I was reading out loud Bastille was digging through the box and pulling stuff out. Once I put the letter down she handed me the Ring box and I pulled out the ring and put it on.
A light pinch is not what it felt like. Its more like the feeling that my finger got cut off and then went nub. After 10 minutes I regained feeling so I took it off and placed it on the top of the ring box and pressed down. It felt like a spike went through my thumb. When I removed my thumb I was still bleeding. But when I opened the Ring box low and behold there was another ring.
I took that ring out and placed it on Bastilles Left Ring finger and watch her make an amusing face. I then placed the ring back on my Ring finger. I then take all the stuff from SB and Moe and place it in my dimensional storage.
I then take Bastille to bed.
