Super [Human]

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Enhanced Bone Structure 1

Enhanced Cognition 2

Enhanced Immune System 2

Enhanced Musculature 1

Enhanced Neurology 1

Enhanced Translation Interfacing 1

Gravitic Acceleration Resistance 10

Species Compatibility 1

Resistance: Cold 1

Resistance: Heat 1

Resistance: Kinetics 4 (+1)

Resistance: Plasma 1

Resistance: Poisons 1

Resistance: Pressure 1

Resistance: Radiation 1

Resistance: Sonic 1

Resistance: Temporal 1

Variable Reproductive Organs 1

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Enhancements.

Tala had felt the most iffy about this section ever since discovering she had it.

Unlike skills - as far as the section description would tell her - these leveled passively when not given XP. The only thing she'd leveled naturally, however, seemed to be Resistance: Kinetics.

For a moment she recalled hitting her head a lot when orienting herself to Vector Free's controls after coming into this universe in a spinning, gyrating mass of metal and confused Filipina.

Trying to reign in and then control Vicky - the ship, not her companion - had banged her body all over the tiny cockpit before she'd discovered the seatbelts. Yeah, that would have been nice to figure out beforehand.

Safety first!

She'd tried poking a point into Enhanced Cognition and Enhanced Immune System days ago, but aside from the body tingles she hadn't felt any different.

Thinking about it, if getting banged up was what it took to level one type of resistance, then she'd have to do some life-threatening things to get the rest.

Even more worrisome was the fact that while her ship certainly had interfaces to represent hull integrity (HP), shields (SP), and energy (MP), she didn't. That seemed to indicate that she would likely be far, far squishier than Vicky - the ship - and whatever equipment she was wearing. Her pilot suit, for example, came with an armor (AP) rating of 1. Her flesh? Not so much.

"Would I even be human anymore?" she wondered as she contemplated what all the resistances and enhancements might do to her. Even after maxing out Gravitic Acceleration Resistance, she'd mostly just felt normal despite passing into the corona of a mothership-fucking star! Damn, that had been wild.

In this menu, the biggest mysteries to her were Species Compatibility, Variable Reproductive Organs, Enhanced Translation Interfacing, and Resistance: Temporal.

Deciding for no particular reason to start with the last one, Tala read:

Resistance: Temporal - Decrease the effects of temporal anomalies, traps, and weapons that would produce aging or de-aging.

"Yeesh... I'd hate to run into someone with a 'Granny Gun'... or a 'Fetus Phaser'," Tala joked, hoping Vicky - her favorite specter on the ship - would respond.

Nope. Nothing.

She really hoped Vicky wasn't a figment of her imagination. Going crazy seemed like it would suck. But she had hit her head a lot those first couple of days...

"Nope! Don't think about that. Vicky's real. You're real. This crazy-ass abduction shit is real up the anal probes... So keep working, Tala," she encouraged herself, before yawning again.

She got back to browsing her mystery enhancement choices.

Enhanced Translation Interfacing - Decrease the potential for misunderstandings through instinctual understanding of bodily communication cues for System-compatible species.

So... body language instincts. Seemed boring at first but likely to be a life saver as Tala's imagination took hold. How else was she supposed to know if a flaring of the tentacles meant "Hello" or "Good young lady, we shall engage in glorious battle in ten seconds!"

With a gulp, she turned to her last two mystery options.

Species Compatibility - Reproductive hybridization becomes possible for near-analogue species of comparable sapience and genetic structure. - RNA, DNA Based

Variable Reproductive Organs - Access primary organ spectrum toggles for [Human] means of reproduction.

Tala chewed her lip. The first wasn't exactly what it said on the box, but it was definitely interesting that the System could enable species to come together... Figuratively and literally.

The second, however...

"Bad Tala... don't be a perv..." She bit her lip. "Okay, but maybe it'll help with my dysphoria..."

She hadn't had a chance to feel that while she was running and gunning for her life.

Shaking her head, she returned herself to her more pressing concerns. After thinking herself into loops, she finally just decided to ask a local.

"Computer, does enhancement choice affect whether or not I stay human?"

"Working..."

There was a long pause.

The pause kept going.

And going...

"Unable to determine query validity. Advancing question to System."

"Shit," Tala said. "Thought I broke you for a second."

The Computer did not respond.

Instead of eventually receiving an answer from the Computer, a moment later, Tala received a System Message.

"Here goes nothing..." Tala opened the unlabeled message.

It read:

Hello System User [Tala]! 

If you are receiving this message, then you are pondering the [existential uncertainty] of the System and its potential to help you, and have sought help from a System-compatible interface. As a [Human Adult] realizing this, you compare favorably with [%ERROR%] percent of [Humans] and [11.008] percent of System-compatible species in the Galactic Standard Existential Crisis Index. Please rest assured that relevant experts and deities agree that System interfacing does not alter the fundamental constitution of your existence. You will always be [Human] no matter how far you advance along the System's progression [tree]!

Should these assurances prove insufficient to resolve your [Existential Uncertainty], please locate your nearest System Representative and/or [Human] deity to posit further questions for your query. As the saying goes: There are no unquestionable answers, just unanswerable questions!

Have a nice [day], and may your journey be a [fruit][filled] one!

A Message from System Control and the Council for the Uncertainty of Existence

Established Galactic Year 3

"Wow..." Tala scratched her head as she finished the message. "That was... surprisingly helpful." She yawned again.

After staring at her Enhancements screen one last time, she just said "Fuck it" and maximized everything.

151 spent points later, the tingling started. Only this time, instead of just the light tingle of one enhancement leveling up, she felt a wave of exhausting light filling her body as her everything started to feel warm and fuzzy and-

She started to pass out, giggling as the tingles reached the tip of her nose.

"I'm gonna be a Super Sai- yaaaaawn..."