Stxr-bxster - Shooting Star

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Log date 00/00/0000 -

Sooo, today was interesting. I tried to get some metal salvage at one of the nearest planet's dumping sites - I was kind of low on copper and aluminum, so I figured I'd grab a refill. So instead of just letting the day go as planned, I guess karma had decided to fuck with me, because a bunch of robot drones found my ship in the middle of the woods, and I guess they were getting ready to sample the paint before I stopped them?

Kind of a dick move but, I guess they kind of chilled out after I told them to cut it out. They just brought along a bunch of shit they had stored from the dump as trade for some random bits of junk that were sitting in my recycling bin, instead of just scratching at the Revenger like a bunch of raccoons. So that took care of the copper issue pretty well, and I guess that means that if I'm after a specific trash type, I could always trade with those guys?

Better than doing the harvesting myself anyways. But god these guys have no ability to keep their noses out of your business if they've decided it's even slightly interesting and that you didn't slam the door shut after you.

the27percent​:

Atieno could clearly tell that she was struggling with what they had explained. Although it was honestly a fair reaction, one they had gotten some times before. Which is often why they were a little careful about when and where they spent their time. “I mean.. fair. The reasoning can be hard to gauge especially when it’s contrary to how you’d expect someone my sort of being to move.“

“I mean. Yes. That’s more or how it happened. Although to be fair, I had seen many worlds form and.. so I have more amorphous but smaller versions that lets me slip about pretty easily too.“ It was quite the exercise to have caused.

“I think the main thing keeping me from what could be ‘insanity’ although I would question applying the concept of sane/insane to me at all in the first place - is that despite my fairly limited appearance, I still pick up on way, way, way more than any human or mortal being would. So it’s not that much of a separation for me. “

Atieno gives a bit of a dry mildly understanding hum at the admission about conceptualizing discomfort in others. It didn’t even land as a poor decision given they were being pushed to explain themself in the first place - that kind of uncomfortable realization was going to come. Even if they did manage to smooth things over a bit better with their words in other situations.

 “Yeah, you’re probably right about that. For the most part… I’d rather not tell anyone anything if they don’t actually want to know, to be forthright there. Easier to let people question things and maybe forget about the whole thing in time. “

Should they actually tell her about how curious they could get about the decay process and how that plays out? Atieno has since decided, that kind of honesty wasn’t worth it. Not here at least.

“As I said, I’m not entirely so removed in understanding my surroundings despite how I look currently. It’s very much a thin cover for what I can really do at a given moment. As for you and still reeling from all of this - I think most would understandably, and besides being boring isn’t exactly a bad thing. If it makes getting through things easier, then it has to be a relief. “

“Honestly chief, it depends on who finds you boring. The less energy something dangerous opts to spend on me, the better in my book. It means you might just slip through the cracks of something’s awareness, and in due time, they might forget you more than you forget things they’ve told you.” Krigg answered with a rather blunt strain of honesty, reaching to stuff her hands in her pockets. This whole conversation was a multi-track drift of trying to figure out how the person in front of her felt, how dangerous it was, and in general, to understand the strange social case that stood in front of her. Frankly, she wasn’t finding the task easy.

Trying to psychoanalyze something that far removed from the normal concepts that most people were subjected to for actual motivations was a plain headache and a half. And Krigg looked properly like she was slowly feeling the mother of all migraines coming on. The nasty type that started between someone’s eyes and that felt like some random asshole had driven a railroad spike into their forehead.

“So, you looking like this and approaching the world looking like a random, if very weird biped, isn’t any sort of downplay on your perception of the universe. You’re still observing the world under the same lens that you started out with, only in a way that would freak people out significantly less. But, that begs the question - do you get anything out of the world interacting back with you in that specific manner?” Krigg couldn’t help but ask, trying to pick her words with some degree of caution. She slowly reached up to rub her temples, staving off the feeling of mental exhaustion that came from her brief moment of fight-or-flight.

Now that the stress was dying down to levels acceptable for not being at an immediate risk of expiring, it was taking a toll on her body. “Are you finding some form of worth in interacting with other people as a pseudo mortal creature, at least in looks? I mean - you gotta’ have some form of interest in the situation to even maintain a conversation with me.”

“...I wonder if that’s how it feels like for chicks of endangered species to realize they’ve been interacting with a hand disguised as a sock puppet of their parent their whole formative years.” She added, the thought feeling fairly incongruous, but in a way that demanded she say it out loud. “You are basically talking out of a human sock puppet.”

the27percent​:

It was pretty obvious that whoever they were encountering was used to having analyze threats and quickly at that. If nothing else, she seemed to have a strong sense of self-preservation at all costs. A good quality to have if one was going to be out among the stars for any potential reason.

Indeed their incredibly dark eyes would have been the physical signal that all that the being here was of a very different state of existence. One that barely fit within the form that they had chosen to taken up. Perhaps they should have done something more shadowy, that would have been closer to their true nature. But would that have made this situation any easier?

What does a presentable form look like for those ultimately more formless than anything else? Atieno had experimented with that according to their interests, but those interests still meant that they would always sit in a uncanny valley kind of territory for those that they ran into. That they had long gotten used to. So the staring, the bearing of teeth, the sheer tenseness that they seemed to inspire in her - that was to be expected. They couldn’t and wouldn’t blame her for being wary.

But they weren’t going to take any particular action to give her reason to act either. Seeing her finally respond to their statement was enough for Atieno to give a slight nod.

“Alright? Yeah, it’s pretty lovely area, places like this can be quite the nice refuge when traveling. But I mean.. I can certainly let you continue on your way. I don’t mean to hold you up from wherever you’re trying to go.“

Of course, they doubted that being staring them down wouldn’t try to get some information out of them. Like why where they here, what their exact deal was.

----

For some skin-crawling, unknown horror, the false biped had some rather choice thoughtful opinions on the art of remote locales folks passed through along the way to other places. Krigg gave a slight frown, pushing to the side her urge to speculate - did it actually have refined, self-formed opinions, or was it repeating something to get a desired outcome? Mindless trap, or intelligent predator? Despite the phantom buzzing within her arm muscles of a practiced gesture to grab hold of her plasma pistol, she refrained.

She would not engage hostilities, yet, or risk sparking an agressive response from the creature. If it gave her no reason to draw fire, she wouldn’t give it one to retaliate. Though t’was the path of least risk, the situation left her just as confused as for which reaction to display in regards to the being offering she continue her path.

She wanted to gather more intel first - but would doing so expose her to a higher risk of the situation turning sour? Most likely, but walking away and leaving one’s back exposed while knowing nothing was just as likely to end miserably. The gears turning inside her mind halted with the one certainty she did have. She needed to make a choice, stalling would only delay actual decision making so long.

And her need for information won out.

“I’m not... going anywhere. I was just trying to enjoy the scenery. Would me leaving even...” Krigg’s voice hung in the air, the words “be safe” resting on the tip of her tongue - unsaid, but at the same time so predictable from context. She had no doubt the sharply observing creature ahead would, anyways. “Like- what’s- what’s the catch? Is there one? Should I be worried about turning my back to you? Are you going to rob my ability to speak if I do it, or turn my eyes inside out out of some weird principle? I don’t even know what you are - sure as shit not a biped!”

Ah, and there was that bad habit of hers. A rising and lowering, rapidly flickering tone stuck between playful-ish disbelief and annoyance that seemed to belt out of her mouth when she was stressed.

5mind​:

Blue brought her hand up before her to indicate that no, she had not and would not touch anything on the ship. Probably. To the best of her abilities.  Oh, Fivemind understood  the concept of privacy. It was just that, even when playing the role of the blue unit, it’s curiosity far outweighed any concerns for manners. 

“Oh. So this is just a workshop?” the android replied. That made sense. And the AI supposed that organic beings do not exactly correlate being surrounded by machines and an easy access to tools and resources with coziness. 

“I was only attempting a compliment but… I do genuinely find a space like this comforting. On a surface level, it does have the same atmosphere to where I- we- my team reside.”

“Our base is much more simpler though. Technology-wise.” The blue unit sat down on the floor, crisscross applesauce. 

Krigg went silent, pencil hovering over the paper as her task was interrupted by her train of thought. Brows furrowed, she gnawed a little on the end of the pen, gaze trying to find again where her translation efforts had been thwarted by the slightest hint of feeling bad about shooting down a well-meaning clompliment. From an overly curious brightly painted robot that didn’t know how to knock and probably didn’t deserve to be let out too easy.

The sound of a turning page punctuated the brief, thoughtful pause. Then the scratching of the pencil resumed. “...I uh, appreciate it anyways.” She mumbled, leaning further towards the page as though trying to hide the slight embarrassment in her voice. “I guess I’ve just gotten kind of used to that sort of space, so it doesn’t really feel like much.” She admitted, drumming her fingers against the metal surface.

“...Given the scavenging habits, I would’ve been more surprised if your home base WAS high-tech - by that world’s standards, anyways. You look like you’ve got a lot of need for raw junk materials.” Krigg briefly lifted the pencil, turning around and using it to point at the blue unit, which had made themselves right at home on the cargo bay’s flooring, sitting cross-legged naturally enough. She mentally kicked herself a little for not offering her seat... and then, naturally, realized that any regular seat would have gone “squish” under their weight.

She didn’t turn right back around just yet though - an idea did spark into being in the back of Krigg’s mind causing her to pause, pencil held up into the air.

“...Not to ask insensitive questions or anything but, did you... build your own bodies from scratch?” Krigg hazarded, one antennae quirked inquisitively.

the27percent​:

Non-intervening was something they had done by nature, but visiting quieter spots where they could at least be mostly alone was something that didn’t trouble them much. Perhaps they had shown up in  some of the stories of varying civilizations over the many years, that didn’t seem to bother them much. Although they still had a way of avoiding such places just to make sure the potential fervor died down after a few generations.

They had been moving careful and quietly within the forest, prepared to dissipate or alter themself at the sight of a local. They had done enough reconnaissance to know this was fairly out of the way of most patterns - so when they did pick up on someone else.

They couldn’t be too surprised to see another.. potential wanderer type out here. Usually, they would actually be a little friendly even to see someone interested in places of this nature. But the sheer reaction on her face was enough for Atieno to remain guarded, distant in a way that came off as aloof.

They weren’t biologically right, alright. Ati is uncertain whether they should get closer or not. No, they would stop their movements and remain still, very still as they kept an eye on this other being.

They weren’t going to be judging for wandering, they were in no position to do exactly that. Instead, they would let this oh-so-expressive kind of wanderer make an impression.

“Interesting walk out here.. isn’t it?“ They kept their stance, casual - almost off-puttingly so, with their hands in their pocket and their overall gesture of someone who does not play all their cards so boldly, so immediately. Never at first.

A tilt of the head as they are studying her, almost too aware of how wary she has to be - the facial expressions had given off so much information without saying a word.

There’s something to be said about circumstances being able to engrave a reaction to something in someone’s bones. Potential danger being treated and analyzed, processed before it had any chance to become a true threat was a general hallmark of twitchy trigger fingers. Alive twitchy trigger fingers, of note.

Slowly, Krigg shuffled her poise from ready to act, to defensive. She slid one foot back, shifting her weight to it, her gaze fixated upon the strange figure, lips drawn tightly into a thin line. Faint star-shaped pupils contracted, the branches thinning and expanding minutely as she meticulously scanned them, trying to sink her claws into what exactly her hindbrain latched onto that her higher brain functions hadn’t caught.

It was the eyes, wasn’t it? Just one distant glimpse had been enough to send alarm bells ringing in the back of her mind, but a closer inspection certainly didn’t help soothe her reactive habits. There were plenty unusual details about the... she didn’t even want to qualify it as a *biped*, but they could all be attributed to cosmetic flights of fancy.

But the behavior, and the eyes - those struck out at her like things she SHOULD have been wary of with reason. Even when straining her vision harshly, she could not see pupils distinguished from the irises. They were two blacker-than-black dots that sucked in all the surrounding light like the space between stars. And for a creature that was supposed to belong to a civillization that hadn’t gotten to the stars yet, they were awfully comfortable.

Well, maybe not comfortable, more... detached. Like the whole situation was just a thing to happen. The behavior was extremely non-stereotypical, which was saying something about bipeds, which had BY FAR the weirdest reactions to this sort of thing normally. Krigg found she had to very consciously will her face back into a neutral posture when they spoke, lips instinctively curling to bare rows of sharp teeth. Her antennae slowly tilted downwards until they lay flat on her head, their usual curve growing stiff. It was a small wonder she didn’t hiss at them.

Call it a professional deformation, but she didn’t much like things that wore the skin of something else. Especially not when the things were looking back at her and picking her apart with as much attention as she was giving them.

She considered not answering and just walking the other way. But she lacked information - only surface assessments. Being too hasty and not treading carefully was how you made a fool of yourself. Or how you ended up dead, which sort of nullified the other possibility on a technicality. In a remote corner of her mind, the less anxious part of her leaned over its balcony railing, and suggested that maybe not jumping to conclusions on others was the right thing to do. It was, promptly, not ignored, but not answered either.

“...It’s quiet and the air smells nice. The greenery is pleasant to look at. I guess it’s... alright.” It took Krigg a few tries not to mumble through clenched teeth, or to try and chase the tension from her body. She only marginally managed the former.

5mind​:

“Oh. I suppose that is not a concept that occurs to more organic beings like yourself.”  The lines between ‘occupant’ and ‘home’ and ‘machinery’ had been blurred for as long as the AI had been self-aware. They really had not given all that much thought that they could be anything but what they already are.

While Fivemind could pick up the change in Krigg’s tone, it could not really interpret what this change in tone meant. Hopefully not anything negative. It was starting to find sitting around in here rather comforting.

“Thank you.” The compliment was much appreciated. Nevermind that the alien said it was good by the standards of scavenged junk. She wasn’t wrong! 

“I could say the same for you.” The machine was seemingly unaware that it’s attempts at returning the compliment probably came out more like a threat. But then again, it had already disassembled and reassembled it’s units enough times that the mere idea of one of its units being taken apart did not phase it. As long as it was not having anything taken from them. Or being modified by anyone aside from itself.

“But neither of us would want that, would we?”

Fortunately for the Blue unit, the response she earned on the topic of getting to see what each had composing their guts wasn’t an offended side glance, or a distressed grimace. Neither of those things, matter of factly. Instead-

“Snrk-!” Krigg let out a little snort of laughter, bowing over her paper sheet, cheeks puffed to hold back a rather undignified little snicker. She looked over her shoulder at the sitting unit, the corners of her mouth quirking upwards in a light wobble. “Hey, there’s a joke about alien vivisection somewhere in there! Who are you, federal agent junk bucket?” She whined, her tone failing to sound even a little bit like a complaint at a bad topic to tell jokes about.

It was a little funny, she couldn’t argue against it. “Ahh, no but - in all seriousness, you seem to enjoy your bodily autonomy and right to rummage through your own innards. I’m not taking that away from you.” Krigg waved her pencil for emphasis, returning to her work once again. “But, if you ever need a cut wire soldered back into a place you can’t reach easily, you can pop on by. I’ll give you a hand with it.”

“It’s not like I’ve got anything urgent to do around here. Unless I’m pushed to interact with someone, I just sit, watch the city life, collect scrap metal if I need it... Kinda’ boring, but not every pit stop in the galaxy is going to be some thrilling adventure searching for archeotech in the ruins of a long lost base.”

“...I don’t think that’s how you’d picture someone coming over at your place, anyways.” There was definitely some humor in her voice as she peeked over her own shoulder to gauge the unit’s reaction.