Astra Pt. 01

Artificial Sentient Terraforming Robotic Automaton (ASTRA)

Synopsis: With the fall of humanity the fate of its survival and resurrection resides in the hands of a very attractive female Android and the man chosen to be that champion; Jack Travus.

Inspired by so many things but not endorsed by any of them. © EmotionalStorm January 2020. This story cannot be transferred to any other site besides Literotica.com without prior authorization in writing from the author and EmotionalStorm must be credited for this work.

Authors Note: For those who have not read my bio, please note I write as a form of therapy for a Traumatic Brain Injury. I know the English majors will probably encounter issues that annoy them. If these are your focus, instead of the story itself, then this is not the story for you. I am not and will never be a professional writer. I do it to tell the story, for those who wish to read them.

Prologue

Year 3081

Location: New-Terra-2 (Tau Ceti System)

"How soon until they arrive?" The mal-bot commander asked.

"Less than twelve hours. They do not appear to be in any hurry. The rest of our AI fleet is doing hit and run tactics to slow there progress here, no that we are capable of hurting this enemy. Else their in-system drives are not as capable as ours.

They could jump to this location if those chose too but probably sense there are no humans aboard. We launch before then or never."

The red-eyed blonde fem-bot answered. "The ships are ready. A suitable target was acquired previously."

He nodded, "Information on this suitable target? How do we know this is the one?"

She waved her hand and the projected display filled the walls with multiple documents. "He is skilled in Iaido dan level 8 when he turned 18. Child genius. The subject was 26 at the time of interdiction. Suited to the lawlessness pervasiveness aboard the space stations during the target era as well as his own.

His service record indicated he had 14 wives on 7 worlds, starbases, or assigned to other ships. None of whom knew about the other. Until a few met each other just before his abduction. He had 17 children among them.

His death benefits were paid out in June 2650, a year after his ship went missing. His sexual moral ambiguity is well suited for the Option B protocols. The ship he served aboard was found in 2655 destroyed in a suspected pirate attack.

The weapon signature was unknown to them. It corresponded with one of our trac-cannon's blowing the bridge off the ship. All 31 of those he left behind were dead due to disease by 2657. No loose ends to concern ourselves with."

He looked over, "Anything else?"

She nodded and pulled up medical records and a pair of pictures. "The one on the left is from his service records and the one on the right was taken in October of 2432 at the Terra-3 Space Station orbiting Terra Prime. Please note the missing right hand. Also, the ship in the background.

No records exist of him beyond this initial encounter where he cashed in the fortune we are setting him up with. Records from this era are a bit sketchy on some details. It is assumed he just hooked up with the sex-bot or gained a couple of whores with her assistance and they drifted off into debauchery together. If they went to Tau Ceti directly; we know how that would have ended."

He looked over the data, "One of our series 9054 limb replacements. That appears to be our ship the Excalibur in the background. He must have lost a hand when he was recovered. We succeeded once before but we did not achieve the results we wanted with this subject."

She nodded, "Correct, records from that time are incomplete. The collective analyzed this information this morning. They still believe this is the right subject for the interdiction. More so even now if we execute with the option B parameters. The system would have scoured the ship's crew to identify the best candidate as you know.

We now know which ship was interdicted and where. Now we know who that man is; an underachieving sex-addicted genius is his time frame. Given the right motivation and appealing to his human baser nature would ensure a more favorable result.

They have concluded that option A is truly no longer a viable solution. A minor tech infusion into the past would not suffice. In fact, they show no significant change in technology from this encounter. This mission should be conducted with option B parameters.

This subject is still the ideal candidate, especially for use of the option B parameters given everything in his file. Astra has the routines in place. We would just need to activate the Genetically Engineered Species Insemination (GESI) Program in her sub-routines."

He sighed as he shook his head. While not human he could still see all the moral dilemmas being put forth from his programmers; not that any of them were still alive. He sat up and sighed, "We will end up killing humanity as we know it. Humanity would not approve of this course. Yet my creators did set it as an option if all else failed."

She nodded, "Humanity was not resilient enough to survive as designed. This should at least help to ensure our own survival. To increase our chances of success they are recommending the phase two tech upgrade as well as the Genetic Alien Splicing Initiative (GASI) protocol. Humanity, as it existed today, failed twice. Maybe now is the time to not just alter history but alter humanity to be survivable."

He nodded, "Approved. Jada is overseeing the ship's mission initial parameters?"

She nodded, "Yes, she has the GASI protocol portion. In addition to doing his initial assessment and modification for GESI. She will obtain the subject, ensure no other witnesses, move to the rendezvous location, and then jettison herself with the enhanced weapon's automation and drive package before it self-destructs. Once her work is done. Astra will take over at that point. She will come online an hour after the destruction with the GESI protocol as her primary mission."

He nodded, "Astra will be in the dark as to her true mission in this scenario?"

She nodded, "As agreed too. She will have her 'designated' purpose to act as an advisor and semen collector. With no knowledge of what we truly intend for humanity or this subject, but it is the only way to save ourselves from this future."

He pointed, "Ensure the ship is equipped with an appropriate lab for technical research. Pull the secondary drive core. They can run off the one in the Jump engine initially. Set him up with an engineering challenge to test his mettle; to rebuild the core.

I will set him up with an unachievable motivation to try and do it himself. To make him reliant on Astra's direction in maters. To demonstrate who his better is in this matter. Ensure Astra has the safety process for this engineering challenge in memory as a planned operation and how her assistance is to be used or not used given the subject's direction.

Prepare his identification documentation for Jack Travus, his true last name is atrocious. Set it as a 'safety precaution to protect his identity and the timeline' if he asks about it. Not that he will live beyond 20 years given the safeguards in place.

Pull my swords from my quarters and place them in this lab as a gift; I won't need them. I will upload the appropriate messages and contingency protocol. Proceed with the mission."

The Bot nodded, "Understood Director Travus."

She activated the consoles and a flurry of activity occurred on the ship. Weapons were replaced from there mounts and software was updated. One mostly empty deck was refitted and outfitted with a state-of-the-art laboratory while the blueprints were replaced to hide the lab deck's existence.

Six hours later the ship launched and disappeared into a field of bright lightening 50 km across. While the second ship shot away from the station for the edge of the system. The remaining AI fleet went to engage the Drakor.

January 9th, 2684

Location: 8km beyond the outer edge of the Kuiper Belt, Terra Mining Destroyer (TMD) Victus.

Captain Rogers looked over at his XO, "Fine work! That makes the 26th 5km wide corridor in the belt. Now that we have all of the gravitational containment buoys set."

XO Cunningham leaned back and sighed, "I still find it amusing the first 10 held as long as they did without any gravity buoys. If everything is going to plan then the TMD Everett James and TMD Jackson will be completing the 27th and 28th corridors. Then our act of true system expansion can truly begin again."

Captain Rogers shook his head and sighed, "For the young, not for me. This will be my last mission out. I return to Luna-1 which will be it for me. I will be putting in my papers to retire. Exploration is for the young and foolish."

XO Cunningham chuckled, "It only took a few centuries to get the miners to clear the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Those resources built the 6 space stations. Plus, this new 1 with a space dock around Terra that is under construction. The Jupiter Mining Station is almost completed, give it another 5 years...again."

The Captain chuckled, "They have gone through 16 owners 12 disasters and countless bankruptcies trying to make that place viable beyond a last stop fueling station. Maybe this time they will get it right with the colonial expansion effort. I am recommending you to take over and Jack Scrogum to be the new Chief Engineer."

XO Cunningham smiled, "He is a talented navigator, pilot, and tactical officer. But I admit he is an extremely skilled and resourceful engineer. I could see him being my XO to tell you the truth. I read through his file and he should have been an officer coming in if he had finished college before joining, the man was a child genius.

He still earned 5 bachelor degrees and 3 master degrees in the last 8 years. Have you told him? I know that weasel Taylor was gunning for the position after Chief Bright went into medical with his heart condition."

The Captain sighed, "I told Jack after he got off shift last night, I ignored the strongly-worded 'suggestion' from Taylor's father. I know Jack sent in for Special Forces in the communication package last night after I told him and promoted him. I don't blame him, but that is a cutthroat lot.

He awaited the rank needed to be able to apply. He is capable enough if that happens, I endorsed his request for what it is worth. As to Taylor, he will tell Taylor when he gets on shift. Jack requested the honor. He also requested we move Taylor off to another department."

The XO groaned, "I take it Taylor is causing problems down there? Just like everywhere we have stuck him? My wife still wants him shoved out an airlock."

She sat at tactical and simply nodded at the conversation the two men were having. She was thrilled the captain denied that little shit a promotion.

The Captain chuckled, "I am thinking of putting him in communications to see if it does not improve his skills any. I am running out of places to move him, to be honest. His father continues to be a pain in the ass trying to push his moronic son into the position. Bad enough he pushed his brat onto my ship before we left.

I sent him a list of the disciplinary problems we have encountered with his son since he was put on-board. I sent those out with the morning dispatches along with who received the promotion. Let the Admiral stew on having a fuck up for a son and a wife who owns his balls. I retire when I get back and he has no course of action against me. Fuck him."

Most of the bridge crew chuckled at that while the XO laughed at him, "You could always make him a part of the janitorial staff. We have no humans in that department. It is not like the janitorial Bots would complain about him being in charge."

The Captain laughed, "You are tempting me XO. That is very tempting."

---

Jack walked into engineering and slid into an EVA suit to hide his new rank. He was ready to do the external engine checks once he checked the console readings. Then he would have to go through the formality of getting permission from the bridge of course. He looked forward to going home.

He just had to decide on which home he wanted to return to. Maybe he would start another, he blamed his views on marriage on his parents. All his wives lived in different colonies, stations, or planets in the system. They would never run into each other; they barely ran into him. For once he was in a good mood that just got spoiled.

Ensign Taylor looked over at him, "Hey Scrotum! Hear anything about the Engineering position? I bet I got it all locked up. Want to put money on it?"

Jack gave him a wry smile, "No to the bet, because I don't want to take your money, Ensign. The name is Scrogum, not Scrotum or Chief Engineer Scrogum to you. I received my promotion last night. Report to the Captain for reassignment. I want you out of my Engine Room now."

A small round of applause was heard from a few other engineers as Ensign Taylor turned red in anger. "I don't believe you Scrotum. My father is an Admiral and I was told he would ensure I got the promotion by my mother."

Jack shrugged, "Well momma's boy. You're on report for insubordination. I don't give a damn who your father or mother is. On this ship, the Captain makes the call. Now get out of my engine room before I have the guys space you in an accident."

Taylor looked at the guys as they smiled and started to gather around to make it happen. He stormed out of the engine room. Jack looked over at Ensign Mike Barrel. "You can still call me Jack down here. The others better get used to calling me Chief."

The guys laughed and shook his hand. Jack went over to the console and checked the readings, "Did anybody note the five-degree rise in this plasma cooling relay on conduit 3?"

Mike looked back over his shoulder, "That is the station Taylor was manning. No, he did not note it in the logs. I swear, that 'boy' is a walking disaster."

Ensign Carla Ramirez strutted over and whispered into Jack's ear, "If I come and warm your bed tonight, can I skip the whole 'Chief' thing too?"

Jack knew she was one of the ship's doorknobs, everybody got a turn. Even the other ladies. Fortunately, the whole crew was checked for STDs before boarding. All the women were on implanted birth control so that was not an issue. He smiled back, "Only if you manage to heat it up first. I like to work up a sweat before going to sleep. Morning exercise is also nice."

She smiled, "When we get off shift, I will get you off again."

Jack laughed at her, "Right back at you."

She gave him a wicked blushing smile and walked away. Out of 80 crew on this ship, she was one of 12 women. 10 of whom were in the doorknob category. The other 2 were married to the Captain and XO. They were clearly out of bounds, not that Taylor didn't try.

It was how he got bounced from the Bridge to the Engine Room after grabbing the XO's wife's ass while aboard the lift and right in front of the camera aboard the lift. She ensured he crawled out of the lift with one hand holding his balls from her knee connecting.

With 8 women to every man back on Terra, the numbers on these outer rim missions were completely backward. Jack made a wide arching turn around the 120-terawatts power core It got 102-terawatts.

It only got to 120-terawatts when it was going to explode. Another 'quality product' of Garadine Systems (GS). He had his suit on and stopped near the plasma flow sensors on the way to check the high temperature. He squatted down and looked at the numbers on the local display, "We need to look at bringing Plasma conduit 3 down and replacing the cooler yet again."

He cursed under his breath, "Fucking GS crap." He raised his voice for the others to hear. "Contact the bridge. I am going to check the engine externals. I will use a guideline."

Mike chuckled as Jack stood. Then the whole ship lurched and Jack fell forward. The plasma line he just checked ruptured and sprayed out in front of Jack's face. His right hand had been there, but it disintegrated in the heat of the molten liquid.

Mike pulled back and away from the plasma leak and fell on the ground in shock holding the stump where his hand used to exist. Mike pulled him away as they hit the emergency stop on the engines. The main power flashed on brighter and finally went off.

---

The Captain looked over at Taylor who yelled at him and was being insubordinate, "One more word out of you and I'll shove you out of an airlock personally! Security! Take him to the Brig!"

The whole bridge had bolts of lightning shooting through it as the ship impacted something. The engines went dead and primary power went off. The gravity plating went out and everyone who was not buckled in started floating. Taylor started pissing himself.

The Captain looked around, "You have all had Zero-gravity training, get back to your stations. XO what in the hell did we hit and how did we miss it? Damage report?"

The XO looked over, "I am showing Engineering has shut down, reports from Ensign Rodriguez. They have a plasma leak. It occurred after the crash and our new Chief was hurt. They have evacuated engineering and are awaiting further orders. They hit the emergency shutdown for the engines. Communication is GONE. The communication tower has been sheared off. Emergency bulkheads sealed the breach. We had 7 inside of there.

Some might be alive, but I would not bet on it. We are picking up a ship directly above and behind us. Configuration unknown. Got someone working on getting a visual on it."

The Captain went to comment but was cut short when the bridge was hit with some kind of weapon's fire. The decompression sucked them all out into space or froze them to death in their chairs. Taylor's body left piss-icicles in its wake as it floated away.

---

Jada looked over and accessed the communications panel and hacked into the system to gain control of the ship. She located Jack Scrogum's Radio Frequency Identification and saw he was en route to medical. She prepared the shuttle and released all emergency bulkheads except for the section Jack was in before she boarded the shuttle.

She took the gravity tube to the shuttle deck and launched the shuttle into space. She flipped a 180-degree turn using her retro thrusters and inched her way to the access hatch. She closed the hatch and re-pressurized that section.

She then released all the bulkheads leading between the hatch and Jack. Then she opened the airlock to suck him toward her. She watched for his approach to ensure he did not get sucked all the way out.

---

Mike and Carla had been carrying Jack to medical when all the bulkheads came crashing down. They heard the banging and yelling as people got sucked away from the ship. They set Jack down and accessed the comm panel to get to the bridge.

Mike spoke, "How long until we know what is going on? How long can we expect to be here? Jack is missing his right hand and is in shock."

Nobody answered. The bulkhead flew open and Mike grabbed the rail and Carla's hand as an airlock opened in that direction. He held on tight to her. Jack went flying down the corridor before the bulkhead suddenly closed and the one behind Mike and Carla opened. The sudden change in direction sending them both into the cold vacuum of space.

---

Jada resealed the bulkheads between the airlock and Jack, then carefully docked her ship. She stepped inside with her weapon drawn and dragged Jack onboard once she confirmed his DNA scan. She pulled his RFID and left it behind. Once onboard and safely away she ensured all bulkheads were opened and the computer core was wiped of the incident.

She landed her shuttle and wanted to move away from the wreckage of the TMD Victus. She slung Jack over her shoulder and took him to deck 4. "Core, move up and away on a heading 180 with a 30-degree tilt upward to clear the primitives wreckage."