Astra Pt. 01

At your leisure. I will be here listening to everything and everyone on board. I can only speak with those who have psionic talent. Though I can read the minds of those in proximity. Not synthetics like Astra. Surface thoughts generally, my species will only get invasive if we find there is a true greater purpose to it."

Jack picked up the first one and hung it from his belt, "I would like a pistol as well, access to engineering manuals for all of the tools in the Engineering Bay. Have them set to display in my quarters. Move the second to medical for now. I may want to analyze it more."

Astra nodded, "Deck 2, Forward. The door at the end. I will return to the Power Core Room on deck 7 aft, which is the upper section of the Engineering Bay." Jack went up while Astra went down.

---

Astra delivered the sword to deck 4 and then went to deck 7. She opened the maintenance hatch and floated up 2 decks, her sensors detected an abnormality on the way down. A pair of unmarked hatches. She entered her access code and went inside. She closed the hatch and looked around, "Why do we have a hidden deck?"

She walked over and found a particle collider taking up the aft section of the ship. The two power cores that would connect to it had been removed. A message popped up and she saw the image of a man in a Commander's uniform. To her eyes, she could tell it was a mal-bot and likely her superior. She had no memory of him.

He nodded to her, "We are not communicating with you through time. This was a contingency message. Do not show Jack this level. Let him discover it on his own and in his own time. He could do wondrous things with the equipment on this deck if he chooses to embrace it or incredibly destructive things. Becoming the inventor, if his engineering skills are up to the task. There was no record of Jack Travus in 2433. It does not say if he got in with a colony ship headed for Tau Ceti or not.

Anything he does with these tools he may do as he wishes as long as he has not pulled it from the restricted repository. We will see what he can do when the time arrives and see if it changes humanity's future. Your programming is set to help him avoid potential pitfalls. You have your orders. Proceed no further on this level, until Jack questions you about it."

She bowed to the message and then remembered it was a recording. She walked back out and closed the hatch. She traveled back to deck 7. This ship has 9 decks instead of 8 decks and the blueprints were wrong.

---

Jack went to his room and went to sleep. He heard a happy melodic toon in his head and realized it must have come from Meltora. He woke up several hours later starving. He called out, "Astra can you hear me?"

Astra replied, "I do not typically monitor the Captain's Quarters. As I thought you might have questions, I left it open."

Jack sighed and nodded, "Where can I get some food on this ship?"

Astra chuckled, "I forgot about your dietary requirements. The seat in front of the window lifts and you can find packages of standard rations. They are from my era but are not a threat to this era. You have an officer's Mess and Galley over to your left when you leave your cabin, 4 doors down. It can be a meeting room with displays all around. It has a table to seat 26 comfortably at a time and a full-size kitchen with substantial pantry space. Deck 3 is all crew or passenger space.

It has two Mess areas connected to one large Galley. The pantry is enormous. Same for deck 5 only smaller. Deck 4 is mixed spaces for medical, labs, some rooms, and a small amount of storage. The problem you have is you have not hired a cook or stocked any pantries. Enjoy your standard ration."

Jack walked over and lifted the seat and saw stacks of foil-packed rations. He grabbed one and closed the lid. He then grabbed a glass of water from a dispenser as he had no coffee either. He begrudgingly sat at the table and opened the package. He could only laugh, "This is your standard ration? A pair of Pink Snowball cakes?"

Astra laughed back at him, "Yes, over the years when they found they could not get people to stop eating junk food they incorporated healthy supplements into the food. For example, those Snowball cakes have a creamy center that has been packed with vitamins, healthy protein, and minerals.

You get your daily allotment of them from just one package, let alone 3 during the day you will have to consume to maintain your weight. Do not eat more than one package at a time. Else I will send you straight to the gym. Core Computer Doctor's orders, Captain."

Jack shook his head and ate the coconut-covered confectionary. He chuckled between bites and thought, 'It tasted good and was healthy for you. Wow, what the future holds.'

Jack heard in his mind from Meltora, "The future holds death. That is why I agreed to go on this mission. Question everything and double-check anything you are given or told. See what they fail to say or show you. Humanity in that age seemed single-minded in matters. The use of deception was a common practice from what I learned."

Jack thought back, "You are saying they were devious and not to be trusted? Yet you trusted them enough to come back in time?"

Meltora responded, "I did not interact with many humans. Those who could talk with me wanted to be in the fighting. Others I just read in passing. They believed the science was sound to make it happen. From the experts who worked there. They were sent away to work defenses for New Tera. For me, it is or was a means to help me try and save my species if I encounter any of them. The universe was large, but our numbers were low, I might have been the last. It was a risk, but a calculated risk to save my kind.

Like you are trying to do. Scientists complained about building something for a given purpose and then having it used differently; as weapons quite often. Not what they wanted or intended, but what their superiors wanted. Questioning your mission against what you find is all I am suggesting. The mission they gave you vs the true mission is likely different. If their nature holds, from that timeframe to now. I cannot speak for the synthetics because I cannot read them. No humans at the facility when the mission launched."

Jack kept Meltora's advice in mind. He pulled up the view screen and reviewed all the tools available to him and how to operate them. Some were similar to what he had used before, a few were nice new toys. He loved this Series 5604 Internal Scanner. He moved on to the diagram of the ship to locate everything. He noticed something was off. He checked each section and everything looked right.

That was until he looked at the total height and width of the ship. Then he looked at the diagrams of the ship examining the width of the hull on each deck. The external dimensions did not match the internal dimensions. He smiled to himself, 'There is a hidden area on this ship. I think it is time to go and explore. Already something to question.'

He grabbed a quick shower and his morning wood was out. He went to grab hold and he got shocked. He sighed, "Damn it."

He activated the shower and it was a blistering sonic shower. It felt like it ripped the skin right off him. When it stopped, he saw his right hand fully exposed for the first time. He grabbed it with his left hand and got a warm feeling. A wanting feeling. Like the hand and wrist wanted to tell him something. He exited the shower and toweled off the destroyed dermis. He sat on the toilet with his hand on his lap on top of a towel.

Jack looked at the alien appendage, "Are you wanting to change me? I won't move you wiggle your thumb if you do." A few seconds later the thumb wiggled.

Jack asked, "All of me or parts of me? Will my abilities get more powerful because of it? If part of me, wiggle your pinky. If all of me, make a fist. If more powerful scratch your palm with your fingers." The hand went and made all 3 jesters. "Make a fist if you are trying to say all of me or part of me is my choice. This the choice Meltora mentioned?"

The hand immediately clenched into a fist. He looked at the hand, "If I encounter one of the Drakor are you going to protect me if it comes to violence, or are you loyal to the Drakor? Make a fist if you would serve me first in any encounter." The hand paused and then quickly made a fist.

Jack sighed, "I will consider it. I need to find a better way for us to communicate. Do you have a method? Make a fist if you do." The hand went into a fist and held it tight. He purposefully opened his hand and looked at it, "I will think on this more first. I am concerned about this war with your people in the future."

He got up, dressed, and pressed the crystal for the dermal regenerator. It covered his hand in new skin and he armed himself. He walked towards the lifts and opened the access panel between them. Being an Engineer, he knew these kinds of shafts did not hide things well. He looked at the lid and it was marked with a number 2 on it. Jack floated up just to check this area and only found panel 1. He floated down panel after panel until he got to deck '6.' The panels had no number.

This should have been 1 of the 2 largest decks on the original schematics. He knew this deck was significantly larger because of what was missing from the blueprints. He opened the hatch to the forward compartment and walked inside. There was an access pad but it showed it was unlocked. He did not know Astra failed to secure it yesterday when she found it. He just assumed it was meant to be found. He entered. There were spots for 3 more power cores on the floor and 3 more fabricators sat there idle with no power.

He spoke aloud, "What could they need so much power for?" He took a step forward and saw a video message.

"Jack,

You found this deck much sooner than we would have guessed but it is yours to use. This is deck 5.5 if you will. It is 1.2 meters taller here and is the largest deck on the ship. The aft section houses a particle collider that, while smaller in size, would rival the capability of the Large Hadron Collider on Tera. It also has a means of collecting elements for mass production if needed. A harvester unit. These are molds, resins, and fabrication machines. Machines to build your ship more ammunition if needed, provided you get the basic materials.

A small amount was provided to get you started. You will find a set of star charts with known accessible deposits of some of the rarer minerals you might need in the Tera system. The collider could be used to create others not on the planet if you study the science behind it. It might be beyond your skills, we didn't have a detailed profile of your scientific capability. I know you studied Iaido while growing up in Japan. You know the sword and the discipline required to succeed in that style.

I took the liberty of leaving you a matched set; katana and wakizashi. Forged in the 27th century by a master not yet born obviously. He utilized his hereditary style of blade-smithing and incorporated new alloys. He created some of the strongest swords ever made. This set has been known to have broken five swords. Four with the katana. The set is called Sword Slayer or Sōdosureiyā. I am not looking for you to get into a fight but firearms on the Starbases are strictly prohibited.

It is a rough-and-tumble place. Swords of all kinds are known to be drawn. Stay safe and use this equipment to fight the good fight. If you are a gifted Engineer, then you could do wonders with this deck. At the very least, have the ability to create more ammunition if needed."

The message cut out. He walked around and saw the location of the other 2 missing power cores in front of the collider.

He chuckled to himself and thought, 'I could build up all 7 of those cores before we leave here by setting up the first 1 in the forward middle slot. That set of fabricators along with the one on deck 7. That will speed this job along. Now to draw up the blueprints and parts specifications.'

He dropped down to deck 7 to find Astra just standing there.

Jack looked at Astra, "What bridge roles can you do?"

Astra looked at him, "Communications. I am barred by programming from doing anything combat-related with the ship's external weapons to harm anyone. I can get the ship to flee an area if required. If boarded I know several styles of martial arts and have a collection of swords to choose from. I do not use firearms directly.

I can control the internal system defenses, including all laser turrets. I am designed to handle the internals of the ship including security. I have an automated docking function for shipyards or Starbases. In case you are uncomfortable with docking this ship as designed. This ship is not equipped for going into the atmosphere of the planet and has no landing gear. I can also manage the mining rig as discussed yesterday."

Jack sighed and nodded, "What about Engineering tasks?"

Astra looked at him, "During an emergency, I can dispatch repair bots where needed but cannot order ship personnel to perform tasks unless you give me that authority; I can relay the requests regardless. I can assist you in building the power core. If you are asking for assistance already."

Jack contemplated his next question, "Can you give me an assessment of the capabilities and speed of the machinery in the ship?"

She smiled, "Yes, that I can do."

Jack chuckled, "I found the hidden deck, I went through the ship blueprints today and saw the blatant errors. I would like an accurate set of blueprints set up, with a hoist stop on that new deck. Currently, the cargo hoist is set to pass through that location. If I must craft 5 power cores for that deck and 2 for engineering, I want them to get delivered assembled here and built up there."

Jack walked over to the portable display and connected it to the Engineering Scanner. He walked over to the only operations Power Core and scanned the interior a while and recorded the findings. Astra looked at him, "What are you doing?"

Jack smiled, "Not using the blueprints or you for the cores to create a new one. I can take these scans, which give me the metal and resin compositions, the tube material, angles, and thicknesses. The types of wiring and fiber optics that are being used. Program them into the fabricator and draw in the raw material. We should be on our way within a week if not sooner. I can use my knowledge of Engineering and other power cores to fill in any gaps that might get missed."

Astra frowned at him, "That is cheating."

Jack shook his head, "You told me I could use any diagnostic tool available to me in the Engineering Bay. This is a Series 5604 Internal Scanner from your era. I am adapting to the tools available and learning the ship technology. That was the direction and goal I was given."

Astra groaned out and sighed, "Fine it is not cheating but it was not what was intended. You should be done in 3 days." Jack shook his head, "If I installed the first 1 here that would be true but it will get installed on deck 6. All the lower decks get renumbered. I am not doing deck 5.5.

Assign the worker-bot crews to get that hatch open and renumber. I will put the first 1 in the slot for the other bank of fabricators on that level. Depending on the output of the product I might make a few changes. Anyway, you can get them started on opening that section up and installing the proper bulkhead to secure the doors?"

Astra smiled, "Shouldn't you be building those?"

Jack laughed, "Nice try. I have seen the existing bulkheads on each level. The ones on the lift are all identical. I am sure there is a spare one already made for an emergency or if I found that location. We will worry about the personnel lifts access to the bulkheads later if at all. The maintenance tube suffices for now on that end. Now I have work to do and so do you. Stop by at lunch and dinner. I will rock your world then eat my Pink Snowballs."

Astra walked away smiling, "I have three orifices, not just two."

Jack smiled, "Then one will get a repeat today as I do you twice each time." Astra laughed at Jack but he was fucking serious. They spent the next 2 days working and fucking. He spotted her storing his sperm samples on a couple of occasions in cold storage. He also lucked out and came across a different standard food ration. The Twinkie rations he enjoyed better but there were more Snow Balls and he only came across the 1 so far. He could not help but chuckle at that.

Astra told him, "It was designed for those with chocolate or coconut allergies."

He did find the setting to turn down the sonic shower from skin ripping to massaging and cleaning. On the 3rd day he sat in his quarters after he left Astra bent over in medical from the sexual pounding he gave her; 4 times in her rectal receptacle. He returned to his room and talked to the hand. The old pun was not lost on him, "If you can set it up so we can communicate then do so. Thank you for your patience."

He felt a crawling sensation inside of his arm that extended up to his brain on the back of his skull. It hurt but was bearable.

He heard, "This hand belongs to you now. The Drakor would welcome another brother but you are not a brother they would want."

Jack sighed, "Do you know anything of the previous owner of this hand? Why would they not want me as a brother?"

The hand sighed, "Everything I am telling you is encoded into the DNA of our being. The individual name of that Drakor is not known to me. I am a part of you and have no name. You are The Even Hands of Justice. They would find a Justice Bringer coming from fragmentation to be an abomination to the species. They are thought to be rare and only viable through a mated pair of Drakor. A hybrid Justice Bringer is unknown to them."

Jack thought back, "You are one of those voices in my head. I am trying to figure out if you're an Angel or the Devil. How do I gain your knowledge and end these questions?"

The hand twitched, "There is not enough of me to do what you ask, I would have to grow and consume. Once you make a choice you cannot go back. Given your traits and demands for physical pleasure, I would surmise you would want to be a hybrid. The Drakor don't mate the way you do.

They only mate when the partner's egg is ready and do not do it for pleasure after that egg is fertilized. I would need a significantly larger part of your body. Once I have completed you will not need the dermis regenerator. My exterior would adapt to reflect your dermis, except when that part is injured of course."

He thought out, "Explain what would happen in detail."

The hand responded, "Each hybrid species is unique but certain features do remain constant. An additional heart would be formed. Your connection to your mental pathways would be opened beyond your base species. Then your life could be significantly longer. Centuries even.

Each is different. Limbs like the arms can move faster and bend in unusual ways as our skeletal structure differs from humans. They are more adaptable to the mind. You would still be mostly human but the percentage of your body changes could go as high as, but no more than 40%."

Jack took a deep breath and centered himself as he had been taught through years of sword training, "Make me a hybrid."

The black alien limb extended and altered his right arm as it consumed the human flesh to create the alien tissue. Tendrils snaked out and ran to different parts of his body. He worked on trying to keep calm as the pain rose and ebbed from the transition. The one in his brain expanded and ran inside his skull as it formed a plate inside his skull.