Post-Mission Eleven: Big Sister, Bigger Brother

Chlorate

Active Member
Fort Miller
Evening...


Mark stirred awake, it had been a few hours since his surgery. Looking down the branch was now gone and his abdomen bandaged. He was on a patient's bed in the medbay. Everything before he went under was a blurred, the drugs still wearing off.

"Man, what hit me?", Mark said feeling like he'd been run over.

Chlorate looked up, hearing Mark wake up. "A branch," she said, "More accurately, you hit the branch."

Mark jumped a little, having not realized his daughter was there, "jeebus! Chlo, you startled me. How long was I out?"

"It has been 3 hours 42 minutes and 18 seconds since your surgery started," she reported robotically.

"Have you been by my bed the whole time after the surgery?", Mark asked as he slowly tried to sit up, but layed back down when the soreness was too much. Things were starting to be clear again, but so was how sore he was. He remembered the whisper before passing out, but he pushed that from his mind.

"Yes," Chlorate answered, "I can most likely ask if there was a recording of the surgery if you'd like." Apparently, the gynoid expected him to want to watch himself being operated on.

"I'm good, and thank you, you're a good girl chlo. I'm glad whatever happened to me, didn't happen to you.", Mark said leaning over the side of the bed gently to place a hand of her shoulder.

Mark's hand was, unfortunately, not greeted with the feeling of soft, warm skin or at least clothing but a hard plastic plate that was her shoulder. "If it did happen to me, it wouldn't do critical damage. I would only require a repair."

"I guess that's the great part of having you for a daughter, you can handle more than I can. But even that can't stop a father from worrying about the daughter he loves.", Mark said patting her on the cheek lightly before pulling of his covers. His lower torso was wrapped in bandages and at some point, someone had slipped on him a pair of his jeans, "Has anyone been by to visit perhaps?"

"I do not know," said Chlorate, "Other than the medical personnel."

"Well it's probably about time I got out of this bed and into my own. I'm sure the medical personnel are tired of watching after me.", Mark joked as he slowly tried getting up again, but still had some difficulty, "Hey chlo, can you help me up?"

"Yes father," Chlorate said. She clanked over with her metal feet, reached out with both her arms, but then placed them under Mark and picked him up, into the air. She helped him reach a higher altitude, at least.

Mark blinked a couple times in surprise, "chlo,....I'm meant I just needed help standing up. Can you set me down, then help me stand?" He said calmly hoping she wouldn't just drop him.

Chlorate thought for a moment, then set Mark down... on the floor. She proceeded to pick him up again, except she rotated him so he was upright, then set him down on his feet.

Mark patted her on the head, "don't worry chlo, we'll get there. Alright, now time to head to the bunk." He said before walking towards the medbays exit, his feet clapping against the floor since no one had brought him shoes. With one arm across his bandaged midsection, the soreness wasn't too bad, he could walk.

Chlorate began following Mark, and as soon as she did so the loud clanking sound of her stepping drowned out the noise of Mark's feet clapping on the floor

Mark walked through the pneumatic door and ran smack dab into a large pair of white wings he had failed to notice, and were too close to the door to avoid, "what the?!" He exclaimed as he backed up a step.

Kikios yelped, putting a hand on her back and spinning around to see who just crashed into her cockatoo wings. "Ah, uh, hello?" the tall crested birb spoke.

"You have collided with a person, father," Chlorate informed Mark.

"I wasn't expecting to run into somebody just outside the door, I am terribly sorry. I hope I haven't hurt your wings.", Mark scrambled to apologize as he quickly threw off his surprise at the initial collision.

"Oh it's fine, they're not hurt," Kiki said, giving her wings a couple good shakes. "Hey wait a second, aren't you that robot's father?"

"Uh, yes. Plus she's right her.", Mark said stepping aside to point out the Android girl behind him, "I'm sorry I don't think I caught your name, I'm Mark Oaklen." He added

"Ah, hello there!" Kiki called out. "Well as for me, my name's Kikios Leka. Nice to meet you, Mark."

"What brings you down here Kiki, you seem to dressed as an engineer. I hope we aren't the way of work, or anything?" Mark said slightly worried they had interrupted something.

"Nothing in particular, you're correct that I'm an engineer but I wasn't working on anything right now."

"Well it's nice to meet you regardless, I don't suppose you're free? I haven't seen you before and I always make it a point to get to know my crewmates.", Mark said relieved they hadn't interrupted anything.

"I am indeed, I'm actually new here," Cockatooios responded.

"Well then would you perhaps want to get something to drink with us and talk? Uh well, after I put a shirt and shoes on." Mark said almost forgetting his half dressed state, his scarred torso bare save for the bandages.

"Certainly, I- Oh my...What happened there?" asked the curious cockatoo, eyeing his bandages. "That looks... pretty serious..."

"Why do you require a shirt, father?" Chlorate asked, confused.

"Well, I had a run in with the unexplained and got stabbed on a branch. Even in full Mindy. As for your questions my dear girl, is because organics like to keep their bodies clothed because it's considered decent to do so. But in either case, not anything that can't be fixed. Not my first injury, and doubtfully my last. Any particular place you wanna grab a drink." Mark answered touched by her concern.

"Oh no, how'd that happen? I thought Mindys had too much armor for a branch to get through," asked the tall crested lady. "Well I err... I actually don't... know what places there are to get a drink around here?"

"Define decent..." Chlorate responded to Mark.

"As far as I can tell it was like teleportation, but not that of a Mindy's transportation module. One second I flew out of the hangar, next I was stabbed on a tree and falling. Hmm, guess we can get drinks from the mess. And Chlorate decent is what is considered appropriate, like wearing clothes to keep one's body covered and not left bare." Mark replied to both in turn as he explained the answer to both questions. At this rate he might as well become a teacher.

"Why is this considered appropriate- and from what mess are we obtaining beverages? And why are we obtaining beverages from a mess?" Guess trying to use nicknames confused the poor robot.

"Hehe, that's adorable..." Kiki giggled, looking at Chlorate. "So if it was teleportation, what caused it?" she asked, already studying the problem, as if trying to devise a solution.

Mark rubs his face a moment, boy being a parent is hard. He places a hand gently to his daughter's forehead to transfer his understanding as he had done before as he spoke to Kiki.

"Well there wasn't even any sign I had teleported. One second as I said I'm in the hangar, next it was as if I had been ripped into the tree. I certainly think I would remember flying three klicks south into the forest. That forest isn't a friendly place, freaken creepy whispers floating around out there.", Mark explained further has he absently did the transfer.

As Mark transfered his explanation, the clanky robot commented "Oh... oh my... Oh I... see.... Father, do I require clothes?" She asked this worriedly, realizing she'd been missing them for so long.

Kiki listened and thought, stumped. "So you didn't even realize you had teleported? Was there anything that could've caused you to teleport? I would presume you have some kind of teleportation technology on your suit which could've glitched- Wait, do you have a suit?" The talkative 'too then turned her head and stared at Mark's organic hand residing on his daughter's mock-organic forehead. "Err... What are you doing?" she asked, staring blankly.

"Oh I'm transferring my understanding of organic concepts as data to Chlorate using my Geist implant. Yes I have a Mindy, but that module was offline. And yes chlo it would be good if you did wear clothes as it would reduce wear and 'exposure' of your plates.", Mark replied removing his hand to pat Chlorate's head lovingly.

"Oh no!" exclaimed Chlorate, who looked around fearfully, worried that it was a serious offense for her to not be wearing any clothes at the moment. "Father, where do I obtain clothing?!" she asked, partially panicked.

"That's pretty interesting," Kiki remarked, "I don't think I've ever seen an implant that can do that, let alone heard of a Geist. So tell me, what exactly does it do? How does it work?"

Mark patted Chlorate on the head, "Don't worry we'll find you something when we get the chance Chlorate. As for your question miss Leika, it's got a number of functions. To summarize it gives most if not all of the advantages of having a digital mind and SPINE, but without needing to change species, and all in a small implant. It's fused into my central nervous system at the base of my neck, right into my spinal cord. Nanoes have reconstructed the nerves and neural pathways from my central nervous system and eyes to the device. My eyes are still organic and not cybernetic, but have optical capabilities, lowlight vision, a HUD, and i can feed my sight to others. As an added bonus, I can actually possess vehicles, mechanized units, ships, even small craft, and some other things of sufficient tech level. In short, in a world where technology is everywhere, it allows me to be connect more such a world."

"That sounds pretty nifty," said the tol birb, "Where did you get it? How common is it?"

"Well, according to my records stored on it,...only six. That includes my prototype. Mine is the first, and it was created by a group I made called Section 6 on 188604 in the western sector of Kikyo. I wish I could say more, but given my amnesiac state since first joining the crew, im still piecing things back together.", Mark said tilting his head slightly and giving a slight sad smile.

"Ah... you have amnesia?" Kiki asked.

"Yes, I don't remember anything about my original name, past, other what few clues Kazumi helped dig up when she was aboard. I only hope Mark finds the answers he's looking for. When the offer was extended to send a ST copy home, Mark accepted, but he went himself and sent I the copy with the crew. I'm hoping whenever we see each other again, he can fill in the blanks." Mark said giving a weak smile.

"Oh... That must feel pretty bad..." Kiki said. She looked at her shoulder and rubbed her arm.

"It hasn't so bad. Without the event that caused it, I wouldn't have met the crew. You guys have become like family to me.", Mark said giving a reassuring smile before patting her on the shoulder.

The cockatoo sighed, then looked at him. "I don't have much of a family," she said. "My parents disappeared and they never came back... And I never had any siblings..."

"As far as I know, im in the same boat I think. I guess birds of a feather flock together eh?", Mark joked.

Kiki snickered, looking at her feathered wings. "I guess so," she said.

"Hey, Kiki? This might be a stupid question, but you and I don't have any family, chlorate being the exception here in my case. But, how would you feel about us becoming family? You know, like brother and sister.", Mark asked, not sure how the question would be taken. It was asked innocently enough, but he was still nervous about what her reaction to it might be.

"H... Huh? As in.... brother?" Kiki thought for a few seconds, then said "Sure! Bro..."

"Well Chlorate, how about you say hello to your aunt Kiki, hmm?", Mark said patting her on the head again.

"But father, I don't see an ant here," Chlorate said.

"No honey, aunt. Kiki is my sister now which makes her your aunt."

"How has this action transformed her into an ant?" she asked.

Mark gave a sigh before touching Chlorate's forehead once more, "I swear it's easier most of the time just to transferr the knowledge to her. I feel like a bad parent at this rate."

"Oh..." said Chlorate, understanding. "Have I done something wrong, father?"

"It's not your fault," said Kiki. "Is she a recently created AI?"

"No Chlorate, it's not your fault. I guess i just haven't learned to connect with you in the right way yet. To talk to you, and give you the knowledge you need, without just uploading it over neural link. And to be honest sis, I have no idea. The first time I met her was the convention on Kyote. I guess i just never thought to ask her where she originated at the time.", Mark said thoughtfuly.

"But you are father," Chlorate said. "And I originated on Keren in YE 39."

"Well... That might explain it..." said Kiki.

"Where is Keren? It's not a system i'm familiar with.", Mark asked trying to recall hopelessly any details, "Gah! Amnesia sucks, any useful info I might have known, I don't."

"It's my home planet, there's tons of Elysians living there," answered Kikios.

"Well, what do you know, you and your aunt are from the same place. who would have guess chlo.", Mark said with a smile.

"That is fascinating, the odds of this occuring seem to be relatively low," commented the clanker.

"We should discuss it more, I definetly want to get to know my sister better, and...uh heh, this corridor is drafty with no shirt on. So, mind if we stop by my quarters so I can grab a shirt and some shoes, then get that drink?", Mark asked giving a slight shiver as his partially exposed torso felt the cool air.

"Of course, I think I actually forgot you were shirtless for a minute there," said Kikios, scratching her head.

The three walked away through the corridor with Chlorate's clanking drowning out the noise of Kiki and Mark's footsteps. As they proceeded to Mark's quarters, the cockatoo's arm eased its way around Mark's back to his side and held him.
 
Back
Top Bottom