System Overclocked 3 -ch 2-

Chapter 2

Deeply unsure of what was going on, Wrench floated down the hall.

By the time he and Captain Boyfriend had truly finished talking, Wrench’s shift was over. There was no work for him to go do.

On top of that, he knew for a fact that everyone he’d want to spend time with, would be working at the moment. This was one of the days where his time off period didn’t overlap with anyone else’s.

Coming to a halt in the middle of an intersection, Wrench hung there.

Unsure of what to do.

Then he let out a short breath and went straight up to the nearest vent.

He knew exactly what to do and felt stupid for not thinking of it sooner.

Once again there was a Grae he didn’t know.

“Hello, Wrench, Fixer. I’m going to go see Mom,” Wrench explained as he came to a stop. “It isn’t scheduled. I can go to a nearby junction and go through normal protocols from there.”

The Grae looked at him and waited quietly.

“Oh… I’m so sorry,” Wrench mumbled, then stood up straight. He met the Grae’s eyes, looked her over, then looked to her chest.

She was a good looking Grae.

Looking back up to her face, he found the corner’s of her mouth had stretched out just a bit.

While Grae were all practicing smiling, their involuntary movements were still there own. Her mouth had started to widen out into a grimace at his look.

“You’re a lovely Grae,” Wrench stated. “Has a Hume run you down yet? Because I’d be shocked if I wasn’t right.”

The grimace stretched out immediately and then became a Hume smile.

“I have not. Yet. I do have one longing for me though. I’m… considering it,” admitted the Grae. “It’s a strange and very new thing for me but I’m willing to consider it.”

“Cleared, Wrench, Fixer. Permissions are granted for all travel,” stated the Grae inside the vent.

“Have a good day,” murmured the Grae he’d just complimented that was still smiling at him.

Entering the opened vent Wrench shot down it straight toward the exit for Goodie’s work-space.

Which would be extremely guarded.

Heavily guarded.

There were few spots in the ship as heavily guarded as Goodie’s work-space.

Things like the armory, the bridge, the engines, and Goodie.

As he exited the travel tube and into the bay that she could be reached from, he noted the red walls, the number of Grae and Hume with weapons, and even wearing what looked a lot like armor.

“Wrench, Fixer,” Wrench stated, slowly approaching the security detail. “I wanted to talk to Mom. Is she in?”

“Yes. She’s in. You’re cleared to enter, Wrench,” called someone from the detail.

Wrench nodded his head and moved through the security checkpoint.

Exiting out to a vent that was manned by two Grae.

The vent was opened before he was even near and he was allowed to pass. The security here at the vent was rather minimal considering what it would take to get here.

Moving right past them, Wrench saw that Goodie was alone in her work-space. Quietly making plots and routes as she hung in her harness.

“Oh?” Goodie murmured aloud, the scar that ran along her turning toward Wrench. Something he had caused when trying to help her medically and not knowing how to do it. “My Wrenchie! Oooh, sweetie, did you come to see mommy?”

“Yeah. I did. I wanted to talk if you don’t mind,” Wrench admitted as he moved over to her. He sat down on the edge of the “work hab” he had spent time in with just to be near her at work. “I could really use your advice mom, but it isn’t anything that needs you immediately. It’s not an emergency. It can wait a bit.”

“Alright. Well. Your mommy will gladly hear anything you have to say, sweetie. My Wrenchie,” cooed Goodie. Despite her knowing that all Hume and Grae were sentient, she still treated them all as if they were her babies. “Now, I would never lie to you dear, and I would never seek to mislead you, but if this is what Captain… Captain Boyfriend said, then your mommy is well aware.

“In fact, he talked to me about it at length.

“Is this about the fact that we can’t really afford to lose you, dear?”

Holding his breath for a moment, Wrench then let it out with a laugh.

This wasn’t surprising at all.

“You and Dad are really taking that parental role seriously. You were in lock-step long before you ever brought it up to me, weren’t you?” Wrench assumed.

“Yes, dear. My Wrenchie,” Goodie agreed. A tentacle casually stretching out two different plots. “I agree with Captain Boyfriend. He’s not wrong with his worries. It’d harm our movement to make Hume truly recognized as a clan if you died.”

Looking down to the ground, Wrench really didn’t know how to respond to that. How to work through the whole situation to get to an answer he could unpack for himself.

“Alright,” Wrench said finally. “Where does that leave me? Am I going to be shipped off to your ship and join a new hab by myself or… what? I don’t even know what to think.

“If you and everyone are here, where does that leave me? I really don’t want to leave everyone.”

Goodie let out a noise that could only be translated as a sigh.

“Yes. I was not very happy about you going elsewhere either,” admitted Goodie. “You’ve been with me such a short period of time but it feels as if all the goodness in my life is owed to you being there.

“Yet… if I’m going to do what’s best for all Hume, all Grae, I must send you away. I can’t even go with you.

“I can’t go with you but… I think I have a different solution. One that isn’t great but… will advance our cause, provide you with security, and even give you something to do.”

“Oh? What’s that, mom?” Wrench asked, lifting his head up and looking to Goodie.

She had let her tentacles fall and was now clearly turned toward him.

“Their is a large science clan. They want to do some experiments on you, your implant, and other individuals,” Goodie started. Her words coming with some caution but with determination. “We’d be able to send you with your original Hab along with more or less your full Hab’s companions. If they’re willing to go with you, that is.

“The testing would be just to determine how you were able to speak as you did. To see if you can do it again, if so, what does it take.

“They also want to try out some new tools they came up with to try and understand Hume and how their organs work. We know some of it but… not really. Just enough to make sure you don’t die easily, but that’s about it.

“It’s embarrassing to admit, but we know less about Hume than we thought we did.”

“That doesn’t sound too awful,” Wrench began. “But what if they hurt me or… do something stupid? If you’re not there to help me… I’m somewhat at their mercy.”

“That’s the part of this that works out a bit better than other things,” said Good. A tentacle came out and gently wrapped around Wrench’s shoulders.

Before Goodie could continue, Wrench moved forward and simply laid himself out on Goodie’s surface.

“Mm, my Wrenchie,” murmured Goodie. “It works out better, because this science clan always has a number of ships acting as security vessels. Captain Boyfriend and I negotiated that our vessel would be part of that detail if you were to accept this testing.

“That way he and I are there if you need us. I’d likely be able to see you every six or seven Hume days. Which while it isn’t great, it’s not horrible either.”

Nodding his head, Wrench realized this really was the likely best option for everyone involved. Captain Boyfriend could get steady and relatively safe work, he’d have them there if he needed them, and they could progress the cause.

“It wouldn’t cost Dad anything to do this?” he asked.

“Mmm, well he’ll just be delighted to hear you wanted to make sure of his safety,” Goodie teased good naturedly. “Yes D… Dad will be fine. Mommy promises. If anything it’s technically a step up for him. It would also forcibly increase his rank.

“It just won’t allow him to get any prestige or honor of being out on military patrol.”

“Then let’s do that. I’ll just need to figure out who’s willing to go with me,” Wrench murmured.

“Honestly? I’m willing to bet each and every one of your original Hab-mates will go with you,” Goodie prophesized. “I think you’ll even have a number of new people who want to be there.”

“Speaking of new people, I saw more than a few Grae I’ve never met before. Did you find an illegal breeder again? This time for Grae?” Wrench asked.

“Oh! Yes, I did,” Goodie said with a chortle. “I found… thousands upon thousands of Grae. I’m setting up for them to have a new planet as well. Smaller than the Hume one, but given their numbers are so much less, it’ll be fine. It’ll orbit the Hume planet, in fact.

“I had a number of the Grae who understood the whole situation infiltrate the breeding grounds as soon as I took them over. They almost immediately were able to convert a large percentage of the population.”

“That’s great! I’m glad to hear that. They’ll have a chance to live normal lives. Good show, Goodie. Patron mother of the Hume and the Grae,” Wrench congratulated her.

“Mm! Yes. It’s quite an accomplishment. I’m quite pleased for it,” Goodie remarked, then let out an ugly chuckle. “I then jumped the entire clan ship into a massive gas giant. I made sure there weren’t any Hume or Grae on board, of course.

“Only after we made them give us any information they could on other breeders.

“My agents are even now looking for them.

“Oh, oh, speaking of agents, Wrenchie, guess what?”

“What, my oh so amazing mother? Clearly you are as amazing as could ever be and will always go well above and beyond anything I could ever guess at. Did you become the grand leader of the whole clan?” Wrench asked with a laugh.

He did feel as if Goodie could accomplish anything she wanted.

“Well… uh… no, not that. But-but I did figure out a way to find others like me. I can locate and recruit more nav-cerers,” Goodie said with more than a little excitement. “I can find them, bring them in, hire them, and train them.

“I’ve already found twenty or so of them. At this point, I have enough nav-cerer’s to start a clan on that alone.”

“Of course you did, mom. Because you’re the main character of the story,” Wrench said while laughing. “I’m sure because you found them, rather than someone else, they’re all deeply loyal to you.”

“Ah… yes? I mean, that they’re loyal to me. Not that I’m the main character. I’m not the main character,” Goodie argued. “Am I?”

“You are to me, mom,” Wrench said and got comfortable against Goodie. “Now, what next? Because my shift is over, and if I don’t miss my guess, I won’t have another one.”

“You won’t, no. I’ve already gotten everything ready for you if you said yes. Your Hab is already reset and ready. It’ll be like you never left,” admitted Goodie. “That’s fine. It’s a really nice Hab.

“Speaking about Habs… whatever happened to the games? Has that become a hot button politically now that everything’s happened?”

“Paused indefinitely. I also… well… I may have raided them and taken every Hume or Grae I found,” conceded Goodie. “They couldn’t move forward even if they wanted to.

“They had an Hab filled with Hume just like Lovely. It was mildly upsetting. I’ve got them all segregated off with all those poor Hume you were made to breed with.

“They’re all nice, but I feel that they’d be misused if put into a general Hume population.

“Unfortunately, many of my poor Hume still mentally suffer from what’s been done to them. I think it’ll take time for them to become less… aggressive to one another.”

“What you really mean, is a generation or two for the Brawler’s to no longer be bred,” Wrench translated. “It’s unfortunate but they really are rough on everyone.”

“I-yes. I do love my rough and tumble Brawlers, but they’re just too much on any Hab they’re in,” lamented Goodie. “They’re victims of what was done to them, but they make victims of everyone else. I’ve got all of them in stasis for now.

“I just-I just hope at some point you can help me sort through them to figure out who we can let live a normal life and those we need to put in different circumstances.”

That… sucks.

On many levels.

But it’s better than killing them.

Maybe we can figure out a way to curb their aggression.

“For now, I think I’ll just keep all those awfully pretty Hume with you in your Hab when I can. It’ll give them a chance to learn from people who care about their safety,” Good said. “Now, my dear Wrenchie, let’s talk about you. It’s been a bit since we talked and I really want to know how things are going!”

***

Letting out a slow breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, Wrench found himself standing inside of the Hab he regarded as home.

Even after he’d settled in on Captain Boyfriend’s ship, after running endless shift’s and truly becoming part of the crew, this still was home in the back of his head.

“It’s exactly as we left it,” murmured a voice from behind him.

Turning around, Wrench saw Stripe, Seventh, and Squeak.

Stripe was the closest to him.

She was five-foot one on a good day.

Large dark-blue eyes stared at him under her finely manicured and clean-looking brown eyebrows.

InHume ears that were perched on the top of her head were swiveled in his direction as well.

Large, rounded ears, with a white furry edge around the rims of them.

That coloring ran down around the base of her ears, became hair, and then trailed down behind her. On each side of those white stripes were dark brown stripes. The rest of her hair was a light-brown color, the same as her eyebrows.

Seventh was once again wearing a blue colored dress.

This was form-fitting as many of the ones she wore were, which given her features as a highly fit and toned Brawler was great.

She was six-foot tall and every inch of her was strong and sure.

Her short dark-black hair, which was four inches at best, was pulled back.

It was, as ever, a mess of waves and partial curls. Somehow, she’d managed to tie it all together, and back, with a great deal of small ribbons.

Pale green eyes were locked to him, and a wide smile on her face.

Before anyone could say anything else, Squeak marched up to him and stared at him from only a foot away.

Her  oddly long round inHume ears were pitched toward him just as Stripe’s had been. Her tail was dangling down at her foot in a very casual way.

Her brown hair was gathered back behind her head and held there with several clips.

As he gazed into her face he found it somewhat hard to look away from those clear brown eyes that were so rich in color and warmth.

That and her enlarged eyes made the colored portions seem even larger.

“Well, as your personal Mender, it wasn’t as if I could remain on the ship without you,” declared Squeak. “I’m the only one who can tend to you and you’re the only one who can breed with me. It’s not like I can do either without you there.”

Stripe sighed loudly at that and with deliberateness.

Seventh on the other hand laughed.

“Hey Squeak, when you’re done breeding with him, or before, whenever, make sure he breeds with me. Now that we’re home it’s time to work on Eighth,” Seventh said and began walking away from the air-lock. She was moving straight up to the pens.

“Okay! I’ll do that, Seventh,” Squeak assured her even as she quickly sidestepped around Wrench and put herself behind him. She stuck her face into his side, wrapped her arms around him, and stared out at Stripe. “You can’t keep him to yourself, Stripe. We all need our own piece of him.”

Stripe stared back at Squeak without saying a word.

Until Squeak moved behind Wrench entirely, her face pressed into his spine.

Then Stripe let out a breath, blinked, looked to Wrench, and marched over to him.

“Well,” she murmured, stepping up to the front of him. She reached up and lightly fiddled with his collar. Then reached up and flicked at his hair twice, repositioning some of it. “I suppose I am… being a bit strange about it. I let them in close, encouraged you to open your bed to them, then I try to close it back up again.

“As if I could ever actually do that without causing more friction than not allowing them in to begin with would’ve done.”

Clicking her tongue, Stripe looked up into Wrench’s face. Then she gently pulled down on his collar and stood up on her tippytoes.

She pressed a kiss to his lips then settled back down.

Putting her hands to Wrench’s hips she deliberately put her hands atop Squeak’s. The move felt overly deliberate and somehow, threatening.

Wrench didn’t care for it, honestly.

“However… Squeak… didn’t we discuss this?” Stripe asked.

Squeak pushed her face more deeply into Wrench’s back. Her fingers digging into his sides.

I think I need to poke Stripe in the forehead.

I’m not entirely sure I want her trying to wrangle things in the background for me with other people in my life.

I’m perfectly capable of making my own choices.

“Squeak, go chat with Stripe and Seventh,” Wrench said after a pause. “I assure you that if you feel like something is wrong afterward, or something’s wrong, I’ll hear you out, and make it right.

“Regardless of what it is. I’ll make sure that however it involves me, it’ll be exactly how I want it to be.”

“You… promise?” Squeak asked.

“I promise. I’m doing so while staring into Stripe’s face, no less, so she knows I’m not kidding. Even if it upsets her, that’s just how it has to be,” declared Wrench, holding Stripe’s gaze. “Because while I trust Stripe for many things, I love her, and I’d do many things for her, I’m still going to live my own life, as I see fit. That most certainly includes my relationships and friendships with other individuals.

“That said, I admit that I do listen to her opinion in many things, but I still have my own thoughts and wishes beyond that. My own choices. Isn’t that right, Stripe?”

Stripe blinked slowly, then nodded her head. Whatever thoughts she had been having just now were gone.

He saw no threat in her and if anything, it reminded him of when he had scolded Tickaht after she got too aggressive with him.

“Great. You guys go ahead. I’m going to go on a quick little walk about,” Wrench said and forcibly stepped away. Getting Stripe and Squeak both to release him. “I’ll see you at meal time.”

Waving a hand at them, he set off quickly.

He wanted to get an idea of how things were.

Goodie said everything was great, but he still wanted to know it was great.

“Seeing is believing, trust but verify, inspect what you expect, all that whooda whata,” muttered Wrench as he headed off for the ducts.