System Overclocked 3 -ch 1-

Chapter 1

Wrench sniffed and merely floated along, watching the School as it filtered down into the engine.

The Chief Engineer, uncreatively named Chief, had installed his “hume port” by hacking at his engines with tools just before this shift.

He apparently had gotten tired of waiting for his special ordered parts to arrive.

It was an ugly ragged hole that had to be plugged when it wasn’t being used, but it did it’s job just as Chief wanted.

Hume could move through the hume port in number, along with tools, parts, and anything else they needed.

The School Hume were taking up the maintenance routine today and Wrench was just here as the site supervisor.

He had removed from active repairs and given an instructor and oversight position. Despite being as young as he was, he was teaching others now.

Still surprising School took to this so easily.

I wonder if it’s because its a group activity in this case.

A maintenance run is done collectively afterall.

The School Hume were all chattering along amongst themselves even as they performed their tasks.

He watched as one School Hume pulled out some type of wire harness they’d just been checking and without a word, handed it off to another.

Who promptly carved out a section of wire and took the freed bit, passing the harness off again to a third.

Which stripped the wires, put in new wire, and bound them together. Another Hume that was lingering over their shoulder wrapped the wires in some type of plastic and heated it.

In less than thirty seconds, the harness was handed back to the original School Hume, who promptly packed it right back in and connected it.

They whipped up a tool that’d been floating along at their side and touched it to the harness.

“Wrench Head,” said the School Hume. “Harness three of the cooling bypass had a faulty wire. Efficiency is at the acceptable range.”

“Good work,” Wrench allowed and then pulled over his tablet. He quickly recorded the work change and put in a request to test the bypass as well.

There was no doubt in his mind that Chief would want to test the bypass and log the results. The Tongsta lived to post better results than anywhere else in the fleet.

“Ooh, ooh, look! These are bad!” called a School Hume further in. They had spread out and were all over the internals of the engine now. “Haha, Chief is gonna be happy. This is why he said the thingamabob had the fault, right?”

“Probably! Fix, fix, fix!” cheered a second.

Wrench could only grin.

School Hume weren’t quite bright enough to truly understand what they were doing and wouldn’t make great emergency repair techs.

But to run routine maintenance, compare it to an expected result, and then correct those, they were ideal. Everything would end up becoming very standardized in no time at all.

“I love School Hume,” he said to himself, realizing not for the first time that even he had misjudged his fellow Hume.

“Wrench Head,” said a School Hume coming up to him. “We replaced several capacitors, two resistors, and replaced some solder mask on a board. The lead was burnt out and we didn’t want to put in a jumper. Too delicate. This was in the maximum burn controller.”

“Understood. Good response,” Wrench confirmed and noted the location of the repairs and what was done. It was indeed what he would have ordered if he were there.

Now we—

“Wrench, I’ve got a report that the Captain has requested your presence,” called Talker from outside the engine. The Tongsta was current managing all his teams in the engine room.

Nodding his head, Wrench sighed, then looked to the School. They were all looking at him.

“Someone else will be right in, they’ll take over for me,” he said with care. School Hume were still School Hume. “Please try to accept them even if they’re not part of our School. Because we’re all School now, okay?”

There were several nodded heads, before most of them all went back to their work. Then the rest did as well.

Exiting the guts of the engine Wrench found Scrunch heading his way.

An Admini that had a face not even a mother could love, pale brown eyes that couldn’t seem to agree on where to look, though his hair was looking quite better as of late.

It was trimmed, pulled back from his unfortunate face, and even his stubble had been shaved away. Surprisingly, it was a brown color that almost turned blonde in several spots.

“Hey Scrunch, taking over for me?” Wrench asked and handed over his tablet to the man.

“Yes, I am. Ah… yes,” Scrunch said with a chuckle. The man had been also removed from front line work. He was working as a secondary to Wrench now and had become his personal assistant really.

“How’s things going with Vnkah?” Wrench asked, wanting to take just a moment to make sure Scrunch was alright.

The Grae that’d been after Scrunch had finally acted on him, cornered him, and then promptly moved into his pen with him. From what Wrench had heard from others, Scrunch was being so absolutely love-bombed that the Admini was acting like a different person.

“Oh! Uhm, really well. We-we… we’re going really good,” Scrunch said, his eyes not meeting Wrench’s for a second before finally doing so. He then grinned at Wrench. “Really good. I’m… happy. Really happy. We’re going to have kids.”

“Uh?” asked Wrench, deeply confused now.

While Grae and Hume could have sexual relations, they simply couldn’t interbreed.

“Peaches has a few newborns that need parents. We’re going to take one,” Scrunch answered the unspoken question. “Vnkah is-is also going to be inseminated. Peaches will do the procedure today. I’m going to be a father to a Grae and a Hume.”

Blinking several times, Wrench felt like this was a bad idea.

That Scrunch was rushing things.

Then he just smiled and nodded his head.

Scrunch was an adult and his own man. If this was what he wanted to rush into, all he could do was offer support before and after.

Though, it’ll be very interesting to see what happens to a Grae raised in a mixed home. That’ll be… curious.

Will they be Grae-like? Hume-like?

Will the Hume child take on more Grae qualities?

“Congratulations,” Wrench said, smiling.

“Thanks!” Scrunch replied, took the tablet, and then waved. He moved into the engine without another word.

Talker, the Tongsta partner for Wrench’s group, wasn’t far off. He was currently talking with several Hume and likely taking down notes.

“I’m on my way, Talker!” Wrench called and then started moving toward the exit of the engine room.

Chief was hovering over a display off to the side, the rather large blob-like Tongsta was tapping at a display.

“Chief, they’re doing good in there. Already found two fixes to make,” Wrench relayed as he floated by.

“I know! I’m watching to see which systems go offline,” Chief answered in an eager tone. Wrench got the impression the Tongsta almost hadn’t heard him given how engrossed he was in his work. “I can’t wait to show those boxed gold-plops how glorious we are. I can already see it.”

Wrench only grinned and moved to the hatch exit, then upwards to the vents.

I mean, it does seem to be the case every time this comes up.

They love this particular system, but hate the work to repair or maintain it. Too hard for them as Tongsta.

Easy for us as Hume though.

Wrench reached the vents and found himself face to face with a large Grae female. She was carrying a short sword casually.

Behind her was another Grae inside the closed vent, one that was armed with a firearm, in fact.

The Grae had taken vent security deeply serious and as more and more of them showed up, it had only become more apparently.

“Reporting for transit,” Wrench relayed to the Grae. He didn’t know them personally but that wasn’t a surprise anymore. In the month since they’d saved the station, things had changed of course. “Destination is… actually I’m not sure. The captain requested my presence.”

Remaining perfectly still Wrench was subjected to a scanner activated by the Grae inside the vent.

The Grae in front of him was a rather pretty specimen of her kind. Long white hair pulled back in a ponytail, delicate features, and surprisingly, she was wearing Hume makeup.

As was polite for Grae customs, he looked to her breasts.

Then couldn’t look away.

They were massive.

Both pairs.

Massive to the point that he hadn’t seen their like. Her body shape was perfect as well. Given her physical height it just made her impressive all the way around.

She easily compared with Stripe and likely out did her.

“Cleared, Wrench, Fixer. Requested to report to the Captain’s study,” relayed the Grae inside the vent a second before the vent opened.

“Uh,” Wrench mumbled and then looked at the Grae’s face. “You’re amazing. Both pairs of your breasts look just… perfect.

“I know you’re working, and I’m sorry for this, but do you know that you’re gorgeous? I feel like I should stop, stare, and long for you. Right now.”

Feeling stupid, awkward, and suddenly foolish, Wrench realized he was being an idiot.

The Grae made a honking noise that was their version of laughter. Her cheeks took on a deep redness that indicated she was more than pleased.

That in fact she was suddenly deeply sexually interested in Wrench.

“Nunnkish and Tickaht both warned me about you,” purred the Grae. “That you would pay me almost too much attention and they feared they would lose you to me.

“I’m so pleased to know they were right. I’m Zntik. I’m visiting Tickaht and Nunnkish tonight for a game and some drinks. You will drop by, won’t you? You will. You will and you’ll come look at me and long for me in front of them.”

The Grae gave him a wide smile, her eyes crinkling, and then reached out and patted his arm. Her touch was warm and firm.

“Move along, you tasty looking thing. You may look and long for me later, Wrench. As you said, I’m working,” Zntak warned him when she realized he really was stopping to stare at her.

Her words sounded deeply appreciative, though.

Wrench was still surprised that the Grae had quickly picked up more than a few Hume habbits, just as Hume had picked up Grae customs.

The flat grimace they had had as a smile was gone.

Nodding his head, Wrench stupidly went into the vent and waited for it to close.

Steadying himself with a breath, Wrench then moved into the front travel vent. They were all one-directional and either went toward the front, or toward the back.

In no time at all he found he was at the exit he would need to take to speak to the captain in his private study.

Floating away from the travel vent he moved to the exit vent.

He once again took up a position next to the Grae on duty.

Letting her firearm hang at her side, she lifted up a handheld scanner and took a picture of Wrench.

Him being in the vent allowed for a slightly less strict version of security.

“Cleared, Wrench, Fixer. Requested to report to the Captain’s study,” stated the Grae, letting the scanner fall and meeting his eyes.

He glanced to her chest polite, made sure to not stare this time, then smiled at her.

“Thank you, officer,” he said. Once again, not knowing the Grae.

Actually. There’s a lot of Grae running around now.

Did Goodie find a breeding facility?

“Of course, of course,” said the Gare with a wave of her taloned hand. She then tapped a button and the vent began to open all while grinning.

The Grae seemed to like showing off their teeth in a smile.

I wonder if it’s because to them, it’s aggression? Showing their teeth?

To us it’s just… smiling.

“You’ve got a great smile,” he offered politely. It was a much more acceptable compliment compared to what he’d said to Zntak.

“Why thank you! My Hume has complimented me on it repeatedly. I’ve been working on it,” the Grae said warmly. “I swear he just lights up when I smile at him.”

“I mean, I would, too? When my Grae smile it’s always a good thing,” Wrench offered. “I try to compliment them and look at them when they do.”

The Grae clicked her tongue, waved a hand at him again, then honked softly.

“I’m sure they love it. They probably smile just for you to compliment them now. I know I do,” she said with a honk.

I mean… yeah, they do, actually.

Especially Nunnkish.

“You Hume have no idea how much you’re spoiling us with your warm compliments. It’s like an addiction for me personally. I want my Bluey to compliment me all the time.

“Your Hume females are going to regret this in the future. All their men will vanish as we hunt them down and take them,” the Grae warned as the vent clacked into place. “Have a good day, Wrench.”

Good point.

Then again, I guess it isn’t an issue if Scrunch is an example of what’s to come.

A shared home.

I wonder if male Grae raised in a Hume home would be less… evil.

“Have a good day,” Wrench said and then moved off.

He entered the hall, looked around, then moved over to the door that would lead to the bridge. It was also the junction point for the captain’s study.

The door was shut so he moved up to the identification plate.

It was a simple thing the Tongsta engineers had put into every door.

The device would scan a Hume or a Grae to determine if they had access or not, then open it, or decline. If it was a door like the Captain’s Study, it would chime on the inside.

This was the exact same procedure for Tongsta, it just reacted for them faster since they didn’t need the identification plate.

Immediately the door slid open.

“Crewman Wrench! Come on in if you don’t mind,” called Captain Boyfriend from the inside.

Wrench did as asked and went straight inside.

It was a large area that fit Captain Boyfriend quite easily.

For a Tongsta he was quite large and took up a good deal of space.

He was hovering next to a purely Tongsta terminal and looked to be interacting with it.

“Please, be at ease. I’m just finishing this communication and then we can have a chat,” advised Captain Boyfriend. “There’s a Hume refreshment corner near the door, Crewman Wrench.”

Really?

Turning, Wrench looked and did indeed find something similar to what was laid out in the room for the Tongsta, now for Hume.

“Thanks, Dad,” Wrench said and zipped off for the corner.

No small number of the Hume and Grae referred to Captain Boyfriend as Dad.

The Tongsta had single handedly turned his ship into a Hab, invented hundreds of things for Hume use only, and had treated the Hume and Grae as crewman in public.

In private, the big rumbling Tongsta had become quite warm and often just listened quietly and offer advice if asked.

Captain Boyfriend let out a rumbling chuckle at Wrench’s comment but didn’t reply.

Nice!

Coffee.

Wrench eagerly made himself a cup of coffee from the dispenser as well as an oatbar. Then plopped himself down in one of the seats that were available.

Putting one ankle over the other, he just sat there and enjoyed having nothing to do.

Right around the time he finished his coffee, then Captain Boyfriend disengaged himself from the terminal.

“I’m so sorry, Wrench,” apologized the large Tongsta. He floated away from it and settled himself down in a very large circular shaped chair-like thing.

It was massive compared to Goodie’s.

“It’s fine, Dad. Someone’s gotta put food on the table, after all,” Wrench allowed. He pocketed the backhalf of the oatbar and tossed his cup into the trash. Then moved over to Captain Boyfriend.

“Ha… that’s not wrong,” admitted Captain Boyfriend as he settled into his seat.

On a whim, Wrench just settled down right on top of the massive Tongsta. He felt slightly sticky, just as Goodie often did, though he was warmer.

Shifting around, he got comfortable against him, then let out a breath.

“So what’s up, Dad?” he asked.

Captain Boyfriend had been slow to warm up to physical interactions with Hume. Though he had come around to it in the end.

A thin tentacle came out from him and then lightly patted Wrench on the head a few times, before receding back into himself.

That was about as much contact as you’d get from him, but even that was significant. The Tongsta just wasn’t that physical, which was a dirrect opposite to Goodie.

“Wanted to talk to you about the results of our tests. We’ve gotten the final statement back,” Captain Boyfriend said. He sounded tired but well enough. “It went well. Really well. No one can argue that we vastly outperformed compared to expectations.

“Then there’s what happened on the station. That went… better than anyone thought it could.”

“Oh? That’s good. What do we need to do next?” Wrench asked, his mind ticking over everything that’d happened.

“I’m not sure. I need to talk to Goodie and see what she thinks about it,” Captain Boyfriend murmured. “The results looked good. Great. No one has a complaint.

“I’ve got a number of captains all wanting to come aboard and view what we’ve done. See how it works. Which is good.

“I’ve also heard that some people have asked in the background why bother to pay Hume at all.

“Which is very much what we don’t want and I’ve been going after even the barest hint of that. I’ve stated in every communication I’ve ever sent, that Hume and Grae are crewmates. Friends. Family, in some ways.

“That they receive pay, benefits, and the rights of my Tongsta born crewman. The same as anyone else. Your recording has helped that to a degree. It’s helped spread awareness of Hume far and wide. Attached to that is… ah… well, the fact that you have relations with Grae indicates Grae understand as well.”

“Yeah, that makes sense,” Wrench admitted with a laugh. “Thanks Dad. We appreciate you looking out for us.”

“Well…  yes… I… wouldn’t be a very good father figure if I wasn’t looking out for you all,” rumbled the big Tongsta. “Suffice it to say, things are looking good. We have a lot of work to do, especially with that rebel insurgency making moves, but things are looking good.”

“Great. I’m glad to hear it. Other than talking to mom, what’s next for us?” Wrench asked. “How can I help?”

“Well… that’s probably where you won’t be as happy,” began Captain Boyfriend. “I think it’s pretty likely that you may end up being removed from the ship.

“We can’t… risk you, Wrench. You are literally the first Hume to ever be understood by a Tongsta. Absolutely understood and clearly. Not like what we’re doing right now, but in a way that… I can’t describe it, actually. Just know that you are singular. Unique. Special.

“To the point that if you died on my ship, I think the entire movement would be set back. Set back and possibly never recover.”

Ah… yes.

I can see what he means.

Damnit.

It feels like it was just starting to be… home.

But if I’m leaving the ship, where am I going?

Where will Goodie be?