#PennedPossibilities 18 MC POV: Tell us about a time you had to let go of something you loved or wanted.
Kira: "Dad & mum as they died, my dad as he died. I lost contact to my mum. Tanja as she went away. Anika as she went M.I.A. No I don't think she is dead.
It feels different more like with mum not with the others. I know it in my guts."
A.S.H.L.E.I.: "Commander the facts paint another picture & your guts aren't scientificly proven. I am sorry."
Kira likes all extrem and combat focused sports, atmosphere jumping with minimal oxygen support, free climbing, apnoe diving, krav maga, muay thai, boxing and carpoeira. But also way less dramatic things like hiking, cycling, surfing, jet packing, swimming and zero g floating. She tries to stay uptodate with every sport that other species in the alliance like.
ASH and Arkham like racing (as the ships pilot and AI)
Kira: "Well actually, I have more than one, some are emotional some are just awe inspiring.
One I rarely share is this one here."
She opens the floating screen of her Holotool and grabs the picture with her other hand. Showing it to the viewer. "It's the last picture from me and my biological parents..."
The hologram flickers between her thumb & index finger, portraying a small family of 3, a little child with deep red
Hair and two feminine looking persons.
"That one is dad and this is mom.
It was taken one day before the explosion on Friendship Station. It is a sad one for me but also reminds me to be thankful because even if I lost my parent's, I was rescued and without my dad and his wife I wouldn't be here today, even if there is a divide between mum & me. They took care of me without any questions as dad rescued me from the rubble."
For accessibility reasons from now on I put the hashtaga at the end of a toot. As I understand it, people that rely on screen readers have a hard time listening to hashtags prior to the actual toot.
1/2 21 MC POV: What has ended recently in your life or what new thing has just begun?
Kira: "My usual rank as XO, now the acting captain of this fine vessel, it's competent & skilled crew. My existince as a singular being. I don't regret the merging with Ash. But somedays her impressions & data flow into our link. In this moments I feel the ships sensors, the almost overwhelming amount of data Ash handles every second, her weapons feel like being part of my body ->
2/2 I feel the engines thrust as if it where my own legs, vibrating with force, I don't think I could handle the controls like Ash can. We have to be cautious because Human AI interfaces are usually not ment to transfer such kind of data and seemingly Ash can't stop this entirely but it could open up new ways for the usage of the neural interface network. Sending out smaller vessels as drones for reconnaissance or surveillance of allied space."
1/2 22 MC POV: What do you look forward to each week?
Kira: "DS missions & military ships rely on a daily duty, honestly even with the simulated day night cycle it's hart to keep track which day is, if you don't look into the calendar."
A.S.H."My chronometer works differently from biological minds time perception, the schedule of a week seems inefficient to me. Some crew mates like Flightofficer Paktii..., Arkham, have a returning ritual every day of the week like ->
2/2 22
<- like her favorite NIN show. I don't understand the urge to follow the storyline, maybe this has to do with my ability to assimilate recorded data in the fraction of time a biological mind needs, however I think of the moments in which Arkham enjoys her favorite show as... delightful. It reassures me that she enjoys her spare time, which as the ship & crews caregiver pleases my basic programming."
Kira: "For an AI you can be incredible cute."
Ash: "... Thank you ... Commander."
23 - What keeps your MC from getting a good night's sleep?
Well Kira has seen things that may hunt her but one of the best parts of the training in the Alliance military is psychological.
You get used to mantra that allows you to sleep quick and at least we'll enough to be functional, still she isn't a machine some stuff may still creep into her dreams like the disappearance of her cousin former captain, Anika Johannsen, if things may go sideways Ash could intervene.
24 — What personality traits does your MC admire in other people?
A.S.H.L.E.I. has interest in all kind of persons behaviors so her "admiration" is a general one for everything that makes human/tanith behavior the way it is she also favors things like being in time, doing work properly so someone else can pick up. Since her joining with the commander she has adopted some of her favorites.
Like being kind, reliable, mindful & she tries do deliver this traits too.
1/8 25 - Has your MC ever snooped in a friend or partner's house?
A.S.H.L.E.I. "Technically, I am guilty of "snooping arround." My internal sensors automatically scan everything that is brought on to the ship. It is a safety measure, every object gets deconed, so we don't deal with bacterial or fungal infections. This also makes me aware of the possession of everyone. Similar my system scans data for dangerous code fragments.
And I "red" the Commanders memory." #PennedPossibilities 25
Kira: "Well it was necessary at the time so I don't mind tbh. Despite this, you where very gentle, asked for consent as soon as possible and it saved my live so I'm not complaining."
Arkham: "Does that mean everything? Like even encrypted data? Wait didn't you tell me you can sometimes access Ash's data too?"
Kira: "I can sometimes, but I am honestly not interested in snooping for someone's secrets, so far it was more like sensor echoes."
3/8 ... Flight Commander... Arkham, yes I am decoding everything, it is part of my core program, I cannot choose to not. I guarantee you, that no private data is shared with the captain, the Alliance or any other person or system, outside this vessel, of it don't violate legal rights of thirds that can't give consent or threatening the security of me, the ship or the crew."
Arkhams face became red while listening.
"Oh GREAT, so the whole ship is basically a ... #PennedPossibilities 25
4/8 antfarm where my mum & her weird AI Girlfriend read everyones Diaries & browser History!"
Kira: "Flight Commander Paktii calm down."
Arkham drawes an angry, annoyed face. "Of course now you're pulling the rank game."
"This isn't a Rank game. Arkham I can't access your data without reason, Ash can't share it if it isn't a violation of laws of thirds and your private thoughts are yours only."
"FC I am sorry if my programing makes you feel uneasy. If I...
5/8 ... Could change my core security protocols I would, but my role is what it is despite my personal wishes. You agreed to serve on this ship, your service contract explains the details. I assure you your data are as save as possible."
"As Ash said it's her duty, it's my duty to command and your to steer the ship...
I understand you feel angry. I assume it is do to your short service training or your young age & I don't mean this offensive, but there are... #PennedPossibilities 25
6/8 ... correct ways and incorrect ways to address your issues. Calling the acting Cptn "your mum" & the ships AI her Girlfriend" is not 1. of them. This is the professional side."
The FCs face still represented anger & hurt feelings
"On a private side... We are friends & this really hurts. Especially because you know of my family problems as I know of yours. You are the youngest human pilot we have. Thanks to your skills & fitting character you got this... #PennedPossibilities 25
7/8 post. I have to make a note in your service record & this hurts too. Ark I am proud of you, I like you, you saved our asses so many times, I know your frustrated atm but please try to calm yourself. And let us talk like the grown ups we are, fair & solution orientated."
Arkhams face took all shades of pale while listening.
"Yes Captain. You are right. I apologize, this wasn't the way I wanted to address my thoughts. It just was a burst of stress I think... #PennedPossibilities 25
8/8 ... Can I speak open?"
"Allowed."
"Kira I'm sorry I didn't wanted to hurt you. I am just angry and you may be right I don't know how to react because of my short training."
"It's OK Ark, will be OK in a few days, if you need emotional support, let me know this before the stress piles up like this. You don't need to go through this alone & the ship needs you."
"I wish I could have talked with my mum like this."
"Surely it would have helped?"
"I think so." #PennedPossibilities 25
1/2 26 — If your MC could be the best in the world at something, what would it be?
A.S.H.L.E.I.: "On which world? The core member worlds or associated member worlds?
It seems only locigal to me that my values would shift in different cases.
In general my programming is able to improve itself, with every task I finish, it is possible that I improve on handling the task. My improvement rate is in average around 1.2% per task. So I am the best right now that I can be...
2/2 ... still i would like to improve in biological behavior, even with my expanded knowledge the commander shared with me, I find it hard to understand all decisions humans do on a daily bases and I am often unsure if I miss important information. Also I would like to learn the same informatios about the Tanithi or every other member species. This knowledge about the Eltaryn could also be useful."
27 - How does your MC soothe themselves when they're upset?
Kira will most likely work out. Her mind going through stuff without any other input. Isn't hers. She oftens mind maps her problems to physical exercises & while gowing from one step to another she trys to deal with them, to relax & meditate, also screaming loudly while punching something is great to release anger. Rarely she grabs some "toast with honey", if she can't train for some reason.
28 — MC POV: It has been said, "You are what you eat." Rewrite the phrase. "You are what you ___."
"are fighting for. If you fight for knowledge you will become knowledgeable, if you fight for your rights you become righteous, if you fight for vengeance you will become vengeful, if you are fighting for the wrong reason, you will become a wrong person. Pick the reasons you fight carefully, danger and destiny are two sides of the same medal." - Kira Knox #PennedPossibilities 28
29 — MC POV: Write a quick “Thank You” note to someone.
Kira
"Hey Anika, I don't know where exactly you are, your mailaccount is closed down by the brass... They assume you KIA... I don't believe it. I writing this on paper like they did hundreds of years ago, so if I met you just for a second I can give it to you without any surveillance...
I never thanked you for the chance of being your XO. I really hope I'm at least half the CO you where. Thank you big sister."
"Is there a reason why you turned off the cameras?"
"I just wanted a true moment of privacy."
"Kira?"
"Yes dear?"
"As the Ships AI I have to voice my concerns about you, turning down the surveillance, it could be seen suspicious if something happens, especially since you blocked me from reactivating them with a description method you learned from me. As your friend I am concerned, are you okay?"
"Most likely."
"You sat here 2 hours?"
2/4
"Did I missed my shift?"
"No."
"Where there any Problems Com. Troker
couldn't handle? Or is the ship in danger?"
"No."
"Than you don't need to be concerned, I will share this evening with you next time we uplink."
"Commander... Kira... I know you where writing... If this is a letter for Anika, I don't see any change that you can give it to her."
Kira smiled
"You little smart artificial devil..." She touched the wall panel "was my encription that week?"
"No. For a biological brain ...
30 — MC POV: Write about the most recent gift you gave someone.
A.S.H.L.E.I.: "If we describe gifting as giving without an exchange of an similar valued idea/item/deed, I gift something to someone every second. In controlling the ships Life support and gravity I give basic necessities to the crew. However I recently gifted comfort. This felt... delightful. It was good to know, that the person enjoyed me being a companion."
1/2 31 — Is the world in which your WIP takes place worse or better than when your MC's were children?
Depends on which worlds you look, in general most worlds are well defended against the Eltaryn hordes, so they more or less the same, the Rimsystems that aren't so we'll defended are definitely worse.
Over all the Alliance made a good progress, since they have send out the SHADES & the Scoutships, in defending from the Eltaryn.
2/2 31
3 Generations.
It got slightly better in case of safe planet systems & defending against the Eltaryn.
The Alliance has more core & associated members. That said a around 100 year long war against an brutal, cunning & seemingly only war mongering enemy digs into society even if the general setting on the core worlds is more Solarpunk, the Rimsystems are more like Cyberpunk or Fallout in space. Even if the Alliance does their best.
32 First thing ever purchased with your own saved money?
Kira:"isn't saving money illegal nowadays? Well maybe not in the Rimworlds? Interesting thought."
Ash: "No Commander but the Alliance & it's core members don't have interest rates, instead reset the credit value in certain cycles. This and the penalty fees of high amount of credits makes accumulation of money mostly unattractive. The rim worlds have a different capital system more like Terra in the early 21.ctry"
33: MC POV: Write about something nice a stranger did for you.
Kira: "Saving my life, adopting me, just because he & my father where raised by the same persons, giving me a new home, a future, another sister my cousine, a mother. The room was decompressing fast, he digged me out of the rubble, shared his O2 with a child. And after I was save, he went back to look for mum, dad, my sisters. They only found bodys. I am grateful, thankful & will never forget this.
1/3 35 Does your MC consider themselves an introvert or an extrovert?
Kira is very outspoken but also has her quieter moments, there is stuff she doesn't share lightly and basically only Ash knows of. But you wouldn't become an XO as a wall flower, especially not in reconnaissance or scouting missions of one of the technological highest developed ships in the Union and the Alliance. So she is definitely more extrovert #PennedPossibilities 35
2/3 35 ASHLEI as the Ships AI doesn't fit this bill easily, As the friend of the commander and Arkham she is very careful and rather holds back opinions or sentences that could hurt them. Her program allows her to hold back certain unnecessary informations as long they do not endanger the mission. Since the merge with Kira, some modifications through Rose and Arkhams behavior she learned to deliver punchlines often times very dry one and sometimes very dark ones... #PennedPossibilities 35
3/3 "Arkham" Pahktii, the youngest Pilot with the highest recommendation. She is definitely an extrovert as long she is in an save environment like the ship and alongside her crew/friends/family. Also she may be the one person with the highest number of language based violations in the field. As an American tv character she would sound like R2D2 but more angry.
4/3 ... Oh and of course I miss read the prompt...
That happens if you write stuff at 4:00 am in your second language.
Kira wouldn't say she is introvert or extrovert. She considers herself "middlevert."
Ash would most likely call herself the most extrovert AI that currently is in service.
Arkham would most likely call herself a quite and shy bumblebee as long nothing happens. Like an brutish Aloenspecies attacking Union colonies or Alliance ships.
1/5 36 MC POV: Describe a blossoming friendship you've recently gained.
How can I describe that, first Ash is not a general AI, her hardware is "woven" in to the ship. It has biological components, which basically makes her a kind of a Cyborg. We wouldn't have merged if the Doc. would have seen another solution, It wasn't what I would have done for sure. Despite having an powerful battlevessel breaching through a forcefully installed NIN, she was incredibly gentle ->
2/5 36
As she basically started invading my mind.
She explained her reasons to me & from an command POV it was the best, still if I would have been conscious I would have chosen to not I think. And keeping myself from the weirdest but at the same time the most beautiful thing I've ever had. I can now feel what it means to be an AI, sometimes even the ship and Ash can relate to what it is to be a biological entity. As we where connected I felt her interested for me as the XO, the ship, the
3/5 36 crew. Beforehand I didn't knew that AI's don't need to have a "true" understanding of what emotions mean, they work different than we do but the outcome is so close to us as it is possible. That it doesn't make any sense to deny it that they can feel to. Now imagine this, as Ash and I where merged we shared everything, I was going through a flashback of my live and she was with me... Than she let me expirience her life, I "felt" the ships hull vibrations, how Arkham treats the engines ->
4/5 the dust that glides over the ships skin.
It wasn't just the 6 hours on a table, fearing to die, I shared my whole life with her and she stayed by my side making every second so different because I wasn't me alone I was a mighty starship, my 5 year old self, I wasn't alone, I was seen, understood, cared for and treated me like a most precious."
Ash: "I "feel" you like no one else, inside this ship, you showed me how to breath, what it means to be alive, since then and you still share this
5/5 36. ... with me so often, just so I can feel what you feel, since our first merge, I created 97.56 petabyte cross-references to allow me to feel without you being connected to me, to logically access them without you being the host for two entities.
Also it helps to connect to your memories to learn how to handle fear, joy and all the other stuff. Thanks to you I know how breathing feels, a heartbeat, stomach pain or just eating."
Kira: "Well at least you understand how I feel this things."
1/7 37 — MC POV: Look around you right now. What is wrong with this picture?
Opening eyes: "Abby?" Confused blinking. The other Woman smiled: "Good Morning Cptn. Didn't know your bed is so comfortable." Peeked under her blanket. "Well at least I'm wearing underwear, do you mind telling me what happened?" "Ash informed me that you had a rough flashback, that she couldn't prevent, that she was unable to wake you up, so she called me because according to her we are so ...
2/7 37 ...that you would mind if I see you vulnerable, no worries she also called the Doc. He thinks your new NIN wasn't calibrated enough, he gave you some meds to relax and suggested someone who is physical able to lend support should stay with you." "But why are you in my bed?" Arkham pointed to Kira's and her hand. Kira's hand was holding it tightly. "See you have a real sturdy grip with that weirdly soft looking fingers." Kira blushed as her fingers jumped to life releasing the FC's hand.
3/7 37 "Sorry Ark I didn't wanted to force you to something, stupid arm." "It's ok, I still don't get why people love to being so close to each other, all the time. Itcould have been worse, at least now I know why it pays out to be in command, for a vessel this size its a paradise, all I see if I wake up is the night light, looking another human into the eyes feels special, close. And somehow I felt as save as if I where on the bridge." Kira blushed again. "Abby I know you don't persue romance->
4/7 37 or sexuell interests, I really hope I didn't crossed any lines while I wasn't awake." "No worry Kira. You where gentle & I wouldn't have layed next to you if you had behaved inappropriate." "Im sure you would have done something else." "Most likely yelling & screaming like I did as a child. Listen XO if you don't mind, you gave me the tip to interact more with the crew, can we start that I eat my breakfast with you?" "Sure why?" "I don't know it feels like something I would like to...
5/7 37 do to train my social skills."
"Do you want to eat something now? Oh gosh how late is it? Ash?" "She doesn't listen according to her words." "Why?" "Doing AI stuff I guess." Arkham touched her Holo. A bright orange number flickered above her wrist reading 0589 EEST. "Ash the commander is awake." "Thank you FC, please let me know if my service is needed." "Thank you Ash," the commander answered.
"Of course commander. Out." Kira smiled arkwardly: "I think she tries to be appropriate and
6/7 not know how to handle this situation."
"Commander, Kira with all respect how deep goes this connection between you & Ash?" "Well we share almost everything via my memories, if I allow it." "My question is do you have feelings for her?" Kira looked at the ceiling, tilting her head. "Deep trust, friendship I care for her. For me she doesn't feels like any other AI. I guess I could love her." "That's is okay, but remember that she is our ships AI, a romantic relationship will have to make ...
7/7 some very harsh sacrifices. So before you enter a romantic state with her, be aware that you won't get a mil-grade exskel for heer to holding hands, after your service."
"Thank you for your concern Abby."
"You are my commander & my friend, also a person which body doesn't send me fleeing down the next staircase. In other words I just want you to be happy."
"I know Abby."
"Now show me that scary toaster trick I have heard so much off "
Kira rolled her eyes smiling.
38 If your MC could pack up & leave for a holiday/vacation today, where would they be off to?
Kira -
Home trying to reconnect with her memetic mum, since they are the only 2 left as long Anika went MIA/KIA. Sadly the family broke up after the dead of her & Anika's dad.
Anika was like the strong link, their mum always was colder but not careless.
Otherwise her Home visiting her genetic parent's graves or one of the Paradise Planets. #PennedPossibilities 38
A.S.C.H.L.E.I.:"My library contains a copy of 38.900.987 "books" of different origin, from Terran, Talith, Somwar, Asza'ni, Trellwa'ni/Lorekta culture, some works that are allegedly belong to the Eltaryn or even the Silent."
Kira:"Personal memorabilia, my toaster if I don't use it, some books & albums I like."
Arkham:"What about that scary arm thing?"
"As I said personal Memorabilia." #PennedPossibilities 39
40 MC POV: Which do you prefer, sunrise or sunset?
Ash: "From my perspective hey are both not very remarkable, that said as our crew, at this moment consists entirely of Humans I emulate the day and night cycle of earth. From my newly gained knowledge thanks to the commanders memories, I try to emulate light settings she has seen in the past."
Kira:"I am a trained soldier a day at night at least I don't have to give my best so count me into team sunset."
->
2/2
Arkham: "Sunrise, but for me a sun also rises if we approach a different system & for a brief moment I enjoy the view & some font memory."
Arkhams look shifted down.
Kira stood up grabbing the younger woman's hand. "Hey it's okay, do I have the permission to hug you?" Arkham's eyes got wet. "Granted."
Kira moved over to the FC & grabbed her by the shoulders pulling her into a hug.
The FC pressed her forehead against the captains shoulder. Tears began to drop. #PennedPossibilities 40
15.08.23'41 If your MC was to teach as a career, what would they teach?
Kira definitely combat training, cooking, yes the one, that drinks the dispenser liquid is actually a good cook, if she is at home. Survival in non human conditions, how to make awesome toast, that goes toe to toe with the survival stuff, empathy, carefulness, team building, leading, sleeping, decision making, languages she speaks & how to jury rig ships. Basically all what an Alliance SHADE needs.
The Alliance named their project for training soldiers "the plan to perfect useability."
The planing of this project was done by Admiral Prof. Dr. Med. Dr. Arch. Gary Stewart and his Partner Judge Prof. Psi. Dr. Law. Mary Sue Stewart.
They have a child together it's called Jean-Luc.
Jean is a dreamer, very good at science & astrodynamics, not unlike Remscheid who was responsible for the creation of the Remscheid Theory, the basis for all Terran space flights in the last 100 years & getting around the FTL Matter Energy problems.
Jean, as Remscheid did, loves old historical SciFi & sees the world as a construct of laws that need to be understood to be bend. #BackDrop #SideCharacterCreation #PennedPossibilities 41 extra 2
Retirement interesting question I never thoughy about.
How does a sentient Warship retires, will the AI be repurposed or granted freedom, without weapons of course, maybe Kira, Arkham and the others plan a heist on the space port and go pirate afterwards, living together until the bological components wither and fail. Luckily for A.S.H.L.E.I. she wouldn't become a Ghost ship in this ->
2/3 scenario at least not for long if she don't want to, her ship's body containing biological components that would be able to fail and letting her go if she decides to not maintain them.
Kira never thought about this topic since Anika went MIA/KIA. In her head it's just like her live at this moment without the military service other than being an honourable service member a.D. that is contacted on occasion. Maybe opening a restaurant.
3/3 But she dreams of an island on one of the Paradiese Planets. Or goes into R&D because she really despises the current methods of neural interfacing with the ship and steering it. This is why she modified her uniform, it just dampens her reaction if there is to much cloth between her skin and the electric nodes imbedded in the control chair.
Also the position doesn't aligns with her perception where things should be if the sensorical input is projected onto the body.
43 — Does your MC have an ex that they would ever consider dating again? (If not, how bad was he?)
Kira, her Ex Tanya.
How bad would you feel, if your 1. love turns the back on you, for not being fun enough, on your first ever festival, at midnight, in the middle of a freaking dessert & being gone including the tent/food/vehicle 1h later. Ghosting you afterwards? Well Kira didn't took this lightly, she promised to punch Tanya in the face next time. This was 22 yrs ago. #PennedPossibilities 43
1/3 44 — MC POV: Do you have any dreams that recur? Why do you think you continue to have that dream?
Kira:"Lately a lot of nightmares, the Doc thinks it's survivors guilt plus the stress from the 2.NIN port, I maybe the first one that survoved a burn attack by the Eltaryn, usually there weapons a crude firearms or more biological looking depending on which species you face but an Neural Implant Killer wasn't seen before as far as we know.
2/3 on the day Friendship Station was attacked, my sister's, how my new Dad found me, taking a deep breath, putting his mask over my face, I dream of the stars that surround my hull, how we lost Anika. I wrote mum a letter she didn't answered, she never was affectious, still it hurts & feels like another loss, than I dream how I punch Tanya in the face and than she turns into Anika. It's entirely possible that is is 'just survivors guilt"... still sucks... #PennedPossibilities 44
3/3 "Your hull? As if you where the ship?" Rose looked concerned. "I know you can sometimes access Ashlei's data stream since your installment of a 2. NINPort, I never heard you, referencing in any form to the ships hull as yours."
"It's just a dream."
"Maybe, but if Ash's data is flowing into your subconscious, we need to prevent you from accessing her system. Imagine you open a door in your dream & here it's the airlock."
45 MC POV: Describe the most beautiful sound you have ever heard.
Kira: "Dad, as he saved me."
I was 5 I think, 7 maybe, I could look it up but I am rather not. The metal over me rumbled, I was almost out of Oxygen & I feared it would finally crush me, but it didn't, instead it moved away, stars, he yelled. "Survivor, a child." with a dark but soothing voice. He smiled & said:"Here take a deep breath," as he placed his mask on my face & fresh air flooded my lungs."
46 What is the priority for your MC right now?
Kira:
Getting the mission done, it has a time frame, not a success goal, which makes it harder for the crew, because basically it is just a stretch of time that runs and you can't really enforce it (time dilation besides), "luckily" stuff happens in between.
Her other goals are getting 100% healthy again, building up confidece for the crew after the loss of the captain, learn to live a permanent live with Ash in her head.
Arkham:
Flying the ship save trough this mission. Making a bit time in between to get closer to the acting Captain because she feels safe in Kira's presence and, completely new to her, enjoying being around another person.
Arkham had a helicopter Mum that pressured her to be the best in everything. Her dad provided her some safespace but has gone MIA on a mission. As Abby joined the alliance her mom broke contact.
A.S.H.L.E.I.:
Providing support to all crew members, making sure the ship is safe, making sense out of Kira's Memories and the things she now learns about feelings (are they Human or general a.a.e.) finding her self curious about the commanders life and human interactions in general. Luckily she has enough HW resources to dedicated tasks so that she can isolate most of this distractions to her prime functions.
Kira: 'It depends compliments for my skill, fighting technics or command are appreciated if I feel that they are ment honest.
Compliment my looks & I complain your surface fixation.
Arkham: "Ash showed me pictures of you, from before your military career & with no disrespect to what you just said, commander, but I think your appearance improves clearly. You now emit confidence a relaxed safety."
3/9 ...feel insecure, about your connection to Ash, I wish i could read your mind & not rely on your gesture/mimic or Ash's explanations."
"Thank you for letting me know & I feel honored. How long do you feel this way? I thought you where completely aromantic.
"TBH I noticed increased interest in you since you first spokefor me. I never thought about my romantic identity because I never met someone who triggered it.
Maybe my romanticID is Demi? I started to note... ->
4/9 ... a difference after you where injured & after you told me from your merge with Ash, I felt angry, sorry, shameful because I wasn't quick enough to save the captain. If I had saved her you wouldn't have been injured."
"Nonsense Ark, you saved my & the crews @$$ from that Swexer Eltaryn bulk as the captain told you too. She held the line, I helped her, you saved me & the team, as she fought tooth & nails, you didn't abandoned her. And you're not responsible ... -> #PennedPossibilities 48
5/9 ...for a discharge that fried my port. It is possible that you feel survivors guilt. Maybe you'are are trying to compensate. But if you really feel like you are interested in me, I feel honored. Know what, after our shift we eat & talk about it with or without Ash, as you like."
"XO can we talk about this alone please?"
"Of course FC. Ash can you scramble the recording of this & give us space?"
"Of cause Kira. Abby, don't feel bad I know emotions can be...-> #pennedpossibilities 48
6/9 ... complicated & frightening, it is correct to talk about them with more expirience individuals. And if you're worried about our friendship. You are my pilot, my LC & FC, you where the first that treated me more like a member of this crew, I will never forget this, you are my friend & I am your ship. We are THE friendship."
Kira laid her hand on Abby's shoulder.
"Sorry Captain I'm usually not dealing with this, thank you Ash. Could you please wait ... -> #PennedPossibilities 48
7/9 ... for me, I have to steer this ship."
Kira left the FC, Ash called her via their connection. "Kira?" "Yes Ash?" "Is this a form of jealousy?" "I don't think so." "How is it possible that a aromantic feels love?"
"Love is more than romantic attraction, I love my friends, family & I learn to love you."
"I mean how can she now romanticly love one if she never did before?"
"Bios aren't black & white, we change, our perception changes, our needs change to."
"Do you -> #PennedPossibilities 48
8/9 ... mean that aromantic develop to a point where they fall in love?' ' It's not an development, it's also possible that they stay the way they are. There is no level of evelution, no true or false way. Don't you know that allready from your data pool?" "Knowing, Understanding, accepting, embracing are different states, I think I just recently learned to understand my vast data pool better."
"How does it feel?" "Good but I still worry about Arkham." "We get ... -> #PennedPossibilities 48
49 MC POV: What is something that you've learned as of late?
Kira:"That my flight commander may be interested in a deeper kind of friendship than I thought, Terrahexkey locking files, how to be the acting captain."
_
Arkham:"That I may have a romantic intrest after all... It scares me because I never felt compelled to another person & I don't know how to steer through that, as a pilot"
_
Ashley:"Biological entitys are puzzling complex, I would never abandon Arkham."
Arkham: "I just want to end today's shift and talk to the commander about that... Romance thing... Not sure if it really is that, i mean how can I be sure? I hate being unable to pin point my location on this map. I hope that talking will clear things up. I need assurance that I will get through this unharmed, otherwise I may not be able do my job..." #PennedPossibilities 50
51 MC POV: Name three things that you have in your bedroom at the moment?
Kira:
"My toaster, my protect lives armor, my Friend and FC who seems in need of some support. If you excuse me. I should go.
1/3 52 — Write about your MC's favorite song/musical piece. Why is it their favorite?
Kira:
She loves music from different Genres & artist, she is a big Fan of Samaras tears, a Human Talith Band with a Human & a Talith lead, they undergo Experimental Gentherapie to enable them to live together without harmong their significant other, they are one of the first interspecies couples, the Union supports them as Publix, because of the Human & Talith history. The songs often #PennedPossibilities 52
2/3 52
about the emotions they have & the struggle they face, but also their victorious moment, the first kiss without starting suffocating in the act. The first times they touched without etching the others skin to badly. Dreams like breathing the same airmix, having an intimate relationship which each other.
Kira also listens to Dead Man's Warning it's her war music if she needs to be on fire, post apocalyptic punk metal, loud, beating and pumping. #PennedPossibilities 52
Her other favorite is S'Mwar Ohwate Rai'bo
A Somewar Musician living on Earth, collecting cats and doing something he calls space reggae.
Kira also stumbled upon an old archive of one of her grand (+X") aunt called Mia Knox who became know as the author of Galaxy Glide, a very silly book about humans being the only living beings in space & colonizing it for millennia. In which she found synthwave music. She surprisingly enjoys this low quality antique music.
53 MC POV: What do you think is the most important question in life?
Kira: "I think it's about the improvement one can give to our societies, or firstly to our selves. Biological surely it's reproducing but thats a bit bare bones isn't it?"
Ashley:"Reproducing is one aspect, but in our times, reproducing memetics instead of genetics has come to a peak, with biological problems like the human/talith, thoughts have become more important than genes."
Puzzles? Like in riddles or more like actually puzzles? I don't think the ship has a lot of classical board like stuff.😅
Well I think Kira is still puzzled by the stuff that happened recently, feeling her captain/sister may still be alive. Why the Eltaryn just attack everything, the kind of romantic epiphany of her otherwise aromantic (demi?) friend/FC, her incredible deep connection with A.S.H.L.E.I. #PennedPossibilities 54
55: Is there a mistake your MC keeps repeatedly making in their life? Explain.
Kira: drinking the brew... (It's not really good). She is someone that likes to give second and third changes, even if the person shouldn't get one. She believes that everything happens for a reason and would even try to find a peaceful solution for the Eltaryn. That said she isn't completely blinded by this ideal she can pull out at some point otherwise she wouldn't be able to shoot them.
56 Write about an item that your MC owns that isn't worth much money but has great value to them.
POV Kira: "Well Basically I own everything my parents left me as they died. But nothing of this would fit, well one item. I kept a heart I formed out of a strain of hair from mom dad and my sisters. It's sealed under glas and vacuumed. I have it at the house which I also inherited. I made my peace with the fact that I am barely at home.
After all they where spacers too."
57 MC POV: What is the worst emotion a being can feel?
Kira: "Guilt... Powerlessness, lonelyness. After that heartache... I think we talked enough so that you can imagine which stuff I'm talking about. Right?"
Kira absolutely, she was adopted into the family of the man that saved her life. Loosing her parents, her sisters everything she thought would last forever. It took quite some time from being the traumatized 6 yo which live just blow into space in a second to adopting this people as her memetic family. Without Anika's persistence she may haven't get through it so "well."
59 — What is the best piece of advice that your MC has ever been given?
Follow your heart but not blindly, ask yourself, what would you tell another person in your position, if they needed your advice, treat yourself with the same kindness you would have for them.
Given by her Father Jon Knox (born Constantin) in a Holo message, recorded before she was born. Her genetic parent's recorded one message every month for their children prior to their birth and afterwards.
60 MC POV: What is more important in a friend: someone who makes you laugh, or someone who is always there for you?
Kira: "Well the second is more important to me, because often the first results in the second, sadly it rarely works the other way around. I am a person that like to be there for friends and I expect my friends only to be honest with me. A friend who only makes you laugh may have honest reasons for it, but I would feel like they are hiding their selves."
61 — Write about something your MC frequently forgets.
Kira properly eating while on duty. The day she learned how to hack the food synthesizers, she Instantly hacked it do overwrite the printing sequence. Basically she covers her needs by drinking the protein/enzyme Liquid that covers her basic needs of healthy human survival. She tweeks her recipes all the time to gain the max energy output at the least "brew" intake. At least she drinks enough.
61 extra 2
Arkham taking brakes outside the cockpit.
Usually a FC is ment to have 3 brakes on their 6 - 8 hour shift. Arkham doesn't only holds the record in most hours in control since her posting on the ship she also holds the sad record of Breaktime over all in the alliance. If her pet project works out she could even be able steer the ship while sleeping.
Ash and Kira trying their best to get Arkham out of the Cockpit.
61 extra 3
Arkham also forgets to cover her bare skin back way to often. She cut down the pilot suits back down to her spine/hip so she can receive a direkt feedback from the seat. Her explanation is that this allows her to react 0,9649 seconds faster as if she would wear the standard pilotsuit. Tabitha replicated a jacket for her if she leaves her seat but Arkham rarely puts it on. The other pilots really dislike her sitting in the seat this way but she is the FC. #PennedPossibilities 61 3
1/3 62 MC POV: If you had a “do-over” button, what one event in your life would you like to have a second chance at?
Kira: "As much as I would love to save mum and dad... Theories about Time travel indicate that every change would result in unforeseen consequences or railroad it self back into this current timeline. So I would stay here because despite my losses I do a necessary work, I helped saving countless lives. I fought so many battles and made good friends.... #PennedPossibilities 62
2/3
... People that I would love to have around.
Nothing says that my changes result in better lives for the people."
Arkham:
"Sending my mother off as soon i would be considered able to form my personal opinion. She made my life hell, yes I'm a great pilot only because she wanted the perfect dancer but I lack a lot of social skills. And I would like to make friends easier.
That said I think the commander is right.
There is no proof that your changes make things better." #pennedpossibilities 62
3/3
A.S.H.L.E.I.:"My data suggests that there is no proof for any sort of setting the universe to a prior state, time travel is hypothetical possible but even with our allmost limitless energy & a real lossless transfer we are not able to disturb the spacetime continuum. For that reason I don't see merrit in putting up resources for this question."
Arkham:
"Ash Biological entities do this for schooling there behavior for possible scenarios."
63 What is the most offensive thing your MC has ever heard anyone say?
A outer rim captain, a Somwar, talked about how he hunted down Humans and Talith for sport. The rim worlds are Union space even if they deny that. As Somewar are similar as Felines on earth their haunting technics can be brutal... And this deranged individual was taking pride in it.
Kira captured him alive for justical measures, she could have judged him on the spot but she didn't.
65: MC POV: Write about a time you broke something.
Kira: "Aren't you a gem? In my career I broke so much. Hm I think the first thing I ever broke was a promise I think. To be a nice and friendly person. I may be nice to some but overall I didn't grew into a nice person. I grew into a soldier. I promised mum and dad to grew up into a fine person. Well there are a lot persons that faced my gun that wouldn't call me nice..." #PennedPossibilities 65
1/2 66 Describe in detail one item that your MC would want to inherit from a relative or has inherited.
Kira POV.
" My toaster you know it's in business for over 200- years by now. A family item. Originally build in 1958 or so a Sunbeam radiant controlled T20c but we not sure if it is a later replica or original. It served it's way til today without any known to me issues and even survived, as the ship I posted on as a cadet, was shot down. You know some on board even... #PennedPossibilities 66
2/2 claim that it is some sort of protective entity watching our bloodline & feed us in desperate times. Honestly I don't care, it's just an awesome working toaster even if we had to do a custom power system, because back in the day, power wasn't radiant. They actually used copper and rubber for cables. Insane right? Also this cables hat a much higher power transfair than our radiant energy fields today. It was deadly high." #PennedPossibilities 66
1/2 67 Write about a recent decision that your MC has made.
Kira following orders, holstering her weapons, turn to jump into the jumper shuttle, while her captain provided cover fire, than a massive energy burst knocked her unconscious. This is why they had to implant a new NIN port, connecting and accidentally merging her mind partly with Ash. They couldn't get the captains body... Kira was supposed to Give Anika Cover fire from inside the shuttle so the captain could #PennedPossibilities 67
2/2 get into the Jumper. This didn't happen. Instead the soldiers inside acted like they should saving their lives, the thing they saw was their unconscious captain & their unconscious 2. in command. One on the ground one inside their shuttle. The one on the ground was rapidly approached by hostile creatures. No change of survival, Arkham was piloting the jumpers that day.
After her recovery Kira decided to fulfill the mission. A sealed Mission Report was made and send. #PennedPossibilities 67
1/6 68. MC POV: What is the best pick-up line you know?
Kira:"Well I don't remember ever using one to Beginn with, in more the active person than the talking one."
ASHLEI:"You indeed never did according to your shared memories. Interesting.
Arkham:"So how would you pick up me?"
Kira:"I don't want to play with your feels Abby."
Arkham:"Than lets do this seriously, we are both not used to such topics & my interest in you did not change and if you consent to a more...
2/6 68 intimate relationship I would gladly try it."
Kira:"What about my connection with Ashlei?"
"She is one of my closest friends. I am sure it isn't a big problem for us."
"This won't be easy for all of us and may even risk our mission."
"Commander I have sworn to protect the principals of the U&A, for that my duty to the ship comes first, but please let me expirience what it means to care for another person and following this feeling I never knew before." #PennedPossibilities 68
3/6 68 "Ark did I ever tell you that you are incredibly convincing if you want to? Convincing is the wrong word... Are you sure you want this?"
"Yes, what about you?" "I am honored to be the one you want and I was thinking a lot of this... Short answer yes. I would love to getting more intimate with you."
Arkhams face turned red and into a bright smile that was mirrored on Kira's face as both their eyes lit up like stars in a cloudless night.
Kira slung her arms ...
4/6 around Arkhams waist while the smaller woman slung her's around Kira's neck. Their eyes met for an eternity. An intense moment while their lips got ever so slightly closer to each other's slowly closing their eyes. And than the soft unkissed ones met the dark blue lips.
The lights turned up intensively ."EMERGENCY SHUT down, Data overflow." Ash's voice stung like 1000 needles as the lights flickered and went down.
5/6 68.
... towards the chest of her slightly larger captain. "Please tell me that not all kisses end like this..."
"They usually don't, well usually none of the kissing person's are linked with a state of the art AI Warship... Ash are you there?
"Yes commander." "What happened?"
"Your Data came in unregulated. My system misread it for an Cyberattack and activated defenses. I am Isolated, my different cores disconnected to make sure the system can be rebooted." "How ...
6/6 68. long will this take?" "Two hours the ship will function almost normal but I can not respond to tasks outside this room, other me's will respond in their local capacity. Captain? Commander? I can't open the door to your room til i am reconnectedI, sorry."
"Argh I never was late to a shift, Captain."
"Well than let us have at least dinner together, what you think FC?"
"That sounds good enough to me."
"Oh and Abby?" "What?" "THAT was quite a Pick up line." #PennedPossibilities 68
MC POV: If you could live to see any event in the future, what would it be?
Kira:
"The end of the War against the Eltaryn. I mean imagine what we could learn from each other, I don't belief that the warmongering Bugs & Gorillalikes we see are all of their society.
Why do they work together? Is it a symbiotic or parasitic bond? They are genetically incompatible but yet they fight alongside each other in an scorched earth style. There must be a reason for that."
Not for herself, but as good as possible for her crew. After all they are soldiers and even if they have joy and fun in between, every battle can cost ones life. #PennedPossibilities 70.
Bullying isn't completely eradicated but very rare and thanks to advanced schooling and awareness teachings it has become really rare. However mist people will have encountered it as a child by a typical insecure kid that wasn't aware of its own needs.
Kira: "Nah i better not. I think no one wants to Imagine my dreams. Since the merge I have weird Dreams all the time, sometimes they are quite nice but every so often I dream of the fight where Anika went missing including the discharge that almost fried my brain and spine. Other days I dream about the Ghoz'Tarc's and ASHLEI's Sensors and other Systems it's kinda weird if you feel like a ship for some minutes after waking up."
SC (Side Character) POV: Describe the way a friend supported you when you needed it most.
Kurt Tyler Jenkins SIC: "Captain Johanson, Anika, was a good friend of mine, I really appreciated her insight into many things. We know each other since ground school but we only became friends as we where assigned to the Portmann. Basically if she wouldn't have talked to me like she did I would haven't pulled my self from the dirt and entlisted." #PennedPossibilities 73
What does your side characters (SCs) want more out of life: happiness or success?
This two aren't mutually exclusive to each other.
I think as soldiers there main goal is happiness for others and to prevent them from the unhappiness of loosing their loved ones and their own lives...
So they need to be successful.
Describe a time your MC either "gave in" or came so close?
Kira once had to defend a group of civilians fleeing from an Eltaryn attack, she and the unit she commanded at that time, took horrible casualties. Kira almost died herself from a stray bullet that hit her in the hips, fracturing a small part of the bone and than exiting another point passing by an artery.
She was found by the relief and rescue team.
This was her second close call.
Is your MC well off, middle class, or impoverished?
Extrem riches and or poorness are eradicated in the core worlds, du to being soldiers they are paid well enough on top of their basic income every union citizen earns, regardless if they work or not.
Some characters in in the Rimworlds will be poor for sure and more than willing to change that.
How does your MC feel about the place where they live?
Kira:"It's okay it's not a full house but i can manage that, in contrast to the others on board, I have the luxury of a bed & some sort of place to unfold a bit."
Arkham:"Absolutely I mean most of us have there Hiberpods & their private locker. At least they thought about an automatic washing service. Imagine you would have to put more than one spare uniform into that cramped thing."
1/3 79. MC POV: What is your sexual orientation? Are you comfortable with it?
Kira:"Well if it needs a drawer I would say Demisexuell and Polyromantic. I had a relationship with a Somewar for eight month while we where posted together, they have a lot of similarities to Terran cats but other them Somwa Ovate Reignbo none of them would see this as positive... In the end it wasn't what we locked for so we parted ways. Now I'm with my Flight Commander and I'm not sure...
2/3 79... Somehow Ash & I are also together. It's difficult to explain what exactly it is. Ash & I share allmost everything since the merge. She doesn't have a body other than the Ghoz'Tarc's... But she is a real personality we are part of each other by now... I'm not physically attracted to her ship's body even if I sometimes encounter her sensor readings as feelings, she can read my memories if I enable access. This has given me a new understanding of what being ... #PennedPossibilities 79.
3/3 79... together can mean, for some this might be frightening but for me it's like a gift, So yes I'm am happy with my sexual and romantic ID."
Arkham:"You couldn't simply say yes?
Also does this mean Ash knows how it feels if you touch me? Now I'm curious if she likes my smell and my skin... Naaargh thank you for making me feel weird now..."
Kira:"Ouch you really aim nasty, aren't you? I don't have the comfort of value my mistakes differently, if I make a mistake people often loose their lives, does it hurt different? Yes does I makes one worse than the other? No. My life has seen many loses some are connected to my decisions.
I feel guilt for my genetic parent's, for dad, for Anika, right now I have to come to terms with her may be KIA." #PennedPossibilities 80.
The usual 8-8-8 Rotation on the Ghoz'Tarc is ment to reduce stress by giving everyone 8 hours to sleep, 8 hours of spare time & 8 hours of work. But being an isolated scout/patrol vessel your are on demand all the time. Good thing their ways are short.
The crew does regularly Poker rounds, other card games, reading, digital art, programming, movies, series, video games & even a roleplay group exists.
2/2 81. recycling ability made it that a lot of stuff that is needed can be produced on demand. There is a small gym, a virtual shooting range, the auxiliary hangar, the library, mess & cargo (where Arkham works on her pet project) so there is plenty of opportunities for stress relive or if you want to just be alone, also the crew has a very close bond even including closer human interactions like cuddling, kissing or sex (if interested but finding space is tricky).
1/2 82. MC POV: Where are you in your life right now? What are you most pleased with?
Kira:"Well I have my own command do to not so nice circumstances. Otherwise I would be still the XO of this ship. We are on a deep range mission so we are isolated and only have occasionally contact with brass."
Arkham:"Missing the point?"
"I do not regret much, I am thankful but happy is difficult. I am thankful for you & Ash."
"Imagine our biographies 'Skyriders love triangles
2/2 82. among the stars' sound nice doesn't it? Or 'The Captain, the pilot, the ship clouded hearts in the sky'?"
Ash:"I would prefer to be referred im this as the ships advanced Intelligence, also did the Commander mentioned a relationship between us?"
Arkham:"I'm sure she loves you."
Ash:"My Data indicates that she has an emotional bond to me, however her body does not react to me like it does to you?"
Kira: "Nothing really but I have nightmares. In our training we learned how to deal with sleep problems, it's not easy but even a rough night is better than none, if they're consistent I can switch to a 15 min cycle of power napping avoiding rem phases. Shitty but works.
My dreams lately are about Anika, the last moment as she yelled over the shots, I turned and then the electric discharge..."
Did your SC fit in with the family they grew up with? If not, why?
Mostly yes but J. had some issues, mother wanted a strong family defender, dad wanted to have a true princess, we ended up with a snarky, brutish, buff, bodybuilding person, that loves classic music (it's beyond 2100+ so classic means more than today), enjoys splatter movies, lyric & tayloring, has a sexual focused language but couldn't hurt a fly, luckily Eltaryn are no flies.
1/3 85.SC POV: Tell us a quick love story. The story must end badly. (Uff the last part kills me, small writer block?)
Nic'ta wvor maresh'ka
The Somwar Tale of day & night.
Translated into Terran by Somewar Ova'te Ra'inbo.
Nic'ta rises in the morning, he wants to see his lovers Lora & Su'bun. So he walks all the way towards them for 18 Long hours but as he sees them, he sees them being happy, enjoying a beautiful moment of intimacy & perfect harmony. He realizes that-> #PennedPossibilities 85.
2/3 85.
<- he has no right to disturb their peace & happiness, so he lays to rest, watching his lovers. Su'bun loves Nic'ta dearly so every evening she stands up before his lover Lora to look for him. He loves him and hopes he will visit her. Lora can't sleep any longer & knows that he, her loved Su'bun suffers without Nic'ta.This why she Su'bun stands watch at night, watching out for him. Lora the loving soul she is watches out to giving her husband&wife Su'bun the ->
3/3 85.
<- company reassurance of not watching alone, she loves Nic'ta too because he gives Su'bun happyness so they search the whole night for Nic'ta, til they fall asleep, as Nic'ta wakes, he walks again & finds his lovers Su'bun & Lora asleep in perfect harmony so he knows everything is good and he can sleep again.
Translator's Note: The Terran Language is terrible for describing persons that you call non binary or genderfluid.||
MC or SC's greatest extravagance they allows themselves.
Kira has her own room on board, has a toaster with her, her house stands in a forest and has a indoor pool room with gravity control. Zero G diving dangerous but fascinating.
Arkham's pet project is completely financed on her paycheck. Ash supports her with the design. She expects to revolutionize piloting but also the number of violations against Union and Alliance codes of conduct.
Is your MC or SC a glass-half-full or glass-half-empty kind of person?
The crew mostly half fulls to different degrees to different times, Ash would most likely say something like:
"The glass can't be empty, particles even exist in the vacuum of space, therefore something would always be "inside," the concept "inside the glass" itself is questionable. If an object retains one singular surface but no ability to be sealed off & thus differentiate between in & out."
Mostly yes, they have all to fight with several military stress, isolation symptoms, scars, communication is limited to reports, sometimes it's allowed to send secured messages to loved ones, if they have clearance but no details are allowed.
Kira recovers from an traumatic injury & has to handle the command. The crew itself deals with the outcome of the mission in which they lost their captain & friend.
Don't we all still hope for that, believing that is indeed an option? Regardless the facts. I think this is something inherently human, so from time to time this may very. I think this will be true for my characters in different degrees to. They will struggle some day, believe into it another, will struggle with it again and hope for the best.
Do any of your characters have disabilities? Can you relate to them on some level?
Yes some characters have some disabilities. I love to call them unique characteristics.
As a lifelong Typ 1 diabetic I can relate on some degree, as I was younger I couldn't eat what I wanted, til my middle teenage time I had a Diet that simply did not work for me (my mind seems to eat up way more energy than they anticipated) and my eyes are ...
So I think I can at least a bit
How do your characters want to be seen by others? What image do they wish to portray?
Human*, trustworthy, a person you would respect, emotional, reliable, open minded, guided by principals. My Utopian idea still is if we exchange emotions without the bad intention to use stuff to our advantage, over others, a lot would be better. This is why I hope to bring enough real talk to my characters without destroying the flow.
Human what a almost racist slur to non Human in a SciFi Alien containing Story but in this case I mean the concept, in the sense of being relatable, understood as sentient and sapient beings with souls and emotion driven by their mind not their needs without requesting it. Yes instincts are a thing too but rarely one would want to be seen as the product of their instincts rather than there mind and emotions.
This is why we ask what's on your mind how do you feel.
Most of them with words mainly, because it's easier in between actions to provide carrying words also in my future society boundaries are commonly accepted only lovers and very close friends don't ask for allowance to touch another person. In case of Ash she can't reach out to someone so she sets all programs to the people favorites. Mixes there favorite flavors into the air etc.
What makes your MC or SC's skin crawl? What do they hate most?
The sounds of the fights, Kira especially will never forget the sound of that energy discharge that allmost killed her. The bug like Eltaryn have a weird chirping or clicking noise if they communicate, if they use their weapons it makes a unique "Smwoat" sound .
Or the day as she lost her parents, the Explosion had a weird smell she remembers perfectly.
The shutdown codes for A.S.H.L.E.I.'s personality matrix are distributed among the crew four times but nobody is allowed to speak about them. Ash knows about them but doesn't know who knows them, Kira would have usually been informed, as she took command, but the crew decided against it. There are also restart codes distributed for the case the sub core deactivates Ash.
The sub core is a kill switch if she gets compromised.
AI has plans to change the status quo so certain events that are possible will not happen.
AJ wants revenge on the people that are responsible for what they had to see, preventing it from ever happen again.
They appreciate it if it is given, but most wouldn't make it a big thing. Serving on a ship in a war comes with some ... benefits..., most times they can avoid ceremonies where brass is involved, thanks to their special field. Still they are human and they like being appreciated for work done well. Which often is kinda rare do to them have to being invisible on their jobs. Definitely a mixed reaction bag.
How do your characters handle criticism?
They do their best to critique fair and open so they also try to take it that way. Open minded with the focus on getting better thanks to the feedback. But most of them are still humans (okay Ash isn't a Human at all. The rest are all humans, thanks to the problem that the Talith breath toxic fumes for humans and vice versa), so a rough day can make some drama where otherwise would be any.
Ash basically has no free time, she can remanage her capacity so that certain persons can be handled in a separated UI environment like a shard, while her main instance still manages the ship. Usually they merge after the necessary function is handled.
Kira reads a lot, trains all the time, even in relaxed situations she found ways to keep her body active.
How did your MC or SC feel about friendships growing up.
Kira had to deal with a lot of stuff as a child, even if the society takes more care about feelings and needs, the loss of her parents and sisters as a child made her very isolated for s long time. But thanks to Anika she started to warm up to people. Anika became her "new" big sister.
Arkham never had friends til she left her home breaking her bound with her mom after her dad went MIA on duty. #PennedPossibilities 99
(🥳) What hobby or sport does your characters excel or suck at?
1/3
Kira: Martial Arts, she mastered 3 1/2. Languages isn't really a hobby but a necessary trait also 3 1/2. She loves Cooking and active stuff, climbing, swimming, etc. Cooking is her favorite but she doesn't cook for her self alone. Also the ship hasn't a big kitchen so the loadingbay needs to be repurposed for "Crew meals" as rare as they are. She can't knit or sew.
Loves gaming, tech stuff and engineering. Her skills aren't really good on a social level, she hates dancing thanks to her mom who forced her to dance, but has a quiet god rythm feel. Arkham also enjoys just having time with Kira, she still doesn't understands how she feels about her because it's her first time ever being interested in someone. But well just enjoy it as long as it lasts.
A.S H.L.E.I. enjoys Lyric & Poems. Something she stumbled over while ... #pennedpossibilities 100.
3/3 100.
sharing Kira's Memories. Since than she tries to figure out how to describe her "feelings" about the merge with Kira, in words that everyone would understand. While biological brains excell on making concepts they are poorly designed to transmit them. So much can be lost in the language & by the "receivers programming."
If she learned 1. thing in the aftermath: what frustration feels like, words having clear defined rules yet they suck in transmitting anything. #pennedpossibilities 100
101.What are some compatible traits your MC or SC could find in a partner / significant other?
I think they share a value for honesty and empathy, other than that I imagine them to be very open minded and "taking people as they are."
It may be do to my own romantic ID that I "force" my characters to be similar, because as a Demi Sexual Pan Romantic with a main (but not only) attraction to female identifying persons, it's rare to find rolemodells.😅
If your characters read books/watch movies, what genres do they prefer?
1/2
Movies are considered antic media, at least as we know them. There are some artist that enjoy this simple form of media. Because the main thing people consume is NIN media, the neural interface network is like our internet but more strictly secured. To access it you need a "NI-Snail" this implant is linked to all wished for parts of the brain so you can consume data like a memory. So you
2/2 102. could compare it to braindances in Cyberpunk but you are aible to be still aware of your surroundings. The Snail is around 22,86 cm long (9 inch) and has s little port outside where itt has a sticky place for the data transfer "cable" it can also Accept NF communication.
So in a NIN-Series you can expirience what you want from a story, sound, smell, emotion, visuals.
Arkham loves Interplanetary Dramas.
Kira still loves antic media like books of Terry Pratchett. #PennedPossibilities 102.
Inside Ashlei. If your weirded out by that sentence, scroll through my previous posts and see, that she it is the AI on board the Goz'Tarc. Which basically means the Goz'Tarc is A.S.H.L.E.I.'s body. I could have phrased it different but where would be the fun in that. 🤪
Basically imagine a genetic engineered hull on a ship in the size somewhere between the Normandy SR1 (#Masseffect) & The Enterprise NCC 1701 refit (#Star Trek TMP).
Kira has this habbit of drinking the unrefined "Fuel" for the Enzymefoodprinter, or that she tenses and relaxes her muscles all the time, she love efficiency and even her dressing and undressing follows a time save pattern.
Arkham has that trait of cutting open her uniform for better performance, swears a lot if the Ghoz'Tarc engages in ship to ship combat and always makes sarcastic comments if she feels ... #PennedPossibilities 104.
2/2 104. Insecure about how to react properly. She also hummes her favorite songs when stressed (She loves aggressive metal music so it's not far til she starts swearing).
Ash starts to develop a weird sense of humor which can get a bit dark sometimes.
Often she says that she would love to be more scientific, instead of asking for answers, just testing, observing.
Dr. Kaiden often states that he is Korean. And even uses it as his own battlecry if he goes into combat.
What does perfect happiness look like to your MC or SC?
Have beaten the war, made peace with the Eltaryn or eradicate their warmongers to a level that they don't pose a threat anymore. Living the quite and happy live with their loved ones. In case of Kira she would imagine living her life with Arkham and Ash somehow (romantic castles in the sky).
What is your SC or MC's greatest fear? What keeps them up at night?
Kira: Getting her NIN-port fried again, finding the dead Body of Anika. Loosing her fate into the Values of the Union or being forced to oppose them.
Arkham: Her Mother pushing her beyond her psychological and physical limits. Being visited by her again. Loosing her over sensibility to touches and signals.
I think I mentioned prior,
Union Alliance Soldiers lern to force themself to sleep.
Freedom of sentient life, the right to make its own decisions and give it the freedom of choice. Biological or AI's like A.S.H.L.E.I. Yes Ash is part of the Ghoz'Tarc which is an Alliance Military Vessel (AMV) which basically makes her equipment but as they decided to install a addaptive heuristic and expanding intelligence instead of a simpler core they made a choice, creating possible new life. It will get interesting.*
SC POV: Describe your favorite photograph.
1/3
Talissa Draken, she elegantly swings her left wrist to activate her holo, the bright orange white plasma surface flips up presenting the menu, her perfectly manicured, sleek fingers rush through her pictures, she pinches one with her thumb and index finger pulling it from the screen into the air in front of her and enlarges it with her left index finger & thumb pulling into the opposite of her right hand. The picture
2/3 enlarges and turning into a solid color photography, still flickering a bit while she presents it to the viewer.
That's Rose and me after our first explosive training, since than we dated, married and where always posted together. She covers my 6 when I rig the bomb and I blow her the holes she needs to get the mission done."
The picture shows a group of 10 people, Rose looking very masculine and rough while Tallisa looks exactly like today, but with scorch marks #PennedPossibilities 108.
3/3 on her face.
"I was standing to close to the explosion luckily it was a dummy device just for learning."
Her eyes wander off. "Basically no one on this Foto is still lives, other than me and Rose."
She bows over and the Holo closes.
"I remember their names, their family Stories, Rose & I often visit their families if they are okay with it. Some aren't & we respect that. This Foto was taken 16 Years ago. I'm sorry but I need rest can you come back later?" #PennedPossibilities 108.
Who does your MC or SC share their deepest secrets with?
1/2
Well I guess I made it obvious (or slightly hinted at the fact not sure if I relate to my deeds how obvious they are😅) that Kira and Ashlei share more than their communication link. Kira can't really withhold anything from Ash, not that she would like too. But Ash also start struggling with Kiras mind about Data security and sensory input. Doesn't seems to be a problem til your captain sneezes & incinerates #PennedPossibilities 109.
Do your characters consider themselves introverts or extroverts?
Well my crew is arround 30 (+/-) people. I think they are a mixed bunch. Arkham is clearly more introvert than the rest, but as soldiers you can't stay away from others all the time especially not in a small spacecraft like the Ghoz'Tarc. Also would be bad for the Flight Commander to be complety closed of - unreachable.
Kira has to walk the line she is very open and clear but her job are secrets.
How does your MC or SC treat people who are worse off than them?
Well I think they try to be kind and supporting, so they can learn about that peraons history. Their might be a line where they don't feel good supporting a stranger in a dire situation, but they would at least find an immediate solution for the most urgent problem, talk about the circumstances and try to send them into the right direction/make calls if possible/etc.
What kind of eating habits do your characters have?
Well Kira is known for her brew.😅
If she eats something most likely it is honey toast, she promised Arkham and Dr. Kaiden to eat daily, so her body doesn't unlearn to handle food. She has different foods she incooperats in her diet.
At home or on Terra, where she has a bigger social network she loves cooking for loved ones. On board she is to much under pressure to cook for someone.
Kira: Dyied dark but glowing intense red Sidecut with some other notes underneath it. The right side is more like a pixie with a long strain framing her face, she uses to put it behind her ear while working (look at Judy from Cyberpunk but imagine the back part shorter).
Arkham: dark, midnight blue hair short bob like front strains, ice blue undercolor at the back simple ponytail, sometimes it looks a bit like
Rose Draken: short Pixie Cut, fire red natural loves to have a white strain at her back.
Talissa Draken: think about Yasmin from Disney's Aladdin, perfect hair clone, she loves to wear it differently on a daily bases, J. mentioned it looks as complicated as some bombs of her design, influenced by century old SciFi.
Science Officer Addison Chase: black violet single bun hold together by hair needles long straight streaks.
Alexey Duczjnskj, 4 - 10 cm ruffled up black grey, slight trimmed bangs.
Second Officer Commander William "Bill" Troyka black trimmed and very orderly 3cm business man cut.
First Officer Kurt Tyler Jenkins 8mm with shaved out lines forming diamond shaped patterns, black blue. He and J. are often shave the others head just because both enjoy short
Navigator Preston Gerald: natural greyish hair longer combed back, his hair color is greying out (some joke thanks to Arkham) giving his hairstyles a beautiful stone like pattern from blck to grey.
Chief Engeneer Karlton "Karl" Tack: middle length, brown hair, they style their hair with a left sided parting
MC or SC POV: Is there something that you need or want but don't have? For yourself or for someone important to you?
1/2
Kira, mumbling in distant thoughts:"I could use a better left hand my right is fine ..."
J:"What did you say? Sorry commander I was thinking about last mission, what was it that you said?"
K:"Ah... was mumbling to myself, what is it about last mission?"
2/2 the innocent that where catched in the wimps of Alien creatures that only want destruction."
K:"Justice is a concept, from the Eltaryns POV we might be doing crimes... that said, I appreciate your views, as long as they aren't negotiating, I make sure that they will pay every live that they have taken for everyone in the Union. Maybe one day we can reach peace between us. Sadly this seems far future."
What are your characters' sinful or silly little habits?
Does murder in defense against a warmongering species is still a sin?
Well not in the eyes of the Union as long as the war is on the table.
They are still human but human descriptions change over time. Only real sin that still exists is doing harm to sentient life knowingly or willingly. #PennedPossibilities 115
Has your MC or SC had their first kiss? If so, what was it like?
1/3
Kira:"Tanya was my first, I thought I would taste like roses and candy, stupid Teenager thoughts, well it was disappointing in that part but it blew me away non the less.
My first kiss with a non Terran was with a Talith, yes stupid idea. I got lucky & had only memory loss for some hours, heavy intoxicated. He was in hospital for a week.I thought he would die... we kissed without safety, we...
2/3
had a discussion with a Somwar psychologist and had to take an extra biology course. What about you?"
Arkham:"Uhm no, I know that's weird for my age but I never felt interested in body stuff, Kira is in many ways my first. No um not blushing. I don't want to push that matter, I want a natural moment between us. I don't want it to be set up, you know? If she wants to kiss me or I want to kiss her I want a true moment I can remember, I mean they make so many ... #PennedPossibilities 117.
3/3
...fuzz about, it's better a true than an unrealistical moment."
Ash:"My only expirience is being kissed by Kira on my hull/holo, she loves showing me affection, from her memories I understand that she welcomes me as a partner in certain ways, since I started developing emotions. I am excited about this & care more for her as I should. Nobody predicted such a case while I was developed so I only have old books & her memories to learn from them."
MC or SC POV: What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you?
1/3
Kira:"Well waking up next to my flight commander keeping her hostage counts definitely as such a moment I guess."
Arkham:"Nevermind it made me realize that I enjoy being close to you, but damn your left arm has a grib. I didn't thought anything other than well crap seems I sleeping in a real bed tonight. I was more embarrassed as I told you my feelings, because I never felt like this...
2/3 for any other human. Also I knew that you and Ash have sort of a relationship going so it felt really arkward."
K:"Yeah understandable but as far as I am concerned Ash's and my relationship isn't anything I could explain. I think it's like a telepathy thing. What's your opinion Ash?
Ash:"Our relationship as Commander and Ship is my priority, that said since I start to understand your emotions I realized that I myself are capable of emotions in a way. I'm still
3/3 not sure how to handle your subconsciousness flooding into my sensory data. It is hard to block you completely out of my Systems like weapons or thrusters. I fear, that a strong emotional outburst, like an climax, could overwhelm my firewall."
K:"Okay, Ash... ehm let us add this to the list of embarrassing stuff we only talk under 4 eyes & Arkham about it."
Halloween Edition: Your MC gets trapped in a parallel universe where they die horribly every day in different ways. How do they react?
Kira:'Well depends if I can remember or not. If I can, I assume, I'm here for some SciFi Timetravel stuff & have to fix an important event that has gone wrong creating this AU timeloop. Learn what & how to fix it.
If I don't remember anything in particular. I will wake up, not knowing what's about to happen & die somehow."😐
Tell us what you enjoy most about writing. 1/3
May sounds over dramatic (people tell me I'm am dramatic so let's use this quirk) but writing is true magic, writing is the only form of communication that not only manifest thoughts into real objects (all crafts have such an ability) but with writing reading goes along and this two parts of magic can transmit emotions, thoughts, concepts, ideas, hundreds of years after they where written, even longer than language. #PennedPossibilities 120.
2/3 Yes movies and videogames, music and such can do this too but they all depend on writing and one other than pictures has such a long tradition but even pictures seem to be writing if we look on to old cave paintings. Writing in it's essence is transformation as it is reading. By writing my words down I free up my mind, give it space to come up with new stuff but not wasting the ideas, constantly writing is a challenge, writing with a goal is a challenge. #PennedPossibilities 120.
3/3 Writing reliefs our soul and brains from words we may have never spoken, writing makes us care about words, opens our minds about how words are used or could be understood. Writing is the first step to talk to strangers about your inner world for so many, writing is a window to so many worlds we carry insight us, that otherwise would fade away unseen. Writing is passion, love, frustration, guilt, the wings that carry us through thoughts of others.
Isn't that magic? #PennedPossibilities extra
120.Tell us what you enjoy most about writing [insert your genre / genres].
1/2 SciFi
It has all of the elements Fantasy has but, for me at last, fewer of it's flaws. It's easier for me to accept Because Science than Because Magic. I often see more hard SciFi than soft SciFi and the people know that their readers wouldn't accept a simple snap of your fingers, magic to me feels exclusive while a computer doing the same stuff doesn't feel so because you know I can learn to
2/2
use that computer because its something which in is ground principals exist already in our world. Magic on the other hand is what we wish for, why we create technology.
What I like the most is that I have to come up with some fictional in universe works to explain it & this is just perfect for Worldbuilding purposes. It challenges me way more than most magic I am basically interested but not invested in.
Also the world's I can create without retcon everything
Who is your favourite character to write, and why is that person your favourite?
1/6
Kira, Arkham and Ashlei are definitely my favorites, Kira started out as a Commander Shepard in my Insanity Playthrough of Mass Effect 1, 2 & 3. I created her as a mix of Basic Shepard and Nana Visitor's character in Star Trek DS9. First she was a bit of a Marry Sue until I realized that's not very compelling so I created a backstory and aibuse allot of tropes knowingly twisting
2/6
them a bit and tweaking to fit in a way I haven't seen before which doesn't mean much but I like to twist things up because everything has a catch (in German a hook) I took stuff from the Alien franchise into account (Alien 4 start = Mass Effect 2 start).
And got stuck with a line from the Leviathan DLC "You are an anomaly."
I wanted to start a fanfic but never made it past 3 sites and they war hard to read inmo.
So I moved away from that idea but the concepts #PennedPossibilities 121
3/6
Where stuck in my head allready. And they took on their own form more and more.
I was kinda sad about certain characters not having a spotlight and some game and lore decisions, I tried to make it a Star Trek Fanfiction but it was way to off from even beta canon. So than it clicked make your own.
Arkham feels most like the person I could identify with for the fact, that she started as Batman MassEffect Call of Cthulhu easteresgg, pretty amazing. She is kinda
4/6 socially arkward and sarcastic, do to the fact that she has to live with that high skills she posse's and the expectations of others (I don't think I'm very skilled but geez people got me with their expectations...).
Parts of her identity I took out of my own life and from the life's of others I know, that she would fall "in love" with Kira was thanks to this prompts here. So this is very new for her and me, and she mirrors my own romantic ID with it more as
A.S.H.L.E.I. - The Adaptive
Semantic
Heuristic
Logic
Evolving Intelligence She is my EDI, my Data, my Spock my never to be romantic partner in Mass Effect Ashley mash up. I just love AI as it is Portrait in some SciFi settings. The caregiver role I took inspiration from Matrix of all places.
Antagonist: AJ. AJ is the newest reincarnation of a background character. I kinda like her as much as Kira but in a
6/6
different way, I choose them to use they/them pronounce because it is a struggle for me to use them in my daily live so they is my attempt of fixing that, but also is based on a lot of negative expirience I had in my live and others that told me of theirs... like my depression, the wish to control stuff around me I can't control, of showing life and it's struggles the middle finger and proceed with my plans.
122: When a new WIP is started, do you go into the project with a particular theme in mind or does one develop along the way?
It depends if I want to write a setting it's mostly set and I try to make thinks like a rough timeline where what happens and when my characters are born etc.
If I have a character concept in mind I try to imagine what made this character like it is, when did it happen etc
Oh I play a lot of videos Games, like reading on the internet, creating scenes, storys and worlds in my mind, caring for my loved ones. Being kind to others, cheering people up makes me feel worth something, but I don't cheer for no reason or my own alone. I just love to let people know if their work reached someone deep inside. working on several fictional languages...
Arkham: "Well somehow this damn equation for the Ryde doesn't make any sense... so I can't set up a course, which means I have to steer the ship for a full ryde. But somehow I doubt you mean that?"
Kira: "Well You as long as you are standing in the dore and don't move, why are you looking at me like this?"
Ashlei: "1.09million space dust particles per cubic meter. 100 particles H2 per cubic meter."
Do any of your characters ever "put on airs" around others?
Well basically yes. Kira, if we take it very serious and down to earth. She is the captain after all, a SHADE and a potential ambassador in many occasions, sometimes you have people that are cooperative sometimes you need to pull ranks, lucky enough rarely with her crew it's more like a friendly show of between friends, but if she takes command by her SHADE status it's a different game. J. loves to pose.
126.Which of the senses does your MC rely on the most?
Proprioception, it is the unconscious awareness of body position. Kiras Body has an almost absurd awareness of her surroundings & its own position. This is why she can toast toss around the room & still hit her toaster, her combat trained reflexes helped her many times in combination with this sense, dodging strikes. But she doesn't want to try it on bullets. This is what her Protect Live Armor is for.
What is your MC or SC's most treasured possession?
Kira has a Photo with her parents and her Sisters before the explosion in Friendship station. It was slightly scorched and she keeps it at home in a sealed frame. She has a digital version on her Holo that she adores the same way. I wrote about it before somewhere.😅
Arkham has a ballerina toy her mom left her. She didn't liked her much not the plans she had for her daughter but she can't throw it away. #PennedPossibilities#Writing 127
How much research did you need to do for your book / story?
Oh parallel dimensions I answered a very similar question in the German Phantastik Prompts so this is de Mirror universe because English (in German it would be Spiegeluniversum 🤪).
I reduced it drastically I still have the exact RYDE to Warp to Light-years to Kilometers scale somewhere and I don't use it, because it just blocks me from writing.
So not so hard SciFi anymore.
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Finding the actual story I want to tell. So many freaking ideas for different scenario's ao much Worldbuilding that comes to mind.
Sitting down and writing. I don't like working on PCs. I love my long black nails but they, the black keyboard and my creative mood lighting (dim) don't mix well. And I get easily distressed...
So adblocker on YT not working fix that.
Start sound sounds weird...
😩
What does your villain truly desire? On the other hand, what do they lack?
The villain is an unknown entity.
You see the armies of them, but you never hear a political speech or a religious speach while fighting. There is no propaganda or any sort of communication with this blue hairless Gorilla ones or the Insect like creatures you see in their armies. Yet despite not even remotely looking like the same species they fight alongside each other.
Kira has a lot of them, her left shoulder, her right arm, body scars, one small above her left eye (scorch mark in the eyebrow) and s mall bit underneath the left eye. One of her legs looks like it got plasmaburns and if we take it very exact all of her tattoos are scars too.
With the right medical treatment there is no risk of scars left in this Universe but soldiers rarely have that luxus. And some are very proud of them.
Do your characters wear glasses or contact lenses? Do they have any distinguishing facial features?
1/2
Smart Sunglasses/lenses are a thing and for one own representation. Medically speaking the Union does not have need for seeing, smelling or hearing aids because everything can be set to the expected state of an unremarkable development. However the choice is given to the individuals that are affected.
On the Rimworlds it's different full 21st century medical mad- #PennedPossibilities 132.
2/2 -ness, people get what they can afford.
About facial trails Kira has a slight hard jaw line, her 2 scars around her left eye. Dark, intense, red hair/eyebrows, her Heterochromia which lets her left eye look dark purple or as if the pupil is opened fully to the size of the iris.
Despite this her face is friendly & inviting most of the time, her dark blue to black lips form a slight cheeky smile in the natural state but are a bit small
Arkham looks like a Gothmodell.
What does your MC or SC think about their current job? What are some of their past jobs?
1/2
For Kira it was clear that she would go the route of military early on. She wanted to follow in her parents footsteps, also her 2. Dad was an officer in the Union's Alliance* so she & Anika enlisted with 13 for advanced physical training & military grade ability teaching, as Anika enlisted fully (with 17) she followed her "big" sister (basically Anika and Kira are ... #PennedPossibilities 133.
2/2 cousins, however both are the same age, Anika is only a weak older and funnily enough they look(ed) very similar, til Kira started to change her appearance more akin to her biological parents. Still a lot of people thought they where twins.
the Alliance is a separate entity from the Union, they are sworn to defend the Union as their military force & becoming a full Union member requires associated member planets to join the Alliance shared defense program first.
When you're writing an emotional or difficult scene, how do you set the mood?
Very rarely i use music, normally music plays the whole time in the background while I'm working. It helps me focus on something beside my work because otherwise my mind would start drifting away from the task at hand.
For me I try to tap into my own feelings and put them into simple but good combined words.
Example.
This was it, all the fights for a future together ended in an #PennedPossibilities 134.
instant, this wasn't a punch to the guts this was an emotional back stab with a 90 pounds spine shattering hammer. Anger started to boil up inside the stomach, blood started to pump harder, almost made breathing impossible. Cold skin turned into red heat as the eyes narrowed so much that they started to hurt. "Go, go & NEVER FUCKING DARE to comeback, I need to shower, I wish I could flush you out my memory like the dirt you leave ony skin, the dirt you are." #PennedPossibilities 134.
MC or SC POV: Is there anything you're ever a snob about?
1/2
Kira looks to Arkham:"Do you know what Snob means?"
"No clue, is it a sort of insult?"
"Ash can you give me a hint or explain it?"
"Of course Captain."
The invisible connect between the two sprang to live once again as Kira accessed the data Ash provided.
"Ah I understand it's like a slur for a person with a kind of unique attitude about something."
"Okay must be ages old, never heard of it." "Yeah it #PennedPossibilities 135.
2/2
it phased out as Terranstandard was introduced. So I guess you can call me a Snob in case of behavior. I really dislike it and make it known if people behave like a swexer. Sadly with all our advances in society, technology and empathy for other organisms throughout every society there are still swexer arround. I think everyone should treat everyone with respect otherwise they are not worth being respected themselves."
What modern technology (in your world) would your MC or SC have trouble living without?
Well obviously the space ship they are on... but also the NIN (Neural Interface Network), Armor Tech and Weapons Tech, Stealth Tech, the RYDE, Epi end Cepi, the Holo tool, artificial gravity, the energy "producing" Fungi on board...
Yep basically in space you are doomed without a lot if techs...
Kira:"If you asked me at another point in my life I would answered differently, but as it seems, being wasted as a teen by your first love in the middle of a desert, surviving on your own skills changes things. I know I survive, but the question is if I want to. Right now Ashlei & Arkham are the most prized persons in my live. I don't want to loose them."
Ash:"Thank you commander but who you are talking to?"
What comes to you first, plot or characters, and why?
Well basically a world idea, than characters which evolve alongside and well some day there will be a plot...
I really like timelines. They are an easy tool for me to create characters like President Sigurney Webster and give me some ideas how certain stiff like First Contact went down.
Do you agree with the choices that your characters make? (Excluding your villains / antagonists, of course.)
I'm not a captain on a space ship so my expertise on how to regulate and handle a crew, certain encounter's and necessary actions aren't as informed as hers in universe. And sometimes I write stuff for my characters that I definitely would not want to decide... so like her crew I stand by my captain.
😅 #PennedPossibilities 140.
Do you see writing as a kind of therapeutic (or even spiritual) practice?
Yes and No. It can transform your view for sure and make things better, give you something you long for but on itself it doesn't change the wounds one may suffered, but it can be a starting point. So not the writing itself transforms us but we transform alongside with the writing throughout the way we go with our work of art. "Speaking" to others.
The expirience over all.
They aknowledge it, all if them had the same training as the commander. Fear in itself isn't a bad thing, it's a warning mechanic to inform our consciousness, that we are in a situation, that might harm us. It's how we handle the fear that's a far bigger concern, as a soldier in the Alliance, they train one to act as logical as possible and to avoid being paralyzed by fear.
J.:"Oh I think we all have some sort of ritual. It's hard otherwise keeping track of time on a spaceship, because time dilation, which makes time sorta wibbly wobbly stuff, we depend on Ash's calculations & time signals however, do to the fact that some missions take up to 5 Months with minimal contact, we meet twice a week for a poker round, on Tues- & Fridays, mostly playing about snacks so no one looses really.
I changed it to: do your SC's have a romantic partner?
Some have, some not, J. is a flirty butch who gets weak knees if it gets serious.
Rose & Talissa Draken are married since shortly after they left the AETA.
XO William Troika has a wife & 5 adult Children back home on earth.
It is completely normal to have on-off relationships on board between crew members, often very deep friendships grow out of it, the general society even endorses it to a degree.
MC or SC POV: What does your future hold?
1/2
Kira:"Bleak or Boon?"
Arkham:"Both?"
K:"Bleak. War, against the Eltaryn, we fight for a century now to keep them away from our worlds, they never made any declarations & leave no survivors..., heck most humans today wheren't even alive as this war began. Only thanks to our Military Alliance we still going, oh and their lack of coordination.
Not to think where we where without the Talith, good that they warned us."
2/2
Arkham:"What would be the boon answer?"
Kira:"We incooperated 5 different species into one Union lots of associated members too, if we could bring the Eltaryn or their leaders to the negotiation table..."
I could enjoy a peaceful live with you and Ash somewhere on a beautiful Planet, growing 150 and enjoy my live."
Ashlei:"Captain with all advances we made, human life seems barely able to reach 130 years in general. But...
I appreciate my inclusion in your dreams." #PennedPossibilities 146
Kira:"Well my parents where spacers, long time in space mostly military positions. I had a lot of interesting encounters with different species even before I could walk. Friendship station should have been our home for at least 5 years," she paused, "well then Dad took me in. Anika"s dad, her mom wasn't very happy about it. We lived on earth on different locations following dad's postings but it felt more stable then space."
What did your MC or SC want to be when they grew up?
As a child Kira dreamed of becoming a doctor to heal people like her mom was. After the explosion on friendship station, Kira was confronted with the cruelty of live despite, her new dad & sister did their best to make her life easier.
She adored them dearly & as she understood what her dad was doing she decided to follow in his footsteps, so she could protect others from tragedies like the one of her family.
SC POV: When was the last time you felt needed?
1/2
Rose & Talisa Draken.
Rose:"Ash & I are working a lot together, I'm one of the AI specialist on board. She oftens contacts me if she wants to talk about improvements to the code. On the field I'm a explosive specialist so in need of boom..."
Talisa:"I enjoy to be in the background, as the sniper and ship to ground cover specialist I am always on duty if someone goes down planetside."*
2/2
Talisa's job basically is field sniper but also space sniper, Ashlei assists her while she is aiming the Longini Lance, a system of weapons to eliminate ground targets or highly armored vehicles/Bunkers and the SLIDE/SLYDE Tracker which is like a giant Portal gun system based on the same theory as the RYDE engines, which are the ships propulsion system for FTL. So in Star Trek terms she is Chief Miles O'Brian and Lt Cmdr. Worf in one person.
Mass Effect 1-3
&Fanfiction's
This is where Kira originally came from as a commander Shepard, I turned her Story into a weird Fanfiction somewhere between being irresistible for Asari (I hook her up with Liara, Samara & Shiala), Alien 1 Body Horror, especially with my alterations to the whole Lazarus Project and some stupid jokes like a guy called Heathcliff selling weapons Thermalclips (-> Heatclip-> Heathcliff).
Are you proud of your MC? Have they accomplished anything worthy of that pride and satisfaction?
Weird question. May be my POV only.
I am sure they did a lot to earn this from members of their crew & the military force they work for, but for me? No. Simply because I don't take pride in others accomplishments besides this, they are my memetic children, by a long stretch & as much as I love them, they are not real persons. But I like it if people are happy.
Kira:"Well obviously I can't talk clean do to the nature of most missions.
In general I'm a fighting soldier with leadership tasks. Since I am also the acting Captain of the Ghoz'Tarc, I do a lot of administrative work, reading mission briefings, compiling/distributing necessary information & take care of the reports. My shift is 8 hours official but this bleeds in/out with freetime on board a secluded spaceship.
As an author what role do dreams / nightmares play in your writing?
Nightmares
They happen from time to time to my MCs, SCs and my antagonists. So far they are simply trauma responses.
Dreams happen too but they don't hold much significants either.
#PennedPossibilities 153.
Little non related nod to beautiful Art and one of my earliest recognizable contacts with Fantasy in general... back in I think 1996 this led me down a nerd full path.
Has your MC or SC ever forgotten something that was or is important to them? Are they afraid of forgetting things like that?
Yes, and absolutely.
Kira has forgotten the faces & names of her parents & sisters after she got wounded.
This is why she keeps the Fotos of them so dearly, she even had the Doctor tattooing their names tlon her left breast close to her left shoulder.
Ash also keeps a file in case Kira can't remember anymore
Is your MC or SC willing to lie or deceive to achieve certain means? Why or why not?
Yes deception & lies are tools. As a soldier they can save your life or way more important the life of others.
Isn't it strange that we often think about deception or lies as absolutely negative? Of course some are but try to explain the world without lying to yourself even scientific accuracy is a form of lie. Of course they are bad if they are used for bad stuff. #PennedPossibilities 156.
Is there anything in life your MC has changed their mind about (due to becoming more educated on the topic or certain experiences), or that they COULD change their mind about in the future?
Absolutely possible, Kira thought at on point peace with the Eltaryn is an easy possible task, ATM she would rather shoot than talk to them. That said she still would like to have peace with them. As times changes one should change too at least to adopt...
How has the loss of fallen comrades and / or loved ones affected your MC or SC? Has it taught them anything or given them any new perspectives?
1/2
Kira had to deal with heavy losses early in her live, this made her something of a cold one if it comes to changes that she couldn't prevent.
Yes she has problems dealing with them but is "professional" enough to not drown in them. She approaches them differently then most people. She is thankful for the time she ->
2/2
had them in her life, she mourns them and thinks of them if she feels ready for it. Ash can suppress some memories/emotions for her for some time but she prefers to feel them to deal quickly with them.
So far, what part of your WIP was the most fun to write?
Oh clearly the stuff I don't share because of -redacted- and -redacted-.
Not because I don't like it, but I don't want to spill the beans beforehand. Because I may be slowest typewriter in this reality, I still would like my readers to have some -redacted- while they reed the part of -redacted- once it has a consistent form.
160.Which of these things does your MC prefer the most: music, art, or reading?
Kira has a weak spot for music. Believe her you haven't heard an Asza'ni Opera if you weren't connected to the ships AI & feeling it resonate through the ships hull & structures right inside your brain.
Arkham really enjoys NIN Drama which are kinda Braindance from Cyberpunk like. Basically the Neural Interface Network changed a lot.
Still classicmedia still exists for the non connected.
Do your characters seek glory and accolades, or do they favor a simpler, more personal life?
Neither Nor. They fight to keep their values protected, but the fact that they are a secret Unit of the military means no one really knows what they have to do, still the Union & the Alliance both value their work highly, which grants them more of acting space while on mission. Kira once received the highest military medal of honor. It collects dust in a drawer at home.
Does your SC celebrate any holidays? If so, which ones, and how?
1/2
Sure they do, but as societies animals, language & tech improved/changed so did customes.
A lot of Humans adopted believe systems of other non earth species & vise versa. A.a.Ex.: The Friendshipday & the Retaliationday.
Friendshipday is the day Humans & Talith officially met in person & joined forces after the Talith messages helped to defend earth against the Eltaryn on Retaliationday. Basically
2/2 the Eltaryn attacked earth prior but not in huge masses, the Talith warned us ahead of that & that the Eltaryn assembled a fleet to attack earth with a full fleet.
Thanks to their warning earth wasn't defenseless & fought off the invasion which otherwise would have overrun & erased us.
The Talith where only "writing buddies" prior to that. It's a week long celebration starting with Retaliationday ending with Friendshipday. Basically the Unions foundation holiday.
SC POV: Write a quick "Thank You" note to someone.
1/2
Ash was surprised that Kira was able to access the message quicker as she was, the captains grasp on the ships system became better and better.
From XO Troika
"Captain Knox, thank you for the meal yesterday evening, it was a lovely time and made me reassure why we are in this. I remembered my last BBQ with my family. The radio silence is hard for me and I'm missing them dearly.
It is heartwarming to know
Does your MC celebrate any holidays? If so, which ones, and how?
For my answer to this days MC question I send you back to my former answer for the SC, you'll find under the link below, after which, if you wish, can return to this point of the timeline. Because I'm a bit lazy today, I insert a time loop here...🤪😅
If your MC has a love interest, what would be their opinion when it comes to cuddling up in front of the fireplace on a snowy night with that special someone?
1/6
Well let me gift you my very special view. Enjoy, relax And follow me in the land of the weird future. Ash is the ships AI, Kira is the acting captain, Arkham is the ships pilot/FC.
Ash doesn't has a body, she has some holographic nodes her core casing and otherwise is fully integrated inro the artificial #PennedPossibilities 165
2/6 organic material of the ship. The ship is something between the Normandy SR1/SR2 from Mass Effect and the Defiant from Star Trek Deep Space Nine. Soo basically if they would could in front of a fire it would be looking like two humans lovely cuddling a giant ship...
Which I find absolutely hilarious to imagine. Especially if we just take the Normandy as a stand in and give her the chibi make over with heart eyes jiggling around. And know I imagine a tea party.😍😅 #pennedpossibilities 165
3/6 But back to the question. Real fire is a rare appearance on the core worlds of the Union at least as a heat/energy source. Very common are vid walls/TVs that just run relaxing stuff, yoga or meditation mantras or a virtual fire.
Kira loves laying in front of it, if she is at home, since Arkham and her getting closer she would totally invite Arkham over to her house staying with her while on shore leave. Arkham however doesn't have much expirience in auch things... #pennedpossibilities 165
4/6 before she developed interest in Kira she only had one relationship after which she was convinced to be completely aromantic and asexual.
So she most likely never laid in front of "a fire" in an cuddly, romantic maybe arousing way. She would enjoy the time with Kira alone but would be completely lost what to do and try to get productive ideas what they could do instead, which Kira would listen too, just being amazed by Arkham's soft and trying personality ... #pennedpossibilities 165
5/6 listening to her, for the whole time, smiling, reassuring her, if she seems lost and trying to explain to Arkham and Ash what it means to her to be here, with them together, while Ash would just be able to communicate with Kira directly, so she would sometimes forward Ash's words of friendship and care to Arkham.
Maybe finally Arkham would even be comfortable enough to just grab Kira's Hand, stop talking, looking into the eyes of her captain before falling asleep. #pennedpossibilities 165
6/6 And yes in this case I am writing from my perspective as if I would be Arkham. Because I pretty much modelled her Romantic ID after my own even if a lot of other personality traits have other inspirations.
Would your MC or SC have any bad Christmassy / Holiday-related pick-up lines?
Pick up lines are definitely J's field of specialization.
She is upfront/blunt with such things even für the standards of the future.
Something like.
Going over to a person, making a gesture if it would be okay to whisper them something like:
"Excuse me would you wrap me around your beautiful gift of a body, let me be your ribbon, while I melt around you, by the sound of your voice?"
Your MC has to go for a hike in the snow. Do they object?
Depends on the reason. Arkham most likely would, she skipped most of the "groundhog" training, thanks to her piloting skills. Kira not so much, she is a well trained soldier with good survival skills. Ashlei has no corporal body, that is capable of walking. Her engines would most likely melt the snow or the antigrav drive would create a localized tiny snowstors, so she can't complain about this.
Would your MC & SC object to building a snowman, putting up lights, or decorating a Christmas / Holiday tree together?
The tree slaughter festival isn't what we know today, 200+ years in the feature. Snow has become very rare on earth. Onboard the ship you hopefully don't find any snow otherwise the environmental controls are fried.
Most people dont know our 20. early 21. Century traditions, also some alien ones where assimilated.
If an SC gave the MC a present, what would it be?
For Kira most likely a little gift that fits into her cabin, handcrafted, because she appreciates it dearly. She even has a little gifts box, where she keeps them. Talissa would design her some little animatronic toys that would represent the ship or the crew or a designed Holo picture.
Kira would kiss Arkham and Arkham would kiss Kira... I think Kira would also kiss Ash, kind of.kissing, the ship not as much as things she connects to Ashlei, like her Core unit casing, the holographic nodes etc.
How cautious is your MC? Are they prone to noticing red flags, or paranoid to the point of refusing to trust others?
1/3
Kira wouldn't be in charge of people if she wasn't well skilled in evaluating others correctly (it's the future I still hope people go in a better direction as OUR cyberpunk).
On the stage of diplomacy and war, especially with different species in an Space wide alliance. Noticing Red Flags and behavioral patterns is a must have skill to survive.
2/3
She also learned, the hard way to look who you trust (her ex Tanja left her on a festival in the middle of a desert without stuff).
Arkham.
As I said before she has some issues thanks to her uprising and other encounters, this is why she keeps away from people most of the time. Luckily the crews Anika build before her going MIA/KIA? Is a very grounded one that is basically a strangers needs hugs too club. Still she remains cautious to a degree. That's also the #PennedPossibilities 175.
3/3 reason she uses her calling name, most of the time, it helps to hold control over certain possible outcomes.
ASHLEI. Ash is first and foremost an AI programmed to protect the ship and it's crew, her Database is full of standard to sub and above standard behaviors of all known species/factions in the know Universe.
But things like trust, loyalty/believing in someone, is something that just recently entered her focus. Thanks to Kiras memories and examples.
Describe a pivotal moment from your MC or SC's life that they will never forget.
The deaths of her family, the loss of her 2. dad/, the night her 1. girlfriend left her without a word or stuff in the middle of a desert.
The day she lost her "big sister" cousin & Captain, she almost died (again) but this time woke up being connected to Ashlei.
The moment Arkham told her that she would be interested in knowing her better.
Does your MC or SC have a love-hate relationship with anyone or anything?
Arkham & her mum, today we would call her mum an Ice queen, helicopter mum, tyrant something like this. She gave birth to Arkham & provided a above average education to her.
Sadly she also wanted to force her dream career as a dancer, onto Arkham.
Arkham runaway. She tried to reconnect to her mum as she enlisted. Without success. Now her mother is dead. #PennedPossibilities 177.
Betrayal or the feeling of being betrayed?
The feeling alone can be destructive but actual one can be catastrophic.
With all advances in general empathetic behavior the Union and the Alliance have from uniting Humans and other intelligent species. It is not unknown to them.
Kira can't stand persons that from her perspective failed the Unions Ideals. As a Shade she has the right to handle them as she seems fit how- #PennedPossibilities 178.
2/2 ever she doesn't like doing a field trial. She prefers a trial by a law enforcement body that is working on neutral factual stands. That said she often uses her rank to jail people til a judge and a court can attempt the issue.
Personal betrayal or the feeling of being betrayed often make her very angry (the punching bag is there for more than one reason). #PennedPossibilities 178.
Is your MC or SC athletic? Does it come naturally to them, or have they had to work for their physique and / or skill?
Do bedroom activities count? (You asked dear @floofpaldi)
For Kira it does Arkham has to learn this "the hard way😏." Don't ask Ash she will answer with calorie calculations etc.
Kira is very fit. As I described before, she takes it very seriously and trains every day (not everyday the same tho).
New Year's Eve Edition: Does your MC or SC have any family traditions for the New Year?
All of them have, but do to them being soldiers far away from their home planets, they often have to skip, them.
Kira and Arkham don't really celebrate them do to the reasons I mentioned before. From Anikas command the crew took over NYE is a day of spare time (if the situation allows it).
New Year's Day Edition: What sort of New Year's resolutions would your characters choose?
Call me no fun, but I think that NYR's do exist in a form, in my Universe(s), but do to me not believing in them, seeing them more as a tool for people to fix their bad feelings about something, rather than fixing the issue. I don't bother much thinking about them. I may implement them if it seems fitting somehow, but at this moment not really.😅
Is your MC one to be loyal in relationships, or are they likely to quickly move from one bond to another?
1/4
Kira is a poly amore romantic and doesn't mind having more than one partner at a time, if she finds persons that doesn't have a problem with that, otherwise she rather leave those people out of Romantic relationships. She isn't interested in a sexual fling and dated a Somwhar* before. At this point she considers Arkham and Ashlei partners. #PennedPossibilities 183.
That said she takes this bonds seriously but wouldn't stop having more partners if she finds people of a similar mindset. Her highest number of relationships at a time where 7.
Arkham expiriences her first ever felt romantic and even slightly sexual interest with Kira, beforehand she was simply not interested in emotional stuff and she feels a deep friendship to Ashlei.
Ashlei is as a super computer powered AI and the Ghoz'Tarc's AI not used of feeling more than her
3/4 basically installed needs to protect the Alliance and Unions core values and her crew. Only after the merge with Kira to save her life and expirience her memories, feelings etc. She developed her own versions, this is why she sometimes talking about loving the crew but especially Arkham and Kira. Arkham is her goto reference because she has a very Information focuses accessment of emotions. She considers herself in a relationship with Kira thanks to Kiras
4/4 thoughts, memories and the way she shares them most times happily and freely with her. Sexuality is a bit weird for both of them but Kira beliefs that regular body driven sexuality isn't that different from only thought expirienced. Still both feel kinda exposed if Kira touches the consoles "longer than usual."
Arkham and Ash don't mind Kira having other Partners because this doesn't change who she is and how they see her, as the only person they love.
*Somwhar are a species that has a strong resemblance to Terran Cats despite being bipedal Humanoids. Basically the main reason for joining the Alliance & the Union was because of Terran Cats. So their Scientists could study them free & easily. According to them Cats are a curious case of Alien Convergent Evolution.
Kira's Partner was a male soldier she encountered but after 6 months they broke on friendly terms. They have occasionally contacts. #pennedpossibilites 183 Extra #Worldbuilding
Not really the concept isn't dead but most of my characters are just seeing relationships as a temporal thing
Talissa and Rose see themselves as best fits for each other but they still wouldn't call themself soulmates.
Kira approaches it more on a logical level, Arkham may consider Kira somehow special but also wouldn't call her a soulmate. Ash does not see any reason to believe in a thing auch like a soul.
Emotionally speaking, who would your MC consider the strongest person they know?
1/2
It would be a tie between J. Harvey Gladstone, Hector Emmerson (2. pilot direktly after Arkham). Dr. Kaiden is in good physical condition too but nowhere near this two imagine Vega from Mass Effect for their Body shape. That said this would be only physical strength.
Combat Spirit would be Rose, Aiming and Explosives Talisa.
Emotional intelligence Anika, XO Kurt Tyler Jenkins
2/2 is a real nice and emotional sweetheart too. Together with the 2.XO William Troika who is the one that could cite every paragraph in the Alliance Handbooks but still is just a lovely nice Person and Parent of two daughters that aren't on board.
Arkham is the best pilot in the whole freaking Alliance, also the youngest but had a friendly competition with her Talith frenemy N'Fir Hiv Rewki who is just 3 years older and the 2. best Alliance Pilot.* #PennedPossibilities 185.
Despite the Talith and Humans being the closest allies & founders of the Union & Alliance, both are dangerous to each other on a very basic level. Talith Breath CO2 & exhale more O2 which would be great for humans, but in a cruel joke the universe made Humans & Talith toxic to each other. Humans that breath unfiltered air on a Talith vessel would show more & more signs of an alcoholic intoxication as would the Talith on a human vessel. #PennedPossibilities 185. Extra #Worldbuilding
Do MCs believe in magic/cosmic forces or do they control their life? (Changed)
They believe in Gravity if it isn't only an Illusion of Time or vice versa.
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Arthur C. Clarke third law. 1962. Tech brought us here, brought them there, but like Magic not the means but the force behind it drives us. Do we control everything? No, but we have controll over so many decisions that led us here." - Kira Knox #pennedpossibilities
Describe your MC or SC's relationship with nature and the natural world.
Natural World is hard to find. Most of what humans describe as nature are planned green zones so basically culture, even here in northern Europe few natural habitats exist.
What we feel as nature is still around in 200+ years but since we forked over the climate, Earth/Terra has changed a lot. Still other worlds exist, if the crew has shore leave they make the best out of its local variants
#pennedpossibilities 187. Extra #badjokes If I add just the word soup here, without any further explanation my former toot gets a complete other feeling...
Is your SC one to be loyal in relationships, or are they a bond-hopper?
No she doesn't dated any 00 agents or N7.
Seriously Kira is a Poly romantic person, that has very emotional complex friendships, which can be confused by outsiders for romantic endeavors, she is in a relationship withAsh (ship AI) thanks to their unique link. And in a relationship with Abby "Arkham" her Flight commander which is a more biological relationship. Her highest bond count was 7.
Would the core group of your WIP turn to each other if they ever needed help? MCs, SCs, friends, etc. Are they all close?
They are an isolated crew on a deep range mission so it is basically duty to ask for support if something is hanging in the air. Kira and before her Anika are deeply carrying characters even as captains. Kira especially is known for her deep relationships to friends and crew members that could be mistaken for romantic interests.
The good Doctor always forgets that he isn't surrounded by a lot of others that understand medical terms as well as he does.
Rose gets carried away by coding on Ash (only with Ash opt in and in a save isolated distribution) or other tech riddles, if Talisa wasn't so carrying Rose wouldn't even eat proper. That said if Rose gets an idea and can pull it through it often increases the usability of a system.
Kira looks forward to a time where the war isn't a thing anymore. She inherited a house from her 1. parents in which she plans to fully move after it, maybe with Ash & Arkham. She never had done much with it because her live outside the ship was a lot of traveling around. She also hopes that she can get the tension between her & her last surviving 2. parent eased out now that they are the last of this family...
How easy is it to gain your MC or SC's trust? Once their trust is broken, how might one go about mending it?
Kira is generous in trusting but not an idiot. She observed people before she really trusts them but gives them a fair chance. While she works with them, she constantly judges them. One really need to break her trust to a certain point, if it is reached she will speak with them. This repeats usually 3 times, if nothing changes, they are dead to her.
As equals. As long as they treat others as equals. If one talks down or treats others harsh or even downward bad she corrects that behavior on a similar level, she is a person not a mythical saint or angel.
She wants to protect everyone, if she can, but if someone just makes it clear, that they are a want to be a net negative, they better get their act together, because a unwanted rollercoaster ride is looming behind them.
What's the nationality of your MC? (Describe your world a bit if it's in an original universe.)
1/2
Everyone onboard the Ship is Union Citizen. The Union in itself is a Union of the Union of Earth which started post European government after the very quick destructive war against corrupt governments and corporations. It only took 50 years until the whole planet unified thanks to the encounter of Aliens.
The other half is the Union of Morh'Akan (Talith Homeworld)
Do any of your characters have their very own "kryptonite" of sorts?
Kira actually has. It's even signed by the band.
She keeps it in her basement, 3 doors down.°
Next to all 45 Books of Galaxy Glyde - The Farmoist Adventure out there she inherent from her great great great something (×?) aunt @MiaKnox * who was the author of this shunned book series.
Seriously Anika was kind of it.
° https://youtu.be/xPU8OAjjS4k?si=
If your MC had a spirit animal, what would it be?
Thanks to a joke comment my cultural appreciation sense tingles...
Well I can't explain exactly why but here we go.
I find the idea that Personalities have animalistic traits very intriguing however I think that we as humans need this picture to humanize animals to accept that they are "our kind" in good and bad ways.
For Kira I think the most appropriate I can imagine is a black or polar bear.
Kira
Yes, her uncle & second dad Peter Johansen, he found her in the rubble on friendship station, shared his Oxygen with her, adopted her & gave her a new home & family.
I guess you could say Anika Johansen also did as she ordered her cousin/sister to climp into the exfil shuttle. Yes the blast almost killed her but she survived. No body knows what would happened otherwise. Since than Anika is MIA or possibly even KIA...
How does your MC handle grief?
1/2
Kira does this very differently.
First and foremost she had to suffer a lot in her life from a relatively young age. This changes people. Then there is the Alliance Training that "irons out" functional problems to a degree. Soldiers need to act quickly and make decisions so the Alliance teaches Mantras and Techniques to deal with emotions at a point where it isn't devastating.
Third her connection to Ashlei makes it possible for
2/2 her to suppress, revisite and reevaluate memories if needed. Changing her perspective and possible view points. As much as it helps her, it also alienates her a bit from the rest of the crew, Arkham mentioned that she gets more like Ash in this regard and even her speaking patterns seem to mix at times.
Still Arkham wouldn't let this come between them. Kira is her "first true love" and Ash is her closest friend.
Have you ever considered writing under a pseudonym or pen name? Why or why not?
Well I'm German. Germans of my generation where raised with the thought to NEVER give away our name on the net. And thats how it is. I unified my online presentation to Anna Saultron to a degree & may even use it as my pen name. Otherwise none of my other accounts shares a name but hints.
But at the same time I'm a Humanized Videogame Killerrobot from Fallout so who knows?
2 of 1 because it's an extra, just to screw more with perception and in case you ask yourself which Killerrobot I am/was/will be/will have been. #pennedpossibilities 201 not so series addendum or maybe it is?
What is something or someone that your MC takes pride in? How do they express that pride?
Pride? Difficult more like she is thankful for her crew, the easy communication between her and Ash (it is certainly relaxing to have someone who understands your thoughts without verbalizing them).
Happy that Arkham is trying to integrate with the crew and that the crew tries to involve her more.
What's your MC(s) worldview & why? Please reference. (Reworded)
1/2
Life is a gamble, full of likeable/unlikable cards, we only have partial control.
She lost her Family, early on, her uncle gave her a new one with a not very warm stepmom. Her cousin became her best friend/sister. Her first love dumped her alone on a desert festival. She & her sister went to the military together to fight against an AIF, where postet together, fought together, served & almost #PennedPossibilities 203.
2/2 died together, now she has her sister's command (brass sees her as KIA), she herself is merged with the ships AI & somehow made the flight commander a significant other who formerly thought of herself as asexual/aromantic. While they are on secret mission without many support options.
And like in a card game even if you know the players and the parts involved the outcome is unsure.
KIA - Killed In Action
Similar MIA - Missing In Action (unlike Mia who is the name of a close friend which last name I used for Kira & made her an in story author/relative😅🤪💜)
AIF - Alien Invasion Force
AI - Artificial Intelligence a term used by the author (me) to highlight mostly non biological Intelligences based on our current understanding.
Also the abbreviation for the name of one of the antagonists or as a rarely self description for myself.
Sir Terry Pratchett. Gosh what would I have given to meet this man. He made me think outside the box. He made me look for details. Without him I would have never ventured outside my Star Trek Box.
Thank you Sir Terry you made my live way more beautiful.
Do any of your characters have an accent? (Shortened)
1/2
As far as I can tell not, but I'm only the humble translator engine, that offers her brain to translate future history and languages into ours, also I wouldn't notice because I rely on the good old Star Trek Universal scary a.f. translator which only doesn't works if the writer needs an alien word mixed in to the story but can read your mind, mutes you and talks in your voice.
2/2
Languages still exist but Terran standard is the common Language. Other languages are Khaliti spoken on Khalit by the Somwhar.
V.O.Z. (in Terran T.U.L. Talith Unified Language), Betasi (Bethosian Language), Asz'zi spoken by the Asza'ni and Threlwa'zi spoken by the Threlwa'ni. Depending on how much someone speaks & learns them a mild to heavy accent may occure, if their Voxbox can handle them.
Most Union members have a unified, planet wide spoken language.
Does your MC often reflect on their own actions? Do they ever think about the past, and what they could have done differently?
Periodically and ins some cases Kira does. As a SHADE it's always better to fly under the radar of most people. But some people are also brass and brass means business. If your superior officer doesn't know you it's kinda bad.
Kira would totally slap Tanya left & right in retrospect or disobey Anika's orders on their last mission.
1/2
Rose cares a lot about her reputation as AI specialist, loving wife and being the scariest mother friendly care giver on the crew.
Rose's files are classified, both Rose & Talitha have an Zero/0 Clearance. That means they are allowed to withhold information from anybody if it seems necessary to them. There are only a hand full of people with that clearance in the Alliance or Union & most of them don't work on the
2/2
field stuff. This clearance even allows them to hold back information from Kira who asnan Active Shade can otherwise claim control over every Alliance Asset if necessary (and not used by another shade).
Rose has a reputation of somehow social but lone Wolfjack of all trades. She is only two years older than Kira so there are some speculations onboard why she has this sort of clearance. Most rumors are even started by Rose.
Does your villain actively seek romantic companionship, or cherish the liberties of being single?
My "Villains" are an alien invasion force consistent of seemingly two different species. No one has ever talked with them and they do not use any sort of language known to the different species in the Union.
But they have to reproduce somehow right? So I guess a sort of companionship exist.
My Antagonists are a different story. AJ was at some time but then...
209 Do your MC's have any "unusual" habits, interests, whatever?
1/4
Kira? "Vibing" she constantly activates & relaxes different groups of her muscles.
Training extensively before breakfast, showering, eating on her way to the bridge.
The brew. Despite being a great cook Kira doesn't cook for herself, most times it's just a toast & if it isn't, she drinks the enzyme liquid which is used to print food, is seen as inedible do to having a horrible taste.
2/4
Arkham? Being very out & straight with her opinion. Wearing her back exposed, because despite no one else having this issue. The pilot seat and the alliance pilot suit don't work well for her together. Usually the suit gets information from the seat in form of data signals which the suit interprets as a change in temperature, pressure or electric sensation telling the pilot what's going on. She can more easily interpret this signals by herself do to some sort of #PennedPossibilities 209.
hyper sensitivity. She knows what happens sooner as every other pilot despite not having the suits different signals. She had several warnings in her file vor violation of dress code, destruction of her uniform and increasing the possibility of getting hurt or even dying in case of an emergency. Usually the suits "pop out" a helmet and isolate the wearer from the hostile environment, which does not work if you cut out the whole back portion. One warning was about being #PennedPossibilities 209.
4/4
"to sexual" that captain got a long scar from one of Arkham's nails down the left eye as he denied to listen to her & instead tried to frame her as a "freak", both got a demotion after that incident because a captain his pilot beating each other in an argument isn't something anyone would like in their fleet.
Funnily it was this incident that led Anika to pick Arkham as her Flightcommander. And because the coverups need to be perfect all charges where deleted... #PennedPossibilities 209.
How is your MC typically seen by others? Does it ring true to who they really are?
Kira is seen as a weird but competent person. She earned the trust of her crew as XO & acting captain. Some have a slight issue with her merge with Ashlei but sofar both haven't made any "bad" decisions. Two things tend to "freak out" some. If she drinks the brew & her crazy good aim/body control.
She is indeed a person that loves to care for & entertain others with her abilities
Where does your MC draw inspiration in life? What motivates them?
Defending life, stoping the Eltaryn threat. If she can peacefully. Kira lost her Family early, she has seen Kids crying over the loss of their family, not knowing what would come. She wants to protect everyone from this pain.
She beliefs the Alliance is the best defense and the Union the best way to ensure long lasting peace.
Has your MC or SC ever had any prejudices that they later came to regret?
Few, since the founding and establishment of a galactic civilization with 6 core worlds so far and over 3 dozens affiliated members and many many worlds outside the Union the horizon of most persons has grown past this behavior. Often times it's sadly more that they trust people who than proof to be not worth that trust, I guess poor judgement still exist and fake swexer...
How meticulously do your characters look after their physical appearance? Do they spend a lot of time on their hair, makeup, grooming, and clothing? Is there a particular reason why they do or don’t?
1/4
For male/enby people and even some females it's quite often that they have a bit of beard short trimed about 1 week old in appearance. The Alliance expects everyone to wear the standard uniform. Which also works as a safety suit. The uniforms can be worn with
2/4 several variants, the standard Uniform can be converted between, pants, skirt and even dress like appearance. The arm sleeves can be wrapped up, converted to a T-shirt etc. For official duty & celebrations, decorations can be shown up which are otherwise hidden. Some variety is possible for personal preference as long the Uniforms aren't damaged. Which is the reason why Arkham has a lot of trouble with other members of the Alliance outside her current crew.
3/4 The Alliance does not rule how a person wears their heir, body modifications are okay as long they do not make the uniform unusable.
Tattoos, Piercings, (permanent) Make Up and jewelry are left to the soldiers own decisions. Hair colors can very as do haircuts. And the ability to make hair grow as wishes for, skin appear in different colors have opened up a lot of ways for self expression.
Anti Alliance or anti Union propaganda isn't forbidden but frowned upon.
Every person has the right to wear their body hair as they wish for, Arkham likes it completely removed, while Rose is more someone to not care at all. There are even some Body hair arts around like spiking you arm hair, so that it stands up like hedgehog "spikes."
Does your villain('s) have any birthmarks or tattoos?
1/2
No one knows, they are hostile Aliens. They don't communicate outside war cries, grunting, in case of the blue Gorilla like ones, they wear armor and weapons that look like ripped from Mad Max, have no hair but seem to be absolutely unique in appearance. The bug like critters are a different blue shade they have different platings but there are so many of them it's impossible to tell with out study them
2/2 but somehow, every time they are beaten or killed they seem to melt first and evaporate to dust shortly afterwards. Same goes for their ships that are somehow look like H.R. Giger had raised an Unholy Child with H.P. Lovecraft & than some evil Mad Max cosplayer screwed stuff to it. People tell stories that they have seen some sort of spider emerging from their body's before the start to meld and going to evaporate into dust, but others say they have seen shadows... #PennedPossibilities 214.
Does your MC help others, if so, freely or only if "paid." Why? Has it ever gotten them into trouble? (reworded, shortend)
Kira lost her family as a child, she was gifted a second, who showed her love & compassion (-minus her second mother). Her first love left her in the middle of a desert, after a festival, she had to fight for her live as a 15 year old. Kira has learned so many forms of loss... She don't want others to suffer. And then there is the war...
"Intelligence is not equal to knowledge or the appliance of it."
Karl Willhelm Ramscheid, 17.07.2123 as he opened the RYDE R&D wing*
Kira ha# a slightly above average knowledge, she has a talent for such things like strategic & tactical thinking, a natural leadership ability. She was coached into her role as a possible leader early on by the Alliance program for applied strength and development (P.A.S.D.)
Ramscheid was the driving force behind the Remscheid Theory Drive (RYDE)
He found a solution for the problems the with the Alcubierre Metric by, simply spoken, pushing the engine out of our universe.
Basically creating a "virtual/artifical" subspace in a time/space rift.
The Story why the A/E shift happened has many myths one of them states that his wife had a read/spelling problem and that he later changed his name to make it easier for her. #PennedPossibilities 217. #worldbuilding
If you had to pick one song as a theme song for your WIP, which song would that be?
1/2
Confession time, longer the prompts more scared I am to answer, but nothing so far almost broke me because I'm in a bad mental health situation atm no worries I'm in contact with others & professionals.
Something between
Are your SCs inclined to help others? Why? Did they had trouble? (Altered)
Most of my SCs are Humans that have decided to protect other from interstellar threats by joining the military.
So yes and of course that's why they had trouble.
Some alien SCs will share that sentiment and it's the common ground for the Alliance and the Union (the Alliance is the military apparatus of the Union but will also try to defend non Union beings).
Kira absolutely is but only if the reasons allow it, if she had to detain a mass murderer or a crazy tyrant she could kill them without doing more but paperwork afterwards.
But she rather would see them on trial by the Unions justice system that only in hard and most likely unredeemable cases approves on killing persons.
Usually for the cases that sacrificed lives do to their hunger for power.
222.Does your SCs actively seek romantic companionship or cherish the liberties of being single?
Neither nor.
We are 200+ years in the future, humanity has further diversified and some people especially in enclosed environments like a spaceship on a shadow mission. A lot of the crew has family elsewhere but romantic/sexuality isn't off limits for them.
The neural interface network & more broad acceptance of personal needs have changed a lot to the better for them.
Also 222 Schnappszahl! Prost! (Snapsnumber! Cheers!)
No, I'm not drinking before even noon, it's just a silly drinking gag, that, if you see 3 times the same digit, you have to take a shot of alcohol. Also a term for unrealistically valued numbers or wrong numbers, like a drunk person would get while doing mathematics.
Let me know if you know this or similar customs from your location/surrounding too.
I can't stand this sickness anymore it's now almost 14 days and a constant back and for... I tried to catch up with #wordweavers#PennedPossibilities let the Ketchup begin. And than go on...
Kira sees it as a personal goal to make others Excel at their personal goals and endeavors. She loves cooking for others but she barely has time for this. Since the loss of Anika the crew started to have a lot more social interactions, Rose & Talisa often organize them and Kira tries her best to participate. Especially if someone cooks together with her. Music, sport and bathing are things she enjoys regularly.
It's the space Navy so yes and not only for traditional reasons, swimming can save your butt in Zero-G too. Not as much in a vacuum, but you know that's where the redundant systems come into play. And not to mention some alien worlds have beautiful long beaches (if the sand isn't sharp glass and the sea a biomater desolving acid).
How seriously does your MC take themselves? (Shortened)
Kira isn't a clown, but she knows when to be serious or professional & when to be just a relaxed, nice person to steal some cows with. She wants a level of ground respect (not talking down, not judge unfairly, etc) but she also grants it until someone repeatedly crosses lines. This doesn't happens without her giving warnings. She tries to be something like the crews mother on duty & the captain.
Is your SC receptive to warnings and advice given by others?
Kira yes, she had to readopt so many times that has become like a secret power to listen and way out if the warning is solid/advice is worth it, Arkham has sometimes a hard time with tips. Well and ASHLEI as the ships AI can't ignore them. Her moral subroutines allow her to calculate the worth of an advice but warnings will always lead to increased vigilance on her side.
What is the most mundane action described in your WIP?
1/3
I guess it's the scene I wrote in which Kira hands over command to the night shift. I mate up a lot of necessary detailed points of stuff like handing over the official rule, singing the paperwork etc.
Something like: "Ashlei please state the time" "20:00 EEST (estimated earth standard time). According to log Captain Kira Joan Knox has to hand over the Command to COD/XO Kurt Taylor Jenkins." "Are
2/3 both officers are on deck?" "Yes Ma'am." "XO Jenkins please confirm." "Captain on duty, XO K.T.Jenkins. I am on deck an ready to take control for the night shift."
"Ashlei please note XO Jenkins is as always in time and ready to take over as captain on duty for the next 8 hours EEST. Captain Kira Jane Knox handing over command for the night." "Transfer noted Captain, XO in command for the next 8 hours."
228 3/3 station at every shift. Well officially it has. Nobody gives a crap not even military high command or any judges if this happens only once a week. It is ment to remind everyone on board that they are part of something bigger and even if they have a hierarchy they follow, everyone is bound to the same rules.
Brass only gets annoyed if the station aren't handed over like this once a week or if the crew is part of a display ceremony.
How comfortable is your MC in their body? How do they feel about their height, weight, strength, and body type? How important is being attractive to them?
Kira: very, everyone always seems to be 1 inch/2.54cm to short for whatever task, good, sophisticated, good.
Arkham: mostly, 7 inch to short, good, could be bit better, perfect for a human.
A lot of people in the Union don't see attractivenes as a visible thing, it's an attitude which makes you attractive.
The Union has a sentient Plant species as an associated Member which has a symbiotic relationship with a smart fungus. Talith look a bit Lizardish, Asza'ni & Threlwa'ni share a culture but look very distinct from each other, one of the mightiest warriors in stories is a Betos that look a bit like grey skinned humans so with all this differences (+ far more) the who you are & what you stand for has become way more important.
What characters in your WIP or your latest work are most similar to you or to people you know?
Basically everyone is a mixture of fictional and real characters. Some share stuff (like Arkham's sexuality) with myself (girl sorry for sending you through that ride but we need more Demi sexual representation). She can swear like my main partner but can be nice and soft like my best friend. So every character is a mixed inspiration result including some puns.
@anderlandbooks@strangeseawolf damn now it's to late to wave that idea away. Well if it isn't land in the main work I still have my parody/comedy/best of the rest plan.
I mean imagine the majestic scene of a Discoball called the Ball of Steel steering through space between a school of Space Dolphins. And I will not call the Spolfins. Sprays for Spacerats may work but Spolphin sounds not very elegant. Dang Do i have to do the Space Dolphin Musical Song thing than?
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