Bob - yeah, I noticed the 'glowing' room after I went back and re-read it. I've fixed that, I think. As for the open space interface - I'd
heard someone talk about the fire control system, but I hadn't realized it was a full open space setup. I'll have to check out the movie now, to see
what they did with it.
As for the laser hologram...sorry, but I don't think so. While the Yggdrasil might eventually be able to pump that much energy out in a beam, I
don't think that we're far enough past the slapstick effect for it to work. Now...it might be able to fire a convincing-looking beam that misses...or
else send in a stealthed KKV and then 'fire' a beam just as it hits so that it looks as though the damage is from the beam weapon. That could give the
Star Destroyer illusion some teeth, if need be. Or just Yggy herself.
For this next bit...my daughters can't be the only crew for the worldtree - there's far too much to do, and they're based more in the
Lightning anyway. While I do plan on hiring older fenkinder and screening other fen for working on board, I tend to like AIs. This crew list developed
in my head over the last few days, though between them and one last crew member that I'll be introducing (and that Greenpeace should love to meet), I'm
a little worried about maybe using up too much cool. Check me out on this one, please guys? And hopefully it won't read too badly - I'm typing this up
at 5 am. But I wanted to get it out while the words were flowing.
I played with the simulation I had running on my main control terminal, idly watching space through the glass panels in the front of the room. Fred had been by
yesterday to help with the final installation and networking of the computers that we hoped would serve as the crew for the Yggdrasil. We tried to set
things up to work as well as possible - histories of Fenspace and my own logbooks, as well as stuff from the girls. Detailed information on what we needed for
crew, and as much relevant information as we could stuff into handwaved databanks on those subjects. While we'd set up some of the computers to handle
different functions (the computer reserved for handling the holotech had VERY high-end graphics and sound cards, for instance), with the networking we hoped
that whatever AIs developed could take over the jobs that they wanted and use the appropriate equipment. And if they didn't want to be crew...well, I'd
left a note that we'd help them get set up wherever they wanted. That was yesterday. Today....Fate had told me that AIs had indeed developed and were
going through all of the data, as well as everything she had in her Alexandria archive. She was trying to archive as much of human - and fen - culture as she
could. All of the books in my library had been entered, all of my movies and music...and I'm pretty sure she's been swiping vast amounts of stuff from
other sources as well. I didn't ask - I didn't really want to know. I touched the screen, and made the projected receptor dish that was being displayed
a little bigger. This simulation was actually part of the archive project. They'd said that signals sent off from Earth would degrade fairly rapidly so you
wouldn't be able to go out and see old shows...but they hadn't figured on handwaved computers and tech. Or on this. Displayed on the screen, with the
treeship as a huge spoke across the diameter of the dish, was a receptor dish over a mile wide. Blue dots represented a screen of drones equipped with holotech
that was helping to create the full dish. It wasn't that solid - hard to do with our current power - but it didn't have to be too solid. Just enough to
catch TV signals. We were going to see if we could go out and capture some of the lost episodes of Dr. Who. If that worked, we'd try other stuff as well.
And if it didn't...well, in a few years, we could get together a five-mile-wide receptor. Eventually, we WOULD figure out a way to pull it off.
Fate appeared next to me, leaning on her staff. "It's time, Kevin. They've reached full sentience, and picked avatars for themselves. You're
in for a bit of a shock, though. Some of the computers with multiple processor cores...well, with the honey we used on the memory portions, it apparently
altered them enough to generate several AIs. So we've got a number of pairings." I arched an eyebrow at that, and got to my feet. "All right.
Um...so, who wants to introduce themselves first? I'm the Jason, captain of the Fateful Lightning and the Yggdrasil here." A young
man appeared next to Fate, and smiled rather drily. When he spoke, it was with an English accent. "I suppose I can go first." He was...maybe late
twenties or so, dark-haired and clean-shaven with a sharp beak of a nose. He was also dressed in a rather old-fashioned looking suit. He looked really
familiar, but I couldn't place him immediately. "My...'twin' and I are the ones that want to handle ship's management and some of the
research. I'll probably be doing more of the research side, to be honest." The corner of his mouth quirked a little. "There's already one
famous computer listed in your archives that specialized in management and deductive reasoning. Since he could be termed my older brother, go ahead and call me
Sherlock." THAT placed the face for me - Basil Rathbone. I smiled slowly, and offered my hand. "Good to meet you. You mentioned your twin?"
Another figure appeared, this time a wizened little old Oriental man dressed in archaic clothing. And by old, I mean several years older than God...or even
George Burns. His WRINKLES had wrinkles. The old man bowed politely, and I returned it. "That would be me. Allow me to offer my greetings with young
Sherlock's. I'll be doing a little research, but handling more of the day-to-day ship's management." He also looked amused, and I had a
feeling I might have my hands full with this pair. "My surname is Li and my personal name is Kao, and there is a slight flaw in my character." I
nodded inwardly. Yep. Definitely going to have my hands full...just with Li. "Greetings and welcome, Master Li." Still - if there was anyone who
could keep all of the thousands of handwaved systems - and their quirks - working together, it would be Master Li.
Glancing around, I waited to see who would be next. Another little old man appeared, maybe in his sixties with sandyish hair. He was dressed in a jumpsuit
however, and was grinning outright. "I figured since these two were mentioning research, I should pop up. I've got your navigation and helm covered,
and I'll be picking up whatever these two don't want to work on. Or maybe I'll just watch over their shoulders and kibitz." I chuckled.
"Hello, Junior. Glad to have you aboard." Junior Badille from the book Saturnalia - despite his appearance, he was probably only late teens,
early twenties. He'd been born with a mutation that left his brain hardwired for efficiency rather than redundancy...and left him aging rapidly as well.
"Going for computer tech?" He grins. "Probably. I'll have to see what catches my eye."I nodded...and then blinked as another man
appeared. He was a dwarf - human, not Tolkien, but he was nearly squat enough that you could maybe miss the difference. He had black skin and a scruffy beard,
and was wearing a lion-skin cape, complete with the head as a hat. The bit of white cloth around his waist looked as though it could come from old Egyptian
movies...and he was ugly. We're talking bulldog ugly. He chuckled. "I've got your back on the ship's defense, kid." For such a short man,
his voice was deep and booming. I nodded slowly, and then gave him a very polite bow. "Thank you, Lord Bes. You alone, or...?" I was interrupted as a
woman appeared. Dusky-skinned, she was also wearing white cloth in an old Egyptian style. "Oh, no, young Lorrrrd Monkey. I will be handling the
morrre...offense-rrrelated functions." Her voice was husky, sexy...and her 'R's were purred - probably because she had a cat's head. A
lioness, not a housecat like Lady Bast. Ohhh shit. I swallowed nervously, and bowed VERY deeply. "Of course, Lady Sekhmet. I have absolutely no doubt
you'll handle it flawlessly." Whether she could handle it without going into a berserker rage...hopefully she didn't take completely after her
chosen avatar. Bes rolled his eyes as Sekhmet purred, clearly amused at my reaction. I wondered if Bes knew how to make a digital version of red beer.
Still....at least it wasn't Honor Harrington. I loved Honor, but if I'd had her on weapons, I'd have considered fleeing to a new ship. The woman
simply could NOT keep a ship intact for the life of her.
I hmmed, glancing around. "Did we have anyone that decided to take over the holotech functions?" At my question, a woman appeared to join the
increasing throng. Blond and early twenties, she was dressed in a regal gown...complete with a rather fancy-looking gold crown. "We will be handling that.
We're best suited for it." I arched an eyebrow at her, trying to place her...I'm pretty sure that was a royal We. "Hello...Your
Majesty?" She smiled, and nodded. "Queen Iris of Xanth. Magician of Illusion." I smiled. She was right...if she could match even a fraction of
the fictional Iris' abilities, she really was the best for the job. "Thank you for agreeing to help, Your Majesty." She gave a gracious nod, and
moved off to one side. "Um...let's see. We still need engineering, environmental and the gardens, medical, and the teaching specialist for any
fenkinder that join." An older gentleman popped up - fluffy grey-white hair, glasses, and a tweed jacket complete with patches on the sleeve. When he
spoke, he had a wonderful accent. And I recognized him immediately. "I believe that I can handle the education functions for you. It will be interesting
to develop a curriculum to include the history of the last few years." I smiled wide. "Thank you, Mr. Burke. I'll look forward to seeing what you
come up with."
As he fell silent, a young woman appeared, with long red-blond hair, wire-framed glasses, and Victorian-style clothing. She was carrying a wrench that was
taller than I was...and the golden trilobyte pin at her throat told me exactly who she was. I grinned. "AGATHA!" She grinned back at me.
"I thought there was an awful lot about this character in your files." I nodded. "Good to have you. The Foglios will die to meet you as well. If
you want to." She shrugged. "Maybe after a bit. I want to get a handle on this fascinating equipment that you've got around here. Not quite what
I'm used to, you understand." I nodded....though I privately wondered what she could do with handwavium and steam and clockwork. Could be fun to
watch. "You're my engineer, I take it?" A boy, maybe ten or so, popped in next to her, dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. He had blond hair that
was brushed up in a spiky mess, and looked more than a little bored. "Half of your engineering section, shit for brains. As you can see." I frowned,
looking at him. "Yes....?" He rolled his eyes. "Come on, fuckwad....this came from YOUR stuff." I stifled a groan, and pinched the bridge
of my nose, hoping to stifle the headaches I knew would be coming in the days to come. "With that vocabulary...hello, Barry. I'd say it's good to
see you, but I'm not quite sure, yet." He snorted, and shrugged. "Whatever." Agatha was regarding Barry as if wondering whether she should
be using her wrench or not. This should be...interesting. In the old Chinese sense. "OK....we've got the gardens and medical left. Did we get
everything covered?"
Fate nodded. "Actually, yes. Well-covered, with the doubled AIs." I cocked my head to one side, and considered that. "One thing, at least.
Gardens?" A short man appeared in the group...and by short, I mean he made ME look tall. He also looked like a rather plump Sean Astin. "That would
be me, master Jason, sir." I felt myself relaxing and grinning wide. "Hello, Samwise. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have handling them
more." He shuffled his feet, looking a little uncomfortable at the praise, but nodded. "I'll make sure they're the best, sir." I gave
him a thumbs-up, then glanced around. "OK. That leaves medical. Who do we have for a doctor?" Fate looked....mischievous. Oh dear. "Another set
of twins, father. So we have a pair of them." I groaned softly at my daughter. Unfortunately, she loved puns as much as I did. "A pair o' docs,
huh? We should be used to that here in Fenspace." She chuckled, "True enough."
The first of the doctors to appear...well, he looked as though he'd fit right in here in Fenspace. He was big, with dark blue fur and a rather
leonine-appearance...or maybe part bear?...to his face. However, he didn't look threatening at all - the white lab coat and the wire-rimmed glasses perched
rather primly on his nose took care of that. Other than those, the only other clothing he wore was a pair of shorts. "I looked over your requirements for
your doctor, old chap. Given my own...nature...I think I'll concentrate on the biomod studies you wanted to undertake. Dr. Henry McCoy...a pleasure to meet
you." I shook his hand. "And you." Then the other doctor appeared...and I froze for a moment, feeling my jaw drop a little. I hadn't
expected him. He was an older man, in his forties, with dark hair going slightly grey. He was dressed in black slacks and a bright blue shirt, and
when he spoke, it was with a thick Southern drawl. "And I'll be studying the medical and surgery side of it, son. Dr. Leonard H. McCoy, at your
service."
heard someone talk about the fire control system, but I hadn't realized it was a full open space setup. I'll have to check out the movie now, to see
what they did with it.
As for the laser hologram...sorry, but I don't think so. While the Yggdrasil might eventually be able to pump that much energy out in a beam, I
don't think that we're far enough past the slapstick effect for it to work. Now...it might be able to fire a convincing-looking beam that misses...or
else send in a stealthed KKV and then 'fire' a beam just as it hits so that it looks as though the damage is from the beam weapon. That could give the
Star Destroyer illusion some teeth, if need be. Or just Yggy herself.
For this next bit...my daughters can't be the only crew for the worldtree - there's far too much to do, and they're based more in the
Lightning anyway. While I do plan on hiring older fenkinder and screening other fen for working on board, I tend to like AIs. This crew list developed
in my head over the last few days, though between them and one last crew member that I'll be introducing (and that Greenpeace should love to meet), I'm
a little worried about maybe using up too much cool. Check me out on this one, please guys? And hopefully it won't read too badly - I'm typing this up
at 5 am. But I wanted to get it out while the words were flowing.
I played with the simulation I had running on my main control terminal, idly watching space through the glass panels in the front of the room. Fred had been by
yesterday to help with the final installation and networking of the computers that we hoped would serve as the crew for the Yggdrasil. We tried to set
things up to work as well as possible - histories of Fenspace and my own logbooks, as well as stuff from the girls. Detailed information on what we needed for
crew, and as much relevant information as we could stuff into handwaved databanks on those subjects. While we'd set up some of the computers to handle
different functions (the computer reserved for handling the holotech had VERY high-end graphics and sound cards, for instance), with the networking we hoped
that whatever AIs developed could take over the jobs that they wanted and use the appropriate equipment. And if they didn't want to be crew...well, I'd
left a note that we'd help them get set up wherever they wanted. That was yesterday. Today....Fate had told me that AIs had indeed developed and were
going through all of the data, as well as everything she had in her Alexandria archive. She was trying to archive as much of human - and fen - culture as she
could. All of the books in my library had been entered, all of my movies and music...and I'm pretty sure she's been swiping vast amounts of stuff from
other sources as well. I didn't ask - I didn't really want to know. I touched the screen, and made the projected receptor dish that was being displayed
a little bigger. This simulation was actually part of the archive project. They'd said that signals sent off from Earth would degrade fairly rapidly so you
wouldn't be able to go out and see old shows...but they hadn't figured on handwaved computers and tech. Or on this. Displayed on the screen, with the
treeship as a huge spoke across the diameter of the dish, was a receptor dish over a mile wide. Blue dots represented a screen of drones equipped with holotech
that was helping to create the full dish. It wasn't that solid - hard to do with our current power - but it didn't have to be too solid. Just enough to
catch TV signals. We were going to see if we could go out and capture some of the lost episodes of Dr. Who. If that worked, we'd try other stuff as well.
And if it didn't...well, in a few years, we could get together a five-mile-wide receptor. Eventually, we WOULD figure out a way to pull it off.
Fate appeared next to me, leaning on her staff. "It's time, Kevin. They've reached full sentience, and picked avatars for themselves. You're
in for a bit of a shock, though. Some of the computers with multiple processor cores...well, with the honey we used on the memory portions, it apparently
altered them enough to generate several AIs. So we've got a number of pairings." I arched an eyebrow at that, and got to my feet. "All right.
Um...so, who wants to introduce themselves first? I'm the Jason, captain of the Fateful Lightning and the Yggdrasil here." A young
man appeared next to Fate, and smiled rather drily. When he spoke, it was with an English accent. "I suppose I can go first." He was...maybe late
twenties or so, dark-haired and clean-shaven with a sharp beak of a nose. He was also dressed in a rather old-fashioned looking suit. He looked really
familiar, but I couldn't place him immediately. "My...'twin' and I are the ones that want to handle ship's management and some of the
research. I'll probably be doing more of the research side, to be honest." The corner of his mouth quirked a little. "There's already one
famous computer listed in your archives that specialized in management and deductive reasoning. Since he could be termed my older brother, go ahead and call me
Sherlock." THAT placed the face for me - Basil Rathbone. I smiled slowly, and offered my hand. "Good to meet you. You mentioned your twin?"
Another figure appeared, this time a wizened little old Oriental man dressed in archaic clothing. And by old, I mean several years older than God...or even
George Burns. His WRINKLES had wrinkles. The old man bowed politely, and I returned it. "That would be me. Allow me to offer my greetings with young
Sherlock's. I'll be doing a little research, but handling more of the day-to-day ship's management." He also looked amused, and I had a
feeling I might have my hands full with this pair. "My surname is Li and my personal name is Kao, and there is a slight flaw in my character." I
nodded inwardly. Yep. Definitely going to have my hands full...just with Li. "Greetings and welcome, Master Li." Still - if there was anyone who
could keep all of the thousands of handwaved systems - and their quirks - working together, it would be Master Li.
Glancing around, I waited to see who would be next. Another little old man appeared, maybe in his sixties with sandyish hair. He was dressed in a jumpsuit
however, and was grinning outright. "I figured since these two were mentioning research, I should pop up. I've got your navigation and helm covered,
and I'll be picking up whatever these two don't want to work on. Or maybe I'll just watch over their shoulders and kibitz." I chuckled.
"Hello, Junior. Glad to have you aboard." Junior Badille from the book Saturnalia - despite his appearance, he was probably only late teens,
early twenties. He'd been born with a mutation that left his brain hardwired for efficiency rather than redundancy...and left him aging rapidly as well.
"Going for computer tech?" He grins. "Probably. I'll have to see what catches my eye."I nodded...and then blinked as another man
appeared. He was a dwarf - human, not Tolkien, but he was nearly squat enough that you could maybe miss the difference. He had black skin and a scruffy beard,
and was wearing a lion-skin cape, complete with the head as a hat. The bit of white cloth around his waist looked as though it could come from old Egyptian
movies...and he was ugly. We're talking bulldog ugly. He chuckled. "I've got your back on the ship's defense, kid." For such a short man,
his voice was deep and booming. I nodded slowly, and then gave him a very polite bow. "Thank you, Lord Bes. You alone, or...?" I was interrupted as a
woman appeared. Dusky-skinned, she was also wearing white cloth in an old Egyptian style. "Oh, no, young Lorrrrd Monkey. I will be handling the
morrre...offense-rrrelated functions." Her voice was husky, sexy...and her 'R's were purred - probably because she had a cat's head. A
lioness, not a housecat like Lady Bast. Ohhh shit. I swallowed nervously, and bowed VERY deeply. "Of course, Lady Sekhmet. I have absolutely no doubt
you'll handle it flawlessly." Whether she could handle it without going into a berserker rage...hopefully she didn't take completely after her
chosen avatar. Bes rolled his eyes as Sekhmet purred, clearly amused at my reaction. I wondered if Bes knew how to make a digital version of red beer.
Still....at least it wasn't Honor Harrington. I loved Honor, but if I'd had her on weapons, I'd have considered fleeing to a new ship. The woman
simply could NOT keep a ship intact for the life of her.
I hmmed, glancing around. "Did we have anyone that decided to take over the holotech functions?" At my question, a woman appeared to join the
increasing throng. Blond and early twenties, she was dressed in a regal gown...complete with a rather fancy-looking gold crown. "We will be handling that.
We're best suited for it." I arched an eyebrow at her, trying to place her...I'm pretty sure that was a royal We. "Hello...Your
Majesty?" She smiled, and nodded. "Queen Iris of Xanth. Magician of Illusion." I smiled. She was right...if she could match even a fraction of
the fictional Iris' abilities, she really was the best for the job. "Thank you for agreeing to help, Your Majesty." She gave a gracious nod, and
moved off to one side. "Um...let's see. We still need engineering, environmental and the gardens, medical, and the teaching specialist for any
fenkinder that join." An older gentleman popped up - fluffy grey-white hair, glasses, and a tweed jacket complete with patches on the sleeve. When he
spoke, he had a wonderful accent. And I recognized him immediately. "I believe that I can handle the education functions for you. It will be interesting
to develop a curriculum to include the history of the last few years." I smiled wide. "Thank you, Mr. Burke. I'll look forward to seeing what you
come up with."
As he fell silent, a young woman appeared, with long red-blond hair, wire-framed glasses, and Victorian-style clothing. She was carrying a wrench that was
taller than I was...and the golden trilobyte pin at her throat told me exactly who she was. I grinned. "AGATHA!" She grinned back at me.
"I thought there was an awful lot about this character in your files." I nodded. "Good to have you. The Foglios will die to meet you as well. If
you want to." She shrugged. "Maybe after a bit. I want to get a handle on this fascinating equipment that you've got around here. Not quite what
I'm used to, you understand." I nodded....though I privately wondered what she could do with handwavium and steam and clockwork. Could be fun to
watch. "You're my engineer, I take it?" A boy, maybe ten or so, popped in next to her, dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. He had blond hair that
was brushed up in a spiky mess, and looked more than a little bored. "Half of your engineering section, shit for brains. As you can see." I frowned,
looking at him. "Yes....?" He rolled his eyes. "Come on, fuckwad....this came from YOUR stuff." I stifled a groan, and pinched the bridge
of my nose, hoping to stifle the headaches I knew would be coming in the days to come. "With that vocabulary...hello, Barry. I'd say it's good to
see you, but I'm not quite sure, yet." He snorted, and shrugged. "Whatever." Agatha was regarding Barry as if wondering whether she should
be using her wrench or not. This should be...interesting. In the old Chinese sense. "OK....we've got the gardens and medical left. Did we get
everything covered?"
Fate nodded. "Actually, yes. Well-covered, with the doubled AIs." I cocked my head to one side, and considered that. "One thing, at least.
Gardens?" A short man appeared in the group...and by short, I mean he made ME look tall. He also looked like a rather plump Sean Astin. "That would
be me, master Jason, sir." I felt myself relaxing and grinning wide. "Hello, Samwise. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have handling them
more." He shuffled his feet, looking a little uncomfortable at the praise, but nodded. "I'll make sure they're the best, sir." I gave
him a thumbs-up, then glanced around. "OK. That leaves medical. Who do we have for a doctor?" Fate looked....mischievous. Oh dear. "Another set
of twins, father. So we have a pair of them." I groaned softly at my daughter. Unfortunately, she loved puns as much as I did. "A pair o' docs,
huh? We should be used to that here in Fenspace." She chuckled, "True enough."
The first of the doctors to appear...well, he looked as though he'd fit right in here in Fenspace. He was big, with dark blue fur and a rather
leonine-appearance...or maybe part bear?...to his face. However, he didn't look threatening at all - the white lab coat and the wire-rimmed glasses perched
rather primly on his nose took care of that. Other than those, the only other clothing he wore was a pair of shorts. "I looked over your requirements for
your doctor, old chap. Given my own...nature...I think I'll concentrate on the biomod studies you wanted to undertake. Dr. Henry McCoy...a pleasure to meet
you." I shook his hand. "And you." Then the other doctor appeared...and I froze for a moment, feeling my jaw drop a little. I hadn't
expected him. He was an older man, in his forties, with dark hair going slightly grey. He was dressed in black slacks and a bright blue shirt, and
when he spoke, it was with a thick Southern drawl. "And I'll be studying the medical and surgery side of it, son. Dr. Leonard H. McCoy, at your
service."