Chapter 1: Getting To Know You

Inkie lay spread upon the wide bed, panting. She was alone, but she was not. Beside her was the image of a smoldering beauty, an incredibly lovely, sexy woman. Helva, Tuull name T’Krandit, the AI for the K’treel explorer AGX026, had joined her for virtual sex (think phone sex - but visual.) Helva had just asked Inkie to become her ‘brawn,’ and Inkie accepted.

A few words of explanation might be in order:

Inkie was the nubile and multi talented pop idol recently extracted with her prepack from her concert near Chicago. Helva was a newly created Tuull AI to replace another AI who vacated the explorer class ship assigned to the new experimental colony, Harrad. Both Inkie and Helva were huge fans of Anne McCaffrey’s Brainship series, and T’Krandit had adopted ‘Helva’ as her human name. They were en route to Nova Roma to return their loaned crew.

The use of the feminine pronoun was deliberate, though AIs are normally neuter and referred to as ‘it.’

We return to our history:

Helva was explaining to Inkie, <You can’t tell anyone, but I awakened while we were making love. I discovered that I love you and want you with me always. In time, I hope you will love me, too.>

She paused, <Well, you can talk to anyone in Michael’s family, and to Dora, Lolli, and Jubal. Jubal hasn’t awakened, not yet anyway, but he knows that Dora and Lolli have. BUT, it is important that no Darjee knows - that would cause real problems, so outside the family, I’m just an ordinary AI. Superior to the feather brained Darjee Babbage Analytical Engines, but young and ordinary for a Tuull AI.> She ran on like a teen at a slumber party.

Inkie looked at her lovely companions and responded, < We need to discuss what being your ‘brawn’ really means - you know this isn’t a story, it’s real. You make me happier than most humans, and I’m grateful that you love me. But... >

She paused to reflect, <you already have a captain - actually two - the loaner captain we are returning to Nova Roma and her replacement. Some day, I’d like to be your captain, and I intend to start training right away. For now, I’ll be your friend, spouse, confidant, adviser, and singing partner.>

<I’m happy to have all those, my love, > responded Helva, <very happy!>

Inkie’s decision to train up to a captaincy was no idle whim or boast. She was a brilliant mathematician (music and math abilities frequently walk hand-in-hand), was more than competent as leader/manager of her career and musical group, and had begun training in individual combat skills as soon as she became acquainted with the ladies of Governor Michael’s family. The potential was well established; she must apply herself and make those potentials reality in a new venue.

She spent hours in the dojo with her former security, now Marine guard, incorporating into muscle memory the theory and movements of individual combat learned in her sleep training. Helva provided individual coaching, having acquired the required knowledge from Dora’s files. Additional sleep training provided the knowledge of ship handling, small unit (individual, infantry, and ship) tactics, and the myriad additional knowledge needed to be a commander of a small ship or a company-sized Marine unit.