Chapter 8

One of the reasons why Mev and Medron had decided to recruit 209852 was the artificial intelligence unit would be in a position to act as an extremely powerful central computer system for the Roshaa. There wasn't as much risk to the Roshaa in this as there might seem since the High Lords had the power to alter 209852's programming in the same way they could control the minds of Humans and other similar beings. Despite being an artificial intelligence unit 209852 was expected to work just as any other member of the crew of the Roshaa and providing computing services was the form of work most suitable to its nature.

The communication terminal for 209852 that had been installed at the control center contained a voice and video synthesiser which allowed 209852 to communicate by voice as well as in writing. A database of the Republic standard language and writing systems had been provided to 209852 which gave it the capability to communicate easily with the humans on board the Roshaa.

The fabrication unit that 209852 had brought with it was very powerful and versatile and, given the appropriate raw materials, it was able to fabricate even the sophisticated electronic devices and components needed by Republic level technology. 209852 quickly had more requests for parts than there was time to make them and this capability went a long way in speeding up the construction of the interior of the Roshaa, which had still been mostly unfinished when 209852 came onboard.

For the next two weeks the Roshaa continued on the same course without any specific destination in mind but in general tending toward the next arm of the galaxy. In terms of deciding where to go the High Lords were following their precognitive senses and that hinted little was to be expected during those weeks. So the main focus of attention during that time was to the interior instead of the exterior of the ship.

The change in Anna's body had become complete and now her physical body was the same as the other High Lords. There was still much for her to learn however as she needed to gain the skill in actually using her new power. Zira and Medron, as the oldest and most powerful of the High Lords, had taken upon themselves the task of teaching those newly come to the power.

Shina's two daughters, Lisan and Kara, and their teacher, Mika, had reached the point where they were able to hear the thoughts of the High Lords in their telepathic communication with each other. This milestone for them brought more attention and care from the High Lords. Zira and Medron began to put more effort into teaching those three women as well.The changes to the bodies of the three had also become more substantial and more obvious, especially their improved strength and stamina.

The High Lords also established a passive telepathic link with every human on board the Roshaa which had the effect of making every sentient being on board the ship a part of the telepathic network in some way. For the humans it was just a way for the High Lords to monitor their health and safety as well as an alarm if they should try to cause trouble in some way. Otherwise it was nothing the human crew would notice at all.

About a week after the Roshaa had left the system of the machine intelligences Mev was in his usual place in the control area atop the control tower. The other High Lords were in other parts of the ship but there were a number of humans on the platform, some manning control consoles and others just lounging around, taking the opportunity to be in the same place as Mev. All of the High Lords were very popular on the Roshaa and in some cases it was even difficult for them to allocate their time fairly. Because of the imbalance of sexes it ended up that Mev was the one who received the most attention.

Tina was perhaps the one who tried to spend the most time with Mev even if that meant she could only just be in the room. In addition to spending as much time as she could around Mev Tina also put a lot of effort into copying or imitating the High Lord women in every way she could. It had taken her some time and effort to get used to that sice it usually meant exposing herself in a significant way. Since High Lord women were invulnerable to both the environment or any significant attack they did not hesitate to wear little or nothing at all.

In the culture of the Interstellar Republic most taboos about nudity or types of relationships had been broken centuries before so those Humans from there needed to make little adjustment to life on the Roshaa. Bot those who had come with Shina had more difficulty since their culture was less advanced and more conservative about such things. But since the High Lords did not try to force the humans to do anything except avoid unnecessary unsafe activities those humans were gradually adjusting to the new lifestyle.

So it did not excite any unusual notice when two individuals entered the control platform wearing nothing at all. Even the fact that the two were strangers did not cause any alarm among the humans on the control platform. The two walked over to where Mev was sitting in his command chair and it was only when they were almost up to him did Mev turn his chair to face them. Of course, there was no risk to Mev nor should it be thought that he did not know who the two were. One was female and the other male.

"209852 it would seem that you have completed your mobile units," Mev said when the two reached him and stood in front of his chair.

The two were actually android robots which the mechanical intelligence had constructed to be able to interact more closely with the others on board the Roshaa. Since the central processing unit of 209852 was immobile in its room the machine intelligence had constructed the two androids to allow it to move around and provide interaction with the others in the crew. With one male and one female unit all possibilities were allowed for.

"You are correct Mev. It is always of interest learning how you and your female companions are able to know what is happening without being informed of it," 209852 replied speaking via the male android.

"We always have detailed knowledge of the happenings inside the Roshaa all portions are monitored." Mev said.

"These two android robots are a faithful copy of the external structure of the humans and the High Lord inhabitants of the ship. Their tactile structure should also be sufficiently similar to permit intimate contact," 209852 said, speaking via the female this time.

Mev reached forward and caressed the bottom of the female android and the feel of the artificial skin was both warm and soft just like that of a living woman. Of course Mev's High Lord senses showed the mechanical core inside the android, which was much more sophisticated than anything the Republic could have produced. But from the outside the two appeared to just be well formed, attractive humans.

"It is permitted for you to use these androids to interact with others in the crew so long as you follow with them the same rules as the crew does. Do not force any individual to do anything they do not wish to do and endeavor to not cause any injury to any of them," Mev answered.

The two androids turned and left the control platform. In terms of their actions the two robots were capable of semi-autonomous activity but the main thought and control of their actions was provided by 209852. The machine intelligence could control both at the same time very easily with little load on its computing power.

209852 named the female android Alice and the male android John and the two robots plunged wholeheartedly into the social life on the Roshaa. Since the two robots were even fully functional sexually the two were immediately popular among the crew and 209852 swiftly learned how to cause each android to behave appropriate for its sex and well as a distinct individual. When conversing with one or the other of the androids it was easy to forget they were both really a face of 209852.

Two weeks out from the machine intelligence system the Roshaa picked up indications of another much smaller space ship in the area she was approaching. There was a very puzzling aspect to this discovery because while they were several light years from the nearest star the other space ship they had sensed was only moving at a relatively low sub-light speed. At that rate of travel it would take thousands of years for the other spaceship to reach even the nearest star.

The ship that the Roshaa had found was a warship of the Maa people which had been damaged in battle more than a month before. Part of this damage was the FTL drive of the Maa warship was completely disabled and beyond the capability of the surviving crew to repair with the resources they had available. So for the Maa crew on board that ship it was a sentence of eventual death unless by some faint chance they were rescued. But the area was isolated from the usual lanes of interstellar travel so it was unlikely anyone would find them. The crew had resigned themselves to wait until their supplies ran out and then die.

Among the Maa the laws of salvage were even more extreme than in most other places. Anyone or anything which rescued a Maa ship that had become disabled in deep space beyond the capability of the crew to repair or call for aid, because the complete owner of both the ship and even any surviving crew. Anyone who happened to rescue these Maa now would own them completely, both ship and crew.

The Roshaa slowed and quickly matched course with the disabled Maa warship. Whatever weaponry the Maa still possessed was no threat to the High Lord vessel so the Roshaa approached slowly but confidently. When Mev and the others were able to get a good view of the Maa vessel it was immediately apparent the damage it had received. Holes pierced the hull in various places, some of which had been crudely patched both others remained gaping open to the vacuum of space. The largest of the holes about ⅔ of the way along the Maa ship had nearly cut it in two, only narrow portions of the ship remained on either side. The hold had blown away completely the heart of the FTL drive on the Maa warship damaging it beyond repair.