Aggravation

[Zero]

A lone ship arrived and as it arrived it sent out no transmissions. This was the fault of Jeff who did not understand locations of the transmission causing devices on the ship very well. The first one he had understood, but the short range ones not so much.  The ship was sleek, metallic and was a Shine Days class Star Ship that had been produced by the New Narrikian Empire.  The ship began to try and send out transmissions on random frequencies?discernible by the mechera. It would come out as a sort of static annoyingly to Jeff Solaris the current Captain of the ship.

....help?....dock.....ship need upgrade?.controls unfamiliar?..must locate....

The rest of the transmission was coming out as static however to the Mechera.

[@Pokemon Master Red]

The Mechera noticed the flailing signals, before they saw the one they could interpret. They used a similar but clearer frequency, in order to send their response.


Excuse me, sir? Hello? Please slow down your course and use this frequency to transmit your message. If you have a frequency auto-coordinator, it should hook you up to this one on its own, so just transmit to us your message when ready.

[Zero]

"Lousy hunk of junk. Next time I'll make sure to include getting the manual on my list of priorities."

After achieving the instructions with a lot of difficulty and irritation on his part, Jeff sent a much clearer message out to the Mechera. Do you mind sending someone to get the controls on this ship voice activated before I accidentally shoot a missile? I was given this ship by Empty of the New Narrikian Empire to check in on the Neo Narrikian Empire, but I can't understand these controls. What is annoying is that this is supposed to be similar to the normal controls of the Neo Narrikian Empire, but I don't even know their controls. Also do you have one who specializes in upgrading ship weaponry?

[@Pokemon Master Red]

Hmm...Ship modifications, you say? Lesse...Thats Dock 14 of the Seventh Trade Station. Or at least, thats the closest one to you. If you'll follow my instructions, we'll get you docked there right quick. First, I'll need a Access Code for your ship's holographic projector controls, if thats alright with you. Dont worry, all I need these for is to highlight certain places on your ship's windows and screens so you know where you're going.

[Zero]

Granting access to the Mechera to the controls of the projector, Jeff managed to dock the ship with their help but was tired. Of course given that he essentially had been frozen for 15 years, who would not be tired after being woken up and shoved into the office of someone else and then crammed into a ship and then visiting two different planets. Yawning some, Jeff was fighting to stay awake. Very well. Access granted. Jeff noticed a couple of the Mechera approach after he had stepped out onto the ramp of his ship. Too tired to fight he asked them. "How long will it take to get the ship operational and shipshape?" Clutching his head, Jeff came to the realization not only was he tired but he also had a splitting headache. Great....just great.

[@Pokemon Master Red]

One of the Mechera said nothing, while the other one, the one who'd helped him dock the ship(who'd made a quick cyberspatial hop to a new body) said,"Sorry, I dont work with them. I was just gonna show you to their shop so you'd be able to buy from them. Besides, there's tons of ways your ship can be altered, you'll need to tell 'em how you want it." And with that, she motioned for him to follow as her still-silent companion simply walked to the station's ground level. "Oh, uh, while your here, maybe you'll wanna open the crew decks? Im sure your crew would like a chance to see the local sights and everything."

[Zero]

"First, I want long range scanners added to the darn thing. As for crew, I don't have any. "

Jeff needed a lot more than long range scanners added. "I also want Voice Control installed. No need for pushing buttons and accidentally shooting a missile or firing a laser or any other unsavory things when I try to find the communications. It is a shame, I know. Other modifications include upgrading the weapons. I want them to fire in half the time it takes them to warm up. Another thing, have any beds for organics you could replace the cot in the master bedroom with?" After saying that, he would follow the one Mechera who had helped him dock the ship. "Have any doctors around here with pain killers?"

[@Pokemon Master Red]

"No crew? For that huge thing!? Geeze, no wonder you couldn't fly it properly. And heyheyhey, dont rell me all that. I dont work with them, I work at Space Traffic Control. I just wanted to make sure you got to your destination safe." She said, leading him to the massive garage. "If you walk in there, old Lerzine should be on duty. They'll get you all set up." After she said this, she turned to her companion, saying,"Actually...Xurtol, weren't you saying you needed help finding a employer?"
"Affirmative, milady Lorey." The Mechera said back, in a eerie emotionless, genderless voice. Extremely unusual for a Mechera.
"Well, I expect this guy needs a crew. Hey, if your looking for someone to help staff your ship, maybe you should give Xurtol a interview?" She said to Jeff, quite transparently being that 'person who is trying to help their friend get a job and urge things along'.

[Zero]

"Alright, I'll give your friend Xurtol an interview. Hold on a moment though."
 
Once he had said that Jeff walked into the garage and spoke to the mechanics who could do the modifications he wanted to his ship. "The additions need to include but are not limited to long range scanners, longer range transmission devices, voice controls or something so I don't accidentally push a button and cause the weapons to misfire when I really have no want of them firing,  new beds in the bedrooms of the ship rather than cots, upgrades to the weapons?stealth cloaking technology added to the ship as well as resistance to something known as AI Delta." 

After finishing the discussion with them about what he needed done to his ship Jeff approached Xurtol and asked him. "How many years of training do you have in piloting ships of the Narrikian design or similar?"

[@Pokemon Master Red]

"Negatory. My employment issues appear to stem from, as milady Lorey informs me, 'insufficient experience to secure employment, insufficient employment to secure experience'. While I do possess all necessary qualifications as required by Empirical Law to pilot any known form of starship, as well as keep such starships running smoothly, I regret to say that my only knowledge gained has been via simulation." Xurtol said, still emotionless vocally, before pausing and saying,"Narrikian designs are kept on record for training purposes, however advancements since their branch-off from the Empire may result in my training being somewhat obsolete with the newer designs. However, with proper modifications to the ship by the mechanics at this establishment, this should not be a issue."

One of the Mechera, very jurry-rigged and modified in appearance, jumped down from something it was working on in the garage at the man's words. It looked more like a robot than a normal Mechera; very blocky head unit rather than the usual sleek heads, massively oversized right arm unit ending in a heavy claw, and its other arm appeared to be a multi-tool capable of switching between a blowtorch, a laser cutter, a precision hand, a gravity jet, and a nail cannon. Finally, its legs were a heavy industrial dual-reverse joint type(nicknamed 'N' type legs due to how they look). "Howdy there, Im Ler-" and then the Mechera's movements seemed to 'skip' for a second, before it resumed speaking(though in a completely different voice, in fact this one female),"-And Im Zine! We're the proud owner of this ship-garage. And that sounds like yer looking for a pretty extensive modification,- but we dont know your ship nor know whats wrong with it. 'Fore we see it, cant say we'll be able to give you a proper estimate of cost or time."

((Hyphens in the middle of LerZine's speech indicates they skip and switch who's speaking))

[Zero]

"What is wrong with it is that I cannot pilot the dang thing. The ship just does not seem to respond when I use the controls. They are too confusing. Figure out modifications you need that could be done to them Xurtol. Tell the mechanics to make those, enhance the weapons and make the ship generally fully operational."  As Jeff said those words, a walk was made back into the garage and he said to them. "I want you to get this ship operational. Voice Command, instead of the normal command and better fire power. A new FTL drive if you would, and scrub the IFF clean. That is all you will have to do here for now. I also have a contract, sort of putting you on retainer as personal mechanics for this ship if you are interested.  The ship is a capital ship." Mechanics were always a good thing to have, given the circumstances. The galaxy had just come out of a tech failure a month ago, Jeff had heard of that on his way here.

[@Pokemon Master Red]

"Affirmitive." Xurtol said, going to the catalog and accessing the part records in order to get a idea of which parts would be optimal for the specifications.

"Hmmm...Voice command? Naw, those are buggy. Imprecise.-And if some git gets on your ship, they can use it much easier than you'd think. Hrnn...No, no, we think we might 'ave a better idea. Your a mage of some kind, aren't ya? -Oh, and we've got our own set up here. Why should we leave with you?"

[Zero]

"No I am not a mage. And as for your set up, you would not be required to leave it. But rather have Mechera bodies on board my ship in case I need you two to show up and do some maintenance work. As for your idea, what precisely is it?" asked Jeff, to the mechera mechanics. And then he turned to Xurtol. "Do you know any Mechera who are skilled at programming who might consider working for us? The last thing we need is AI Delta fouling this up somehow."

[@Pokemon Master Red]

"No, thats not rightly gonna work. We cant just zip to and fro through Cyberspace.-What Ler MEANS is, we can, but the destination has to be close enough to a Mechera cyberspacial network or we're unable to connect with the destination cyberspace. And if yer that close, you mise'well connect to a branch network of our garage, where we can dispatch mechanics to your ship.-We mean, if you've got shells on board yer ship, we guess we could dispatch the mechanics through cyberspace to 'em...But they've gotta be certified mechanized repair shells, or they wont have the necessary parts or tools to fix up the ship.-Preferably industrial models with specialized equipment, but those get even more expensive than standard issue Repair Shells. And we was asking because if you have some medium to manipulate the world around ya, we might be able to lock a control system to it, which'll let you interface with the ship on a much deeper level. You'd be able to control the ship directly, without needing physical controls. You wont have as direct control as a Mechera, since yer minds still out 'ere in yer body instead of in the ship, so you'll want data panels, but you'll have very precise control over the fine workings of the ship by willing it to do what ya want. Got anything quite like that, since you aren't a mage?"

"Negatory. I...Am not very social, sir. Lorey is the only real friend I have, and her qualifications lie primarily within support directives and information control. I do however have defensive programming qualifications and possess training in keeping out unwanted access to a computer system. Well. As long as the primary systems are of Mechera make...My training did not cover foreign computer and programming setups."

[Zero]

Finally, Jeff thought for a moment and came up with the conclusion needed. Apparently what he had to do was deal with the situation. Delta could not be allowed on board the ship as the AI according to the records near him when he woke up had caused all sorts of problems. When asked if he did have a similar ability Jeff considered. There was one thing, but he was not sure if counted as an ability or not because of the immense amount of focus it required.  "Yes I do have something similar. But it isn't as effective without a great deal of focus on my part. Fortunately, I have been trained in how to use this skill of mine... a rarity among the Narrikians. Xurtol, see what you can do about blocking Delta and all DAIS signatures from the ships. You'll be helping with the piloting. "

[@Pokemon Master Red]

"Almost done finding the proper equipment for the task, sir. This location possesses very high-caliber equipment...Once the Mechanics finish installing the parts, I shall proceed with the necessary precautions."

"'Fraid we cant do all too much to help you-Unless we know what yer power happens to be. Different types of power need different receivers to lock onto them-So that the device can interpret yer will."

[Zero]

"Well, it is psyker abilities. The same the Zarethians have fields to block."

Jeff was not joking around either, he did possess those abilities. Of course he rarely used them, but meh.