It wasn't long before all the Starmen of rank Super, Deluxe, and Ghost had gathered for their orders in the cockpit. To Moondancer's confusion, Niiue waited until Larice arrived before giving anyone their orders. "It looks like everyone's here," he said as soon as Larice came through the door. "As you know, we've been hit. And you're wondering 'by what?'"
As Niiue began to pace, Moondancer rolled her eyes. Is this really necessary? she thought at Niiue irritably. They're pretty well trained. You could just give them orders without explaining-
Like Giegue always did? Niiue thought back. Yes, and that was so effective that all we have left to order around are those who did so...and Larice. I'd rather have more troops capable of independent thought if we're going to be trying to save my other half from himself. He turned towards the Starmen. "It appears we were hit by...some sort of shielded organic life form."
Wait, what? Moondancer demanded, once again trying to access her malfunctioning console. What kind of organic life form can survive in space, even with a shield?
Us, for one, Niiue pointed out. We are able to use our PSI to move ourselves around even with our physiological reactions suspended. No idea if we're the only ones who can, or what type of organic life form this is...and I don't intend to stick around to find out. "It tore directly through the engine," he continued aloud, "giving us about...30 minutes to evacuate. As Starmen, you all should have no trouble using PSI Teleport to leave the ship, right? Ten minutes left now, so hurry."
As all the other Starmen teleported away, Larice moved forward. "Sir *whirr, click* I lack that ability. Only Super and above have that skill uploaded."
Niiue chuckled softly. "Still haven't learned your lesson from last time?" he asked teasingly.
"No, *click* sir," Larice responded firmly. "I do not feel *whirrr* it is a lesson I should learn."
"What do you mean, Niiue?" Moondancer asked curiously.
"Why don't you tell her, Larice?" Niiue suggested. "If you think you have the time."
Larice turned to Moondancer. "Master Giegue assigned me to *whirr, click* take care of you while he was gone. I perform all commands to the best of my ability. However, I concluded *whirr, click* that returning you to him was counter to the order to 'take care of you', as his *click, click* unstable mental state was not conducive to your healthy growth. I asked *whirr* if it would be better if you were tended by others - like myself - until he was in a better state."
"That's why he took your emblem?" Moondancer gasped in surprise. "But...he said-"
"Giegue's memory of events is no longer accurate," Niiue pointed out. "He has learned to lie to himself...and that's making his mental state all the more unstable." He sighed softly. "I hate to say this, Moondancer...but don't get-"
"You are not *whirrr* being very conducive to her mental well being either," Larice interrupted.
Niiue raised an eyebrow. "A bit verbose, aren't you?" he asked encouragingly.
"We are soldiers, meant to serve *whirrr* our Master," Larice explained. "This means we are to *click* carry out our duties to the best of *whirrr* our abilities. So if we feel a different approach *click click* is better, we are remiss in our duties if we do not raise it..." He whirred and clicked for a time. "...Giegue did not agree..."
"And yet you're still following that last order he gave you?" Moondancer inquired thoughtfully.
"He never rescinded it," Larice stated plainly.
Niiue smirked over at Moondancer. Still think just giving orders is better? he thought at her.
"I no longer *whirr* have time to reach the escape pods," Larice offered. "I hope this last act of mine is of benefit to you."
"I can use PSI Teleport," Moondancer pointed out primly. "I'd repay you poorly if I didn't warp you to the hanger to take a ship."
"The ship in there is a one seater," Niiue pointed out. "You'll have to teleport back up here without him once you deposit him." He turned to Larice. "We'll get in contact with you eventually. Until then, travel to Saturn and locate a Mook with an odd blue coloration. Find him and join his cause."
"Orders confirmed," Larice deduced. "Whose orders *whirr, click* have priority?"
Niiue tilted his head. "I don't under-"
He's asking if this means your orders now supersede Giegue's, Moondancer thought at him silently.
Niiue fell silent. On the one hand, they were going up against Giegue, however circuitously. On the other, Niiue didn't actually have the authority to supersede Giegue's orders in the command structure...and even if Larice would accept his word that he did, any signal of that sort in the Starmen network would make him lose whatever authority he had. ...what do I say? he asked Moondancer silently.
Moondancer smiled. "Larice, you said the last order you're still following is to take care of me...and you took that to mean even defying Giegue if that's what it took?"
"Affirmative," Larice declared, followed by a few more disc sounds.
"Then until further notice, my orders are absolute," Moondancer offered. "Is that acceptable in the command structure?"
"...acceptable," Larice concluded. "You are *whirrr* Giegue's daughter. Ergo, you are Geeg command chain."
"Good," Moondancer confirmed. Taking hold of Larice, she teleported him to the hanger, and the one-seater ship waiting there. "Then here's one order from me you'd better follow: don't die."
Starmen had no faces to show expressions, but Moondancer got the PSI impression that Larice was smiling. "Affirmative," he agreed as he boarded the ship.
Moondancer watched it take off, then warped back to the cockpit. "What now?" she asked Niiue.
Niiue smiled sadly. "Now we make our own way out...and hope for the best." Taking hold of each other, the pair teleported out of the ship, aiming for safety.
Good, she know to take good care of her followers and to give simple to follow orders when caled for.
Go Moondancer! Good thinking.
8110408 She's a Pony... Short of Pre Equestria Gurls Sunset S. Shimmer, it's considered not a personality trait, but a core value of Ponies, no matter how many parties Twilight Sparklebutt missed by being a b....
8110868 Yes, but at the moment she is being rased by a genosidal monster who treated his underlings bad, and they can be influensed while they are young. Like when Cadence inedvertly taught Twilight that spells can salve all problems.
8110911 good point, but in this case, gueeg has been trying so hard, he protected her so much that I'd reckon she's pretty well adjusted...
8110958 I think you mean; 'he' protected her...
And thats fair I supose, but he made it clear that all other life live to serve the Geeg, it is realy easy to justify treting other beings harche when they are bellow you. Like how the europeans treated the black more or less like cattle.
I dunno, it's not really explained all that well, but here's a hint.
s26.postimg.org/zcqc70lll/Screenshot_136.png
{Larice: Ponies are cute. *whirr* It is only logical that I *beep* never cease in my hugging of them.}
I personally prefer the original reasoning behind his strip of rank, but I understand that you have to make Giegue not look like a massive to-
... Ohhh, this makes MUCH more sense. Never mind.
{Larice: He believed that we should be *beep* more faithful to the original representation of us, wherein *click* we only speak in order to put in necessary *click* input of our respective arcs. But of course, that cannot be done in a rendering in which *whirr* dialogue and description is at the forefront *beep* of existence.
Moondancer: What do you mean?
Larice: I mean that Starmen shouldn't drink an excess *whirr* of Mr. Saturn Coffee. It causes pink, tiny equines to interject into our *beep* line of sight and tell us things that we are better off not knowing.}
{Niiue: But I'm-
Larice: No spoilers. *click*
Niiu: Bu-
Larice: *click*
Niiue:... I-
Larice: *CLICK*
Niiue: *Sigh*, fine.}
Anyways, see you later.
8111589
So...does this mean you like how I've written this part?
With your comments, I honestly can never tell.
8111611 I thought it was okay. I mean, you haven't really done anything that misses the point or severely undercuts the meaning behind the story you're adapting, so I'm not upset or anything... I mean, I'd personally want a bit more meat in it, but hey, we got to see Larice!
I suppose if there's one thing I don't really get, it's why Niiue can't supersede Giegue's orders. I know it was explained in the story, but I didn't really get it all that well, to be honest. I mean, we all know who Niiue really is, and he knows it, too. Wouldn't he technically have about just as much sway as Giegue does, considering that fact? The worst I can imagine happening is certain Starmen locking up due to runtime errors or something like that.
Which was why I had that alt!script of Niiue trying to reveal the spoiler, except Larice kept cutting him off.
And don't worry, so far you haven't had anything weird, like have a character only being evil because of something she's born with and not something that happened in her development, a forced romance that's only mentioned and never elaborated on or even explored in full, or trivializing the morally-ambiguous machinations of a group of people by adding an Evil Chancellor into the mix. So I can honestly say that reading this is enjoyable... even if today's chapter was kinda short.
8111659
Well, only Giegue, Niiue, and Moondancer even know who Niiue actually is, and he's not registered as anyone in authority beyond what he claims. Beyond that, because of what caused him to have his shape, his PSI impression wouldn't read as pure Geeg either.
8116227 Fission is a cheap tactic to make weak Geegs stronger!
8117289
Why am I thinking of "Stronger than You" from Steven Universe?
"don't die" as an order. hmmm... code geass much