The drones wake up within the span of several seconds from each other despite the hive mind not announcing worky time for once. It’s just a habit ingrained so deep that not even their current completely alien surroundings can suppress it. Simply put, their standard four hour sleepy time is over, and they’re ready for action. Squeaky yawning fills the cabin for a moment before the drones look at 10013 as one.
“This is nice,” mumbles 99380, swaying its legs around, “But I kinda don’t feel like sleeping anymore.”
“Gimme a sec,” 10013 concentrates, “I’m gonna try to check up with 387 again.”
Unfortunately, 387 is still completely impossible to sense, so it taps into 93’s hive link instead.
“Hi, 93. We still can’t sense 387 and we don’t know what we’re supposed to be doing. Is everything okay?”
“As far as I know, there’s nothing problematic happening at the moment. I’m exploring the insides of this ship and assessing potential risks. Judging by the recently received mental map updates, 387 is doing the same even though he is hiding his presence. And the Queen is… well, that’s none of your business,” replies 93 immediately, “I am also not aware of any orders pertaining to your group, so you are free to do as you please until called for. Within limits, of course.”
“Thank you,” says 10013 politely, “Have a nice, umm, shippy time.”
No answer.
“Hmph…” 10013 pouts.
“Bad news?” asks 36658.
“Not really. No one needs us at the moment, so we can do… uhh… anything that’s not digging or that makes someone yell at us.”
“Oh…” 20100 tilts its head, “That’s new.”
And all of them look at 10013 who seems to be slowly realizing the horrors of responsible leadership. After some pondering, 10013 decides that small steps are the way to go and says:
“We should probably get out of these webby things first,” it tries to bend its legs to grab the holes in the hammock and pull itself up without any effect. As it watches others do the same it gets an idea. It simply lets its legs hang, spreads its wings, and buzzes directly upwards, carefully navigating its legs through the holes, “Ah hah! Got it!”
“Oooh, smart!” comments 99111, slowly floating upwards as well.
In only a few moments, the drones stand gathered in the center of the small room, feeling somewhat… off.
*Puzzled face.* *Confused face.* *Woozy face.*
“We’re all feeling that, Smiley,” says 10013 in response to the confused hive link message, “The ground is acting weird.”
The floor is moving. Slowly, extremely gently, rocking from side to side. Inside the hammocks, they felt something, but no discomfort as the net simply let them hang downwards no matter any outside motion. However, now on the floor, their biology completely unused to being on anything other than solid ground is complaining. Still, it won’t be a problem for long, because changelings are adaptive and nothing short of a tsunami can seriously destabilize something as huge as a cruise ship.
36658 recovers first, hopping on the table and saying:
“Eh, it’ll pass. It’s just like whenever I experiment with a new version of agonyslayers and overdo it,” it tries to shove its head into the porthole and slams its face into the glass, “Hey, there’s something invisible in the hole!” it pokes the glass, “I can’t get through.”
“Maybe it’s magic?” suggests 99526, “We saw a looot of unicorns get in with us.”
“Makes sense,” 10013 shrugs, looking around, “So we’ve got a table, a magic hole leading outside, and these box thingies,” it nods to the two wardrobes, “I’ll check the big one, you go look what’s inside the small one.”
The drones swarm the small wardrobe.
“How do we get in?”
“There’s no handle.”
“It’s a mystery box!”
“No digging!”
“Don’t shove me!”
“Don’t hit it!”
“I’m not hitting it, that’s exploratory poking.”
“With force?”
“It wasn’t responding to negotiations!”
“You didn’t say anything!”
“I gestured!”
“It doesn’t have eyes!”
“EXCUSES!”
“Hey, let’s try pulling?”
“Ouch! Stop that!”
“Try pulling it, not me, this time?”
10013 looks away from the disorganized mess and reaches for the handle on the big one. It responds without an issue and opens into a space vertically split into two halves, one with hanging sets of clothes and one filled with shelves covered in sheets and various utility items.
“My turn now!” says 99111, biting 20100’s tail stub.
“Hey, I didn’t get mine yet!” objects the victim.
“You totally did! You just spent it all by staring.”
“That was an examination and it doesn’t count.”
“It does! I want examee-nay-shun it too!”
“STOP PULLING MEEEEE- oh?” 20100 grabs the top of the wardrobe at the end of the quick exchange and, as 99111 pulls it hard, the top lifts slightly, “Whoah whoah, I think we got it!”
“Really?” 99111 stops immediately and climbs on 20100’s back to see over the clump of other drones. 20100 lifts the top, revealing it only has one hinge on the side that’s against the wall, “Uhh, white stuff?” it pokes the revealed bed sheets and larger covers which wouldn’t fit into the small shelves of the tall wardrobe, “Soft white stuff.”
“Waaaaait!” 99380 calls out loudly. When everyone looks at it, it asks, “What if it’s someone’s stash? We never go through someone’s stash unless they’re dead. Them’s the rules, one of you veterans told me. Uhh, right?”
They all look at 10013 who starts carefully folding a pillow case it grabbed earlier, blows at it, and puts it neatly back on the shelf.
“Good thinking,” it admits, “I guess we shouldn’t mess with things until someone tells us it’s okay.”
All activity stops and the drones look at each other expectantly. The first to vocalize the incoming question is 99111:
“What do we do then?”
Once again, all eyes end on 10013.
*Gulp!*
“Hmm… What would High Score do in this situation?” it mumbles.
“Ask the high ranks?” suggests 20100.
“We already did that.”
“Sleep?” is 36658’s idea.
“We did that too.”
“Nothing?” offers 99526.
“That’s what we were doing the whole trip here,” 10013 shakes its head.
“Did we finish?” adds 99526.
10013 rubs its chin before hopping onto the table and looking out of the porthole. The sea sparkling in late afternoon sunlight reflects in its eyes, making it smile and filling it with courage.
Of course!
It turns back to the others.
“The outside is full of shinies! All we have to do is look. High Score wouldn’t sit here. It would go out, explore, and find shinies to bring back to us. Unfortunately, since High Score is resting in the great gablonk right now, it’s up to us to be our own Shiny Bringers!” 10013 vigorously points at the cabin door, “ONWARDS!”
They huddle around the door. 36658 reaches for the handle and opens it. As the noise of everyone working all over the servant deck floods in, they hesitate and look at 10013 again.
It stops in the door frame, peeks outside, takes a deep breath, and walks into the corridor.
“Nothing is trying to eat or kick me,” it looks back at the six drone heads lining the sides of the door frame, “I think we’re good.”
36658 strides out next.
“Hey, 20100. Since we’re the only Potatoes here, it’s up to us to try and spread the word about Hgh Score the Shiny Bringer to the nice ponies everywhere.”
“Umm, can we look for some more paper for my moving pictures on the way?” asks 20100.
“Obviously! High Score will provide a way for us to be good drones, and if we pass we’ll get all the paper we deserve. Well, that you deserve. I’ve got my own thing.”
“Yay for High Score the Shiny Bringer and drawings that move!” exclaims 20100 and the two trot off in a random direction. Since it’s a hallway, 36658 simply leads the way right because the right way can’t be wrong. That’s big brain logic.
99111 takes a deep breath before stepping out next.
“I think us newbies should find our own way,” it says, “I respect you vets and your experience, but all that talk about High Score is… I dunno. I want to be a good drone because of myself, not because of some tiny part of High Score that might or might not be inside me.”
“High Score wouldn’t want it any other way,” 10013 smiles.
“Grumble grumble grumble!” huffs 99111, turning away and walking left.
99526 and 99380 exchange glances.
“Do you have anything for us to do?” asks 99526.
10013 shrugs.
“Not yet. I think that what 99111 said -about the exploration, not about High Score- sounded reasonable. How about you head out and just try your luck? 93 shared with us the updated map of the ship and it’s big but not too big, so if you stay linked up there’s always bound to be someone in range who can help you or call the high ranks.”
99380 walks over and gives 10013 a hug.
“Umm, thanks for being smart when we’re not,” it mumbles and trots off alongside 99526.
10013 finds itself smiling again and facing one final drone smiling back.
“How about you, Smiley? Feeling a little overwhelmed by all this novelty?”
The Silent walks up close to 10013 and licks its nose.
“You wanna go with me?”
To 10013’s surprise, Smiley shakes its head and leaves with a mental message of:
*Worried face.* *Happy face.* *Curious face.* *Curious face.* *Curious face.*
Left alone, 10013 takes a deep breath again.
Welp, even Smiley left before I can even get my legs to move again. Greeeat start, 10013.
“High Score wouldn’t stand here, scared, even though it can stand faster than any drone can run. It would go outside to find anything that could help it make things better for other drones!”