>>5562496>>5562376>>5562297>>5562776>Rolled Mind - 2 nodes lit.“I’ll let you in on a little secret Peedee,” you say, affecting a conspiratorial whisper, “you see Eyes-of-Night back there, the owl-lady, EN-13136?”
The entity’s small head dips in wary acknowledgement. “Well she’s currently keeping…ah ‘Guard’? busy for us and… I’d never say this where she could overhear, but she’s quite the mother hen. Always keeping us on the straight and narrow, she’d never let me live it down if I broke a promise.”
Peedee looks at you dubiously, humming noncommittally with a digital buzz. “She’s like Teach. But she’s in your box not mine.”
Again with the boxes, could the intelligence have simply upgraded the crew from resources to valued tools? Is that what it thinks being in command is about, having your own exclusive toolbox - or toybox in its case? Perhaps you are just reading too much into its strange mind, it's not the time for another lesson on the value of life in any case. You change tack, maybe it will respond better to more immediate benefits.
>Rolled Soul - 3 nodes lit."Look Peedee, our ship is damaged and there are bad guys out there, there might even be some right here, hurting my crew. You came because I asked for help to save them, and if you help me do that, they can save you too! The people in there will make sure our ship gets repaired and can fight off the ones who hurt her. Keep us and you safe."
The little face in your cracked visor appears to make a more thoughtful expression. "Help fix your box? Hide from Guard." It nods pensively. "Easier hiding here. Have to sleep if catched."
Your toybox theory is rapidly losing atmosphere as Peedee continues to speak its thoughts in short, stilted sentences. Maybe it thinks the voidship is a box? But then what is it's… No, you must stay focused lest you lose your grasp on your emotions and with it the attention of this entity.
"I help see. We save crew. Then I hide, you play. When done, you let me out my box? Let me in? Promise?"
You aren't at all sure you want to promise anything of the sort. You smile noncommittally and grasp desperately for something to distract the young one from your non-answer.
"Hey, what's your favourite food? Maybe we can get you some after you help us out here."
>Rolled Body - 4 nodes lit. Social check success.The little guy freezes, the slightly bobbing head in the corner of your vision suddenly still. A pang of dread runs up your spine. Did you lose connection to the ship's mind after all that trouble? You don't sense the oppressive pressure of the system's glorified firewall, but why else would-
The faintest of sound whispers over your helmet's speakers, crackling, distorted and barely audible above the channel's noise threshold. "Penuddbudder."
"What?"
"Penuddbudder!" Peedee's avatar suddenly springs back to life, visibly vibrating in barely restrained excitement - stars in its eyes.
