>>5566532Since you will be disregarding every known safety procedure, several shipwide rules, and even basic common sense by deciding to point the TPN Coober Pedy’s guns at herself, you resolve to give this shot the best chance of success by combining your willpower with Peedee’s albeit limited training. Despite the increased risk of alerting the ship’s AI guardian with both of your presences in the control system, you stand the best chance of disabling the boarding craft without cooking yourself and your crew in the process by having a hand on the helm as it were while Peedee goes through the motions of manually firing the MASER.
“Peedee, this person… ‘Control’, was it? Showed you how to use the ship’s weapons manually did they?”
“Ya, Control showed how.” The young voice buzzes back instantly. “But Peedee didn’t use! Control gone, Teach gone, only Guard. Guard not let Peedee use. <span class="mu-s">Peedee want use!</span>”
Now how to break this to the emphatic entity calmly and gently.
“Listen little man," you begin, putting on your authoritative yet patient Captain's voice, "I think it’s best if-"
"Peedee not little man!" You are cut off before you can really begin as the intelligence's modulated voice switches abruptly from imploring to outraged, and the emotional whiplash threatens to overwhelm you through your command link.
"Peedee is big girl! Teach say so. Said Peedee is voidship, biggest voidship ever. And… and ship's are shes!"
Her messily drawn avatar returns to your HUD, now a puffed-up red scribble instead of its… <span class="mu-i">her</span>, usual placid orange. Your ‘calm’ approach is definitely not off to a great start, but you press on without questioning Peedee’s claim.
“Well young lady, I’m going to need you to show me what ‘Control’ showed you and let me fire the MASER. We don’t want to accidentally cook the crew now, do we?”
“WHAT? NO! Peedee no cook! Peedee shoot! NOT FAIR!” The pouting Peedee screeches at you unpleasantly through your comm, “It Peedee’s turn!” You feel the powerful yet undisciplined mind push her indignation at you across your shared connection, trying to impress her desires upon you - just like she did when was ‘hungry’.
<span class="mu-b">Part of the Ship, Part of the Crew(1)</span> - Her efforts are in vain, however, no match for your superior will now that you know the nature of the beast and can identify the rampant urges as external to your own. A grimace crosses your face, despite your best efforts to remain placid, as your patience grows thin at Peedee’s blatant attempt to get her way. You’ve been over this before, <span class="mu-s">you</span> are the Captain and she is the ship and you will not let her endanger your crew! Surely your ancestors never had to put up with their ship throwing a tantrum!
Taking your still focussed need to save your crew, you mould it in your mind into the same righteous wrath you cowed your ship with before and force it back through the connection – making your displeasure with the cantankerous creature known.
