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**Sombs** · 01-05-2018, 12:54 AM,

December 18th, 824 - Omicron Kappa

"You seem excited, Captain."

It was the voice of Sherry Aguilar, the Commander of the Apahanta. Ezrael's right hand. Walking next to Ezrael through the corridors of the Apahanta, she hid her smirk about Ezrael's behavior, as he, as she said, seemed to be excited about what was coming up.

"It's James El Harady. The head of the Canaan Project. A friend. A cool dude, and he likes milk." Ezrael explained as they approached the airlocks, which were leading to a connection unit to Livadia. "Imagine all the cool stories he can tell us about Gammu and PRIME and the other AIs down there. This will be fun, definitely. I thought about playing chess with him in the observatory."

"I didn't know you are good at chess." They stopped at the airlocks. James was already approaching the ship via the corridor.

He smirked at her, placing his hand at the airlocks console. "I'll make it look like he can beat me, so he feels better."

"... you're not good at chess, then?" She gave him a flat look.

"Never played it."

The airlocks opened up and revealed the sight of the Canaan Head Scientist. Ezrael, like Sherry wearing the typical skin-tight darkblue Apahanta suits, welcomed him with a big smile, while Sherry remained rather neutral and formal. It looked more professional.

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PKPower · 01-05-2018, 02:33 AM,

"Ezrael, it's been way too long."

James approached Vertiga and his Commander casually, one hand in his pocket and a slight smirk on his face. He wore plain white trousers with a few grey stains on them, a brightly colored shirt and a white jacket that was a little too long for belonging to a suit and a little too short to be a lab coat. He looked energetic and tired at the same time and also probably didn't shave in a few days.
He reached out for Ezraels hand and shook it firmly while holding eye contact.

"It's good to see ya alive and well."

James then turned towards Sherry to great her as well. As she extended her hand, James swiftly went down on one knee to kiss her hand, before she had time to pull her hand back from James' grip. She gave him a bewildered look, which was met with laughter from James' side.

"The AI database included a detail about human custure that it used to be an extremely polite gesture in upper social circles to kiss someones' hand to greet them. At this point in time I basically just turned it into a social experiment, to see how people react and to see if for some people this social gesture still holds value. Mainly the reactions though."

James looked back towards Vertiga.

"So shall we go somewhere more comfortable? I'm surprised ya didn't already offer me a drink. Last thing I remember is you trying to make my preferences in beverages a running joke."

**Sombs** · 01-05-2018, 02:49 AM,

December 18th, 824 - Omicron Kappa

The kiss to her gloved hand came with a lot of surprise, yet her bewildered countenance quickly returned to her usual neutral expression, combined with a slight blush. "James, this is Commander Sherry Aguilar. She commands the ship when I am not around or have other excuses to get responsibility off my shoulder."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. El Harady," Sherry sounded, retracting her hand.

"Matter of factly I asked one of my service robots to prepare both wine, and to your preference, milk, for us. Unless you don't wish to kiss my hand as well, because I do think I am also part of said upper social circles as billionaire, investor, battleship captain and playboy, we could move to our observatory deck." Ezrael gifted him with a wide grin before making a gesture to invite James to enter the ship and follow them through the blue-lighted corridors. "Have you ever been on a Core ship?"

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PKPower · 01-05-2018, 03:09 AM,

"Oh of course ya would be part of mentioned upper circles. The thing is that I really couldn't catch ya off-guard with a stunt like that."

James looked around the corridor past Vertiga and his Commander with the blue ambient lighting.

"I think I actually have been aboard a Core ship in the past. Can't really remember many details. It was quite the wild night."

James couldn't help but chuckle to himself at the memory.
While walking down the corridor James seemed quite interested in all the rooms they were passing and red all the signs describing their individual purpose, while Ezrael and Sherry were busy greeting the ship staff that passed them on their way. Their arrival at the entry to the Apahanta's obervatory marked the end of their journey. Entering the room and looking around James spoke up again.

"This is quite a nice space ya built for yaself there. Thanks again for inviting me to yer inner sanctum."

**Sombs** · 01-05-2018, 03:58 AM,

December 18th, 824 - Omicron Kappa

James would notice that there were way more service robots built by Kishiro. Rarely, one of the twenty human crew members passed by, mostly out of curiousity for James. They rarely get to see visitors. Arriving at the observatory, James would find himself in a rather dark room with multiple stories and large windows showing the outside environment, the horribly annoying green-teal Pelopponese Nebula of Omicron Kappa. "To most of my crew, the ship is their home. I paid much money to make it comfortable here for them. Three billion credits, and the maintenance is horrible. It's worth it, though." He lead James to weirdly out of place looking metallic table with an LCD-esque surface. There were two comfortable looking chairs that didn't fit to the environment either. Matter of factly, they were from a gaming room somewhere else on the ship. "Take a seat, please. The beverage will arrive soon."

"If you would excuse me. I believe it is one of the moments when the Captain hands the responsibility to me." the copper-haired woman said, nodding in James direction before leaving. Once she was gone, Ezrael smirked at James.

"I have prepared a game of chess, by the way. I thought that would be a nice thing to do while talking, or the other way around." Leaning back in the chair, he smirked at James even more. "While I prepare the game, do tell me, how is our good girl Maria Calvo doing? Do you kiss her hand as well to seduce her or does she know your highly elaborate tricks?"

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PKPower · 01-05-2018, 04:23 AM,

"Sadly Maria got used to most of my shenanigans. It's hard to catch her off guard with some of my surprises. She's mostly keeping to herself these days. Haven't heard from her in weeks actually. I think she's doing some research on her own."

James looked down onto the board that now seperated them.

"So chess it is. I'll try and download the rules and everything else I need to know about that game without getting any advanced tactics or spicy pro-techniques."

He looked back up at Ezrael.

"Ya could have hired a less attractive Commander. I'd imagine her distracting that small bunch of people ya call yer crew."

James grinned at that last part, quickly looking at Ezrael for a reaction before continuing on.

"Then again what do I know about leading crews. My whole ship is filled with robotics that react to my thoughts."

**Sombs** · 01-05-2018, 05:18 AM,

December 18th, 824 - Omicron Kappa

His comment about Sherry was quite amusing, Ezrael thought. "Go easy on me. I know the rules but never really played the game. You'll probably have an easy game with me. Apahanta, turn the windows black, please." The table started projecting a 3D chess board above it. It was empty right now. At the same time, the windows stopped showing the green nebula. The room turned dark, and the place infront of them was the most reliable source of light right now. "Apahanta, please load the chess figures of the Core for me. What do you like, James? Little Zoner warships?" As he asked him, little projections of APM ships appreared on Ezrael's side of the chess board. Snubs as pawns, Plecos as Knights, Bullheads as Rooks, Threshers as Bishops, the Apahanta as the Queen and one unknown Core Dreadnought as King.

"Commander Aguilar is professional. She keeps her distance from the crew like one would expect it from an absolvent of the Core training. She is actually one of the people who defected from the Core with me. Born on Canaria, didn't want to fight Zoners during the Core-Zoner-Conflict." He looked at the little projection of the Mako on the chess board. "I guess you don't get to interact with many women down there on Gammu?"

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PKPower · 01-05-2018, 11:37 PM,

"Don't worry, I never played chess either. I mean I could have downloaded some of the advanced chess techniques from the PRIME database, but where's the fun in that?"

James leaned in to inspect the board a little closer, continuing his monologue while doing so.

"Ya know I actually spend way more time aboard my ships and traveling than on Gammu. After being trapped down there for years... let's just say those are not my fondest memories."

He stopped examining the board and straightened back up, to flip through the theme options for his chess pieces. Having seen all the options he setteled on Rheinland-themed pieces.

"Ya should be glad to have such loyal crew members. I mean I'm sure there are worse work enviroments that the Apahanta, but nevertheless. It's also quite the difference if someone follows you by choice, rather than having gone through so many intense experiences together, that you're basically sharing a connection so close that you'd feel less functional yourself without them."

James turned his gaze back back towards Vertiga.

"Sorry, I'm rambling again. I guess the bottom line is that I'm honored yer worrying 'bout my love life. Let's just say I meet a lot of interesting people while traveling. Having a few AI-technology-assisted tricks up my sleeve also helps striking up conversations."

He winked at Ezrael.

**Sombs** · 01-06-2018, 12:27 AM,

December 18th, 824 - Omicron Kappa

Returning a relaxed chuckle, that turned into a laughter, he shook his head for a moment. A Rheinland fleet was building up infront of them. It was a pretty impressive stand-off so far. "Conversations you say," he began, smirking at him, leaning back in his chair. "Did you receive an AI upgrade that allows certain body parts to vibrate?" A digital coin was flipped automatically by the game and showed a Bismarck. "The first move is yours, James."

PKPower · (This post was last modified: 01-06-2018, 12:59 AM by PKPower.)

James chimed into Ezraels laugh.

"Well technically I could. Can't say that I tried it out yet. Pawn E4"

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