Under a Starless Sky novel Chapter 29

“I think you have some new friends,” TL said.

“Yeah, um, I would really like my uniform back,” Shen said. “Can you do that?”

“Sure. You might look out of place,” TL said.

“Uniform,” Shen said.

“Do you care if dispose of those?” TL asked.

“Please,” Shen said. “And a proper light bath, please.”

“I don’t detect any harmful bacterial colonies on or in you,” TL said. “In fact, I would say your present company is probably the healthiest meshing I have ever seen you carry.”

“Light bath, please,” Shen said.

TL nodded. She made a gesture that hinted at magic. The Torch left his hand and went to hers. It was not magic. It could defy gravity and direct itself. Shen rose from the ground. Light surrounded him to the point he was simply a silhouette of light. The Torch’s replication technology could absorb matter or materialize matter. The clothes he was wearing were swept away in a twirling of lights like an arc wedilder’s stream caught in a cyclone, leaving a naked Shen, blotted out by the light bath’s intensity. A bracelet arrived by the same manner of light, and from there, a fabric was born, stretching down the length of his arm, over shoulder, around neck, and down his torso. He was completely covered and protected by the last suit a person would ever wear: the Space Force Uniform. Imagine a starship, with all the attributes of a Star Fleet ship, whether that is TOS or TNG or any incarnation. Now imagine miniaturization allows for the uniform to manifest all the same attributes that the ship does. Same above, same below. This was his uniform. It was Ironman meets Trek meets Doctor Strange. The ship, the suit, the Torch, they were all one and individuals at the same time.

TL set him down. “Feel better?”

“OMG, thank you,” Shen said, tugging on it, hugging it, closing his eyes and absorbing the comfort of it. It was smart. It should grow as he grew. They would grow together. It would take on its on personality. He wondered if his other Uniform would be jealous. He put the orb in his pocket. He didn’t need it. His suit could see in the dark, multiple invisible frequencies, sound options, radar. He would never be blind again. Still, the suit could interface with the stone- tapping into the crystal sphere as if it was simply a modular attachment. The uniform recreated the crystalline orb’s tech and employed it as an upgrade. The suit provided intel on it, suggesting it was attuned to the energetic field of the trees the way a compass interacts with a magnetic field.

“Camouflage option?” Shen asked.

“Of course,” she said. His uniform modified its appearance to resemble what he was last wearing.

Shen motioned for her to give him back the Torch.

“Your uniform is fully geared up. You no longer need the Torch,” TL said. “I took the liberty of downloading myself into your suit, so I will remain with you, Torch or no.”

“Still, I want it,” Shen said.

“It’s superfluous,” TL said.

“Fuck that,” Shen said. “Give it to me, please.” TL shrugged and tossed him the torch. He hooked it to his belt.

“How long can you maintain this holographic body?” Shen asked.

“At present level of energy expenditure, without recharging, twenty days. The Torch’s capacitor is ninety percent charge. Light Saber option uses significant amounts of energy,” TL said. “Still, if you don’t require this level of physical interaction, I would prefer to withdraw back to tech. I am now occupying your uniform. I got you.”

Shen nodded. TL disappeared. His clothing restricted, demonstrating a casual hug by the TL AI interface. He heard in his ears, via directed bone conduction, TL’s voice. “Seriously, I got you. You really need to relax. Your blood pressure is way too high for a boy your age.”

“Yeah, I think that will be coming down now that’s you’re here,” Shen said. He sat down by the fire.

“Other things will be going up,” TL said.

“Let’s not go there, please,” Shen said.

The male Irk made a noise that went up in pitch suggesting a question.

“You want a name?” Shen asked.

“Please, don’t name it Irksome,” TL said.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Shen said. He was mad. That was exactly what he was going to name it.

“I may be divergent from Loxy, but I still know you, Sir,” TL said.

“Oh, I am seriously offended,” Shen protested.

Irksome made a growl.

“Irksome it is,” Shen said.

“You are so not right,” TL said.

“I am twelve and out of sorts,” Shen said.

“I could sort you if you like,” TL said.

“I am twelve and un-sortable,” Shen snapped.

“A sex positive parent would buy their children sex toys,” TL said. “Did you know there is a tribe that not only encourages child sexual interaction, they don’t get pregnant until their officially married? They even have ‘love’ huts where once they claim they’re ready, they can go play.”

“I think I heard about that tribe. I am not from that tribe,” Shen said. “Didn’t the B52’s make a song about that?”

“The love shack?” TL asked.

“The love shack, baby,” Shen said.

“You’re humor hasn’t changed,” TL said.

“Yeah, well, maybe hippies grow up in a love shack and everyone is sex positive kind of thing, and Lindsey Doe is our champion, but that wasn’t my experience,” Shen said. “Though I suppose, if the real world realizes just how many kids are engaging in sex at psych hospitals and kid jails, they might explore other options. Seriously, there was more sex at the hospitals and camps than at home.”