Hail CYOA

>>29864407
Read the books ourselves.

>>29864460
I pat Coti despite his complains and head back to my apartment for my computer. It doesn't take long to connect to the station's library and ask for the last few books added to it.
Fluttershy's research seems like the most relevant, so I rifle through its summary.

> 3b, Venerabilis Cotyledon, Areoptera aquara, swamp senestral
>[...]Venerabilis' and Aquaras in particular seem to have a noticeable tendency to suffer the loss of their groups, lasting until they reach adulthood, stemming from the abundant social activity they enjoy with their broodlings. Aquaras have been known to stop emerging from the water for air in the worst cases, [...], and cotyledons to, after extended periods of time (Ranging from two to nine moons depending on the individual) to engage in extremely violent suicidal tendencies which wouldn't stop even if they rejoined their broods. In these cases, their brood mother tried to sooth them and, if this failed after two or three days, quickly dispatch them by penetrating their nutrient sack and the nervous system in its core swiftly with a spine. Brood mothers usually refuse to communicate with anyone for weeks after doing this or to bury the body, in stark contrast with their usual handling of the dead.
>These are, however, the most extreme cases. Most young Aquaras and Cotyledons are simply dispirited and unwilling to have intelligent communication despite their limited ability to do so, but, with proper care and patience, often are willing to form a "brood" with their caretakers. Offering things they usually enjoy and providing continuous, if quiet and respectful, encouragement to engage in social activity with several other people is usually successful.

>>29865069
Ok we will need Rune's help with this if we need several other people. Confront Ross about the daemons missing this.

>>29865375
"Ross?" I close the computer, "How come the daemons didn't find this in Flutershy's book?"
"What section?" He answers after a moment.
"Three-bee."
"Let me ping them." He's silent for a moment. "I gave the daemons his physical symptoms. Nothing of the sort is listed in the book."

>>29866215
Guess it needed a sentient touch.

>>29865069
>>29866215
Sounds like we need to interact more then. Maybe we can grab a bed and sleep near him tonight.

>>29867380
sapient

>>29867405 >>29867380
"Fine."
"Maybe it needed a pony touch?" He says, clearly trying to improve my mood. I don't answer, so he keeps talking, "Will you want to sleep together again tonight?"
"Maybe if I don't wake up alone." I answer immediately, heading out of my room.
"I... " He falls silent for a moment, "I had a very odd dream I needed to think about. On my own."

>>29867862
Do you wanna talk about it?
So, You can dream, how does it work? I imagine you'll remember the entire dream clearly.

>>29867405
The book said several people. Get Rune and Ross in as well.

>>29867862
Fair enough.

>>29867903 >>29868008
>>29868002
"Just tell me when you get up." I lean against my closed door, "I don't like waking up alone."
"I'll keep it in mind." He says softly.
"What was your dream about, anyway?"
"There were at least three simultaneous threads to it... althrough all of them made me think the same thing. That I've never really wondered about being anyone but myself."
"How do you mean?" I ask after a moment.
"In one of them I was... a bodyguard of sorts for you, for example. And it was just a job for me, while taking the safeguarding of the crew as only a job hasn't ever occurred to me. It confuses me to think that I've never played with other roles, which seems to be usual in the development of ponies."
"You aren't a pony," I say simply.
"How do I know the role I currently enjoy is really the best for me if I've never explored others?" He answers immediately. "I've always been a station overwatcher. I never considered being a personal bodyguard, or a guide for younger Intelligences... this has made me realize how ignorantly I choose this job, even if I enjoy it."
"How would you feel about a warbeast caretaker?"
"Is this about Coti?"
"Yeah."
"I am busy with personal maters, do you really need me right now?"

Paused.

>>29868515
Not this second, no. I'm just thinking about some ways we can help Coti out of his funk.

>>29868515
I don't need you but the more the merrier.

I kind of get what you are talking about. I am still giving a lot of consideration to the posibility of a military life.

>>29868802
>I don't need you but the more the merrier
On second thought rephrase this to "I don't need you specifically but the more the merrier"
Still say the military thing.

>>29869840

>>29870989

>>29870989

>>29873972

not yet

i don't read this but I'll give you a bump because I like you cammy.

>>29875490

>>29868751 >>29868802
>>29869840
"Not right now, but I could use any help I can get."
"Alright, I'll try to make some time tomorrow."
"Just what are you doing?"
"I am not sure." The beep announcing he's not focusing in me anymore sounds before I can answer that.
"Alright." I say the the empty hallway before heading for Mercury and Quicksilver's apartment and knocking the door.
"Come in!" Shouts Quicksilver immediately over the sound of soldering, her cold apparently improving.
"Hey," I push the door open carefully in case she's tinkering with something that might be explosive. "Remember the animal I am taking care of?"
"Rune didn't get hurt, did he?" She doesn't take her masked eyes from the diminutive piece of metal she's working on, and I draw my eyes away from the glow.
"No, he's been a good kid. But I might need his help with it."
"How so?"
"The animal, Coti, is homesick. And from what I read the best thing to help them with it is friends." I say carefully. "Animals love colts, and cotyledons are a very social species."
"Are you sure about this?" She asks warily, "I am not sure if I trust a warbeast I've never met."

>>29879330
Would you like to meet him then? He might react well to a mother right now. He's missing his own.

>>29879343
This.

>>29879343 >>29879571
"He's in the cargo bay right now," I pause for an instant, "Honestly, he's missing his mother so you might be good for him too."
"We'll see that." She closes the solder's gas valve and takes her mask off with a sigh, "Let's see this warbeast."
"He's called Coti."
"Let's see this Coti, then." She corrects herself.
A short elevator ride later we reach him, in the exact same spot as before and still clutching the magazines.
"This' him?" She approaches him carefully, "Hey, boy."
Coti grunts something.
"Far said you are sad, are you really?" She puts a hoof on his... skin carefully. "Rune didn't say he looked like this."

I'll try to write shorter posts with more immediate prompts to see if that helps the updating time, since Hail is so damn slow.

>>29881487
Yeah, we'll need to spend time and bond with him to help him with this. So unless you're planning to read magazines, could you try spending your free time doing whatever around him?

>>29881487
It is only recent that he is acting like this.

>>29881517 >>29881790
"He didn't yesterday."
"He didn't?" She sounds confused.
"The new books in the library can explain it better than me. But see what I meant?" I walk to Coti's head. "I'll need all the help I can get. Even yours, if you can spare a few minutes."
"Far, I... you know I don't like animals much, I live in space for a reason."

>>29881963
It's only a few minutes, but are you okay with Rune spending more time with him now?

>>29882080
This.
Tell her it would mean a lot to all 3 of us.

>>29882094
Those 3 being Coti, Rune and us.

>>29882080 >>29882094
>>29882101
"It'd only be a bit of time each day," She doesn't seem convinced, so I continue. "And Rune? What about him?"
"Rosa?" She asks after a moment.
"Yes?"
"What do you think about the-- about Coti?"
"My attention was elsewhere, you mean if he's safe for Rune?" He pauses for a moment. "I admit to have seen Coti be rash and temperamental, but he is mindful of his strength and his very first reflex when he seemingly perceived my body as a threat was to shield Far from me. Nothing I know indicates he poses a danger to us-- quite the opposite, in fact."
"It'd mean a lot for us if you let him help." I add.
Quicksilver thinks about it for a moment, "I'll talk with Mercury about this, alright?"


Tasklist:
>Taking care of Coti [Currently in process.]
>Checking on mom
>Visual checkup of the reactors... I am supposed to do this one before midday, according to protocol [DONE, found malfunction in an auxiliary coolant.]
>Mom will probably want me to do something with the pistol today
>I should check if Amber's right, too.

>>29882256
Go talk to Amber.

>>29882256
Alright, thank you!
Mom will probably take more time then Amber, I say we go check on Amber first.

>>29882256
Before we leave, tell Coti that we have some things to take care of, and that we'll be back soon.

>>29882339 >>29882311
>>29882308
"Thank you." I can't help cringing when she keeps her eyes on Coti while returning to the elevator, but smile at her nonetheless before turning to Coti. "I'll be back later, alright?"
His only answer is a grunt.
It takes a while for Amber to answer, and when she does it's clear that she wasn't awake, her eyes puffy. "Far?"
"Are you alright?"
She needs a moment to process the question, and answers by shaking her head with a yawn and heading to her bathroom, leaving the door to her apartment open for me, "Terra's harsh and I am an idiot." I start talking, but she interrupts me immediately as the shower starts falling. "I've tried to sleep with her for how long? And she's not even noticed. So yeah, I am an idiot."

Paused.

>>29882791
Maybe she's just not into you.

>>29882791
Why not just try being more blunt with mom?

beb

>>29882862 >>29883094
"And you still haven't told directly." I enter the room and rest on her bed.
"She's probably not into me anyway." She pauses for a moment, "You heard it, she thinks I am her daughter."
"Mom thinks everyone is." I give her a second to answer, "I call her mom for it, but you don't have to."
"I don't and she's not caught up on it."
"Then why don't you tell her directly?"
"It's not that easy." She says quietly after a moment.

>>29888368
Maybe you need to spend some time off station. Meet new people to get over her.

>>29888368
If you don't try, you'll never know how she'll react. Come on, if you want, maybe we can help you with this.

>>29888506 >>29888629
"It really is. Just tell her."
"If only..."
"Why is she so much harder than everyone else?"
"Because it's her." She says hesitantly.
"Have you thought about going somewhere?"
"Yeah. The station's gym, the station's pool, or maybe the broken holodeck no one's replaced yet. " She says sardonically. "Or hey, maybe I'll have a swim in the deadly void outside."
"Amber..."
The sounds of the shower stop, "I am sorry."
"I know."
She starts talking a few times before saying something intelligible, "Where would I go, anyway? I don't have family anywhere or have any surfacer friends."

I thought I had sent this post like eight hours ago. Paused.

>>29890789
Just fuck your way across [whatever we are calling the planet equestria is on] that way you never have to pay for accommodation.

If she reacts negatively tell her you wish you had a real answer.

>>29890789
Well that just means that we'll have to go on a trip to visit those different planets together then. Though I doubt there's much time and opportunity to do so.

>>29890789
I'd miss you, but then you could always come back if it doesn't work out.

beb

>>29893413

>>29890985 >>29892302
>>29892663
"Don't you have savings?" I ask her back, surprised by her answer.
"What would I use it on here?" She's still in the bathroom, but I can picture her rolling her eyes.
"So? Hitch a ride or call a ship. You could try reaching Homeworld hitchhiking."
"I still don't know anyone anywhere."
"What if I traveled with you?"
Amber sounds moved she answers, "Really?" She opens the door and leans on it, her mane wrapped in a towel, "Far, I'd love to, but what about Rosa? We can't carry her server around, can't we?" She blinks once, "We can't, right?"

>>29897279
I think it fits on a ship? I'm not sure what the requirements are there.

>>29897279
"I dunno" Ask him if we can.

>>29897279
This >>29897285

10

>>29897294 >>29897292
>>29897285
"I think we'd need a ship with a server... Ross?"
"I need permission to hear anything but my name." He says after a moment.
"Granted. What would we need to carry you around?"
"Carry me around?" He asks after a moment.
"If we wanted to take you somewhere."
"Oh? The avatar Far got could carry me without any of the daemons I usually use. It's batteries are rather subpar, though, so I'd need to be in a wireless power grid like the station's and rural areas would be problematic."

>>29899506
How expensive would a battery upgrade be?

>>29899589
"Could you replace the battery?"
"I'll ask Mercury. Is there any particular reason for you asking this?" She adds.
"We were talking about traveling for a while," Answers Amber before I can, "And I didn't want to take the lovebirds apart."
"I am flattered, but what about Coti?"

>>29900092
Oh I would not leave until they came to pick him back up. This is all assuming I do not chose to enter into the military anyway. This trip would fulfill a lot of the things enlisting would though.

>>29900092
Heh, we could always bring him along. He might like a change of scenery. But really yeah, this would probably have to wait until he was off our hooves.

>>29900760 >>29900776
"We could just wait until they come pick him up." I suggest.
"Didn't they say they'd take a few moons?" Says Amber, despirited.
"I've got to take care of him." I say uncomfortably, "Can't just go fly and leave him behind, you know?"
"Actually..." Ross pauses for a moment, "As a civilian addon you are Coti's caretaker. That means that so long as you moved him in large enough ships for him to remain healthy, you are allowed to move him, so long as you sent regular reports of where he is. You could even drop him off at a military base."

>>29901398
Oh... we could really do this, huh? Where would we go first?

>>29901398
I would not want to drop him off somewhere but a large ship could work. Maybe we could bring Rune as well, I think it would do him good.

>>29901572
I don't think we can take someone elses kid with us. Don't really want to either.

>>29901635
Sadly you are probably right. We would be unable to take him.
>Don't really want to either.
May I ask why. I think it would do a lot of good to get him away from his mother. I also like the idea of taking on a mentor role.

>>29902249
Adult trips are more fun. Rune is curious and doesn't always do what he's told.

>>29901411 >>29901572
>>29901635
"Where would we go to, anyway?" Adds Rosa.
"We could try to reach Homeworld?" I suggest.
"We are five colonized stars from it. I'll send a star chart to both your computers while I talk with Mercury." She beeps away from us.
"We are actually doing this?" Amber mirrors my thoughts after a moment of silence.
"I think we are." I answer a moment later, surprised myself.
"Shouldn't we prepare?" She asks.
"Tell the others." I say immediately.
"And plan where to go." She adds.

>>29902282
>Rune is curious and doesn't always do what he's told
I would still be in favor of taking him if there was a chance in hell we could but you do make a valid point.

>>29902479
Well we can work it out later. I still have things to do.

>>29902479
Sure, okay. Not like there's a big rush here. I'd rather not leave before mom's well anyway.

Paused

Time to be the coolest.

Hail fellow traveler.

beb

>>29906537

Bimp

>>29902719 >>29902742
I jerk myself off the daydreaming, "I've got things to do now, talk you later?"
"Oh, yeah," She looks distracted, "Terra'll need new employees too."
"I'll go see her." I turn around and head for her apartment, mind racing a mile a minute. Rune? No, why did I even think that. We'd have to help Coti until he was willing to move with us before heading off-- maybe we can do it by the time Mom's fine?
"It's open." Says Mom, and I realize I knocked her door.
I nearly hit my face against a cup that'd been missing from the kitchen for nearly a week now, "Mooom."
She twists to look at me, floating in the lack of gravity, "Kublai told me to take it easy."
"You always disable gravity."
"It helps me sleep." She says, drawing circles in the air with a hoof, "You look worried."

>>29908840
Just thinking about things.
How are you feeling? You need anything right now?

>>29908840
Me and Amber were considering planning a trip to homeworld.

>>29909574 >>29910097
"Just thinking, Are you fine?"
"I tell you bunch time and time again, I just need a good night's sleep,"
I don't bother to act like I believe it, "Do you want me to get breakfast?"
"What were you thinking about?"
I just stare back at her.
"Fine, I could use some coffee." She sighs, "What were you thinking about?"
"Amber and me were thinking of trav--" I lift a hoof to gesture, and that's enough to make me drift away from the ceiling. "Mooom!"
"Hm?" She kicks the ceiling softly to drift down, "Rosa, half gravity. Traveling where?"
I wait to have contact with the floor again before answering, "We wanted to reach Homeworld."
"That's..." She looks displeased to fall on her bed. "That's a long travel to make on your own. Is she better today?"

>>29910843
Not really, no.

>>29910843
Not really, I suppose talking about traveling managed to cheer her up somewhat.

>>29910843
I am tempted to tell her why she is down. She most likely knows already but then if she does not who knows how she would react. What do you think anons?

>>29911414
Not directly, no. We can try get her to talk to Amber about what's bothering her though.

>>29911427
That sounds like a better idea.

>>29910886 >>29910889
>>29911414 >>29911427
"She's been better," I say carefully, tempted to tell her but reminding myself -not for the first time- that it's not my place to. "She seemed cheerful about- " Leaving. "-Seeing new places. I'll wait until you are well before going, though."
"I am well now. But how will you go?" She asks before I can protest. "It's about three moons from here, going there directly."
"Hitchhiking?" I suggest, knowing what she'll answer.
She works her jaw for a moment before answering, "Buy a ship, that's six or ten moons. If nothing happens to you. But is she really that worked up?" Her voice sounds odd when she asks that.
Worked up? If only she knew. "You could ask her."
"I suppose..." She lowers her eyes and furrows her brow. "I suppose you'd want to travel regardless, at your age."

Paused.

>>29911454
I should see the homeworld, at least once. That griffon seemed to think it was important and I'd like to know why.

>>29911454
I will let the doctor be the judge of if you are well now. I will be very disapointed if I come back to find you have overworked yourself to death, amd I will be even more disapointed if I wake up here one day soon to find that.

beb

Get this bump

>>29911459 >>29911502
"I want to see Homeworld at least once. Visit the Crystal Empire and Equestria." I look at the floor for a moment, "Maybe the griffoness was right. You will talk with Amber, right?"
"Dear, you don't..." She hops from her bed and nearly falls when her legs bend under her weight.
"Mom?" I move closer to help her stand but she steps back, taking deep and measured breaths.
"I am..." She gulps, "I just need a moment."
"Ross, call Kublai."
"I just didn't account..." She has to stop to breath, "...account for gravity."
"I'll see what the medic says."
"How can I get well if you all cuddle me all day?" Mom stops to breathe as she returns to her usual poise, irritated. "I already told you, I can't be calm like this."

>>29915102
The harder you fight this the more you lose. I shouldn't be more worried about what you'll do than I am about what's wrong with you.

>>29915176
"Mom, I won't stop worrying about you if you don't get better."
She grunts, and any further answer is cut when Hotfix enters the room with a pair of medical saddlebags.
"Kublai's busy," Green flame washes over his body, replacing his fur with chitin, "Have you had breakfast today?"
"I just woke up." She answers, irritated.
"Luv, that's not what I asked." He passes a pair of scanner over her chest and then an old fashioned stethoscope, warming it with a few breaths beforehand. "Your heart's a bit too fast, but you don't have any muscle damage so..."
He stashes the instruments and lifts one of her eyelids with green telekinesis, then pulls her tongue out the instant she starts talking, "Diagnosis' still the same as yesterday, Terra. Have plenty of orange juice, avoid energizing foods, and take it easy."
"I have work--"
"So do I!" He interrupts her with a smile. "So if you want to die, make us all a favor and be away from anyone with a medical license, alright hun?" He taps her shoulder, still smiling brightly, and then trots off the room immediately.

>>29915616
Mom, I can't believe I have to say this, but do as you're told. You don't walk on a injured leg until it's healed, unless you want to be a cripple or lose it entirely. And yet here you are, trying to push yourself on an injured heart. Think about that.

>>29915809
"Mom, please, can't you do what he tells you to?"
"I already said I got--!" She cuts herself, tightening her jaw, then talks more softly, "I have work to do, Far. This station won't run if I am not the one doing it. I have to ration energy, catch up on the paperwork and accounting from the army, call ships to replete our food storage, and negotiate the prices."

>>29916334
It's only for a few days, can't you get someone capable and trustworthy to do it for you?

Paused

>>29916334
The station won't run if you kill yourself either.

beb

>>29918017

>>29916334
You can do the paperwork here if you want, but everything else can be handled by someone else.

>>29920638

>>29920657 >>29917403
>>29916697
"And it won't run if you kill yourself either. What if we did that for you?"
"For me?" She pauses for a moment, irritation turning into worry. "Honey, I am not sure if you can handle all this."
"Mom, you can do the accounting, but we won't fret as much if you take it easy. Alright?"
She shifts uncomfortably, "And what about buying food? You won't talk the first price offered, won't you?"

>>29921909
No, I'll counter offer lower than I want to pay and let them raise it to something acceptable.

>>29921909
I admit I cannot barter but there must be somepony on the station who can.

Flipping cool.

beb

>>29926662

>>29927679

>>29928134

>>29928775

>>29929556

>>29921942 >>29922005
"Offer less than I want to and let them raise?" I try. She sighs, "If I can't do it someone else can. Please?" I beg her. "This doesn't have to make it so hard on everyone."
She is quiet for a moment before nodding, the gesture seemingly hard for her, "Fine. You'll have to haggle if you travel, anyway."

>>29930574
Consider mentioning the reactor issues you discovered but decide against worrying her. Tell her you better go do the rest of the stuff you need to do today.

>>29930574
Relax. It'll get handled.

>>29930629 >>29930643
"We'll handle it."
"And tell me if anything goes wrong." She puts a hoof in my withers, "You will, right?"
"I will." I lie, thinking of the reactor. Maybe I should ask Ross about it later.
"Fine, let's get that coffee." She stands, then adds firmly. "And talk about getting you a ship for your trip."

>>29930966
Sounds good.

bumpo

>>29931101
"A ship?" I follow her to the kitchen. "I don't know if I have the money for that."
"And hitchhiking would be much more slower and dangerous. And was about the warbeast?"
"We could take Coti with us." You cringe slightly, already knowing what she'll answer.
"So hitchhiking will be all that much harder." Her ears twitch in annoyance.

>>29931858
Concede defeat.

>>29931858
What sort of ship would be best suited for what we're planning then?

I miss the nice slow hiatus sometimes bump.

>My paused post wasn't sent
The fuck.
Sorry for the slow rhythm guys, but I don't have many energies lately and my sleep issues worsened.

Do we actually want to keep humoring this traveling idea? I've not been posting as most of what I had to put forward is just contrarian but we seem to be consistently flopping from one plan to the next regardless of how complex we are making things.

If it didn't run the very real risk of giving Mom a heart attack I would suggest locking her and Amber in a room until they talk.

>>29933360
It is either travel with Amber or enlist. We cannot stay cooped up in here forever.

>>29933360
We shouldn't see the traveling as Amber running from her problems. They should at least have a talk about this before we go anywhere.

So if mum does work herself to death before the trip what then?

>>29933495
We ask Amber if she still wants to go. If not we find some other excuse to get off the ship. Probably enlisting but maybe something else will come up.

We could stay here but I think we would come to regret never traveling.

B

U

>>29931909 >>29931958
>>29933360 >>29933365
>>29933372 >>29933495
>>29933634
"What should I get then?"
"For something the size of the warbeast? A small cargo ship."
"I..." I do quick mental math, "Am not sure I can afford that."
She is hesitant as we enter the kitchen, and is silent until her coffee is nearly done, "I've heard some wild herberas can grow smaller." She concedes, tearing the words off herself.
"Yeah." I am quiet for a moment, having had time to think myself, "Mom, I really think you should talk with Amber."
"What about?" She gives me a sideways look, "I don't think she'd want to see me today."

>>29937279
You're right, but only because she's avoiding the conversation. I don't think it would be a good idea for us to leave when something unresolved is clearly hanging over her.

>>29937279
Maybe we should just wait until they come to pick Coti back up before we go on the trip.

>>29937377 >>29937394
"You are both avoiding the conversation."
"I am not avoiding it," She drinks a sip of her coffee, "I just know that if someone doesn't want to talk with me, they won't say whatever they have to say anyway."
"So you'd let her leave without even talking to her?"
"Talking to her yesterday didn't seem to work well." She puts her empty coffee cup on the table, "If she wants to talk with me she will. I trust her enough to know that."

>>29938028
I will drop it for now. Do not think I have given up though. One of you needs to confront the other.

>>29938028
I can't say I like it, but trying to get either of you to do something is like pulling out teeth.

>>29938137 >>29938244
"You are being impossible." I sigh, going to the freezer, "The both of you."
She gives a look to her empty cup, "If she doesn't want to talk and I force her to it'll only end in tears. Better to give her some space."
"I won't stop trying to get you to talk." I say as I open the freezer.
"I wouldn't expect you to."
"Then why won't you talk with her?" I ask, annoyed, from behind the door.
"Because I trust you too."

Paused.

>>29939139
I am not entirerly sure what she means here.

>>29939290
Didn't see this. I actually meant to rewrite that line but it skipped my mind.
"Because I trust you to help her calm down"*

>>29939783
ah ok then.
>>29939139
I appreciate the vote of confidence but it would be more accurate to say I will get her to talk to you. Ignoring it is not an option here.

>>29864407

Meant to say it earlier, but you can let this thread die.

>>29947024
See
>>29945415
You retard

>>29945415
You're retard

It's extra number?