Starship (The Outsider Series Book 2)

by Steven Oaks

  That was the first day I asked if I could somehow ride my bike through the simulated environment, and Athene had allowed this. Using illusion, the ground passed underneath me, and I rode my bike through a storm. Since Athene had decided to be gentle with me, the strong winds that blew through the clothes that I had worn into that room did not cause me to be chilled to the bone. The room either grew warmer, or she used the rain that splattered about me and on the ground, causing ever growing puddles to build up, to keep me at a comfortable temperature. It was one of the most enjoyable rides I had ever had. She kept the ground even, and though I splashed through a water filled trail, I felt more invigorated, instead of the exhaustion I would sometimes feel when I rode my bike on the trainer.

  Many days passed, and somehow I never felt it was a boring monotonous existence aboard Athene. There was always something to do, and I filled each day with new experiences, and interesting conversations.

  There were days where I wanted to watch a program about something that struck my interest, and as Athene had downloaded the worlds media, I never felt the lack of any new creations that might be being made back on Earth. I admit there was a time where I spent nearly two weeks catching up on anime, and got very little exercise, but eventually Athene and I worked something out. While I would ride my bike, or go on a hike, she would make a screen hover beside me as I went. I was able to not only enjoy an outdoor environment, but continue to satisfy my ever growing desire for entertainment.

  Eventually this led me to want to experiment with what Athene was able to create. By the time we arrived at the new colony I had been learning how to joust against Athene as the black knight. I had been unhorsed repeatedly before I was able to learn to keep my lance in front of me and be able to use it to guide aside my opponents lance. Eventually I was able to land a blow against their chest on a regular basis.

  Before we did any of this she had modified a similar kind of suit that I had been wearing when traveling on the electric bike out in the world. So even if I was dismounted, and pummeled roughly to the ground, I received no injuries. While it was disorienting to have your world turned upside down so quickly, being vertical one instant and then lying on your back next, I continued to grow more and more skilled.

  It had taken me several weeks of intensive training to even land my first blow. I had grown more and more agitated looking up at the the black metal helmet staring down at me. No expression, with its black robes emblazoned with a red boar across the chest that covered the armor that laid underneath. I had at first remarked upon the skimpy armor my opponent had been wearing, but Athene reminded me it was merely a construct, and even if I did land any attacks upon it, it would feel no injury.

  The day we arrived I had been going through more practice fighting my familiar opponent. This time I was seeing about learning to sword fight. The weapon Athene had made for me looked like a cross between a katana and a long sword. The blade had the signature curve, and even the grain patterned to the metal, and there was some type of bird etched into the blade. However the guard and hilt looked much more western. The guard curved above and below the blade allowing me to be able to catch another sword while fighting. The hilt was covered in what I took to be a traditional Japanese ray skin wrap, the design was straight, and the pommel was nearly a round ball that allowed me to throw the blade forward one handed and catch it near the end to get a significantly further reach when I wanted to swing in a wider arc.

  Whatever material the blade truly was made of was significantly lighter than any man made weapon would ever have been, and stronger by far. I had Athene construct several things for me to try to chop through, and I had easily been able to slash through anything put before me. She had warned me to be very careful of the edge as it was sharper than any human could ever hone it to, and somehow never needed to be sharpened. I suspect it had the lightness due to some sort of carbon-fiber like construction, and a similar quality to nickel-titanium that was a shape-memory alloy. Though I never seemed to have the need to heat it to return the cutting edge to its original sharpness.

  While practicing my first swings of the day against the black knight Athene said, “Michael we shall be arriving shortly at the colony. If you would like to shower and dress for our arrival, now would be the appropriate time. Otherwise we might have to do the rushed job once more,” she said laughing at that last statement. She knew the dread I felt at the memory of her hurried hands and scalding water of that previous time.

  I deflected a sloppy blow from my opponent and slashed across its chest laying it bare with simulated blood splattering everywhere. I then stood over it as its knees buckled beneath its weight and watched as its hands loosed, dropping the weapon to the ground. Finally free to pay more attention to the words Athene had said I turned my head away from my disabled opponent.

  “So we have at last arrived at our destination,” I said, pulling my helmet off to wipe away the sweat that had gathered on my brow.

  “Yes Michael, we are arriving in the next half hour,” she said calmly.

  As she did so the room began to fade from the medieval forest that I had come to view as my training ground into the control room I had first visited with Adam when I had met Athene that initial day of my orientation.

  I faced the now appearing screens and saw a blue world growing in the distance. From what I was able to make out I could discern no difference to Earth's make up. Had Athene said nothing more I would have been stuck peering at this new planet growing ever closer trying to discern the continents.

  “Come along Michael, let us get you presentable,” Athene said softly.

  I shook my head to clear the thoughts running through it, and said, “Ah, you are right. I'll go get cleaned up now.”

  I wandered back to the old familiar shower stall after first stripping away my clothing in the bedroom next to it. Once more powerful jets of hot water washed away the dirt and sweat that had accumulated in my practice session.

  As the water flowed over me I thought about my new fascination with martial combat. What could the purpose be for me to do these things? I suppose it did stave off boredom, but I felt more confident from all this practiced combat. Perhaps I would not be as nervous as I had been my entire life before.

  Once I was cleaned and heading back into the bedroom to pick out something to dress in I saw Athene had once more placed out the captain uniform I had left Earth in.

  “Athene, why do you insist that I keep wearing this outfit?” I asked the air in a resigned but frustrated voice.

  “I think you look rather smart in it. That and you are the captain, you must dress the part,” she replied.

  “You know we are first set to land and disgorged our supply of radicals right?” I said.

  “That certainly was the plan. However the colony ship is still here, and I think we might be noticed if we did this now,” she explained.

  “What?” I yelled in shock.

  “Yes, it seems they were to wait on our arrival before they returned to Earth. Simply a precaution for the colonists if they ran into any unforeseen problems,” she said.

  “How are we supposed to get rid of our passengers now?” I asked.

  “I would think that after we land they will leave. They will, and we will, be the communication between worlds now as we move faster than any message sent here via radio or light. It makes sense to have them only leave after we land,” she replied.

  “Will we be able to leave the colony without arousing suspicion once the other ship leaves?” I asked.

  “Possibly. Once night falls, and as long as we land far enough away from the main town, we should be able to sneak away unnoticed,” she said.

  I sighed. This would be more difficult than I previously thought, and my first impression was that this would be arduous.

  “Well let me get this fanciful monkey suit on and greet these new natives,” I said, reaching out to pull on the elaborate outfit of yesteryear.

  Once inside these thick layers
of synthetic fabrics I had Athene present me a mirror so that I might have a better look at myself. I found it strange any clothing one would wear to create the appearance of command always was masculine in nature. Here I was over six-foot tall with massive square shoulders because of the cut of the coat, and covered in gold tassels. The frilliness of a former age some would suspect would be a feminine quality, but it just made me look more formidable. It of course did not hurt that I had progressively been building muscles from the continued practice with the lance, and then later the sword, along with my normal biking routine. Certainly it had only been a couple of months since we left Earth, and I had taken it fairly easy the first week, but I had been pushing myself because I had been having so much fun living out little fantasies.

  “Would you say I look like a man now?” I asked Athene.

  There was a moment of silence. “I would say you look rather dashing,” Athene answered.

  “I am unsure whether I have heard that used to describe a woman before,” I said to the air.

  “I think it fits you. You look like you could sweep in and take command of any situation. Tall and proud you would stand over your enemies and take charge,” Athene exclaimed.

  “You have been reading too many fantasy novels,” I mumbled, and began to walk towards the control room.

  “I have read all the books you possess, which indeed include fantasy. I did branch out and delve into what I was able to download before we left, and there were some fantasy in there as well. Mostly I am thinking about certain heroic acts that were shown in the sci-fi category,” she explained.

  “Well, perhaps I should have said you have been reading too much fiction then,” I said, feeling that my poor Athene was trying to live out her own fantasy with me as the lead. “However this does not answer my question of my gender appearance,” I finished. Reaching the control room, and finding the chair I had piloted from my first day, I sank into its enfolding cushioned embrace.

  “You look very smart, and very much angular like a male would. However your facial features and long hair give you femininity. It stands as a very charming look. It gives you the air of command without diminishing that charm,” she explained.

  “I don't care if I am attractive or not. I'm not out hunting for some mate. I'm just wondering why all these formal clothes that are meant to show power always appear, at least to my eyes, as masculine,” I said with more agitation than I intended.

  “I suppose that has to do with the male dominance of positions of power. However there have been very commanding queens. Hence my fascination with the Victorian era. A woman whom ruled a vast empire, though she mostly would not leave her own home.”

  “My fascination with the Victorian age is mostly aesthetic, you must have spent a bit more time looking into her than I ever have,” I said.

  “Yes, though it does seem she relied on men for advisers, at least in the beginning,” she replied.

  “Did she happen to wear intimidating clothing that was not masculine?” I asked.

  “It was always dresses, but that does not mean she was not intimidating,” she responded.

  “Then why are you dressing me up in mens clothing? Not that I would want to wear a dress,” I said to stave off that embarrassment.

  Once more there was a pause in the conversation. When she finally answered it was in a quiet voice. “Michael, you do not have the face for intimidation. Victoria was older before anyone would call her appearance intimidating. Mostly a grim look was what made her so. You have a cheerful face, if you happen to smile. Though your downcast eyebrows could become so with age. Dressing you up in formal military attire will give you the appearance of someone who could take charge. In the modern world even women's styles have been suits, which could be called male in origin. However if we keep going as we are, masculine attire will simply become gender neutral,” she explained.

  “I suppose. I do wear a suit mostly when I go out to impress. I never did like dresses, they tend to trip me up, and heels do the same. Though a nice pair of boots make me feel more stable on the ground even if they have a heel nearly as high as a fancy pair of ladies heels,” I said.

  “So you see why I might find a Victorian military uniform fitting for you?” Athene asked.

  “Very well Athene, but I will not be wearing that silly hat you keep placing with this set of clothing,” I said determined that such a strange shape would never find a place upon my head.

  “I think I can live with that,” Athene responded.

  “Also are you sure this is a captains uniform? I seem to recall something about tassels and the like being more for an admiral,” I said.

  “You are a commander of a possible fleet of ships,” she said with surprising quietness.

  “Athene, do not make me out to be even more of what I am not,” I said with frustration.

  “There is nothing wrong with looking very important. Who is going to even know the difference? The more formal we can make you look the better others will behave towards you,” she said nearly pleading.

  “You mean the more frightened they will look at me,” I said.

  “Not so. They should treat you like a person with the education and knowledge you truly possess,” she responded.

  “My education is mostly self-taught, and knowledge I have gleaned from my excessive reading habit. The formal schooling I stopped as soon as I entered the work force. I have a definite lack of higher education. Most people would look at my dearth of college training as what it is. A simple person that sought after nothing more,” I said, growing more uncomfortable.

  “You definitely sought education. I have watched you as you have been with me, and I see you always questing to find new ideas and answers to questions as you continue to learn more. It just happens that you did not seek it in the societal normal way of going to a university,” she said.

  “So my training to be a knight has shown you this?” I said, trying to think of what else I had done.

  “It does show this. While it is not something a modern scholar might do, you like to take the hands on approach most times. While you can sit and read, or watch a documentary and learn, you seem to always want to take it to the next level and find the practical behind what you have gleaned from another,” she said.

  “And here you are just flattering me so that I might not feel as awkward in this silly uniform,” I said.

  “I am trying to make you comfortable so you can stand amongst others and not feel inferior. Your youth is not on your side in this, as most will look at you and see a young woman, who while physically intimidating in her own way, is shy and willing to be guided by others. Queen Victoria allowed men to advise her, but she had the last say. You must feel as though you have the final word in matters that concern humanity,” she said.

  “I have not been shy when it has come to my conversations with those that were running the facilities storing the dead,” I said, feeling a little angry. I had shown myself able to cope with people that last half a year.

  “You have, however those have been one on one conversations. You have even stated that you can usually deal with that. You may not always be in that type of environment. Today you may step out and be surrounded by a multitude of people, and you had best be prepared for that,” Athene said.

  “Are you now my guardian?” I asked, getting flustered at her motherly scolding tone.

  “I am not Michael. I am your friend, and I wish you to succeed. What I do is to help you get over this social phobia you possess. Much like I have done with your phobia of space. I have heard nothing of your fear of it after that first day, and I would like to think I have help you overcome it,” she said in a gentler tone.

  I had not even thought about space in terms of fear since the day Athene introduced me to the wonderful world of her abilities to make simulated environments. Was it because I did not feel confined, or threated with her, or was it because I had stopped thinking about being in space.

  I sat thinking abo
ut this for a while. Here I had traveled through space for months, and nothing bad had happened. Was I even scared of it anymore? Certainly I would not like to be flung out amongst the stars even within a space suit. That was not a fear, that was just being aware of danger. I did not cower in fear of such things, and I did not linger dreading the possibility anymore.

  “Well I don't seem irrationally afraid of space currently. That certainly is a move in the right direction considering my current profession,” I said with a feeling of shock at my own change.

  “And with time I hope that you may be more able to cope with a crowd of people. When you are concealed behind the helmet and suit when you go out on your rides on the electric bike you show little concern for others attitudes towards yourself. I wish you to think of this uniform in the same way. It guards you against their criticism. While you may not be above them, they will at least show respect to a person attired as you are. I feel your real problem is that of being considered less than they are, and that they will scorn you and your ideas. That is not something that will happen now. You are the captain of a mighty vessel. While you may be doing a job that seems distasteful to those around you, they cannot doubt your power,” Athene said, growing more passionate as she spoke.

  “I have no desire to lord it over anyone. Dressing like this feels almost as if I'm claiming I'm vastly more important than they are. I don't believe that in anyway. We are all people, and one's ideas should have as much weight to be heard as any other's,” I said.

  “While you think that, that does not mean others do. You must use tools to be heard amongst a crowd. I am not saying this is the right way, I am saying that it is currently the way people interact. Had you found yourself doing important work earlier last century you would have found being a woman a hindrance, as they were taken less seriously than men. Luckily we live in an age where at least woman are told they are as important as men. Of course that depends on who you are dealing with if they think that is true, but you at least have the opportunity to try. With more time passing perhaps the genders will have more equality. For now let us use the tools to reinforce your ability to interact with others,” Athene said while we continued to get closer to the ground.