Author's Note: I… I think I'm slowly making Shepard seem more and more like Hakuno's mother without even noticing! Well, that wouldn't be too bad, would be hilarious for Shepard's comrades to tell Shepard about it without her even having noticed she acted that way. Anyway, rest chapter, next will be all in Omega!
Engineer4Ever: She is pretty cute with that act.
Have a Little Feith: I'll try to keep the proper term in mind for the future! I'm still learning how to write, my brother only guides my story progression and helps with mixing the lore between the two continuities.
Deadal: On no!
Student: Yeah, I remember Neil Armstrong was mentioned in passing within Fate/Extra. Man, that would kinda be scary, what would his Noble Phantasm be? A reality marble that sends you to the Moon? Well, jokes on him, Hakuno owns the Moon!
Leblanc23: It may be a little silly, but Hakuno is not just an 'AI', or 'Human'. She's… Unique. Hence the reason why these series of stories is called the 'Digital Human' series.
Sakaewmatsui: Thank you very much for the compliment!
Fan of Fanfics21: Knowing Hakuno's luck… Probably!
Have fun reading everybody! To push beyond oneself, break apart the void none dares to, can a lone lunar light shine hope to a universe destined for despair?
Digital/Galaxy
Chapter 10: Hakuno's Crew Conversations 1
"You wish for me to be the potential candidate for a human Spectre?" Shepard asked.
"Correct," A dark-skinned man wearing high ranked military clothes responded. "Out of all the N7, you've been considered as the defacto candidate for humanity's next step on the galactic stage," He paused. "It's not an easy decision, but your military records paint a good light, even with your background history. You will represent us well."
"Admiral, I have my doubts," Jane said. "Other N7s have similar marks without carrying additional baggage as I do."
"It is that additional baggage that I've pushed for you personally," Admiral Hackett said, he stepped closer with a lowered tone, "Also, your name was mentioned by particular individuals, I have no idea why they took an interest in you particularly, but I'm not about to argue with humanity's trump cards."
"Sir?" She said with a confused glance but nodded in understanding. "Very well, I've been selected to represent as a Spectre candidate by the System's Alliance."
Jane realized that there was more behind this than it initially appeared. As her training taught her, do not get over your head unless you have the authority or favor to back it up.
"Correct, only the System's Alliance," He firmly clarified while taking a step back. "Now, you will under the observation of a Turian in the collaborated naval ship codenamed: Normandy…"
Hakuno Kishinami awoke under the dim lighting of the Captain's Quarters, her body snuggled warmly in the bed sheets, a sense of drowsiness accompanied with her waking self. The girl lay in the comfortable position for a moment longer, her head turning to the side, there was no one else in the room with her, and a small sense of loneliness tugged at her heart.
This was the first time she had slept without her Servant nearby, though Hakuno was aware that she was in no way alone in the SR2 Normandy, the days of sleeping soundly with her partner in the Private Room had become commonplace.
A sense of nostalgia sickness?
But, her thoughts had wandered far enough, she had a strange dream, very much unlike the memories of fire, ash, and soot that originated from her real counterpart. This had Shepard and another individual conversing with it, a topic discussing her assignment and candidacy as something called a Spectre. Perhaps this was the fabled 'Dream Cycle' that she read in the Moon Cell's records? Such a result from the Master-Servant Contract hadn't been done in the virtual world, but since she now resided in the physical realm, it was?
Hakuno decided to get up, pushing the sheets off herself, she had slept in her long white dress, which was more comfortable to slumber in than her militaristic uniform. It took her a few short minutes to change into her gifted clothing, but once finished she folded the dress neatly and placed it away. She checked her right hand, the shine of the ship's artificial lighting reflected dimly off the Regalia. Hakuno looked over the ring before putting her hand back down and heading up the small stairs, stopping before the doorway and glancing towards the holographic display.
"Good morning, EDI," She said.
EDI's spherical hologram appeared, "Hello, Admiral Kishinami. I trust you had a restful sleep cycle?"
"It was alright," Hakuno replied. "You can just call me Hakuno."
"Is that an order, Admiral?" EDI questioned.
She shook her head, "No, just a suggestion."
"Very well, I shall refer to you by your first name, Admiral Hakuno," The Ship-Borne AI stated.
Hakuno wasn't used to being called any title from someone who isn't her Servant, but the magus girl knew she had to get used to it. Rider had made that announcement, so the rest of the crew will likely refer to her in similar ways, if not identical.
Speaking of Rider, the Heroic Spirit had tasked her and EDI in uncorrupting valuable data from her latest mission at the human colony. Hakuno had used her Code Cast: Hack to bypass many blocks and create the roadwork for EDI to complete the rest.
"Did you finish configuring the information from Freedom's Progress?" The Spirit Hacker questioned.
"Yes, following the pathways you've set for me with your hacking capabilities I was able to repair the video feedback while you slept," EDI answered. "The Commander has seen it."
She nodded, "Where's Shepard?" Hakuno asked.
"Shepard is currently located on the Combat Information Center," EDI answered.
"Thanks, EDI," Hakuno replied as she stepped forward, the door into the Captain's Quarters opening automatically upon her approach.
The Digital Human spotted an adult woman with red hair wearing the Cerberus SR2 uniform exited from the elevator, who stopped before the doorway.
"Hello, Admiral," She greeted. "I'm Yeoman Chambers, but you can call me Kelly," The woman introduced herself.
Hakuno noted the name, this was the individual that Shepard told her about. "Hello, Kelly, I'm Hakuno Kishinami," She responded in kind.
They both shook hands briefly, Kelly's hand had a firmness to it, but a soft touch, it clearly indicated she wasn't a combatant but had moments of training.
Kelly looked a bit stunned as she reeled back her hand, "I thought so."
Hakuno raised a brow at the words.
The woman looked at Hakuno, "You're not trained at all, your mannerism and expressions didn't fit and you're not roughed up."
"Sorry," Hakuno apologized.
"No, there isn't any need to apologize!" Kelly replied. "Nothing wrong, just wondering if Shepard was testing the loyalty and commitment of the crew."
Testing?
"You refer to Shepard calling me Admiral?" Hakuno said.
"Yes," Kelly replied. "Honestly surprised all of us, but it made the most logical sense…" She paused for a second. "Also, better than all the rumors suggested."
"Rumors?"
Kelly waved it casually, "Just a few eccentric ones, like you're her daughter, or assigned scientist, even lover."
Hakuno Kishinami didn't know what to make of those rumors.
"And you?" She asked.
"Therapist or Mental Health Specialist," Kelly answered. "But given that absent look, I doubt you're actually any of those."
"I'm not," Hakuno said. "She's under Contract with me, but it's her decision to explain."
"Alright," Kelly said. "Anyway, I'm the crew manager or the Normandy, if you need to talk or need Shepard's attention, you can come to me. Though, considering your close proximity with her, I might be serving as your adjunct," She joked lightly.
"She mentioned you to me," The girl confirmed. "I come to you if I have problems or need anything," Hakuno explained what Rider said.
"Well, here I am," She said, spreading her arms somewhat. "Are you comfortable in the Normandy?"
"The food sucks," Hakuno replied.
"Yeah, it does," Kelly agreed. "Commander Shepard had gone around talking with key crew members, one of which is our ship's chief, so hopefully the Commander got the memo from him."
"That's good," The teenager said. She had not had the most pleasant meals in the Moon Cell, the device rarely had any culinary culture outside of standardized curry and bread, so to experience any sort of real food would be a new experience.
Those military rations don't count as food, they're just sustenance, which while made logistical sense given the space-fairing ship, still didn't taste like anything.
"Admiral, pardon me asking, but are you well?" Kelly asked.
Hakuno tilted her head, "I'm fine?"
"W-Whoa," The woman took a step back. "Alright, nothing prepared me for that."
"...?"
"Please stop with looking more adorable than puppies."
"I didn't mean to?"
Kelly recovered from her mysterious reaction, Hakuno didn't understand it, but got the feeling this wasn't going to change anytime soon… Her Servant had done the same reaction… And Rin.
"In any case, if you have any problems or need help, just forward me a message through your Omni-Tool," She said, revealing an orange holographic display appear over her arm, Hakuno noticed a small accessory of sorts that acted as the hardware on the woman's appendage. "Let's see… What's your Omni-Tool Identification?"
She didn't have an Omni-Tool.
But had something far, far more advanced.
"Moon Cell Regalia," The words slipped out of her mouth, she heard a background authentication, but it didn't come from Kelly, rather within her own head.
"Oh!" Kelly said in slight surprise. "It suddenly popped up, did you activate it recently? Commander likely gave you a new one."
"Sort of," Hakuno answered.
She looked up, "Quite an elegant ID, you're a fan of historic royalties?"
"I have a good recollection of pre-space Earth history," She said, "I like to read."
"Too bad we can't seem to get any of our tunes in the galaxy's channels," Kelly said with mild disappointment. "Guess they can't compete with the new market."
"Can I still hear some Earth music?" Hakuno asked curiously.
"Oh? Sure! I think I have a few songs…" Kelly tapped on her Omni-Tool. "I can send it to your player in the Captain's Quarters, it's the device on the stand next to the bed."
Hakuno would check that out later, it was new, and the musical arts was something that was barely in the Moon Cell at all. So it would be an interesting thing to do.
"I'm heading off now, Admiral," Kelly said casually, treating the title as little more than an afterthought. "Need to chat with Miranda, she's a bit stuck-up, but someone has to do it." She paused for a moment, "You should chat with the other crew members, being stuck up here won't help your social skills."
With that, Kelly left into the elevator again which's doors closed, leaving Hakuno Kishinami alone at the doorway into the Captain's Quarters.
Well, Hakuno guessed she could try talking with other crew members instead of waiting for them to seek her. She did something similar during the Holy Grail War, but in such a scenario, it wasn't wise to form bonds with those who could very well be your enemy the next week… Or eliminated by their own opponents.
That didn't stop her from having daily conversations with her 'classmates'.
The survivor of the Holy Grail War shook her head and waited for the elevator to become available again so that she may head to the floor of the CIC, Combat Information Center.
Commander Jane Shepard looked over the galaxy map, her eyes staring intensely at the SR2 Normandy's position coming out of the Mass Relay, close to the space of Omega. There, in the corner of her gaze, she noticed the crimson colors of the larger Omega Relay, a device that the Moon Cell's knowledge indicated as a valuable strategic asset to the Collectors. While Jane wished to destroy or head through it to deal with the threat, she knew that without the required Reaper IFF, the Normandy would be torn apart.
The Moon Cell's observation didn't go past the Omega Relay, Jane theorized that the Reaper's must have some sort of disruption device that prevented it.
But, for now, she'll avoid it.
Her primary focus is gathering her crew, Garrus will be somewhere on Omega, tearing apart mercenaries and Blue Suns at this moment. Not to mention, a recent conversion with The Illusive Man had given her a list of new crew candidates, she'll have to look over it carefully. While normally she'd be able to deal with this on her own, now the safety of her Admiral had to be taken into consideration when deciding whether to recruit these individuals.
A subtle noise of the elevator doors opening drew Shepard's attention, Jane's gaze shifted towards it and spotted Hakuno Kishinami, adorned in her new uniform, walk out with a curious expression as she fully took in the CIC from a newfound perspective.
Adorable, even with that military outfit making her appear somewhat professional, she still looked incredibly adorable.
Jane Shepard struggled to restrain herself from outright hugging the sixteen-year-old girl.
She shook her head and forced herself to face the Galaxy Map once again, it wouldn't do to stare at her Admiral. Hakuno seemed fascinated with just exploring the Normandy and Shepard didn't wish to stop her from doing so… Unless it's in the dangerous locations of the ship.
Focus… Focus… Focus…
It was hard to do so, as Hakuno Kishinami apparently decided to introduce herself to her crew members… One by one.
"Hello, I'm Hakuno Kishinami."
"What do you do?"
"I'm Hakuno, what's that?"
"Is that your job?"
"Kishinami Hakuno, and your name?"
"The mathematical solutions on that program are off by point one-nine-two, you should raise it."
Wait, what was that last one from her?
Shepard looked up, spotting the small Admiral leaning over the chair of a crew member at the bridge. The Commander sighed, "I can't focus with her here."
"Sorry, Commander," Kelly spoke from her terminal next to where Shepard stood. "I suggested her speaking to the other crewmembers, I believe it would do her some good."
"I appreciate your concern, Chambers," Jane said. "And I agree, just hadn't prepared myself for it… She's a very sheltered girl, so I haven't expected her to be so forward with the crew."
Hakuno Kishinami was sheltered, but not in the way many would likely presume. The data girl had lived most of her self-aware life inside the Moon Cell, in the 2030s, it's been a century since then but to her, it might as well been two days ago.
Kelly nodded in agreement, "I got that much from her when I met her earlier."
Joker's voice came from the nearby speaker, "Commander, we're approaching Omega."
"Copy that," Shepard replied, "EDI, alert Miranda and Jacob for departure."
"Understood," EDI responded.
Commander Jane Shepard stepped off the small podium in front of the Galaxy Map and circled her way around the bridge, walking towards her Admiral who had managed to get to the pilot's seat.
She introduced herself, "I'm Hakuno Kishinami, pleased to meet you, Joker."
The man didn't stop himself from working the ship, but spoke in reply, "So you're the hotshot Admiral the Commander informed us about,?"
"Yeah," Hakuno confirmed.
"So, if I take a break on my shift, will you scold me?" He joked.
The girl tilted her head, "Why? Wouldn't taking time to rest be good for you?"
"... Oh my God."
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No, you said something I never thought I'll hear from a superior officer."
Shepard chuckled, "Don't get too used to it, Joker, you still have to do your job."
"Of course I will, nobody but I can pilot this baby," He pridefully said.
"Well aware of that," Shepard smiled then turned her attention to Hakuno, "How are you holding up?"
Hakuno Kishinami replied in Japanese, "The crew's nice, but I miss my friends."
If Shepard hadn't gotten the language from the Moon Cell, as since her Master knew the language the Moon Cell had given Servant it as well, she wouldn't have understood it. The girl clearly preferred using the Japanese language, as it was her native tongue, unfortunately, she could not speak with it with anyone but the Heroic Spirit.
Still, Shepard replied in English, "I feel the same, still, we'll work with what we can get. In the meantime, stay aboard the Normandy, you can work with EDI in helping me while I'm on Omega."
"Okay," The Master spoke in English again.
"No idea what she said there," Joker commented. "I didn't know you were bilingual, Shepard."
"It's a useful skill," She replied. "Admiral, do you have it on?" Shepard pointed to her own earbud, indicating whether or not the teenager had the communication device.
"Yes," Hakuno replied, tapping the hardware lightly, it was covered by her hair so it was hard to spot.
"Good, keep in touch, I'm heading down."