Out of the fire
"Greetings, Aidan Webb, how may I help you?" The holographic woman in white says as she flickers into existence over the table.
"Good morning, TB, how are you?" Aidan asks as he runs a hand through his growing hair.
"Everything is within optimal limits, yet I find myself hopeful at seeing you today." She says as she folds her hands in front of her, looking down as she adds, "Thank you for keeping your word to visit."
Dragging a chair over to the table, Aidan sits at it and says, "I'll be honest, I've got some questions that I think you're the only one that can help me with it, but I don't exactly only want to be here for business."
A holographic chess set appears and TB moves a white piece forward two spaces, "There is no reason we cannot do both."
Laughing nervously, Aidan says, "I'm more of a checkers kind of guy."
"I see." TB states and the board changes along with the pieces on it and makes the first move, "What can I do to assist you?"
Aidan moves a piece on the board as he sighs, "Someone that I've come to count on, that I venture to call my best friend right now is feeling down, and I'm not entirely sure how to help them."
"Who is your friend?" TB asks as she moves another piece.
"The pilot assistant program in the Hellcat Three, it calls itself Merlin. They have become increasingly snippy with me and they have made it clear they are envious of the kansen." Aidan says as he weighs his options for moving a piece.
"Why would it be envious of the kansen?" TB asks as she jumps one of his pieces.
"They say they are envious because the kansen have a body that they can use to interact with the world, something Merlin cannot do." Aidan states as he jumps TB's piece.
"I see, leave this problem with me, I will run some simulations and see if there is something that can be done." TB says as she proceeds to jump all but one of his pieces.
"Oh come on!" Aidan protests at seeing the rapid loss unfold.
"Perhaps strategy games are not your strong suit, Aidan Webb." TB says as she blinks her electric blue eyes at him.
"Sorry, I'm from the stupid ages." He pouts.
XXXX
XXXX
Did you have fun?
"No. I got called stupid, in such a way that didn't feel like I was getting called stupid." Aidan sighs as he starts to do up the straps, his vision drifting to the transport picking up the cargo container and leaving one behind. Aidan frowns as he says, "Why is that still coming here? Anzeel is dead."
It is an automated system, this facility is largely isolated, likely that information has not been received by the central distribution system.
"So it'll just keep sending out supplies till someone stops it?" Aidan asks as he watches the craft take off and turn towards the mainland.
Why wouldn't it? The same thing happens at Pearl Harbor.
"Fair." Aidan sighs before asking, "Maybe we should take a trip out there, just to see what is going on."
Another day, meteorological data suggests there is a large storm brewing around Hawaii, if we head back now, we will avoid the worst of it.
Nodding and slapping his helmet on Aidan grips the controls while saying, "Let's do this."
Are you trying out catchphrases? If so, you should try harder.
"Wow, rude." Aidan chuckles as he applies power to get them into the air.
XXXX
XXXX
Pulling his helmet off in the hanger, Aidan shakes out his hair and sighs, "Buddy, I wish I could give you a body, I really do. Hey, I got a question for you."
What is it?
"Do you know what happened to the factory you were built in? And do you know how the construction process worked?" Aidan asks as he rotates the helmet around in his hands.
I do, the factory was automated, and humans were only required for flight testing of completed units. Why do you inquire about this?
Aidan squeezes his helmet a little and looks off to the side while he says, "On the office chance we can get you a body, and you end up being like the kansen, I'll have no way to fly since you'd have to be close to your plane self."
I see, a two-seat version would be ideal.
"Yeah, it would, but can you be loaded into a two-seat version?" Aidan asks.
I cannot. Each processor core and personality of the support system is unique to each Hellcat.
Leaning his head back and sighing Aidan says to the aircraft, "I figured as much, just once, I'd like things to not be extra hard."
Nothing easy is worth doing.
Raising an eyebrow Aidan asks, "There is easy, and then there is not being a struggle. I just want one task to do without a struggle. Anyway, do you think the factory could still be up and running? And if so, how capable are you of automated take-offs and landings?"
It is not recommended, but possible under ideal conditions.
"Alright then, when the weather is good for a week or three, we'll take a trip to this facility and see about fabricating a two-seater and bringing it back here." Aidan says as he keeps looking at his helmet.
Am I not enough?
"I just want to be prepared and not be screwed if anything comes of you getting a body." Aidan says as he starts to climb out of the Hellcat.
Pragmatic thinking; this is unusual for you.
"Ha ha." Aidan sighs as he goes about leaving the hangar.
XXXX
XXXX
Stretching and yawning as he walks up the stone path, Aidan tilts his head to the side as he sees St. Louis sitting on the porch swing, one foot slowly rocking the swing back and forth, smiling he calls out, "Hey, Lou!"
She puts down her datapad and smiles at him before adjusting how she's sitting to give him room to sit down. Jogging over to her and taking his spot he asks, "So, is it your day?"
She smiles sadly, looking off to the side as she shakes her head and tells him, "Nope, but I drew the short straw to tell you a couple of the girls wished to back out of the arrangement, as in the end, they didn't feel comfortable with it, or they didn't feel like they are compatible with you."
Nodding slowly and leaning back against the chair Aidan sighs, "That's fair, I didn't really feel a connection with a few of them anyway. So, who backed out?"
St. Louis leans back, then over to rest the side of her head on his shoulder, with her nose wrinkling up at the end as she says, "Bremerton is happy to remain your friend, but doesn't want more than that, New Jersey had her fun, but is done with this now, and I know Tico is happy after getting stuffed, repeatedly."
"Hey now, you got stuffed just as much if not more." Aidan laughs.
St. Louis rolls her reddish-purple eyes and playfully slaps his chest as she says, "You're so awful."
Wrapping his arm around her shoulders Aidan sighs, "Sorry."
"What's going on, Aidan?" she asks as she snuggles closer.
"I'm torn, the longer I'm here, the less I want to find a way home because this feels more like home. But now I have a new problem to deal with, and I don't know how much longer I can keep up going from port to port, freeing different kansen." He sighs.
"What's the new problem?" St. Louis asks him as she sits up and turns slightly to face him.
"Merlin, they are unhappy with being stuck as just an aircraft, they want a kansen-like body, but," He starts to say.
St. Louis nods as she finishes for him, "But if Merlin has one, you cannot fly anymore."
"Right. Combine this with the fact that Merlin is fully integrated into their airframe, I can't put them into another aircraft if I was able to get one." He tells her as he looks off to the side and adds, "Each Hellcat has their own personality matrix. So if I were to get my hands on a two-seater, I couldn't put Merlin inside of it."
"Well, nothing you can do about that right now." She says before smiling at him and standing and starting to walk down the steps before she looks back and says with a wink, "So, enjoy the extra free days, but tomorrow, I'll see you bright and early."
Grinning at her as she heads away, Aidan calls after her when she starts to head down the steps, "Looking forward to it!"
XXXX
XXXX
Sitting on his porch swing, rocking back and forth as he eats a sandwich, Aidan's ears twitch as he hears footsteps making their way on the stone path, blond hair cresting the top with a blue bow in it and he calls out, "What's going on Brooklyn?"
Her red eyes land on him and she smiles before saying, "You've been a busy boy, Admiral."
Shrugging Aidan says, "I really haven't gone anywhere in like a month, no idea what you're talking about."
Brooklyn walks up to the swing, flopping down on it, keeping her knees together and she lets out a heavy sigh before saying, "Not what I meant, but sort of, your little trips have brought two new ships to the port."
"Who?" Aidan asks with a head tilt.
"Come with me and you'll see." She says as she stands again and takes his arm to start dragging him away from Nimitz house.
XXXX
"You've got to be fucking kidding me." Aidan says slowly, his grey eyes wide.
Two women turn to look at him, one with red hair the other with hair that borders on pink, one dressed in white the other dressed in blue. The one in blue kneels, her pink eyes looking at Aidan's shoes, as the redhead smiles at him, just to the side of these two women, North Carolina says, "Admiral, let me introduce ya to two new ships in the port, they're representatives of their respective groups,"
"Sovereign and Bourgogne." Aidan says slowly.
North Carolina tilts her head to the side, blinking her blue eyes a couple of times before asking, "You've met them?"
Sovereign's face turns a soft red and she looks off to the side before she clears her throat, "We spent a great deal of time with each other in Fiji."
Bourgogne keeps her pink eyes focused on his shoes as she says with her heavy French accent, "Richelieu wished me to ensure your soul along with your body, Admiral, as a way of thanking you for what you did for us."
Aidan runs a hand down his face as he sighs, "Fuck my life."
XXXX
XXXX