Farpoint Twins

This is an original series story and the fifth chapter of an extended work based on a roleplay. The original voicing is maintained and some overlapping storyline may appear as duplication with scenes written from both main character's point of view and narration that creates the fabric of the story.

Comments from Ch.04 are appreciated and some overlap of storyline has been reduced in Ch.05 Quotes are purposely not verbatim to replicate the variability of memory in the first person. Constructive comments are always welcome. Skipping ahead is not recommended.

Please read Ch.01 through Ch.04 first for context to understand what precedes Ch.05 and if you read them before you might read them again to refresh the flow of the adventure. Remember, the story from the beginning is told by two individuals each relating the story from their own perspective. Please take the time to read with the voice of who is presenting each part of the story and cues explain how to know the voice in the next paragraph.

The following is to know in what voice to read the next section. Each symbol demarks a voice change for the next part with perhaps visual cluing ::

= N = narrator in present tense

[ N ] narrator in past tense for reference

o/o male character

-v- female character

"words" and 'words' Formatting ::

"quotes" :: spoken words using voice

'quotes' :: spoken words using thoughts and Neural Communicator

The Starchaser story takes us where our human abilities are yet to go and catch up with the galaxy around us. It informs us of what is out there and what is really going on, that most of us have yet to discover. See how your view of what we are really here for compares to that of the Avalonian Combine and decide for yourself which you prefer.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - read all chapters in sequence as each chapter builds on every previous chapter.

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[ Starchaser Chapter 5 ]

-v-

The reception that the DSC Fleet Headquarters held for us seemed to be going on for a long time and I thought we had talked to just about everyone there. With a lull in conversation, I had a moment when I could think to myself and I began to notice something odd.

When I closed my eyes, I could see something like a computer screen and knew it was not a memory though it reminded me of something I had recently seen. It was difficult to see at first what it was but I began to think it looked like a readout on the bridge of Starchaser. I thought it might be the kind of thing Barrett saw when he did that checking-out-of-reality unfocusing he'd done since we first met on the beach.

He would go from behaving normally to looking zoned out with his eyes wide open and since I now had my new Neural Communicator implant, I tried to imitate him and zone out as he did. I tried to unfocus my eyes, tried to think of somehow looking at something above my eyes inside my forehead. The moment I relaxed and began wondering if I had actually seen anything, I saw it again only this time my eyes were open.

Nope, I lost it when my eyes focused on a chandelier and with that I felt some frustration. I thought to myself, relax Noel this is no big deal, nothing in Avalonia is a big deal if you just go along with it. Just close your eyes, right girl? Nothing in Avalonia is a big... Well Barrett's big, and his dick, that's really big. So okay yeah something in Avalonia is a big deal.

I talked to myself and it helped me to be calm and it cheered me up thinking of Barrett. Just relax yourself Noel, Starchaser is in Barrett's head somehow and that must be how they communicate. Oh wait, I'm hearing something. It's a sound I'm hearing that's inside my head, like voices and things in full stereophonic sound.

Wow this is like when I was in that planetarium under its high domed ceiling and I could hear people whispering to each other on the other side of the big space like they were whispering right next to me. I couldn't believe I could hear them so clearly and I whispered back to them, and they said, "who's that?!" I had to cover my mouth to not be heard laughing.

Oh sweet! It's Barrett's voice and Starchaser was responding to him, they were talking and I could hear it all. Then I could see the screen again. It was clearer with images and words I could see. Shoot it was gone again and I was sure I didn't do anything that made it go away.

I was again frustrated but determined to do what Barrett did. I took another sip of the potent liquid in my glass. It was something I could decide to do, that and my self-talk. With so much about my life that was foreign to me after meeting Barrett, I took comfort doing something I had in my control. I breathed in the vapors of my glass and those alone helped me to relax and enjoy the moment, letting go of the apprehension that had begun to form.

Mmm, so smooth and salty with a taste like molasses. Okay, it's back, sights and sounds, steady now Noel and keep calm, just stay with it. Something about a "next-available Equinox Flyer," a "standard model for training designated Starchaser +C" and another one "Starchaser +D" for me. It says I need to "custom design both interiors in 2 decachrons", also something about Starchaser leaving Farpoint. Something just appeared on the listing, it says "Print Buffer Pattern Scan available in 2 centichrons for Noel Anderson of Starchaser." That's me!

Barrett's voice was in my head and it was clearer this time. He was commanding Starchaser to leave the DSC Fleet Headquarters harbor docking station, to transit using the auto helm route to the Combine Nexus Harborside docking station, and it was a priority action. Starchaser acknowledged his command and displayed everything in progress, and I could see it all in my mind clearly.

I saw Starchaser power up, release her docking restraints and she began to move. The destination on the display said Combine Nexus HDS. I knew we were going there when the reception finished and now I saw it as a fact. I noticed a row of icons on a part of the display that showed connections, one was a B for Barrett, one was a N for me, and one was labeled BN.

So many terms to learn. And just how did a decachron compare to a centichron anyhow? A new readout appeared next to the N icon:

{SC} 1 chron of time = one degree rotational movement of Farpoint Station relative to the Galaxy nucleus // relative to Earth time = 2 hours 24 minutes 0 seconds

{SC} 1 decachron = 100.0 chron // relative to Earth time = 10 days 0 hours 0 minutes 0 seconds

{SC} 1 centichron = 0.01 chron // relative to Earth time = 14 minutes 22 seconds

I was stunned. Starchaser had responded to my thoughts. So then, if she could hear my thoughts, the BN icon meant Barrett and I were connected to Starchaser? So we were connected together? I glanced up at Barrett and saw his eyes were on me.

His whole body was facing me in that crowded reception hall. My intuition told me my Neural Communicator had sorted itself out because I could see the systems readouts on the bridge, like I was on the bridge but it was just in my mind. Both Barrett's and Starchaser's voices were in conversation, like he would talk to me but more structured, and hers was mostly just reporting things. It was all happening with my eyes open and it was clear, as clear as my own thoughts were to me.

I focused on the communicator pad Barrett had touched when we talked to Captain Jane D and it expanded like zooming in on a photo. On the screen was a spreadsheet with super detailed fields that were filled with information. I loved what I was seeing but I was a little afraid because when my eyes closed I could not stop looking this time. When I closed my eyelids, the only thing that changed was the background. What was around me was gone from view and the mental image became very sharp.

Somehow I managed to pull back my view, willing it away from the communicator pad and I was again able to look around the bridge. I breathed in smelling the potent liquid and blinked my eyes to refocus and saw Barrett was still looking at me. His eyes were full of love as I've never seen before on a man's face.

He must've known I was looking at things and he apparently didn't mind me doing it. His tenor voice in my head said, 'I did not mind you looking, Noel.' I heard his voice in my head like he knew what I was thinking, 'You had your first look in the Datastream and that pathway is Starchaser's link to the Combine Nexus Cortex.'

He continued speaking in my mind, 'I am responsible for you as my crew, and you may go anywhere in the Datastream you want including into Starchaser's Cortex because I am everywhere you go. You will never be alone, my love.'

It was all Barrett's voice and it was clearly in my head and not in my ears. I was now deeply in love with him as I could feel ourselves mentally entwined and I knew he would know my thoughts too.

Barrett then changed the direction of his thoughts. He took my hand physically and thought to me in a flash, 'It is time for us to go, we have appointments to keep and you are going to enjoy everything about them, but first - a dramatic exit.' Somehow I knew what he meant and we took two big steps upward together as if we had done it before.

The first step we took was one foot each on the two chairs by the serving tables, and our second step was onto the table top where we were elevated and everyone could see us. We stood tall on full display and I was thrilled knowing we were both enjoying being seen together wearing our awesome Starchaser uniforms.

Barrett shared an image in my mind of the iconic committed pair statues of Avalonian lore we passed in the Welcome Center on our way to the Transport Tubes on our way here. That was the sign I missed and now I can see it! I can hear him laughing in my head and I know he is sharing my amazement that I can see something I originally missed because of now seeing it through his memory.

We were standing on top of the table just as impressive as those statues were on their plinth, I could feel it. By the spirited ovation all these DSC Captains were giving to us, it was easy to see the love in their eyes and it felt natural for them to show us the love I felt for them as well. My Captain spoke out loud needing no microphone to be heard by this big room and I kept holding his hand.

"We thank you for the best reception ever received by returning Avalonians on Farpoint or wherever these events may have happened before." Their applause was immediate and then the room went quiet. "From here we go to Print Pattern Buffer Scanning then on to the Academy, and you are all welcome to join in on our adventure to see for yourselves how Noel is truly Avalonian. Our Fleet is made stronger with all of us as One Team." I looked at Barrett feeling supported and praised by him.

I could hear him thinking what he was going to say next and it filled me with excitement and joy. I saw nobody else had any idea what he was going to say next, except for me and I knew his heart was true.

He continued, "That was not a platitude. While we are on Farpoint, I will endeavor through the DSC Academy to share what everyone wants to know." Barrett looked at me then back to them, "With Noel's assistance, we will share The Starchaser Reaction Response." There it was, like he had dropped a mic in the room.

I heard an audible gasp sweep the assembly. I heard him think how he had spoken the term that was coined in his Academy days to identify what he had done with Starchaser in tactical maneuvers that appeared impossible and left everyone in disbelief. I could see his thought command as if it was an open file folder, the way he interacted with Starchaser to extend his mind to link directly to the ship's Cortex Processor. I knew at that moment exactly what he was talking about, I could see the entire situation. I understood how he did it and to me it was as simple as breathing.

He continued to talk to the crowd of Captains, "You all know Starchaser was reassigned to Deployed Fleet Operations soon after a brief assignment to the Training Fleet," he paused, "and the inquiry that followed." They were enjoying his tale and laughed but then remained respectfully quiet.

"If our efforts are successful, every DSC in the Fleet should be able to perform at that level, if you are willing to accept what is fundamentally obvious to me. I believe what I know can become an understanding for you. Your ship will take command and control inputs from your thoughts and preserve Sentient Captain Command." I smiled because I knew he was able to do what he wanted to do for them even if he didn't know it yet himself.

He continued, "If I could imagine it then so can you. The Datastream DSC Curriculum Cortex server will be where this project is found. All who want to Beta test this challenge, please tag the file. And I might have already started it."

I knew exactly what he said having not ever heard any of it before, but as he spoke I saw in my mind exactly what he was talking about. The response from those looking up at us was deafeningly silent. As a whole they had searching eyes like they just learned something important but they needed more information to know what it was they heard.

Barrett added, "Our goal is to make it understandable to first years at the DSC Academy, to the Rangers in the Deployed Fleet, and to everyone in between." The atmosphere seemed uncertain as if they could not imagine how it was going to be done and many were demonstrating a subdued excitement. They perceived Barrett and I knew what they wanted to know, and they could not wait to learn about what it was that I had just heard.

He said I was going to assist him and I think I knew what he meant. That he could not explain it himself with too many ideas getting overlapped and that was confusing his point of view. I was amazed I could see what he had yet to see; his thoughts from my point of view. If I could see his point of view it was only time until he saw mine, and of course I was going to help him.

He finished with, "My Spirit is with yours!" that signaled the moment of our departure. At that moment I learned what he had said was the traditional proclamation of the Gift Of Spirit said at every formal departure. I couldn't believe how easy it was to learn things just like that!

It was also easy to follow Barrett's lead as we raised our hands together in unison as our thanks to everyone from the Starchaser crew. Then we both took one bold step forward off the table top directly to the floor, as if we'd always stepped off a table that way together, and we kept going into the throngs of people.

A pathway formed like a parting curtain allowing us easy passage through hundreds of our closest Captain friends. I also learned as we went past them that Barrett knew them all. That would mean they all knew me, and not just Captain Jane D.

We were about to go out of the Reception Hall and Barrett thought to me, 'Did you see that?' I looked at him with my mind's eye and saw his mind's eye was looking at mine in a private meeting, while our eyes kept watching where we were going.

'Baby, the Fleet Command Commander himself and his Primary Staff just rendered to us the Avalonian Fleet Salute before we got close enough to make the salute first.' At that moment I followed Barrett's lead as we returned their salute in crisp unison, then we were out of the reception hall having passed through the arch to the wide entryway.

Barrett informed me the salute was a symbol that unified and celebrated the Spirit of the Avalonian Fleet. He also thought to me how it was an honor to render the first salute to recognize someone held in high esteem. For the Fleet Command Commander to have chosen to render the first salute, that was truly a remarkable thing for Starchaser.

Our spry stride made me feel fantastic. I loved how my body was moving and how my uniform was cupping my body curves with freely moving arms and legs. It was like my COSPLAY outfit I had in college only better as I moved. We quickly went through the cathedral-like DSC Headquarters entryway and reached the elevator in short order. The elevator arrived and we stepped inside.

I could see in my mind how Starchaser was moving along the auto helm route and entered the next harborside cavernous space. She kept going to where it said in bold letters Print Buffer Scanner Reserved and settled onto a platform near the side. A bunch of umbilical things and arms and stuff moved around her and her systems showed she was connecting to them.

While all that was going on, I was accessing the Datastream to see what there was to learn about the Equinox Flyer. A, because I think they are cool. B, because my first experience of what it is to be Avalonian was in one. And C, because I'm getting two of them and I've got to know all about them. The sooner I know all there is to know, the better off I'll be, right?

I was surprised we were already leaving the elevator having watched all that was happening to Starchaser and starting to learn about Flyers using my mind. We stepped together into what I now understood was an Equinox Flyer standard model as they are made without modification. I watched how Barrett made it go, and paid attention to his actions and thoughts.

I also looked around to gather ideas for what I would like in my own Equinox Flyers. I felt I already knew just what I wanted them to look like on the inside as Barrett's +A was lovely, and I knew the outsides were always the same. I was also doing a comparison between what I was learning and what I was seeing, noting where everything was located and what the functions of all the things were about.

I thought about how Barrett had commanded Starchaser when we left my home Solar System for Farpoint Station and how that was only a day or so ago. I really couldn't remember how long ago it was and honestly it didn't matter to me anymore. Time itself does not matter anymore because in reality it was all relative anyway, right Albert Einstein?

Our arrival at the Nexus Cortex was not what I expected. The shuttle craft landed in a place that looked like it was in the wide open middle of the North American plains back on Earth. There was not much there but endless rolling fields of growing grasses as far as the eyes could see on that odd upward curve on the inside of that huge station. That and one small building in front of us that looked like a Prairie Schoolhouse in the movies. It even had a bell tower on top and a covered well in front. We left the Flyer in front and went in the front doors.

I knew from a quick query in the Datastream that this was one of several surface portals with direct access to the Print Pattern Buffer Scanning facility at the Combine Nexus not far from where Starchaser was already harborside berthed. The others were at different distances from the Scanner. I was amazed at how quickly I was learning and accepting everything as facts and just how things were.

It was no surprise that inside the front doors, the only thing there was the top of an up-down tube that appeared like it had no bottom. We stepped into the middle and I closed my eyes, partly because it looked bottomless and that still scared me a little. But by closing my eyes I could spend time in the Datastream where I was studying instead.

I took a look at Barrett's experience file again and he was also there with me and he showed me how to connect directly to Starchaser's Cortex Processor. His manner was very much how I remember the librarian was in my elementary school when I was a little girl. What caught my attention was information about the systems integration profile of the exterior shielding field on the Equinox Flyer standard model.

We were moving again and I opened my eyes. Apparently Barrett had known my eyes were closed and he just led me to step out of the up-down tube at the right moment. I had followed him like his trusting teammate not missing a beat. I opened my eyes to see we were already moving through a really bright room.