Challenge #02114-E291: Unlikely Friendship on Courier Fifty-eight
Ship's human and the Anti Gravity Drive keep company. -- Anon Guest
[AN: It's the Gravity Drive, but I get it]
This drive was one of the loners. It did not need constant Nae'hyn attention to do its work. It knew the route better than the Captain. It got family visits, of course, but Human Gar kind'a felt in kindred with it. Human Gar had took this particular mail route because it met her needs for social contact - otherwise known as minimal - but there were some times when she just needed to talk, and none of the Kirrikto crew were interested in the weirdo stuff that Gar was.
"Hey," she said to the ships' gravy drive, working her way over via the toe grips. "I need to talk, do you wanna listen?"
No Gravy Drive had a voice. They made themselves known by the hums of their operation, the beeps of certain alerts, or other noises that only Humans could interpret. This one hummed a pleased note, so Gar grip-walked further in. She lit an incense stick because that was what she'd seen the visiting Nae'hyn do, and set it into one of the holders where she felt it was needed. "It's not like I even have much to talk about, you know? I just... I have a mighty need to just flap my tongue for a while. The Kirrikto don't understand it. They call it 'contrary'. They hired me because I'm quiet, and when I wanna yap on, I'm not fulfilling my contract."
The engine made a rude noise, but it felt like it was agreeing.
"They don't get it. They don't understand us. Sometimes, people can have contrariwise days. It's perfectly cool. It should be." Gar snuggled up to a mysterious part that was people-warm and murmured appreciation for the simulated company. "Wanna hear about All My Daughters? Its a audio-visual drama, but you don't have eyes, so... I dunno. You mightn't like it."
Thrummm... it was almost a purr. It sounded like the Gravy Drive was pleased that someone wanted to talk to it.
"Well, okay," Gar cooed. "I should stop by more often, huh?" She giggled at the louder purr. "Okay. I guess we have a deal. Let's start by catching you up," Gar took a deep breath, and told the drive all about All My Daughters and which family she was following and why the drama was so dramatic.
"You know?" said Gar when she was done, "the next time your family pops round, I'm gonna ask about your name and pronouns. It doesn't seem right that I've been thinking about you as a thing or an it. That's wrong. 'Specially since we've made friends."
The engine hummed as if to say, That's a great idea. You do that.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / AlgolOnline]
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