~Back Some Time: Soren POV~
This planet is chaotic on the surface. Like a nebula filled with still forming planetary bodies, it is rife with 'conflict'. It may be that my kind has gone past some point of mentality that finds these creation processes quite tedious to observe.
We have seen many nebula, in many states, and they all seem to blend together into a record of things that sums the totality of it all. But just like the extra-temporal beings that don't view time the same way we do, we may be void of the proper outlook on things.
Each life is seen as a self-managed struggle here.
There are more variables against success than for it, because they have not reached the point of overcoming those variables. Nor do they understand why they are meant to be constrained by some of them… experimentation with which they may regret for a time before it becomes a distant memory. Just like our own, and that of the other innumerable species we watch over.
Yet, being here for a time, among them, I begin to develop a renewed feeling that my kind is not superior to theirs for the mere fact that we surpassed the common struggles so comparatively long ago.
That there is value… or reason for me to exist at this point, in this place. A feeling not born of logic, which makes it hard to voice. Hard to articulate.
Which is ironically counter to so many of this world's inhabitants' viewpoint… that there is no ultimate meaning in this particular existence.
Nihilism and Afterlife Spiritualism are both quite common forms of philosophy in the greater universe, in varying maxims that push and sustain the fluctuation of advancements of a species. Until it reaches something like the stagnation of my own society, that is content with a livelihood of secular maintenance of our domain and the muted feelings it brings.
But that has nothing much to do with right now.
These thoughts are but a sudden smokescreen that I cannot seem to escape from, born of an attempt to return to some level of reasonable cognitive function after what just happened to me.
"Unexpected variables can always arise."
I voiced while presenting an umbrella to an earth woman, standing on the walkway outside of the store I just left. She looked at me strangely before taking it with no small amount of caution.
I do not blame her. There is not a cloud in sight and even their rather basic meteorology would say that precipitation would not occur for another nine hours, seventeen minutes, and thirty three seconds. Or… the evening.
"You didn't just go in to buy this for yourself?"
"I could not remember what I went inside to purchase after I entered the premises. I could only envision you standing out here. While trying to overcome that fixation, I found myself standing at the counter with that in hand and an expectant cashier."
Straight black hair. Tied up, like the tail of an equine. A light-gray garment known as a 'hoodie' with various embroidered emblems pocked across it, with black pants and shoes the same style as the other employees of the store.
Leaning into the establishment's window as though loitering in a spot they were especially comfortable with.
The woman took her intriguingly expressive eyes off of me and glanced inside. An employee that was watching us, though not the individual that checked out my incomprehensible gift, made some varied hand signals at her and she immediately laughed.
"This is one of the more interesting ways I've ever been hit on while at work. What's your name, my no rain in sight savior?"
"My name is Soren. I will admit, it will not precipitate until later this evening."
"So you've made some kind of early preparations for a dinner date with this? You move quick; didn't even wait for my name or even any acceptance."
"A date… yes. I think that would be what is needed. More time to figure out all the factors that have caused you to strike such a presence over my other thoughts, while engaging in a different setting than now."
"Uhm. You sound smart, but did anyone ever tell you that you also come on strong?"
"I have been lauded for my strength of character. By my siblings."
She began stifling laughter. Humans are quite prone to such bouts of joviality, but I can say earnestly that it was the first time I had *enjoyed* seeing it so much in the past year of theirs that I've studied them.
Even if I did not quite understand what was making her so happy.
- - - - -
~Present Situation~
There are few things I can think of that might top my past few days. Floating idly in space in Presio, like taking a swim break in a pool, was probably the coolest thing I've experienced in my life.
My attempt at robo-martial arts with 'shadow opponents' between the starscape felt so smooth and natural… that I even began to wonder if my bias to Urban Krav Maga studies wouldn't just *limit* its fighting potential.
After all, I picked that for self-defense since it boasted about how effective it was for smaller-size practitioners - but I don't know if I'm 'small' in this and I don't think groin striking another robot or spaceship is going to help me much.
Maybe stretching to thinking of *any* sensitive technological component as a groin...
I guess the overall mindset of aggression is still effective. I'll just have to study hard to learn where to strike stuff if attacked. And get used to the fact that I have no ground out here… and that 'below' me is always another direction to be aware of attackers from.
So basically like I was getting towards and also trying to ignore, I'll have to develop a whole new way of handling things. The Way of the Robo. Then again, I could use many different measures in space other than the close-contact fighting I knew.
As far as variety goes, he really went all out. It's like he was taking notes of everything I was *ever* impressed or excited about in mecha media.
"I love you so much," I sighed out, currently staring at a screen of schematics for my robot that Soren had made for me.
Documentation was apparently very big in his upbringing. All of it was nicely arranged and formatted in a way I quickly understood and could organically move to topics I'd want to know more about. Like getting lost in a Wikipedia cascade, but better.
"Could you be trying to spur jealousy within me?"
"I actually meant *you* this time, dear - but I do love both and would hate to have to pick. I have room in my life for two partners."
"As long as the second is only this extension of my own affections, I would not be bothered in the slightest. I do not wish to rush matters, but are you finally prepared? There is only so long that I can delay our arrival."
We were actually already 'in system'. He was using his royal authority to claim a right to take a look around and perform some scans now that he was back, but most of the data he could collect that way was already available on the 'InfoSea'... so it would look odd if he spent too long double checking things in person.
Or so Soren explained when I whined and got my way to put it all off just a few more hours.
I wasn't actually going to this particular fight in my robot after all, which I would have felt *much* better about even though I've only used it for a day. No, I had to wage this first space battle with my charming personality alone.
Which means I'm extremely concerned.
Meeting the family is scary enough of a hurdle when it's humans that you know how to joke around with!
"What is this part here that is highlighted? 'Dependency check, routing agent {string unknown}'. It's the first thing I've seen in all this that isn't explained more or that seems incomplete."
"I couldn't risk making it look different even in your datapad. As far as they will know, all the dangerous systems attached are fully locked down in a way only I have access to."
"But it's not?"
"There would be no point in keeping them onboard at all unless you could have them available when you needed them. You could call the process a hook - made to be latched on to by a secret that won't be submitted in my report."
"A secret in plain sight that you already have on your finger. Crystals are quite excellent for data storage and it is further true when you manufacture them for the purpose."
Of course! That's why the insistence on being totally naked in the first outing… so I wouldn't find it weird to remove the engagement ring. Wait…
"It would have ruined the other two surprises. No need to bang on the table like you've just discovered you were tricked."
"I did just discover it!"
"I recall you saying 'This is some kind of trick, isn't it?' and then quite promptly removing your clothes despite your words."
"It was a figure of speech. I thought you were… uhm."
"I'm afraid I've had to reign in any desire for copulation. Knowing we will have time to arrange for it after we get the introductions over helps the matter."
I doubt I'll be in the mood *then*. After the stress of all the new things. It's your… well it's both our loss, dagnabbit.