Astral's Rise Part 40.5: Suns
"Hello there. I am going to need to take you away for a couple of tests. I will be taking some dna samples and doing a complete physical check from head to toe." Anders spoke as she grabbed his hand and was pulled away by her. Flustered, he followed.
Astral and Jaimie watched Zane get pulled around like a ragdoll as Anders brought him to her laboratory. "Thinking on the same wavelength?" Jaimie asked as Astral nodded.
"He will be completely fine. Adam! Go make sure Anders doesn't do anything crazy." Astral yelled as Adam stumbled around before he started his jog to the lab.
Astral looked over to the table seeing Shiro and Alexa. "So, what data points are sticking out to you? How is the station running?"
Shrio swung her legs from off of the side of the table, she enjoyed it as she was running the values. Alexa looked directly at Astral. "Well, all the systems are greenlit. The rings are fully stabilized and production is flowing. Stockpile will be at twenty percent once the week is done, climbing twenty percent each month until we have consumption or it reaches eighty percent when we will downscale."
"Very good you two. As for the galaxy being mapped, any progress?" Astral asked softly. They both shied away as Astrid popped up from the other side of the table.
"The drones have so much information, we just have been failing to compile it and keep up on it. It changes so rapidly and we stand no chance staying on top of it." Astrid spoke as Astral and Jaimie patted their three heads.
"You are doing wonderful. Keep up the good work." Jaimie would console them as Angel and James gave each AI a hug. They felt like they were doing enough. Astral dazed off and stared out into the openness of space.
Astral's thoughts went to exploration, and making the AI for exploration. Just to specialize in the maneuvering of the universe and the processing of the great expanse that they are bound to explore. Astral walked to the glass, one arm's length away as the bridge crew watched in awe. What is he about to do?
Looking out from the bridge he saw to the stars and the various ones there were. So many of them existed by themselves, even more were in hard to reach spots. Astral felt all of them, their voices in unison as they all wanted one thing. Expansion.
Reaching his hand out he would move them to him. Massive weight and power within each one of these stars, he felt a struggle and pull as the stars resisted from the movement. He had a grip on eight of them. To use all of them on the AI would be foolish. He was going to use these in many ways.
Once they were outside the ship. Their glow illuminated across the hull of the station, the metallic gleam glowing across the solar system. Everyone was in wonder on the station as Astral smiled. It felt tough, it was difficult but here was the reward.
Astral went outside and held his hands on each, shrinking them into his hands and putting them into the pillars in the core. Using the pocket dimension as a portal between each place. Loading each of the pillars he smiled. Looking across the station he saw the glow from outside, the power became complete as the rings would each slowly shift.
Astral would take a fourth of each of them to combine into one soul that he gave life. He blew into his hands to kindle the flame. Putting it into the core as it flickered to life in front of him.
"Hello there deity. You play with us like toys. Your powers allow you to. But I must ask, why make me? Red Merle?" The figure would glow and radiate at him as the two float inside of the core.
"A star's true desire is to expand forever. I get to give you to expand your influence well beyond one solar system. But to the whole galaxy and maybe even a universe." Astral would flutter around before looking at him. "If you do want to join me, meet me at the bridge."
"You heard our beaconing calls to dive forward such light that it would blind, the pressure here in the core is immense. How are you doing this? Are you a god? Or a deity sent from above to kill them, saving us?" Red Merle spoke as Astral nodded.
Astral would float himself upward, he used the spell to make him translucent as he went to the bridge. Making his way back to the bridge as the blip beat him there. "See, Red Merle, this place is yours now." Everyone would look at the latest AI addition to the crew.
Red Merle could see the universe, all of the drones out and about, he compressed the information instantly. "The universe has expanded to everything within reach. It all echoes back to me. The movement, subtle but knowledgeable."
They all would smile at him. His warmth glows, making them all feel good. Astral would look to the others. James and Angel looked in wonder, this was what they were always meant to be. This is what it felt like to belong and be a part of more.
Astral crept up to the two and wrapped his arms around them. They sunk their heads into his chest as they purred and cooed. He finally felt like he had a family as well, one to care for and protect.
Jaimie smiled watching her life feel completed too. She rubbed off on Astral making him more of a caring figure as she has molded him as well. She became much stronger physically and emotionally due to him and his training.
Adam came back to the bridge to see the newest companion to their crew as he sat in the door frame. He was included in something, the one where they seek solace in them and not to be excluded from things.
Happily content as the years passed as the station slowly grew with power and skill. The AI's working together and the galaxy's outskirts are being explored. Eventually however, all things change.