The hivemind is conquering for me?

Making my way inside the ship, Orchid had already made her way to our bedroom while Keyla and Ronnie were talking in the cockpit. Making my way through the pristine white hallway with a red stripe pattern flowing throughout, I arrived at Ronnie as he was giving Keyla instructions.

”Ok, so the ship is really eager to show off what it can do. This is the thrusters manual control, this one is the inertia dampeners, you can turn them off if you really want to, this one-”

”Ronnie! By Apollo, I get how the ship works. I have been flying them since I was nine. Just show me which one is the FTL drive control.” Keyla said, making it so Ronnie does not yap on for the next thirty minutes about buttons.

Ronnie quietly pointed to a leaver in between the two operator sticks. ”A lever?” Keyla questioned as she sat down in the pilot seat. ”I am used to buttons. Why is it a lever?” Ronnie then turned towards a panel on the wall next to him and began to nod his head as if he was listening.

After a short moment of him mumbling to himself, seemingly impressed, he replied. ”The ship said that because she is a military class ship, she can actually manually adjust the speed at which the FTL drive works. It’s actually pretty interesting, you see...”

”Ronnie, I am going to tell you to stop for your own sake, Keyla has clearly had enough.” I said, pointing towards the frustrated face of the usually chipper short stack. Ronnie spotted this after I pointed it out and froze his mouth.

Despite being liked by everyone in the family, he did have a knack for not shutting up about machines at times which could frustrate people. ”Sorry, miss Keyla. Sorry Apollo. I better get going anyway. What? Oh ok, I will tell him. Apollo, the ship feels pleased by your presence, it is honoured to have you aboard.” He said casually.

I looked around the cockpit, not sure where to address an entire ship as I am talking to it. The only reason I was going to respond at all is because of Ronnie’s gift. ”Oh, um. Thank you? I’m not really sure what I did to make you pleased, but I will do my best to keep you clean.”

Ronnie nodded his head, satisfied as the ship’s proxy. He then said goodbye and just before leaving the ship, I asked him where Jewel’s present was stored. He then gave me some instructions for how to get to the gifts and that anyone aboard should not find them without looking for them.

After he departed, I took a seat next to Keyla and looked at her curiously. ”So, you have been flying since you were nine? I’m jealous. I am practically useless huh? I jested, self deprecatingly.

Keyla turned from the buttons she was pressing and responded. ”Don’t joke about being useless Apollo. Because you are not. You do not realise it because you are always surrounded by beings who love you and support you, but you are truly amazing. So what if you can’t fly? I can always teach you during our trip.” My ears perked up hearing that. ”Wait. Are you willing to teach me to fly this thing?” I asked, with my excitement palpable.

”Of course Apollo, your best gal will treat you right.” Keyla said playfully and before she knew it she was no longer in her seat and was now stuck to Apollo’s chest. His arms wrapped around her, making her feel a safety and comfort she could never get outside of them.

Keyla hugged back as I began to exclaim. ”Thank you so much! Do you know how long I have wanted to fly a ship? Too long. I can’t fly anything Jewel creates as it’s just her so it doesn’t count. To be able to fly through space myself... That’s the dream.”

I then eased up my grip on Keyla to let her down, but she stayed glued to my chest. ”Keyla?” I asked curiously at the Koala on my chest. ”Five more minutes.” She mumbled into my chest as she nuzzled in and proceeded to squeeze me tighter.

I shrugged my shoulders at Keyla’s action. a nice hug in exchange for flying lessons? Sounds like a steal from my end of the bargain. Wrapping my arms back around her for support, I stood still for another five minutes before Keyla slank off my body.

”Whoo! I needed that more than I need sustenance. Thank you. You should go and check on Orchid while I do all this boring pilot stuff now.” She said, I shook my head and took my seat once more before replying.

”Orchid is fine. I want to watch you while you work. It will be a sight to behold I am sure.” I flirted, as I purposely stared at Keyla’s rear. ”Tcch, suit yourself horn dog.” She said without much emotion as she sat in her own chair and began clicking buttons. Secretly however, she was delighted and tried her best to make every movement she made ’sexy.’

Flicking some switches, she opened a communication channel and picked up a clipboard Ronnie had left for her. ”Reaching out to orbit.” She said casually as she began fingering some nobs.

”Orbit reached. Identify.” A man said through the ship’s communications. ”This is handle ’short and sweet’, I am piloting a military class vehicle with permission 0-0-9-5-2-1 I have A VIP aboard with the designation #18202422. Requesting permission for take-off.”

”Hold.” The man on the other end said as the communication cut off for a moment. Keyla turned to me and smiled upon seeing I was watching with interest. She then focused up once more when the communication resumed.

”Identity confirmed ’short and sweet’. A ship waiting for you in orbit for docking access. There will also be a planetary defence ship making sure you have no explosive payload attached to your ship as your permission does not allow for them during non combat travel. Permission to take-off is granted.”

”Ok, thanks a bunch. Have a nice day!” Keyla said before disengaging the ship’s communications. ”Ugh, what a drag.” She mumbled before she clicked another button on the control console and lifted her feet up to rest.

I felt the ship come to life around me as she clicked the button. The engines roared to life and outside of the viewing glass, I could see we were slowly rising into the air. Taking the question out of my mind, Keyla stated. ”This ship has incredible autopilot take off and landing. We just have to chill while it does everything for us.”

It did not take long for us to leave the planet’s surface and enter back into space. Once we were past orbit, Keyla took control of the ship by slightly kicking the moving stick left and right as she received coordinates for the docking process.

It was not long until two smaller ships made their way towards us. One began to hover around the ship while the other slowly made its way to our ventral. There was some movement of the ship at one point that the dampeners could not counteract, which I assumed was the docking taking place.

Meanwhile, the other ship made a stop, perfectly in front of us before flashing a green light in our direction and flew away. Keyla then stood up from her chair and sighed. ”Come on then, let’s go get Miss inquisitive.”

”Miss inquisitive?” I parrot as I follow Keyla. ”Oh yeah, always asking about you, asking about Orchid, asking about Sophia, Jewel, Onyx, Kathrine. All the time. The only time she seems to shut up with her questions is when you are around. You have a ’Friend’ who has taken quite an interest in your life Apollo.” Keyla said. Emphasising the word friend so I would have a 50% chance of understanding she meant the woman clearly has an interest in me.

Unfortunately, It slipped by as I began thinking. ”What type of questions does she ask Keyla? She has not found anything out right?” I asked, hoping I had not let my mouth run about something while I thought out loud at some point.

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Keyla shook her head as she replied. ”Oh, nothing malicious Handsome, she is just genuinely interested in your life and the people you surround yourself with. You have yourself a good ’friend’ there.”

Keyla’s Emphasis on the word ’friend’ clocked on this time and I felt terrible. ’Goodness. She really is a good friend trying to get to know me. And here I am, not even aware of her families names or where she is from. All I know is that she likes to dance and hates her father among a few other things. Heck I know she is Psionic and has telekinesis and that she is drawn to cold as it has some sort of effect on her, but what about any other powers?’

I felt I had to rectify my mistake and learn more about my friend in the short time we had left together.