1:4:5 Negotiations (Part 4)

They weren’t quite sure how long Lore and Char had been gone but they were enjoying spending their down time on The Vengeance. After running a few security sweeps and ensuring the ship was battle ready, the clones found themselves gravitating towards the Hololabs; Destiny transmitted herself from her ship to The Vengeance’s emitters to join them.
“So, if you had to leave your Macrocomps back aboard The Destiny, what are you made of?” Curve was prodding Destiny’s shoulder.
“I’m currently a projection. I’m essentially pixel art.” Destiny held out her hand. “Instead of being made up of thousands of tiny computers, I’m now several billion points of light trapped in a magnetic field that is vaguely me shaped.”
“That’s pretty cool.” Curve lifted her arm from Destiny’s shoulder and tried to slam it into her wrist. It made contact for the briefest of moments before sailing through as if the limb was never there. “Even cooler.”
“Because I’m a sentient program, I have full control over my own holographic matrix.” Destiny jokingly backhanded Curve with her once intangible hand.
“Oh…” Curve smiled through the pain. “How full is full control?”
“I can do things you couldn’t imagine.” Destiny winked.
The other clones stood there awkwardly as the two of them grew ever closer. “You two move way too quick.” Magpie chimed up.
Destiny just smiled but Curve’s reaction was more explosive. After peeling herself from the Hololab ceiling, she tried to regain her composure but found it hard to get back to her original mood. “How long have you been there?”
They looked at each other, wondering what she would like to hear. “Not too long…” She wasn’t believing Ace’s first attempt.
Magpie couldn’t get a word out through his laughter.
“The whole time.” Midpoint spoke bluntly. “The whole time.” He repeated to the ever reddening Curve.
“And you knew?” She jokingly snapped at Destiny. “The whole time?”
Destiny shrugged. “Obviously. We weren’t going to do anything too weird. I wouldn’t let you embarrass yourself like that.”
“How about we go to the other Hololab and leave you two to whatever you two get up to?” Ace moved towards the door. “What do you two get up to?” As soon as the words left their mouth, Magpie’s started contorting into a suppressed smile. “Forget I asked.”
“I wouldn’t mind knowing.” Midpoint’s serious tone made the question even funnier to Magpie who was struggling to breathe.
Before she could answer, Ace had vacated the Hololab. “We talk, we play games and we enjoy each other’s company.” Curve smiled.
“It’s just you two seem really close is all.” To Magpie, every word out of Midpoint’s mouth seemed to be comedy gold. “Please stop laughing, it’s inappropriate and annoying.”
Magpie doubled over, wheezing. “I’m leaving, I’m leaving.” He stumbled to the door, opened it then hovered at the threshold.
“We just get along well.” Curve didn’t know the answer herself. “We’re just a good fit is all.”
“You can say that again.” Destiny tapped Curve’s backside gently but her comment was enough to set the door wheezing again. “I suppose we could slow things down if we wanted to.”
“Get to know each other a little better?” Curve smiled. “See what we’ve got in common.”
“Exactly.” Destiny nodded. “I think we’ll need a little privacy to do that though.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Midpoint didn’t move.
The three of them stood awkwardly in silence.
“She means you need to leave.” Magpie shouted around the door.
“Ah, sorry.” Midpoint woke from his trance and moved quickly towards the door. “Come on you.” He pushed Magpie into the corridor and closed the Hololab door behind him.

“Alone at last.” Curve smiled. She brought Destiny in closer and went to kiss her cheek. Curve’s lips failed to make contact, falling through the skin and into her hollow interior.
“I think we should probably talk first…” Destiny’s tone had suddenly grown cold. She sat down on the computer generated grass below. Curve joined her. “Look, I think your siblings might be right.”
“That’s a sentence I didn’t think I’d ever hear.” Curve tried to lift the mood. “Your serious?”
“We’ve known each other less than a week.” Destiny sighed.
“And our relationship is almost purely physical. It’s not like we’re planning a future together; way I see it, we’re just really close friends.” Curve paused. “Unless you want us to be something more?”
Her eyes widened far larger than her usual composition allowed, to the point of animation. “No. No… Not unless you want that.”
“At the moment, I’m happy with where we are.” Curve could see Destiny’s face drop. “I’m open to that changing though.” She quickly followed.
The two sat in the moment for a time. The small patch of grass that Destiny had created slowly grew forming a holographic clearing in the centre of a lush forest. The trees surrounding them, like the grass, were a mix of alien and Earth-native vegetation; a pair of butterfly-esque insects fluttered overhead, flickering and fading as they circled the couple. The two of them sat there, content, enjoying one another’s company.
“You fancy getting some combat training in? Quatarrian’s used to have some of the best training programs in the known systems.” Destiny got herself ready to stand.
Curve nodded. “Have you got any particular program in mind?”
“Computer: Load program First contact – Amalgam.” Destiny stood then offered her hand to help Curve up. “This is going to be one hel of a work out. “Computer: Weapon wall.”
As if from a scene in a film she had seen, Curve found herself suddenly flanked by a corridor that stretched to infinity on either side of them; each wall decorated with an army’s worth of weapons and armours from various planets and time frames. She grabbed a pair of swords, that were clearly not designed for human hands, and gave them a twirl before setting them back on the wall. She smiled at Destiny before tapping her gauntlets together. A pair of Sat’Mach duelling shields formed. “Ready?”
Destiny equipped a tactical vest and unholstered a small sidearm. “Ready. Computer: Begin simulation.”

They were on the plains outside of Tarrquu, red sands whipping around them as an unknown ship set down ahead. It looked impressive, despite its size. It reminded Curve of her blanket back in the Undercity; the ship was a patchwork of different culture’s technology all seemingly adapted to work together harmoniously. A landing ramp shot from the underside of the ship’s hull before the outer airlock hissed open. A hulking figure filled the new opening. A quadruped with four, short but expandable legs, a shell and a humanoid torso, complete with arms and a head looked down at Curves, Destiny and the other guards that had gathered to greet them. It marched towards the welcoming party. It hissed and whirred as its servos and motors adapted to Quatarr’s intense gravity. The entirety of its body was comprised of a dark, almost scorched, steely grey metal with the exception of the shell from which it’s torso emerged that was a brassy tone.
“A robotic-tortoise-centaur?” Curve scoffed.
Two others stood ready to disembark however they looked nothing like the being now stood within spitting distance of Curve. The second and third visitors were entirely humanoid; while both were tall, one was thin and lanky and looked as though it could be toppled by a strong breeze but the other was significantly bulkier, sporting armour plating obviously comprised from several different armour sets and materials; despite being mismatched, they were seamless in their integration. The three robotic figures waited opposite them, silently.
“Mind filling me in? Who are they?” Curve whispered to Destiny.
The simulation paused. “The Amalgam are amongst the most feared of beings. No-one’s quite sure who built the first precursor or when but one day, there were Amalgam everywhere. They travel the universe collecting technology and spreading their vision. They’re mostly benign but you wouldn’t want to be on their wrong side; a few hundred years of weapon collection and development can really give you an edge.”
“How do they feel about organics though?” Curve was starting to get a little worried.
“They’re usually fine. But if you annoy one, you annoy them all. Bit like wasps.” Destiny stroked Curve’s arm reassuringly. “All good?” Curve nodded and the simulation resumed.
The Robotic-tortoise-centaur parted its helmet, revealing a metal skull underneath; it was almost human looking but its nose and lower jaw formed a beak. “We are Amalgam. I am the designated leader of this operation; in the interests of simplifying communications between our factions, you may address me as Operation Designated Leader Alpha or ODLA. This unit has been tasked with opening communications with your species with the express requirements of negotiating a trade agreement. Our secondary mission is to begin discussions regarding your peoples empire and the placement of its borders in the Denetariias System. Which of you is designated leader for your unit?”
Destiny looked to the other soldiers with them then checked herself and Curve. “I think you’re in charge.” Destiny leant over.
“I suppose that’s me then.” Curve nodded to ODLA. “Are you comfortable talking to us here or would you rather we move elsewhere? Our capital city is only a short walk from here.”
“Are you aiming to distract us?” ODLA’s voice deepened and increased in volume. “Negotiations must begin as soon as possible.”
“Then we’ll talk here.” Curve smiled.
Two of the simulated soldiers removed a disk from their belts. They tossed them onto the sand. A chair and a table sprang forth and with it, the meeting point was set and the negotiations could begin. Curve walked over to her chair slowly, examining ODLA with every step it took. It had no obvious weapons but its size and build made it seem as though it probably didn’t need them. Another thing it lacked was an obvious weak point. Curve scanned it as much as she could in the little time she had but could find no vulnerabilities. After what seemed like forever, she made it to her chair. As if instinctively, she bowed her head before sitting. ODLA did the same; it moved into position opposite her then retracted its legs into its shell.
“This planet is rich in the rare element C-521326, known locally as Tempora. We have been authorised to negotiate a price for access to mine this element with compensation equal to the resources harvested. We are permitted to offer no more than one thousand seven hundred Rel or the equivalent in technological specifications per kilogram of unrefined C-521326 obtained.” ODLA’s eye lights were aimed almost directly into Curve’s eyes.
Curve was slightly taken aback by its efficiency. “Straight to the point.” She paused.
“In accordance with most biological species, we began our negotiations with a statement of intent. A change in venue does not constitute a need to restart or restate our opening statement.” ODLA spoke before she could.
“My apologies, I didn’t mean to offend you.” She gave a slight smile before quickly continuing. “How much Tempora would you be wanting to harvest.”
“It is not possible to offend us. Our mining operation would be limited at first to one cubic kilometre of land, increasing to ten if our experiments prove successful.” ODLA placed a disk on the table. A holographic projection of Quatarr appeared. “We have selected a region on the southern pole of your planet, far from any established settlements and in an area inhospitable to your species. As previously stated, in return, your peoples would benefit equally through monetary or technological gain.”
“Once you’ve finished your tests, where would your second mine be? Would you stay at the pole or would you want to move elsewhere?” Curve was wondering how her current situation was classed as a combat situation.
“Our scans indicate that our initial mine would deplete the resources of the southern pole. We have chosen a secondary location for the second mine.” A second square appeared on the map. “The eastern continent is rich in C-521326 so is the optimal site for a larger scale mine.”
“There may be an issue with mining there.” Curve bit her lip. “That area there is already in use.”
“Our scans indicated there were no signs of life in the eastern continent. It is unsuitable for humanoid life.” ODLA stared at the holomap.
“Tempora scatters scanners. The Quatarrii live in the eastern continent. These tunnels are their roads and homes.” Curve ran her finger along one of the longer tunnels. “We could help you look for an alternative mining location if you wanted?”
ODLA’s eyes flickered red. “That would be…” They flickered back to their original colour. “Agreeable. Communications have been sent to the nexus. Contact. Terms of renegotiations are as such: Initial one cubic kilometre mine remains as such. Secondary mine is to be negotiated at a later time after additional surveys and discussions with your species.”
“I think we can agree to that.” Curve held out her hand for ODLA to shake.
It stared at her. “Then negotiations are concluded. We will depart. Mining equipment will arrive once formal agreement has been received.” ODLA’s legs sprang up as it began back to the ship.
“I thought you said this would be a combat simulation…” Curve whispered.
“It is… I think you somehow won it?” Destiny shrugged. “Fancy changing that?” She drew her pistol.

A chime rang out through the Hololab. “Lore Twenty-six’s clones. Your presence is required in the clone halls of The Occam’s Razor.”
“Next time.” Destiny stowed her pistol away. Destiny closed the simulation and started to the door.
“Best get the boys too.” Curve instinctively dusted off her armour only to realise that the sand never existed.
Destiny grew her fist to the size of her head before slamming it into the door. “Come on you. You’ve been summoned!” She shouted. “I better go get myself ready too. See you in a bit.” She pecked Curve’s cheek before vanishing. The other lab door slid open and the others joined her in the corridor.
Ace looked her up and down. “You two have fun then?” They holstered their pistol. “You could have at least made yourself look presentable.”
“We tried to get some combat training in but we got called away before things could get interesting.” Curve shrugged. “And I don’t think the other clones are going to care about how shiny our armour looks.”
“Come on then, we should probably get a move on.” Ace shrugged her off then left her alone in the corridor.
Curve looked at her dusty bracers and dented chest plate. “It’s not that bad…” She shook her head. “Wait for me.”