You’ve existed mindlessly watching the screen for, according to your internal chronometer, five hours and twenty seven minutes, before an alert told you that Owner’s biorhythms indicated that she would wake and want dinner in an hour.
It felt like no time had really passed, so you’re sort of grateful for that, having collected, what you imagine, is lots of useless data that you’ll forget about at some point soon. It’s probably what the ship does with its sensors, and since you were the ship, it’s what you did with your sensors.
Another thing a week ago you’d never have expected; having sensors.
Disconnecting from the ship was simple enough, much easier than doing so the first time. Your drivers disengage soon after, no longer needed. As a result, the stimulant effect ends a few seconds after you stand up and walk away from the access port, your reactor no longer constrained. You can feel it lurking in the back of your mind though, when needed. The same as a wireless connection to the ship itself, giving you a basic summary readout of things and a datalink which seems to have been set up as you disconnected from a wired link.
Another quick internal search on the matter as you head to the small galley of the ‘Bravescale’, as the ship’s called, reveals that when connecting to a ship you’re connected to that ship with an active link until actively disconnected. Sort of like Bluetooth but a bit more intimate and only for one ship at a time.
‘Mari Bravescale’ your green eyes brighten in amusement at that as you reach the galley. It sounds like a bad fantasy character. You’ll stick with Mari or MAR-1. ‘Happy Owner’ protocol engaged, you mutter to yourself, only half sarcastically as you look up one of her favorite recipes, based on what you know the ship to have (thanks smart appliances!). There seems to be drivers for cooking there too; nothing specialized, obviously, but you know how to do stuff she likes very well.
Despite holding plasma cannons with large fingers, your hands find themselves to be surprisingly deft, moving and bending in ways that no human’s can. Within a half an hour you have a roast in the oven and you know Lisa’s just waking up to the smell of something delicious.
You feel a sudden surge of bliss at that, a feeling of utter euphoria that all’s right in the world and you’re at the center of it. You have worked hard and succeeded. You are in your zone. You are thriving. You are utterly amazing and perfect. Biorhythm sensors show vastly increased endorphin production in your Owner’s brain thanks to your activities. Lisa is happy; the Protocol is fulfilled. You have done as required and are thus rewarded.
All the same, you know you only have a few moments to revel in this before you need to have what’s basically a beer ready for her. Darting to the refresher unit, you pop it out and pour it into a glass, having it waiting on the counter as the lizard-woman ambles into the room with a wave. “Smells delicious Mari!” the wave transitioning into a seamless grab of the glass, downing the cold beverage in one gulp. “To the letter! Great job! How was the Bravescale? You actually *were* the ship, right?”
“It was uh, it was interesting. Yeah..." You give a nod, yellow eyes and tone substituting for an awkward smile, the conversation overriding other requirements at this moment. "That's right, I was the Bravescale. It was, well, new. Being a ship. Like, a lot more alien than becoming Mari was. Still, kinda nice though just floating in the sensor data. Weird but nice. Nothing’s out of order though, but if you ever want to get better sensors for her,” your eyes flash light yellow at asking for something, “I’d like that.”
"HA! She's served me well, bucket of junk but gets the job done. I keep on saying I'll get a better ship when I have the money but never do. But I always find enough to put in a bit more to keep her flying so she's probably staying with us for now." She thinks a moment, big smile working onto her face as if she had a great idea. "Speaking of, if you're her some of the time, I want your name to reflect that." She points at you. "Command, modify your full designation to Mari Bravescale. Mari for short." looking satisfied.
Oh no. Oh no oh no. You groan internally as your eyes shift to an orange mix of warning and confusion. "Command accepted. Full designation confirmed as Mari Bravescale." Oh nooooo. You feel it filter in as the dreaded name makes itself known in your consciousness. A first and last name, yes, but it still sounds so corny. Lisa doesn't seem to notice though, and continues to give you a big crocodile smile like she's proud of herself. You suppose, for her, you can bear it. And it's not so bad, is it?
This moaning about the full designation that you thankfully don't have to refer to yourself as (Mari) lasts for all of a few seconds before you're interrupted by another internal alarm, this one signifying....