Sea Legs (Updated 09*21*19)
After a little encouragement from other players I've finally decided to "move" my story from another thread to this one. Moves in quotes simply because I'm not moving anything, just copying the posts...
Forum Discussion
When the water taxi neared the island that the houseboat was docked at, Karlie's had gone numb from crossing them so hard on the ride home. She was sure the octuplets that she MUST be carrying were all dancing directly on her bladder. As they stepped onto the house boat's deck she raced past Shari, bound for the nearest little girl's room at top speed. She threw the door open and quickly dashing for the stairs. Passing Ammon who was just coming in from the back deck she shouted "Hi Dad, By Dad, bathroom emergency!" As she hit the spiral staircase she realized what she said and absolutely knew her mother would have caught it. "Dad?" Shari dreamily questioned Ammon with a bashful smile.
https://i.imgur.com/JgGtkPY.jpg
Ammon reached for Shari's hands. "We had some time together this morning. You really have raised an incredible daughter, Adrastria." he said. "Is Niella around? Have you had some time to talk with her?" Shari couldn't help but be hopeful, though she knew Ammon had planned to work today. "No, she was napping when I got home. I thought I'd wait for her to come to me. I've always let her talk to me on her own terms." "Then I should probably slip out before she awakes. It's better if you have some time together first I think.." Shari said, leading Ammon to the door by the hand. She stopped and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh I don't know how she's ever going to forgive me. Oh please tell me, Hapi, please tell me she'll somehow someday forgive me?"
https://i.imgur.com/T1aVS0G.jpg
"The young woman I raised is kind, and generous, and selfless, and non judgmental, and understanding. Just like her mother." Ammon said, staring deep into Adrastria's eyes. "Of course she'll forgive you" he said, reaching out and stroking her cheek. When Shari got home she visited her own restroom first thing, herself. She had just splashed cold water onto her face after washing her hands when she caught her reflection in the mirror. Hapimou had told her that her skin was as soft as when he met her but she knew it wasn't true. "You look like a dried out old scarecrow" she scolded herself. Why hadn't she taken better care of herself?? Tomorrow she'd see about skin cream and whatever else ladies her age did. Maybe she'd think about a different haircut. She knew she'd never look like how Hapi remembered her again, but she certainly could look better, she decided. Right about then Niella stumbled, still drowzy and slightly off balance, as she waddled to the patio set to join her dad, who was reading the newspaper just like he had every night after work when she was growing up.
https://i.imgur.com/BmIeq4z.jpg
"Old habits die hard" she giggled, sitting down. Ammon folded the paper and put it down. "Did you nap well, little one?" Ammon asked. "I'm getting less little by the day" Niella patted her belly, and added "but yes I did, Daddy, thank you." "Listen, I know we haven't had a chance to talk about all that happened yesterday, and we should, but we have something more urgent to talk about. Niella I was able to decipher the AI code today. I was able t.." "Dad that's incredible! How wer.." "Hold on, you need to let me finish, little one." Ammon interjected, lifting his finger. "I was able to decipher it because I already knew the core code... Because it's mine. It's the AI I created for the excavation transversers" Ammon finished. "How is that even possible, Dad?? You kept that code strictly to yourself I thought." "I did, I even brought the traverser hard drives here with me. And that's not the only question deciphering it raised. But I think I know how we can find out." Ammon told her.
https://i.imgur.com/Vqk9zBA.jpg
"I think we need to build out the schematics and then load the AI into it." Ammon stated, sounding less sure than he usually did when he spoke. "Normally I would say that sounded risky but I'm sure Alex would be able to foresee anything dangerous and find a work around for it" Niella decided after some consideration. The two spent the next two hours outlining what the immediate and longer term plans should be. Even though the next day was Saturday, the two were pretty sure most if not all of the team would be putting extra work in. Though the work pace had lessened slightly and the group's initial excitement had mellowed a bit, that excitement had been replaced with intense curiosity - the benchmark of every good scientist. Ammon would meet with Alex and Masao first thing and put this new plan under the most strict of NDA. With the discovery of Nautilus's map coordinates and Ammon's social security number within the code, no one else in the team could be told. Niella trusted everyone on her team but it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that one of them could have been compromised through coercion or without their knowledge. They would see if Alex could even determine what the device was or what it was for first. Then they'd know if any additional equipment was needed.
https://i.imgur.com/J96NZ9x.jpg
Eventually Niella brought up the previous days events. "Listen Dad, I know you're right and we need to talk but I'm still trying to process it all. I just need more time to work out how I feel. Just know that I still love you, I still love Karlie, and yes I do still love Shari. It's just something I need to make sure I understand my feelings on before we talk, is that ok?." Niella had always been careful about such things. "Of course little one, nothing could be more understandable. It's very late already as it is." As they stood up to hug goodnight Niella's tummy let out a slow, very loud gurgle. "What's that you say?" Ammon said, cupping his ear over her belly. "Your getting crowded in there? Oh let me see" Ammon put his hand gently on Niella's belly. "Oh, Yes, uh huh, I see. Well yes I think you might start preparing yourself to move to bigger quarters. That means get rest and plenty of veggies until moving day, Papa says so." Niella giggled. "I like the sound of that" she said hugging her father. "Veggies?" Ammon asked. "No, - Papa."
https://i.imgur.com/TZyyVKW.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/gNMYngG.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/JgGtkPY.jpg
Ammon reached for Shari's hands. "We had some time together this morning. You really have raised an incredible daughter, Adrastria." he said. "Is Niella around? Have you had some time to talk with her?" Shari couldn't help but be hopeful, though she knew Ammon had planned to work today. "No, she was napping when I got home. I thought I'd wait for her to come to me. I've always let her talk to me on her own terms." "Then I should probably slip out before she awakes. It's better if you have some time together first I think.." Shari said, leading Ammon to the door by the hand. She stopped and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh I don't know how she's ever going to forgive me. Oh please tell me, Hapi, please tell me she'll somehow someday forgive me?"
https://i.imgur.com/T1aVS0G.jpg
"The young woman I raised is kind, and generous, and selfless, and non judgmental, and understanding. Just like her mother." Ammon said, staring deep into Adrastria's eyes. "Of course she'll forgive you" he said, reaching out and stroking her cheek. When Shari got home she visited her own restroom first thing, herself. She had just splashed cold water onto her face after washing her hands when she caught her reflection in the mirror. Hapimou had told her that her skin was as soft as when he met her but she knew it wasn't true. "You look like a dried out old scarecrow" she scolded herself. Why hadn't she taken better care of herself?? Tomorrow she'd see about skin cream and whatever else ladies her age did. Maybe she'd think about a different haircut. She knew she'd never look like how Hapi remembered her again, but she certainly could look better, she decided. Right about then Niella stumbled, still drowzy and slightly off balance, as she waddled to the patio set to join her dad, who was reading the newspaper just like he had every night after work when she was growing up.
https://i.imgur.com/BmIeq4z.jpg
"Old habits die hard" she giggled, sitting down. Ammon folded the paper and put it down. "Did you nap well, little one?" Ammon asked. "I'm getting less little by the day" Niella patted her belly, and added "but yes I did, Daddy, thank you." "Listen, I know we haven't had a chance to talk about all that happened yesterday, and we should, but we have something more urgent to talk about. Niella I was able to decipher the AI code today. I was able t.." "Dad that's incredible! How wer.." "Hold on, you need to let me finish, little one." Ammon interjected, lifting his finger. "I was able to decipher it because I already knew the core code... Because it's mine. It's the AI I created for the excavation transversers" Ammon finished. "How is that even possible, Dad?? You kept that code strictly to yourself I thought." "I did, I even brought the traverser hard drives here with me. And that's not the only question deciphering it raised. But I think I know how we can find out." Ammon told her.
https://i.imgur.com/Vqk9zBA.jpg
"I think we need to build out the schematics and then load the AI into it." Ammon stated, sounding less sure than he usually did when he spoke. "Normally I would say that sounded risky but I'm sure Alex would be able to foresee anything dangerous and find a work around for it" Niella decided after some consideration. The two spent the next two hours outlining what the immediate and longer term plans should be. Even though the next day was Saturday, the two were pretty sure most if not all of the team would be putting extra work in. Though the work pace had lessened slightly and the group's initial excitement had mellowed a bit, that excitement had been replaced with intense curiosity - the benchmark of every good scientist. Ammon would meet with Alex and Masao first thing and put this new plan under the most strict of NDA. With the discovery of Nautilus's map coordinates and Ammon's social security number within the code, no one else in the team could be told. Niella trusted everyone on her team but it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that one of them could have been compromised through coercion or without their knowledge. They would see if Alex could even determine what the device was or what it was for first. Then they'd know if any additional equipment was needed.
https://i.imgur.com/J96NZ9x.jpg
Eventually Niella brought up the previous days events. "Listen Dad, I know you're right and we need to talk but I'm still trying to process it all. I just need more time to work out how I feel. Just know that I still love you, I still love Karlie, and yes I do still love Shari. It's just something I need to make sure I understand my feelings on before we talk, is that ok?." Niella had always been careful about such things. "Of course little one, nothing could be more understandable. It's very late already as it is." As they stood up to hug goodnight Niella's tummy let out a slow, very loud gurgle. "What's that you say?" Ammon said, cupping his ear over her belly. "Your getting crowded in there? Oh let me see" Ammon put his hand gently on Niella's belly. "Oh, Yes, uh huh, I see. Well yes I think you might start preparing yourself to move to bigger quarters. That means get rest and plenty of veggies until moving day, Papa says so." Niella giggled. "I like the sound of that" she said hugging her father. "Veggies?" Ammon asked. "No, - Papa."
https://i.imgur.com/TZyyVKW.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/gNMYngG.jpg
