30. Story of a Cat

“Hey, Abyssal. Did the maid drone tell you about the speed limit?” Meica asked Abyssal. She sat in a crossed leg position and stared at Abyssal’s humanoid hologram.

It took a while for her to calm down after seeing Abyssal’s avatar. Now the two were just talking to each other about random things. Talking to someone with a humanoid body that can give out facial expression and body language gave out a much different feel than using her personal drone.

“Hmm? Yeah, Kuon did. Somewhat," Abyssal replied.

“Nyaruhodo. What did Maid-drone say?”

‘Nyaruhodo?’ Abyssal was a little bit perplexed when she heard the weird foreign word that Meica used. Although curious, Abyssal just pushed it to the back of her mind before answering the question.

“Kuon said something about how space is not actually a full vacuum and that there is a speed limit to prevent the ship from hitting these basically unseeable objects, preventing the hull from taking damage or something like that.”

"Nyahaha. Maid-drone talks big, but no results! That's just simple explanation for stupid people, nyaa! I'll tell you real reason why we have speed limit."

"Eh?! Meica, you know the true reason why?"

Meica puffed out her chest and gave a proud snort at Abyssal. "Meica is engineer and learned lots of things!"

"Ohhhh! Tell me, tell me!" Abyssal said before leaning forward to the nekomi.

"Umu. But first things first, does Abyssal know why ships can tell their speed in space? Even though no object of reference?” Meica asked behind an excited smile.

Abyssal couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows at the question.  'Right… speed is relative so how…? Now when I think about it… how did Abby know what our speed is? I can understand the freighter being able to tell our travelling speed, ‘cause of the starmap and the GPS. But we don’t have those things before the freighter. Our radar was busted and we couldn’t tell our location. How does the Fierca class…'

She always took Abby's words for granted. Her word that they were moving at a certain speed, but never once did it cross Abyssal's mind about how Abby calculated their speed in space. Usually in space simulators, they would tell the speed in a small UI in the corner, but this is not a game. How would one know how fast one is travelling if all one sees are numerous shiny dots in a black void? There was not a single object of reference at all. What was their speed relative to? Even during the fight with Astral, Abby could tell the red fighter’s speed despite her being just a small dot in omni cameras.

"Abyssal doesn't know either! Nyaahahaha," Meica said while giving a small laugh, breaking Abyssal's thoughts. She must have seen the confused look on her.

"Yeah…" Abyssal replied with a depressed voice, her head hung low.

"Abyssal knows ships have inertia dampeners right?" Meica asked.

"Um, yeah. The one on this ship can dampen the effects of a sudden acceleration of up to fifteen kilometers per second per second."

"Yup, yup. Ship you see, has this device attached to it!” Meica said before bringing out something from her pocket. "Lots of it in inertial dampeners."

Meica brought it nearer to Abyssal for her to inspect it. It was a small transparent orb the size of her palm; the insides of which contained some sort of futuristic-looking gyro.

"This is part of the inertial navigation system, nyaa! By using a lot of motion sensing and rotation sensors in conjunction with the inertia dampener, we can calculate our speed and trajectory in space without any external reference."

"Oohhhh! So that's how it works. But wait… How does it work? Speed reference to what?”

“Galaxy map! All inertial navigation systems have different settings! Usually will adjust to orbits and celestial bodies or the surrounding stars. In deep space, default reference is adjusted and set to the centre of the galaxy, nyaa. In battle, reference is set to the general area that the battlefield is taking place in. Also contains mechanism to reset reference!”

“Ohhhh. But wait, space is expanding, right? How does it know if we are staying still or moving with space? We aren’t accelerating but our position in space is changing. It won't detect our moving speed, right?"

“Abyssal misunderstanding, nyaa.”

“Hmm?”

“No such thing as moving or not moving, nyaa. What matters is speed reference to the galaxy or stars or something. In space, moving is illusion. Time is different for everyone. Speed here means moving through the galaxy or not. If calculation is off, simply recalibrate.”

“Okay… I’m not quite sure I get it, but I’ll keep it in mind, I guess? So, how does this factor into the speed limit?”

“Inertial dampeners limited depending on mass of ship. Bigger ship has less effective kinectic dampener. Bad kinectic dampener means people take long to accelerate and decelerate. People are bad drivers, nyaa. Computers also bad. That’s why speed limit is imposed on everyone.”

“Huh?” Abyssal gave a dumbfounded look at Meica’s explanation. The way she structure her sentences didn’t really help either.

“Speed limit is intergalactic law. In-built in all systems.”

“Wait, wait, wait. It’s not because of some random law of physics? It’s a man-made law?”

“Umu.”

“Huh? Wait, I don’t get it. Why would you cap speed like that? And everyone agreed? What the hell?”

“Because people are bad drivers. Move at sublight speed, crash into space stations and planets and other ships. Crash into asteroid fields, as well. Some crash into the sun and blackhole. At half of lightspeed, it takes forever to maneuver and stop. Controlling speed is hassle. When ship gets destroyed at sublight speed, hassle to chase all the parts as well. Law was passed by all nations after a period of incidents where several dozens planets were made uninhabitable by people breaking speed limits, or ships destroyed near planets moving at sublight speed. Also decided that time dilation was annoying so cap on speed so everyone in galaxy has proper timeframes. Speed limit only bypassed by military ships at certain times.”

"What about travelling then? Wouldn’t it take a long time to move around the galaxy like that?” Abyssal asked.

“Have warps and hyperlanes, why need move at fraction of speed of light? Safer and less time dilation,” Meica asked back.

“...I see. Now that you mention it…”

“Also, bypassing speed limit is felony and universally reviled act. Pirate with modified systems will get shot on the spot by space police, treated as terrorists. Also, Meica’s opinion, if no speed limit, space battle boring. Good law,” Meica said as she gave a thumbs up.

“You say that… but won’t people who can bypass this limit have an advantage in battle?”

“Depends. People are bad drivers, hard to maneuver around stealth mines and stuff. Moving faster in space doesn’t mean victory. Can also be detrimental. Also, space jousting is boring and takes forever to solve.”

“I see… I think I get it now.”

‘To think it was actually a law… who would have known…’ Abyssal thought to herself. She also agreed that space jousting was boring. It’s never fun in games, sure as hell won’t be fun in real life.

“People made-up scare stories so young and dumb people don’t break law. That’s why snobby maid-drone don’t know nyahaha.”

"I see…” Abyssal said before letting out a small laugh. “Well, that cleared a lot of things. Thanks Meica!" Abyssal said out loud, clapping her hands to the Nekomi in front of her. No voice came out though. Her personal drone, Kaon, only clanged its two robotic arms together.

Seeing this response, Meica raised her chest even further. She looked very content on just sharing out her knowledge to Abyssal.

"Hey, hey, Abyssal! Do you know about the…" Meica said before trailing off to tell Abyssal about various other things.

She just went on and on about how various other small and minor stuff on a spaceship works. Things like how the life supports system filter and recycle water within the space ships. Or things like how there are several ways of achieving artificial gravity on a ship, through usage of centrifugal force or via the usage of the more expensive gravity plates like what the current ship was using.

Meica was definitely excited about the matter. Her ears perked up and her tail waved left and right. The way Meica spoke was like a child talking about the things that she loves. Abyssal could see a little bit of her younger self in Meica as she continued to listen in without interrupting her. Although, that's not to say that Abyssal wasn't interested in the things she was saying either. Abyssal space nerd eyes sparkled at the revelation of the information that long eluded her.

….…...

"Meica sure knows a lot, huh. I'm impressed!"

"Nyaa! Meica learn alot from books and videotube! Abyssal is bad though. May be a ship but Abyssal doesn't know a lot of things, nyahaha," Meica replied with a loud laugh.

Abyssal flinched slightly at Meica's statement. "Th-that's not true, aha ha ha," Abyssal said as she scratched the back of her head.

"Hmmm..." Meica gave a blank stare at Abyssal.

"Of-of course I know about all those things! I… right! I was just testing your knowledge about the matter. Rest assured, you have passed with flying colours, Meica," Abyssal gave a (fake) confident smile and a thumbs up.

"Really, nyaa?" Meica gave Abyssal a deadpan stare.

"Really!" Abyssal replied, her eyes looking away from Meica.

"..." Meica didn't respond, she only continued to glare at Abyssal.

"A-anyways. What's your story, Meica?" Abyssal asked, trying to shift the topic.

Meica tilted her head at the question. "Story?"

"Yeah. Kuon told me hers, so I was wondering what's your story. You seem to know a lot about space travel. I'm surprised that this is actually the first time you've been on a spaceship."

"This is not my first time on a ship."

"Huh?"

"I told nyaa, Meica engineer. Meica worked on many things before, including spaceship. But first time actually leaving planet and entering space."

"Hoooh. But aren't you quite young to be an engineer. A little bit underage if you ask me. You are what? Fifteen?"

"Meica has lots of brothers. All mechanics and engineers, as well. Family taught me everything. Family motto is `Start young, have a brighter future’!"

“I see. Sounds like you have a good family.”

“Yep. Nekomis’ are like one big family!”

"I see. They must be worried sick about you then. We should probably get you back to your—"

"Don't want! Meica wants to explore space!" Meica stood defiantly, her tail stiffly pointed upwards.

"Ehh… but you should at least let your family know that you are fine, ya know… for all they know, you just disappeared into thin air for like a month or two.”

"When at port, Meica will send a letter to home. Let them know I am alright. Abyssal no need to worry about me," Meica said energetically with a smile.

"Oh… Alright, I guess."

"Yep, yep. Abyssal understands me right? Space is exciting! Wanna go on an adventure! I always wished to explore the stars!" Meica wagged her tail at Abyssal.

"That makes the two of us. I've always wanted to explore space as well," Abyssal said with a smile. "Space is exciting alright!"

Meica nodded her head vigorously at Abyssal's statement. It was then that she suddenly let out a huge yawn.

"You should get some sleep, Meica. Space travel will require lots of energy and a healthy body! Don't you neglect your sleep now."

"...um. Ok. I'll go back to my room now. Night night Abyssal," Meica let out another yawn before moving to her room.

"Goodnight and sweet dreams," Abyssal waved at Meica as she made her way to the exit of the bridge.

….…...

'Abby. List down every single blindspot in the ship for me ,will you?' Abyssal asked Abby the moment that Meica left the bridge. The hologram emitter was shut off and Abyssal used her personal drone to move over to Meica’s workstation in the bridge.

"Affirmative. Apply extra surveillance on entity Meica?" Abby asked after sending a layout of the entire ship and the blindspots within.

'Yes please. I don't like admitting it, but... Kuon might be right about her. Something just feels off. She's a good person, but she's definitely hiding something…'

"Affirmative. Entity Meica is now under extra surveillance. Will notify when the entity enters any of the ship's blindspot."

Meica mentions that she didn't know what the name of her planet was nor the way back to it. How then, would she be able to send a letter back home if she doesn't know where or what her planet is? It could be something that silly that Abyssal didn't know like an galaxy wide email or something. Though the bigger possibility is that Meica was lying about her origins.

"Assign Meica the rank of probationary cadet. I'm fine with having secrets but I'm not overly fond of a lying crewmember," Abyssal said to herself as she observed Meica through her camera network.

Abyssal may be dumb, but she is no fool.