The Optimum Project

Chapter 29

Limits

My eyes widened but I tried to stay calm, "elaborate"

Tom again seemed to pause as he constructed a response, 'my technological limitations are in fact confined to the boundaries of your imagination and ingenuity. Therefore, the human definition of being unpredictable extends to the advancement of your own selves.' He paused again for a moment, 'this is a better way to explain it, your limits are my limits.'

I relaxed at this, "so you are a 100% modular piece of technology, however; you are bound to obey the one controlling you?" I got the equivalent of a mental nod and was satisfied he wasn't going to turn into a rogue AI bent on controlling the universe.

'That's an irrational fear Noah, do you have technophobia?' Tom asked, and I could've sworn there was some sass in that.

I did my best to ignore his comment and picked up my gear again, handing it to the guy overseeing our stuff so it could be placed in cargo pods. I thanked the man and pulled out my tablet, sending a quick message to Sarah asking if they had found a transport shuttle yet.

I looked around and joined a group of people prepping to go out the air lock, making sure my mag boots were charged and my helmet was on securely. I'd been on a few space walks, working on the turret or another vital external system while out in space, and it's terrifying to do.

Once everything was in place and ready we all filed in and waited for the airlock to gradually depressurize, I noticed a lot of kids were fidgeting, nervous about their first space walk I guess. I flexed my wrists and noticed Jason, the jerk with the red streak in his hair, a bit in front of me, and I prayed he wouldn't board the same shuttle as Sarah, Bree, and I.

I walked out onto the deck and used my suits sensors, this area was in fact effected by the gravity generators, though at a much weaker rate, I walked carefully towards the shuttles and boarded 21, the one Sarah had messaged me about while in the airlock, I got in yet another air lock and let the room recompress, allowing me to take off my suit and stow it away.

The shuttle wasn't exactly a shuttle, it was a modified p23 troop carrier, this particular model was stripped of most armaments, but still had enough to hold its own against a squadron of fighters though. I looked around the inside, and Tom automatically gave me a technical layout of the whole rig, I pushed it aside and sat down with Bree and Sarah near the back, where we talked about what we planned to do after our training.

"I'm going to probably be in a fighter squadron," this was Bree, "maybe I'll be a commander someday." Sarah and I agreed, she was definitely one of the best fighter pilots here. I turned and asked Sarah the same question.

"Well... I'd like to go into command, you know? Battle strategy and all that?" I nodded, she was a superb strategist.

"What about you Noah? What do you want to be?" She asked. I thought about it, scratching at Toms nanite core as I did so.

"I don't know," I finally replied, "maybe combat and ship engineering?" I turned to Bree, "you could be my test pilot!"

She blanched, "I'd rather be stuck cleaning toilets."

We all had a good laugh, and talked until launch. I was going to see my dad in just two days time...