Shipboard Conversations I
"Beka?"
"Yes Trance?"
"Do you think Rommie is pretty?"
"I guess."
"No, I mean, really pretty."
"I'm not sure I..."
"Cute even. Do you think she's cute?"
"Well, maybe. I don't really..."
"I think she's cute."
"You think everyone is cute."
"True. But I think Rommie is really cute."
"Oh my god!"
"What?"
"You fancy Andromeda!"
"I do not!"
"Trance. You do realise Rommie is a starships central AI core? She's not real."
"She's a very cute starship. And she is too real."
"Her avatar is an android, built by Harper. You know, metal and plastic and synth-skin."
"You said her synth-skin felt very real."
"I did not!"
"Yes you did, you said it felt real, and soft, and that it tasted like cinnamon."
"I..."
"Why are you blushing?"
"I'm not!"
"Yes you are. Rommie said you blushed a lot."
"I do not blush a lot!"
"When you were helping her try on that new underwear she manufactured, because she thought she wanted to try wearing real underwear, and by the way I'm really hurt I wasn't invited to come along and help."
"I don't blush!"
"You do when I do this."
"Trance! Stoppit!"
"And Rommie totally noticed you were checking her out, by the way."
"What?"
"When you were helping her on with her bra. You don't think she didn't notice do you?"
"I wasn't checking out Rommie!"
"That's okay. I kinda like her too. And she said you weren't to feel embaressed."
"You were talking to her about this?"
"Oh yeah! Rommie tells me everything. Or at least, not everything. But most stuff. Did you know Harper and Tyr..."
"And she thought I was checking her out?"
"Sure, 'cos, you know, even when her back is turned, her shipboard sensors can totally watch and tell her when somebody is looking at her butt."
"Oh."
"I'm still your favouritest lucky charm though, yeah?"
"Always Trance. Always."