LotS/The Story/Tales of The Void/Ayesha Breaks Free

This one's the kid's," Susie said. "Ayesha Vall."

"Isn't she a bit young to be sabotaging ships?" Remmler asked.

"Probably. But orders are orders."

The door opened, revealing the brand of apocalypse which only a teenage girl can create. Articles of clothing were strewn about the room. Some lay in pools on the floor, forming a colorful wasteland of cloth and leather. Others were draped over every single piece of furniture. Sweater arms and pants legs dangled like the tentacles of lethargic monsters.

"Maybe someone planted a bomb in her trunk," Remmler said.

Susie sighed. The two of them picked their way through the debris, examining each garment and accessory. Remmler opened her trunk. He reached inside and tapped.

"False bottom," he said. "It's locked. The old-fashioned way."

"Move aside."

Susie pulled out her lockpicks. She didn't often have a chance to use the archaic tools, and an opportunity was always welcome. It only took a little fumbling. The lock clicked open, and she pulled the cover aside. Remmler leaned over her shoulder.

The two of them whistled.

"You've got to be kidding me..." he said.

"I guess I'll tell one," Ayesha said.

She looked around, daring anyone to challenge her. But there were only indulgent smiles and nods. The girl grunted, clinking her nose rings.

05:53, 9 November 2013 (CST)

"One day all this will be yours," Aubrey Vall said.

"Whatever..." Ayesha yawned and picked her nails. God, her uncle was so boring...

"This isn't a laughing manner!"

"I wasn't laughing. I was yawning. Can I go now?"

"Ayesha Millicent Vall!" her aunt said. "Your uncle is trying to teach you about the family business! When you're older-"

"Feels like I'm already a year older than when we started this crap."

"Go to your room!"

"Finally!"

Ayesha left the balcony, stomped through her uncle's study, and tried to slam the door behind her. The door's sensors prevented such uncouthness, however. She had to make do with kicking it a couple of times from the outside instead. This hurt her foot, and did little to improve her mood.

A petite, grey-haired woman accosted her in the corridor.

"Ayesha! You missed your military history lesson! We were supposed to be studying the Battle of Arginusae!"

"I don't care!"

"But-"

"Did we lose?"

"What? No, this planet wasn't even-"

"Then why'd I need to know about it?"

"Because-"

Ayesha had already rounded the corner. The teacher's annoying voice faded into a humph of displeasure. The girl liked that sound. It always told her she'd won. With that victory fresh in her soul, she ignored the bowing menials whose constant attentions always aggravated her, made her way to her bedroom, and threw herself onto the bed.

The bed's advanced systems shifted the mattress around her body in an attempt to maximize her comfort. She punched it until it stopped. Everything in this stupid house thought it knew what was best for her -- even the damn bed. As was often the case, this displeased her. Even the morose girl in the mirror, who shared her discontent, was proving vexing. So Ayesha grabbed a hefty, jewel encrusted box from her bedside table and threw it at the mirror. But a small droid whirred into life, shot across the intervening space, and caught it. The teenager swore. She couldn't even break stuff!

Ayesha slumped back down on the mattress and waved at the entertainment center. A huge holographic screen opened above her. It displayed a number of unicorns in bright primary and secondary colors. They appeared to be engaged in some kind of absurd adventure.

"Why are you playing this crap?" she asked.

A holographic teddy bear appeared next to the screen. It floated parallel with the girl below, like the galaxy's most ridiculous ghost.

"But, Ayesh, you used to love this show!"

"God, update your stupid protocols! I don't watch kid's stuff anymore! Put something better on, or I'll cut your face off and juggle with it!"

"Golly, Ayesh! That isn't a nice thing to say!"

"Oh, go fuc-"

"Anti-swear mode activated! La la la la la la la la la la la la la la!"

Ayesha now remembered why she seldom watched TV in her bedroom. She grabbed a pillow and threw it at the bear. However, gravity was on the bear's side. The pillow rippled through his body and fell back down on her face. This did little to improve her disposition.

"Don't you have another AI? Something that isn't a total loser?"

"Yes, but your uncle and aunt approved me as the most wholesome and suitable-"

"Screw them! Give me a better AI or I'll delete your files!"

"But-"

"Now!"

The bear blurred and flickered. Its body bulged outwards and morphed, until it settled into the shape of a walrus.

"Walruses are stupid! Try again!"

"Perhaps if you requested parameters..." the walrus said.

"Something cool!"

"We walruses often live in temperatures that-"

"Don't try to be cute! You know what I meant!"

The walrus blurred and reformed into the image of a handsome teenage boy with a gleaming white grin, strawberry blond hair, and the musculature of a stylized marble statue.

"Lame! If I saw a guy like that I'd stab him for being a douchebag."

"Understood. Enhancing and adapting."

The image flashed. The boy's face aged half a decade in a split-second. His hair lengthened and darkened into a splash of unkempt blackness. His jacket hardened into leather, studded with metal spikes. The offensive whiteness left his teeth. Tattoos inscribed themselves on his flesh. Jewelry took shape in his ears and eyebrows.

"I think I like this one," she said.

"I don't give a damn what you like, kid. Just tell me what you want or piss off."

"Put something on."

"Oh, that's nice and specific."

"Something I'll like."

"Oh, crap! Really? I thought you'd want me to put on a show you'd hate. Thanks for narrowing it down."

"You're kind of a jerk."

"Welcome to teenage sarcasm mode. Parameters: you."

"Put on something my aunt and uncle would hate."

"There's a rock concert on Drekchester. They're raising money for addicts."

"To get them off chems?"

"No, to buy them more chems."

"Let's see it."

The unicorns were flung into the ether. A new picture replaced them on the big screen. It showed a stage, filled with smoke and zapping laser lights. A Piscarian woman in leather garb stood in the midst of this spectacle. She held a guitar in her hands as though it were a weapon of war. Her fingers slashed across the strings, and she sang.

"Get out of my way, get out of my life, Out of my face or your balls are on my knife! Try to hold me back, make me deal with your crap? I'm not a Japanese schoolgirl for your tentacle wrap!

I'll do what I want, screw you and die! I'll do what I want, even get really high! Do what I want! Do what I want!

My parents tried it first, I told them to sod off, Think I'm gonna take it from a stupid wanker toff? Reckon you're better than me? Tell me what to do? Shoot you with my blaster till you're a puddle of pink goo!"

"She sucks, huh?" the AI said.

"She's awesome!" Ayesha said. "And she's right."

"Huh? About what?"

"About everything! Those jerks can't push me around. Screw the family business. I'm getting off this stupid planet."

"Good luck with that. How're you going to get out of here without anyone noticing?"

"Are you connected to the rest of the systems in this place?"

"Yeah."

"Then help me out, douchebag."

"Fine. A one way trip to the spaceport coming up. Just follow me..."

05:53, 9 November 2013 (CST)

"So I took some of my parents' stuff. You know, for memories and junk. Then I snuck out and went to the spaceport. And this piece of crap ship was there. Knew I should have gone with those pirates instead..."