FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Sutopia

Ch 4, Sfriend: Space Friend

Logan had honestly enjoyed the time he'd spent talking with Pete but the moment he found out that that his new companion had been sent by his niece the young man really wasn't sure what to think. In the short time he'd been exposed to his new life in 'the future' she had been a constant presence that he couldn't escape. Although Pete had seemed genuinely really 'get' him, Logan couldn't help but second guess their relationship.

He wasn't entirely sure that he could accept Pete's response to his question. "She didn't send me, per se, but she was worried about you so I took it upon myself to see if you needed some help."

On the look-out for a gotcha moment, Logan called him on that statement. "And you knew right where to find me?"

Pete responded by reaching up and tapping his own temple with an index finger. "Uplink. You can find anyone at any time so long as they're in range of the metanet."

Logan reached up and rubbed his forehead, wondering if he really could track anyone. His mind wandered just enough that his uplink pulled up Star's exact location; she was two floors down and one hall over from him at what was labeled as an entertainment establishment. "Wow... stalkers must have it easy these days."

His companion offered an easy smile. "I can imagine that you'll continue to have some hardships in getting used to life in this day and age, Logan... and, just so you know, it is perfectly normal to deflect."

Sitting up straighter, Logan stared across the table. "What do you mean, deflect?"

Pete gestured to him. "We were talking about whether or not Star sent me, and that the thought of me being here with ulterior motives may have changed your opinion of me. I explained how I found you and then you used humor to redirect the conversation. I just want you to know that I am comfortable discussing my relationship or, in this case, my lack of a relationship with your niece. You don't have to feel the need to tip toe around answers for fear of alienating or offending me."

Logan blinked blandly. "You sound like a therapist."

Immediately regretting what could have been taken as an insult, the young man was surprised when his companion laughed with verve, even going so far as to holding his abdomen as he bent over in a uproarious guffaw. It was at least thirty seconds before Pete recovered, wiping a tear away from his eye. Settling down, the man slapped his leg. "I guess it's good that I know how to do my job then!"

Logan stared at Pete for several seconds before he concluded that he was either very foolish or completely off-base. "Wait-- so you ARE a shrink? I thought you were an instructor or something."

Pete folded his hands in his lap. "The transition from a culture that existed centuries ago into a more modern view of trans-humanity can be confusing at best, and debilitating at worst. Having someone who is familiar with trauma informed care and psychological theory provide instruction to Class 1s is a requirement for the lunar Corpus Virto clinic. Is it okay that I am trained in mental healthcare?"

The way Pete asked the question seemed almost insane in Logan's mind; why would a patient have any say in the process? Even as he considered the question he realized just how silly it was; why shouldn't he get to choose what he wanted and needed? He was just thinking how much he hated the idea of Star ruling all aspects of his life! Still trying to balance the numerous thoughts in his mind, the young man ended up letting out a long breath as he sighed. "I dunno... I guess?"

Pete reached out and rested a hand on Logan's. "Hey... the whole point of these classes is to get you to a place where you can feel a little more confident... maybe not COMFORTABLE at first with how much has changed, but at least capable of taking the first steps on the road toward your new role in trans-humanity."

Logan couldn't have possibly explained what compelled him to blurt it out, but before he could stop himself, the words emerged. "Like being okay having sex with my niece?"

His future-instructor didn't even bat an eye. "Is that something you would like to do?"

"NO! I mean... I don't think so... no. It seems..."

Pete offered a calming smile. "Weird?"

Logan couldn't have found a better word, but it seemed strange just letting it sit at that. "Having sex with family members isn't something that was okay for my entire life. It still sounds-- yeah... weird. That, and, I mean... she's a fox girl!"

"Do you find that unappealing?"

Back when he was younger Logan had seen a therapist for awhile. He had a hard time parsing his thoughts and, in the end, he had to interrupt himself when he realized he wanted an answer that wouldn't be forthcoming. "Fuck, I dunno! I haven't ever really thought about it! What about you? Is that the kind of thing YOU'RE into? Wait-- I know the answer: you're not going to say because this is about me and not about you, right?"

He was surprised when Pete actually answered. "Psychology has changed a lot in the last handful of centuries; I am perfectly comfortable answering your question, Logan. Yes, I believe Star is quite lovely from an aesthetic point of view but, as for having sex with her? No. I am a very content romantic asexual-- I prefer meaningful emotional relationships unencumbered with sexual activity."

Logan was unable to come up with a reply; not only was he used to a therapist being so willing to talk about themselves, but he was so assaulted by sexual themes during his first day in 'the future' he'd almost lost the capacity to accept that not everyone in the world was a raging horn-ball. "Well... uh... okay."

Pete offered another calming smile and sat back in his chair. "I can imagine that you have been overloaded with the sex-positive nature of modern culture. Is it hard to accept that not all of us are all about sex all day every day?"

"I don't have anything against sex.... It's just... a little bit of an overload with how all-over-the-place it is, that's all."

His future-instructor nodded thoughtfully. "Well... just so long as you know that an invitation doesn't require acceptance. Nobody will force you into anything, and if you tell someone 'no' they'll respect it. Take it from someone who says 'no' a lot."

Logan said nothing for a long time, just eyeing his companion. There was something beyond likable about Pete; he had this air about him that made Logan want to push aside all of his concerns about him 'working for Star' and just take their time together at face value. He also realized during his time with Pete that he wasn't alone in his opinion. "You are REALLY well liked around here, aren't you?"

Pete chuckled, and blushed just a little. "It comes with the territory, Logan. I've spent the last six years here on the moon working with people-- not just awakening Class 1s, but a lot of the folks who call this installation home."

Thinking back to the few interactions he'd had, in retrospect, despite them being so uncomfortable at the time, everyone seemed incredibly nice. "Seems like most everyone I met is... like... REALLY friendly. It's a little scary."

His companion folded his hands in his lap again. "Oh really? I know based on your file and Sum scans that you led a very introverted live back in the 22nd... I suppose it's safe to say by now that you realize hiding away from everyone these days is a little more difficult. We may stretch out across the solar system, but trans-humanity is actually closer together than ever thanks to the metanet and modern social systems."

Logan realized as he said the words that he was deflecting with humor again. "So you mean nosy neighbors are even worse now?"

Pete brushed his slacks off and slowly stood. "I'll tell you what, Logan... when we meet in class tomorrow let's focus on spending more time talking about you. Others are settled in and have their own way of doing thing, but you and I should work on helping you do the same-- find your pace-- get more comfortable... maybe be just a touch more socialable so those nosy neighbors won't have so much of a reason to be nosy?"

The way Pete spoke those last words quietly and accentuated by a wink made Logan realize that his companion was poking fun at him... just a little. "Hmm... my therapist back in MY time said that I need to come out of my shell too."

Pete shrugged. "Well... they weren't wrong but, then again, if you are an introvert there's nothing wrong with that either. You may need to work on socializing just a little more-- it doesn't have to be a lot."

Logan again knew he was deflecting (damn Pete for making him realize it) but he asked anyway. "Is that why you work for the integration system? Are you doing it so you can socialize on the clock and get paid for it?"

Rather than be insulted, or even calling Logan on the deflection, Pete once again opened up and provided an answer. "Money doesn't add value to the day, Logan-- liking my job does. I do what I do because I like helping people-- people like you. I realize the value in having someone who can listen, and who can understand. I still remember what it's like integrating into society. Sure, I was raised in it, but there is a really big learning curve when it comes to trans-humanity and the metanet. It was an eye-opening experience for me, and the counselor I had helping me made a big difference... I guess I just want to be able to be that resource for others."

The young man huffed. "Sure... but I bet the money doesn't hurt though, right?"

He once again got Pete to laugh. "I suppose, if you're into collecting tools. Really, at the end of the day, that's all money is. It's honestly an oudated method for economics, but it's so useful and fluid that there hasn't been any suitable system to completely replace it... so, yes... money IS nice, but it's not everything."

"But you live on the moon... so that's gotta account for something. Can't be cheap here, am I right?"

Pete's smile disappeared, and he slowly shook his head. Gesturing toward the wall with the windows looking out to space, he began moving in that direction. "Far from it-- the opposite, actually. I probably wouldn't be living on the moon if it was that important. Despite how close we are to Earth, the moon is a pretty backwater settlement... there are a LOT of habs that provide a much better quality of living than a repurposed industrial center."

Logan got up and walked after him. "What's that supposed to mean? Star lives here, so I figured that the moon is 'the place to be'."

Pete let out a sigh, stopping a good two feet before the wall, gazing out into the inky blackness. "Oh, she definitely has a flare for theatricality, that much is sure... and you won't find a much better place for that than on a sky scraper on the moon. From what I understand she was one of the first round of settlers here but, unlike her, almost everyone who was here during the heyday has moved on-- the mass exodus from the moon has been well underway for nearly fifty years now. This is no longer the 'happening' place it was back in the early 23rd century... or even 50 years ago, for that matter."

Logan let out a groan, walking up to the window and resting his head against it. "You're talking about my future as your past."

He lost track almost immediately of what Pete was saying; up so close, Logan was actually able to look down through the incredibly thick glass and he was able to clearly make out the white surface of the moon. It wasn't that he doubted what Pete said about them being on the moon, but actually catch sight of it with his eyes made it that much more real. Inexplicably, he found himself starting to hyperventilate, and he had to step away from the scene. "Fuck... we're on the moon! There's, like... just glass between us and... and the moon... and space... and stuff..."

Pete stepped up beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder. Unlike all the other times someone had ever touched him in such a way it had felt demeaning or insincere to Logan but, in that moment, all he could feel was comfort. "It's quite a view the first time, isn't it? That vast stretch of white nothing..."

Logan could only nod. "Yeah..."

His companion gave him a firm pat before smirking; Logan caught sight of him as a ghostly reflection given off of the glass before Pete added "And, technically, it's not glass-- that's epoxy layered, reinforced polycarbonate with transparent aluminum casing."

The young man could tell that Pete was razzing him; despite his usually displeased attitude when it came to being educated without being asked, Logan couldn't help but smile back. "Well fuck you too, Pete."

They shared a laugh.

* * * * *

While Logan had grown up knowing the importance of a schedule he had a lot to learn about Lunar time. Back on Earth the sun rose and fall in time with the normal day/night cycle but on the moon it was all different-- not that he'd know, seeing as his residence was situated in a single, over-sized room that created a three dimensional copy of his parents' house room by room. The fact that the frosted windows seemed to replicate the amount of sunlight that should have shone through them at a given time made a big difference, but all that went away the moment he stepped out into the hallways of the main structure and everything returned to 'it is space-o-clock outside'.

He had access to time keeping; every time he thought about it a digital clock appeared within his view-- it even switched back and forth between twelve and twenty four hour modes with nothing more than a consideration, and yet, despite having the exact time of day, he still couldn't bring himself to acknowledge it as day. It was a small thing, almost imperceptible to a guy who once had a 30 hour binge on his favorite FPS game heedless of the day and a half that passed, and yet, as he walked down the halls trying to familiarize himself with his new surroundings, there was too much going on for him not to notice the difference.

Pete had walked him through a few of the simple apps on his uplink device and so he had no trouble heading down the halls to his scheduled orientation class. He was thankful for that knowledge, knowing just how easy it had been the prior night to get lost. With that thought on his mind, his musings were interrupted by a meek voice speaking up behind him. "Um... excuse me... sir?"

The casual uncertainty, the lack of conviction and the lack of a stranger using his actual name normally created a sense of social unease in Logan but, in that moment, he knew immediately that he was being addressed by someone who was from HIS time, and it created a sense of surprising joy in him. Turning around, he saw a middle-aged woman, perhaps twenty years his senior. She was dressed in the same matte gray shirt-and-slacks combo as he, identifying her immediately as a recent Corpus Verto awakened from the past and her short, curly hair was decidedly mundane compared to many of the styles he'd seen in the past day.

Although he was tempted to offer her a reassuring smile, Logan realized that he'd had far too many of them in the past day himself, and presumed something more 22nd century was in order. He went with the tried and true "Huh? What?"

The smile that lit up her face was anything but a surprise; he imagined he probably would have done the same if given the chance after everyone's gracious friendliness assailing him. She looked immediately more at ease. "Are... are you in the orientation thing? I mean... are you a 'Class 1' too?"

Logan imagined that he'd probably had the same look on his face the moment Pete had found him, and the sense of camaraderie he felt in that moment with the strange woman was enough to put a genuine smile on his face. "Yeah. Hi. My name's Logan."

He held his hand out to her and her smile only grew. She smacked her palm to his, squeezing it as if it were a life preserver in the hands of a drowning woman and she shook it profusely. "Lillian. Oh god... I never thought I'd miss a handshake so much!"

Despite how pleased he was to meet someone normal, the apparent emotional significance to her made him just a little uneasy, and he waited impatiently for her to release her grip. Once she did he wiped his palm off on his slacks. He offered a slightly more forced smile. "Takes some getting used to around here, am I right?"

She sighed, stepping up beside him and stepping into pace once he started moving again. "Yeah... tell me about it. Everyone here is... well... a little crazy. I can't imagine ever getting used to this place. You said your name is Logan? How long have you been awake? You seem to know your way around better than I do. Have you been waiting for orientation classes long? Did you see that we're on the MOON? Have you met anyone else from our time? When did YOU upload?"

Her rapid-fire questions were starting to chip away at Logan's goodwill but he tried hard to control his normally introverted tendencies. "I'm from 2122. I went through Corpus Verto yesterday, so, no, I haven't been waiting that long."

Lillian seemed surprise. "Oh my lord... you must have been pretty early on then. I was late 2123. It's hard to believe that it's so many hundreds of years later. I... I honestly don't know what to expect."

Rather than respond to her comment, Logan just offered a noncommittal nod and continued down the hall. Lillian continued to talk with him (more like AT him) until he came to a stop and gestured to the right. "End of this hall."

She paused. "You've only been awake about as long as I have, and you already know your way around this maze?"

He didn't have the heart to tell her that the building was, in essence, one big circle with multiple levels. "The uplink makes it easy once you learn how to use it."

Everything seemed to click for Lillian. "Oh! You mean the implant? My integration officer told me I had one, but he said I'd learn more about it during integration."

Logan continued down the side passage toward the door at the end. "Yeah. I spent most of my time after the Corpus Verto learning how it worked figuring out commands and how to control my residential quarters."

Lillian giggled. "Oh... I was just fine with the light switch in my room-- no sense worrying about all the complex commands on my implant."

Thinking the two of them must have had a different understanding of what 'control' meant for their residential quarters, Logan decided to let it go as he used his uplink to open the door; it parted before the two of them and he gestured her inside. It may have been a bit passe, but he figured she would appreciate it. "Ladies first." Her smile told him that he was right.

The integration class room was about the same size as one of the instructor labs in the learning annex he'd gone to back when he had tried his hand at college, but there were significantly fewer work stations, and no computers. There were a total of eight tables, each accompanied by two ergonomic chairs. He mumbled to himself. "Sixteen..."

Lillian picked up on it. "Oh-- my integration officer said that our class would have a total of twelve students, so that means--"

Logan came to that conclusion for himself: four students would have a table to themselves. Quickly seizing the opportunity, the young man grabbed the table nearest himself, stacked one of the chairs there on top of the other, and took a seat, efficiently and effortlessly claiming the entire station for himself. Only half-glancing to Lillian, Logan said "They'll probably start with uplink commands... you should find a partner at your skill level so you can help each other."

It was a cold, calculated statement, but, after experiencing just how needy Lillian was Logan realized that he was not up to the task of mentoring her, helping her get caught up, partnering with her, or even sitting at the same table as her. She mumbled something about him having a good idea before heading off toward the front of the room; he carefully avoided looking at her so as to not decipher whether or not he'd insulted or inconvenienced her. It was, after all, a lot easier to be indifferent if he didn't have to appraise the results of his brushoff of the needy woman.

Despite his usual dislike of organized classes, Logan was able to sit with relative calm as everyone else arrived. Having been the only one in his class who had been familiar with the navigation feature (or most features, apparently) of his uplink, the young man (and Lillian) had been the first to arrive. Others began trickling in over the course of the next several minutes and, as they started talking to one another, he quickly picked up that he was NOT the most screwed up person present, and that was a great relief. Apparently the time he'd spent with Pete the prior night had done some good.

Even as Logan thought about the instructor, the man arrived. Smiling pleasantly (but not excessively) to the group, he made his way to the front of the class room. "Good morning, everyone. My name is Peter Noah... but you can call me Pete."

Logan smirked to himself when he saw most of the group jump in surprise; he realized that their HUD displayed his name for them. He also noticed that Pete sent a wink his way, identifying that the man also realized what had happened; it was the first in-joke Logan could remember being part of, and that was particularly significant considering just how out-of-place he'd felt in the 28th century. It also reaffirmed to him that he was making progress in getting used to his new life.

The next ten minutes were spent explaining to the class that he had sent an electronic command to everyone's uplinks so that his personal ID would be easy for them to obtain and that, in most cases, they would have to upload it themselves. He was just finishing his explanation of how to send and receive identifiers when the door opened and the twelfth student entered. Pete smiled. "Well, there's the final student. I'm glad you were able to find the classroom okay, Mr. Knight."

All heads rotated past Logan who, at the back of the room, was able to turn back and catch sight of the newest member of class: it was Harper FUCKING Knight! The biggest name in blockbuster movies was LITERALLY five feet from him! Standing well over six foot tall, Harper Knight had always had a knack for making an entrance; supposedly the press never had trouble finding him because he literally stood head and shoulders above the rest of the glitz and glamour at any event.

Logan found himself looking up and up and up at the man, who took two steps into the room and looked down at him. "Spare a chair, kid?"

Although Harper was only about ten years older than himself, Logan was not about to object to whatever noun the movie start wanted to use when calling on him and he quickly stood up, slipping one chair out for the movie star. Harper took it with a nod, slid it around so that that the back faced forward, and straddled it, taking a seat. Never the one to get particularly excited about meeting anyone, Logan was, nevertheless, a little star struck; Harper Knight was sitting next to him!

He wasn't the only one to stare; the entire class was focused on the newcomer. It took Pete three tries to get Logan's attention, and at least that many for everyone else. "Alright, everyone-- you're all here for the same purpose, even Mr. Knight. Let's focus on class so you can all benefit from orientation. Shall we?"

Harper gestured forward. "Come on, folks... autographs can wait. Like Pete says, we're all here to learn."

Logan was surprised that his desk-mate knew Pete's name, especially since he hadn't been present for the introduction. Harper didn't miss his surprise, leaning over and offering him a wink. "Relax, kid... everyone here knows everyone else... it's the implant thing they gave us. I learned a few tricks. Stick with me and you'll be up to speed in no time."

Struck dumb by the blockbuster actor speaking to him, let alone offering to help, Logan barely registered that the man really didn't have anything to teach him in that regard, and the rebellious side of him couldn't help but remind him that if Harper really WAS that good with his uplink then he wouldn't have been late. Then again, Logan reasoned, Harper was a movie star and so being 'fashionably late' was exactly the kind of thing to expect of him. He somehow managed to maintain his composure as class continued.