Bonus Story for A Post Fit For Chirpr (A Companion Piece to the WPA Art Piece) (Patreon)

Hey Commissioned Pioneers! Just to clarify, this isn't the bonus story of the month, but it's a bonus story that I felt compelled to write because I was so inspired by the art piece I had commissioned of Emma and the armor! The bonus story of the month will come out in the usual time frame! So please enjoy this small glimpse into the context behind the art piece in the meantime! :D

Following Tradition

Earth - Atlantic Ocean - Special Administrative Zone under requisition by the United Nations Science Advisory - Institute of Anomalous Studies (IAS) Pilot Research Facility Codename: ATLANTIS II

4 Months Before Second Contact

Emma

“You know what the pilots and astronauts of old have in common with the space explorers of yesteryear and the pioneers of today?” I asked, taking the same route to the Exoreality and Atypical Materials Research and Development Wing as I usually did.

“What?” Captain Li responded, his tone of voice matching the enthusiasm for what I had in store. 

“That tradition of standing in front of your plane, ship, vessel, or whatever and posing for a photo before you take the first plunge into the unknown. I… I know this might be a bit like egocentric of me to do, but I sorta wanna you know-”

“-join the ranks of the giants that came before us?” The Captain finished off my sentence for me, prompting me to smile sheepishly in response as I shrugged somewhat.

“Y-yeah. I mean, yes sir.” 

“Bah! That’s nothing to be ashamed of!” The LREF Captain shouted boisterously, just as we reached the lab, and stood in the middle of the central walkway. “Because you know what, Cadet? Having a bit of an ego isn’t so bad. In fact, it’s what ties all of the great pioneers together! Jebediah Herman, the first human to go to warp! Jackie Setanta, the first human to reach another star system!”

“Well have you heard of the first human to do a spacewalk in warp?” Another voice suddenly entered the conversation, as the ever-exhausted and grumpy-looking red-haired scientist came into view. 

“Huh? Who’s that, Ivo?” Captain Li responded in a surprisingly colloquial way, a point that I’d noticed between the pair on almost every one of their interactions. 

This clearly didn’t sit well with the man as he grumbled out a bunch of incomprehensible words before continuing. “Well that’s fair Captain Li, because they were also the last.” The scientist then turned towards me with a scrupulous look. “And do you also know what ties the former two great ‘pioneers’ together, Cadet Emma Booker?”

“They both died upon accomplishing their missions as well.” 

“Exactly, no amount of ego will ever prepare you for that greatest challenger to all of science — the unknown variable. And arguably you will have it the most difficult of all, Cadet. I can only assume that you already know why that would be the case.”

“I do, Doctor.” I nodded respectfully. 

“Go on?”

“Erm, it’s part of the mission spec, you know, the lack of support from home, the lack of a crew to bank on, the lack of a supply line, the lack of a commline, the lack of everything.”

“Hmm.” Was the Doctor’s only response, as he walked away, but not before turning to Captain Li, first. “Well at least one of you is competent enough to have a clear grasp of the dangers that lie ahead. Now, what are you here for exactly?”

The Captain and I quickly exchanged the same anxious glances, which soon turned into a pair of equally confident and mischievous knowing looks, before turning back towards the Doctor.

“The symmetry in your expressions concerns me.”

“We want to get a photo taken of the armor.” Captain Li and I spoke at practically the same time. “And you’re going to authorize it.” The Captain continued, urging the scientist with a surprisingly firm ultimatum.

One that the Doctor didn’t back down from for a good few seconds, before finally, he let out a snort. “Yes, I’ll authorize that without a doubt, absolutely. I’ll authorize something so childish and unnecessary and goes against protocol, and against the proper archival procedures. In turn potentially having me liable for any transgressions incurred. All because of you two.”

“Come on, do you really not want to have an iconic image attached to your legacy, Ivo?”

“Einstein’s portrait of his tongue sticking out is not the most flattering.”

“But it’s the most iconic! And this isn’t that either. It’s more like the image of Jebediah standing next to the LX-01-e. Or Jackie Sentata with that victory pose just as she arrived in the Alpha Centauri system! The machines and equipment behind them are immortalized in those pictures!” The Captain pleaded his case. “Come on! Don’t you want to save anything for posterity?” 

“... I suppose it would be an amusing portrait to take.” Dr. Mekis mused. 

“Yes!” Calico announced, turning towards me with a fistbump. 

“On the condition that this will go through the appropriate archival channels. No shirking around it either. I’ll be watching you closely.” The Doctor quickly added.

“Just like old times then.” He winked, prompting the scientist to cross his arms, looking away with a huff and a grumble.

“Alright Emma, I hope you have some poses in mind.” The Captain grinned my way.

“I have a few ideas…” I grinned widely, before leaping towards the platform with the armor in a hurried sprint. 

“Just try not to be immature about it…” The scientist added from a catwalk away, as he tried his best to ignore the shenanigans currently underway.