axolotls-compass

[axolotls-compass]

10 posts!

[axolotls-compass]

Continued:

Wait a minute, is Sybertonium based on radioactivity? And did you think about radioactivity when making this? And is the overcharging based on enriched uranium? Because lot of this stuff, mainly the shooting particles, remind me of radioactive decay. Even the mostly skipping air, as to my knowledge (please cross check) since the atoms in the air are extremely spaced out. Except ours just tend to punch through because of the speed but it could be because where I learnt about the reflecting/passing through, they were shooting it(maybe rechecking about the demon core?). I guess the "undiscovered particle" part applies here. And if it is based based on radioactivity and alpha/beta particle emissions, then it is extremely impressive that they can actually use it to lift them since it would require a lot of shooting to get the job done here. It is interesting how it works(insert me using the information I gained when I was interested in radioactivity and mainly YouTube and one thing I learnt in my textbook)

I didn't purposely base it off radioactivity, I came up with the idea for Sybertonium ten years ago before I knew what radiation even was. I didn't come up with repulsor particles and the effect on space-time until last year though, and I definitely knew about radiation then, so the answer is yes, no, and I don't know.

I replied to a comment on AO3

Q: I'm interested. This is good! How does the crystal based fuel work? And how old and advanced is The Whip of Cijo? And looks like kindness won over Lola's heart here

A: There is a crystal called Sybertonium (probably gonna change the name) that occurs naturally due to extradimensional phenomena. It holds energy extremely well, and as great at blowing up and causing cancer. (still unsure on the details there) When it's at its capacity, it starts to shoot off tiny bouncy particles that travel very fast and cause cancer. With some engineering, this can be used for levitation, though it has its limits. To create Kryptonium, the form of fuel used in The Whip of Cijo, Sybertonium is ground into grains of sand. The sand is filtered and sorted by energy capacity, which is then sold by fuel grade, usually ending the process. However, the Kryptonium sand is often compacted back into crystal form, creating Compact Kryptonium. Removing the space between grains means that more energy can be stored in a smaller space, but the compaction process prevents repulsor particles from firing, making Compact Kryptonium less of a carcinogen than Sybertonium. Compacting Kryptonium sand is a simple yet expensive practice, as the heat required to recrystallize it is typically only found in close orbit of stars. The Whip of Cijo is a mid-teir ship for it's size and job and about a decade old, so maybe 1/3 of the way through its lifespan.

I actually wrote a bunch about repulsor particles about half a year ago, so I'm gonna put that here too 🙃

There is a subatomic particle that is undiscovered or does not exist in this universe that when discharged hits virtually no gas atoms, but largely hits solid atoms, sending them back in the direction they came, assuming they hit the object at a 90° angle.

Of course, some subatomic particles get trapped inside solid molecules, so perhaps extended usage has an effect on certain surfaces.

Take the OG BluePod for example. This levitated using a series of repulsors and sensors on the bottom. The sensors check the below terrain, adjust the angle of the corresponding repulsor to ensure as many subatomic particles as possible bounce back, propelling the bike upwards to create the effect of levitation.

Of course, using subatomic particles to levitate a bike and passenger, no matter how lightweight they may be, seems near impossible. This is why the BluePod was the first machine capable of doing this, and only came out within the most recent 30 years. Before this, universal repulsors were only used for small, light things, like low flying drones and were mainly for show.

As if the BluePod's use of repulsors isn't already incredible, in the last 15 years they released a new model, the BluePod 360. What makes this bike different besides the almost quadrupled price tag is that the repulsors are able to work consistently with liquids as well as solids. This is a critical feature, as one of the Union's capital worlds has a surface of 90% water.

Originally, BlueTech wanted to release a chemical compound similar to the ones in the waters of the then undiscovered planet Scalac into the Nebulan seas that would allow more particles to be reflected, but that was quickly overruled. However, the mere proposition of the idea was enough for more extreme preservationists to label BuleTech researchers and executives as carless permissives, though most just found the idea amusing.

Repulsors can be many times more affective when using the centuries old duel-repulsion setup instead of the newer universal repulsors. The idea is to have two sets of rows lined with repulsors facing each other in an interlocking fashion, discharging particles. The upper repulsors discharged particles hit the metal below it specially designed to block repulsor particles, and bounce back up, creating much more lift than if the particles hit any old surface. Below the repulsors, arranged in a grid or rail-like pattern, lie another set of repulsors, which have the same effect.

Duel-repulsion repulsors have more limits to their usage than universal repulsors because they have to have repulsor metal below, though this allows them to carry much more weight. As such, they are commonly used for lightweight lifts and trains, though magnets are also a viable option.

Though lifts carry significantly less weight, they often require repulsors just as strong as those used in trains. This is because even though the majority of particles don't collide with air atoms, some still do. This creates a light air current below repulsors and a quiet humming sound composed of the microscopic supersonic booms caused by the collision of air atoms hit with the particles, but more importantly, it means that the higher an object is levitated, the more particles need to be fired. When the repulsors are set to their unstable maximum with no extra weight aboard, they can levitate about 8 cords above their base, add or take a few centicords depending on the composition and temperature of the air. This is why repulsor lifts are not very common.

Repulsors are more affective in a vacuum as the particles have nothing but the floor to collide with, but this is near useless, because if you're going to the trouble of making the elevator shaft airtight and pumping the air out, you might as well just keep the pump and use that to levitate the lift, and this is often done. Some trains even move this way, though when they do, they typically use repulsors to eliminate collision or friction with the tube.

Repulsor trains are much simpler. They don't need to be high off the ground to eliminate friction, (excluding that with the air), just a few milicords distance does it.

Repulsors are near useless in space travel, because the particles themselves only go marginally faster than the speed of sound, meaning even in a perfect system, you're not even at sonospeed. In any case, They wouldn't work unless there is a solid object behind them, and carrying a wall behind your ship is very impractical.

The particles themselves are discharged when Sypertonium is overcharged. I haven't worked out all the links yet, but these particles are also critical for head generation, tractor beams, and holopanels.

[axolotls-compass]

Memory

The Whip of Cijo Chapter 3

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The feeling of nothing evolved into an all-encompassing pain, muscles stiff and eyes gritty. It wasn't an unfamiliar sensation, although he found it intolerable all the same. He took a breath in, fighting to keep his lungs open. That wasn't normal. Had he been vaping? Gradually, he became aware of an Exosuit surrounding him, pressure and heat massaging his body awake. He took a few more breaths, lungs hurting less with each inhale, allowing his attention to shift to his stinging shoulder and pounding head. What kind of party was he at last night?

He opened his eyes, getting a blurry view of his visor display. He blinked a few times, eyelids like dumbbells, before his vision focused on the blue popup. CRYOGENIC THAW SEQUENCE: 'Can you read this?' Y/N He stared at the blinking message for a few moments, before deciding that he indeed could read it. He tried to speak, to say that yes, he could read it, but his throat felt like it was filled with wet sand. Somehow, the visor accepted his answer anyway. It was thought-controlled, he remembered. Now that the popup was gone, he closed his eyes, ready to surrender to sleep, when a computerized voice punctured his torpid state. "You appear to have suffered serious brain and lung damage from the cryonic flash-freeze." He didn't respond, hoping that he could go back to sleep if he ignored the voice. "What is your status?" He tried to sigh, but it came out more like a creak.

"Captain Dublin Walkskin, Please respond." Was that his name?

"Squad Captain—" "Squad captain? Squad captain?", called a voice over the ship's radio. "Dammit", the voice cursed, "DUBLIN WALKSKIN, PLEASE RESPOND" Shit. He was supposed to be on standby, not thinking about Layva. "Apologies, Commander," Dublin said Hurriedly. "Squad captain, standing by." "Remember to focus squad, I guarantee there's nothing more important in your life right now than this", commander Dymathor said over the radio. Dublin hated when they did that. He'd just humiliated himself, did Dymathor really think that calling him out would do any more to help him refocus than that? An electric shock crawled through his nerves, bringing Dublin back from his flash of memory. Dublin. His name was Dublin. 'My status is poor,' Dublin thought at his visor. 'I seem to be suffering from...' Oh, what was the term... '–bad cryogenic hangover,' he finished, knowing very well that those where not the words he'd been looking for. Electricity jolted through his nerves once more, helping reactivate his nervous system. "Do you remember your mission?" 'Mission?' "Do you remember anything about yourself?" "Layva?", he asked, thinking back to the name from his flashback. "Layva Pontwozki is your romantic partner," The voice replied. The blue popup was replaced by an image showing a young couple standing in front of a railing, smiling at the camera. On the right was a man, arm wrapped around the waist of the woman, who was leaning into him. Even though the photo didn't show the back of her head, Dublin knew that her light-blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail. A few disobedient strands blew over the rest, the wind sending them over her freckled face. She smiled, though it didn't fill her dark-green eyes so much as it did her face, light-pink lips spread wide to reveal white teeth. She wore a black parka, matching the man's black jacket. The man's smile wasn't as wide as the woman's, but it was far richer, filling every bit of his hazel-brown eyes. He had short black hair styled with apparent effort; the wind not able to shake even a single strand from it's hold. Behind them was a railing that withheld a view of mountains, covered in trees and snow, a city in a distant valley. Behind them, a railing withheld a view of mountains covered with snowy trees, a city dotting a distant peak. The woman was pretty. The woman was Layva. That must mean he was the man. "I remember her," He said, voice beginning to sound. Another shock shot down his spine and through his nerves. This time, Dublin could feel even more, his pain down to more of an ache, aside from his shoulder, where he could feel his heart-rate increase in response to the shock. "Maintain a normal breathing rate," the voice commanded. Dublin focused on his exhale, Breathing in, and out. In, and out. They only had about two and a half hours left, Dublin reminded himself. Things were supposed to go wrong on this mission. Things were still salvageable. That's when they saw him. The cloud of repulsor particles around him thinned for just a moment, but a moment was all it took for them to shoot him down. Dublin didn't try to dodge the bolt, knowing if he did, it'd hit the freighter he was meant to protect.  That was a mistake. Pushed off course and systems temporarily deactivated, The Hand of The Wind crashed right into the cargo ship, sending both out of the Hyperlane. When he returned to the present, Dublin was greeted by a clear visor, a blue-haired girl with almond skin standing above him, eyes wide with terror.

[axolotls-compass]

I replied to a comment on AO3

Q: I'm interested. This is good! How does the crystal based fuel work? And how old and advanced is The Whip of Cijo? And looks like kindness won over Lola's heart here

A: There is a crystal called Sybertonium (probably gonna change the name) that occurs naturally due to extradimensional phenomena. It holds energy extremely well, and as great at blowing up and causing cancer. (still unsure on the details there) When it's at its capacity, it starts to shoot off tiny bouncy particles that travel very fast and cause cancer. With some engineering, this can be used for levitation, though it has its limits. To create Kryptonium, the form of fuel used in The Whip of Cijo, Sybertonium is ground into grains of sand. The sand is filtered and sorted by energy capacity, which is then sold by fuel grade, usually ending the process. However, the Kryptonium sand is often compacted back into crystal form, creating Compact Kryptonium. Removing the space between grains means that more energy can be stored in a smaller space, but the compaction process prevents repulsor particles from firing, making Compact Kryptonium less of a carcinogen than Sybertonium. Compacting Kryptonium sand is a simple yet expensive practice, as the heat required to recrystallize it is typically only found in close orbit of stars. The Whip of Cijo is a mid-teir ship for it's size and job and about a decade old, so maybe 1/3 of the way through its lifespan.

I actually wrote a bunch about repulsor particles about half a year ago, so I'm gonna put that here too 🙃

There is a subatomic particle that is undiscovered or does not exist in this universe that when discharged hits virtually no gas atoms, but largely hits solid atoms, sending them back in the direction they came, assuming they hit the object at a 90° angle.

Of course, some subatomic particles get trapped inside solid molecules, so perhaps extended usage has an effect on certain surfaces.

Take the OG BluePod for example. This levitated using a series of repulsors and sensors on the bottom. The sensors check the below terrain, adjust the angle of the corresponding repulsor to ensure as many subatomic particles as possible bounce back, propelling the bike upwards to create the effect of levitation.

Of course, using subatomic particles to levitate a bike and passenger, no matter how lightweight they may be, seems near impossible. This is why the BluePod was the first machine capable of doing this, and only came out within the most recent 30 years. Before this, universal repulsors were only used for small, light things, like low flying drones and were mainly for show.

As if the BluePod's use of repulsors isn't already incredible, in the last 15 years they released a new model, the BluePod 360. What makes this bike different besides the almost quadrupled price tag is that the repulsors are able to work consistently with liquids as well as solids. This is a critical feature, as one of the Union's capital worlds has a surface of 90% water.

Originally, BlueTech wanted to release a chemical compound similar to the ones in the waters of the then undiscovered planet Scalac into the Nebulan seas that would allow more particles to be reflected, but that was quickly overruled. However, the mere proposition of the idea was enough for more extreme preservationists to label BuleTech researchers and executives as carless permissives, though most just found the idea amusing.

Repulsors can be many times more affective when using the centuries old duel-repulsion setup instead of the newer universal repulsors. The idea is to have two sets of rows lined with repulsors facing each other in an interlocking fashion, discharging particles. The upper repulsors discharged particles hit the metal below it specially designed to block repulsor particles, and bounce back up, creating much more lift than if the particles hit any old surface. Below the repulsors, arranged in a grid or rail-like pattern, lie another set of repulsors, which have the same effect.

Duel-repulsion repulsors have more limits to their usage than universal repulsors because they have to have repulsor metal below, though this allows them to carry much more weight. As such, they are commonly used for lightweight lifts and trains, though magnets are also a viable option.

Though lifts carry significantly less weight, they often require repulsors just as strong as those used in trains. This is because even though the majority of particles don't collide with air atoms, some still do. This creates a light air current below repulsors and a quiet humming sound composed of the microscopic supersonic booms caused by the collision of air atoms hit with the particles, but more importantly, it means that the higher an object is levitated, the more particles need to be fired. When the repulsors are set to their unstable maximum with no extra weight aboard, they can levitate about 8 cords above their base, add or take a few centicords depending on the composition and temperature of the air. This is why repulsor lifts are not very common.

Repulsors are more affective in a vacuum as the particles have nothing but the floor to collide with, but this is near useless, because if you're going to the trouble of making the elevator shaft airtight and pumping the air out, you might as well just keep the pump and use that to levitate the lift, and this is often done. Some trains even move this way, though when they do, they typically use repulsors to eliminate collision or friction with the tube.

Repulsor trains are much simpler. They don't need to be high off the ground to eliminate friction, (excluding that with the air), just a few milicords distance does it.

Repulsors are near useless in space travel, because the particles themselves only go marginally faster than the speed of sound, meaning even in a perfect system, you're not even at sonospeed. In any case, They wouldn't work unless there is a solid object behind them, and carrying a wall behind your ship is very impractical.

The particles themselves are discharged when Sypertonium is overcharged. I haven't worked out all the links yet, but these particles are also critical for head generation, tractor beams, and holopanels.

[axolotls-compass]

Chapters: 3/? Fandom: Axolotl's Compass Rating: Not Rated Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Series: Part 1 of The Alorian Chronicles Summary:

Dublin Walksikin is one of the Union's best marines, but he doesn't know that. He was supposed to be escorting envoys to the other side of the galaxy, but he doesn't know that, either. All he knows is that his girlfriend left him, and he needs to get very, very, drunk.

Lola is the pilot of the Whip of Cijo, and a less-than-legal long-hauler. While on the run from the law and an arranged marriage, her path collides– quite literally– with a half frozen space marine.

Leenad is a repressed trans girl who somehow landed on the other side of the galaxy, where he– or maybe she– can be whoever they want. They've lost years of their life closeted in Unisphere– and they want to make the Union pay.

Seb is a talking fish who claims to have a six-inch penis. He lives with Lola onboard the Whip of Cijo, but doesn't do very much.

[axolotls-compass]

The Pilot

The Whip of Cijo Chapter 2

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Lola leaped up the ladder, opening the ceiling hatch effortlessly. Soaring through zero gravity, she kicked off the wall, propelling herself to the sink. Despite the blackout, there was still pressure in the water distribution system, so when she turned it on, the water drifted towards the drain. It gathered itself into a ball on its way, no gravity to rush its descent. She splashed it to her face, swallowing the liquid straight from the air.

As soon as she was certain she wouldn't vomit again, Lola's attention shifted to the kitchen's viewport wall, the only window in The Whip of Cijo. “Zrd…” A smaller white and blue ship floated in the void just beyond the glass, a smashed wreck with parts strewn around it. The cockpit appeared to be in particularly bad shape, fragments of transparent metal floating in a cloud around a lone body. “So that's what hit us,” Lola muttered, attempting to fill the void left by Seb's chatter. How was this even possible? That ship had come out of nowhere. It couldn't have been in an intersecting Hyperlane, that wasn't possible. The lanes would have collapsed long before the two ships collided. Perhaps it had already fallen out of a Hyperlane then, stayed in the fourth-dimensional abyss, then entered hers? The odds of that were virtually zero. Starting to panic, Lola tried to calm herself. Breathe, Lola. Breathe. In, and out. In, and out. “We're gonna be okay,” she told herself. “We are okay.” Although she wasn't entirely calm, Lola had returned from panic. This is when most people would transmit a distress signal, but Lola was smuggling Killakords of Vistro oil in one of her fuel tanks. Any rescue would come from the Titan Alliance of War-Opposed Systems, who'd impound her ship and throw her in jail. “Alright. First things first, we'd better head down to the engines and see if the ship can't restart herself. We should grab the EAK and our pistol too, just in case.” Yes, thought Lola. This was a plan. A good, logical plan, because she definitely wasn't panicking.   Guiding herself through zero-g, Lola left the kitchen, floating back down the ladder head-first. Back in the rec room, which doubled as the bridge, she pushed herself through the swirling pasta over to the main control console. Prying open a panel, she seized the Emergency Access Key, which would provide power for simple functions as well as system-wide administrative privileges. Grabbing the top of the console, Lola pulled herself into a mock standing position. She pinched a stray pasta noodle from her hair, tossing it aside, past where Seb lay powerless on the wall behind the couch. Originally, Lola hung Seb over the piloting interface, but he'd complained until she moved him behind the couch, where he could see the interface that often doubled as their TV.

How dare he leave her to deal with this on her own. Lola reached out to grab the fish, pulling him up and away from the wall, revealing the pistol hidden behind his plaque. She grabbed the gun, before returning him to his original position and heading to another hatch in the ship's floor. As she descended the ladder into the low-ceilinged maintenance hallway, Lola eyed her Exosuit, mounted to the wall by the airlock. She put it on, more for the feeling of safety it provided her with than anything. Opening up the engine room, she activated the small diagnostic panel with the Emergency Access Key. The panel lit up, showing her that the Vistro oil she'd been smuggling in one fuel tank had burnt up and spread to the other fuel tank. Lola held her breath, knowing the internal filter was overdue for inspection. She turned it on, powering the system with the remaining power in the ship's backup battery, watching the panel's response. FUEL FILTRATION PROTOCOL   PROGRESS:   CALIBRATING   CALIBRATING   CALIBRATION COMPLETE! FUEL PURITY: 2% 4% 5% When the numbers continued to rise, Lola exhaled, taking comfort in the noisy hum of the filter. Soon, she'd be able to reactivate her ship's main system. The sound of an explosion interrupted the filter's hum, which turned to a menacing buzz. Lola shut it off immediately. She cursed herself for being so careless with her ship, then cursed again, deciding that the situation wasn't her fault. Now, her only option was to move the pure fuel over to one tank and jettison the rest. Without the filtration system, she'd have to go outside her ship with a fuel cord and manually connect the tanks. Lola promised herself that If she ever got a new ship, it would have a power core instead of relying on crystal-based fuel.

After grabbing the spare fuel cord, Lola opened the airlock door with the EAK, bracing for the most terrifying spacewalk of her career. Once inside, Lola tethered herself to a handle, even though it was probably overkill. The suit's electromagnets were more than capable of keeping her moored to the ship, but after all of today's random accidents, she wasn't taking any chances. She couldn't depressurize the airlock, needing to save the last bits of power in the key for re-entry, so she held onto the handle, both hands squeezed aggressively over the knotted tether. Air rushed out as the door opened, the room vacuuming. Lola realized that she'd once again been holding her breath. She began to exhale, but stopped, a message appearing on her visor. SHORT RANGE SOS DETECTED She expanded the popup with a thought, viewing the full message. Short-range radio signal [SOS] Message in Ternary code Language UNIDENTIFIED Translating… Translation Acceptable Message: This is a short-range help beacon message. If you are receiving this, you are likely aware of an EXTREME EVENT near you. This message is being transmitted from the Exosuit of COMMANDER D. WALKSKIN. WH: [ Ship: DISCONNECTED Occupant: ALIVE, INJURED Integrity: POOR, S2 BREACH Life support: EMERGENCY CRYOGENIC FREEZING ACTIVE ] MESSAGE END This… complicated things. Now that she knew the pilot was alive, Lola felt she should help them, though a bigger part of her wanted to ignore the message and leave them. Derelict military vessels and unidentified languages reeked of the Titans, and Lola didn't want to prove her family right by becoming involved with them. On top of that, Lola disliked both death and strangers. Maybe she should just fix her ship and fly away. No one would be the wiser. EXCESSIVE HEART RATE DETECTED. INITIATE BREATHING SEQUENCE? She was getting herself too worked up again. She closed the popup, preferring to guide her own breathing. Lola took a deep breath, breathing in, and out. In, and out. When she was able to function again, Lola decided to continue with the plan to fix her ship. Whether she decided to take the risk of rescuing the pilot or not, neither of them would be going anywhere if she couldn't fuel The Whip of Cijo. Lola turned her suit's electromagnets on, magnetizing the fuel cord to her back and her feet to the airlock floor. Carefully, Lola stepped out of the airlock onto the outer wall of her ship. There was no up or down in space, but It still disoriented Lola to be standing on a wall as if it were ground. The first fuel port, directly below the airlock, was in front of Lola. She popped open the fuel port and attached the cord. She walked the curved hull of her ship over to the other side but stopped before she reached the second fuel port, struck by the majesty of the now visible wreck. Shards of metal glittered in the starlight, creating an inappropriately beautiful scene. The wreck reminded Lola of a shattered geode, deemed a failure for falling to bits instead of slicing perfectly as it was expected to. Fragments of the once magnificent crystal drifted through the void, unaware they'd succeeded in their mission; The pilot still alive. They floated above it all, pressuring Lola to choose their fate.

[axolotls-compass]

5 posts!

[axolotls-compass]

So here's my potential AO3 summary for The Whip of Cijo:

Dublin Walksikin was one of the Union's best marines, but he doesn't know that. He was supposed to be escorting envoys to the other side of the galaxy, but he doesn't know that, either. All he knows is that his girlfriend left him, and he needs to get very, very, drunk. Lola is the pilot of the Whip of Cijo, and a less-than-legal long-hauler whose path collides– quite literally– with a half frozen space marine. Leenad is a repressed trans girl who discovers that he– or maybe she– can be whoever they want on this side of the galaxy. They've lost years of their life closeted in Unisphere– and they want to make the Union pay. Seb is a talking fish. He lives with Lola onboard the Whip of Cijo, though he doesn't do very much. The world that The Whip of Cijo takes place in has existed in my head for over a decade, but I'm just now writing down one of its stories, deciding that I needed more experience before writing my other WIP, Project Human. Project Human takes place in the same universes as the Whip of Cijo, focusing on minor characters in this story. Although I'm writing this first, The Whip of Cijo is very much a spin-off/subplot of Project Human.

[axolotls-compass]

Ship Layout

[axolotls-compass]

Poll: Chapter length

I have an important question. I can either keep the chapters short for the best social media appeal, about 1,000 words; or I can make them longer, leaning into the novel part of web-novel, about 2,000 words.

If I go 1,000 words I'll have to put in more tension, thus attracting a bigger audience, but it could also crowd the story.

So,

[axolotls-compass]

The Fall

The Whip of Cijo, Chapter 1

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Though she knew it could result in a few broken bones, Part of Lola loved to drift off on the couch. Sure, her eyes were closed, and she certainly wasn't paying attention to the serial drama she'd been watching over dinner, but she was still aware of the velvety-green sofa arm pressed against her cheek. She could still hear the chatter of the serial too, even if she wasn't processing it properly. As the couch began to fade away, a dreamy smile curled across Lola's lips, the euphoric feeling of weightlessness grabbing hold.

Until the ceiling smacked her head.

Ears ringing, Lola's eyes fluttered open. The remains of her dinner floated out of the box in front of her, Cijan pasta noodles flowing like her brother's hair when he swam. As reality returned and the ringing ceased, Lola realized that the pasta, and herself for that matter, were not supposed to be floating by the ceiling.

“Seb?” Lola called, her voice cracking with a touch of anxiety, “What's going on?”

A chuckle emanated from the wall behind her, followed by Seb's energetically sarcastic voice.

“What's goin' on is the ship is turnin' around AS SCHEDULED, and your dumbass decided it was the perfect time for a snooze.”

She groaned, although some part of her had wanted this to happen. Lola didn't like to admit it, but she loved the feeling of zero-g, not to mention the excitement it gave her when it caught her by surprise. As a crew of one on a small long-hauler like The Whip of Cijo, Lola took excitement whenever she could get it. Aiming for the couch, Lola began to slowly descend as the ship's deceleration reestablished gravity.

“Spiders!” Seb shouted, “Spiders on the wall! Their climin' inside me Lola! Heelp! Helgraghahtgft-”

Thanks to Seb's interjection, Lola missed the couch, leaving her sprawled over the awakening control panel that doubled as her coffee table. She stood up calmly, placing no stock in Seb's claims that spiders were invading his ears. She began to toss aside the noodles that covered the console and close out the various hollopanel pop-ups she'd triggered in her fall. Once Lola felt she'd made her priorities clear, she turned around to see the pseudo-intelligent ornamental fish, Seb, attached to his wooden plaque on the wall.

“You don't have ears, Seb. Or spiders.”

“Okay, you got me on the spiders,” Seb replied, “But there's a whole side o' me you've never seen, bein' attached to a wall an' all. For all you know, I got a six-inch penis ova' there.”

“The only dick on this ship is you, Seb,” Lola retorted as she continued to interact with the ship controls in front of her, running basic diagnostics. When she obtained Seb a few years ago, Lola intended to use him only for the registration loophole he provided, never expecting he could be of use for anything more.

Any vessel registering with the Titan Alliance of War-Opposed Systems technically had to have a sapient pilot and copilot. However, thanks to a misplaced comma, It was possible to get by with only one sapient being, so long as they didn't get too much attention.

Lola thought it was much better than having someone else on the ship. Seb was a pseudo-intelligent wall mount who didn't need emotional attention and consideration. She could be alone if she wanted to, and could have company when she needed it.

“Well,” Seb threw back, “At least my ass didn't hit the ship's main control panel and goof up our hyperspace trajectory.”

Lola frowned, studying the control panel. Seb was right, something about their hyperspace trajectory did look off. The way the dimensions of the tunnel appeared, it was like the lane was flowing from side to side as well as from front to back, as if The Whip of Cijo was in the middle of an intersection, something that did not exist in hyperspace.

“I don't think my ass is to blame for this, Seb,” Lola said, her tone taking on the serious quality of her frown.

“Well mine sure as hell ain't to blame!”, Seb returned, flapping his tail fin against the wall, before going quiet as he accessed the ship's computer.

“Oh… Oh. I see what you mean,” Seb said, tone mirroring Lola's.

“Wait… Lolo, divert powa' to the shields, stat!”

She put the ship's shields in combat mode, watching in concern as the net of charged repulsor particles expanded and strengthened, encompassing The Whip of Cijo. While she continued to monitor the charging shields, now at 70%, Lola began to ask Seb what he'd seen, but she couldn't even get the first word out before Seb cut her off, panic infecting his usually sarcastic voice.

“Shut yo' trap and Hang on!”

As soon as Lola grasped the control panel, the ship was jerked to her left, nearly ripping her arm out of the socket. Pasta flew everywhere, falling into her blue hair and slapping her in the face. Her ship made a noise fit for a mechanic's nightmare, sounding as if someone grabbed every moving part in The Whip of Cijo's engines, forcing them to stop in the worst way possible. The ship jerked again, freeing Lola's hand from the control panel. She phased through the wall, her ship flying away from her into an impossibly bright cosmos. Her screams played in reverse, even though Lola had her mouth shut. A white lizard the size of her ship leaped over Lola, chasing the ship into the void, dragging Lola in its wake.

The next thing she knew, Lola was back on her couch in The Whip of Cijo.

Surely that hadn't been a dream...

She began to sit up, but stopped almost immediately. Not only was there no gravity, meaning her ship wasn't accelerating, but the room was lit with the eerie glow of backup lights, showing Lola the power was out. She was still alive, right?

Lola's unease from before returned, quickly morphing into an intense nausea that caused her to vomit, completing her collection of floating noodles. Against all odds, The Whip of Cijo had been pushed out of hyperspace, yet somehow, she'd survived.

[axolotls-compass]

Welcome!

Welcome to the Axolotl's Compass, home of the web novel The Whip of Cijo, which I also post on my AO3.

I'm Natalie, the autistic transfem who also runs @endlessnebula.

This blog is exclusively for my writing, but if you're interested in writing tips, memes, reblogs, Nintendo, autism, or trans people, you should follow me there too.

The Whip of Cijo

Dublin Walksikin is one of the Union's best marines, but he doesn't know that. He was supposed to be escorting envoys to the other side of the galaxy, but he doesn't know that, either. All he knows is that his girlfriend left him, and he needs to get very, very, drunk. Lola is the pilot of the Whip of Cijo, and a less-than-legal long-hauler. While on the run from the law and an arranged marriage, her path collides– quite literally– with a half frozen space marine. Leenad is a repressed trans girl who somehow landed on the other side of the galaxy, where he– or maybe she– can be whoever they want. They've lost years of their life closeted in Unisphere– and they want to make the Union pay. Seb is a talking fish who claims to have a six-inch penis. He lives with Lola onboard the Whip of Cijo, but doesn't do very much.

The world that The Whip of Cijo takes place in has existed in my head for over a decade, but I'm just now writing down one of its stories, deciding that I needed more experience before writing my other WIP, Project Human

Project Human takes place in the same universes as the Whip of Cijo, focusing on minor characters in this story. Although I'm writing this first, The Whip of Cijo is very much a spin-off/subplot of Project Human.