#robot sweeper

[aaronjohnson3286]

Dreame's Innovative Robot Sweeper and Mop

Hello everyone!

Are you ready to elevate your cleaning routine?

I recently discovered the amazing capabilities of Dreame's robot sweeper and mop, and I couldn't be more impressed! This smart home device not only vacuums but also mops your floors, making it a true game-changer for maintaining a spotless home with minimal effort.

The Dreame robot sweeper is designed with advanced navigation technology, allowing it to efficiently clean every corner of your home. Its sleek design fits seamlessly into any space, and the powerful suction ensures that even the tiniest dust particles are captured.

What I love most is the convenience it brings. You can schedule cleaning sessions through the user-friendly app, and the robot will do its job while you focus on more enjoyable activities. Plus, the mop feature leaves your floors sparkling clean without the hassle of manual mopping.

If you're considering upgrading your home cleaning routine, I highly recommend checking out Dreame's robot sweeper and mop. It's a fantastic investment for a cleaner, more comfortable living space!

Happy cleaning!

[sqwyure4]

Dreame Robot Sweeper Reviews

Have you explored the amazing world of smart home technology? If you're in the market for a reliable and efficient cleaning solution, the Dreame robot sweeper is definitely worth considering! Many users have praised the quality and performance of Dreame products, noting how well they handle various floor types and their impressive suction power.

If you've tried a Dreame robot sweeper, I would love to hear your thoughts! How well does it navigate your home? Does it effectively pick up dirt and debris? Share your experiences, and let's discuss how these innovative devices can make cleaning easier and more enjoyable for everyone!

[simpli-smart-living]

Full Automatic Mini Vacuuming Robot

Experience a new level of cleanliness with our Full Automatic Mini Vacuuming Robot! This smart electrostatic cleaning marvel efficiently removes hair and particles, intelligently senses obstacles to change direction, operates quietly, and works on various surfaces. Say goodbye to tedious cleaning tasks and hello to convenience! #HomeCleaning #RobotSweeper #SmartAppliances

[frak420blaze]

as 2023 ends in hours, i like to take a moment to share nostalgic stuff i have held onto over the years, where i say "goodbye" to the cartoons, games, and anime series we've lost over the years.

thank you for being here in on 2023's new years day. (and rest in piece to our old shows that were left behind.) (gone and/or over, but not forgotten.) (and to the people who are reading this, please, don't let nostalgia die.)

[totalperspectivevortexx]

Bubs from Space Sweepers.

Post-finals movie night came down to watching Dune or rewatching Space Sweepers. So of course I picked Space Sweepers because the best science fiction 1. Doesn’t take itself too seriously and 2. Has a cute robot.

I want to watch/read more classic science fiction so I’ll probably eventually watch Dune. I’m sure it has an interesting plot I just don’t find it visually interesting.

[vexversion]

[Bolo on the Trail]

First piece of the year completed, this one is for @\StarMaverick of his Blinx character Bolo, with a robot dog on the hunt... maybe the Tom Tom Gang, who knows?

[ladyloveandjustice]

Just so the parallels can be extra obvious, Tae-ho is now having to take his new living daughter miles away in space to save her life, rather than going deep in space to find the body of his departed daughter.

But oh shit, here comes the discount Terminator to wreck all their plans!

[thegayestofagendas]

The other day I watched Space Sweepers, and to no one's surprised Bubs really spoke to me both in terms of identification but also of course in terms of attraction because I'm just the way I am.

But it got me thinking of how much I love trans robots as a concept.

Bubs and FL4K are just so good to me. And like of course I'd really like if we had more rep of trans humans, and I understand the frustration of representation so often coming out of robots and generally non-human characters.

But trans robots are so good to me because I really parallel socialisation with the robot's programming.

I don't remember the details of FL4K's back story before they gained their whole sentience and how they were referred to prior to it, so I don't want to go in details with how relevant they are to this thought. I don't know how much they qualify as a "trans robot" since I don't know much about pre-sentience FL4K.

But Bubs.

Bubs seems to have been programmed to be a 'man' in the broadest sense of the word (minding that in the course of the movie, the subtitles indicate to me that she gets referred to as "he" or "it" before getting her new body and that it seems like when Kot-nim calls her "sis", it appears to be the first time someone indicates seeing her as a woman (mind I don't understand Korean enough to capture how it comes off in the original language, I only know a bit of basic vocab. I'm only talking about how it's subtitled and how it's visually conveyed)

Like I was raised with an assumption that I was a girl and would grow to be a woman. And I was raised to display as a woman and respond to woman/girl-hood and to being addressed as a woman/girl. I wasn't a girl when at 5 I was questioning if a mistake was made when assigning me my gender based on my external sex characteristic.

How different is this really to a robot programmed to be a "man" but clearly identifying with womanhood? How much does my socialisation into girlhood and my moving away from it when I could feel safe and capable to do it differ from Bubs being programmed as a "man" robot referred to with "him" when not "it" and moving away from that and getting her new body in line with how she wishes to be perceived when she could afford it.

Like I doubt this is a hugely widespread opinion, but my opinion/perception is that trans robots are a beacon of hope. It spits in the face of the idea that someone else can control who we are.

I love robots made of miscellaneous metal bits with wires showing. I've been known to complain about robots with human-like skin.

But Bubs...

Bubs, in the strangest way, makes me think of me, who wishes I could cover my body in a suit that conveys no gender perception. She wasn't built with this body in mind for her, she chose her body, and somehow this makes me very okay with her having a body indistinguishable from a human's.

[algusunderdunk]

Robot Bubs from Space Sweepers.

I LOVE YOU TRANSFEM ROBOTS I LOVE THE IDEA OF COMING INTO EXISTENCE AS A GENDERLESS BEING AND STILL ASSERTING YOUR FEMININE IDENTITY FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THAT IT FEELS RIGHT AND IT MAKES YOU HAPPY

[lincincoclearobot]

What is the best robot sweeper?

Finding the best robot sweeper can feel overwhelming with so many options on the market. You want 

something reliable, efficient, and of course, worth the investment. But how do you make the right choice?

The best robot sweeper is one that balances advanced features, strong cleaning power, and affordable pricing. 

Look for brands with customizable options and high-quality performance.

With so many choices, how can you be sure you’re selecting the right one? Let’s break it down and explore 

what makes a robot sweeper truly stand out.

What should you consider when choosing a robot sweeper?

The first step to finding the best robot sweeper is knowing what features matter most. From design to 

performance, it's important to know what you need before making a decision.

The key factors to consider are battery life, cleaning modes, dustbin size, smart features, and how customizable the model is.

When choosing a robot sweeper, battery life and cleaning power are two of the most critical features. You want 

a unit that can handle your home size without needing constant recharging. Most quality models today offer 

battery life between 90 to 120 minutes, with some even reaching 150 minutes or more. But a longer battery life 

doesn’t always mean better performance—it’s how efficiently the robot uses that power.

The dustbin capacity is also vital. A large dustbin can mean fewer stops for emptying, which is a big deal if you have 

a larger home or multiple floors. If the robot you choose doesn’t have the right dustbin size, you’ll have to keep 

an eye on it more often, which can be a hassle.

Smart features like app control, scheduling, and voice assistant integration (think Alexa or Google Assistant) are 

becoming more popular in modern robot sweepers. These features can save time, allowing you to control your 

sweeper from anywhere. However, these extras can also drive up the price, so it's a matter of balancing value with convenience.

How important is customizability when choosing a robot sweeper?

Customizability is an essential aspect if you're looking for a robot sweeper that fits your brand or personal preferences. 

Why settle for a one-size-fits-all model when you can have a solution tailored to your needs?

Customizability means you can get a robot sweeper that matches your specific requirements—whether it's design, 

cleaning performance, or additional features.

Customizable robot sweepers allow you to choose aspects like the robot's appearance, functionality, and even 

the cleaning brush design. For example, if you’re in the wholesale business or private-label market, having the 

ability to modify the design and add branding could be a game-changer. This allows you to create a unique 

product that fits your brand’s aesthetic or your customers' needs.

Additionally, customization isn’t just about looks. It’s about performance, too. Some manufacturers allow for 

adjustable suction power or specialized brush heads. These features can be crucial depending on the type of 

flooring in your home or business—whether it’s carpet, tiles, or hardwood.

Customization can extend to the cleaning modes as well. Some brands offer settings like "deep cleaning" or 

"eco-mode," allowing you to tailor the robot's cleaning strength and runtime to different tasks. If you're in a 

market that demands versatility, customizability ensures you can meet various needs.

What are the best robot sweepers for large spaces?

Large homes or offices pose a unique challenge for robot sweepers. So, which models perform best when 

tasked with covering larger areas?

Models with longer battery life, powerful suction, and smart navigation systems are ideal for large spaces.

When you’re dealing with a larger area, battery life becomes more important. You’ll need a robot that can 

run for extended periods without running out of juice halfway through the job. Brands like Roomba, Ecovacs, 

and Neato have models specifically designed for larger homes or commercial spaces.

For instance, the Roomba i7+ is a popular choice for larger spaces because it has smart navigation and an 

auto-emptying base. It’s equipped with a high-efficiency filter and can cover large areas without requiring 

frequent recharges. Its smart mapping feature ensures the robot knows where it has cleaned and where it needs 

to go next, saving you time and energy.

Another great option is the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI. This model uses advanced navigation technology, 

meaning it can efficiently clean larger spaces without getting stuck or missing spots. Plus, its powerful suction 

can tackle both pet hair and deep dirt from carpets.

How does price compare to quality in robot sweepers?

It’s tempting to assume the more expensive robot sweeper is the best, but that’s not always the case. 

Let’s dive into how price affects quality and performance.

Price often correlates with features and durability, but there are still affordable models that provide excellent performance.

High-end robot sweepers often come with advanced features like mapping, scheduling, and integration with 

smart home systems, but not everyone needs those extra functions. If you're primarily concerned with 

performance and reliability, there are plenty of mid-range models that get the job done at a more competitive price.

For example, while the iRobot Roomba i9+ may cost over $1000, it’s packed with top-tier features like automatic 

dirt disposal and exceptional navigation. However, if you're working on a tighter budget, models like the Shark 

IQ Robot or the Eufy RoboVac 11S offer impressive suction power and ease of use for around $300-$500.

It's important to find the balance between the features you need and how much you’re willing to spend. Do you 

really need a model with all the bells and whistles, or is a simpler design sufficient? Think about your specific needs 

and weigh those against the price tag.

What is the future of robot sweepers?

Robot sweepers have come a long way, but the future holds even more exciting possibilities. What can we expect 

from the next generation of robot vacuums?

The future will bring smarter, more efficient robots with better cleaning technology, longer battery life, and 

enhanced connectivity.

As AI and machine learning continue to improve, robot sweepers are expected to become even smarter. We’re 

likely to see models that can map out your home in real-time, anticipate cleaning patterns, and automatically 

adjust their cleaning strategy based on your home's layout.

Additionally, with the rise of smart homes, future robot vacuums will probably become more integrated with 

other devices. Imagine controlling your robot vacuum with voice commands via Alexa, Google Assistant, or even 

integrating it with your home security system. The potential for inter-device communication is huge, offering a 

seamless, hands-free experience.

Another key development is the improvement of battery technology. As more efficient batteries are developed, 

robot sweepers could run for hours longer, clean larger spaces, and charge faster. This would address one of the 

major pain points for customers with larger homes or commercial spaces.

Conclusion

Choosing the best robot sweeper depends on your specific needs. Whether it’s a high-end, customizable 

model or an affordable, reliable option, there’s something out there for everyone.

LINCINCO is a Chinese manufacturer of sweeping robots, with professional staff. If you have any questions about 

sweeping robots, please feel free to consult us.

[adamwheeler]

What's Your Favorite Robotic Sweeper Brand?

I'm excited to connect with fellow smart home enthusiasts and share insights on robotic sweepers!

As we embrace the future of home cleaning, I'm particularly impressed by the innovations from Dreame. Their robotic sweepers combine advanced technology with user-friendly features, making them a top choice for maintaining a clean home effortlessly.

I've found that Dreame's models are efficient, offering powerful suction and smart navigation, allowing them to tackle dust and debris with ease. Plus, they can be controlled via smartphone apps, which is a game changer for busy lifestyles.

What are your thoughts on Dreame? Do you have any favorite features or experiences with their robotic sweepers?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Sent from my smartphone using SmartHome Enthusiast Forum

[jeffertu]

The Future of Clean: Dreame's Robotic Floor Sweeper

In the ever-evolving smart home industry, Dreame stands out with its innovative robotic floor sweeper. This incredible device not only simplifies the cleaning process but also ensures your floors are spotless with minimal effort.

Imagine coming home to gleaming floors every day, thanks to the efficiency of Dreame's technology. With advanced sensors and powerful suction capabilities, this robotic sweeper navigates your home seamlessly, tackling dirt and dust in every corner.

Whether you have pets or children, the Dreame robotic floor sweeper is designed to handle various messes, making it an essential addition to any modern household. Embrace the convenience of smart cleaning and enjoy more free time for the things you love!

Join the smart home revolution with Dreame and experience the joy of effortless cleaning!

[3rdwaveca]

Helper bots

[masonpowellposts]

These things are not all that great at clearning, but cats really love them.

10-09-24 | RIP ampervadasz. misterlemonzlime.tumblr.com/archive

[the9mm]

Psssssttttttt... Do you like gay, and robots, and sci-fi books?

Then the book I am publishing as part of Booktopia 2024 may be for you!

Watch my dumb gay robots bumble around as they figure out what they're doing and how to live after they decide to shirk their responsibilities and run away together.

If you like: Asimov's robot series, Cargill's Sea of Rust, Newitz's Autonomous, Chambers' A Psalm for the Wild Built, Detroit: Become Human, Space Sweepers, Robocop, or any variety of robotic sci-fi in between, you'll love this book. This book is my love-letter to the sci-fi community as a whole with lots of little nods back to various sci-fi works.

This will be my debut words-words-words novella at 46,000 words and I wanna make a physical book so bad. I hope you'll help me get there. You can subscribe now to get an email when the project launches, but don't worry... I'll be screaming a bunch here too leading up to the project in September. It's live now. :)

As part of Booktopia, I'll be cross-collaborating with Space Wizard Science Fantasy, who is publishing Lesbians in Space. Space Wizard Science Fantasy is bringing together some great sapphic writers in this new volume of relationships set in space! You'll also love more sci-fi/fantasy and LGBTQ+ crossover.

LIVE NOW DURING BOOKTOPIA!

[deathworlders-of-e24]

Thomas, Engineer

Part 4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sparks burst upwards into the goggles Thomas was wearing, the plasma cutter in his hand burning at several hundred degrees, focused to an incredibly fine point. Holding it in his work gloves was awkward at best, but years of practice had made him exceptional at his job. Sixer and Mace might’ve been better at the finer detail work, Padrino had incredible dexterity after all, but making custom tools was well within his wheel house too.

The two bot brothers had asked him to make a special kind of nano wrench while they ran a ‘memory sweeper’ program through his old translator, the one that had caught that rogue signal all those cycles ago. The group had been working on it in their off time between maintenance requests, and they were finally just steps away from the answers they were looking for. All they needed now was to strip the memory code out of the device, and for that they needed itty bitty tiny nanoscopic tools; ergo, while the twins worked their programs, Thomas got to work making the things they’d need.

He was almost done too, when the comm-link trilled. A patch job in the security chief’s office, apparently one of the terminals was unresponsive and the door was getting jammed up on something. Personal projects would have to wait.

“Roomba, we got a job. You coming with or hanging out here?”

[Statement: you operate at greater efficiency when this unit is present]

“That’s right buddy, but I’m asking what you wanna do,” Thomas said.

“Beep.”

[Statement: I would like to assist please]

“Thanks Roomba, I appreciate that.” Thomas held his arm out and the little droid climbed up to his usual perch on the man’s shoulder. “Look at you, making decisions for yourself. Good for you bud!”

Thomas adored the little robot, and as Roomba got smarter, that feeling only grew. Every day the small cleaning drone was getting more clever, his AI evolving ever further, thanks to the upgrades from Sixer and Mace. Pretty soon Roomba would be as smart as Thomas was.

Maybe I’ll teach him how to play virtual chess, he thought. Or I’ll build him a little controller and we can split screen a blaster battle game or something!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two made their way through the ship, waving and saying hello to the many people who stopped Thomas to look at the small robot on his shoulder. At this point in their mission, it was common knowledge that one of the humans had made a cleaning drone their ‘pet’, although Thomas was trying to make it clear that wasn’t the case. Roomba was his own person, he just so happened to have very little legs and it was faster to just catch a ride on his human companion. It probably didn’t help that outside himself and the Padrino, nobody else had the hardware to understand what Roomba was saying, so all they ever heard was Beep.

They made it up to the command deck and knocked on the door to the Chief’s office. It opened halfway before getting stuck, hidden gears grinding, and there was the Chief, leaning on his desk with a data pad in his hand. Thomas figured Chief Ducane was kinda cute, what with his scruffy yet trimmed beard and his various tattoos, but macho wasn’t really his thing on guys. That being said, he could see why some on the crew were whispering about him, the man was built. Thomas tried getting his attention through the crack.

“Reporting Chief, you sent a maintenance request?” Thomas said through the gap in the door.

“Yeah, I did,” Chief Ducane looked up. “Oh right, you’re Thomas right? I don’t remember if I’ve introduced myself yet, I’m Danny Ducane. You’re the guy with the domesticated maintenance droid, right?” The Chief got up to the door and pulled it open himself, the hydraulics groaning as it slid open the rest of the way.

“He’s not…” Thomas started, annoyed, but took a beat. Don’t antagonize the guy who can pull apart the doors. “This is Roomba, he has an adaptive learning AI now, like the Padrino on the crew. He’s not a pet.”

Roomba looked up when Thomas said his name and trilled angrily at the idea of being equated to a house cat.

“Beep.”

[Statement: Please inform the other human that I am not domesticated in any way, and would prefer that not get said again]

“He said you’re being rude,” Thomas explained.

“Beep.”

[Sufficiently put]

Chief Ducane looked at the two of them for a moment before raising his hands in defeat.

“Okay, fair enough, that was a dick move on my part. Sorry little guy, didn’t know you were one of the clever bots.”

Thomas nudged his tool bag with his foot, and the Chief took the message.

“Right, my control console is fritzing out,” Ducane said, shuffling awkwardly towards his desk. “The screen blurs every couple minutes, and the door got stuck this morning, don’t know what that’s about either.” The chief stood there, gesturing to his desk with one hand, the other fumbling to put the data pad down where Thomas suspected he thought he wouldn’t be able to see it. It occurred to him that Chief Ducane might not be the most technologically savvy, considering you could read a data pad from either side, and the exact same script was frozen on his console screen. It looked like a checklist of sorts, but Thomas wasn’t here to snoop classified documents. Unless it’d be funny, then maybe.

“Right,” Thomas said, eyeing the chief, “it’s probably just an electrical short, a little leftover from that solar flare the other day. I’ll have to strip some wiring but it’s a quick fix. Though the door might have to be taken out so I can get into the motors.”

“And how long will that take?” Ducane asked.

“Maybe an hour? Maybe more?” Thomas shrugged. “Takes as long as it takes for me to get in there.”

Thomas looked at him a moment, standing there with his hands on his sides. He could hear Roomba’s mechanical innards ticking and whirring as the little bot held onto his perch on Thomas’s shoulder.

“Guess I should let you get to it then,” Chief Ducane said, clapping his hands and heading for the door, but he stopped before he left, like he’d just remembered he’d left the stove on or some such.

“Hey, just a quick question,” he said, turning back to face Thomas. The chief’s hands were fidgeting, hooking and unhooking his thumbs into his pockets. “Are you acquainted with the Sed engineers? Kor and Taren?”

Thomas thought for a moment, then shrugged.

“Sure, I’ve seen them around. Why?”

“They ever seem real busy for unknown reasons?”

“Honestly? Like you want my work appropriate answer or my actual opinion?”

“Both.”

“Well my work appropriate answer is sure, they seem good at their jobs, usually off together on requests.”

“And your personal opinions?” Chief Ducane pressed, crossing his arms and shifting to stand in the doorway, as if he was keeping Thomas sequestered until he got answers to his odd line of questions. Thomas didn’t need to ponder the question that long.

“Honestly? Honestly they kinda suck,” He blurted out, a little more venomously than he’d intended. “Like, okay, don’t get me wrong, you ask them questions and they give the right answers, they know how things work and they know the right tool for the jobs, but work wise? Half the time nobody can find them. I’ve had three repair jobs handed over to me in the last two weeks ‘cause they’re off somewhere fooling around.”

“Fooling around?” Ducane intoned, “as in…?”

“Well we just kinda assumed they were an item. And look, we’re sympathetic, but the work load is insane on a ship this size with this many conflicting requirements. Temperature differences for different races, atmospheric controls bottoming out, I got a guy with four arms for a boss and even he thinks it’s ridiculous how often stuff around here breaks.”

“So you all just assumed they were off somewhere… doing that, while you all just put up with it? Has anyone seen them like this?” Chief Ducane pushed.

“Roomba did,” Thomas said, tilting his head the little droid’s direction, “while we were doing repairs in the air ducts a couple cycles ago.”

“Beep.”

[Please do not disclose this information]

“Huh?” Thomas put the little droid in his palm and let him stand for himself. “What’s up buddy?”

“What’s he saying?” The chief asked, shifting focus from Thomas to Roomba and back again.

“Beep.”

[Disclosure of this information will bring my work efficiency into question]

Ohhhhhhh, Thomas thought.

“He’s just saying how weird what he saw was,” Thomas shiftily explained, patting the little droid on the head. “We were working some repairs in the ducts when Roomba saw Taren in another part of the ship through the grating. He was on a comm-link and Kor showed up with a thing Roomba didn’t recognize, but from what he told me it was some hand tool I think.”

“So maybe they were just on another job and not screwing around?” Ducane questioned.

“Nah, couldn’t be, I was supposed to be the only repair guy in that part of the ship at the time. Everyone else is still supposed to be in the core room making repairs after that solar flare.”

Thomas took a deep breath and looked Ducane in the eye.

“Chief, be straight with me, is something going on on my ship?”

“What do you mean your ship?” Ducane scoffed.

“Trust me, this ship has already gotten enough of my blood, sweat, and tears man. I probably love her more than anyone else on this boat, so yeah, she’s my ship.” Thomas was getting a tad red in the face as he said this, which was fair, as it was slightly embarrassing to voice this odd idea of his. “Look man, this ship might be just a job to you, but it’s not just that to me, okay? So if there’s something happening here that could hurt her, I’m not gonna let that happen.”

How odd that a simple maintenance request could have such an impact on his day?

Roomba reach up and tugged on Thomas’s earlobe.

“Beep.”

[New Task Uploaded: protect Noah. Confirm?]

“That’s right Roomba, that’s what we’re gonna do,” Thomas said, weirdly amped up now. Chief Ducane stood there looking at him incredulously.

“Is every kid in the galaxy just ready to ride shotgun off to war these days? I swear, you younger guys need to do something more productive and fun with all that extra energy you have.”

“Shove it… respectfully, Chief.”

“Well if it makes you feel any better, I don’t have anything concrete that something is happening, not that I could tell you if I did.” Ducane shrugged and crossed his arms again, leaning against the wall. The data pad behind them on the desk trilled, a new file had been sent to it, and before the tones had silenced themselves, Thomas felt as if his neurons had just taken a bolt of electricity across his frontal lobe. He turned back to face the Security Chief with a dread look tacked onto his face.

“Hypothetically, Chief, if somebody had possibly intercepted a weird transmission while outside the broadcast shields, how important would that be?”

Chief Ducane stared at him a moment, then clasped his hands together in front of his mouth before sighing uncomfortably hard.

“I’d say that’d be pretty important, kid.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I thought you were supposed to be smart!” Danny half accused, walking quickly down the hall away from the lift.

“Man, I’m like actually a genius, I have four degrees, but nobody ever accused me of being smart,” Thomas said, shrugging. “I didn’t want to get kicked off the ship if it was nothing, which it probably is!”

“You wouldn’t have gotten kicked off the ship. If I can’t even get rid of Grite, you’re as safe as can be.”

“Oh, okay,” Thomas said sarcastically, “then I totally should’ve spilled it when, while on a space walk, my somewhat illegally jailbroke translator picked up a rogue signal on the long range communications array for the ship I just got a job on. I’ve seen people canned for less, I could’ve been tried for espionage or something.”

“You did what?”

Thomas and Danny turned on theirs heels to see Odis the Galley standing in the doorway they’d just passed, a ‘coffee’ mug in hand. It had a cartoonish drawing of a purple cow on it.

“Oh good, we’re just telling the whole ship now, I guess,” Danny pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m definitely getting fired.”

“Wait wait wait, Odis is cool,” Thomas vouched. “He’s a real stand up guy.”

“What did you do now humie?” Odis groaned, downing whatever was in his mug before sprinting to join them. His shorter legs had to move twice as fast to keep up with the taller humans.

“So you know that project the twins and I have been working on?” Thomas asked.

“Yeah, you’ve been using your off hours for something that’s not video games, of course I noticed.”

“Fired…,” Danny moaned. “Court marshalled even.”

“Quiet big human, the smart human is talking.”

“Oh no, we’ve established that word doesn’t apply to me.”

“Beep.”

[Thank you for not telling the human I fell down the air ducts]

It was a wonder how the entire ship didn’t know what they were doing by then, seeing as they were not exactly discreet as they headed down to the maintenance decks. When the group of them finally made the locker room, more than one set of eyes was watching them, though it was mostly Chief Ducane they were looking at. It wasn’t exactly normal operating procedures for the Chief of Security to walk into their locker room.

“How is it that you humans are always up to something ridiculous?” Odis asked, shaking his bulbous gray head. “I mean, as a Galley, I’m actually impressed with the level of… what’s a good human word for this nonsense?”

“Shenanigans?” Thomas offered.

“Ridiculous words, ridiculous people…,” Odis laughed. “The cows are cool, but the rest of your world is just a mess of weird, huh?”

The humans didn’t respond, though given any thought, they couldn’t have refuted the Galley anyway.

Sixer and Mace stood at their work table, the terminal screen running thousands of lines of code a second. Thomas would’ve loved to comb through it given the chance, but now wasn’t the time.

“Twins!” he called over, “Got it up and going?”

“Almost, Human Thomas,” Sixer replied.

“Hello, Security Chief Ducane,” Mace greeted.

“Yeah, hi guys,” Danny said. “I hear you all have been working a little side project?”

The two Padrino turned to each other and each gave a quick burst of machine speak before turning back to face them.

“Human Thomas, do you believe it is time to inform the ship’s command structure of our findings?”

“You could say that, yeah,” Thomas nodded.

“Good, because we have finished preparations. We simply need the tool you made up and to see if the sweeper program retrieves any data.”

Thomas patted down his coveralls before fishing the nano-wrench from his inner pocket. He handed the tool to Sixer, who turned back to the table and made the final adjustments.

“Moment of truth, I guess,” he said.

“You realize I’m going to be extremely pissed if you got me down here and all worked up for nothing,” Danny said pointedly.

“Understood… sir,” Thomas swallowed hard.

The computer ran its program, thousands, hundreds of thousands of lines of code fluttering across the screen, the Padrino’s speed was impressive to say the least. They definitely had to teach him that sometime.

After a minute of them staring at the terminal in silence, the screen showed a resounding-

“Nothing?” Thomas and Danny said in unison.

“Correct,” Sixer said.

“Unfortunately,” continued Mace, “the translators are not equipped with enough memory storage to log something the size of a communications transmission.”

“So we’ve got nothing?” Thomas said, hands clenched at his sides. He didn’t know what he wanted the signal to be, but nothing was… incredibly unsatisfying, to say the least.

“Did you try to see recipient data?” Odis asked, eyeing the console code.

“What?” Thomas turned to him, confusion distorting the disappointment on his face.

“With the long range array, it’s got recipient data built into the message, so the thing knows who it’s going to,” Odis explained slowly. “Back in the day, we Galley used to strip data out of long range messages to find new planets to… interact with. It’s how we found the humies first, caught all those messages you kept throwing out into space.” Odis rifled through one of his side pockets and brought out something that looked like a key fob with a port on one end. He popped open a panel in the terminal and plugged it in, hitting a couple keys to sync the programs together. Thomas watched, confusion and disappointment morphing into a cautious optimism. Maybe they’d find something after all.

“And here… we… go!” Odis said smugly, triumphantly hitting the execute key. The screen rolled the code again, but this time information began loading, the computer compiling the data for them.

“And you just happen to have this… why?” Danny looked sternly in the Galley’s direction.

“If it makes you feel any better Chief, most of my free time has been spent with the kid playing Terran video games,” Odis snickered. “Don’t worry about what I’ve been up to, worry about whoever is sending messages to the GAIL High Council.”

“What the hell?” Danny exclaimed, leaning over the console to examine the data.

Sure enough, they couldn’t recover any of the message, the data was just too big for the little device to have caught any. However, Odis’s tracer did show that whatever the signal was, it had gone straight to someone by the name of Mons on the High Council of the Grand Assembly of Intelligent Lifeforms.

“Chief, what the hell are we looking at?” Thomas asked, for the first time actually realizing that something could be deeply, darkly wrong on the ship.

“This doesn’t make any sense, communications can’t go directly to the Council, not without going through Captain Skitch and me,” Danny kept looking at the screen, rereading the data from start to finish, over and over again, before pulling out his data pad and copying all of it down, taking photos too.

“What are you doing?” Sixer asked.

“Making sure whatever we have here, there’s multiple copies so we can’t lose any proof later.”

“Do you suspect there’s another agenda aboard this ship Chief Ducane?” Mace followed.

“… I sincerely hope not, but either way, none of this ever happened. Not a single one of you saw any of this, okay? Nothing and no one,” Danny looked at each of them in turn, making sure they understood his meaning, “is going to hear about any of this. And when I call any of you to my office, it’s double time, understood?”

“You got it Chief,” Thomas said immediately, the others following suit, but with much less gusto.

“Beep.”

[Task: protect Noah in progress]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The work shift ended with no more excitement, however Thomas’s heart rate hadn’t declined even a bit in the following hours. The idea that something could threaten the ship, his ship, the ship he’d almost died for already, filled him with some very mixed emotions, not the least of which was apprehension. It did reassure him that Chief Ducane seemed like a good guy, and that he wasn’t going to take any disciplinary measures against the worker crew for anything, but the idea that they could be called on to actually do something was daunting.

Walking to the mess hall, Thomas realized he’d never actually made any of the requested repairs to Danny office. He pulled a comm-link out of his back pocket and sent a quick “sorry, I’ll be right there to fix the door” text, but was alarmed at what the Chief of Security replied almost instantly.

>Someone searched my office while cameras were out of commission. Nothing is missing. They took advantage of the door being jammed and unlocked<

Another message:

>Don’t come up here, it’ll look suspicious for the both of us. I’ll make another request tomorrow. Tell your friends to be careful, and come to me immediately if you see anything at all<

Thomas shakily put the comm-link back in his pocket and headed back towards the Vending Machines. He saw Odis sitting in the corner and joined him after getting his food.

“You ever think someone in the GAIL could do something pretty bad?”

“What, you think you humans have a monopoly on being kind of shitty?” Odis snorted. “You’re not that weird, you know.”