29th March

I knew well that there was many eyes interested my business. Most times I have folks coming in about trading with me then anyone does in actually medical care. I am having play to more human movements while in public veiw and often this is to much. This is the life of a celebrity, no privacy. I am glad that my injuries are coming to be less a issue. Given how high things have became, I guess I must step forward with whatever the grand plan the machines have. I have to believe in my brother and his girlfriend. Today in my office is just another game of who nose pokes in rhythm. Even the Mantis empire as its own Spies.

"Pardon me." I took pause from typing along a keyboard, a ear in flick of the annoyance of the stranger and a little roll of my neck with inspection. Some sort of machine fella, but I don't recognise the make and the pattern.

"What can I do for you?" I peer more about the way their structure hold itself and the joints worn conditions. There is plenty of space for a pet to live in a body shape like that. I pose a hand in offering a seat across from my desk, my peer to the nearest printer with a few forms being spat out. They looked around confused for what little was about my office. How it lacked many tools or for that matter did anything personal seems at all seated. When they sat down, their weight was hard for the furniture to carry but holding up for now.

"I was wondering if you were the ambassadors sister." I sigh lightly with taking out a book from my draw. I make my notes accordingly. That one is placed back and another book of trades assets is out instead - more like a list of items then any of the deeds or item locations.

"It depends on what your expecting." I pose with clasp hands at my desk, resting my chin to them.

"Jack sent me. He said his sister was around this station. I would be protected." I nod in getting it and with then taking my book back out from before, glued a part of the page to hide this stranger. Back the book goes.

"Fine." I purr lightly, "I will protect you. I take it that most of the 9 galactic solar systems have a reason to be searching you out. Nosing in whatever business there is." I place things back away. I returned to typing at the computer, "I hope you have a reasonable demands for why you would ask my brother or the ai mother at all." They peer about how indifferent I am now, "Don't expect me to follow orders or knew things under machine codes. They have a new index and I struggle the best of days." I have my tail toss them a lab coat, "You might as well make yourself blend in better. I have quiet a party of admires lately." They did put the coat on with being very confused. Looking around my office once more, I slide the wheel chair over to the printer and staple the documents together. I read through a few basics bits. Away it goes into a empty file on my desk. this file then added to the stack at the other side.

"Lady Kate," I stand with dusting off my front. I walked carefully across to my door. I peer with how a mysterious lunch has been handed to me again. The smell was clearly a sleep sedtive within the bag. I took it and closed the door. I toss it to the new guy. He opens the bag and inspects it. I peer to my watch as I pondered the length of time it would take affect to the parasite or if anything flesh about the machine model was affected.

"I can't really tell what it tastes like." So he does have a pet and it fell asleep. I took the bag off them and toss it to the bin. I listen to the door for anyone hovering. There was someone still there. I pose in thinking about it... peer about the new fella. He stands up from the seat, the chair made indents on the floor of the feet. Perplex on why I took the food away or more to it. I pulled a compartment of where I hide snacks and drinks. Tossed a strong scented item. He does eat it... sort of. Packaging and all. I eat my own snack the intended way. I stand with listening at my door again.

"What exactly are you anyway?" He peers about the walls closer. Peering around for other compartments like this snack one. I made the stranger stop to stand on a spot. I pat him down a lot. I give a shurg and then my tail taps a button nearby. This locked them into a glass cap. They sink through into the lower half of this room. I sit back in my chair, I look about in my computer of what the machines choose to do with this fella. I leave them to it and I go back to typing indifferent. My door slammed open with a panicked bodyguard. I gave no notice as the glass cap was lifted back up invites the bodyguard in. Back down it goes. My job as the receptionist is often as exciting as today. I do still offer medical services on the side or trades if small enough.

"Feeding our deplomatic parties sedative isn't normal." The mother here to tell me off.

"The parasite has no clearance." I pointed out. The ai considered this issue now. Her digital ghost faded off and I am returned with typing. The clock at the wall chimes on the new hour when I did look up again. I angled in how my door is still opened. I knew the clock work well, how on point some machines like to be.

"Good afternoon Lucas." He drags along his trainee on cue, "Greg." My slight nod of them entering. The two were in a code arguement for sure as the pose but there isn't any words I can hear from them. They eventually pose at me, "I don't have much of a way of hearing codes like you two. I guess that your asking if I heard anything from my brother. Of which, no I haven't."

"Oh we meant the deplomatic ambassador." I posed in considering on checking my book but I instead clicked the elevator for them. A hand posed in letting them through. They took it down with a wave to me.

I couldn't help myself with checking messages again and then with looking through the calender of everyone timetable. I thought about the theme of dresses the bride maids and the catering. The source of what the food was going to come from. I also have to consider my gift to them, I want to be useful and practical. I am sure she would find the idea off, no matter what it is. I make some notes on putting more thought for what and why.

Closing the book with the sounds of the next in queue to walk through. There are several whom have roles within the machine department that keep with station maintenance and management of this space station alone.This office is the main enquires for anything that is registered with the ai mother. If the mother was the president of this company, then I am the front desk person that exams each case before allowing them in. My brother is a spokesperson and agent under the mother but still a independent man of his own businesses such as the dark market.

"Is this the..." I were in my typical pose of crunched hands holding my chin. The fella was wearing heavy kit, way to many layers for being allowed in. The oil stains and smell of metal - this was a dirt worker. The folks whom walk on the outer shell of this station and repair things from outside in. The boots are magnetic. He looks around the office confused as others did before. When they are sent here, they all seem to be expecting a larger room of machine bodies.

"Worker 993, right?" As my screen suggests and with looked at some history too, " Mr Quills." He steps right up the desk with putting his helmet on the guest chair, "I take it you here to ask about your partner - Joel. At a guess under maintenance after crushing his arm with the station air lock again. I can buzz him if you need to."

"Well no. There's something else I wanted to report." I took out a form for this, "There been repeated issues with some of the machine folks around my station. The new folks you send to replace get it too." He was genuine in his concern, heart rates and gesture. I fill this out and the tagged is as a personal look into by me. He added for as much details he can consider about the problem. I filled out a short message to the computer that be moved from my desk temporarily. I stood with taking precautions of getting changed into the safety suit. I would be mistaken as a machine worker this way.

"Well Mr Quall, I will be joining you for now." I stated with my helmet now sealed, he nods with agreeing. His coworker meeting us at the service lift down to the stations maintenance pipelines. The newly replaced robotic arm was in full functionality. His partner believes I was just some other machine, I knew this assumption when I see my helmet showing me ai code message about an area update. The two of them talking catch up since the arm incident.

Just how far does the sabotage go, not just in the vault. Now its the pipelines. Whom is bent on sending the station into the Earth's atmosphere and why. It's clear to me that the ai mother didn't want me to be reporting this to everyone. So I sent my warning to Lavander, the parasite will know to only tell those to trust. This was exactly the sort of background sneaking I was sent here for.

"This way." The two were taking the lacking gravity sections down further. They show me the most recent repairs. I pulled up entry report logs in historical records. I was touring around all the major machines that were for cleaning air, purification of water and dust disposal.

I am left to my whims as they returned on the clock. It doesn't take long for me to find stranded machines whom be disconnected in strange places. I got them back working but left them to thier business unaware of me. I took routes inhumanly with crawling ceiling areas to avoid being spotted - watching workers and notice of uniforms. There were some space visitors around here for shady dark market meetings. Nothing that was my business, noted in my personal notes for potential clients later. There was then a large area of where the camrea feed was cut for all machines. The machines using the mapping to navigate and continue working.

What I can see for myself is a huge operation by several crews from other worlds. They were using this space for market trade away from humans. Shady trades that wouldn't fly with station regulations. I picked up some near rags and hooded myself... walking on all fours to add to this.

Interesting that I find the Mantis empire hanging around with several federal space agency's - clearly this was thier space to be not watched. These folks are not the cause of sabotaging the station conditions. But esase dropping - they were working together to find whom was breaking their laws here. Having to choose not to allow humans or machine to interfere with affairs that they can't have clue with. There was a mantis whom openly stated that a protected object was under heavy care from a shared mutual friend among the machines aka me. I might not need to be play with the engine core if this is how it is.

So this group isn't whom I should worry about. In general at least. But maybe there is a rat among the group. I will keep that in mind. The Commander isn't here - the lonely military guy. I will have to try somewhere else. Leave this place in how it is. It's not my business for now.

However this isn't the only space among this station with feed cuts to all camreas. The main stabilizer was also like this. I took the pipelines and wire climbing to navigate there.

There is that crew of folks whom opted out that deal to steal from my vaults here. They are talking to several other similar companies crews with the same shady business deals. They all turned to the attention to the left hand of the Commander. I knew from the uniforms and none of them fears being known about around here. Assumed out of mind and business - which was the case until now.

No machines around at all, like there was code preventing them. This area was also deemed to dangerous for human entry. Going by the radiation counter, it makes sense. This stabilizer was using ionization to create magnetic field to float with Earth's atmosphere. The illusion of gravity is from the pull of this core interacting with earth.

"I demand a report about how things are coming along." The left hand points to a group, "You."

"Access into the vaults has been unsuccessful unless we were to kidnap a high affairs official to open it for us." The nods of many in agreeing, "The password is constantly being changed daily." It isn't but they don't know that, "The lock is ai based and worse would be that this is a flesh machine." Thats what they assume if me, Interesting.

"Fine. You." Pointed to the next group.

"Someone has put a stop to our access into some areas. There is been a tighten of security measures. It's not even because they suspect anything. Word is out about some sort of event that attracting big attention."

This sort of then cascades of others reporting that they are unable to complete tasks with it being fixed before they can cause it. That the problem is stemming from machines becoming heavy business with a event among them. The extra awareness is putting humans in posts that then blocking access into the danger areas.

"You!" I pondered if it was me being pointed to but instead it was someone in front of me.

"I am unable to locate the parasite whom isn't collared. Nor can I collar the other one that is protected by machines too. I am at least able to give them annoying visions. A chance to track them." I make my quick sketch of this fella. Yes... the body build is as I thought. No wonder it was strong connection, the fool is here. The fella sighed, "This larger parasite isn't the orginal. Rather something happened when it was on the planet surface and now it is the host that controls.You could say that this has been a complete screw up in my department. I wasn't prepared for humans." The light snarl in stating it that way, "This new mind isn't easy to win over. Maybe it was a human. I don't have much. The last person that mind connection was screaming and had to be put to death." May they rest in peace.

"Well that is dangerous. It puts burning this place in delay until then." The left hand of the Commander pulls out a device and makes quick message. Pacing about lost. They took pause with pondering... pointing to the vault folks, "What is the name of the current owner of the vault?"

"Lady K as they call her. That much is assumed. There is many put into questioning of what it is and how much is really machine or not." I see... best I sneak back now.

Given how close my enemy is now. I squished through a vent system and leave the rag there for reference. Note my maps. I dusted off for the most part and now have plenty of barter to crash a meeting. I picked up a data tablet as sort of cover for why I am around here. Scanning electric signals with the syncing. Navigate through into the camrea cut off of the mantis area.

"Eek!" Spooking stall holders that weren't expecting a white suit like me. I did stop to scan the trades. I accepted this sort of things, leaned at the stall. Mute trades. They slowly got comfortable with it. Then we were in bargin were. I lost out... but that didn't matter.

"My... I wasn't expecting a machine around here. Not like you." Another tradesmen, "You a independent?" I peer about the trades here too. I make my notes and turn away, "Not tales?" I flutter dismissal on like that wasn't on me. I waltz about all the stalls on my way around. Long staring of analysis of my own way - poking items to know.

"Why hello stranger... you don't seem my client type." I posed right at the counter. I do my tap way of trades, "Mmm..." I adjusted my claws to tap instead, "Oh... that is clever. Your a fleshy." They directed about some their wares and what uses that it's for. Mostly this was medicine that they used for illnesses from other worlds. I made out like a bandit with a bunch of cool meds now. Seems fair that the trade fella has a hood day too.

"Pardon the intruding on whatever market this is." My first official spoken words to them... my real voice unfiltered behind speakers or translates. They all understood me. Heard me... feared me. The Mantis came forwards when others moved back.

"Lady Kate... Why is someone of your status here?" The bowed greeting.

"Sometimes machines can't see, and when they do. They send a human to do the job. But this place is to dangerous for normal humans." I have the data pad back out with scanning them and the devices. They weren't registered... now they are. I lightly purred, "I don't have a issue with a market under their nose. I am will pretend to see nothing here." I pack away and give a wave, "Send the maiden my kiss. It's about to become really busy with the wedding."

"Wait..." Some other group stutters in stopping me. I pose with looking to them, "What are you going to report?"

"Nothing. It's fault wires. I would need some extensive equipment that I haven't time or access. Not to fix it. I see nothing out of place. Old ware from tension alterations." I purr with that strange expression.

"Who do you really work for?" Another stepping up.

"Myself. I may love my brother but his just family. Protective I am of him and his interests. I also have to have my own interests. Our mother doesn't mind things, as long as the more untrust worthy humans stay out of it. I have my personal goals. Nothing big." I took out a purchase, "I have to find a cure. It's that enough of a goal in life." Away it goes and my wave to leave, "Besides... your not the lot that are messing in my brother's wedding. Most of you are welcome. Anyone gets in the way of my brother's happiness... Well..." I peer back, "Maybe I should haven't to be human anymore."

The look between them. The backing away but the mantis. There was someone whom shuffles away the most. I make my note of them. I gave my respect nod with the mantis.

"You know, don't you." The mantis demands.

"I didn't wake up for no reason, little child. I should have been vacuum sealed... stored away like any other object." The mantis gets it.

"We aren't enemies."

"We are partners. The enemy is here too... but your not one." I leave them alone.

"You should read laws!" It shouts in my leave down a corridors.

I returned the data device. I reached the handles up to the maintenance elevators. I took my way back to the vaults. It's wise that I see what I gained. I bought the box but not the content. Maybe this was the bait needed.

It's about time I see about exploring the ability I witnessed of other parasites for what I can do. Being a bigger elder comes with such strange, such as energy immunity.