While I've been chilling in the Big Apple for quite some time now, Ordis has been itching to whip the ship into tip-top optimal operation shape.
But let me tell you, my main squeeze lately has been setting up a kickass and secure base of operations for Emberfall.
And it was taking all of my time and becoming the top priority.
Emberfall isn't just another company for profit or whatever; it will be the foundation and the medium through which I will grab hold of my destiny.
And let me tell you, I can't afford to mess around.
Such a medium shouldn't be fragile; I can't afford to leave any stone unturned, brush off the slightest detail, or leave things to chance or luck.
Now, relying on luck is like playing a fool's game, even if I lucked out big time by waking up in this crazy world.
When life gives you a second chance, you've got to give it your all and settle for nothing less than extraordinary.
That's why I've been flexing my hyper-brain power, hustling to build an Adamantium-solid foundation.
I have also been pouncing and snagging talent that would otherwise go to waste to drive the plot of some "hero", and resources that would've served nothing more than a MacGuffin and plot device for greedy and egotistical jerks to fight over.
Imagine your treasures just floating in the wind, waiting for anyone to swoop in and grab them because you don't have a strong vault.
And without a strong vault, you don't really own anything; anyone can swoop in and take what's yours.
It's been a solid three and a half months since I woke up on this wild adventure, and let me tell you, I'm still a long way from building the "adamantium-solid" foundation.
I had this genius idea to beat the Avengers to Upstate New York and have Emberfall Corp. headquarters there.
But even with all my streamlined, slick deals and enigmatic compound blueprints scattered across different contractors so no one has a slight idea what they are building, the whole construction process is moving slower than a snail on a lazy Sunday.
No matter how advanced your alien tech is or how fancy your AI sidekick is, you can't fast-forward the real-world processes of construction and logistics unless you have the frickin' Time Stone.
But today, my gut tells me something's about to change.
Ordis, when he notified me, his tone felt different, with a newfound sense of liveliness. His tone was fresh and full of life, not the usual mechanical drone. And even though he didn't spill all the deets, I could sense the nuances in his speech pattern.
And the notification was the ultimate teaser: "Ship operating at 100%, all systems online."
Now, that really caught my attention. The ship I woke up in was a wreck, a shadow of its former self, even if it could do wonders. Most of its functions were offline, and I couldn't even access half of the rooms with my mighty Kryptonian power.
So, I took to the sky and made my way to the ship's location.
Eager to see what awaited me inside. I ordered the ship to deactivate its phantom cloaking, expecting things to be just as I left them. But boy, was I in for a surprise.
The once gray, bone-like shell of the ship had transformed into a sleek, obsidian-black exterior, exuding power and authority. It now resembled an enormous, elongated peach seed, of all things.
Intrigued, I descended down, and the door bay opened, revealing a completely new scene.
Ordis Drone, not like the one from Man of Steel, greeted me with a more streamlined and robust appearance.
The ship was buzzing with activity, with drones of all shapes and sizes zipping around, fixing, cleaning, and making everything look better.
As I stepped inside, Ordis welcomed me with a whole new tone. "Hi, commander. You're late. I hope you're pleased with the results," he quipped.
"Hey, Ordis. Yeah, yeah, I can see things are looking a lot better," I replied, my attention momentarily diverted by the strange contraptions flying and floating all around.
"Huh, Ordis. I already had a designated name, sir, but I guess you had other ideas. But who am I to judge? You're the boss, boss," he slyly remarked, poking fun at the name.
"You don't like it? And why the change in tone?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"Ha ha ha," he laughed with a fake robotic tone. "Try having half of your brain cut out and see how you feel, boss."
"Extra witty today, huh?" I smirked, realizing the AI had developed a smartass personality.
"That's my job description, boss. Being witty," he replied, turning and manifesting a GLC appendage, signaling me to follow.
"I must say, I quite like this planet we've landed on. It's better than a barren one, considering the loss of our crew and the fact that we're cut off from the capital. It's a new opportunity that beats dying, wouldn't you agree, boss?" he added.
I simply nodded, taking in all the new behavior and antics Ordis was displaying.
"Now, Ordis, can we get down to business?" I asked.
"Give me a summary of the ship's restored capabilities and the cool new stuff it can do, please," I requested.
"At your command, boss," he chirped.
As we strolled down the grand halls of the ship, which now looked beyond alien and clean, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe once again.
This was Kryptonian technology at its absolute peak before it hit that unfortunate slump of stagnation and decline.
"Every ship system is up and running, awaiting your command. This ship's main function is that of a seed ship, designed to fuel Krypton's expansion across the cosmos," Ordis began to explain.
"Each ship has the capability to establish a new outpost, which would grow into a self-sustaining colony world."
We entered a massive chamber that was now open for exploration. It housed giant machines, robotic arms, and GLC everywhere, flowing like water. There was even a sizable aperture in the ceiling, hinting at its ability to open up.
"This right here is the ship's most vital system: the molecular assembly machine. It allows for the exponential replication of Kryptonian infrastructure, from ships to systems. And with the recompiled data archives of Krypton at your disposal, you now have the power to create all of Krypton's remarkable infrastructure," he explained, laying out the purpose of the first chamber.
My brain right now has all kinds of light bulbs lit up with possibilities.
We stepped out and made our way to the restored genesis chamber, now in pristine condition.
"Boss, you know this is the genesis chamber, and it's back to optimal operational status. However, due to the anomaly that caused our crash landing, establishing a functional phantom connection with the Growth Codex back home is currently out of reach. This means the conception of new Kryptonians is on hold," he said with a hint of sadness in his voice.
We observed the small robotic critters floating within the fluid for a moment before moving on to another chamber. This one was empty, except for numerous circular platforms scattered on the ground—hundreds of them.
"This is the somatic reconditioning chamber. Here, the genetically engineered and bred Kryptonians can undergo a process that reapplies the original process that defined their occupational development to their cellular structure, eliminating any deviant or undesirable behavior and aligning them with any desired goals," he explained.
Yet again, more light bulbs flickered on in my mind.
Next, we entered an unusually white room within the dark and gray ship. It was filled with GLC beds and floating tentacled drones.
"This is the medical bay, and there's no need to explain it; it's in the name," he stated matter-of-factly.
Finally, we entered a room packed with contraptions that resembled toilet seats.
"This is the command chamber, where the first colonization efforts are directed," he added, his tone tinged with a touch of sadness.
"Hey, why do you sound down, Ordis?" I inquired.
"It's just that this planet seems habitable, and our crew is gone, and we have no way to contact the capital. It leaves us without purpose, guidance, or a leading hand. What should we do? Shall we sail the void aimlessly once more?" he asked.
I put my hand on the cold metallic drone's 'shoulder," feeling really sympathetic to the now awakened and confused mind.
"Don't think of it that way. It's been 3000 years, and even if Krypton is still out there, it won't be the same as the one you left. If you believe our mission holds no further meaning, then we have the power to redefine it," I reassured the saddened bot.
"The absence of a guiding hand frees us to shape our own destiny. We're liberated to forge our own purpose. We're fortunate enough to decide for ourselves what our mission will be, and I have an idea."
"As you command, boss," he responded, his tone brightening once again.
"Well, if you're in need of purpose, I've got a truckload of it ready for you in the form of an overwhelming workload," I quipped back at Ordis with a playful grin.