“Is this a fellow student? Hello Miss, you can call me Ahmed.” The younger copy greeted Nico, who had been standing behind Max, out of the way of the conversation.

“Good Morning Ahmed. Unfortunately, I am no longer a student. Those days are somewhat behind me, but it is possible that the recent renovations to my outer shell might have thrown off your sense of age.” Nico replied.

“I would like to introduce you to my second in Command, Tarith Rage. Don’t let her youthful and cheerful appearance fool you. She is well-versed in the daily operations of the ship.” Max informed the duo.

“Oh, I should have recognized you from the videos. You’re friends with Miss Lelu, right? What’s she like in person? Are those tentacles real or CGI?” The younger man asked, referring to one of the Tech Nomads with a dreamy look on his face.

“We don’t use CGI for our videos since we’re not idols. It would make viewers question the validity of our tech developments if we altered the videos in any way. Lelu is a sweetheart. Perhaps you’ll get a chance to meet her one day. She is often in the water parks on her days off.” Nico replied with a wink.

The older Myceloid gave his clone an annoyed look that made Max chuckle. The young one was not good at disguising his desires yet, but they were the same person, so there was a good chance that the old one also had a thing for Innu girls, or at least their hair, and his younger half was giving him away without a thought.

The older Ahmed gave Nico a judgemental look, then turned to Max. “I don’t understand your human traditions. Isn’t she too sweet and innocent to be Second in Command? Or is the position like that of my offspring, where she will be your generational heir? Are you considered old for a human?”

Colonel Klinger, who was sitting nearby, enjoying a book under the branches of the World Tree, nearly choked on the coffee he was drinking, then burst into laughter, not bothering to try to hide his reaction until Nico turned a glare at him.

“Have I said something strange? You, bystander, explain what I have missed.” Ahmed Senior demanded.

“Miss Tarith is one of the known universe’s most brutally vicious Mecha pilots, with thousands of confirmed kills to her credit. She even managed to fight a Huntress to a standstill in a duel, ending the match in a draw when both Mecha were disabled.” Colonel Klinger explained.

“Are you certain that we are talking about the same person? This small creature here?” The Myceloid asked again.

“Believe me, I was just as shocked as you when I first found out, but I am also a Mecha Pilot in the Terminus Trading Company’s defense fleet, and I have been present for many battles with her, as well as the duel with Huntress Khan.” Klinger agreed.

“My apologies, Miss Tarith. I have greatly misjudged your capabilities. You don’t give off any of the sense of defensiveness that a trained combatant usually does.” He informed her with a chagrined look on his face.

Or at least, that’s what Max assumed he was going for since his species didn’t really show much on their “faces,” which were only an approximation of the humanoid equivalent developed to set others at ease while conversing with them.

“A simple misunderstanding. I am impervious to all weapons currently detected within this section of the ship, so I have no reason to be on guard. Unlike a biological life form, which can be quite fragile, I can take a direct hit from a Plasma Rifle without serious damage, and physical blows from any of the species present are no real threat to me.” Nico informed him.

“So that’s it. Like a Moon Raker in a spore cave, it’s not that you’re incapable, only unconcerned. My people have always had difficulty telling the difference since we encountered so few predators during our development. Even after all these generations, we still have problems telling the true predators from the dangerous scavengers, as it were.” Ahmed Senior explained.

“No offense to those present.”

Max smiled at him and gestured toward the exit doors at the far end of the courtyard. “None taken. I doubt any of our crew would deny that she is a true predator in combat. Should we take a look at the Academy before mealtime? There are a wide variety of foods available on the ship, and we have enlisted the help of various species to expand our menu.

If you have a menu item that you would like added to the regular menu or for a special order, we will do our best, or if you have a sample, we can add it to our programming directly. Exotic foods are one of the many reasons guests flock to the common areas of Terminus.”

“That would be amazing. Perhaps we could visit other areas of the ship as well? I hear that Miss Lelu spends most of her time in the development labs. Could we visit them on our way?” Ahmed Junior asked, earning himself a swat to the back of the head from his senior.

“That area is unfortunately off limits to the general public, but I can ask her if she would like to do a guest lecture in the science classes from time to time,” Nico suggested.

From the excitement in the younger man’s mind, Max knew they had their first student guaranteed with those few simple words. It was also a great idea.

[Medusa, we’re almost to the Academy with the Myceloid, Ahmed, an old friend of yours. He wants a tour of the facility in advance, and he’s got a serious thing for cute Innu girls, so watch yourself. Also, he would greatly enjoy it if Lelu and the Tech Nomads could give guest lectures in the Academy on occasion.] Max messaged her to ensure she was prepared to meet them.

[I am quite familiar with his peculiarities. I will bring a small escort with me and take over at the front gates so you can get back to work.]