His purple eyes was the true give away though. Genes from the days of personal modifications were abundant in the colony. His allowed for a slightly stronger impulse through his nerves, making it easier for the Sphere to read his mind, as well as making his reactions and strength quicker. He wasn't a superhuman, but it helped, putting his father, and eventually himself, high on the tables.
Like most colony tech these days, Golems are pretty simple and extremely robust. There's stories of thousand year old lost-in-space Golems starting up first time and, whilst a little rough around the edges, working admirably. Effectively they are giant human robots, made from a variety of materials, remotely controlled from the Sphere, using a combination of the smart fluid and helmet. The pilot effectively feels as though it they are the Golem, allowing for instinctive control. Or, for a bit of leisure time, the Golem can be replaced with gaming software, which is how most of the Caold peoples learn, and why everyone should have one.
Alxi was a Saturn Class Golem Pilot. In person the machine was immense, technically a class designed to be 32 times the size of the pilot. However, with the additional armour, thrusters, silo units, technical support, spider attachments, as well as laser-diamond drills, plasma units, quark distorters, and the rest, well, they're a bit bigger now. It would be a while though before Alxi could match his father and pilot a Titan class, twice the size of a Saturn.
This morning was like any other. The pilots all logged in at 10am, bound to their drones, and linked to the short briefing. Same as before, one new girl sent to learn, everyone else on their way. Alex's mind left the briefing and transferred to the Asteroid Mine. Dirty jokes greeted him from the other pilots, a couple suggesting Dek would be old enough for Phell before Alxi even spoke to her. He took it in good humour before asking about the council meeting. The youngest pilots had no idea, the oldest never replied.
3 hours of seem surveying, blasting, and drilling went by.
"Alxi wishes he was scanning Phell for cracks!" "If only you'd blast as well as you drill you'd make Phell a happy lass." "You think you'll fill Phell's silo with your little Golem?"
They baited him for fun and he managed to not bite, other than a few retorts. He'd grown up a Coald and had missed their humour at Uni. Derrick pushed a little surveillance shot of Phell at breakfast onto his view. The image of her smiling at him. He smiled back.
Finally the morning was over. He accepted one last gulp of rehydrate from the helmet, before discharging his air and food tubes, floating to the surface.
He sat with his father at the meeting table. Their drones floated just behind them and began projecting the hologram of the Coald capital meeting chamber.
"Welcome to Naphoo, Welcome to Young Alxi", the Master announced, "I hope you will all excuse the lack of formality, but we have issues to discuss quickly. Once the Habito and Venergy we'll be for it. Last year the inner council took steps which stand against our agreements as a System. We lit up our own Signal Flares. After 30 years without Enlightenment I am certain you will understand why. Despite the threats of Gentleman Summerfield we all know his people need their help more than any of us."
"Not to mention Tubroo", Naphoo piped up. The council nodded.
"We all wept for Tubroo", the Master added.
"And we weep at the news too", the shadow came forth into the Council's meeting, "we could not help then, yet may we help now?", the Tutor-Prophess of the Enlightenment Fleet lifted her hood showing Alxi a gorgeous, smooth-skinned, round faced, young woman, smiling at all. As she turned towards him the metallic augmentics that made up the region around her left eye and ear came into view. They shone with a slightly blue haze complimenting her purple eyes.
The nods from the Council were registered electronically as accent. All appeared to agree other than Lady Mephis of the Eastern Fusion Reactors and Mrs Defluu Benna from R&D. They had shacken their heads and silently laughing at the other Council members' reaction to the beguiling Prophess. Realising, they quickly messaged the meeting minutes to change their votes.
"So, Council of the Coald, what Enlightenment can we bring to you from the all rest of Humanity in the Ken?"
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