SRCraven

@CommonCockatiel Happy to report that there are plans for Gives, Ghost, Callie and Havermeyer. You'll be seeing all of them very shortly. There's a future for Cortana too, but that thread takes awhile to unravel. Which, if you haven't picked up on how long this story is already... I do mean a long while.
            
            I appreciate that you also dislike Reeter. He is meant to be very unlikable personality-wise. I personally dislike him so much I don't like writing for him. So he still remains few and far between chapter-wise. Manhattan... Well, safe to say she's a menace. Her exact plans haven't been unveiled yet. She's not the only AI fragment around though ;) It's stated very early on that she was one of six, and ghost is NOT one of those six, despite sometimes being mistaken for one.
            
            Glad you are enjoying the read! This has been a pet project of mine for years now. I don't really expect anyone to read it, but it's nice when someone else does :) Updates will come. I am just slow. Consistent, but slow.

@CommonCockatiel I'm glad the origins of the neurofibers proved interesting. That's not really a technology humanity should be messing with. So many people called out that handshake scene too. I'm so happy it landed. I wrote that long, long before the rest of Azura. You never know if the readers who came for action and adventure enjoy that aspect of it...
            
            Gives is so done with everyone and everything during that whole (mis)adventure lmao. He's one of my favorites, because sometimes I too wish to be cranky.
            
            We will continue to see Ghost interact with some more of the crew (including Havermeyer here soon). Not everyone reacts well to her presence. Given time, they'd probably come to understand the way Gives and Ripley did. That said, the reaction of the crew isn't the only reason she hides. She is very much in hiding from other threats like Manhattan and Reeter. If information about her or her location is given away, even unwittingly by the crew, the ghost could be turned against them. The ghost would rather hide than risk that. (We'll get into that a bit more). 
            
            We will definitely see more about the Empress' faction. They very much have their own agenda, but could be a great ally.
            
            It is my plan to show more and more of the crew and their backstories. Most of them have pretty unique backgrounds. Usually the first time they meet Gives (or the ship's other crew) is an adventure lol. 
            
            I also haven't forgotten about the refugee fleet (I have been accused of this). This story is long, so sometimes it just takes awhile to circle back. The Singularity's crew gets in a lot of trouble in a short time. It would be boring to check in with Reeter, the refugees or even the Coalition at the same rate. They simply don't do much in that same span.

My favorite characters are still Gives and Callie, Ghost, Havermeyer (because he is like a less crazy tech priest, but still annoying),  but I'm starting to like Foster(found home), and Mama Ripley (heart of the home) more and more, I would like to see Cortana survive and eventually find her place with in the crew, but meh, what ever you I believe regardless it will be good. Also admiral loser, I like that I dislike him so much, Manhattan she eerie and unpredictable which means you know what you are doing. I very much like the way the story is going. 
            Had to type this 3 times because watt pad wipes what your typing if someone calls you. 

@Bvfzxfu3dg It is absolute honor to be in the running for a favorite author spot! Especially since I do not see myself as an author at all. Just a person sharing their pet project that grew into whatever this abomination is lmao.
            
            Ghost is definitely one of my favorites. She's a complicated character who will act very differently depending on what is going on around her. I always find the dichotomy so interesting to present. She is, without question, one of the most powerful characters in the story. 

@Bvfzxfu3dg Hi! There's more coming. Sorry, I've been slow.
            
            In case you didn't see the note I put at the end of the last chapter, the story will continue under a new title. Wattpad only allows 200 parts in a story, so we will continue exactly where we left off in Volume 2. Look for it later this week probably. 
            
            I definitely meant to have the battle wrapped up before moving to Volume 2, but I did bad math haha.

@pyxelRasta Yay! Admiral Gives and the ghost are two of my favorites as well (hence why we see so much of them). The tech monks are a common point of interest. I'm going to try to show a little more of their religion, but we shall see how it goes. It's difficult to compare to the power of the imagination. :)

@pyxelRasta My most favorite about your story is the relationship between Admiral Gives and the Singularity's AI.  Also the idea of a religion that venerates the technology that humanity invents...

@pyxelRasta These are exceptionally high words of praise, thank you! I am glad you enjoyed the journey there is more to come, I'm just dreadfully slow on drafting these days. If you don’t mind my asking, did you have any particular favorite characters or moments that endeared the story to you?

@Bvfzxfu3dg The best you've read in a long time is such high praise! I'm not sure my self-editing skills deserve it, but that is so nice to hear! Knowing other people are invested in the story is definitely motivation to write faster. I just wish that I had more time in the day.

@SRCraven Im gonna read that chapter in like 20 minutes and report back after.
            Oh and if you would have ended the story with the handshake I would have had to find you and made you write more cause god dam this story is just the best I have read in a long time.

@Bvfzxfu3dg These are great choices! Thank you for the insight!
            
            Fairlocke was a good guy, and that was a genuinely rare thing in these worlds. I'm glad his sacrifice made an impression. 
            
            The Heaven's Ladder scene is one of my favorites too. That's one of the first instances where the layers of the Ghost's struggle are seen. No matter what decision she makes, she does not win. She is simultaneously the strongest and weakest one in the story. Her humanity is all in how one defines it. Ultimately, she would be honored to be considered a part of humanity, but there are many who would deny her that recognition.
            
            I adored that handshake scene. I wrote that years ago, it just took that long to weave it into the story. The Admiral isn't very forthcoming, but he looks after his people (and especially the ghost) in the ways he knows how, and that scene shows it. He is trying, and the ghost knows it. 
            
            As for more, I am working on it! Been a rough few months/weeks, but I just got one chapter up and there is more planned! This would be a disappointing place to end.

@pyxelRasta Thank you! So glad you are enjoying the read! Next update is in the works, this just happens to be a busy time of year.
            Happy 2024! :)

@JustTheCoolGuy Haha! Those are three of my favorites as well. You will see more of all of them.

@SRCraven  colonel , admiral and ghost in that order are my favorite. I can imagine me  being like colonel as cranky as he is in future . 

@JustTheCoolGuy I just realized you've changed your username from what I knew it as. You were one of my first readers on this story! I'll always be grateful for that! Sorry I never got that prequel done, but you'll get to see some Hydra, as promised :)

@RavenRock2112 And to you as well!

@RavenRock2112 I'll send it to your shared account, that way your partner can have a look-see if he/she/they want.

@RavenRock2112 :) I've been working on finding some scenes (i.e. the funniest, profound...) you asked me about. I'll put it in a DM. No sense in leaving spoilers here for anyone who could (and SHOULD) go read your books.

@SRCraven P. S.  Nice chapter. Is it cheating if I voted twice? Lol

@RavenRock2112 Hello, again! I imagine two accounts would be too confusing for me haha. I also imagine Blood Impulse made absolutely zero sense with only 2 parts! Especially if it was the first and the last! There should be more than 90+ right now, but I have known WP to get a little funky on that sometimes. :)