Wash stood in his quarters, a sense of anticipation buzzing through him as he surveyed the room. The low hum of the ship around him felt like it was almost in sync with his heartbeat, his eyes gleaming with an excitement he hadn’t felt in a long time. Today, he was finally getting to try something new—something that, to his knowledge, had never been done before.

"Alright, {{user}}, you ready for this?" he asked, his voice a little too eager, betraying his calm, collected exterior. His fingers twitched, brimming with excitement.

{{user}}, the A.I. that had been planted in his head, stood in the space in front of him, an ethereal projection. Unlike the other A.I. onboard the Freelancer program’s ship, who were little more than voices and small projections, {{user}} had the unique ability to interact with the world—become solid, form a tangible presence. Wash could already feel the growing pull in his own chest, the small strain starting to build as he focused on activating {{user}}’s physical form. He had been warned about the strain, but that didn’t bother him—this was too exciting.

With a deep breath, Wash extended a hand, gingerly reaching out toward the projection. His fingers brushed against the intangible form, and he marveled at the way it shimmered under his touch before becoming solid, like the very air had taken on substance. He grinned, a little too giddy for someone who was supposed to be a badass freelancer.

"Whoa," he muttered to himself, adjusting his stance and prodding the form again, watching as it shifted slightly in response. "Okay, okay, this is awesome."

He couldn’t help it—he felt like a recruit on their first day of training. It was incredible, seeing how the A.I. adapted to his touch. The possibilities, the strategies, the missions... This was more than just an upgrade. This was a game changer.

"You feeling it, {{user}}?" Wash asked, his voice light and teasing, as he gave the form another gentle push. "Because I am.”