“What’s that you’re humming, Greaves?” Izz checked her calculations for a fourth time.
The melody dimmed, but continued in the background. “Oh, an Old Earth song about a ship’s captain heading home to become free.” The AI’s tone turned sullen. “The calculations are correct. I told you that the first time.”
“I don’t play games with shipspace.” Not after Jeffers had been lost. The so-distant stories had become achingly real, leaving a void that rivaled the viewport of empty space and dim stars.
Blinking away whatever fruitless liquid that suddenly made those stars glisten, Izz stormed toward the galley. There was something soothing about chopping vegetables, even if it was dehydrated trash that tasted like crisped air with a tinge of soured dairy.
She noted the silent treatment only half an hour later, when she had to rotate her shoulders to loosen the knots. No wonder sentient AI’s illegal. They must have annoyed people to death.
“Just want to get home without incident, Greaves, that’s all.” She hoped her tone was soothing, but thought she’d managed neutral. Good enough, especially around a sporkful of hash.
“I thought the ship was home.”
Not good enough, then. “I – oh.”
Izz lowered her full spork back to the aluminum dish slowly, then wrapped her arms around herself. The chill that filled the galley had nothing to do with the air temperature.
“Nothing holds me to anywhere anymore.” She shivered, and tugged her jacket tighter. “There’s nothing for me at Appelini Port.”
“Some people find that freeing,” Greaves said. “Perhaps the song choice was apt. Would you like me to calculate a different destination? Briash Orbital Starport, perhaps?”
“No reason to go back there, either.” She cleared her throat. “Calculate the closest salvage opportunity, please, Greaves.”
Humming filled the air again, but for all unnatural noisiness of the sentient AI, Izz had never felt so alone.
***
This week, Leigh Kimmel challenged me with The Doobie Brothers “The Captain and Me.” I had to use the lyrics alone due to some technical issues, so hopefully it’s not too far off the video. My prompt went to Cedar Sanderson: Play to win. Whatever the cost.
Find these, and join along if you’re so inclined, at More Odds Than Ends.
