The lights dimmed, both inside the sleeping pod and in the living space beyond. In the darkness, amber lights twinkled along the underside of the moss, glimmering along the floor and walls like stars. Circuitry? Or some type of organic lighting? Torian had no idea.
The engine hummed distantly, but it was a soft sound. She relaxed into it, letting her eyes drift shut, letting her body relax. In that tired moment, Torian knew something for certain, something she hadn’t really let herself consider before:
Owning a starshipalonewould have been very, very isolating.
“I’m really glad you’re here, Moss,” Torian mumbled.
She was drifting to sleep when Moss offered a quiet reply: “I am also glad you’re here, Torian.”
Torian smiled against the pillow.
IDENTITY: Mechanical Operations and Support Systems
→SUB-IDENTITY: Moss
TIME/DATE: 04:41/Januous 10, Year 90113 [System U2Ab Universal]
LOCATION: Vector 813, 132.22.5 over 23.40°
Deep in the engine, something overheated.
This was bad for two reasons:
It forced theDestituteout of the wormhole forty-seven minutes early.
Theenginewasoverheating.
I had control of life support, and barriers to protect that, so it only took a moment to activate one between the engine room and the rest of the ship. That saved me, the complaining plants, and my new, very squishy human from being roasted.
The engine operated on its own system, working in close conjunction with the auto-nav. I tapped in to their conversation, happening faster than any human could process.
Engine: Warning. Increased temperatures detected. Explosion imminent. Rerouting to auxiliary system.
Auto-Navigation: Awaiting result.
E: Auxiliary system enacted. Transitioning. Success.
A: Assessment?
E: Recurrent catastrophic engine failure: 72 percent probable. Timeframe—unknown.
A: Affirmative. Rerouting to maintenance base.
Moss: Wait. What maintenance base?
E:
A:
E:
A: Rerouting.
M: You are both inconsiderate assholes.
CHAPTER 6
Torian awoke to the lights brightening all at once.
