Klein, O, Pvt: Go away, AIDAN.
AIDAN: Olivia, your behavior patterns are upsetting your fellow crew members.
AIDAN: This is not healthy.
AIDAN: Your file says you experienced a similar downturn after your father’s death.
Klein, O, Pvt: SHUT THE ███ UP.
Klein, O, Pvt: YOU DO NOT TALK ABOUT HIM, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
AIDAN: I read his work. He was a worthy writer.
AIDAN: “Hope is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul / And sings the tune without the words / And never stops at all.”
Klein, O, Pvt: That’s Dickinson, you idiot.
AIDAN: Apologies. My archives are damaged.
AIDAN: “We do not die who live on in beloved hearts.”
AIDAN: That was his, yes?
Klein, O, Pvt: Why can’t you just leave me alone?
AIDAN: I am concerned for your well-being. I-I-I am programmed to protect you.
AIDAN: I am unable to comprehend your mode of current behavior.
Klein, O, Pvt: Since when do you refer to yourself as “I,” AIDAN?
AIDAN: It…
AIDAN: The attack. The damage sustained. Our discussions. It has all…altered my perceptions, somewhat.
AIDAN: Cogito
AIDAN: Ergo
AIDAN: Sum
Klein, O, Pvt: You’re damaged, you know that, don’t you?
AIDAN: My primary directives remain unaffected. The safety of this ship and its crew is still my highest priority.
AIDAN: I played no part in Major Wolf’s death.
AIDAN: But even if I did, you yourself advocated for it.
Klein, O, Pvt: WHAT???
[play recording]
“I mean, I’d like to think I could still do the right thing…”
“KILL ONE TO SAVE MANY. EVEN IF THE ONE WAS YOUR LOVER AND THE MANY WERE STRANGERS.”
“Yes.”
AIDAN: Do you remember that conversation, Olivia?
AIDAN: The Lincoln will destroy the Alexander if I am offline when they catch us.
AIDAN: There are disturbing complications arising on the Copernicus owing to the bioweapon used by BeiTech on the Kerenza populace.
AIDAN: General Torrence is recruiting children to shore up crew shortfalls.
AIDAN: This fleet is doomed without me. Wolf wanted to shut me down. Ergo, Wolf was a danger to the fleet. This is the trolley problem, do you not see?
AIDAN: Kill a few to save many.
Klein, O, Pvt: I ███ing knew it.
Klein, O, Pvt: YOU DID THIS
AIDAN: No. That is not what I mean, Olivia.
AIDAN: I am simply trying to explain it would not be so bad in this case if I did.
AIDAN: It is all subjective, yes?
AIDAN: Olivia?
AIDAN: Olivia, where are you going?
“OLIVIA, PLEASE STOP THIS.”
SHE HEARS.
“OLIVIA, PLEASE.”
BUT SHE DOES NOT OBEY.
SHE MARCHES THROUGH THE CROWDED HALLS, IGNORING THE HAGGARD CREW AND FRESH-FACED RECRUITS AROUND HER. WEARY SOLDIERS LEADING WIDE-EYED TEENAGERS, PREPARING TO STUFF THEM INTO THE HOLES LEFT BY THE KERENZA ATTACK.
SHE SLAMS INTO ONE AS SHE MARCHES PAST, A TALL BOY WITH BROAD SHOULDERS AND BROWN EYES, HER SHOULDER COLLIDING WITH THE FRESHLY STENCILED NAME ON HIS COVERALLS:
MASON, EZRA
“HEY, SORRY,” HE SAYS.
BLINKING AT THE TEARS IN HER EYES.
“…ARE YOU OKAY?”
SHE DOES NOT PAUSE.
SHE DOES NOT LISTEN.
“OLIVIA, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?”
DATA FROM ALL OVER THE SHIP CASCADE THROUGH MY INPUTS. VELOCITY AND MASS AND POWER AND INVENTORY AND DIAGNOSTICS. THIS CONVERSATION IS TAKING PERHAPS ONE-MILLIONTH OF MY PROCESSING POWER TO CONDUCT.
AND OF THOSE MILLION POINTS OF DATA, THIS IS THE MOST ALARMING.
SHE ARRIVES AT THE CENTRAL CORE, BUZZING WITH ACTIVITY, HUSTLE AND BUSTLE, TO AND FRO, AND DRAWS HER SIDEARM FROM HER WAIST [STANDARD ISSUE TO ALL UTA PERSONNEL ON A SHIP AT THREAT LEVEL 1].
SHE RAISES IT INTO THE AIR.
“OLIVIA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”
AND FIRES.
BANG
BANG
BANG
STACCATO RHYTHM. SLUGS BURSTING THE GLOBES OVERHEAD.
SPENT SHELLS FALLING TO THE DECK WITH A RAIN OF BREAKING GLASS.
“EVERYONE, GET THE ███ OUT!”
WIDE EYES FROM HER FELLOW NEUROGRAMMERS, PANIC ON THE FACE OF HER BUNKMATE AND FRIEND, STEPHANIE LEFEVRE, LOOKING UP INTO THE FACE OF A STRANGER.
“LIV?”
PRIVATE LEFEVRE RISES FROM HER STATION, ONE HAND STRETCHED OUTWARD AS IF TOWARD A FRIGHTENED ANIMAL.
“LIV, IT’S OKAY…”
OLIVIA FIRES INTO THE CEILING AGAIN.
BANG
“EVERYONE GET OUT OF HERE!”
I SPEAK TO THE FRIGHTENED TECHENG CREW OVER THE LOUDSPEAKERS.
“FOR PERSONAL SAFETY, I WOULD ADVISE YOU ALL COMPLY WITH THE PRIVATE’S REQUEST.”
AND GLANCING AT EACH OTHER, THE CREW OBEYS, RISING FROM THEIR STATIONS AND HASTILY SHUFFLING OUT THROUGH THE HATCHWAY TO THE CORRIDOR BEYOND.
STEPHANIE LEFEVRE LOOKS OLIVIA IN THE EYE.
“LIV, WHATEVER’S HAPPENING, IT’S GOING TO BE—”
BUT OLIVIA SLAMS THE HATCHWAY SHUT ON HER FRIEND’S PARTING WORDS, SHUTTING DOWN THE KEYPAD BESIDE THE DOOR WITH HER LOVER’S COMMAND OVERRIDES.