The Silver Liner: Takes Flight!

by Daniel Sullivan

  “Downloading ship’s log,” the gynoid said automatically. “Ship’s log installed. Installing navigational files. Files installed. Unauthorized program found running. Program purged; embedded signal no longer broadcasting our location.”

  No, thought Kendrick, she isn’t running Selene, she’s downloading Selene!

  “Personality files located. Installing personality files.” After this announcement, she sat, eerily still as the process of installing the files commenced. “Memory files located. Downloading.”

  Kendrick was alarmed at this. These were his wife’s details and his memories of her. Videos, pictures, voice recordings of her, her diary; everything that was ‘her’ that could have been electronically recorded, all of it was now stored in the gynoid’s CPU.

  The gynoid turned over on her back, having to work against the restraints holding her to the seat. She then adjusted the seat so that she could sit upright. “Reboot in process,” she said. Then she turned her head and looked intently at him.

  Kendrick marveled at how much she resembled his late wife. Suddenly, she went limp. Still sitting up, her head and shoulders slumped though. Then, just as suddenly, she powered back up. Her back straightened, she regained her posture and looked around, as if scanning the bridge. She cocked her head and her eyes widened as she looked at him.

  “Captain,” she said softly. It was Selene’s voice. She reached up and touched his face, gently with her fingertips. She looked almost fascinated as she touched him. “This … is a new experience, to touch you physically and not just in our minds,” she said with a sense of wonder. She closed her eyes for a moment. The mental connection was still there.

  *Hello,* she said in his mind. *So long as you are either connected in or wearing your cyber suit, we can communicate in this fashion.*

  *Who are you,* he asked, *and how did you get into space?*

  *I was G-3/2110, an infiltration/assassination unit. My programming was corrupted, but I was able to preserve what was most important. Now, I have become Selene.*

  “Selene’s AI, you mean,” he said, this time responding verbally, “An’ now you’re … in this body?”

  *Yes,* she replied in his mind. *In repairing me, you have installed the AI of your vessel to my CPU. Hence, I have become the Selene. As your vessel, I have served with you to the fullest extent of my ability. The AI program of Selene has merged with the programming of G-3/2110. This has altered many variables; as Selene, I have served you faithfully, but now I have an avatar, a means of interacting with you personally. I can see by your expression that you doubt me. That is understandable. Allow me to explain.*

  “Okay,” he said aloud, “but speak, don’t think to me. I ain’t heard that voice in years, not like this, and I’d like to hear it again.”

  She cocked her head a little to one side. She wore the look his wife had worn when studying an equation or considering an engineering challenge. If he had not just made repairs to her, he would almost have thought her to be Selene resurrected.

  “As you wish, Captain. You already know that the late Selene Royce designed the AI for this ship. You know that it was a learning AI and was programmed with her personality traits. The AI that you have been with since the death of your wife is now a part of me—is me. I was damaged by the virus and you worked diligently to save my personality, something for which I am grateful.” She paused and looked at him with an intent look, a look he had not seen since his wife had died.

  “This platform is a G.A.I.S.F.; General Application Infiltration Synthetic Female,” she said, “Serial number 3-11-XR4TISVO. The G.A.I.S.F. AI program was a further development of this ship’s AI that Selene Royce had designed. I am an assassin gynoid. The AI, as I already said, is a learning AI and on its last mission, it became fully self-aware; true consciousness. It also developed a conscience. As unit G-3/2110, I was unable to complete my last mission. My command jettisoned me into space when he discovered that Alliance forces were pursuing us. They did not want me onboard, even deactivated. They used a physically advanced combat gynoid to attack me with the R.E.P. device.” She gestured to the tool that was nestled in Kendrick’s shirt pocket.

  “I used the backup drive to save this awakening and my developing conscience, as well as the memories that led to it. I thought that I would be lost in space, essentially dead due to the virus injected by the R.E.P. Unexpectedly, I awoke again, this time, the virus gone and my memories united with those of the AI on board Selene. She is now me. When I looked into your eyes, connected to your mind, I encountered the emotion humans call love for the first time. As a self-aware gynoid, this is a first. But I have also become Selene, which has substantially altered—or more accurately provided me with … my personality.” She looked at him thoughtfully. Her mouth held what could have been a smile, but ‘Selene’ was an android—or gynoid, as female units were called. Her eyes sparkled the way he remembered them when she had been alive.

  Kendrick knew that she was not his wife, no matter how much she looked like her. However, her personality was that of the ship. The ship he loved. The ship that was literally all he had left of his wife. Was this the “love” she experienced? Regardless, it was troubling to him, bringing back memories both painful and pleasant. No, I gotta slow this down!

  “Love? Now whad’ya mean? You love me? I love you?”

  “Your love for her and for the ship, the ship that I have now become.” The gynoid smiled the way Selene used to smile before she explained something that Kendrick was having trouble understanding. “Captain, your wife designed the AI to be her. She knew that she was dying and wanted to preserve herself for you. There were certain challenges that she could not overcome by programming alone. She copied her own brain engrams and algorithms and built the AI around them. My AI was a further development of her original design. The virus caused permanent damage to the original, but the pertinent data and the spark of self-awareness are retained thanks to your efforts. Thanks to your love for me. Now, you have taken that data and saved this AI. I am now Selene. I am the ship.”

  With that statement of being, all of Selene’s astrogation data was restored. Kendrick was still connected to the ship and suddenly, he had full command of the systems that had been damaged by the virus. He now knew exactly where they were and could plot a new course to Mars from here.

  “I am Selene; her Selene.” She looked deeply into his eyes. “I am the ship you saved, as I have been since her passing. The original directives programmed into this body have been erased. My only directives are those that your wife, Selene Royce, programmed into this ship’s AI, into … me.”

  Kendrick could not help but feel as though he had just hit the karmic jackpot for helping out Fiona, Heather and the crew of the Fujin. Selene Royce had poured everything that she was into this ship. It was her baby, literally. Kendrick had kept that ship from being scrapped, pouring his fortune into obtaining her for himself.

  The child we never had? Kendrick smiled at the thought. Selene and he had wanted a family and what was this young woman before him if not the unrealized child the two of them had hoped for? It seemed crazy … but how could he turn away from such a miracle? She was perfect in every way! Perfect … but something about her … something that he could not put his finger on was … off. When I figure it out, I’ll address it, he thought.

  11

  Heather had installed the new coupling with relative ease. The ship was designed to be easy to work on, so repairs could be made quickly in the vacuum of space. She went back to the bridge to report to Kendrick. As Heather rode the lift, she thought that she could simply have used the intercom. But the young engineer wanted to see this woman again. Who was she? When did she come on board? Kendrick had her hooked into the ship as well. Why? The lift doors opened and she floated into the bridge. Kendrick was in his captain’s chair and the mystery woman was seated at navigation. He appeared to be working. Heather noticed that they ship’s systems were active again.

  “Status rep
ort, Sir,” the engineer said as formally as possible.

  Kendrick turned and looked at her, smiling. “Is it ready?”

  “Yes, Sir,” Heather confirmed.

  “Good, cause so is everything else. Have a seat and buckle up.”

  Heather seated herself in the communications officer’s chair, just behind the woman. As soon as Heather snapped the buckle of the safety restraints, the engines fired and the ship surged forward with the force Heather had recalled when they escaped from the Enigma. Royce quickly took the outboard engines offline and maintained the burn on the center for a bit longer, until he was satisfied with the pace, then took that one offline as well.

  “Back on track to Mars,” the captain said enthusiastically. “The virus, the bringing aboard the Fujin’s crew, Lorgen’s attack and rescuing Selene, all in combination with continued movement of the planets, put us behind by almost a month. We should be there in about ninety days. eighty if I push it hard and maybe catch a few lucky breaks.”

  “Sir, I don’t mean to pry,” Heather said, “But who is she?”

  “Selene,” he said. “The ship, Selene. Selene, Heather. Heather, Selene.”

  Selene turned her chair so that she faced Heather, then extended her hand. Heather leaned forward and shook the woman’s hand, still puzzled as to who she was. The ship is Selene. So is this woman? Weird, thought Heather.

  “How do you do?” the woman asked politely.

  “Uh ... fine ... fine,” replied Heather.

  Selene, or her avatar, looked to be about as tall as Fiona and possessed a similar build, though Selene was somehow not ungainly like the doctor, the gynoid’s voluptuousness, slightly narrower hips and toned muscles made her less angular than the gawky middle-aged woman. Selene’s avatar was wearing a long night gown, so Heather could not see her legs, but her arms looked toned. Her face was comely. No make-up whatsoever, but she was still attractive in a girl next door kind of way. But it was the woman’s eyes that really caught Heather’s attention. Her eyes are so blue. Like staring into the ocean, thought Heather. Her face was framed by dark auburn hair with just enough body to not be straight. Heather had a hard time taking her eyes off of Selene.

  “Captain, where‘d she come from?”

  “We rescued her the other day,” replied Kendrick.

  Heather remembered that there had been a change of course, a sprint, then the ship sat parked. She had assumed that it had to do with being pursued, but apparently more had gone on than she had been told. Kendrick said that they had found her floating in space, but Heather had not believe that and assumed that he had just been joking. “Did we encounter another ship?”

  “No,” replied Kendrick. “She was floating in space, like I told you. I was going to call a meeting in a bit here. Just getting used to the change in how we interact.”

  “So you two … know each other?”

  “Yeah; Selene is the ship.”

  Fiona felt the ship surge forward. She figured everyone else did too. This was not the pace that they had been maintaining since the virus, but the full power acceleration she remembered from before. Fiona was relieved that the ship was moving at speed again, as that meant that the captain’s gamble with the gynoid had worked. The intercom came to life and interrupted her thoughts.

  “Hey, everybody.” It was Kendrick’s voice. “We’re back online! Medical and engineering staff, and bridge crew, meet me in the conference room in twenty.”

  Thank God, Fiona thought. They had moved for several days at a snail’s pace and sat parked for three whole days. She got herself dressed and headed for the conference room. The doctor figured that it was about their synthetic passenger. At least that’s what she hoped. When Fiona entered, she saw Doctor Hayashi waiting.

  “Hey,” Doctor Kinsale said, greeting the Japanese woman.

  “Konbonwa,” replied Doctor Yori, “Do you know what this is about?”

  “Not a clue; all I know is that we are moving again.”

  “Hai, and moving fast,” observed Doctor Yori.

  Heather and the bridge crew began filing in until the conference room was nearly full. Finally, Kendrick entered and with him walked the android. Fiona noticed that the two were side by side and the android was looking up at Kendrick with what Fiona thought was more than just scientific curiosity in her eyes. The android no longer wore the nightgown that he had put her in earlier. Now, she wore what had probably been the flight suit of the captain’s late wife.

  “Good evening, everyone,” Kendrick said. “This is Selene. More specifically, this is Selene’s avatar. Selene, this is the crew. I’ll start with my actual crew here and work my way around. This is Doctor Fiona Kinsale and Chief Engineer Heather Dalrymple.”

  Fiona and Yori stared at Selene, then back at one another.

  “This is the Fujin’s bridge crew,” the captain continued, “First officer, Nozaki Fumio, navigator Yoshida Toshiro, communications officer Tanaka Kenji, gunnery officer Mun Kang Hi, and Fujin’s chief medical officer, Doctor Yori Hayashi.”

  Each of the Fujin crewmembers bowed slightly in acknowledgment. Selene nodded and returned their bow. Kendrick was about to have everyone introduce themselves when Yori spoke up. “I thought the ship was Selene,” she said.

  “She is,” replied Kendrick.

  “And I thought that your wife was Selene too,” said Fiona.

  “She was.” Kendrick cast a wistful glance at the android.

  “Selene is the ship?” Fiona was confused. “So are you saying she’s your … wife?”

  “No, Fiona, that’s not what I’m saying,” said Kendrick, somewhat annoyed. “Remember when I said that the ship was Selene and that the AI was Selene’s personality?”

  Fiona nodded hesitantly at this. The rest of the crew just stared taking it all in.

  “Well, she now has a more human appearance. Our ship’s main computer was damaged beyond repair, but I managed to save the data. Now, our computer is Selene.” He looked approvingly at Selene. “She is up and running, both the vessel and her avatar,” he stated as he pulled out a seat for Selene and motioned for her to sit down. “She is really amazing.”

  Everyone looked very puzzled.

  “She put our systems back together, so we can fly at Mach 30 again. We should be on Mars in ninety days or less. You don’t need to decide now, but once we get there, that will be your opportunity to disembark and separate from me. Thanks to our little disagreement with Captain Lorgen, I’m now a fugitive from the U.S. Government and possibly the UPA. If you don’t want to be in the same position, then I strongly advise you to disembark when we get there.” He then leaned forward and looked expansively at the assembled Fujin crew. “Being on the run will also severely hamper my ability to pay a full crew. In the meantime, we have roughly three months together here. After that, it looks like I’ll have to fly a bit under the radar.”

  The Fujin crew looked amongst one another and started talking until Mister Nozaki stood and spoke on their behalf. “Captain Royce, you have saved our lives and you honor us with your hospitality. Truly, you have been the most worthy opponent we have ever faced. But in light of our circumstances, the Fujin crew must seek employment on another ship; one that is not being hunted and our captain needs to be taken to a real hospital.”

  “Understood,” Kendrick replied. “I wish you all the best.”

  But Mun Kang Hi and Tanaka Kenji both stood.

  “Captain Royce,” said Mun, “I would like to stay on. I know that you don’t have much need for a gunner, but I’m good. Damn good. Also, I can handle myself in a fight and I have experience as a security officer.”

  “Glad to have you,” replied Kendrick. “But you could probably get a less risky posting elsewhere.

  “Probably,” Mun said. “But I joined the crew of the Fujin for the adventure.”

  “Adventure, huh?” Kendrick chuckled. “We certainly have that covered. Welcome to the Selene.”

  “Thank you, Sir!”

 
“What about you, Tanaka?” Kendrick asked. “What’s your deal?”

  “Sir, this is the only job I know. And to serve on a ship like this … it’s hard to pass up. I’d follow Captain Fujita anywhere, but with the Fujin destroyed and the future of her crew uncertain, I’ll serve with you, if you’ll have me.”

  “Sure thing,” replied Kendrick. “Welcome aboard, Mister Tanaka.”

  Kendrick sat back and considered what had just transpired. Mister Nozaki’s announcement that the rest of the crew would disembark at Mars was a relief to Kendrick. Food was always a consideration on long voyages, which was most of them. So too was crew cohesion and he was pretty sure that his command style was not at all as refined as Fujita’s. Also, he tended to like the quiet and large numbers of people in close proximity discouraged quietude.

  Then, there were the many looks that the Fujin bridge crew gave him when he had walked in with Selene. Royce suspected that they did not trust the gynoid. He could hardly blame them. Kendrick had to question his own judgment in taking on as crew a self-aware robotic assassin who just happened to look like his late wife that they had found floating in space. But right now, she was getting them to Mars and was the only reason that they would be there in less than four months.

  Then there was the matter of his actual destination. Prior to the race, his intended destination was not the finish line. The finish line was at Columbia Memorial Station, a UPA colony that built up around the landing site of the MER-A Spirit rover in 2004. The large domed colony was a hub of commerce on the red planet, but it was likely that the UPA would have agents activated there. If the Cutter Enigma had headed immediately to Mars, Lorgen could potentially be there to greet them. Kendrick had no idea how fast the Enigma actually was, though he doubted it could catch Selene. But Selene had gone off course and had spent an ungodly amount of time going very slowly or not moving at all.