Excerpt of Intergalactic Witness Protection
Suddenly, an emergency beacon goes off.
Startling,
I take inventory to determine which alarm has gone off. It isn’t a
full-ship alarm, since there is nothing but the storm going on around
us, and Orion doesn’t seem to notice as he continues his forceful march.
Which means it was a private panic button.
Entering into my algorithms, I pick up the alarm that is going off.
In the medic bay.
I
quickly change the route of my physical body before sending a hologram
into the room that is second most important to protect from any
electrical outages could be a consequence of the storm.
“What is the emergency?” I ask, turning from Reverend Shipping to his son.
Silas Shipping moans in his bed.
“I
think there’s something wrong with the equipment,” the older Shipping
answers. “Something’s not working right, and now his readings are coming
out all wrong.”
“We’re undergoing a slight solar storm-”
The
ship shakes violently to give me backup for the storm part, but point
out that I’m a liar when it comes to the slight aspect.
Reverend Shipping studies me, as if trying to analyze whether I am one of the few AIs programmed to override honesty laws.
Thanks to Orion, I am. But he doesn’t need to know that.
“Well, I still thing...” Reverend Shipping glances back down at his son in concern.
I approach the monitors and upload the data from them while personally analyzing the boy.
Looking down at him, it seems like he’s sleeping- truly sleeping, since he has gone stiller than I’ve seen him yet.
Which is likely what has Reverend Shipping worrying.
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