“You are to remain in your quarters until the authorities arrive.”
Anna kicked the door. “I hate you.”
She flopped back down on the cot, nearly knocking it over. She dropped her chin into her hands as she planted her elbows on her knees, fuming. Her sour mood did not last long, as the urge to empty her bladder made itself apparent.
Anna slapped the door switch again, to no avail. She slapped it multiple times, each slap harsher than the one before, in the hope that something would trigger the hatch to open.
“Come on, damn it.” Frustration laced her voice. “Open.”
Despite several more pushes of the switch, the door never moved. Her anxiety rose with each attempt, climaxing with tears cascading down her cheeks. With no other recourse, Anna dropped to the floor and wept, huddling against the door.
A moment later, she relaxed and let nature run its course. Her pants grow warm and wet between her legs as her bladder emptied, driving her to cry harder and slam her fist against the door.
“Are you satisfied now?” Shame and humiliation consumed her.
After she had calmed down and wiped the tears from her face, she stood and dropped her pants around her feet. She kicked them across the floor to land in a heap next to the unresponsive door.
“I can’t believe that I just washed them yesterday.” She wrinkled her nose in disgust as she released her panties and let them fall on top of her pants.
Hoping to clean herself as best she could, she pulled her tool belt from the foot locker under the cot and withdrew the shop rag from its pouch. As she wiped her crotch and thighs, she looked at her tool belt, then at the switch on the wall, and at her belt again.
“Why am I so stupid?” She threw the rag on the floor and retrieved one of her tools. After setting the belt on the cot, she removed the bolts holding the door switch in place.
“What are you doing?”
“Something I should have done ten minutes ago.”
“You are not authorized to access that system. Cease your actions now.”
Within seconds, the last bolt dropped into Anna’s hand, and she pulled the switch from the wall. She traced the wires for the door and the power to operate it. After locating and isolating the computer’s control wire, she cut through it. Casting the wire cutters behind her onto the cot, she pressed the switch and smiled as the door slid open.
Grabbing her tool belt and loose tools, Anna marched out of the cabin and to the bridge.
“You are in violation of the custody order issued against you. Return to your quarters immediately.
“Go to hell.”
“Unable to comply.”
Sarcasm weaseled its way into her response. “Why am I not surprised?”
Reaching the panel for the computer core, she ripped the panel from the wall and grabbed her flashlight from its loop on her belt. The panel clattered against the floor and tumbled away. Shining the light inside, she searched through the wires and circuitry.
“You are not authorized to access that system. Step away from the system now.”
Ignoring the computer’s remark, Anna located the large power cord connected to the computer core. Grabbing it with her free hand, she took a deep breath. “Let’s see how you like a little down time.”
She pulled the power cord from its socket. All of the ship’s systems powered down, plunging the interior into darkness. Save for the bridge, which remained illuminated by the ambient sunlight.
Anna looked over each shoulder to confirm nothing was operating. It was then she realized that the background hum of the ship’s systems no longer filled her ears, dropping her shelter into an eerie silence she had not heard since her childhood.
Concerned that nothing was working, she draped the power cord over the lip of the opening and jogged to the closest door leading to the back of the ship. She pressed the switch, but the door did not move. Sliding her flashlight back into its loop, she looked along the walls surrounding the entryway. “There’s got to be some sort of manual override.”
A brief moment later she located a small, recessed panel next to the door as high as her waist. Flipping it open, she pulled the small lever behind it and watched the door release and slide open about a quarter of a meter. With a smug chuckle, Anna walked through and entered the head in the same way.
She stopped in front of the sink and turned on the water but, to her dismay, nothing came out. Her shoulders slumped. She tested the shower, receiving the same result. “Damn it.”
She made a beeline for the engine room. “I’m going to get clean one way or another, and this fucking computer is not going to stop me.”
Anna entered the darkened engine room and activated her flashlight. Through the darkness, even without the help of her light source, she spotted a flashing red button on a panel embedded into the wall on one side of the room. Making sure her way was clear of obstacles, she moved over to the panel and read the label above the button. “Auxiliary Power.” She pressed the switch with her thumb and breathed a sigh of relief as the lights came back on.
She returned the flashlight to its place on her belt just as her crotch started to itch from the urine drying on her skin. Without wasting another second, she rushed back to the head and tested the shower, with positive results. Stripping down, she jumped in the shower and turned on the water. After drenching her hair, she remembered her fouled pants and undergarment in the other room. With a sigh she shut off the water, dried off, and retrieved the clothes, laying them on the shower floor just like the day before.
Anna completed her shower and laundry, taking some extra time to relax under the hot water. She dried herself off, then carried her wet pants and panties to the top of the ship to dry in the sun. As she stood on the ship, she decided to lie on the hull to dry off again. She relaxed next to her laundry and dozed off for a short while.
Anna woke up some time later and checked the status of her clothes. Finding them sufficiently dry, she slipped on her underwear and went back inside the ship to finish dressing.
As Anna slipped her pants on, she considered what life would be like not having anyone to converse with, let alone a computer at odds with her. The personality exhibited by the electronic companion seemed basic, at best, unwilling to stray from its programming., She wondered if Ryan had reset its personality matrix before flying to the mining station, or if he had done so on a regular basis to keep it under control. The station’s computer had awakened sometime after she had lived there for four years, but it had been installed over forty years before that. She had never discovered if the previous caretaker had reset that computer’s personality matrix.
In either case, she needed to negotiate some sort of arrangement to get herself rescued from the moon and back to some semblance of civilization. The idea of living a pastoral existence for the rest of her life was not her first choice.
Feeling she was ready to challenge the computer again, Anna returned to the bridge. She picked up the power cord and nuzzled it back into its socket. She stepped back, and waited for the verbal abuse to begin. However, the computer did not speak. She waited a few more seconds, then looked inside the alcove to make sure the system was working. The telltale lights and sounds indicated it was running fine, leaving her confused.
Anna wondered if she had damaged the system by shutting it down the way she had. That made little sense, as the computer had the ability to store vast amounts of information. But, she surmised, the sudden power interruption could have damaged its operating system. As she tried to figure out the problem, the thought occurred to her that she might be truly alone. With no computer to converse with, and no other companions – human or otherwise – she would be isolated. She remembered reading about certain cases in her General Psychology class that dealt with human isolation, and how many of the subjects would exhibit signs of insanity after prolonged periods of no interaction with other people. Anxious the same might happen to her, she searched through the components of the computer core. H
er search revealed nothing; everything appeared to be in proper working order.
Chapter 4
Anna searched the bridge, praying for a solution. Her eyes darted from one point to the next, but found no clues. Eventually her frantic hunt brought her to the control panels at the nose of the ship. Leaving the core behind, she dashed to the pilot’s station and activated the holograms. The displays were blank, with the sole exception of a single switch in the middle of the central panel – a round, red button on a white, rectangular plate. The label above the button read, “Press to Initialize System”.
Anna stretched her finger toward the switch, but hesitated several times. Am I really ready to deal with the computer again? With a final confirmation, she pushed the red holographic button. The instant her fingertips contacted the image, the three panels dissipated. With each passing second, her fear that the computer was damaged and needed its operating system reinstalling grew.
She took a step back, and tumbled into the pilot’s chair. As she rose from the seat, the holographic panels appeared again. This time, they had the standard readouts like before.
“Computer System XLT-014 online.” The computer’s female voice had not changed.
Anna’s gaze darted upward, surprised to hear the computer say that instead of ordering her to return to quarters. The comment left her wondering if the computer was rebooting, or if it stated that every time regardless. She waited for the computer’s next statement with bated breath.
About half a minute passed in silence. Then the computer spoke again. “Interfaced with Arrow-class personal transport, serial number A C Zero One Nine N X Three One Seven. Please state the owner of the vessel with which I am connected.”
The inquiry helped Anna realize the computer had completely reset. Ideas on how to take advantage of the situation formed in her head. Should I be honest and give ownership back to the company? If I do, I’m going to have to deal with the computer again sometime down the road. On the other hand, I could claim ownership. If I get rescued, I could be accused of stealing the ship and face prosecution from the company. Then again, they sent Ryan, who decided I was better off dead. They would probably not even take the chance and follow through with that. At that point, they would just reclaim the ship and reprogram it any way they see fit, regardless of what I’d done to it. Then again, I…
“Please state the owner of the vessel with which I am connected.”
What the hell.
“Annika Foster, but you may call me Anna.”
“Thank you, Anna. Are you affiliated with an organization?”
“No.”
“Please provide the authorization code listed on your invoice.”
Anna’s expression dropped like a rock, and her eyes widened. She had no clue what to give to the computer. The code could be just about anything, and she knew enough about computer security systems to know that she would only have a limited number of attempts before being locked out. She could just unplug the computer and try it again, but doing so could wear down the system and possibly damage it if done too many times.
“Please provide the authorization code listed on your invoice.”
“Uh.” Anna wracked her brain for an answer, but found none. She grew desperate. Her hands fidgeted. She chewed on her lower lip. “Hold on for a minute.”
She sprinted off the bridge and to the cabin where she had stashed Ryan’s leftover clothes. Dropping to her knees in the open door and diving in with both hands, she rummaged through pockets in the hopes of finding some clue. After finding nothing in the garment she checked, she cast it over her shoulder into the hallway behind her. What if the code isn’t even on the ship? She shoved the offending idea aside and focused on her hunt.
Exhausting all possibilities from the assortment of clothes, Anna hopped up and bolted through the doorway toward her cabin, only to slip on a shirt she’d tossed to the floor a few seconds before. She landed face down on the deck amidst the scattered clothes. She regained her feet and shot across the corridor, ignoring the pain throbbing in her arms and chin. She squeezed her way through the opening door and scanned the wall for any indication of the code, but met only empty surfaces. The thought of the code scrawled on the back of one of his pornographic pictures flooded over her, and despair took hold of her. She shook her head, and turned her room upside-down. The walls, the floor, the ceiling, bottom of the cot, and the outside of the foot locker gave no indication of what she needed.
As Anna threw open the foot locker and dumped its contents out, she spied a phrase carved into the bottom of the small trunk: SOUTHERN BASEBALL. She frowned, doubting the sport even interested him while he was alive, but she decided to give it a shot.
Anna sprinted onto the bridge and screeched to a halt next to the pilot’s chair. “Southern baseball!”
A few seconds with no response from the computer dragged by. She wondered if the computer was trying to make her sweat. The seconds turned into an eternity.
“Come on.” Her mumbled words reflected her anxiety.
“Authorization code accepted.”
“Yes!” Anna threw her fists above her head toward the ceiling.
“Do you wish to choose an avatar?”
Anna dropped her gaze to the holographic control panels floating in front of her. “I get to choose an avatar?”
“Correct. You may choose a holographic representation for the computer with which you can interact. This feature is optional, and you may choose not to have an avatar.”
“An avatar?” Anna pondered the idea with an expression of amused interest. She sat down in the chair and thought about what to choose. “What options do I have?”
“I have over two thousand celebrities and historical figures from which to choose.”
Anna’s jaw dropped open in shock. Figuring that this could take a while, she decided to take an easy route.
“Am I limited in any other way?”
“My personality matrix is factory-specified as female, so you may not choose a male avatar.”
“What if I wanted to pick a gay man as my avatar?” Anna smirked at her attempt to play devil’s advocate.
Her humor was lost on the computer. “He would be listed as a male avatar and is not an option.”
Despite her understanding of the parameters, Anna was overwhelmed. Two thousand!
“Can I choose to create a custom avatar?”
“Yes.”
She slapped her knees before standing and circling behind the chair. “Well, let’s see what you got. Pick a personality at random and display her for me.”
A half-second passed before a short, middle-aged woman with brown hair tied into a bun on the back of her head displayed in full color in the middle of the bridge. She wore a long, black dress and, despite appearing old and plain, reflected some charm. “Marie Curie, Polish physicist. Born 7 November 1867. Died 4 July 1934. Achievements: Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and in Chemistry in 1911, only person in the twentieth century to win Nobel Prizes in two sciences.”
Anna looked at Marie for a long moment, wondering if she would be comfortable with a scientist. It would be nice having an intelligent woman on board. Then again, she would only be accessing the information the ship’s computer had available to it. “May I hear her voice?”
“Voice imprint is assumed, as no true voice imprint has been recorded for the personality.”
A few seconds later, the image of Marie came to life and turned to face Anna. “Good morning, Anna. How are you today?”
“Uh, fine.” Anna was surprised by her thick Polish accent, and struggled to understand her. “Computer, I would like to choose another avatar. Somebody a little younger and American, please.”
The image of Marie faded, and was replaced with a girl in her early teens with straight, black hair and Asian features. She wore a brightly-colored pink kimono with cherry blossoms and a white obi around her waist. “Suki Yamato, Japanese-American musician. Born 14 January 2165. Died 3 February 2249. Ach
ievements: Grammy award in 2177 for ‘Bells of Emperor Hiroto’.”
Anna chuckled. “A little too young, computer. Maybe someone in her twenties or thirties?”
Suki faded and was replaced with a tall, attractive woman with long, brown hair, wearing a white halter top and blue denim jeans. “Kate Mitchum, British model and actor. Born 16 July 2013. Died 16 May 2098. Achievements: London Critics Circle Film Awards’ British Supporting Actress of the Year in 2039 for The Desert Wind, voted Sexiest Woman Alive by Esquire magazine in 2049, Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2054 for…”
“Okay.” Anna waved the information away with her hand, believing the list of achievements was going to be long. “I don’t need all of that. Let me hear her speak.”
The avatar spoke with a gentle, mezzo-soprano voice, her words carrying a bit of a British accent. “People are always asking me what it was like to be in such a fantastic failure of a movie. I still can’t believe how much hatred they have toward that.”
Anna walked around the avatar, studying her from head to toe at every angle. After finishing her examination, she nodded and smiled. “I’ll take her.”
“Avatar selected. Do you wish to name her?”
“Her original name is fine.”
A few seconds passed in silence. “Avatar parameters established.”
The avatar blinked and turned to face Anna. “Hello. I’m Kate. How are you?”
Amused, Anna attempted to hide her smile behind her hand. Failing to hide her mirth, Anna waved at Kate instead. “Hi, I’m Anna.”
“I will be representing your ship’s computer from here on out. Do you need anything?”
“Yes. I need the ship’s blueprints. I am trying to locate the sensor array.”
“All right.” Kate walked a few steps toward Anna, clapped her hands together, and spread them apart to reveal the ship’s blueprints between them. “The sensor array is located here.” She pointed to a long mechanism attached just below the pilot’s chair inside the outer hull.
Impressed, Anna beamed. “That wasn’t very hard. Now, I need to find something to act as a shovel so I can dig my way to it.”
Alone in Paradise (The Chronicles of Anna Foster Book 2) Page 3