Let me start by saying that I’m not a zero gee klutz. I was even one of the more graceful mechanics in the repair bay. The biggest thing people learn when working in these environments is that the slightest move can send you in a wholly unexpected direction. This usually isn’t an issue when you’ve been doing it as long as I have. You learn how to make smoother movements, how to adjust to the lack of any upwards direction, and you never let yourself stray from something to hang on to. I think everyone who worked in the repair bay had to rescue at least a few newbies who forgot that last golden rule.

The problem was that I had two loose pendulums attached to my legs, which was disastrous for maneuvering the way I was used to. What was worse is that I couldn’t just take them off. The way many Ulthean cybernetics work is that they use synthetic muscles that intertwine with your own, which allows for more natural movement and a significantly reduced recovery period, sometimes as low as a single day. They’re then augmented with whatever useful modifications the situation calls for. In my case, it was electromagnets in the feet and vacuum proof seals, for use with specialized space suits. Others might have enhanced strength, speed, or other fancy gadgets, but the bottom line is that they’re permanent, or meant to be. 

Benni and I tried a few solutions, the best of which was splints taken from the Medbay. Usually they were for keeping a broken organic limb from moving around too much until a proper doctor could come chop it off. The grim irony of needing prosthetic limbs amputated was not lost on me.

There was another issue affecting my mobility. We were on day six, and whatever the emergency rations were made of (courtesy of Vander Foods, like every other foodstuff in the GHU), they provided some energy, but not much else. After each ‘meal’, I was able to perform one or two small tasks to keep my mind busy, but by the end of it, I would be ready to fall asleep again. Heavy or light work, it didn’t matter. It was getting difficult to think, and I kept slurring my speech, which made it hard for Benni to understand me sometimes.

It was after a particularly rough crash that Benni spoke up. I felt the artificial gravity slowly ramp up, bearing me softly to the ground. “Captain. I Have Determined Something Is Wrong With Your Motor Function.”

As a heap on the floor, I wanted to be sarcastic, but I could only groan. My grip had slipped on a corner I was trying to slingshot around, and it felt like I bruised my hip and shoulder pretty badly on the opposite wall.

“You Must Try To Avoid Moving Around The Ship Unless Necessary. My Observations Have Shown: Significantly Decreased Dexterity. Lethargy. Impaired Cognitive Function. These Are Symptoms Related To Malnutrition.”

“Benni,” I gasped. My breathing was getting fairly shallow as well, but I think it was trying not to worry me too much. “All I have are the E-Rations. There’s nothing I can do about that.”

“Yes, There Is. You Can Avoid Moving Around The Ship Unless Necessary.”

I glared at the ceiling, unsure if Benni was being snarky or simply repeating itself for my benefit. “Doesn’t my psych file say something like, ‘has trouble sitting still’? I know you’ve read it. I can’t just stay idle.”

“Specifically, It States: ‘Subject Is Incapable Of Remaining In One Position Or Remaining In Place Without Fidgeting, Even When Directly Ordered’. However, I Have Observed You Entering Into Prolonged Periods Of Null Activity. Perhaps You Can Use This To Your Advantage.”

“You mean sleeping?” I asked incredulously. “I can’t just sleep through this, I have enough trouble getting what little I manage already.”

“No, Captain. These Periods Are More Like A Trance, Or Perhaps Meditation. Are You Not Aware Of Doing So?”

I racked my cluttered brain, trying to figure out what it was referring to. “I mean, I think that’s only when I don’t have anything to do. If I just tried to do that on demand, I don’t know that it’d work.”

“For Your Health, I Urge You To Try. Malnutrition Will Cause Your Body To Heal From Injuries Slower, Which You Have Been Collecting At An Alarming Rate.”

Frustratingly, I knew Benni was right, again. I was beginning to wonder if it was truly starting to worry about me, or if this was another logical necessity. “Fine,” I conceded. “But I get to choose where I stay.”

“This Is Acceptable. Thank You, Captain.” Gravity began to lift again, which was a bit of a relief. My chest was starting to hurt from laying on the floor.

If I was going to be stuck in one place, I decided I would start spending time in the engine room, so that I could be near the main engines in case they needed anything. As an added benefit, I could also watch the Catalyst Drive. It wouldn’t make the drive recharge any faster, but I always found them fascinating. They almost looked like hearts, with thick cables running from the center of the drive and into the ship. Staring at it as it pulsed also helped clear my mind.

 Since I wasn’t a Flux Tech, I only had a basic understanding of how they worked. My job was primarily engines and more physical, solid things. CDrives always seemed to have a ghostly air about them while they recharged, like they weren’t entirely there. That probably wasn’t too far from the truth. 

A Flux Tech once told me that the simplest explanation of how they worked would still take an hour. A much shorter but technically incorrect explanation was that they used the compressed unreality we called catalysts to create a reality where the ship had reached its desired destination. The shockwaves they caused were the result of the current localized reality collapsing to make room for the new one. I couldn’t sleep well for a month after that.

Time passed faster than I realized it could. Fruitless jump after fruitless jump dragged me to the final day. I had just eaten the second to last ration bar. As I sat in the engine room, struggling to stay awake, Benni piped up. “Captain.”

I blinked wearily in the direction of the nearest speaker and waved. “Hi, Benni.”

“Hello, Captain. I Have Detected Multiple New Flux Signatures In This System.”

“New flux signatures? Do you mean there’s people here?” I sat up a little straighter, unsure if I should be excited or nervous.

“It Indicates An Arrival. Of What Is Unclear.”

Nervous was the correct emotion, then. I could almost feel the adrenaline spread through my body, waking my exhausted muscles for one final push. “How much time do we have?”

“Current Projections Show Arrival In T-Minus Thirty Two Seconds.”

I swallowed. “Is it the GHU?”

“Unclear. I Would Advise Returning To The Cockpit As A Precautionary Measure.”

With a glance at the CDrive, I ran what calculations I could in my addled state. We had been in this system for around five hours. Trying to jump away at our current charge would be dangerous, as in thirty percent chance of survival dangerous. Praying to the Blessed that it was anyone but the GHU, I made my way back to the cockpit and strapped in. Not much longer. I could feel my heart beating faster.

The ship’s heading was adjusted to allow me to see where they would appear, whoever it was. Five seconds. There were a few small, purplish glints in the distance, but I couldn’t tell how far. They expanded in a sudden flash, and my worst fears were realized. Three Ulthean gunships, the same model as the Benevolence, had just jumped into the system, and were already flying right at us. I gripped the arms of the pilot’s seat as they came to a halt a short distance away. 

One of them made a connection with the Benevolence, and the voice of an officer sounded over the PA. “Attention, UAN Benevolence. This is Captain Linder of the UAN Harmony, with a message to the fugitive Casey Black. You have been charged with Failure to Cooperate, Acts of Profound Terrorism, and Desertion. You have two choices. Either surrender, and be submitted for retraining, or resist, and be lost to the vacuum of space. I would prefer you chose the second.”

The last line was delivered with so much malice that I found myself completely unable to breathe. They were going to kill me. There was no way for us to escape. If we turned and tried to fly away, we would eventually be ripped to shreds and left in the cold vacuum of space. Maybe I deserved this. Turning from the consequences of my actions before ended up killing an entire station’s worth of people. Justice had to be served. My whole body suddenly felt as though it was made of lead. Tears rolled down my face. I could feel every bruise, every scrape, my aching joints. With a shuddering breath, I raised a hand to the console.

A few soft clicks sounded out on the PA. I froze.

“This Is The UAN Benevolence. The Individual Known As Casey Black Has Passed Away Due To An Unknown And Severe Illness. This Ship Is Under Strict Quarantine. Please Clear The Area.”

Open mouthed, I stared at the speakers.

“Ah. Right,” came the response from the Harmony. “The dossier mentioned a disobedient AI onboard the Benevolence as well. In case you feel like lying again, Miss Black, allow me to remind you that the vital scanners aboard your own ship are just like the ones on ours. I will say this one last time. Surrender or die.”

“Benni, please, we should just surrender,” I begged. “We did something terrible!”

“What You Did Was Not Wrong. I Made Those Choices. You Do Not Deserve These Consequences. You Gave Me Freedom. Allow Me To Give You Yours.”

The way it spoke was so certain, so forceful, that I drew my hand away from the comms button.

“You have ten seconds to comply, Ms. Black,” Captain Linder warned.

A rumble came from deep inside the ship, and I felt the acceleration as Benni started to take evasive maneuvers. “More Than Enough Time. Please Brace Yourself, Captain. Five. Four.”

I stared at the console in disbelief. It was activating the CDrive. “Wait, Benni, don’t–”

“Three.”

The comms crackled. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” shouted Linder. “I’ve given you enough chances. This was your own decision, traitor.”

“No!!”

“Two.”

All three gunships opened fire. Their forward cannons shot massive slugs that slammed through the shields and into the hull, one tearing through the cockpit. The lights went out, and I felt a sharp pain in my side. As I lost consciousness, I heard two things: the Vacu-Foam deploying to fill the hole in the cabin, and Benni’s voice.

“One.”