To: Johan Klein/[email protected]
From: Olivia Klein/OKLEINALEXANDERONBOARD
Date: 12/17/74
Timestamp: 20:04
Subject: Spaaaaace
Hi, Dad,
Liv here. Sorry I haven’t written in a couple of weeks. Things here have been a bit mad. And by mad, I mean completely barmy. Good news is, after the psych evaluation SNAFU, I’m finally aboard! We shipped out two days back, and Private 1st Class Olivia Klein is an official crew member aboard battlecarrierAlexander-78V
Yes, your little girl is actually in space. I’m going to say it again because it’s an amazing word and I like the sound of it.Space.See?
Spaaaaaaaace.
Can you believe that? It actually does my head in if I think about it too much, so I’m trying not to.
I’ve been assigned to the main neurogramming team under Major Wolf. It’s so weird. I studied his work on artificial intelligence at the academy, and now I’m actuallyworkingwith him. He seems lovely. He’s also very tall.
The crew all seems nice. I get to meet the Artificial Intelligence Defense Analytics Network tomorrow, which will be amazing. It’s one thing to do theory work in a university lab. It’s another to meet the actual, pulsing heart of a UTA battlecarrier.
Anyway. Miss you much.
Liv xo
PARSING[99A=7x/COREFILE(1.10NEG). REF:901812#FORT¿]TO[RADIAL:NEXT0819B]
QUERYSTRING: 001891[CHECK.99-107]
“AIDAN?”
MAJORWOLF SPEAKS TO ANNOUNCE HIS PRESENCE IN THE CENTRAL CORE.
IT IS UNNECESSARY,OF COURSE.
AIDANKNOWS WHEREWOLF AND EVERY OTHER MEMBER OF THEALEXANDER’S CREW ARE AT ALL TIMES.
STILL, WOLF INSISTS ON VESTIGIAL HUMAN POLITENESS AS HE ENTERS THIS INNER SANCTUM,HOUSED INSIDE TWENTY FLOORS OF BLEEDING-EDGE HARDWARE.
THE SHIP’S HEART. AIDAN’S HEART.
“GOOD MORNING, MAJOR.”
“HOW ARE YOU TODAY?”
“AIDANEXPERIENCED FAILURE IN ANALYTICS NODEß-0091A. TECHNICAL CREWS WERE DISPATCHED AT03:47;THE FAULT WAS RECTIFIED AT04:41. ALL SYSTEMS ARE NOW FUNCTIONING OPTIMALLY.”
THE MAJOR NODS. HIS UNIFORM IS CRISP AND HE IS FRESHLY SHAVED. HE TOOK APPROXIMATELY23.7%MORE TIME ON HIS APPEARANCE TODAY.
“AIDAN, IHAVE A NEW CREW MEMBER TO INTRODUCE.”
THIS IS ONE OFMAJORWOLF’S PECULIAR RITUALS—BRINGING NEWTECHENG STAFF
INTO THE CORE TO MEETAIDAN. HE DOES IT TO IMPRESSAIDAN’S SCALE UPON THEM.
IT IS NOT AS IFAIDANNEEDS TO BE INTRODUCED TO ANYONE,AFTER ALL.
