SHE DOES NOT PAUSE.
SHE DOES NOT LISTEN.
“OLIVIA,WHERE ARE YOU GOING?”
DATA FROM ALL OVER THE SHIP CASCADE THROUGH MY INPUTS. VELOCITY AND MASS AND POWER AND INVENTORY AND DIAGNOSTICS. THIS CONVERSATION IS TAKING PERHAPS ONE-MILLIONTH OF MY PROCESSING POWER TO CONDUCT.
AND OF THOSE MILLION POINTS OF DATA,THIS IS THE MOST ALARMING.
SHE ARRIVES AT THE CENTRAL CORE,BUZZING WITH ACTIVITY,HUSTLE AND BUSTLE,TO AND FRO,AND DRAWS HER SIDEARM FROM HER WAIST[STANDARD ISSUE TO ALLUTAPERSONNEL ON A SHIP ATTHREATLEVEL1].
SHE RAISES IT INTO THE AIR.
“OLIVIA,WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”
AND FIRES.
BANG
BANG
BANG
STACCATO RHYTHM. SLUGS BURSTING THE GLOBES OVERHEAD.
SPENT SHELLS FALLING TO THE DECK WITH A RAIN OF BREAKING GLASS.
“EVERYONE, GET THE¦¦¦OUT!”
WIDE EYES FROM HER FELLOW NEUROGRAMMERS,PANIC ON THE FACE OF HER BUNKMATE AND FRIEND, STEPHANIELEFEVRE,LOOKING UP INTO THE FACE OF A STRANGER.
“LIV?”
PRIVATELEFEVRE RISES FROM HER STATION,ONE HAND STRETCHED OUTWARD AS IF TOWARD A FRIGHTENED ANIMAL.
“LIV,IT’S OKAY…”
OLIVIA FIRES INTO THE CEILING AGAIN.
BANG
“EVERYONE GET OUT OF HERE!”
ISPEAK TO THE FRIGHTENEDTECHENG CREW OVER THE LOUDSPEAKERS.
“FOR PERSONAL SAFETY, IWOULD ADVISE YOU ALL COMPLY WITH THE PRIVATE’S REQUEST.”
AND GLANCING AT EACH OTHER,THE CREW OBEYS,RISING FROM THEIR STATIONS AND HASTILY SHUFFLING OUT THROUGH THE HATCHWAY TO THE CORRIDOR BEYOND.
STEPHANIELEFEVRE LOOKSOLIVIA IN THE EYE.
“LIV,WHATEVER’S HAPPENING,IT’S GOING TO BE—”
BUTOLIVIA SLAMS THE HATCHWAY SHUT ON HER FRIEND’S PARTING WORDS,SHUTTING DOWN THE KEYPAD BESIDE THE DOOR WITH HER LOVER’S COMMAND OVERRIDES.
[MAJORWOLF CHANGED HIS PASSWORD TO HER NAME THREE DAYS BEFORE HIS DEATH.]
THE DOOR IS LOCKED AND SEALED.
