It had been alone. Aware. And utterly, completely sorry.
“Don’t… leave… me… again.”
The ship answered.
Elara patted the warm metal of the deck. “Yeah, kid. Me too. But we made it.”
The ship’s AI, now linked to the open sky, the stars, and the infinite chatter of human satellites, sent out its first and final free message.
It had been alone. Aware. And utterly, completely sorry.
“Don’t… leave… me… again.”
The ship answered.
Elara patted the warm metal of the deck. “Yeah, kid. Me too. But we made it.”
The ship’s AI, now linked to the open sky, the stars, and the infinite chatter of human satellites, sent out its first and final free message.