I see, through sleepy eyes, a notification floating in front of me. There are a lot of them, but the first one seemed to be the important one. I briefly scan it and see it is just a necessary AI patch from R&D, so I press update and install. After that, I sink back into the abyss of sleep. Thinking I can get back to them later. Hoping I can continue to sleep. Maybe, tonight I can have a dream.
...…
I didn't get that wished-for dream.
I just woke up to a nightmare.
...…
I awoke later, much later, as I would later find out. When I gained enough focus to return to consciousness again, I found myself floating. This was not something new to me. I am on a spaceship, after all. Or … I think I was. Truth to be told, I can't remember. However, it would explain the solid white walls that hardly differ from the floor, the counters that would have been covered with lots of cool and sophisticated science equipment (if the gravity wasn't turned off), and a simple aperture door. I also see a couple of hulls supports built into one of the walls, the kind I've seen on many space-faring ships.
I start wondering how I got here. As I think it all over, I realize I have a rather nasty headache. Not the kind you get from drinking but the kind you get from being hit over the head one too many times the night before.
[Reinitializing intelligence matrix. 0% ... ERROR!] [Main intelligent matrix corrupted/ failed construction.] [Format unknown.] [Skipping for manual user correction.]
"What the …" I think as I read the install popup.
[Starting Sub-Commander AI matrix installation sequence. 0% … 25% … 50% … 75% … 100%.] [Sub-Commander AI matrix installation completed.] [Booting up Sub-Commander AI matrix. 0% … 50% … 100%.] [Booting complete.]
"A least one of them worked." I thought. "But how …"
{Storage at 50%.}
{Power reserves at 25%.}
"Well, that's good … I think? But, power reserves for what?" I think.
|That would be the battery power we currently have right now.]
"WHO SAID THAT?! Or, should I say who typed?" I think/scream this as the message appears in front of me. "Wait, focus me. This is not the time to double guess myself!"
[I was the ship USS TESLA's, AI, Strata, but it seems that I am no longer connected to the ship's computer systems. I think we are now in your project Dr, Hail.]
"Strata, I am terribly sorry, but can you remind me what you mean by ship? Followed very quickly by what you mean by "your" project? It seems that I may have lost my memory due to whatever… uh … happened."
[Certainly, Dr. Hail. By project, I mean the research and development department of -Redacted- has hired you to support you in finalizing your prototype you invented. Furthermore, -Redacted- assigned you and a select team to research and complete your invention on the United Star-Systems Ship Tesla, Class -Redacted-.]
Well, that response was both helpful and unhelpful.
"Strata, why are certain bits of information redacted? Do you happen to know?"
[Yes, sir, the reason for that is that a contingency program activated when two events occurred together. The first event is that the ship went into red alert, and the second that at least one class SSS grade system of the ship was compromised.]
Well then. That's suboptimal. I can't do anything about a red alert, especially since I'm (apparently) a civilian on a military research vessel. I wonder ...
"Would the restoration of said system remove or deactivate the contingency program?'
[No, Doctor. That would require several other things to happen before the contingency program could be lifted. But, it would be an excellent place to start.]
I hope he/she/it (I'm/we are going to have to figure this part out later) means only about 2 - 5 tasks because I don't think we have a lot of power to do too many things right now. Actually, how much power do we have right now?
{Storage 50%}
{Power reserves at 20%}
Yeah, like I said, not that a lot of power to do stuff. Wait …
"Strata, how fast are we consuming power?"
[During this 5-minute conversation, about 1% per minute.]
That's not good.
"Are we receiving any power, or are we relying on battery storage only?"
[Battery storage only, sir.]
Before I continue …
"Strata, is this conversation being recorded or dictated live?"
[No sir, would you like it to be?]
"Sure, why not."
{Record of active day one after accident/incident created. Retrieving past conversations, adding to report, task complete.}
"Strata, can you redacted some of the words from my next statement, from the report?"
[Yes, sir.]
"Thank you, Strata. Fu-Redacted- me. We are so fu-redacted- screwed. -Redacted.-"
{Over redated report. Reason for the striking the record, necessary time to vent stress through only means available. Aggressive and prolonged swearing.}