Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1)(35)
But deep down, I know it. The truth. Nobody’s coming for us. The place we’re running to probably isn’t safe. And there’s nobody I can trust in this equation except Ezra and Byron. But Byron’s hands are tied, and E’s along with him. So if we’re going to find out exactly what happened to the Copernicus, and why, it has to be me.
If we had to, could the Hypatia outrun the Alexander?
Is anyone who made it off the Copernicus still sane? Or even alive?
Are they alive, at Heimdall?
I’m not ready to die just yet. Too many things left to do.
No way I am getting short-changed.
Ezra loves me. I mean, maybe I’m an idiot and it’s just his fear and desperation talking, but I don’t think so. I don’t care if it is, I need him. Being angry at him because he didn’t want to leave Kerenza … seems kind of small, now.
It was so good, when we were together. It was right. We should have fronted up to the problem, not screamed at each other and avoided it. We should have fought for it, instead of giving up and making out all the time.
I should have been big enough to tell him what he meant to me.
Now I get to tell him in 7 minute bursts.
I try to reach out and connect, to remind him however I can, in my own super awkward way, that I’m here. That if he does something dumb over there, there’s one person left who cares.
Care doesn’t cover it.
If I lose Ezra too, it’ll be one body blow too many.
If I lose Ezra too, I’ll give up.
I don’t think I have anyone else left.
But while I have him, I’ll fight tooth and nail to keep us safe.
Whatever it takes.
ByteMe: aroo
Zhang, B: Jesus u can’t be here, Corporal Boklov is online, i can see his ID
Zhang, B: u log in while his ID’s already active, someone will wtf
ByteMe: today i am playing the part of Private LeFevre, tho i thank you for your kind concern
Zhang, B: i don’t think the stims are working any more. so hard not to qwertyface
ByteMe: no sleep for the wicked, my friend. ur our best hope
Zhang, B: zzzZZzzzzzz
ByteMe: where’d u grow up?
Zhang, B: does that matter in the slightest?
ByteMe: i’m keeping u awake, you dope
Zhang, B: Triton III
ByteMe: isn’t that mostly water?
Zhang, B: i’m a pretty buoyant guy. but yeah, got out when i could
ByteMe: family?
Zhang, B: mom and sisters. pay mostly goes into accounts for my nieces and nephews. don’t need much myself
ByteMe: uncle byron <3
Zhang, B: upstart
ByteMe: so what made you take up the fight, Mr. Information Liberty Activist?
Zhang, B: hush, I’m working
ByteMe: spill
Zhang, B: i’ll tell you when you’re older
ByteMe: oh come onnnnn
Zhang, B: (dramatic sigh)
Zhang, B: “The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny.”
ByteMe: …
ByteMe: what?
Zhang, B: Wole Soyinka said that. he was a writer, back in 20C. studied him in college. wrote about injustice. Plays, poems, books. good stuff. u should read him
ByteMe: what’s a book?
Zhang, B: …
Zhang, B: hey what r u doing looking over in that core? dead there
ByteMe: checking shutdown + restart logs, might find something helpful
Zhang, B: good, smart
ByteMe: this is weird tho. there are like 6 shutdown attempts in a row here, all fail. AIDAN was blocking them
Zhang, B: when?
ByteMe: right when they were firing on the Copernicus
Zhang, B: … say WHAT?
Chau, A, Capt: You sonofabitch, David
Torrence, D, Gen: Excuse me?
Chau, A, Capt: It killed them. All of them. I have it all here on file. Launch codes for the nukes. Orders for your Cyclone drones to take out the surviving shuttles. AIDAN murdered over two thousand people, and you’re trying to bring it back online?
Torrence, D, Gen: Where did you get those files?
Chau, A, Capt: How long did you think you could keep this a secret? You didn’t think to mention your AI’s judgment is so critically impaired?
Torrence, D, Gen: Where did you get those files, Captain? I gave explicit orders your technicians were to access designated areas ONLY.
Chau, A, Capt: My God, what does it matter how I got them? My people are helping you get AIDAN up and running again and we have NO GUARANTEES it won’t kill us all as soon as it becomes operational.
Torrence, D, Gen: AIDAN is already operational. It was deactivated on my orders. And we’re working to ensure it doesn’t hurt anyone when we turn it back on.
Chau, A, Capt: And that’s supposed to comfort me?
Torrence, D, Gen: This is an act of espionage in a time of war. Do you realize the consequences? You are directly undermining the security of this fleet. I could have you and your entire command staff brought up on charges and shot.
Chau, A, Capt: We are done, do you understand me? My people are out. We are ceasing in any operations to bring the AI back into operational status until I have some guarantee it won’t destroy us all at its earliest opportunity.
Torrence, D, Gen: I’m afraid I can’t allow that, Captain. The Lincoln WILL destroy us when it catches us, and I need your crews to bring AIDAN online before they do.