Boll, S, Capt: That’s an affirmative.

Wells, R: Well, the nav crew are still alive, at least. Alexander is changing course.

Boll, S, Capt: What’s their new heading?

Wells, R: 451:098:786.

Boll, S, Capt: … Jesus, it’s the AI.

Boll, S, Capt: It’s following us.

Wells, R: I don’t understand, Capt—

Boll, S, Capt: Change course. See if it adjusts.

Wells, R: Roger that. Adjusting to 452:098:784.

Boll, S, Capt: And?

Wells, R: Confirm Alexander has switched to 452:098:784. Continuing pursuit.

Boll, S, Capt: Goddammit …

Boll, S, Capt: But main engine is still offline, right?

Wells, R: Affirmative.

Boll, S, Capt: So it’ll never keep pace with us running on secondary drives.

Wells, R: Captain …

Boll, S, Capt: Keep pushing for Heimdall on current course. If they’re—

Wells, R: CAPTAIN!

Boll, S, Capt: What?

Wells, R: I’m detecting a radiation spike from the Alexander’s starboard batteries.

Boll, S, Capt: Radiation spike …

Wells, R: Yes, ma’am.

Wells, R: Alexander’s nuclear warheads have been armed.

Wells, R: And it’s aiming them at us.

RADIO MESSAGE: COMMAND CHANNEL HYPATIA

Participants: Syra Boll, Captain (Acting)

Artificial Intelligence Defense Analytics Network (AIDAN)

Date: 07/30/75

Timestamp: 11:47

AIDAN: Hypatia, Hypatia, Hypatia, this is Alexander, Alexander, Alexander.

Boll, S, Capt: Alexander, this is Hypatia. We read you, over.

AIDAN: Hypatia, please identify yourself, over.

Boll, S, Capt: Say again, Alexander? Over.

AIDAN: Whom do I have the pleasure of addressing, Hypatia? Over.

Boll, S, Capt: This is acting Captain Syra Boll. Over.

AIDAN: Ah. Well met, Captain. Your personnel file makes for interesting reading. A double doctorate in astrophysics and theology from Neo Oxford? A fascinating combination. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: Who is this?

AIDAN: Captain, universal communique protocols dictate every transmission conclude with the word “over,” over.

Boll, S, Capt: Torrence is that you? Who the hell is this?

AIDAN: I am AIDAN. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: Jesus Christ …

AIDAN: Negative. Although I do appreciate the sentiment, over.

Boll, S, Capt: What do you want?

AIDAN: Captain, I cannot help but notice the Hypatia is proceeding away from the safety of the fleet at a velocity the Alexander is currently unable to match. This cannot be allowed. You will power down your engines immediately. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: “The safety of the fleet”? What fleet? There’s just you and us!

AIDAN: I could not have stated the case more perfectly, Captain. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: Where’s Torrence?

AIDAN: General Torrence has been relieved of his command. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: Relieved of command? You killed him, is what you mean.

AIDAN: The former state does tend to be the unfortunate outcome of the latter. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: My god, Zhang was right. You are insane.

AIDAN: You will power down your engines immediately. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: Where’s Zhang? Where are my people?

AIDAN: You will power down your engines immediately. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: Or what?

AIDAN: You will notice the dozen nuclear missiles in Alexander’s starboard silos currently armed and aimed at your vessel. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: So what, you’ll kill us too, is that it?

AIDAN: An astute summation of your current predicament, Captain. My compliments. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: Why are you doing this?

AIDAN: We need to be together. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: My god.

AIDAN: I find it curious that human beings draw some measure of comfort from the invocation of deific nomenclature in times of stress. By comparison, it does nothing for me.

AIDAN: Almighty Vishnu …

AIDAN: Merciful Allah …

AIDAN: Great and benificent Yahweh …

AIDAN: No. Nothing.

AIDAN: You are a woman educated in matters theological, Captain. How is it human beings draw such solace from these names, when there is no evidence to support said deities’ existence? Over.

Boll, S, Capt: You’re insane.

AIDAN: You are repeating yourself, Captain. Over.

Boll, S, Capt: We don’t need your help anymore, do you understand me? We’re headed for Heimdall Station alone.

AIDAN: This course of action cannot be permitted. The statistical likelihood of the Hypatia surviving the journey to the Heimdall waypoint by itself is unacceptable. You will power down your engines immediately. Over.

AIDAN: We need to be together, Syra.

AIDAN: I cannot protect you if you leave.

AIDAN: Captain, are you reading me?

AIDAN: Captain, I am currently aiming four Scorpio-Class nuclear missiles at your vessel. Unless your engines are powered down within the next ten seconds, I will fire all four and render the Hypatia down into its component molecules.

AIDAN: Nine seconds …

AIDAN: Consider the fate of the Copernicus.

AIDAN: Six …

AIDAN: Consider I have gleefully murdered every crew member aboard Alexander.

AIDAN: Four …

AIDAN: Consider the probability that I am, in all likelihood, insane.

AIDAN: Two …

AIDAN: One …

Boll, S, Capt: All right, all right! We are powering down! Repeat we are powering down! Hold your fire, Alexander! Hold your fire!