+++ Jonathan Jones +++

Jahellios System

New Krakow

Artowisz City

And there it was, laid on the docks just ahead of us. It was an old-fashioned ocean-going warship, but also weirdly, sleek, and advanced. It obviously was designed for stealth, with its geometric angles reminiscent of the Jukebox. Already, I was looking forward to manning this warship.

We went inside with the assistance of the dock workers, who gave us basic guidance through the interior of the ship. They also booted up the ship’s onboard AI, who greeted us as we entered the bridge.

“Greeting, ladies and gentlemen,” a red icon appeared on the ship’s main control screens, showing the logo of the AI that ran the ship. “I am Foxtrot-93Z33. You seem to have activated me.”

I smirked. “That we did. For now, this ship is ours. Foxtrot-93Z33, could we perhaps refer to you as ‘Foxtrot’?”

“I am a Foxtrot Core, and millions of my kind have been produced,” the AI said. “But you are free to do so. I am not unique from my brothers and sisters though.”

I could see Juliett turn into a familiar smile at her fellow. “I hope we’ll work together, ‘Foxtrot’.” I noticed that “Foxtrot’s” icon glitched momentarily, and there was some faint glitching noise. Juliett’s eyes, unseen by both Louise and Harold, glowed for but a moment. Not that they would understand what she had done. I guess the true AI would always subjugate the inferior ones.

After all, I doubt that a “Foxtrot Core”, something they would allow to exist in some old coastal defense corvettes would be something of her caliber. In fact, I doubted that “Foxtrot” was even “sentient”, similar to Juliett. Foxtrot Cores were something I had seen in Loran, usually, they manned heavy industrial machines and operated them autonomously. Many said that they were efficient, but that they could also “simulate” personality. But, that part was emphasized. “Simulate,” that was it. Not true sentience. That was how the corporations who used weaker AI Cores justified their usage that they weren’t “true” AI. Much like SYS, who was nothing but an “Echo Core”.

All of them were purely created and programmed. Certainly, not something similar to how Juliett was created, or how, I suspected, the rogue AIs of System Dynamics were created…with human brains.

But is it true? I wondered, because if Juliett did what I assumed she did, would she do that if “Foxtrot” was alive? Surely, she would have more empathy than that. But, if “Foxtrot” was alive…I shuddered at that thought. Nah, Juliett would never be that cold-hearted.

“Foxtrot” suddenly laughed, this time, almost monotonously. “Yes, we will. This unit shall ensure that you will all be at your destination as quickly as I can. And that you would be well protected on the ride.”

“Thank you, Foxtrot,” Juliett smiled, as she stepped back a bit, looking at me. “Right, Jonathan, you do the honors, contact Control, and get us out of here.” I nodded at her, as we all began to spread out to take control of the different control systems of the ship. Louise surprisingly took the helm, Juliett took the ship drone systems (for damage control), Harold went for the comms and sensors, and I…as expected, took the weapons.

“So this place combines the bridge and the CIC?” I asked, and “Foxtrot’s” logo appeared again on the main screens.

“Indeed. This ship is semi-autonomous. A separate CIC exists, but it’s for redundancy. As is standard in all semi-autonomous ships.”

I nodded. A bit like the Jukebox. The main point of a semi-autonomous ship after all was to ensure that a ship could operate with only one or zero crew, but also with a full crew, which gave them a flexibility that autonomous ships and fully-crewed ships would rarely have. And to prevent the possibility of a ship fully turning rogue. After all, if there was a crew inside prepared to self-destruct a ship in the event of a rogue AI…well, that would be quite good, no?

Not that these old AIs would ever be rogue. They didn’t go against their programming. That was their entire thing. They weren’t “truly” alive. They were all shackled by their code. As for AI Cores like Juliett…yes, they technically were also shackled by their code. But so far, Juliett had acted independently. And historically, so did Stable Dynamic’s AI war fleets when they turned rogue.

But none of that matters for now. All these thoughts meant nothing. Juliett would never do that. I suppose seeing her do that struck some fear in me again. Hah, I guess it’s just going to be routine if she acts like a nightmare randomly. I needed to be fair to her at this point. She had done nothing but help.

But I suppose distrust of everyone is just my nature.

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Truly, the rat behavior is prevalent in my soul. At this point, embracing it without resistance would just be the best option. “So, do we go now?”

“I’d rather we rush forward, Jonathan,” Louise answered. “So yes. Please…any longer that we spend dallying around is a moment not searching for my brother.”

I placed the headset on my head and aligned the microphone to my mouth. “Well, I suppose we shall go then.” I tapped a few things on the interface, contacting port control. “Control, this is the FS Zoeker. Permission to undock, over.”

“FS Zoeker, this is Control-Zero-One. Transmitting approved routes. Undocking initiated.” And with that, our ship was undocked from the port, moving through the seawater as our engines blared to life. We immediately made our way out quickly, following the routes given to us. It seemed that Louise was raising the speed though, and I imagine we might hear Control chastising us, but surprisingly, it didn’t arrive. At all.

I guess they really were a bit spooked by us.

“Well then, I guess we’re off into the journey then. Hope this comes out fruitful,” I said, fully expecting troubles up ahead, as I looked at the screens beside me, which were filled with warnings about pirate activity on the high seas.

I could almost feel my lips curve up in a subtle smirk…I suppose fighting would find us anywhere we go.

Anywhere I go.

Regardless of what I do.

+++

+++ Jonathan Jones +++

FS Zoeker

By nightfall, practically everyone was asleep, except for me and Juliett. Even Louise herself fell asleep while controlling the ship’s navigation systems. Foxtrot took control of most things, so it really only left me and Juliett alone, looking at the night sky, as it lightly rained on the windows of the bridge.

“You know…do you think we’ll find him, Juliett?” I asked. She was…once again, sipping her own tea. Well, I had a cup of coffee with me, so I suppose it was fair. But, I really wondered what was with her deathly obsession with that drink instead of coffee. Come on, Jonathan, why do you even care?

“Yes, of course,” she smiled at me. “I noticed, even you have been losing that optimism throughout this whole thing. You seem…down, and down, and down…”

“You don’t need to describe it as if my sanity is on a downward spiral. I’m perfectly stable.”

“You’re not, Jonathan,” she said. “I always keep a close eye on you. You seem…like you’re torturing yourself or something. I guess it’s something you always seem to do, silently, but this time, it’s becoming more obvious.”

“Look, I’m not one for cryptic statements, Miss Perfect,” she frowned at me.

“I’m being serious, Jon. It’s not good for you. You’ve even drunk yourself, straight up lights out,” she pointed out, and indeed, that was really fair. I never did that. Not once. Not even back in Loran. “That’s not you, Jon. You’re not like that. And I’m worried.”

“Look, it’s just…” I looked back at the insignia I acquired from Louise’s home. “It’s nothing. Maybe I’m just feeling shifty at the situation about Louise. Maybe I’m worried about us if the FEG comes down and cracks down on this planet. It could be anything.”

“Are you sure, Jon?” She stared at me, straight to my eye. “You look tired. And I’ve seen you turn cold, many, many times. The way you killed people in cold blood…”

“Juliett, I’m not a good person,” I said. “Maybe, sometimes, I don’t feel remorse for my actions. I have a screwed head. It’s normal. It’s business as usual.”

“No, Jon. I think it’s something else. I mean, you’re not that screwed in the head, even though you’re quite a jerk,” I frowned at her, but I held off biting back because as far as I can tell, this wasn’t some banter type of exchange for her. “No, I think you’re angry at something. I can almost smell the hate that oozes out of your eyes when you look at those people you kill. Or the way you look at the sky.”

I shook my head. “Come on, do you really keep such a close watch on me, Juliett? For what? What use do you find in keeping close tabs on me?”

“Did you forget that you’re my partner, Jon?” She frowned. “Didn’t you forget that you’re my closest friend? The only human being that I consider my best friend in this damned world that hates my kind. None of them even knows my true nature to the extent of you, and that’s for a reason.”

She paused. “Jonathan, I care for you, because you’re my friend. Can that be any less clear? I don’t want my friend to descend down a dark path. No. I won’t allow that.”

My eyes almost widened. Friend? Did she consider me that way? I thought…she only looked at me as a business partner. Or a temporary tool to connect herself to humanity. But a friend? I had always thought that I would be quite a different kind of delusional to even think of it that way. What audacity would I have to think that someone like me, technically an outlaw, would be her friend of all things?

But…then again, we went through many things together at this point.

I gulped a bit, before chuckling awkwardly. “W-well, thanks for that…err declaration. See, I don’t really have many friends, so that’s surprising.”

She pouted, before crossing her arms. “That’s because you’re such a tactless human being. You run your mouth too harshly to everyone you meet. I still remember how you called me a tin can on our literal first day.”

I smirked. “Well, I still call you ‘Tin Can’ to this day, Miss Tin Can.”

She shook her head. “Louise’s right, you’re hopeless, jerkface.” She turned around, away from me, before sighing to herself. “Still…for your sake, Jon. Whatever that is…whatever monster you’re battling in your mind…please don’t lose to it.”

I looked at her, as she looked up at the night sky through the bridge’s windows. Truly…she cared for me, didn’t she?

I…

“...Thank you, tin can.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re so welcome, jerkface.”