*Alert ! Overheat of the main reactor !

*Alert ! Failure of the emergency shut down of the main reactor ! Please Proceed manually

Hot ! It's so hot !

The torrid temperature and a striding alarm awoke me and made me jump out of my... bed? 

What is this ? The dim light bearly allows me to see metal box I was sleeping in, what! Why am I completely naked ?!

I put my hand on the edge of the box and jumped out of it.

"Eh?!"

To my great surprise, I Am thrown all the way to the ceiling then began a slow fall to the the ground.

Why it’s so slow ? Is this place crashing down ?

As I am trying to make out of the situation, a neutral pitched voice addressed me from behind 

"Mr.Mortis, stop your antics and help me save this ship!”

I twitched and looked behind in fright. There was no one, was it a loudspeaker?

“Can you understand me at least ? This is an emergency !”

“Where I am? Is this a kind of joke ? What is happening here ?” 

“Mr.Mortis, you have two choices: I can answer to some of your questions or you can live for more than three minutes! This is an emergency, if you want to live a little longer, follow my instructions and keep the chit-chat for later.”

The feminine automatic voice proclaimed again

*Alert ! Overheat of the main reactor !

*Alert ! Failure of the emergency shut down of the main reactor ! Please Proceed manually

Is my name Mortis ? Whatever !  The strangeness of the situation removed any drowsiness I could still feel, I instinctively knew that this is no joke, I am in dire straits.

“Fine, fine ! What should I do?”

You are currently in a low gravity environment, to match the situation, you shall move according to my instructions. Put a leg against your sarcophagus and jump lightly with the other while pushing yourself toward the gate on your right. Remove the wreckage in your way then manually pull the sliding gate into the wall.

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“Sarcophagus ?”

“Stay focused !”

I proceed as I am told, I am amazed by how light the wrecks feel but it’s difficult to keep my legs on the ground while activating myself.

“Hurry up! You have less than three minutes !”  

“Yes ! Yes ! I’m on it, I throw this, you throw that! Let us throw around this little cat!

“And stop singing, your braying is hard on the ears.”

“Shut up ! I sing very well ! And gaaaate open up, this is just swell!”

I threw a cautious look outside: The 20 meters long gloomy hallway extending from side to side is illuminated by flashing red lights nestled between the walls and the ceiling. 

“Move to your right and open the gate at the end of the hallway. Be prepared to suffer, the gate is almost burning hot”

I move to the gate and attempt to open it

“Aie ! It’s burning !”

“Bear with it!’

“To hell with it ! Why don’t you do it?”

“I wish I could ! Stop whining and make do ! Remember that your life is on the line!”

 “Fine ! Yes I know ! Aie ! Aie aie aie ! Ah finally !” 

The door open on a platform three meters above the floor of a torus shaped room, in the middle of which is the roaring and thundering main reactor. 

“Good job ! Open the cupboard on your left, take out the gloves and put them on”

“And the boots ! The ground is burning my feets!”

I’m currently naked aside from working gloves and boots, what a ridiculous apparence ! 

“Now…”

“I pull down the emergency lever to shut down all automatic procedures and turn the cylinders of the fuel intakes… Eh? How do I know this?”

“Exactly, You are finally exploiting the integrated database.”

“Integrated ? Integrated in what ?”

“In your brain, obviously! No more questions, one minute and 5 seconds before critical temperature!”

*Alert ! Overheat of the main reactor !

*Manual procedure confirmed

As I inexplicably remembered to do so, I activated the magnetic function of my boots and rushed toward the first fuel intake of the reactor while cursing the IA, Oh !”

“I remember now ! You are the onboard IA!”

“Indeed. I am Marvin, the Brave Protector’s onboard IA”

“Nice to meet you, Marvin. But brave Protector?! How’s the delusional dimwit who came up with such a stupid name for this ship?”

So I asked while shutting down the first intake.

“Don’t be so rude towards my late noble and fearless owner !  He’s been a boon to the whole galaxy during his lifetime !”

“Argh ! This heat is killing me ! So… Is this ship ownerless right now?”

“Sadly enough, I have been forced to settle for you”

“How da….”.

“No more nonsense and hurry up ! 15 seconds before before critical temperature”

I have obviously never stopped moving while exchanging niceties with the IA.

*Alert ! Overheat of the main reactor !

*Alert ! Imminent point of no return ! 

“Second intake closed, finally !”

As the alarm finally shut down and the roaring of the main reactor lessened in intensity, the feminine mechanical voice announced:

*Main reactor deactivated

*Emergency generator is powering the primary systems

“Outstanding! That was a close call but you did it ! We can finally get to the main business.”

*Alert ! The life support systems has been deactivated by the onboard IA ! 

*Alert ! Rogue IA behaviour is suspected !

Good heavens!