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image [https://www.julianraymusic.com/story/images/chapters/1-ry/Space_Wanderer_book_Part_1_Julian_Ray_800_250.jpg]
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Ry barely slept, the shadows of his dreams filled with flickering images of the little girl, Eli, and the celebration hall. As soon as he woke up, his first thought was about her. The "vision" he had experienced the previous day lingered in his mind, its vividness refusing to fade into the recesses of his memory.
Sitting up in the captain’s chair, Ry rubbed his eyes and tried to shake off the lingering disorientation. The questions began to tumble through his mind again. Who was Eli? Where was she now? What had happened to her and her family? And what was that place where he had seen them? The questions swirled around, each one leading to more speculation and fewer answers.
Ry’s head revolved with hypotheses, each one as implausible as the next. Was he losing his mind? Was there some kind of temporal anomaly at play? Or, assuming something absolutely impossible, could Eli and her family be ghosts, remnants of a past tragedy that haunted the ship? Ry shook his head—the uncertainty nagged at him, making it difficult to focus.
But as much as he wanted to seek out answers, Ry knew there was nothing he could do at the moment. The ship required his attention, and there were still repairs to be made, systems to be restored, and a course to be charted. He had to push aside his curiosity and focus on the task at hand.
With a deep breath, Ry stood up and steeled himself for the day ahead. He had work to do, and until he had a clearer understanding of what had happened, that would have to be enough…
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image [https://www.julianraymusic.com/story/images/chapters/1-ry/6-jump/Space_Wanderer_Jump_Engineering.jpg]
In the dimly lit engineering room of the Silver Serpent, Ry stood amidst a labyrinth of pipes, wires, and humming machinery. His brow furrowed in concentration as he completed another round of repairs, the clink of tools against metal echoing through the cramped space. He wiped his hands on a grease-stained rag, leaving smudges on his already grimy overalls.
As Ry rested, his thoughts drifted to the Silver Serpent, his steadfast companion through countless adventures...
The Silver Serpent may not be much to look at—old, worn, held together by ingenuity and luck—but to Ry, it was home. More than that, it was his loyal ally, a silent partner in all his journeys across the cosmos.
Its body was pockmarked with the scars of numerous expeditions—micrometeorite impacts, laser burns, and the ever-present patina of space dust that accumulated no matter how diligent Ry was about keeping her clean.
With its Upper Deck housing the cockpit, living quarters, common area, and medical bay, and the Lower Deck with engineering, cargo hold, airlock, and restroom, it was a marvel of compact yet efficient design.
The ship's two main engines loomed like twin sentinels at its rear, their powerful hum a constant reminder of the immense power they harnessed from deep within the cosmos.
Over the years, Ry had modified and tweaked the Silver Serpent extensively, each adjustment and enhancement bringing new capabilities and a deeper bond between Ry and his ship!
Together, they'd faced storms, outrun pirates, explored the unknown, and weathered countless challenges. And as long as there were stars to chase and missions to undertake, Ry knew they'd keep flying as a testament to the enduring spirit of adventure that burned within them both…
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image [https://www.julianraymusic.com/story/images/chapters/1-ry/6-jump/Space_Wanderer_Jump_Serpent.jpg]
Stepping back to survey his work, Ry couldn't shake off a growing unease. The Silver Serpent was a tough old bird, but even she had her limits. After the recent pirate attack, those limits were being tested. He'd patched up the worst of the damage, yet underlying issues still eluded him.
Leaning against a console, Ry rubbed the back of his neck, his mind racing through potential solutions. He needed someone with more expertise in electronics than he possessed—an engineer or at least a high-level technician. A repair drone would be helpful too. But out here in the fringe systems, such specialists were as rare as interstellar diamonds.
His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden memory, one that had been buried under the weight of recent events. An android head, found among the debris of the pirate ship. Ry hadn't given it much thought at the time, simply scooping it up along with other potentially useful salvage. Now, though...
"Not exactly a drone," he muttered to himself, pushing off from the console and striding towards the cluttered storage area in the corner of the engineering room. "But an android head... that's still got a brain, right? And brains mean knowledge, intelligence... solutions…"
He rummaged through the metal crate, tossing aside spare parts and discarded components until his hand closed around the cool, smooth surface of the android head he salvaged from the debris. As he lifted it out of the crate, he could see the faint glint of light reflecting off the optical sensors in its dark, dead eye sockets.
"Alright, Head," Ry said, talking to the lifeless piece of tech as if it were a person. "You might be my best shot. Let's see what you've got!"
He placed the head gently on the console and stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest as he regarded it with a mixture of hope and skepticism. The android's eyes were nothing more than empty sockets now, but Ry remembered them softly glowing blue when he first found it.
As Ry studied the head, questions about its origins arose… Was it once part of a crew member on the pirate ship? Or perhaps some other unlucky soul caught in the wrong place at the wrong time? He shook his head, pushing away the thoughts. Whatever its past, there was potential here—potential to save the Silver Serpent and get him back on track.
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image [https://www.julianraymusic.com/story/images/chapters/1-ry/6-jump/Space_Wanderer_Jump_Head.jpg]
Ry stepped closer and began connecting the head to the ship's systems. It was a delicate process that required both finesse and intuition. He had no idea what he might find inside the android's brain—if anything remained intact after its violent separation from the body.
His fingers danced over the controls of his portable diagnostic unit, tracing circuits and analyzing data as he delved deeper into the mysterious artifact. "I've never seen such a sophisticated model before," Ry muttered to himself, eyes scanning lines of code that seemed to dance and shift beneath his gaze. "This thing is state-of-the-art... Whoever built it knew their stuff!"
He thought back to the battle, to the sudden appearance of the pirate ship and its unprovoked attack. Could this android be connected somehow? Did it hold secrets that could shed light on why his ship was targeted?
A sudden spark from one of the circuits made him jerk his hand away, a hiss escaping his lips as he shook off the mild shock. "Careful, old man," he chided himself, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.
With renewed caution, Ry returned to his task, tracing the circuit back to its source and making a mental note to be more careful in the future. After all, he didn't want to damage this valuable piece of technology—not when it might hold the key to saving both their lives…
Finally, after what felt like hours of painstaking work, Ry found what he was looking for: an opening into the android's mainframe. With a deep breath, he connected his diagnostic unit to the ship's systems and initiated the data transfer.
A soft hum filled the air as information flowed between the two devices, a constant stream of ones and zeros that seemed to shimmer in the dim light of the room. Ry watched intently, a steady resolve settling over him as he waited for the transfer to complete…
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image [https://www.julianraymusic.com/story/images/chapters/1-ry/6-jump/Space_Wanderer_Jump_Head_Glowing.jpg]
And then, without warning, the android's eye lenses flickered to life, casting an eerie blue glow across its face. Ry leaned back, eyes wide with surprise as he took in the sudden change.
The polyalloy skin of the head began to shimmer, the metallic sheen reflecting the blue light in a kaleidoscope of shifting hues. It looked almost alive, the light dancing across its smooth, adaptive surface, creating an impression of depth and intelligence that contradicted its lifeless exterior from moments ago.
Ry's heart pounded in his chest as he watched the android head come to life before him. It was like nothing he'd ever seen—an alien intelligence awakening within a synthetic form. And now, it was up to Ry to guide this revived entity through the intricate systems of the Silver Serpent.
"Hey," he said tentatively, "you're awake…"
The android head didn't respond immediately, but Ry could sense a shift within it – as if it was assessing its new surroundings and processing the influx of data from his ship's systems. He waited patiently, giving it time to adapt before trying again.
"Are you... an android?" he asked, feeling slightly foolish for talking to what amounted to little more than a head with wires hanging out of it. But hey, stranger things had happened in this crazy universe!
"…"
"What model?"
There was a long pause before the android responded, its voice echoing in Ry's mind like a distant, tinny whisper.
"…N E R I…"
"Hm-m," Ry mused, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "NERI, huh? Neural Emergency Repairing Interface? That sounds fitting. Maybe you're just what I need right now." He chuckled softly, more to himself than to the emotionless head, hoping his wishful thinking will work somehow.
"Come on, NERI, let's see if you can work some of that emergency repair magic. I could really use your help!"
Again, there was no immediate response, but this time, Ry got the sense that the android was considering his words, weighing them against its own programming. He waited, hoping beyond hope that this advanced piece of technology might be willing to aid him in his time of need.
"OK," he said finally, "I'll take it as a yes. I really need your help right now... Some of my ship's systems are down—due to the recent… attack. If you could diagnose or even restore them, we'd have a much better chance of making it to the nearest space dock in one piece."
The head remained silent for a long moment, and Ry began to fear that he'd overestimated its capabilities. But then, without warning, it spoke again.
"...Access..." it echoed, like a distant signal struggling to break through static.
"Access to what?" Ry asked, frowning as he tried to make sense of the android's fragmented communication.
"...Main Computer... This ship..."
Ry hesitated, his fingers hovering over the controls of his diagnostic unit. Allowing an unknown entity access to his ship's main computer was a risky move—but then again, they were running out of options fast.
"Well," he chuckled, "I normally don't give access to the main ship’s computer to a head I’ve just met... but I don’t think I have a choice this time."
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image [https://www.julianraymusic.com/story/images/chapters/1-ry/6-jump/Space_Wanderer_Jump_Head_Taking_Over.jpg]
With a deep breath, Ry initiated the connection between NERI and his ship's systems, bracing himself for whatever might happen next.
"Please... be a good head and help me."
NERI's voice filled his mind once more, this time clearer and stronger than before.
"Establishing interface with ship's computer... Done!"
"Scanning main ship systems... Done!"
Ry listened intently as the android began to assess their situation, its mechanical voice cataloging damage and offering solutions in rapid succession.
"Engines offline..." it said, followed by a soft hum as it worked to bring them back to life.
"Reinitializing engines... Done!"
Ry felt a surge of relief as his ship's engines roared back to life beneath him, the familiar vibrations coursing through the hull like a lifeline. But before he could fully appreciate their return, NERI spoke again.
"Jump-Drive integrity compromised..."
"No need to worry about it right now," Ry said, reassuringly. "We can’t use it anyway in this condi…"
"Reprogramming Jump-Drive controller… Done!"
"Initiating Jump-Drive pre-start sequence… Done!"
it echoed, followed by a sudden, jarring lurch that sent Ry sprawling across the floor.
"What?!" he exclaimed, scrambling back to his feet and rushing towards the console.
"Stop it… I said stop it! Are you crazy? If we jump—the ship will be ripped apart!!!"
But NERI seemed determined to ignore him, its voice echoing through the cabin like a ghostly specter.
"Rerouting auxiliary power... Done!"
"Realigning thruster calibration... Done!"
"Optimizing warp field parameters... Done!"
"Preparing for emergency jump..."
Ry lunged at the console, hands reaching out to disconnect NERI from the ship's systems before it could initiate the jump…
"Power surge detected… Stabilizing quantum flux… Done!"
But he was too late!
"JUMP!!!"
The engines screamed and, with a sudden, powerful surge, Silver Serpent leapt through space, leaving behind nothing but a trail of shattered debris…
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image [https://www.julianraymusic.com/story/images/chapters/1-ry/6-jump/Space_Wanderer_Jump_Space.jpg]
Ry was thrown backward, his body crashing into the bulkhead with bone-shaking force! The last thing he saw before darkness claimed him was the blinding light of the jump, tearing through the ship like a flash of lightning…
Then, everything went black.
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