“Captains Log, Year 1207 of the Imperial Calendar, 18 *cough* light years from known solar system.
My health has started to fail me, and with the rest of the crew of 4 all M.I.A. for a variety of reasons, I think its time to call this mission over.
I am redirecting controls into the E.A.I. and giving it authority from here on out. Its final directive was to steer us into the nearest black hole.
It has been an honor working for this god forsaken company, in this rust-bucket that has taken the lives of a few, and working with a crew with their own self interests in mind.
Hopefully this transmission and the black box data reaches earth eventually, ad astra per aspera you corporate psycho's. End Transmission”
As Commander Ken laid down in his bed, his soon to be final resting place, he spoke aloud in the room he was alone in.
“Astra, engage code black protocol one – delta – niner - zero – zero and *wheeze* eject the black box after backing up its data locally into a emergency pod. Your last directive is to take us into black hole local name – nine – seven – alpha.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
May we live among the stars Astra, you were the only companion I could count on, and may you enjoy your final moments too.”
“Protocol black 1D900 Confirmed, black box copied to LTDS and ejecting according to directive. Sights locked on local black hole designation 97A, thrusters full throttle.”
As a man who was once hailed as the greatest pilot of all time, and had multiple records for new discoveries listed, and was a father and grandfather, heaved his last breath. The ships flight computer and Extendable Artificial Intelligence, Astra set course for what would be the nearest black hole, that the pilot found a week earlier in the depths of space, it seemed like this story of a grand adventure was coming to an end, however it was anything but that.
While the greatest pilot of all time might have had his story close on its last page, the last remaining sentient, well partly sentient being on the ship still had a story to tell, and that story was a grand one indeed.