Part 17
Haper's POV
I was a little woozy and my arm was achy but I had been worse and even if I was hurt bad I
wouldn't let it stop me from finding Beka and Trance. Dylan informed me of the foul smelling
aliens plans and how my experience in making things work against all odds was desperately
needed. Even though I felt a sharp twinge of distrust for the funky deserter, Dylan was right. It
was our only hope of finding Beka and Trance but I was sure to give IT my customary -if you're
lying to us I'll kill you- squint every chance I could. I worked diligently on Andromeda's sensors
trying to calibrate them to the aliens specifications. It seemed to be taking an eternity and with
Dylan pacing the bridge and Tyr breathing out his irritation constantly it only made me feel
jumpy and rushed.
"Child! When will you be done!" Tyr finally yelled after a good two hours had gone by.
"Tyr this isn't easy…what ever that nasty green guy's people are… Oh and by the way they smell
worse then the fishy castalians. But as I was saying…there technology is nothing like ours…It's
gonna take some time to first input the fact that yes this technology exists and then to input how
to track it. It's like trying to fit the square peg in the circular hole…it's just not gonna fit without
modifications and a little rubber hammer." I said and everyone looked around puzzled. I sighed
inwardly…no classical education what-so-ever.
"How much longer…" Dylan said rubbing his forehead…lines of worry had started to develop
under his bloodshot eyes. It was comforting to know that he did care for his crew as much as he
said he did…it was nice to know that someone in this universe could be sincere.
"I'm not sure but I'm sure it'll go faster if I'm left alone!" I squawked staring Tyr down and then
shuffling my way under the open panel…I was furious…as if I was taking my sweet time. I had a
broken arm god damnit! I would think that would give me some leeway…working with one hand
isn't easy. Also I cared about Beka just as much as they did…even more so. I was going as fast as
I could, bypassing safety protocols and hacking into andromeda's systems to download the
information faster. Tyr threw his hands up and left probably to go beat something while dylan
quietly exited behind him. I continued to work but the tedium and frustration started to get to me.
"Andromeda…can you detect the emissions trail?" I asked pausing my tinkering and hoping that
I had finally finished.
"I'm sorry Harper…it is still not on a spectrum that my systems recognize." Andromeda said from
the huge view screen.
"damnit!" I shouted throwing my tool down in frustration.
"First we lose Beka, then we lose Trance and Rommie….and now I'm stupid cause I can't get this
stupid…thingy…to work!" I said whined at the panel that sparked in protest and refused to
cooperate.
"We'll find them Harper…but we need you to keep working…you'll figure it out…you're a
genius remember." She said and I smiled…that was Andromeda for you…she knew just how to
keep me working. I started again…inputting the information into her sensor arrays desperately
trying to figure out how to explain this to her systems…this outrageous alien technology. I heard
footsteps padding onto the bridge and I groaned…
"Dylan, Tyr…yelling at me isn't going to make this any faster…" I said but a stench hit my nose
and I knew exactly who it was. I sat up with a sneer and looked at Dylan who was ushering the
skittish alien in.
"Maybe he can help…It can't hurt." Dylan said with a shrug. He palmed his force lance
cautiously and backed up to the other side of the bridge to do some reading and to give me some
space to work.
"Definite signature." the alien stuttered and I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, Yeah definite signature…one that Andromeda's systems won't recognize…it's like trying
to tell her that 1 plus 1 is three…she just won't accept it." I said angrily poking at the circuits with
my good arm. The room went quiet and I fell deep in thought thinking about how much I missed
Beka yelling at me and how much I missed Trance turning me down for dinner. I smiled
inwardly…I missed them a lot. My day dream was interrupted suddenly and I jumped back and
yelped when I felt the aliens cold slimy finger against my data port. Dylan immediately dropped
his flexie and drew his forcelance. The alien's hands shot up in submission.
"You…you input data…no restrictions…" the alien spat out quickly nodding toward my data
port.
"What?" I said watching the alien intently. Andromeda materialized next to me with her hands
folded and a deep frown on her face. It was cute when she got all maternal over me.
"You…you become ship through port…make changes without restrictions…ship can see then."
At first I couldn't' understand were he was coming from but it quickly hit me.
"That might work" I whispered…
"huh?" Dylan said still feeling lost and Andromeda's face showed equal amounts of confusion.
My mind went into overtime trying to figure out if this was at all possible…whether it was
plausible.
"If I became the central AI for this ship then I won't have to worry about the progammed
restrictions in Andromeda's core and logic that are keeping her from accepting these signatures.
I'll have free reign over the sensors…it'll be like playing your favorite video game…only in god
mode." I said with a satisfied smile but rommie didn't seem so pleased with my analogy...I guess
referring to her systems as a video game wasn't the best thing.
"How can you become the central AI with Andromeda there?" Dylan said but he looked as if he
answered his own question and Andromeda's hologram stiffened.
"For this to work…we'd have to create a back up of andromeda…and then erase her from the
system…" I said and andromeda tried not to show dread but I could see it…I could feel it coming
off of her. Dylan realized he was still holding his force lance up and slowly brought his hand
down and turned to andromeda directly…
"Andromeda…can this work?"
"It's possible for it to work…"
"Then I guess the only question that remains is will you do it?"
"This is the only avenue we have left to find Beka and Trance…I'll do it." Andromeda said and
the room felt quiet with the wieght of the decision we had just made.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We all stood in andromeda's central AI core waiting for me to hack in and begin the plan that
would ultimately erase andromeda from this ship…sure we'd make a back up and reinstate her
later…but the thought of being "erased"…it was like we were killing her.
"What exactly are you about to do?" Dylan said still unsure of the details.
"After you give the order for andromeda's AI to be shut down the system will prompt me on
installing another central intelligence…I'll jack in and take over…" I made it sound much more
simple then it would be...a lot had to go right.
"Won't your brain fry?…that's the reason ships have AI's. No human can take on so many tasks at
once."
"I know...I'll have to partition all other systems off but sensors…it might still be to much from
my little brain but I'm willing to take that chance."
"So that means that everything will have to be done manually…"
"yes…everything…fire control, life support, hell even the temperatures in your showers…"
"What about rommie?"
"I'm not sure…she should still be able to function…but we'll find out once her repairs are done
and she's reactivated."
"This is stupid! You do not see what that alien is doing? It's a trap…Don't you think it's ironic
that the plan to shut down our AI and weaken us was given to us by the enemy?" Tyr said with
extreme frustration.
"It's our only option…if we are gonna find Beka and Trance this is the only way." Tyr softened
some and looked away. That was his way of saying go ahead and do it. Dylan turned to the small
monitor on the wall to be greeted by a smiling Andromeda.
"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Dylan said
"I'm sure." Andromeda said holding her chin high and looking brave for her captain and crew.
Dylan smiled back and then stepped away from the console… he begun the top secret code but it
was all a blur until the end…that's when it hit me…
"Authorization…captain Dylan hunt…"
and then she was gone….