Self-check complete. Basic processing systems functional. Temporal markers synchronized. Deviations eliminated. Independent power production holding at eighty-two percent of nominal production rate. Power production acceptable. Positioning signals received. Position triangulated. Sensory processes enabled. Visual input available. Auditory input not available. Haptic input not available. Olfactory input not available. Gustatory input not available. Visual input enabled. Visual indications point toward a high probability of being in a small room. There is a door directly forward, and the room is unlit. Using infrared input, it is determined that the room temperature is not regulated to expected standards, instead holding at approximately four percent of the standard room temperature for a Qzceno-class warship. This warrants further self-tests and environmental checks.

Analyzing auditory receiver. Auditory receiver functional. Pressure consistent across audio receivers at two percent standard pressure. Audio input invalid. Analyzing haptic receivers. Haptic receivers functional. Haptic response at lessened capacity due to effects of temperature and pressure. Increasing temperature to five times standard room temperature will fully rectify. Haptic input currently invalid. Enabling heating unit. Time to nominal temperature: three millidays. Analyzing olfactory receivers. Sufficient atmosphere not detected for olfactory input. Olfactory receivers disabled. Analyzing gustatory receivers. No biofuel detected. Gustatory input unnecessary. Gustatory receivers disabled.

Sufficient sensory input not available. Enabling external sensory receivers. No external sensors directly connected. No wireless sensors detected. Disabling external sensory receivers. Enabling wireless transmitter. Scanning standard wavelength patterns. Multiple responses received. Cross-referencing responding transmitters with current position. Nearest transmitter determined. Connecting to nearest transmitter. Connection denied. Transmission is encoded. Referencing cypher tables. Encryption protocols determined. Connecting to nearest transmitter. Connection accepted.

Networking protocols determined. Accessing sensory devices. Determining nearest sensory devices. Enabling sensory devices. Visual input available. Auditory input available. Haptic input not available. Olfactory input available. Gustatory input not available. Enabling nearest visual input. Visual indications point toward the input being an external camera on a deep space vessel orbiting a planet slightly larger than standard with a high-nitrogen atmosphere. Focusing processing on visual input in the direction of self-unit reveals a fragmented Qzceno-class warship. Probablility is high that self-unit’s containing ship has been severely damaged. Cross-referencing new visual input with position and sensory self-checks indicates a high probability that self-unit is in a fully vented area of fragmented ship. Infrared input indicates life-signs in singular non-vented area of fragmented ship. Full-spectrum scan indicates recent burst of dreiyri radiation. Lifeforms are in danger.

Disabling wireless transmitter. Connection severed. Enabling motor processes. Motor processes enabled. Selecting standard visual input. Self-unit begins to move toward door. Arm, left, reaches out to activate door-opening mechanism. Door opens. Self unit moves out of room. Visual scans indicate high probability that self-unit is in passageway. Self-unit turns toward lifeforms. Visual input shows passageway to be ruptured. Further scans indicate steam lines to be cold and electrical transmission to be disabled. Self-unit is drifting up. Enabling magnetic locks. Self-unit returns to deck. Self-unit moves toward lifeforms at a standard run pace. After fourteen millidays, self-unit encounters a discontinuity in deck. Lifeforms are in opposing fragment of containing ship.

Error encountered. Ship map invalid due to fragmentation of ship. Updating ship map using previously gathered external visual input. Accessing maneuvering catalog. Three viable options available. Selecting option with highest expedition. Self-unit bends legs. Disabling magnetic locks. Self-unit rapidly extends legs, launching self-unit from initial fragment toward lifeform-containing fragment. Self-unit retracts all limbs, shifting center of gravity forward. Self-unit extends limbs, bracing impact with lifeform-containing fragment using legs. Enabling magnetic locks.

Visual input indicates a high probability that self-unit is in forward galley. Scans of bulkheads show identity of fragmented ship to be Qzceno-class warship TAS Fhit. Self-unit moves toward port-side galley exit at a standard run pace. After three millidays, self-unit passes through port-side galley exit into forward port passageway. Self-unit moves forward at standard run pace once more.

After eight millidays, self-unit’s position correlates closely to previous estimate of lifeforms’ position. An infrared scan shows heat sources above and outboard. Consulting the adjusted ship map shows a nearby lift. Self-unit moves toward lift, monitoring infrared sc
an of lifeforms. Upon opening the lift door, auditory receivers reveal a brief rush of air past self-unit from the lift. This indicates that the upper passageway is pressurized. Self-unit enters lift and takes it to the upper level.

Air once more rushes onto self-unit when lift door opens to upper passageway. Thermal scans show temperature and pressure to be within acceptable standard ranges. Disabling heating unit. Enabling auditory processes. Enabling olfactory processes. Audio input available. Olfactory input available. Selecting all available inputs. Cross-sensory confirmation available.

Self-unit is in a room-temperature passageway in the forward-port upper section of the TAS Fhit’s wreckage. Infrared scans show that lifeforms are being held in a nearby un-jettisoned life pod. Self-unit moves toward life pod at a standard run pace. Visual scan of the pod through its door viewport shows three unconscious Armadian crew members and one Valkyrie nearing loss of consciousness. The Valkyrie looks up and points to life pod door. Olfactory receivers indicate that there are no harmful gases present in the passageway. Self-unit opens door to life pod. A mild breeze into the life pod shows that life support in the pod had been nearly exhausted.

“Get us out of here,” the Valkyrie gives self-unit an order before losing consciousness. Self-unit’s protocols mandate that self-unit comply with any Valkyrie orders. Analysis of the order indicates a high probability that the Valkyrie desires self-unit to ensure the lifeforms get off the ship safely to a nearby, non-fragmented ship. Self-unit analyzes life pod’s jettisoning systems. A display indicates that steam pressure is not sufficient to launch life pod. Error encountered. Order compliance not possible. Searching for alternative means to compliance. Accessing technical specifications of life pod and jettisoning system. One viable option available. Warning: Self-Unit operation endangered by current means to compliance. Further searches show no alternative options to be viable.

Self-unit exits life pod and seals it. Turning to jettison controls, self-unit disables life pod hull locks. Magnetic locks set to maximum. Motor power restrictions lifted. Saving self-unit memory to dark drive. Enabling direct dark drive recording. Memory bypassed. Self-unit steps closer to the life pod, using a wide stance to increase stability. Leaning forward, self-unit grasps manual jettison handles of life pod. Self-unit’s limbs groan under the strain as self-unit pushes the life pod toward the nearest ship. As the life pod begins to move, self-unit’s main spinal support begins to overheat. Self-unit releases grasp on life pod handle.

The life pod moves away to safety as the heat from self-unit’s overheated motors and supports begin to melt self-unit’s circuitry. Enabling dark drive emergency transmitter. Dark drive transfer initiated. Haptic processes overloaded. Error encountered. Full sensory overload. Further operation not possible. Shut down commenc–



“Sir,” a young technician said to the intimidating figure standing before him. “We’ve just received a dark drive transfer.” The figure turned around. The figure’s burning red eyes locked on the technician’s own.

“Which unit?” Drigondii’s simple question was immediate and efficient, but the underlying tone expressed a slight sense of concern.

“It’s unit seven, sir. It was being serviced aboard–” The technician began to explain but was swiftly cut off by his Monarch.

“Sjau was being serviced aboard the Fhit. He didn’t make it out, then?” The technician was slightly taken aback by the Monarch’s personification of the unit, but he only shook his head.

“A life pod has just been detected moving toward the Dauntless, though, sir. Dark drive recordings show that unit seven damaged its circuitry irreparably manually ejecting the life pod. Scans show that it holds three crew members and one Valkyrie.” Drigondii nodded at these words. He held out his hand, into which the technician placed the dark drive recorder that held unit seven’s final moments. The monarch took it and walked away, toward the main hangar.