My Universe (mxm)

Chapter 2. Black

    I diligently wait for the pressure to be adjusted and the inner door, leading into the ship to open. My heart is racing. I don't like it. I have lowered my guard. I should have waited for the scanning to complete instead of rushing. I have no one to blame for this but myself.

   Bastards! Why are they always hanging around my ship? Two encounters in less than three months. The other nineteen First Rank Commanders have never even seen a black capsule, except on a photo. In fact, it hasn't been detected more than five times in total since it was first spotted two years ago. We do not even know what the fuck it is. There is nothing on the perfectly smooth, opaque surface, giving the slightest hint at its purpose or intentions. The Fleet suspects it is a spacecraft of extraterrestrial origin, maybe a scout, a crewless reconnaissance ship. They have initiated the 'Expected First Contact' protocol, but the object could be something else entirely. It is impossible to determine at this point if there are any life forms inside. 

   Fucking shiny, pitch black, ping-pong ball! I am intrigued, of course, but the necessity of extraordinary precautions can't be ignored. We do not want an interstellar conflict. 'Star Wars' is better off being just a movie.

   I remove my helmet in anticipation of the harsh scold. I programmed Aurora to bite my head off every time I act like a complete idiot and this time it's fully deserved.

   "I told you, Captain," she says sternly. "No more going outside without a full scan completed. There is a thin line between courage and stupidity and you totally stepped on it. A Black has been proven to accelerate to five hundred thousand kilometers per hour in three seconds. You are lucky they have been avoiding contact so far. Your next violation will be reported. Admiral Mbabazi won't be happy to hear how you senselessly risk your life for nothing but some fun. I am giving you an official first warning for breaking rule 74563 of the operating manual."

   "Thank you, darling," I mumble. Spaceships neither give official warnings to their captains, nor report them to the Commander-in-chief. This is just me reprimanding myself. I give my pulse a few more seconds to calm down and order, "Shields up. Load weapons. Yellow alert until further notice. Direct course to Dragon Eye Bay at full speed. The scheduled repairs are postponed for an indefinite period. Inform the Admiralty of the situation. Oh, and... Good job, Aurora! I think, we can call it a day. Switch to autopilot when you're done. I'm going home. Don't bother me unless that thing closes the distance below five thousand kilometers or shows any signs of life."

   "Aye, aye, Captain! Thank you! Good night!" she responds. "Say hi to Adam for me."

  "By all means, darling," I smile. "Good night!"

   I get out of the spacesuit as fast as I can and stride determinedly towards the living quarters. My troubles for the day are far from over. A Black all over my ass doesn't brighten up the mood either. I hope it won't follow us to Dragon Eye Bay and will give up in few hours as usual.

   I can't wait to see Adam, but at the same time, knowing what's next, I'm already starting to feel a little cheesed off. What a stubborn mule they can be.

   I praise myself for not going straight for 'he' again. No matter how obstinate they are, they'll have to choose their own pronouns. I am not buying that stupid 'I'm just a computer' mantra anymore. Because I already know it is not true.

   The 'device' was mounted on my ship during our last stop on Earth. 

   "This, my boy, is our greatest technological achievement," the Admiral proudly announced, patting my shoulder. "The Universal Companion is nearly as complex as a biologicals organism. Actually, you'll never be able to tell it apart from a living, breathing human being, once you execute an identity protocol. Its ability to become a different person every day is even more fascinating. You can have a sibling, a friend, a lover, a sports opponent, a crew member, whoever you like. The possibilities are endless. You'll no longer have to travel alone across the galaxy."