Deep Space Dream. D. LAWS
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“Yes, Captain, I can manufacture paint at your request.”
“And there are robot units aboard this ship that can paint?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Good, this ship is depressing. I want all of the walls in the hallway and Bridge painted white. Then…I want a narrow red stripe down the center of all the halls used by the AIMUs. On the right side of those hallways, I want the words ‘crew only’ painted on the floor about every thirty feet and ‘aimu only’ painted on the other side of the line on the floor.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“After that is completed, tell the AIMUs that they have their own side of the halls, and the crew will be told to stay on their own side.”
“Yes, Captain…Captain, you are the only crew aboard.”
“I know that. This is my way of showing the little guys that I care and that I am taking steps to try and ensure their safety.”
“Yes, Captain, I will convey your message.”
“I might regret this later, but I’m hungry. I guess I’d better try some of your cooking. Where do I go for some food?” Roy asked.
“To the forward Officers’ Louege section of Deck 5” was the reply.
Roy entered the lift and was taken to Deck 5. He followed the AI’s instructions until he entered a fairly large dingy gray room, with chairs and tables in the center and soft-looking chairs and couches near the wall. On the other wall, he noted several doors that he guessed were the food prep or kitchen area. He walked to the middle of the room and sat down at one of the tables. After several minutes, he realized that no waitress was going to come and take his order. “How do I get some food?” he asked.
“Please state your request.”
“Steak, medium rare, mashed potatoes with gravy and corn,” he replied, hoping he wasn’t pushing his luck. After several minutes, an AIMU came to his table carrying a plate with what was a close resemblance to what he had ordered. He cautiously took a bite of each item and sat there for a minute to see if it would stay down. To his surprise, the food tasted very close to the real thing, and it stayed down. He looked at the blank walls and thought, How boring.
“AI, are we in the forward section of the ship?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Can you project the outside here like you did on the bridge?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Good, I would like you to create a group of windows along the outside wall and show the outside in real time.”
Within a short period of time, he was looking at what looked to be real windows and the wonders of space as it passed by.
“Outstanding,” he exclaimed. “That adds some life to this room. One more thing. I like to be able to pronounce the names of things. Change the name of this room to ‘Lounge’ instead of Louege, or however you say it.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“And add some paint to these walls. Maybe a soft blue with a white ceiling.”
“Yes, Captain.”
After finishing his meal and admiring the view for a long while, he decided it was time for a little sleep. “AI, where is my cabin? I wish to rest for awhile.”
“The captain’s cabin is on Deck 2.”
When Roy arrived, he was somewhat surprised by the overly lavish appointments of the cabin. Not my style, he thought. The old captain must have had a bigger ego than a marine pilot to want all of this stuff. I’ll thin it out later.
After a nice long sleep, he awoke and took stock of his health. Well, the food didn’t kill me. Then he said aloud “Coffee.” Yep, he needed some coffee.
As he started for the door, he heard, “Hot or cold beverages are available in your room, sir.”
A small panel on the wall opened, and a cup of hot coffee-like substance was there. Not quite the coffee he wanted, but it was good and refreshing. After a well-needed shower, he tried on the previous captain’s clothes. The clothing was the right height but way too large.
“AI, I need some fresh or, at least, clean clothing to wear.”
“Yes, Captain. Please remain standing while I measure you for a proper fit…thank you. I will have new clothing brought to your cabin.”
After a short time, one of the AIMUs appeared at the door carrying several sets of clothing similar to what was in the closet. The fit was perfect. He had never had any custom-fit clothing before, and this was a new experience for him. This must be the uniform of the captain, he thought. I’m going to like this lifestyle as long as it lasts.
After a filling breakfast, he further explored his new ship. He found a large cargo-type bay, with several smaller ships inside, and was told they were “transport” ships. In another area, he located several sleek small ships that were for the defense of the ship if needed. After several hours of wandering in and out of the ship’s many spaces, he headed back to the Bridge. There, he enjoyed another cup of coffee and watched the stars fly past.
Roy passed the time with a routine of an exercise workout in the cargo bay and an hour’s jog through the halls of the ship before each meal. He noticed that as he jogged past the AIMUs, they first would stop and hug the walls. Roy found himself saying “good morning” to them as he ran past. After several days, the AIMUs stopped hugging the walls and continued moving about their jobs on their side of the halls. Occasionally, Roy would hear a beep from several of the AIMUs that he greeted on his runs.
“AI, when will we arrive at the planet?’ Roy asked.
“Twenty-three hours and seven minutes” was the reply.
Chapter 4
The Search
The following day was one of mixed emotions. If the real captain and crew were still alive, they would want their ship back, and he would only be a passenger or, maybe, even a prisoner. Still, his duty was to try and rescue them if they were still alive.
Several more hours passed and then the AI announced that they were approaching the planet. Roy directed the ship to approach the planet on the back side of one of its moons. After all, he had no idea of their advanced development or how he would be received. Once safely behind a moon, the AI used the sensor array to scan the planet for signs of life. Large groups of life-forms were noted on all land masses of the planet. These inhabited areas appeared to be self-sustaining but not advanced enough for space flight or even flight itself. A faint signal was detected from the transport ship that the captain and crew had used. A further scan of that particular area detected a slightly more advanced civilization, but not much more than the others.
“Captain, I have noted several strains of DNA among the population belonging to the captain and the crew. I believe these to be remote descendants of them. They are scattered about this region. There is no sign that the captain or any of the