Helioshock

CV Montu, Interstellar Space
January 14th, 827 A.S. - 8:22 SST

A stark change from the bright stars and colors the ship was used to during its normal operations, the vast expanse of interstellar space was still as cold as the Barrier always seemed to be. Stuck between the rifts of two systems, the ship had drifted out on its pre-designated course with little regard to what biological life was still aboard. By now, twenty-three of the ship's eighty-seven human crew had succumbed to the cold, with the rest save the captain huddling around the ship's reactor for warmth in the dead, merciless expanse of interstellar space.

The captain, meanwhile, seemed unprovoked by the unforgiving cold, secluding herself to the cabin she'd called home since departing Dabadoru all those months ago. Among those lost in the cold was her XO, the venerable spirit she'd come to acknowledge as a true friend. One that seemed to understand her, even in her most mentally challenged circumstances. Yet, even with Kryn gone, Vex still felt as if she could hear her, speaking at the back of her mind. Perhaps it was the subtle chills of the air finally clawing its way in, but the sight of her body on the floor huddled by what used to be a lit heater diminished any hope that it was anything but insanity.

"It's okay, Kryn.. we'll get through this.." Vex kept muttering. As any true friend, she refused to believe Kryn was gone, simply believing her to be asleep. Even if it was the subtle mental breakage she's experienced for the last few months, it brought her some degree of comfort.


In truth, what kept Vex alive was a mystery that would baffle even the most qualified of medical personnel. The temperatures within the ship, and especially the captain's cabin, had long since plummeted past the negatives, and were reaching levels where the air was beginning to get thin. While the auxiliary AI aboard kept the ship regulated, not much could be done to fix the ship's interior with the reactor out. Near the reactor would be significantly warmer, but each person huddling it for warmth was idly dosing themselves with heavy levels of radiation, a consequence of the ship's fight with the Order bomber wing the day before.

The Montu was a mess, yet Vex refused to give it up. The course was still set for a small hideout in the barrier. A place with warmth. Hopefully, at least.
Even if it was only temporary.

A Place of Warmth and Needles

CV Montu, Tau-26
March 33rd, 827 A.S. - 9:22 SST

The creaks of the Montu slipping through the outer atmosphere of the uncharted world below could be heard throughout the ship. Despite this, no one seemed to bat an eye as beams of light pierced their way into the ship. The windows holding up was something of a miracle, it seemed, with the air being so cold. The two month journey from Magellan to the deep Taus was truly a measure of the ship's ruggedness.

As the ship skipped across the outside of the atmosphere, the silhouette of a space station began to peek over the edge of the planet. Nearing it, a silent alert seemed to pass through the ship, with Vex picking it up and looking around.
"Kryn.. hey," she said, gently nudging her friend. Kryn gave no response, forcing Vex to get up herself and move out of the cabin.

The station kept looming closer, larger than the ship itself, putting Vex on edge. Once the mooring clamps had locked in, Vex crossed over, meeting a few individuals who were working freight.
On the freight were emblems of medical institutions, notably Cambridge and Hammer. Curious, Vex approached one of the crates, when a figure approached her from behind.
"These are medical," the figure said in a voice akin to Kryn's. Vex turned around, her hopes of it actually being her XO dashed as she was met with a typical dock worker, peering back at Vex with a slightly disturbed glare. "Hello..?" She'd merely zoned out, giving the worker one last glance before walking off.


Aboard the ship, the VI was hard at work. Locked in a cycle of preservation and data retrieval, it began to incorporate the mental feedback waves of the crew into its systems, ensuring that their personalities were never lost. This took up valuable space in its memory, the complications of which would need to be seen to.
Imagine a mentally mangled VI. Now imagine it on the loose..

A Light at the End

Outpost Zacharii, Tau-26
May 19st, 827 A.S. - 18:67 SST

The adapted hulk of the station Vex had found herself on, or really trapped on, seemed to keep holding up. The pounding from the star's solar wind made any form of communication impossible, but at least the sights were nice. What put her off, however, remained the unusually friendly droids that kept waltzing around the place. Vex had no disdain for them, her own ship being essentially one massive droid, but their attitude towards a person they'd never encountered before was offputting to her.

She did encounter a welcome oddity, though, in the form of the bar holding host to actual drinks instead of motor oil and motor oil accessories. Much about the station actually seemed unusually welcoming, considering the similarities to many constructs of the Gammu AI in places, connections she hadn't had since she was last in the presence of an Auxesian.

Whilst sat at one of the booths, however, she glanced over towards the entrance to the bar, her eyes beholding a glimmer of hope. Kryn, still in the same outfit she was clad in back on the Montu, with nary a scratch on her body.
"Kryn!"
Vex sat back, bewildered. She couldn't believe the sight before her eyes. Despite a slight split of light on Kryn's jacket, her friend seemed no worse for wear.

"Vex."




Thirty-seven crew down, fifty to go. The ship remained a mess, the air beyond bone-chilling, though the reactor remained a beacon of warmth in a desolate cavern of frozen halls and wires, the ship's VI remaining on its cyclical pattern of integration.
The crew were just going to need to wait their turn.

However long that may take.

No Matter The Shifting Ice

Outpost Zacharii, Tau-26
May 24rd, 827 A.S. - 03:47 SST

Vex had spent the next few days aboard the station with Kryn, recollecting their times before the day with that Order squadron. Despite being alive, Kryn seemed rather calm, and though Vex hadn't eaten in a few days, her hunger hadn't yet to set in. An oddity to be sure, but one that didn't seem to impede her.
Returning to the ship, things seemed to be getting better. The air was starting to regulate itself, the repairs made by the droid staff on the station finally getting to the point where one could walk around the still freezing ship without ending up in a vacuum somewhere. It was slowly becoming more tame, and with the introduction of cold-weather gear locked in storage, the crew and hands from the station were getting things back underway.

Perhaps her situation was indeed better than she'd thought.




Forty-six.. over half done, half to go. There was a strain starting to be had on the VI's core processor, but perhaps data stream packages from the station could help. The cold, however, seemed to be taking crew faster than they could be rescued. While waves could still be taken after passing, it was hard to determine what was usable data and what was frozen at that point.

It could take a while longer to get everyone, but the VI had all millennia.

Frostfire

Outpost Zacharii, Tau-26
October 15st, 899 A.S. - 41:22 SST

Months passed by like weeks, maybe even days.. or was it hours?.. the crew were getting back into their positions as the ship prepared to move out for parts unknown. The course was already set, and after a few finalized checks, the ship was prepared to leave the safety of the station that had rescued it. The air was relatively warm, though cold spills occurred every once in a while.

Vex had settled herself into her role at the command of the ship once more. She seemed content, which was unusual for her, considering her typical pension for being on edge and constantly looking over her shoulder. It was a sound feeling, and there was certainly no complaint from her. Even the crew seemed closer together, though after an experience like who wouldn't be?




In reality, the ship's VI had nearly fried itself working to collect each crew member's sense of self. Out of the eighty-seven aboard, sixty-six were preserved, with the rest recreated from samples that could be recovered. There was no sense of order anymore, despite the ship's origin. All that remained aboard were the bodies overseen by a condensed hyper-frenzied VI. The ship was frozen inside, the vacuum of space leaking in at points.

It was a mess, but the drones inside could at least begin clearing it up. At least..

Permafrost

Open Space, Coronado
November 29th, 827 A.S. - 02:22 SST

The ship was holding together well enough, the systems keeping patched unusually well for a ship that took as much damage as it had. While the ship itself was beaten and scarred, the simulator within the databanks kept the illusion that it was still well kept. It wasn't perfect, but analyzing the ship's damaged bits would've put the whole crew at risk. It was delicate, something Vex herself very much didn't like to admit.

Regardless, it had at least made it back to civilization, or at least the edges of it. The clouds were familiar, and seemed to guide the way back to known waters. It was somewhat comforting, but the remaining distance would need to come first. It was a start, though.




The VI, Enyo, meanwhile had plenty on its place. With the crew gone, and its systems burdened by their processes, There wasn't much left for it to focus on. Vex's guidelines, though synthetic now, were a slight ease, but only slight. It wasn't wasn't much, but next-to no help is better than no help at all.

Perhaps this was the path evolution foresaw. Maybe this was how it planned for the ship's fate to come about.
If it was, it was rude.