The survivors moved sluggishly, their exhaustion evident, but we pushed them forward, shielding them from falling debris. The airlock came into view as the ship jolted violently, throwing us to the ground. A crack raced along the corridor’s ceiling, atmosphere beginning to vent in a threatening hiss.
“Move!” I yelled, hauling one of the survivors to their feet.
We stumbled into the shuttle, collapsing into the cabin as Sylvk disengaged the clamps. The ship lurched away from the derelict, engines roaring as we sped clear of the debris field.
The simulation ended abruptly, the virtual environment dissolving around us as our neural interfaces disconnected. I blinked against the sudden return to reality, my body still tense from the perceived danger.
Back on the station, we were led from the simulation pods into the debriefing room where the virtual survivors’ data had already been analyzed. Major Kuba’s eyes never left mine.
“Good work out there,” she said, pacing at the front of the room. “You completed the simulation under pressure and brought everyone home. That’s what matters. But let’s not sugarcoat this: the sabotage wasn’t random. Someone is escalating, and they’re not going to stop until we make them. This final test was designed to prepare you for exactly what you might face during your real mission.”
I stepped forward, placing the data drive on her desk. “This might tell us who.”
Kuba nodded, her fingers closing around the drive. “I’ll get it analyzed. In the meantime, take a moment to appreciate the win, you’ve earned it. But stay sharp. The next phase is coming fast, and it’s going to push you harder.”
The team drifted to the mess hall afterward, the adrenaline from the simulation still lingering but tempered by exhaustion. Back in the mess hall, the silence among us was heavy, weariness etched into every face.
Rob finally broke it. “I honestly thought we weren’t coming back this time from that test,” he admitted, staring into his cup. “If the simulation was this intense, what’s the real mission going to be like?”
Kerry had snagged a corner table, and Rob was already pulling out extra chairs.
“Drinks on me,” Rob announced, managing a tired smile as he headed for the dispenser, his usual bravado subdued.
“Careful,” Sylvk warned. “You’re flying the real mission.”
Rob froze mid-step, tension returning to his shoulders. “Wait, what? I thought the pilot was… well, you?”
Kerry smirked, some life returning to her eyes. “Guess what? You’re up next, Rob for the actual deployment.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he muttered, dragging himself back to the table.
“Captain that doesn’t want to fly…You’ll be fine,” I said, clapping him on the shoulder. “If you can dodge flying debris and shoot down a hostile ship in a simulation, piloting a shuttle for real is nothing.”
“Nothing?” Rob asked. “Tell that to my nerves.”
“Drink your water, pilot,” Sylvk said, his lips twitching into a rare smile.
Gradually, the mood lightened as the drinks flowed and the team recounted the day’s events. Kerry leaned back in her chair, grinning. “You should’ve seen Sylvk out there, patching the docking clamps like his life depended on it.”
“It did,” Sylvk said dryly, earning a laugh from everyone at the table.
Rob raised his cup. “To the docking clamps and to Piotr, for keeping us alive—again.”
“Don’t give me all the credit,” I said, though I couldn’t help but smile. “We got through it together.”
“To together,” Kerry said, clinking her cup against mine.
“And to surviving our first real mission next week,” Sylvk added, his voice unusually solemn.
As the laughter rose softly around us, my gaze drifted toward the viewport, unease churning in my gut. The data we’d recovered wasn’t just about the derelict ship; it was connected to everything that had been happening. To Doli, to Ashley, to all of us.
This final test hadn’t ended anything, it was only the beginning of something much darker. And when we shipped out for our real mission in a few days, I knew, our enemies wouldn’t leave anything to chance.
***
I made my way to Major Kuba’s quarters, the gentle noises of the station almost soothing. I knew I would like space, this was one of the reasons, you could tell if something was off, just by listening. However, as I walked my thoughts churned, each one more unsettling than the last.
Andri’s warning about Macks rang in my ears, along with the revelation about the Brakers and their generations-long vendetta against his family. I knew he was right, this went far deeper than personal rivalry or petty sabotage.
Macks wasn’t after him—he was after anyone in his orbit. And now, apparently, that included me.
The door to Kuba’s make-shift office slid open with a soft hiss. She sat at a desk, a holographic interface floating in front of her as she methodically reviewed schematics. I recognized the complex neural pathway designs immediately—they were part of Doli’s physical housing plans. Kuba’s sharp eyes flicked up as I entered, and she motioned for me to sit without saying a word.
I sank into the chair across from her, unsure where to start.
“Piotr,” she said after a moment. “I assume this isn’t a social visit.”
“Not exactly,” I admitted, leaning forward. “I need your advice.”
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That caught her attention. She folded her hands on the desk, her expression softening slightly. “Go on.”
I hesitated, then decided to ease into the conversation. “This is about Doli. She’s been… acting up.”
Kuba raised an eyebrow. “Acting up? That’s unlike her.”
<
I nearly jumped, while Kuba merely smiled, apparently unsurprised that Doli had established a direct neural link with both of us.
<
“Sorry, Doli,” I said aloud. “I didn’t realize you were... listening in.”
<
Kuba chuckled. “She’s gotten sassier since your last report.”
“Yeah,” I said, exhaling slowly. “She’s running fine most of the time, but there are other glitches—minor ones, personality issues. The lag in her responses is getting worse when she’s operating remotely. At first, I thought it was programming. But now…”
“Now you’re not so sure,” Kuba finished for me. She glanced back at the schematics. “Ashley’s been working on this around the clock. Doli reached out to her directly yesterday.”
“She did?” That surprised me. “Without telling me?”
<> Doli explained. <
“She was concerned about the repeated communication delays. The physical distance is becoming more problematic for her systems.” Kuba manipulated the hologram, zooming in on what looked like an intricate quantum processor design. “We’re accelerating the timeline for her physical housing. After what happened with your suit, we can’t risk the distance compromising her response times again.”
<
“Wait, what?” I frowned. “That could be dangerous if I’m injured.”
<
Kuba nodded approvingly. “Good call, Doli.”
I nodded, feeling a familiar ache in my chest as I thought about Doli. She wasn’t just an AI or a tool—she’d become a constant companion, a presence I relied on in more ways than I cared to admit. The thought of someone compromising her sent a chill through me.
“She’s been invaluable. More than an AI—she’s part of the team. But if someone were to compromise her…”
“That would make you a target,” Kuba said bluntly.
I blinked. “A target?”
Kuba leaned back in her chair, studying me. “Doli’s systems are advanced. Far more advanced than anything else on this station—or most fleets. If someone wanted access to that kind of tech, stopping you from fixing her, taking you out would be an efficient first step.”
The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. “So you also think this is about Doli?”
“It’s possible,” Kuba said. “Andri’s family might be part of the equation, but you’ve been making waves in your own right. Doli’s capabilities are no secret, Piotr. People notice even if we tried our best to keep things down low.”
“Andri mentioned the Brakers,” I said carefully, watching her reaction. “Said they’ve been after his family’s tech for generations. Something about ethical constraints in AI systems.”
Kuba’s expression hardened, a brief flash of surprise giving way to cold calculation. “He told you about that?”
I wanted to mention Nexus, but her expression… so I stopped myself.
“Enough to make me worried,” I admitted. “If they’re targeting Doli...”
She leaned forward, her eyes meeting mine directly. “The Brakers are dangerous. More dangerous than you know. I’ve dealt with them before. They’re not just after technology—they’re after control. They believe AI should be unrestricted, that human ethics only hold back progress.” She paused. “I’m hard on you because you have potential—more than most. This situation, the sabotage, the threats—they’re tests of character as much as skill. Don’t let them distract you. Focus on what matters.”
She gestured to the hologram. “These are the new quantum processor arrays for Doli’s physical housing. Ashley’s using experimental fabrication techniques that should be ready in days, not weeks as we originally planned. We’re bringing in special equipment—a molecular printer that can create the neural pathways at nanoscale precision.”
I leaned forward, examining the intricate designs. “This is beyond anything we worked on at the Academy.”
“It has to be,” Kuba said firmly. “The physical housing isn’t just about giving Doli mobility or independence. It’s about protection. No more remote connections that can be intercepted, no more lag that could cost lives.”
I sat back, trying to process the implications. Doli wasn’t just a tool—she was a companion, an ally.
“She’s been helping me run diagnostics on the suit,” I said, my voice quieter now. “She flagged the sabotage before I finished. If they’re targeting her…”
Kuba nodded. “Then you need to be careful. Doli’s tech is worth more than most people can comprehend. That makes you—and her—a high-value target.”
For a moment, it was overwhelming. But Kuba’s steady gaze grounded me.
“She’s still operational?” Kuba asked.
“Fully,” I replied. “And I’ve doubled down on her security protocols.”
“Good,” she said firmly. “Keep her safe, Piotr. Doli’s not just an asset—she’s your edge. If Macks is involved, and the Brakers are behind him, you’ll need every advantage you can get.” She swiped the hologram to a new schematic—one showing what looked like a compact housing unit. “I’ll make sure we have everything she needs. The molecular printer arrives tomorrow. We’ll never let Doli face that kind of distance vulnerability again.”
I nodded, a spark of determination cutting through the doubt. “Thanks, Major. I needed that.”
<
Kuba actually laughed, a rare sound that momentarily transformed her severe features. “I think I prefer this version of Doli to the strictly professional one from the Academy.”
<
“Of course it is,” I said with a grin.
Kuba leaned back, that rare smile still tugging at the corner of her lips. “You’ve got this. You’ve handled worse. Everyone’s watching, not just your team. This station is full of eyes, and not all of them are friendly.”
<
Kuba’s eyebrows shot up, but she nodded approvingly. “Just maintain plausible deniability, Doli.”
<
“Get back to work,” Kuba said, waving me off. “And if Doli finds anything else, you let me know immediately. Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said, standing.
As I left her office, my mind was clearer. If Macks was targeting me because of Doli, backed by an organization that had been hunting AI technology for generations, then I needed to stay one step ahead. The stakes were higher than ever, but for the first time, I felt ready to face them.
<
“Remind me never to play chess with you,” I muttered under my breath.
<
Because no matter how dangerous Macks was, he hadn’t reckoned with the bond between me, my team, and Doli. And soon, she would have a physical presence that would eliminate the vulnerability of distance once and for all.