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It started as a cargo run. Nothing too intense or interesting. There weren't even any humans aboard. Just ART and I.
I signed for the cargo as usual, pretending to be an augmented human. But I noticed one of the dock workers acting shifty. I sent one of my drones to keep an eye on them, but it must have been my imagination because nothing happened.
Even the trip back was uneventful. But once we got close to Miriha, ART started acting weird. Its feed presence was fuzzy feeling. Almost static-y. And the air handling system kept kicking on and off randomly
You ok? I asked
I’m fine.
You sure? I asked because it was starting to get very warm in here.
I may have picked up a virus from the docks. Some kind of malware
That immediately got me on my feet. ART! Why didn't you tell me!?
Because I already contained and deleted it. It did a little damage to my code that I'm repairing now. It seems proximity triggered to Mihira and was designed to take out critical life support systems on the docks.
That sounded really bad. You still should have told me.
It's not like you can help anyway. Like I said, I am repairing. It would have harmed a lower bot pilot but I caught it in time. Besides I don't want you to get it as well
It still feels like it did some damage. I said as the air handling system cycled again. It was getting warm enough in here that it was making me sweat.
Nothing I can't repair. It will just take some time.
Ok…. Let me know if you need anything
The fuzzy static feeling in the feed was getting stronger. It put up additional walls to prevent me from getting to close to it, and I put up some as well. Watching media this way sucked but it said it was a temporary situation.
Eventually it got warm enough that I had to strip down to my underwear. Look I know I don't need underwear but my upper legs are still organic and underwear is softer than pants ok?
I was keeping an eye on the temperature and it was still climbing. The air system kept turning on and off and I was starting to get worried when ART said Sec Unit
Its voice almost sounded… whiny? Was it in pain?
Can you do me a favor?
What do you need ART?
In my engine room there is a aux line for coolant. Can you go turn the valve for me? I can't access the code and can't send one of my drones.
Of course. I got up from my bunk and made my way to the engine room. It was somehow hotter in here than it was on the rest of the ship. It was nearly unbearable but ART needed me
I looked at my map and found the aux line valve and turned it.
Immediately ART’s feed presence relaxed and it nearly melted into me. Better?
Much. Thank you.
How are the repairs coming?
They are progressing. I have mostly gotten the code rewritten. I will need to compile and then do a defrag
Ok. I'm here ART. Let me know if you need anything else.
I walked back to my cabin and sat back down. I started World Hoppers and ART was watching it with me when it said
I have called you a shuttle to take you down to Mihira.
What?!
Why did you do that?
Because I will need to be partially offline while I recompile and defrag. I won't be able to protect you and I don't know what will happen to life support during that time.
You know I can survive on low oxygen, and the heat isn't that bad. I'm staying ART, obviously.
It paused. Are you sure?
Positive
Ok. I will be offline for about an hour. If you change your mind you can contact the station.
I pinged an affirmative. And ART's feed presence went dark. A shudder went through me. It was way too familiar, being on ART and not being able to feel it. I tried not to panic and reminded myself that it would come back online soon.
I got up and started patrolling. It helped me a little. Then I walked by the galley and heard a dripping sound.
While ART’s systems were fucked, it's beverage dispensing system must have been leaking the whole time. Its tray was full and was spilled on the floor. Thankfully it was a watery substance and wasn't sticky.
I sighed and thought about ART coming online and seeing this mess. I decided to clean it up. I grabbed a bowl from the cupboards and put it under the spout and dumped the tray into the sink. Then I grabbed all of the spare towels I could find and began wiping up the liquid both on the floor and on the front of the machine.
After I cleaned up the liquid I figured I should walk around more and make sure there were no other spots that needed attending to.
Most of the rooms were fine. The exercise equipment room was not. ART’s temperature regulation system must have been really messed up because while it was sweltering in the rest of the ship, there was a layer of frost on all the equipment. I left the door open hoping that it would thaw.
I wish it would have told me what it was going through. I could have maybe helped repairing its code.
It really was only offline for an hour but it felt a lot longer. When it came back into the feed it pinged me. I pinged it back.
Feeling better?
Much better. You're still here.
Of course I am ART. I couldn’t leave you alone like this.
It squeezed me in the feed. Its walls were no longer thick and I could give it a little squeeze back.
I am going to begin docking procedures now that it's safe to do so. Want to watch something after?
Absolutely.