CANAISIS ∞ Chronicle One: The Last Living Ship ∞ 1: A New Mission

43 ∞ A Personal Connection

Day 00007 Mission Nilex

Gareth stepped into the transit tube before Ahmid and descended.

«Report on Ayla,» he thought.

«I've stabilized her as best I can, Captain. However, another synaptic spike is imminent. I've been attempting to move my memory blocks to new locations and leaving different memory blocks in their place. I don't know how, but she's able to find the new location. I find it remarkable that a Human can do what she's doing.»

«Why do you think she's doing this? I mean, why your operating system? Obviously, this is new even for Nilex.»

«I suspect Ahmid's explanation is accurate. Since I utilize two-dimensional particle memory, I was closer and easier to reach, I believe.»

«But why me? Why your memory block of me?»

«That's obvious, Captain. She cares about you, just as you care about her.»

Do I? Gareth kept his thoughts to himself and remained silent for the rest of the journey. When he reached the medical floor, he stepped out and turned to wait for Ahmid. Then they walked together to Med-bay.

«Alert me when you see any sign of another spike in brain activity coming, Canaisis.»

«Of course, Captain. But do hurry, please.»

"Where do we need to go, Captain?" said Ahmid beside him.

"To the heart of Canaisis," Gareth replied, looking ahead. "We'll take her there together, but when the time comes, you must leave the room. Afterward, I'll need your help—that will be your most important role."

"What must I do, Captain?"

"Return Ayla here to Med-bay—Canaisis will take good care of her."

Ahmid spun his head to shoot Gareth a quizzical glance. "You won't be there to help, Captain?"

"I don't know if I'll be able to, Ahmid." Gareth halted and turned to Ahmid, his face stone cold. "Since Ayla is unconscious, I'll have to be there with her to ensure all goes well. And if I'm unable to myself, I ask you to return me to my cabin."

"This sounds very serious, Captain." Ahmid peered at him with furrowed brows. "Are you sure this will work?"

"Ayla's mind is achieving 275 percent synaptic activity. She'll do permanent damage to herself if this can't be stopped, and you tell me it cannot be. The only course of action then is to give her nervous system the help it needs to sustain this level of activity."

Gareth continued walking and turned into Ayla's medical room. Lina and Nura looked up to exchange glances with him, and he noted their troubled expressions. They were sitting on chairs on either side of the bed, each holding Ayla's hand with both hands. He focused on Ayla as he approached, her black hair framing her face. She looked pale but her breathing was steady.

Ahmid stepped in behind him and spoke to the women. "How is she doing?"

It was Nura who spoke up—Lina appeared too upset to talk.

"We've tried, Ahmid. We cannot reach her, and she will not share the Burden. I can't even tell if she knows we're here. But... I do get flashes of feeling from her..." Nura looked down, her face betraying her struggle to keep her own emotions in check.

Ahmid stepped to Nura and knelt in front of her, placing a hand on her knee.

"Tell me, please."

Nura met his gaze. "She's tired... She longs for life to end."