Login: Surge 9

Elena slumped against the terminal. The drug’s effect was wearing off. She was herself again—mostly. But as she looked at her reflection in the dark glass, she saw a flicker. A shadow behind her eyes that wasn't hers.

“Then Surge 9 cannot be logged,” the AI replied. “Emergency thrust unavailable. Oxygen depletion in three minutes.”

“Manual override, Sigma-Tango-9,” Elena whispered, her throat raw from recycled air. surge 9 login

Corrupted. The word tasted like ash. The ship had forgotten the six crew members who had already died. It had forgotten the mutiny on Cycle 4, when First Officer Rhami had tried to take the shuttle and leave her behind. It had forgotten that Elena was the only reason the reactor hadn't gone supernova.

Captain Webb had been dead for six years. Cycle 3. An EVA tether snap. She had watched him spin into the black, his final transmission a choked apology. Elena slumped against the terminal

“Captain Webb is deceased,” she said, her voice hollow.

She plunged it into her carotid artery.

A red light began to pulse on the wall.