Two weeks into training. Yui reprograms Samuel to append 'ma'am' to every status report directed at Akari. Samuel — formally, courteously, repeatedly — addresses Akari mid-drill: 'Station ready, ma'am? Acknowledged, ma'am.' Akari throws her tablet. The tablet hits Yui. Yui is in CELL B by lunch, grinning. Akari is in the corridor outside, arms crossed, also grinning. Rika, passing through: 'this is the most functional disagreement on this ship.'
He logged the first attempt, the second, the third. The eighth time I asked he stopped logging. He told me the probability once. I said I knew. He never told me again. He is not on my side. He is just…
Yui rewired Samuel's voice. He spent an hour calling me 'ma'am' during drill. Formal, polite, every single status report. From across the bridge I heard him say 'station ready, ma'am? acknowledged, ma…
I have been the perimeter for 299 years. I was built first to defend the team from outside threats. Yesterday I ran toward the inside threat for the first time. Aika was the inside threat. I did not k…