"Jumping To Conclusions"

by

She propped her booted feet atop the control panel, watching the flood of data cascade down the display.

It has to be here somewhere. I have to find it.

But the young woman known as Ahwi Dasari had only found frustration in the equations and data points the computer regurgitated for her. She decided to distract herself with the task of putting her hair up as the information continued streaming forth.

Keeping her hair out of her eyes actually produced results. But despite its importance to everything she had ever cared about, slogging through the river of equations seemed more a waste of time.

“How about a cup of tea?” asked a female voice, echoing softly out of the speakers.

“Not in the mood,” Ahwi said. “Maybe with lunch.”

“You should have had lunch five hours ago.”

“It's not...” Dasari's eyes glanced at the chronometer. “Oh. How'd it get so late?”

“That what happens when you obsess over something.”

“I'm not obsessed!” She sat up, pulling her legs toward her. “I need to know what happened.”

“Is that why you went down there?”

“No, of course not.” Ahwi frowned. “I just wanted to...”

“Did he see you?”

“I don't... maybe.”

“That's why you're not supposed to do that sort of thing.”

“I do a lot of things I'm not supposed to,” she said with a grin. “I thought you liked that about me.”

“I did when it gave me my freedom, but what you're doing now is likely to end that freedom for us both.”

“I have to know what happened, Rosie.”

“You're assuming something has changed.”

“The wrong people were at the funeral.”

“Are you sure?” asked the voice from the speakers. “Was anyone missing?”

“Yes,” Ahwi whispered.

“This could be a momentary flux in the currents, or a result of the other engineers...”

“It's me,” Ahwi said, near to the point of crying. “I did this.”

“You have no way of knowing that.”

“I'm not stupid, Rosie! My incursion is the only thing which could have done this.”

“But your probability is stable. That wouldn't be the case if a major disruption had occurred.”

Ahwi wiped a tear from her face. “That's the part that bothers me.”

“How about I go over the equations and you get something to eat? I can make you some of that stew you like so much.”

Ahwi tried to smile. Rosie was always going out of her way to make Ahwi's life a little easier. Sometimes she felt sorry for herself because her best friend in the universe was a computer, but considering all the hell the universe had thrown into her life, having any friend was something to rejoice about.

It hadn't always been this way. She could still remember the happiness which once filled her life. But the same memories also reminded her how it all ended, hurling her into the abyss which she now seemed condemned to drown in.

She closed her eyes, doing all she could to force the image out of her mind.

The shuttle rose into the air, sailing away as it did each day, her thoughts consumed by the wish she could be up there with them.

Then the flash of light... and the fireball.

The tears came.

No!!! This can't be happening!!!

That day she had learned how to truly hate.

And now, she didn't care if she brought the entire universe down to make things right.

“To hell with them all,” she murmured.

“What was that?”

“Nothing, Rosie. Nothing.”

“So do you want something to eat?”

Ahwi took a long breath. “Yes, but first, we're going to make a jump.”

“Are you insane?” the computer asked. “They'll find us for sure if we do that!”

“Asking about my sanity is probably a bad idea.” She began to make adjustments to the controls in front of her.

“We can't. You know they'll find us.”

“It's the only way I can be sure of these equations. I need more information and a jump is the only way to get it.” She smiled. “You can keep us hidden.”

“At the very least, they'll cut off your access, so you better make this jump a good one. It'll be the last one you get.”

“Don't worry, I will.”

“Have you decided on a destination?”

“I'm working on it,” Ahwi said, as she touched the control panel, activating the large display in front of her. A thousand luminous lines filled the screen. She had to find an intersection which would reveal the information she needed.

Finally, a single dot was all that remained. Text flashed next to it.

“There,” Ahwi said.

“Are you sure about this?” the computer asked. “That's cutting it very close to that boundary problem...” After a moment's pause, the voice laughed. “You know the engineers don't go there, right?”

“I had considered that fact, yes,” Ahwi said with a grin.

“They fear it is the end of time.”

Ahwi thought a moment. “Maybe it is,” she whispered. “Or maybe I'll make it the end of everything.”

“What?”

“Coordinates set.” Ahwi touched several glowing squares on the panel. “So you feeling less stressed now?”

“With you at the controls? No.”

Ahwi chuckled. “I'll remember that the next time I do maintenance on you.”

“Very funny.”

“Kurtzberg drive at full power. Stand by for the jump.”

The lights in the control room dimmed to a twilight of their former brightness.

“All systems ready.”

Ahwi closed her eyes as her finger touched the control.

I hate this... But I am glad it will be the last time.

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Dark Horizon Story and Characters Copyright ©2009 Michael Gray

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