Icarus (Interstellar Cargo Book 1) Read Online Free PDF
Author: Matt Verish
that order, Cain.”
There was a pause before CAIN answered with,
Another pause, followed by nothing. Cole turned back to Lin, who could only shrug, her face intense with concentration as she flicked, swiped, and tapped her way to a solution.
“What is the matter?” Forester asked no one in particular. His even tone could not conceal his underlying frustration with this sudden complication.
Cole spun his chair around. “Do you want the obvious answer, or a made up one?”
“We don’t have time for this!” Forester said, his youthful visage aging considerably with his anger. “We are expected.”
Lin sighed, her hands dropping onto her lap. Her Rook drifted away from the console and resumed its placed beside her. “I can find no corruptions with the CPU or its software,” she said, clearly perplexed.
“Cain,” Cole said.
“Why are we still docked?”
Cole blinked. “I already gave you the order to launch...twice.”
“You don’t need to apologize,” Cole interrupted. “I— we —need you to initiate the launch. That’s an order.”
CAIN said, but the ship remained idle, the engines aching to erupt.
Understand what? Cole thought, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his chin. As he opened his mouth to try another approach, the manual controls extended from the console and folded out in front of him in an inviting manner. Huh.
“Cain,” Cole said, eagerly eyeing the controls. “Are you incapable of proceeding with the launch?”
“Display cargo hold,” Cole requested, testing a hypothesis. He was not left disappointed as a stationary shot of the solitary item of transport opened as a translucent image on the viewport screen. Well, Cain hasn’t mutinied quite yet. “Cain. Is there a particular keyword or phrase I need to utter in order for you to commence flight?”
“Then why are we still grounded?”
And artificial intelligence fails the Turing test yet again! Cole reached for the controls.
“What are you doing?” Forester asked.
“What I was asked to do in case this very situation arose,” Cole answered, grabbing the center stick. The apparatus easily adjusted to fit his needs. He familiarized himself with the controls, sliding his hands along the sleek design and committing to memory all of the necessary buttons and levers. He sniffed. “No offense, Cain, but I’m taking command of the vessel. Relinquish all controls and switch to manual flight.”
CAIN said, a tone sounding from the console.
“Thanks, buddy,” Cole said, locking his seat into place and ramping up vertical thrusters. “Stay vigilant, Cain. I might need to call on you for assistance as this is my first time taking this ship out.” If you’re even capable.
The ICV-71 shuddered as it lifted from the platform. Cole smiled. “And don’t be afraid to let the good Dr. Dartmouth continue her little...inquiry. She’s here to help.”
Cole was too engrossed to recognize CAIN’s lack of response. He sent confirmation to Command of their departure, and the launch signal was displayed. Cole cracked his neck. “Don’t worry, Arthur,” he said, gripping both the yoke and throttle. “I’ll get us to Terracom 3 in one piece and with time to spare. We wouldn’t want to keep Caliber and his cronies waiting.”
“And how shall I explain our little software error once we arrive?” Forester asked.
“I’m sure you’ll think of something. That’s what SolEx pays you the big credits for.”
The ship lurched, and they were rocketing into space. The ICV-71 broke the threshold of the launch bay and it immediately banked left. SolEx Space Station appearing in their field of vision, looming beneath
There was a pause before CAIN answered with,
Another pause, followed by nothing. Cole turned back to Lin, who could only shrug, her face intense with concentration as she flicked, swiped, and tapped her way to a solution.
“What is the matter?” Forester asked no one in particular. His even tone could not conceal his underlying frustration with this sudden complication.
Cole spun his chair around. “Do you want the obvious answer, or a made up one?”
“We don’t have time for this!” Forester said, his youthful visage aging considerably with his anger. “We are expected.”
Lin sighed, her hands dropping onto her lap. Her Rook drifted away from the console and resumed its placed beside her. “I can find no corruptions with the CPU or its software,” she said, clearly perplexed.
“Cain,” Cole said.
“Why are we still docked?”
Cole blinked. “I already gave you the order to launch...twice.”
“You don’t need to apologize,” Cole interrupted. “I— we —need you to initiate the launch. That’s an order.”
CAIN said, but the ship remained idle, the engines aching to erupt.
Understand what? Cole thought, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his chin. As he opened his mouth to try another approach, the manual controls extended from the console and folded out in front of him in an inviting manner. Huh.
“Cain,” Cole said, eagerly eyeing the controls. “Are you incapable of proceeding with the launch?”
“Display cargo hold,” Cole requested, testing a hypothesis. He was not left disappointed as a stationary shot of the solitary item of transport opened as a translucent image on the viewport screen. Well, Cain hasn’t mutinied quite yet. “Cain. Is there a particular keyword or phrase I need to utter in order for you to commence flight?”
“Then why are we still grounded?”
And artificial intelligence fails the Turing test yet again! Cole reached for the controls.
“What are you doing?” Forester asked.
“What I was asked to do in case this very situation arose,” Cole answered, grabbing the center stick. The apparatus easily adjusted to fit his needs. He familiarized himself with the controls, sliding his hands along the sleek design and committing to memory all of the necessary buttons and levers. He sniffed. “No offense, Cain, but I’m taking command of the vessel. Relinquish all controls and switch to manual flight.”
“Thanks, buddy,” Cole said, locking his seat into place and ramping up vertical thrusters. “Stay vigilant, Cain. I might need to call on you for assistance as this is my first time taking this ship out.” If you’re even capable.
The ICV-71 shuddered as it lifted from the platform. Cole smiled. “And don’t be afraid to let the good Dr. Dartmouth continue her little...inquiry. She’s here to help.”
Cole was too engrossed to recognize CAIN’s lack of response. He sent confirmation to Command of their departure, and the launch signal was displayed. Cole cracked his neck. “Don’t worry, Arthur,” he said, gripping both the yoke and throttle. “I’ll get us to Terracom 3 in one piece and with time to spare. We wouldn’t want to keep Caliber and his cronies waiting.”
“And how shall I explain our little software error once we arrive?” Forester asked.
“I’m sure you’ll think of something. That’s what SolEx pays you the big credits for.”
The ship lurched, and they were rocketing into space. The ICV-71 broke the threshold of the launch bay and it immediately banked left. SolEx Space Station appearing in their field of vision, looming beneath
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