Limbo Lower (Otherwise Untitled)
#246 of Short Stories
A ship's intelligence misunderstands the intentions of those who've come to salvage.
~ The scorched and battered hulk of the ship rested heavily into the footprint of the broad prairie, the majority of the worthwhile and detachable bits having been long since removed. In the skeletal framing of panels and discolored equipment, the flickering blue hologram of a kestrel glanced between the deer and wolf dubiously. Each were wearing armored environmental suits of the same style in the same shade of patina soaked light blue with some sort of symbol involving a circle and triangle across the middle.
~ The diminutive hologram repeated herself, "I don't care if you're here to loot. I've made my peace with that, though I'm flattered you've brought the power cells to wake me up."
~ The wolf tried to interrupt, "The way of our order...", before the kestrel continued with her explanation.
~ "I don't have any data you'll be wanting. All the navigational information and tactical stuff was taken when the Captain left.", the kestrel leaning to address the deer directly.
~ The deer didn't glance up from his work removing the bolts and coverings that concealed the ship's mechanical intelligence core some number of feet down, beyond his simple reply, "Paladin Rebecca is better at explaining. Listen to her, and ignore me."
~ The wolf watched the kestrel patiently, until the bird's attention was back on her, before she repeated, "The way of our order is to bring life to those in limbo, that Death may again decide your path."