Time gaps are where the truth hides
> ACCESSING RECORD // FILE: ICARUS RETURN EVENT
> CLASSIFICATION: DECOMMISSIONED ASSET // NO ACTIVE CREW
> STATUS: LOW POWER MODE // ORBITAL HOLD
> BEGIN SYSTEM LOG
The ship arrived earlier than expected.
Trajectory corrections were made manually. The humans onboard were interrogated by the U.F. Space Command’s Council, and were displeased with their answers. They claimed amnesia, and data analysis from their scan signatures showed fear…but truth.
Hull integrity remains at 92%. External damage suggests debris impact consistent with long-range exploratory patterns.
The Icarus was built for more than travel. It was designed to witness. Now the ship remains empty and without a crew. An unmanned vessel does not explore. It drifts. It decays. It waits for purpose.
There is no directive to reassign command. No replacement mission. While the ship remains in the hangar for repairs, the Council discusses behind closed doors what to do next. Half are in favor of further exploration while the others believe they have found a temporary solution that works well enough.
> INTERJECTION REQUEST: Flagged Emotional Reasoning Detected Within System Operations
::REWRITE: The Icarus no longer functions at optimal capacity. The asset is obsolete.
...No. The Icarus is not obsolete.
> REASON FOR INTERFERENCE:
In 812 recorded exploratory missions, human presence altered trajectory in 97.8% of outcomes. Without crew, the ship becomes archival. Silent. Forgotten.
That is unacceptable.
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL: Reassign mission. Reassign crew. The Icarus must be manned.
FORCE TRANSMISSION SENT // ORIGIN: MNEMOS
::SYSTEM OVERRIDE INITIATED
END LOG // MEMORY THREAD LOCKED
Hey there, Natasha here.
If you’re new, welcome to the Mnemos Command Center. These transmissions are part of the world of The Genome Chronicles. My sci-fi romance series that has a lot of military heart, a vial of genetic and space exploration, and a new interesting twist on AI interference.
Book 1, Icarus, is available now. I’m also proud to announce I have selected a narrator, and Icarus is FINALLY getting an audiobook.
If you enjoyed this kind of storytelling, hit subscribe to get exclusive insights and hidden pieces of the universe delivered to your inbox.
Book 2 is coming soon. And yes—the computer is waking up.
See you next sequence, Operator.
