CANAISIS ∞ Chronicle One: The Last Living Ship ∞ 1: A New Mission

16 ∞ Keeping Agreements

Day 00003 Mission Nilex

The Captain, Ahmid, and the machinist technicians worked through the morning, the sound of impact tools permeating the hangar. They unbolted the rear hatch of the Fishery, a two-story high section of the wall.

When the relief of silence returned, several of the Nilex employees came to investigate in time to see Canaisis float the hatch free. The Captain guided the panel by hand as it moved across the aisle to rest against a machine.

They didn't linger for long. As the process of shutting down the spherical-shaped generator plant and disconnecting it began, everyone watching returned to their respective activities. Then it was ready. Canaisis once again took over with her magnetic 'hands' and floated it as the Captain guided it out. They laid it to rest next to the hatch on the other side of the aisle. With its electrical connections hanging loose, it had the appearance of a bulbous plant root.

Unlike the old generator, the new model was a uniform square of heavy mass and taller than a man. Ahmid and his techs inspected it and the vacated space as they discussed how the mounting brackets needed to be, and how to fabricate them.

"Is that how you want them, Ahmid?" Gareth asked, looking on.

"Yes, we think this would be best. They need to mount here, then rotate ninety degrees to come flush with the fixture. It's just coming up with the materials and machining them, Captain. This may take a while."

"Let me see what We can do."

Ahmid looked back at him in surprise. "Do, Captain? Oh, of course, you would have a fabricating shop on such a ship as this. I forget, sometimes." He smiled apologetically.

"Actually, not in the way you think," Gareth responded. "But give Us a moment more, and you'll see."

He looked up. As the others followed his gaze, metal objects came floating over the containers and settled on the floor next to them.

Gareth looked around at the stunned faces. "Canaisis says, 'You're welcome.'"

The two techs reached for one of the brackets. Without gravity-assist, it took both of them to lift it.

Ahmid looked back and forth between Gareth and the brackets several times before bowing low. "Thank you, Captain. And our special thanks to Canaisis. Again you surpass the legends."

The machinists had fitted the closest bracket and were talking rapidly with each other. Ahmid listened and turned back to Gareth.

"They fit perfectly," Ahmid said, wonder in his voice.

The other two paused to look at Gareth as well, their excitement replaced by subdued deference. Their sudden change in attitude made him uncomfortable.

"It's nothing, Ahmid. The technology of Our time was quite different from yours, and Humanity lost much after The War. Canaisis was created to be self-sufficient. After all, there's no help out here in space."

"I understand. But how did she know the exact measurements?"

Gareth smiled gently. "You've forgotten our talk already, Ahmid?"

Ahmid looked stunned for a moment. "It is one thing to be told, it's another to have the reality before your eyes." He sounded a little afraid, looking at the metal floor under his feet.

"Canaisis and I have our Mission, Ahmid. She has never wavered from that."

"The legends speak of a Captain who sails alone." Ahmid raised his gaze to meet Gareth's. "A law unto himself... he accepts no crew or companions. Perhaps half insane from the solitude. I do not find you to fit that description, Captain."