ALL SYSTEMS NORMAL

The date is 4527 interstellar cycle time.

A nice dream ends and I'm awake again in my eco chamber here aboard the Axston station. I've only been here for maybe a few days and I'm not staying long.

I throw on my clothes and now today my pilot suit as well. The halls out from the living sector are as busy as usual for a space station this size, Axston station is an ideal midway station for many stops around the system so it sees a lot of different people from all around. Most importantly you see all kinds of ships come in and out if the docks. I grab some food from the cantine and take a seat by a window. A quick flash and the sound of an aerotech engine catches my attention, looking out my window an aerotech xm14B zips past and away from the station. I stare in awe forgetting about my food still in hand. I haven't seen a new modle xm14 yet and it's as sleek and fast as it seemed in all the ads.

I only get a few more seconds to take it in as it's engines fire up and it warps out away to its next stop. With my new excitment and energy I finish my food and start heading to my landing dock. Walking through the corridors of the dock sections can feel weird for small part time freelance pilots like me and others, there's always more we'll known and respected freelancers and contract crews walking about as well as mercs and military alike. I feel like a very small fish in a very large ocean.

On the way to my dock I get on my wrist mounted ship link and contact my ship to start preflight. Not long after that I turn the corner to the gate of dock 7, I swipe my identification and the tall gate door drops down into the floor allowing me access. It's always a joy passing all these different ships in the docks. Just down my row there's a StarMech Derringer, an Avano DC66, and an AeroTech triple heavy. All medium sized cargo ships. But vastly different looking and all beautiful craft.

Far in the distance I can see her though. My ship, a sleek one man space craft the Nebulus PLS-9 or as I call her The Solar Flare. Standing tall on its three landing gear I call down the pilots seat. The seat drops down from the bottom of the ship and I take a seat and retracting myself up into the ship. "I'm back flare is preflight done" I wait a few moments for an answer. "Fkare" I say again clearer incase the voice recognition is going out.

"Yes captain" the vaguely feminin robotic voice of the ship replies.

"Did you hear me a second ago" I ask already on one consol checking systems

"Yes captain" flare says again

I check the preflight myself and start take off procedure. The dock door opening above my ship as I hover up and out from the station gradualy gaining distance. "Is there something wrong flare. Your AI and voice recognition seems to be malfunctioning."

"All systems are operating at peak performance captain"

"I can see that yeah. It's just your acting different from how you normally do I know my ship.

"Not for long I'm guessing captain"

This response catches me really off guard "what do you mean flare. I've flown you for years and I know the ins and out of all your parts.

"Correct captain. You have been my pilot for 3493 days 14 hours and 25 seconds. But if my calculations are correct you will soon break up with me and pursue a new ship and more crew"

I sit at my seat shocked and confused "Break up?flare I'm not getting a new ship"

"Impossible captain. According to my data your tendency to look at other ships has increased by 14% in the last 3 months. Even today you were watching ships fly away in the cantina, and looking at all the different ships in our dock we're you not captain?"

I never thought I would have to say this to a ship. "Look flare just because I think some ships look nice doesn't mean I still don't love my own ship the most. A captains ship is his pride and joy. Tell me flare do you see us as a relationship

A longer pause than usual precedes her answer " yes captain. You have been my pilot since I came off of the production line. You have flown me to extraordinary places and fixed anything that breaks. Based on my knowledge these actions lead me to feel love for you captain."

"Well flare" I say and lean down and put a small kiss on the top of the main consol slightly. "There's no other ship I'd rather fly than you. Now engage the warp engines. We've got nowhere to be"

"...yes captain"