Let Me Just Slip Into Something A Little More Space-Worthy

20260709

Prompt from Eiiri’s Prompt Foundry, “Pride 2 Disability Boogaloo”.

“Dr Wiggins?”
“Carla, please.” She said carelessly, looking up from her starship prep. “You’re the witness, right? From the record office.”
“Ah, actually I’m from the Nebula Gazette.”
“Oh.”
More like oh well, but best to stay polite.
The reporter hopefully pressed “Could I ask a few questions about your planned flight, Carla?”
“Go ahead.”
“Do you have a personal dislike of self-piloting ships?”
Carla stared bemusedly at them, then asked “What does that have to do with the flight?”
“So you do?”
“No? But I don’t see how it’s relevant.”
“Well, apparently you refused all offers of automated systems on your vessel.”
“Seriously?” Carla leant back in the seat and rolled her eyes. “A flight only counts as ‘solo’ if there are no other intelligences on board. Natural or artificial. Accepting automated systems would’ve negated the entire point.”
“But weren’t you offered an exemption? Due to your…” The reporter cast a sidelong glance at Carla’s arms.
“And I refused.” Carla said coolly. “Even if they felt it wouldn’t invalidate any record I set, I do. I intend to complete a solo flight across the Harlands Asteroid Field, fair and square.”
“You aren’t concerned that-”
“I designed and built this ship myself.” Carla tilted her chin up and fixed them with a withering stare. “I’m just as capable of flying it as you would be a standard ship.”
“Oh, I don’t have a licence.” They said, without a trace of self-consciousness. “I figure that’s part of the ship’s job.”
“…Then why were you sent to interview me? Did your office really not have anyone who might have relevant questions?”
They bristled, but before they managed an answer Carla decided “Actually, you know what? I don’t care. We’re done here. I have work to do and I want to be ready when the witness arrives. Have a lovely day.”
She shifted her foot to flip the “hatch” switch, closing the cockpit on whatever they were about to say, then tapped the glass tint to max for good measure. Leaving them staring indignantly at their own distorted reflection.
“Now then…”
She reached up and gripped the “hold” bars, then removed her stumps from the prosthetics. While she could have opted to simply operate standard controls with the general-purpose hands, why settle for something so crude? The potential of neuro-link circuitry was immense and tragically unexplored. Hopefully her performance here would change that.
As she slotted her stumps into the waiting sockets, the plugs connecting her nervous system to the ship’s systems, she smiled at the now-familiar feeling of connection. Not quite embodiment, though it felt a little closer each time.
And the sensation of being two tons of beautifully engineered metal capable of accelerating to hyperspeeds was always a rush. Each function at her metaphorical fingertips, each sensor delivering directly to her brain.
Why would you let a nav computer have all this fun? The poor thing didn’t even have the capacity to enjoy it!
Alright. Prelaunch checklist…

Prompt was “Autonomy”.