Day 30

The next couple of weeks went even faster than the last, I'd also uploaded, courses 3, 4 and 5 which dramatically enlightened me to some of Doli-2s issues.

Advanced Cybernetics and Human Integration.

Starship Systems and Engineering.

Espionage Techniques and Counterintelligence.

Course 5 looked peripheral-until completion revealed the espionage vectors Doli represented. Then it hit me, tech like Doli was dangerous. The intelligence applications alone made my stomach knot. Doli's architecture carried system wide implications—political, tactical, existential. Provided we could stabilize her core.

Ashley had confided in me a lot more about the new version they were working on, and I knew ours had a ticking time bomb attached. It really was a race to the finish line, for her, for Doli, for my entire future at the academy. Each night, as I worked, I could almost hear the clock ticking down.

Doli-2 had to be fully functional by the end of this semester. And the semester was hurtling towards that end with relentless speed, each day slipping away faster than the last.

So, Ashley and I built Doli-2 from scratch again, this time fully virtual. With no android body, we kept that for our Doli.

"You think that's what's complicating everything, don't you, the body?" Ashley asked, her eyes reflecting the blue glow of the code streaming across our screens.

"Possibly," I replied, running my fingers through my hair. "The virtual environment eliminates all the hardware variables—sensory input lag, motor response delays. If she still glitches now, we'll know it's in the core code." What I didn't say was what we both knew: this was our last chance. If this approach failed, we'd have nothing to show when the deadline hit.

The original Doli, my Doli, had been left in a state full of glitches, and as a sort of helper around Ashley's back lab and an AI assistant to me at the academy. Only the new version would eventually be taken back to the military under Kuba's full control. At least, that was the plan.

But, since when did plans ever go as well, planned?

I lay on my bunk, loading up the next class, while Doli checked my flight suit for the week ahead. My fingers trembled slightly—not from fear, I told myself, but anticipation. This course would be useful, I hoped, in what was coming up on Station Cali. Real Zero-G testing. The culmination of everything I'd been working toward.

Zero-G Operations

This physically demanding course focuses on preparing cadets to function effectively in zero-gravity environments, teaching them the skills necessary for repairs, combat, and resource management in space.

Lesson Outline:

Week 1: Basics of Zero-G Movement

Understanding the physics of zero gravity.

Training exercises to master propulsion and directional control using thrusters.

Simulation Exercise: Navigating a zero-G obstacle course.

Week 2-4: Tools and Techniques

Using specialized tools for repairs and assembly in zero-G environments.

Drills on stabilizing oneself and equipment during work.

Exercise: Completing a repair task while tethered to a mock starship hull.

Week 5-6: Zero-G Combat

Adaptations of hand-to-hand and ranged combat techniques for zero gravity.

Team exercises: neutralizing threats while maneuvering in a zero-G arena.

Simulation: A tactical scenario requiring teamwork to secure an objective.

Week 7-8: Advanced Applications

Managing resources and life-support systems in extended zero-G scenarios.

Multi-objective simulations: completing repairs under simulated combat conditions.

Final Assessment: Performing a critical mission entirely in a zero-G environment.

Core Activities:

Maneuvering through zero-G obstacle courses.

Conducting precision repairs in simulated vacuum conditions.

Combat training tailored for zero-gravity physics.

Key Lesson:

"Gravity limits the mind as much as the body. Let go of both."

Rob knocked at my bunk for me, and I let him in. His usual casual demeanor was tinged with something else—excitement, maybe, or no, off his stance, concern.

"You know what's coming up, right?" he asked, leaning against my doorframe.

I continued to pack. "The class schedule, or the trip?"

"Yes to both. I wanted to make sure you were okay with it, see if there was anything I could help with." So, there was genuine concern there, something I still wasn't entirely used to. Why would anyone else worry over me?

<<Because people around you care? Is that not a human emotion?>>

<<Very long answer to that one, ask me again when we're not so busy,>> I replied to her.

"Well, we're taking a 187xax shuttle up to the space station orbiting Earth. Then we're going into real Zero-G for some testing." I kept my voice steady, not wanting him to sense my nerves. "We train, we get tested, and we get to do real jobs, right?"

"Correct," he replied. "Is it your first time in space?"

"Real space, yes. You?" I glanced up, catching a flicker of pride in his expression. He had been in space he didn't need to answer me there.

"I spent some of my early life in space, so yes." He said it casually, but there was something else behind the words.

"With your previous team?"

"Yes, and no," He replied. "But with Sylvk and Kerry too, as part of the years training, things you missed out on."

"I really am the newb." I sighed, feeling that familiar pang of being the outsider. Always playing catch-up to their shared history and experiences.

"You'll be fine." He encouraged me, clapping me on the shoulder. "If you can handle those vertical air trainers, and have practiced Zero-G like I know you have, I have no doubts the real thing will be easier for you than it was for us."

"Hard?" The question came out more vulnerable than I'd intended.

I grabbed my jacket and the small bag I'd packed with the barest of essentials, and we headed out. "It was extremely hard. But we all got there."

Seeing the shuttle made my insides flip. She was huge. Not just big—she was a monument to human ambition, a bridge between worlds. My world was about to get a whole lot bigger, and that thought sent equal parts terror and thrill coursing through me.

"What do you see?" Rob asked, watching my face carefully.

"See?" I looked at the shuttle for a very long moment, letting its design sink into my mind before speaking. "It's... incredible," I started, gesturing wildly toward the ship. "The whole thing looks like it's been shaped by the wind itself—smooth curves and angles designed to cut through the atmosphere like a knife. See those wings? They're delta-shaped, heat-resistant. They fold back when it's in space but extend out for stability here. Its super clever."

I pointed at the rear. "And those engines—Dual-mode propulsion. You've got jet turbines for flying down here, and ion drives, maybe even nuclear propulsion, for when it's out there. Those blue exhausts? Plasma from the hybrid engines. Efficient, powerful. And those little ports along the sides? Thrusters for fine-tuned movements. It's built for docking in orbit, no doubt."

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"Typical engineer," Kerry said, coming in at my side. "You're in love."

"No," I scoffed. "She's nothing like…"

I stalled. They'd not seen my ship. That—that was beautiful. This was in its own right, but functional. The memory of my own vessel, sleek and responsive, sent a pang of longing through me. Someday I'd get back to her, if I could ever get clear of all this.

My gaze shifted to the nose, glinting in the sunlight. "The nose cones layered with some kind of ceramic coating. That's for the heat. I'd bet it can survive reentry temperatures that would melt most metals. And the windows? Probably coated in anti-radiation material."

I glanced at Rob. "It's not just functional—it's beautiful. A fusion of science and art, built for the stars but still bound to Earth. A bridge between two worlds." The words felt inadequate for the emotion swelling in my chest.

Rob was laughing with Kerry now. "Yep, engineer."

The teams were gathering around her, and then in the next breath boarding. My heart hammered against my ribs with each step closer to the entrance.

<<You really will be okay, Captain.>> Doli soothed.

<<I've never been on a plane, let alone a shuttle into space.>> I admitted, grateful she couldn't see my hands trembling.

<<What made you want space?>>

I shrugged, but she never saw that. <<I like the idea of exploration, the alien species we can find. Everything.>> It was more than that, though—space represented freedom, escape from the confines of the foster system, from Earth's gravity, from everything that had ever held me down.

<<I hope we get there,>> she said. <<You really think we will?>>

<<We will—it's just a matter of when we've fixed up Doli-2 and then I can move on.>> Even as I said it, I wondered if it would be that simple.

<<You think they'll let you go?>> There was something in her tone—doubt, perhaps, or concern.

<<They won't have a choice, it's in the contract, right?>> I tried to sound confident, but Doli's question had stirred up unease I'd been trying to ignore.

<<Right.>> Her response was flat, unconvincing.

TRAIT UNLOCKED: Empathic Synchronization

Effect: Enables emotional convergence between Piotr and adaptive AI systems.

Activation Trigger: Recursive emotional exchange. Doli displays independent concern, doubt, and hopeful inquiry. Emotional bleed confirmed across dialogue loop.

Function: AI now responds to Piotr's emotional state with affect-aware behavior. Supports morale, prioritizes subjective welfare under duress.

As I settled into my seat, the excitement around me was infectious, but beneath it all, I couldn't ignore what this meant. It wasn't about training or ticking off another course. This was my first step into the universe I'd dreamed of as a kid—the same universe that had seemed impossibly out of reach from all those foster homes.

Kerry sat across from me, her knees bouncing. Sylvk studied on his datapad, seemingly unfazed by what was about to happen.

All around, everyone was a mixture of distracting themselves or talking animatedly. The buzz of conversation couldn't mask the underlying tension—we were all being tested all the time.

A face appeared at the doors, Major Kuba.

Everyone looked at her, then at me. But it didn't phase her. She stepped in and stood with Major Sergeant Cotah.

"Today marks some of the final stages of your training. Once you step onboard our Space Station Cali, you will be marked in everything you do. That goes for team interactions, the mess hall, even down to taking a shower. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," came the chorus.

<<Acknowledged—even hygiene checkpoints?>> I sent to Ashley.

She laughed, but her face remained stoic.

Hell of a launch. I gripped the arms to my chair as the engines ignited. The roar rattled my core, vibrating through my bones, but it wasn't fear—not entirely. It was the kind of nervous energy that comes with chasing something you've always wanted. I thought about the late nights I spent staring up at the stars, the dreams of discovery and freedom that had led me here. This wasn't about Zero-G training. It was about finally stepping into a world bigger than myself.

"Easy there," Rob said, noticing my white-knuckled grip. "Your first launch is always the most memorable. Try to enjoy it."

I focused on my breathing and eventually my hands relaxed some. The rational part of my brain knew the statistics—space travel was safer than ever—but that did little to calm the primal terror of being strapped to what was essentially a controlled explosion.

The shuttle hit turbulence coming out of the atmosphere, and that worried me a little. A jolt sent my stomach lurching toward my throat.

<<We've had much worse than this, seriously this is nothing to worry over.>> Sylvk said over our team comms, not even looking up from his datapad.

<<Much worse,>> Kerry agreed, though the gleam in her eyes suggested she might be enjoying my discomfort a little too much.

I let their reassurance settle my nerves. Yet as the space station Cali came into view, my stomach churned again, this time with pure awe. No image, no simulation, nothing could have prepared me for the reality of seeing it with my own eyes.

<<Calm down, Captain.>> Doli said.

<<I've never…. This is….>> Words failed me completely.

<<A feat of engineering, no?>>

I was nodding, and Kerry cocked her head at me, but didn't speak.

<<Yes,>> I replied. <<It's everything.>>

The closer we got, the more I could see. The station floated in the void, a massive construct of engineering and elegance. Its outer rings rotated steadily, generating artificial gravity for the thousands of people who called it home. The surface shimmered with a polished metallic finish, dotted with arrays of solar panels and communication relays that kept it powered and connected.

Central hubs branched out like spokes off an old earth bicycle, linking habitat modules, research centers, and several massive docking bays. Ships of all sizes clustered around these sections, their own designs a sharp contrast to the station's vast, intricate form. Docking arms and robotic systems moved around with such precision, guiding large and small vessels into place. There they handled cargo with as much grace, moving and organizing large containers like a conveyer belt of perfection.

Soft blue, white and the odd red lights traced the edges of the structure, outlining its scale against the dark backdrop of space.

I was totally awe struck and they all knew it.

I wanted to be part of that, exactly all of that.

I wanted to explore and leave my mark in places no one had touched before.

I belonged here, among the stars, despite everything my life on Earth had suggested.

<<How many people are onboard?>>

<<Three thousand six hundred and forty-two.>> Doli replied. <<All of them breathing recycled air, drinking recycled water, and living entirely on a manufactured world. Quite remarkable, isn't it?>>

Our shuttle drew in closer, and closer, and then as she bumped the station, I felt it. A slight shudder, the metallic clank of docking mechanisms engaging. It didn't phase any of those with us, but me. Inside I sighed. This, being off the planet I was born on, would take a lot of getting used to, but as I stared out the view screens around me, displaying space in all its glory, my veins were filled with something else, pure excitement.

I wanted this so badly. The vastness of space, the endless possibilities—it called to me in a way nothing on Earth ever had.

Sergeant Major Cotah stood before anyone else dared to move. "You'll be checked in at the gate. There you'll get an update to your HUD, follow the instructions to your bunks, you'll have thirty minutes to relax and then meet us in classroom 104. Keep everything orderly, and calm. As Major Kuba has said, this all counts towards your finals."

We were almost last off, but I did not mind at all. <<Anything else you can tell me about the station?>> I asked Doli.

<<What specifics would you like?>>

I grinned. <<Get me everything. When I'm in my bunk, I'll upload as quickly as I can.>> The technical specifications, security protocols, life support systems. I wanted to understand every inch of this place.

<<Yes, Captain. On it now.>> There was enthusiasm that matched my own. She was learning from me, I realized, developing curiosity, excitement, maybe even ambition.

I stood to find the gravity harder and looked to Rob. "Something different here?"

"They have gravity set a bit higher than on Earth," he explained, seemingly unbothered by the increased weight. "It means that any training here will be tougher, even though it's only a small amount. Once in normal gravity, you'll have improved a ton."

"That's pretty interesting," I replied as we finally stepped off the shuttle into the docking tube attached to her and the station. Clever, training us to be stronger without us even realizing it.

It felt solid under my feet, but I could clearly see it wasn't. It moved like a wave. Suddenly disorientating me, the disconnect between what my eyes saw and what my body felt sent a jolt of vertigo through me.

The queue before us moved fast. At the gate, I was scanned in. Then, as schematics and diagrams filled my HUD, I couldn't help but smile.

Once through the gate out into the station the doors seemed to muffle the mechanical clamor of the docking bay. The floor beneath my boots shifted slightly, magnetic anchors engaging to keep the gravity steady. Behind me, Rob's voice broke the brief silence.

"You still staring at the engines, Piotr?" He teased. "You're like a kid with a shiny new toy at Christmas."

"I can't help it," I replied, glancing back at the shimmer of the hybrid drives everything this station was, fascinated me. "You don't design something that beautiful and not admire it every chance you get." There was something comforting in focusing on the mechanics, the systems I understood, rather than the overwhelming fact that I was floating in space, millions of miles from everything familiar. Everything that made me, well, just normal, even if to some I wasn't normal at all.

Sylvk, walking a few steps ahead, chimed in with his usual dry wit. "Maybe if you stared at diagnostics like that, we wouldn't be running around fixing coolant lines all day."

"That's funny coming from the person who spent two hours recalibrating a coffee machine last week," I shot back, grinning. The banter felt good, normal, even as everything around us was extraordinary.

"Priority repairs," Sylvk said with mock seriousness. "Without coffee, the station grinds to a halt. Literally."

I laughed, but as we moved deeper into the station, a sobering thought settled over me. From now on, every move would be watched, every interaction evaluated.

I straightened my shoulders. I was ready. I had to be.

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