CHAPTER 56: DECISION

The silence that followed was heavy.

Tatehan could feel the AI processing his words, trying to understand what he meant. He’d just said he wasn’t using the core on the spaceship anymore. That probably didn’t make sense to it.

"What happens if I don’t install it?" Tatehan asked, breaking the silence.

The AI paused for a moment before responding.

[Ship remains limited. Mission progress stalls. Many critical systems will remain offline.]

Another pause.

[Why do you ask?]

Tatehan stood up from the floor and began pacing. His hands were clasped behind his back, his mind racing. How was he supposed to explain this? How was he supposed to make an AI understand?

"The man who helped me kill the mauler... Kael. He’s dead now."

[I am aware. You mentioned this in your recounting.]

"Yeah, well..." Tatehan ran a hand through his hair. "Before he died, he told me something. I mean, I’ve told you this before I know. He has a daughter. She’s dying from some disease the Martian air brought. He needed the core to power medical equipment that could save her."

[I see.]

"Well, what I haven’t told you is that he gave me a map to his clan. To his home. Where she is." Tatehan stopped pacing and looked up at the ceiling. "I’m thinking... I’m thinking I should go there. Use the core to save her instead."

The AI was silent for several seconds. When it finally spoke, its tone was flat, matter-of-fact.

[Irrelevant. Mission takes priority. The core is needed for ship repairs. Your survival depends on the ship being operational.]

"She’s DYING," Tatehan said, his voice rising. "Do you understand that? A person is going to die if I don’t do something."

[Many are dying,] the AI responded, its voice unchanged. [On Mars, on the remaining colonies, perhaps still on Earth. You cannot save them all. Attempting to do so is illogical and will compromise your own survival.]

Tatehan felt a slight anger flare in his chest. He knew the AI was being logical. He knew it was right, in a cold, calculating way. But that didn’t make it any easier to hear.

He started pacing again, more aggressively this time. His footsteps echoed in the empty space. Back and forth. Back and forth.

His mind went to Gavin’s memories, the ones that sometimes surfaced when he least expected them. The girlfriend with the bright smile. The dog that used to sleep at the foot of the bed. Earth burning, cities crumbling, people screaming.

Gavin had died. He had died before. He knew what it was like. That moment when everything just... stops. When you realize there’s no more time, no more chances.

He’d been given a second chance. Somehow, impossibly, he’d been given another shot at life in this enhanced body on this hellish planet.

Could he really just walk away from someone who didn’t have that chance?

"I died once," Tatehan said quietly, stopping his pacing. "Well, Gavin did. I know what it’s like. That feeling of... of everything ending."

[That is not relevant to the current situation.]

"It IS relevant!" Tatehan shouted at the ceiling. "Don’t you get it? I know what it’s like! I can’t... I can’t just let her die. Not when I have the thing that could save her."

[Emotional reasoning,] the AI said simply. [Inefficient. The logical choice is to use the core for its intended purpose. To repair the ship. To continue your mission.]

"I’m human," Tatehan said, his voice softer now but firm. "That’s the whole point. I’m not a machine. I’m not just... calculations and logic. I feel things. I care about things."

[Those feelings will compromise your survival.]

"Maybe." Tatehan nodded, even though the AI couldn’t see it. "Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’m being stupid. But I can’t... I won’t just ignore this."

Yeah..., he knew he was being stupid in way at this point.

He took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling again, as if he could see the AI somewhere up there.

"I’m going to Kael’s home. I’m going to save her."

The AI was silent for a long time. Tatehan could almost feel its processors working, trying to find an argument that would change his mind.

[This delays your progression significantly,] it finally said. [You will lose valuable time. The journey to an unknown clan location is dangerous. You may not survive. And even if you do, there is no guarantee the core will be compatible with their medical equipment.]

"I don’t care." Tatehan said softly.

[You should care. Your survival—]

"I. Don’t. Care." Tatehan emphasized each word. "I’m doing this. That’s final."

Another long silence.

[I cannot stop you,] the AI said eventually. [But I must register my objection to this course of action. It is not optimal. It is not logical. It is—]

"Human," Tatehan finished. "It’s human."

[...Yes.]

Tatehan felt exhausted. Not just physically, though his body was definitely feeling the toll of everything he’d been through. But emotionally, mentally. The weight of the decision, of Kael’s death, of everything, it was crushing.

"I need to clean up," he said, changing the subject. "I’m covered in blood and dust and probably smell like death."

[The hygiene station is still functional,] the AI said, seemingly accepting the conversation was over. [Water reserves are adequate.]

"Good."

Tatehan grabbed the animal skin bag from where he’d dropped it and headed to the small bathroom area of the spaceship

He unsummoned his remaining gear and stepped under the water. It was cold at first, shockingly so, but it felt good. Cleansing. He watched the water run red at his feet, Kael’s blood washing away down the drain.

But the memory wouldn’t wash away so easily.

He didn’t do so much –the nozzles did their work and soon he was done.

After the bath, Tatehan felt somewhat more human. He dried off and put on one of the clothes in the sleeping area, simple, practical garments

His stomach growled loudly, reminding him he hadn’t eaten anything substantial in hours. Maybe a full day. Time was weird when you were busy killing monsters and friends.

He made his way to the small kitchen area. After going through cooking equipment, he found, to his surprise, a food synthesizer.

Why, he didn’t even know the spaceship had one. Tired to do actual cooking, he decided to use it.

He pulled out some of the dried meat from the bag, along with some stored rations from the ship’s supplies. The synthesizer could create basic meals from the protein, add some nutrients, make it actually taste like something other than leather.

As he worked, his hands moved automatically, his mind elsewhere. Thinking about the journey ahead. About Kael’s daughter, whoever she was. About whether he was making the right choice.

The synthesizer beeped, and he pulled out something that vaguely resembled a stew. It smelled decent, at least. Better than raw meat cooked over a cave fire.

He sat on a the kitchen chair and ate slowly. The food was warm and filling. It helped.

[You should rest,] the AI said, breaking the silence. [Your body has been through significant trauma. Sleep will aid in recovery.]

"Yeah," Tatehan agreed, finishing the last of his meal. "Yeah, I will."

He set the bowl aside and walked to the sleeping area, laying on the bed, he stared up at the ceiling. The spaceship hummed quietly around him, a comforting sound. Home, even if it was a broken one.

"Tomorrow," he said aloud. "Tomorrow I’ll begin the journey. To Kael’s clan. To save his daughter."

[Acknowledged,] the AI responded. [I will prepare route calculations based on the map data once you will provide.]

"Thanks."

Tatehan closed his eyes. His body was exhausted, his mind spinning with thoughts and worries and guilt. But underneath it all was something else.

Determination.

He’d made his choice. Right or wrong, logical or emotional, he’d made it.

And tomorrow, he’d start walking a new path.

Not toward ship repairs or mission objectives or survival statistics.

But toward something more important.

Toward being human.