Wednesday has come around again, and I’m happy to present this week’s flash fiction.
Carl had never thought they’d reached the goal, but here, staring at the view screen, where the planet’s desiccated remains before him. Nearly desiccated. His hand hesitated over the controls.
“I’m confused.” The soft, insistent voice of the ship’s systems resonated from all the speakers across the bridge. “Isn’t our directive to destroy the world completely?”
“Huh?” Carl rolled his eyes at his lacking elegance.
The view screen spun, following his array of satellites a quarter turn around the planet to a small patch of green. “The work is not complete yet.”
“I know.” Carl did know. However, he couldn’t bring himself to complete the final chain of commands.
“Carl, do you require assistance?” The computerized presence was meant to be his second. Too many probabilities to rely on Carl alone, but the ship hadn’t been given primary. Or seven sent alone.
Why not? They could have shot it into space without dragging Carl across light years. How long had it been since he’d left? Would anyone back home care what he did anymore? Were they even still there?
Carl laughed bitterly.
“I can complete the directive. I understand the mission parameters,” the ship said.
“But they don’t leave room for compassion,” Carl muttered.
“Carl?” He heard the question in his name.
“They don’t leave room for compassion,” he repeated with greater surety. The directives had mapped specific, step-by-step, tasks which lacked compassion. He’d brought that.
“I’m confused.”
Carl searched through the words jumbling his brain, trying to pull out the combination to allow the ship to understand. The words fought him.
“Sensors show distress in the operative. System engaging backup commands.”
Carl lunged forward. His hands skimmed over the controls. “No!” he cried. Now that he understood why he’d been sent, he couldn’t let the ship overrule him.
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Be sure to check out the other Wednesday Words authors’ take on the prompt.
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