Chapter 21: Distress Signals and Taking Risks

Abyssal and Kuon stood in front of the communications device and stared at the screen. On it was an image that showed several small lines labelled as 'Distress Signal 1'. Each one of the lines came together with it: information about the time the signal was received, the transmission frequency of the distress signal, the general direction where the signal was received and the relative power of the signal when it was received.

"Hoooh, so this is what a real distress signal looks like," Abyssal muttered. She had never seen one in real life before. Not even in games as the boring stuff was often cut out and the location immediately displayed on the minimap.

"I was wondering how we are going to find out their location without a radar. Those guys who thought up these distress signals were pretty smart, huh," she commented.

Indeed, with the four pieces of information provided by each line of the distress signal, one could triangulate their position. The frequency and the timing of each distress signal could be used to calculate the distance while the other two pieces of information could be used to find out the direction of the signal.

It was something that can be done without a radar nor a map. Though, if one combines both information with a radar and a map, the exact position of the signal could be found. Abyssal didn't have said radar, but if she did then this would most likely be the moment where its location would be displayed to Abyssal in a simple graphical user interface.

"We are still receiving the distress signal even to this day. However, it seems as though the power and the frequency of the signals are weakening over the days. Master, we may be moving away from it." 

"Hmm… If we turn around right now, how long do you think it will take before we arrive at the signal?" Abyssal asked.

"Please wait just a moment as I compute the answer, Master," Kuon replied before going quiet.

However, Abby answered the question before Kuon could. 

"Allocating 3% of computational power to the task. Enabling Translocation Sequencer. Calculating the optimal route to signal.

…

…

...

Calculation done. Rotation of 97° starboard with a correction of 13° clockwork on the ship's X-axis required. Estimated time of arrival to signal within 8.31 days."

Abby sent the message to the top of Abyssal's consciousness within a fraction of a second.

It was then, three seconds later that Kuon replied with the same information: "I'm done calculating, Master. We would arrive at the signal within 8 days, give or take. We would have to adjust our trajectory about ninety-seven degrees starboard with a correction of thirteen degrees upwards on our current X-axis to reach there."

"O-oh… noted." Abyssal replied, stunned at the double answer.

'Heeeh, so Abby can calculate faster than Kuon huh… could it be the difference of CPU power between the two of us? Or is it simply because she lacked the energy to fully utilise her CPU? Then again, I wasn��t really using my max CPU either… Hmmm, interesting,' Abyssal thought to herself.

"Excuse me, Master…" Kuon said while Abyssal was deep in thought.

"Hmm? Yeah? Anything?"

"Forgive me for asking… but you mentioned that this would be our chance to break out of our predicament. However, I am not clear on our next course of action. We know the signal's point of origin, but now what?" Kuon asked.

"Hmm? Isn't it obvious what are we going to do? We are going to the said distress signal and assimilate everything, of course."

"..." Kuon was speechless about the matter, unable to mutter a response.

"What's wrong? I thought it was a pretty good idea. Depending on the ship we find, we can dismantle it and collect rare metals to repair ourselves. If we are lucky enough, we can even grab ourselves a new reactor."

"With all due respect, Master. I think this is a bad idea. There are various ways that this plan could mess up. What if this is a trap? We don't have a radar to detect hostiles before approaching the signal. There is a significant probability that this would get us killed. Forgive me for saying this, Master, but you are not in the greatest of conditions to fend off an attack," Kuon voiced, with a sharp tone, her disapproval of the plan.

"It can't be a trap," Abyssal replied calmly.

"What do you mean by that, Master?" Kuon tilted her head, or rather, her drone. "This could be a distress signal sent out by pirates wanting to rob good samaritans."

Upon hearing this, Abyssal let out a small chuckle. "Oh, that's just stereotypes, Kuon! No pirates will just idle around in the middle of space and let out a distress signal for days and weeks on end."

"Huh?" Kuon let out a dumbfounded voice.

"You know, contrary to popular beliefs, pirates rarely do that. I would know, I fought real space pirates before, after all. The only pirates who do that are either beginners or stupid," Abyssal said to Kuon with pure confidence in her voice. 

Yes, Abyssal indeed had experience fighting pirates before. Experience fighting pirates in a game called EV* Onl*ne.

"There are better ways to trap people or get resources if you are a pirate. It makes no sense to waste precious time sending out a distress signal in deep space when you can just raid trade lanes or something. Besides, a good majority of people who respond to distress signals are crazy strong or belong in some kind of fleet. A pirate would only get himself killed if he tried to attack those guys."

Losing your ship is already a great deterrent in a game where one can respawn. Abyssal couldn't see that it would be a popular option in a world where death is permanent. 

'Death is permanent in this world, right?' Abyssal thought to herself. She assumed that it is, but who knew what kind of technologies had been developed over the years.

"The distress signal is most probably a stranded ship like us," Abyssal continued.

"Even if that is the case, aren't these distress signals supposed to be a call for help? Are we stooping so low as to rob helpless people instead of helping them?" Kuon voiced her dissatisfaction about the matter further.

"Well, we aren't going to kill them or anything. If we could assimilate enough to repair the ship then we can drop them off at a safe point. See, we are helping!"

'If they are still alive that is. Knowing from experience, the distress signal is most likely an empty ship with a dead crew by now…' Abyssal thought to herself, keeping the fact hidden from the inquisitive Kuon.

"We'll just be taking their ship as a reward!"  Abyssal added.

"I guess that's… fine," Kuon said before pausing for a moment. "… how are we to know if that is truly the scenario though…? How sure are you that there is no danger to this plan?"

"That's just a risk that we will have to take."

"..."

It was at this moment that Abyssal pumped out her imaginary chest. The drone, Kaon, tilted upwards in an attempt to mimic this. "Come on? Don't you trust me? I've been through this before! I know how things work, you know." 

'In Ev* Onl*ine that is,' thought Abyssal as she said that.

"We'll be completely fine! Just trust me, Kuon!"

"It's not that I am doubting you, Master… but the risks involved…" Kuon said, still unsure about the plan.

Abyssal let out a sigh when she heard Kuon had to say. It was not like she didn't understand her feelings, Abyssal has been in a similar situation before, after all. A situation where she had to send a drone into the unknown space hulk, Kuon's former ship.

"Listen here, Kuon," Abyssal said with a shift in her tone— a more serious one than her usual energetic banter.

"We are just a bunch of nobodies in space. We have nothing to our names right now. In order for someone like us to survive, we need to take risks."

"Master..?" Kuon muttered, perplexed to see a more serious side to her master.

"If I didn't take that risk to explore your hull before, we would have never met, you know that? I understand your fears, but nothing will change if we just stay here and do nothing. Do you think we are going to be lucky and find another space hulk to loot? Do you think another Astral is going to come to us and bless us with another component? Maybe you think we will just stumble upon an asteroid or planet where we can drill for minerals to repair the ship? No, we'll probably just be drifting around like we already are for god knows how long. I don't want that kind of life."

"Master…"

"I'm not sure what kind of life you want to live, but this certainly isn't the life that I want. Unless… you are satisfied with how things are?"

"No, I don't mean—!" Kuon raised her voice for a moment before pausing. Her drone then tilted downwards, her cameras pointed towards the floor below. "I don't want to die… I'm afraid…" Kuon said, her voice shaking.

"I'm not going to say that it is completely safe. Maybe it will be bad, maybe we will die… all I can say is, perhaps dying is better than just being stranded in space for years."

The two Living cores then shared a moment of silence. Kuon wanted to object, but couldn't help but to agree with Abyssal. She had her own experience of being alone in space. Just laying in that empty room for decades in hibernation waiting for something to happen. She may not be fully aware during her time in the Rubik's cube, but she did indeed feel the loneliness of space. Maybe Abyssal was right, maybe it would just be better to go out in glory than to live a dull life, waiting for something to happen.

That short moment of silence was soon broken as Abyssal let out an energetic shout: "Cheer up my first maid! It may not be completely safe, but I can assure you that it's going to be fun! The thrill and excitement of finding out the unknown! That is what space exploration is all about!" Abyssal made a dramatic pose as she said that.

"Master…" Kuon said out before letting out a small chuckle. "I understand. Let us go then, to the distress signal."

"Yay! Kuon's approval obtained! Alright Abby, plot a course for the distress signal!" Abyssal said out loud.

It was then that a monotone voice came out from Kaon. It was Abyssal's voice but with an expressionless tone. 

"Changing course to Distress Signal One. Estimated time of arrival in eight point three one days."

Soon, the two Living Cores felt the ship turning around.

It was one of the rare times that Abyssal's machine-self, Abby, chose to reveal herself to Kuon. There was a high chance that Abyssal herself did not notice that Abby could control the ship's communications device.

Kuon just stared at Abyssal as all of this happened. She would probably never get used to how her Master can change her persona like that. It was then that she remembered something else she wanted to ask Abyssal. 

"Master, there is another thing about the plan that I wish to discuss."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"What do we do if another ship comes to answer the distress signal? What if another samaritan or worse, a hostile entity like Master came over with the intention to salvage whatever it is that we will find at the distress signal?"

Abyssal couldn't help but flinch a little when she heard Kuon said 'hostile entity like Master'.

"Don't worry about that, Kuon! I may be dumb but I am not a fool. I've already thought of a plan if that is to happen," Abyssal replied while depreciating herself.

"... And that plan would be?"

"Easy! We just pretend that we are a dead ship with a dead crew. It's either they investigate us before leaving us alone or the person beams us up or something. If that happens we just assimilate their ship! A fully functional ship! He he he, brilliant plan if I must say so," Abyssal puffed out her imaginary chest again, the drone trying its best to mimic her actions.

"Of course…" Kuon replied, unable to find the will within herself to retort Abyssal. 

It was a dumb plan, but dumb enough that it might actually work. Kuon hoped that they would never encounter that situation.