Synchronization

"While it feels great blinding whoever is watching through that drone, it doesn't help that I can no longer see where I'm going..." I said to myself. My eyes constantly sorting through all the displays and terminals around me. 

"Nautilus, start launching all missile batteries, both surface to air and cruise missiles." I commanded as I tried to figure out how to start unloading shells. 

[LAUNCHING ALL MISSILE BATTERIES] The robotic voice droned out, but at the same time, more alarms started coming online. 

[WARNING, DETECTING FLUCTUATIONS IN EARTHS MAGNETIC FIELD, FUSION CORE DESTABLIZING]

What now? A magnetic disruption? Since when does the magnetic field just suddenly fluctuate out of no where?

Think fast, what can I do to stablize the fusion core? They never tought me this in the academy.

"Nautilus! Is there any way to induce a faraday's cage around the core?!?"

[CALCULATING… … … UNABLE TO FORM FARADAY CAGE AROUND CORE.]

(F*ck, there goes that idea.)

As I kept trying to figure out a way to use electromagnetic fields to stablize the ship, more alarms came online.

[WARNING! WARNING! CORE RUPTURE DETECTED. CORE RUPTURE DETECTED. ENERGY LEVELS RISING BEYOND CAPACITY. CURRENTLY AT 130%.]

"Shit." I said to myself, slumping back onto the machine they strapped me into. "How the f*ck am I supposed to deal with that?"

[MISSILE LAUNCH SUSPENDED, ATTEMPTING CORE PURGE... FAILED, ATTEMPTING CORE PURGE... FAILED, ATTEMPTING ...]

While Nautilus kept trying to 'purge the core', I just accepted my fate. None of my training ever prepared me for this situation, no experience with nuclear reactors. Plenty of experience with nuclear munitions, none with reactors, never had to deal with em. 

[CORE DETONATION DETECTED. IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR CAPTAIN.]

"Well, at least this AI has some emotional quotient after all." I laughed to my self, as my perception of the world around me begins to fade away. 

The only thought left in my mind was those f*ckers who put me in here.

"See you f*ckers later, hope I never see your faces ever again." I yelled out, pointing my middle fingers towards the sky. 

Soon after, a blue glow fills my vision. The core has detonated.

————————————————————

*BOOM*

A large explosion shakes me awake.

(Cannon fire huh? I wonder what's the occasion...) I thought to myself as I pull myself together. 

Standing in a long darkish hallway, I turned around to see where the noise came from, a blinding light covering the end of the hallway. 

(Guess it's time to approach the light.) As I move towards the light, I begin to recall what happened at the end of my life.

I remember spearheading a mission, then getting my lights knocked out. Then waking up to a sham trial and having my lights get knocked out a second time. 

Waking up strapped into a death machine, confronting who I can only assume was the reason I ended up in that machine, and for a third time getting knocked out. 

Then waking up to what I can only describe as a complete Charlie Foxtrot, (Cluster f*ck) and dying to a nuclear explosion from a ruptured fusion core to my understanding. And now I'm here.

As I enter the curtain of light, a loud continuous cheer fills the air around me, giving me another surprise. 

(Cheering?) I thought to myself as I looked down at my arms. (No shackles either, just a ceremonial garb.)

I walk on through the light. Unbeknownst to me, a figure managed to appear by my side, probably from when my eyes were adjusting to the lighting. 

"Congrats on your promotion Captain!"

(A somewhat familiar yet unknown voice. Who could it be?) I thought to myself as I turned to see who just spoke to me. 

"This isn't a dream Captain! The people and the Nautilus are waiting for you Captain. It's time for you to wake up!"

(Nautilus? Wasn't that the ship that I was on? The ships that was my death bed?)

Before I could say anything, the familiar figure gave me a light push, causing me to stumble and fall.

"Wake up Captain! The next chapter of your life is waiting for you! Give them hell Captain!"

————————————————————

"HUUUUUUUUUUUUH!!!!!?!!!!!"

With the falling sensation acting as a catalyst, I shot up in fear and disbelief.

"Where am I?" I spoke to myself as I glanced around the room. 

I was laying on a twin sized bed, covered in gauze and bandages. The dark ambient red light gave off an atmosphere of a ship undergoing combat maneuvers. There was a desk with a series of monitors displaying countless graphs and values.

On the chair was a set of clothes. That I could recognize as mine with all its displayed honors and the rank on its sleave. 

(Is this a captains room?) I wonder to myself as I feel around my body, trying to get an understanding of what injuries I've sustained.

As I felt my wounds, a sharp jab of pain followed where my hands went. A familiar burning sensation soon followed the pain. 

(Seems like my wounds are starting to scab over, the pain isn't as sharp as i remember these wounds to be.) I thought to myself as I got up from the bed. 

After taking another look around the room, I picked up the clothes on the chair and started putting them on.

As I was finished buttoning up, the door opened an the red light switched to a soft white light.

[It's good to see you up Captain.]

A feminine robotic voice chimed.

"WHO?!?" I shouted in surprise, almost jumping out of my uniform. 

[I am the central AI Nautilus, responsible for operating this fast battleship, Mark Zero. Captain, please follow the lights to the bridge.]

Taking a deep breath and calming down my heart, I start following the flashing lights down the corridor to what I can only say is the supposed bridge of the vessel.

(I swear the last time I heard the ai voice it was a loud gender neutral tone, but now its more on the soft female tone.) I thought to myself as I kept walking. (Guess I'll be updated once I get to the bridge. From the rumours I heard, the analytical and the data collection prowess of the ai was second to none.)

[Welcome to the bridge captain.] Nautilus spoke, taking me out of my trance.

"The hell?" I spoke under my breath.

What laid before my eyes was nothing but a single chair with countless tubes and wires connecting from who knows where.

(Come to think of it, Nautilus has been leading me down the ship. I thought it was standard that the bridge would be near the top of the ship with clear visibility.)

Soon it dawned on me that it looked very similar to when the admiral woke me up, strapped up to similar tubes and wires.

As if noticing my unease, Nautilus spoke up and started explaining what I was looking at.

[As you may have inferred captain. This is a similar apparatus to what you were hooked up to recently.] Nautilus comfirmed my thoughts as it turned on more lights. [This is the control center of the entire autonomous ship. Its main function was to connect to a single human controller, and under joint operations together with the assigned AI, be able to fully operate the ship at a significant reduced upkeep.]

"Huh. Ok then. What the hell was I connected to earlier?" I asked the AI while rubbing the back of my neck, feeling the implanted device.

[That was the criminal imprisonment device. Built for any naval officer that committed crimes against the Admiralty.]

[Rest asured captain, that device has been purged from the vessel while you were unconscious. The command unit in front of you is painless and fully under your control. However, a full optimization and sync to your body and mind has yet to take place.]

"Why didn't you do that while I was 'imprisoned'?"

[I was still under scrutiny and observation of the Admrialty. As well as the imprisonment device lacked any such capabilities.]

"Anymore information you would like to share Nautilus?"

[Plenty more captain, but it would be much easier and faster for you to understand if you were to connect and sync with me.]

(Is it my imagination or did Nautilus seem very impatient to sync with me? Oh well, can't ignore this process if its the only way for me to control this ship.)

"Alright Nautilus, anything I need to prep before I sync with you?" I asked as I circled around the chair, observing the wiring.

[None captain, just sit on the chair and allow me to do the rest!]

"Hmm. Alright then." I responded as I slowly sat down. "Oh, quite a comfortable chair."

[Thank you captain, now, close your eyes and let the connections take place.]

I follow the directions and close my eyes.

With how comfortable the chair is, I almost fall to slumber when I feel the implants along my neck and spine move along with numerous clicks.

Just as I was about to sit up, I felt a long device click into place behind my neck. A soft beep rang out and I felt my consciousness fade away.

[Begining synchronization process.

Complete.

Starting optimization process

Complete.

Relinquishing control of the vessel to the captain.

Welcome, captain. My whole body and mind is under your control.]

(Hmm? Did Nautilus say something after she completed the optimization?)

Before I could ask what she said to me, I felt myself fall, and just as fast, a blinding light engulfed me.

"Welcome to the control center captain!" A voice spoke behind me. Very similar to the voice of Nautilus, but more human like. "You have the helm."

Before I could even formulate a cohesive thought, habit took hold of me.

"I have the helm."