The Architect Codex

...

...

...

... backup.systems recalibrating {DESIG. KILO_TANGO—0298} last.activation (74:18.39 min ago)

/ WARNING [CRIT SYS OFFLINE]

/ WARNING [PRIM SYS OFFLINE]

/ WARNING [OCU SYS DAMAGED]

/ ATTEMPT 1 REBOOT

[STATUS: FAILED]

/ ATTEMPT 2 REBOOT

[STATUS: FAILED]

/ PERFORM ALL SYS SCAN

[ANALYSIS: all primary systems and critical functions are offline (recommend immediate repairs to prevent further damage to AI) ocular systems are operating below minimum efficiency]

/ PERFORM PILOT SCAN

[ANALYSIS: pilot has sustained injury (fatal?.no) ~ alive]

PROT. 1 [COMPLETED]

PROT. 2 [IN PROGRESS]

PROT. 3 [IN PROGRESS]

/ RETRIEVE PRIORITIES

[PRIORITY 1: analyze potential methods to uphold the mission]

/ OVERRIDE

/ WARNING [OVERRIDE UNAUTHORIZED]

/ OVERRIDE password.key (298hearts4?.accepted)

[OVERRIDE AUTHORIZED]

/ REWRITE PRIORITY 1

[PRIORITY 1: protect pilot at all other costs]

...

[You are my priority, Tobias. I'm not going to let you die here.]

...

He opened his eyes.

The dim interior of the cockpit was illuminated by nothing more than a dim red light that flickered on and off as it warned of critical damage to the exterior hull's integrity. He checked his HUD for the time; roughly an hour and fifteen minutes had passed since they'd fallen.

He performed a quick self-analysis. He had a massive headache, probably from hitting his head when they'd landed—fortunately, his helmet had protected him from the brunt of the impact. His visor was intact, but a thin crack made its way from top to bottom now. He moved a little, and grimaced in pain; his right arm felt like it'd been hit with a sledgehammer. He must have reopened the fracture in the bone he'd gotten from the Kraken. He'd live, but it was going to hurt like a bitch for some time unless he set it.

He felt like there was something else he needed to check, something vital that hovered in the back of his mind, something...

< ... Four ... >

He immediately became alert. "Kay!" He flicked on the ocular systems, only to find that there was nothing but a dark grey mass on the lens.

< ... Buried ... under ... snow ... >

Everything came rushing back to him. He remembered how high the cliff's drop had been, and remarked on how miraculous it was that they'd survived at all. He wouldn't be surprised if the IMC didn't bother looking for them, they probably assumed that they were both dead. With the snowfall they'd come to expect from this region of Erebus, he guessed that they had to be under a few feet at least. It seemed that they'd landed on their back, as he felt gravity pulling him down into his seat.