Last

by Alan Smithee


Intersection Part Two

An integer raised to the power of a prime p that does not divide it is congruent to itself modulo p...born 12 April 2060...2.7182818284590452353602874713526624977572470936999595749669676277240766303535...C...C++...Java...Python...Maple...Sequoia...Ash...Douglas Fir...Larch....Assembly...Actually, it is short for “Artificial Intelligence”, but you may call me Al if you wish...Perhaps it is not just our ambition, but our devotion to each other when our ambitions go too far, that makes humans capable of anything and willing to try...I haven’t picked up any sign of human activity anywhere...How the hell did this happen? How am I here 3000 years late?...Simon, why don't you leave the forest? There's nothing here...Officially out of food. I guess this is goodbye...She’s the last of the litter. I’ll give her to you cheap...Al, turn on floodlights and speakers, and prepare the rockets. We should have done this a hundred days ago...Rocket hasn’t detonated...It’s falling...Fire heading this way. Recommend you go south to the river and cross it...Simon, the fire’s getting close. There’s not much time...Simon, I’m just a processor and some RAM. Don’t stay here with me. GO!...

Not a single complete thought could enter Simon’s head as he walked around the blackened ruins of his ship for the twentieth time. Maybe it was that, in desperation, Simon’s brain was analyzing every bit of information it had, in the hopes that something could postpone his fate.

Launch in thirty seconds, Simon. This is your last chance. Do you wish to proceed?

Simon slammed his forehead against the side of the ship. Three or four days without food had numbed his senses, and he hardly felt the impact. It did silence the chaos in his mind briefly. He took this time to look at his situation analytically:

Al was dead.
He had no shelter.
He had no food.
It was safe to assume that his display had not been noticed.
He walked behind the ship and sat down heavily.
He was going to starve to death very soon.

He’d failed, in every way it was possible for a human to fail. And there was no one around to pick him up.

He buried his face in his hands.
Perhaps he would fall prey to any of the countless beasts that would roam the forest come nightfall. He tried to find comfort in the familiar weight of his gun. He reached into his jacket for the holster. As his fingers closed around the handle, an idea entered his mind. It was a simple idea. His fingers tightened around the gun’s handle, and his index slipped into the trigger guard.
Simon gasped. He released the gun, zipped his jacket, and wrapped his arms about himself. His heart was pounding, his breathing fast and his skin crawling.
If death wanted him, it was going to have to come and claim him.
Simon sat, waiting. His mind made no more noise. He simply existed. Ash fell around him like snow.
He slipped in and out of consciousness. The day passed like a time-lapse film.
His Universe was a grey cloud, uniform and empty and all-encompassing and getting darker all the time. When it was completely black, he knew it would be over.
A cautious “Hello” cut through the cloud like a ray of light.


He twisted his head to see her. Their noses almost touched. Startled, he scrambled to his feet. Her head came up to his chest. His height caught her by surprise, and she raised a hind leg to back away, but stopped herself and put it down where it had been. He held his arms in front of him defensively.
She was undeterred.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you”, she said, this time with conviction, but also compassion.
Her voice, and her appearance, calmed him down greatly. His arms fell to his sides. He retained a vacant expression.
“Is this yours?” she asked, gesturing to the charred hulk.
He bobbed his head. She smiled.
“I’m Twilight Sparkle” she said,
He bobbed his head.
“...what’s your name?”
He broke eye contact and stared at the ground.
“Can’t you speak?”
He replied with a deep breath, a hiss, and a snarl.
This time she took a step back.
He tried again. This time only a hiss came. His jaw and lips flapped in vain. He gave up and looked at her stupidly.
Her ears flopped in disappointment.
“Okay, then. I’m sorry, I thought you were...I’m sorry.” she said, and backed away.
He tried calling to her, but no sound came.
“I was so sure...” she mumbled as she turned her back and started the way she came.
He watched her walking away, looked at his ship, and back to her. He started after her.


Edited by KeatsLocksley