“Computer, did I ask you to bring anything back?” Adamaris blinked her eyes to make sure she wasn’t in some kind of dream world. She felt the cold metal floor beneath her and stood, looking around at everything. What she wanted to see was her small bedroom with Alex next to her, fighting his sense of duty but all the while preparing to get ready for the day. No, it wasn’t that simple anymore.

What Adamaris really saw was a stocky, black haired man standing near a console, talking to a viewcam with increasing frustration. “The area you requested to convert involved corporeal mass of animate tissue and liquid. Conversion was necessary.” The computer answered back- almost indignantly.
The man slapped the metal bulkhead in irritation. “Just say ‘life’. You don’t need to get all technical on me.”

Adamaris rose, taking in the new scenery while doubting it at the same time. After all when do dreams come true for people? Especially impossible dreams like hers? The whole craft was metal with bright tract lighting overhead. The floor also glowed slightly- a sickly green color. Several of the walls had built in computer consoles- all locked in code. “This is-”
The man whirled as she spoke, raising his hand quickly to shut her up. He had striking green eyes- bluish green it seemed and he wore armor. He had complete body armor over his body- thick with jagged tips coming out of the shoulder pads and elbows. Chain mail covered his tunic beneath the breastplate and vambraces with green etchings covered his arms. Leather boots were also covered with armor plating. However, what struck Adamaris the most was his facial appearance. The majority of the population speculated that only one man had taken Magnova up to space. If that’s true I should be seeing a very elderly man, Adamaris thought.

No, this man was young. He had sharp eyes and dark hair with no lines on his face. She guessed maybe mid twenties. But that can’t be possible. No one has gone to Magnova since it first went up to space. “Don’t speak,” his low tone said dangerously and Adamaris obeyed. “You are dreaming this place.” He commanded her. “You looked up into the sky tonight and thought of this place and that is why you are here, in your dreams.” He spun around to face his console. After pushing an elaborate sequence of buttons he rested his forehead on the wall, ignoring her.
“Conversion failed,” the computer chimed.
“What!” He shouted. “Elucidate.”

“Interference from the impetus array has misaligned coordinates. Unable to convert corporeal life form.” The computer announced.
Adamaris’ eyes widened in joy. “The impetus array! I was at the dig site that found those files. I know all about the impetus array! Does it really work? Did it ever work? The files all said it was purely hypothetical. Does it work still? How are you gathering the energy to keep it functional? According to the data the array required quantities of energy-”
He raised his hand again more forcefully. “Stop! That impetus array is gone. There is no such thing.” He moved to another console and started calling up programs.
Adamaris crossed her arms and rolled her arms. “Of course because I’m dreaming.”
“Keep talking and it will quickly become a nightmare.” The man snapped. He typed in a prompt and executed it. “Computer, interface with array and bounce the beam back to original coordinates.”

“Acknowledged.” The computer replied. Twenty seconds later it responded, “Unable to interface. Interference from spatial anomaly number 12.”
“12?” the man groaned. “It’s a meteor shower! You can’t cut through a meteor shower?”
The computer chirped, “due to constant rotation the coordinates are now based on the southern polar region. Unable to convert due to location. Current range is unable to support animate life of current design.”
Afraid the man would try to transport her or convert her back anyway, Adamaris called after him, “I’m not a fish.”
“I can always make you one.” The man called back.
“I hate water,” Adamaris said.
“Even better!” the man answered gruffly.
Adamaris sighed, realizing that the conversation was getting her nowhere. She was always up for a good argument but not one that went in circles. She hated circles. Curious, she walked over to the closest inlet and stared at the screen. Coded symbols danced by and Adamaris concluded that the system must automatically relock itself if not in immediate use. “Computer, can you tell me my location?” I just need confirmation and my eyes are not enough.

“You are in the aft computer core, above the collection assembly and below the dirt quarter.” The computer informed her. Adamaris bit her lip. That had been absolutely no help and she wondered if the man had instructed the computer to be vague but at the same time specific. She decided to try again.
“Computer, where is this core?”
“This core is towards the rear on the starboard side.”
“Computer, stop talking to the hostile intruder.” The man had returned while Adamaris stared at the locked screen.
“If the corporeal is hostile, certain protocols must be followed. I will initiate the starting procedure. Escort the intruder to the port dirt quarter for quarantine.” The computer told the man.
“I’m not a contagion.” Adamaris said, offended.
“Ah, but you are a different type of humanoid.” The man said with a grin. “And the computer doesn’t like that.”
Adamaris knew then that Magnova could only be controlled by one man and not a whole bunch of people. After fifty plus years of being with only one person the computer must not recognize her gender. I’m surprised that is the only bug the computer has got.
“Can I have your name?” She asked the man. His face tightened and she saw his whole body tense up.

“I don’t have a name.” his said diffidently.
Adamaris sensed it would not be a good idea to push the issue. “And have you always run Magnova?”
He jerked at the name, startled that she would say it. “There is no Magnova. It was destroyed.”
Adamaris didn’t even feel her jaw drop. “And so this is..?” she gestured to the vessel they were in.
The man shrugged and his suit of armor clinked. “Selene, Artemis, Luna, Getsu… every culture or language has named it differently.”
Adamaris frowned at his cryptic answer. “Those are all names for the moon- roman, Greek, Japanese…”
He looked at her with confusion, not able to grasp that she didn’t understand what he was talking about. “I am the moon.” He threw up his hands and Adamaris saw the etchings on his vambraces in the light- MAGNOVA. “Why am I talking to you?” he asked himself. “Ah ha! You must be a fact finder or something- I mean someone- who loves knowledge and learning things. That is why you are dreaming of me and I am telling you all this because you love knowing things.” He paced between the rows of inlets, rubbing his hands together. “That way, when you wake up tomorrow in your own place you will suddenly know so much more about Artemis than you did yesterday.”
“Like that it’s no longer called Magnova but Artemis?” Adamaris asked.
The man glared at her. “Magnova is gone. Have you forgotten how to comprehend speech while asleep? And did I say Artemis? I didn’t mean to- Luna, Selene… any name you want to call it, go ahead. You can pick the name but it is not Artemis and it is definitely not Magnova!”
“If this is a dream then why are there are these rule? In my dreams I don’t have rules. I can hop and flip and float in space. Only, I can’t do any of that so will you just tell me your name and what this place is if not Magnova?” Adamaris explained.
“No.” the man said simply and walked away. Determined to get her answer, Adamaris followed him.
“Where are you from?” She pestered him as they rounded a corner to find another row of computer inlets on each side.
“Your imagination,” he said curtly.
Adamaris grinned. “How old are you?”
“1370 years.” He replied brusquely.
“And who made this ship? Did the old country of Russia design it? Is it perhaps Japanese? You did mention the Japanese word for moon. We do have records that the former United States had a major part in the creation but who thought it up? I mean Magnova is so advanced for the twenty second century. We know that China was involved and so was Great Britain and France- they along with the former United States were the first four countries to unite under one banner during the crisis. And we know the ten later countries that joined but we don’t know if they joined at the beginning of the Magnova project or at the middle? Did they have any part in the project altogether?”

Without warning the man pivoted on his heels and slapped her. Adamaris recoiled from the blow hitting a computer inlet with enough force that her jaw snapped together. Wincing as her elbow started swelling from the impact, Adamaris frowned at the man. “That wasn’t necessary.” She stated.
“Yes it was!” the man clenched a fist near her face. “You won’t stop talking!” He stretched his hand out like he was going to strangle her. “All I hear are the same questions in a different format that I refuse to answer! Stop, stop, stop! In just a little while you will be back around familiar surroundings and you will forget about this dream.”
Adamaris peered over his shoulder as he started typing prompts into a computer inlet. “I won’t. I’m a historian that specializes in the Magnova project. I will remember everything I see and everything you said and I will write the greatest paper on it with such detail that no one will be able to deny my requests or petitions. But first I must know more. What is the purpose of Magnova?”
The man finished typing his prompts. “Computer, reroute environment protocols to the dissipate converter and see if that will extend the range.”
“Specify which protocols.”
“Dirt deck- shock capsule two.”
The computer screen they were currently watching blurred with coded characters then the computer chimed a respond. “No effect. Range extended to northern area of southern polar region.”

Shouting in the protest the man banged the wall, screaming in gibberish. “This is why there should be a full crew compliment.” He grumbled.
Adamaris caught the sentence. “Where is the rest of the crew? How big is it supposed to be? How big is this ship?” she scanned the corridor and saw an endless row of computer inlets.
Meanwhile her irate host moved to another inlet. “Computer, direct environment protocols from dirt deck shock capsule one and from collection assembly shockwave capsule two.”
“Warning: possible breach in assembly without properly maintained environment protocols. Heavy damage risk. Continue with rerouting?”
He moved his fingers erratically in thought, debating on what to do. “Recommendation?”
“Ill advised.” The computer responded.
“Has this computer on Magnova always been this complex? What do these coded characters mean? How are the computers all in code? How do you work with them in code?” Adamaris yammered more questioned.
“I didn’t ask for your opinion, computer.” The man growled. “Proceed with order.”
“Affirmative.” The computer pinged.
Minutes later the computer chirped, “No effect. Range extended to southern tropical region. Still incompatible for conversion of current life form.”
He kicked the wall this time. “Failure.” The computer registered. “Collection assembly overload. Units one, three, ten, seventeen, twenty- seven, thirty three, forty one in danger of overheating.”
Sparks suddenly flew out of the inlet behind Adamaris as the computer burned out with blue shockwaves across the screen. Adamaris yelped and crouched down against the wall on the opposite side.
“Computer! Restore power back to environment protocols on collection assembly shock capsule two!” the man roared.