N-XS screamed in a whistle register two octaves above high C. It felt cathartic. When she stopped, the video was no longer running on a looping playback.

She opened her eyes, got to her feet, and broke into a run. She needed to perform a visual search of the ship. Clearly, her own systems were unreliable. N-XS had to see for herself what was keeping the ship from moving.

Her own movements were swift and efficient, and she flowed through the corridors like forced air through ventilation ducts.

A malfunctioning data retrieval engine called forth an audio file.

It was Jericho.

"As the great orator Henry Rollins once said, 'If you really knew people, you wouldn't have so many friends.'"

N-XS kept running.