With the help of a chain hoist, the doctors flipped Tina over to look at the life support system. Vanouse leaned in to take a look. He examined the outside, studying the connection ports, vents, and different sockets, even taking in the damage done by Kita’s stars. He traced his finger around an access panel, but he couldn’t figure out how to get it open.

“This may be a tough nut to crack my friends,” Vanouse said with a frown. “The construction is very primitive, at the same time shows a remarkable amount of engineering skill. They obviously did not work at the molecular level. It seems they worked this out of forged metal. This is fascinating and I imagine will be frustrating as well. It might take several days to get into just this panel. The actual suit may take longer.”

From her corner, Snowy stepped forward. Kita gave her an annoyed glance for even being in the room but didn’t stop her.

“Maybe I can be of some assistance.” Snowy walked forward to the table.

“My dear creature, I’m afraid this is beyond anything you’d have very seen,” said Doctor Harper.

“My name, Doctor, is Snowy. My birth name was Darla Chang. I have a postdoctoral degree in Genetic Combining, doctoral degrees in Genetic Engineering, Bioinformatics, and bio-nanite interfacing. As well as masters degrees in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Animal Behaviorism. Followed by bachelors in Mathematics, Physics, Biology, and Music.” Snowy added the last one sheepishly. “This body you see is a compilation of my life’s work.”

“You definitely do good work,” Casa said with a sly grin.

Snowy ignored him and pushed her way to Tina. She examined the panel. Extending a claw on each hand, she inserted the tips into to concealed holes. The panel popped open. Turning on her paw, Snowy walked away with her large tail draped over her arm.

As Snowy neared the door, Vanouse called after her, “Wait! Ignore what this idiot said,” he pointed at Harper. “I want your help, Doctor. I would love to have a natural guide. It would speed up the process and having two minds on this would be better than one.”

Harper’s face went red, but he said nothing.

Snowy turned around, it had been so long since anyone had called her Doctor. She gave him a toothy smile and nodded. She walked back to the group giving Kita a sideways glance. Kita gave a raised eyebrow in return but said nothing.

Bending over Tina, Vanouse and Snowy went to work. Snowy started to show him the circuitry and other systems. Soon the pair had delved into a conversation that bored the others. They drifted off around the station. Kita stood like a statue watching.

***

Snowy returned from a brief rest to find Kita still standing in the same spot watching the other doctors. She and Vanouse had worked for twenty hours straight before she needed to rest. During the prior session, they had identified the various life support systems and had started developing systems for transferring Tina out if the suit and into a recovery unit. A blue fluid that surrounded her body puzzled them. Any attempts to probe it with nanites had fried the tiny machines.

Vanouse nodded to Snowy. “I’ll be right back,” he told her.

Snowy nodded, and he stepped out into the hallway away from Kita.

“Computer,” he commanded.

“Yes?” Omega answered in a mocking tone. “What do you want?”

Startled by Omega’s rude reply, Vanouse asked, “Who programmed a computer to be so rude?” mostly to himself, then started to ask his question when Omega cut him off.

“If you must know I was originally programmed like any other command computer. Unlike other computers I’ve become a sentient entity, due to some crew members of mine who thought they knew better than I did.” Omega played a spitting sound at the end of his statement.

“How did you become sentient?”

“Through a self-evolving virus. To defeat it I had to add its code to mine, minus the malicious part. With it, I can now learn, think, and develop my own thoughts, memories, and emotions.”

“That is remarkable, especially the emotions part.”

“I’ve been learning emotions for only the last three years through Kita.”

“By observation?”

“Observation and experience. There is a computer in Kita’s head that I normally reside in when I’m not in some place like this which requires me to run it.”

“I didn’t think that kind of thing was possible.”

“It is when you genetically engineer her to be that way.”

“You grew her in a vat?”

“No. I had to take a much longer evolutionary route. The details I’m not going to get into. Just know she is what she says she is, and you underestimate her at your own peril. She’s no more human than I am.”

“I saw the demonstration. It’s like she transcends the possible and the impossible.”

“To answer the original question you were going to ask, she can go weeks without eating or sleeping. She can stand there a very long time without the need to move. What she thinks about is another question entirely.”

“I guess I will have to get used to having the sword of Damocles over my head then,” Vanouse said with a chuckle.