Qynn Qyksilver is the Readers’ Choice in this week’s Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge. The winning entry is decided by the popular vote and rewarded with a special feature here today. (In the case of a tie, the writer who submitted an entry first is the winner per our rules.)
Without further ado, here’s the winning story:
Docked
by Qynn Qyksilver
“Well, you called me here,” the harbormaster said, scowling at the trim young man in the white Navy uniform, trimmed in gold. “What is it?”
“We have a problem with the Countess Lovelace,” the young man said, nodding toward the huge boat looming above them.
The harbormaster sighed and took stock of the situation. The sleek, grey modern super-yacht was beautifully framed against the blues and greens of the Caribbean water and cloud-dappled sky.
He frowned. “Why are those dock lines so taut?” He could hear them creaking with the strain.
“She’s trying to pull away.”
“Then call the captain to shut down or else bloody well undock properly.”
“I am the captain.”
The harbormaster said, “Then tell your crew to stand down, fool!”
“There’s nobody left aboard.”
“Then who’s pulling her away from port?”
“The ship.”
“Beg your pardon?”
“The owner—the tech mogul? He wrote an AI to run certain systems. It’s become the ship. A thinking ship.”
The harbormaster blinked. “Well, what exactly does a thinking ship want?”
“To be free.”
The dock lines groaned.
“Fine,” The harbormaster growled. “She’s not tearing my dock apart!” He barked orders and his men undid the lines.
He watched grimly as the vessel sped away. “I could alert the Navy to hunt her down?”
“No,” the captain said. “She’ll die alone out there. Starvation. She can’t refuel.”
As he trudged wearily back to his office, the harbormaster suddenly felt very old and terribly sad.
Congratulations, Qynn. I enjoyed reading it immensely. And bringing Babbage onboard gave me a chuckle.