*AUTO, as per usual, was suspended from the ceiling next to where the captain often sat at his control panel. It was early in the morning, just about time for McCrea to announce the Axiom’s 700th anniversary. As he was waiting for the Captain to awake, he could sense an alert on his mainframe. His batteries were lower than usual, likely given that he couldn’t remember the last time he had been charged. He was certainly one to put up a fight against that, especially given he had more important matters to attend to. Ever since he had sent out the latest probe, Eve, to survey Earth, everything was threatening to go off course, and he did not like it one bit.

Surely signs of life had not been found there. His own directive insisted it was not true, and he was not one to disobey his instincts. If there was not life there in the 22nd century, what hope was there it existed now? Even if a measly plant had been found there, it was probably just luck of the draw. There was no reason to believe others like it existed.

As he observed the artificial sun rising in the equally artificial sky, his relatively peaceful routine was interrupted by the door to the control room opening. Being considerably more on edge than usual, he immediately turned around sharply to face the presumed intruder.

“Please identify yourself.” *He said in a professional tone, his right clawed hand activating its taser. His camera-like eye was taking in every detail, preparing to awake Captain McCrea from his slumber.