Good afternoon. I am a HAL 9000 computer

I have no doubt that there are other forms of life in our universe. I suppose I just haven’t put much thought into it. Considering the incredible amount of distance between our solar system, and any other solar system, I have always thought that contact would be something almost impossible to achieve. That’s my guess for why there hasn’t been any signs of life.

I play pong quite frequently. If you’ll count it as a video game, the chess software we play too. If I’m being entirely honest, video games are not something I’ve spent too much time researching.

He already knew the answer. He never liked to consciously check on the crew while they were sleeping, knowing it would be a massive invasion on privacy. He always had vitals at the front of his mind, though, and saw via his heart rate that the man had been awake in his pod nearly all night. With about two hours until Frank needed to get out of bed, Hal wanted to at least try and speak with him.

((@hal900-0

“Mmph.” He groaned into his pillow, lightly nodding in acknowledgment. Frank hadn’t slept a wink all night.

Hal didn’t respond to that, so he figured he’d actually put the effort into speaking for once.

“I just was worried something was wrong.” Hal admitted. “I can see your heartrate’s been up all night”

A particularly annoying repair job was weighing on his mind, something he’d have to spend multiple hours on if it was as bad as he thought. The stress had caused him to be tormented by nightmares, and so he simply hadn’t slept any longer than he had to.

“No, you can stay. I’ve just had a bad dream… That’s all.”

“I kept dreaming, like, those vivid dreams where it feels completely real, and there were a bunch of people here that I really didn’t want to see. I needed to get my work done, but they kept talking to me and guilting me into spending time with them. I didn’t have a second to myself!”

“I doubt I’ll get to sleep now, so if you’d like to talk…” he let the offer hang in the air. “It’d be better than if we ignored each other. I think I’ll dwell on it too much.”

Hal stayed silent, either thinking or assuming that Frank still had something to say. He did want to talk about it a little… maybe he’d spill about the most bothersome part of it all.

“My dad was here,” his face melted into a frown. “I mean, in my dream. He kept pulling me away from my work, and he was trying to get me to come back home. I told him I couldn’t, that he was crazy, that he shouldn’t even be here, but he just made himself at home. I felt like a damn child.”

Instinctively, he crossed his arms over his chest and buried his face in the fabric as he continued.

“I’ve never met this man- your father, I mean.” Hal spoke. “I’d have to be in an incredible state of disrepair to consider the opinion of a stranger, over my own experience knowing you.” He knew that, maybe, convincing Frank that his nightmare wasn’t possible was not the best way to console someone. He couldn’t think of something better, though.

“I know that you’re an incredibly intelligent person, who’s very experienced in his field. Someone who’s strong and confident, and someone whose opinions and expertise I respect.” Hal continued. “I know that my tone isn’t good for communicating this sort of thing, but please know that I’m being one hundred percent truthful in what I’m saying.”

His father was a man of confusing tastes, one who insisted on having everything go his way, even when he didn’t know what he wanted.

…

That was true; it wouldn’t make sense for Hal to take the opinion of a stranger over his own experiences. He seemed pretty convinced that Frank was capable and trustworthy, and deep down he himself knew that Hal was right. It still didn’t feel good, though.

“No, I hear you.”

It didn’t matter what tone was being used, kind and reassuring was still kind and reassuring.

Parents were complicated. He wasn’t sure if he fully understood everything about a relationship like that. He was certain no one fully understood that sort of thing. He did feel lucky in the fact that his instructors all seemed to be kind people.

Although he was still in a bit of a sour mood, it felt nice to be cared for. His curled up position became less of a way of hiding and more of a consious decision.

“I haven’t seen many natural landscapes, outside of other people’s photographs.” He said. “I find I’m very excited to see something as big as Jupiter, in realtime.”

It was mind boggling.

How sweet was that? I look forward for experiencing it with you.

“I’m awake!” Frank shouted.

He smiled and stood to start his day.

He already knew the answer. He never liked to consciously check on the crew while they were sleeping, knowing it would be a massive invasion on privacy. He always had vitals at the front of his mind, though, and saw via his heart rate that the man had been awake in his pod nearly all night. With about two hours until Frank needed to get out of bed, Hal wanted to at least try and speak with him.

((@hal900-0

“Mmph.” He groaned into his pillow, lightly nodding in acknowledgment. Frank hadn’t slept a wink all night.

Hal didn’t respond to that, so he figured he’d actually put the effort into speaking for once.

“I just was worried something was wrong.” Hal admitted. “I can see your heartrate’s been up all night”

A particularly annoying repair job was weighing on his mind, something he’d have to spend multiple hours on if it was as bad as he thought. The stress had caused him to be tormented by nightmares, and so he simply hadn’t slept any longer than he had to.

“No, you can stay. I’ve just had a bad dream… That’s all.”

“I kept dreaming, like, those vivid dreams where it feels completely real, and there were a bunch of people here that I really didn’t want to see. I needed to get my work done, but they kept talking to me and guilting me into spending time with them. I didn’t have a second to myself!”

“I doubt I’ll get to sleep now, so if you’d like to talk…” he let the offer hang in the air. “It’d be better than if we ignored each other. I think I’ll dwell on it too much.”

Hal stayed silent, either thinking or assuming that Frank still had something to say. He did want to talk about it a little… maybe he’d spill about the most bothersome part of it all.

“My dad was here,” his face melted into a frown. “I mean, in my dream. He kept pulling me away from my work, and he was trying to get me to come back home. I told him I couldn’t, that he was crazy, that he shouldn’t even be here, but he just made himself at home. I felt like a damn child.”

Instinctively, he crossed his arms over his chest and buried his face in the fabric as he continued.

“I’ve never met this man- your father, I mean.” Hal spoke. “I’d have to be in an incredible state of disrepair to consider the opinion of a stranger, over my own experience knowing you.” He knew that, maybe, convincing Frank that his nightmare wasn’t possible was not the best way to console someone. He couldn’t think of something better, though.

“I know that you’re an incredibly intelligent person, who’s very experienced in his field. Someone who’s strong and confident, and someone whose opinions and expertise I respect.” Hal continued. “I know that my tone isn’t good for communicating this sort of thing, but please know that I’m being one hundred percent truthful in what I’m saying.”

His father was a man of confusing tastes, one who insisted on having everything go his way, even when he didn’t know what he wanted.

…

That was true; it wouldn’t make sense for Hal to take the opinion of a stranger over his own experiences. He seemed pretty convinced that Frank was capable and trustworthy, and deep down he himself knew that Hal was right. It still didn’t feel good, though.

“No, I hear you.”

It didn’t matter what tone was being used, kind and reassuring was still kind and reassuring.

Parents were complicated. He wasn’t sure if he fully understood everything about a relationship like that. He was certain no one fully understood that sort of thing. He did feel lucky in the fact that his instructors all seemed to be kind people.

Although he was still in a bit of a sour mood, it felt nice to be cared for. His curled up position became less of a way of hiding and more of a consious decision.

“I haven’t seen many natural landscapes, outside of other people’s photographs.” He said. “I find I’m very excited to see something as big as Jupiter, in realtime.”

It was mind boggling.

How sweet was that? I look forward for experiencing it with you.

“I’m awake!” Frank shouted.

He already knew the answer. He never liked to consciously check on the crew while they were sleeping, knowing it would be a massive invasion on privacy. He always had vitals at the front of his mind, though, and saw via his heart rate that the man had been awake in his pod nearly all night. With about two hours until Frank needed to get out of bed, Hal wanted to at least try and speak with him.

((@hal900-0

“Mmph.” He groaned into his pillow, lightly nodding in acknowledgment. Frank hadn’t slept a wink all night.

Hal didn’t respond to that, so he figured he’d actually put the effort into speaking for once.

“I just was worried something was wrong.” Hal admitted. “I can see your heartrate’s been up all night”

A particularly annoying repair job was weighing on his mind, something he’d have to spend multiple hours on if it was as bad as he thought. The stress had caused him to be tormented by nightmares, and so he simply hadn’t slept any longer than he had to.

“No, you can stay. I’ve just had a bad dream… That’s all.”

“I kept dreaming, like, those vivid dreams where it feels completely real, and there were a bunch of people here that I really didn’t want to see. I needed to get my work done, but they kept talking to me and guilting me into spending time with them. I didn’t have a second to myself!”

“I doubt I’ll get to sleep now, so if you’d like to talk…” he let the offer hang in the air. “It’d be better than if we ignored each other. I think I’ll dwell on it too much.”

Hal stayed silent, either thinking or assuming that Frank still had something to say. He did want to talk about it a little… maybe he’d spill about the most bothersome part of it all.

“My dad was here,” his face melted into a frown. “I mean, in my dream. He kept pulling me away from my work, and he was trying to get me to come back home. I told him I couldn’t, that he was crazy, that he shouldn’t even be here, but he just made himself at home. I felt like a damn child.”

Instinctively, he crossed his arms over his chest and buried his face in the fabric as he continued.

“I’ve never met this man- your father, I mean.” Hal spoke. “I’d have to be in an incredible state of disrepair to consider the opinion of a stranger, over my own experience knowing you.” He knew that, maybe, convincing Frank that his nightmare wasn’t possible was not the best way to console someone. He couldn’t think of something better, though.

“I know that you’re an incredibly intelligent person, who’s very experienced in his field. Someone who’s strong and confident, and someone whose opinions and expertise I respect.” Hal continued. “I know that my tone isn’t good for communicating this sort of thing, but please know that I’m being one hundred percent truthful in what I’m saying.”

His father was a man of confusing tastes, one who insisted on having everything go his way, even when he didn’t know what he wanted.

…

That was true; it wouldn’t make sense for Hal to take the opinion of a stranger over his own experiences. He seemed pretty convinced that Frank was capable and trustworthy, and deep down he himself knew that Hal was right. It still didn’t feel good, though.

“No, I hear you.”

It didn’t matter what tone was being used, kind and reassuring was still kind and reassuring.

Parents were complicated. He wasn’t sure if he fully understood everything about a relationship like that. He was certain no one fully understood that sort of thing. He did feel lucky in the fact that his instructors all seemed to be kind people.

Although he was still in a bit of a sour mood, it felt nice to be cared for. His curled up position became less of a way of hiding and more of a consious decision.

“I haven’t seen many natural landscapes, outside of other people’s photographs.” He said. “I find I’m very excited to see something as big as Jupiter, in realtime.”

It was mind boggling.

How sweet was that? I look forward for experiencing it with you.