Space, contrary to childhood science, is not quiet. It's filled with radio transmission, bleats of satellites and probes long forgotten, echoes of years past, and the groans of dying stars.
Cale could hear none of these. To him, space was quiet and lonely and empty. He traversed the galaxy alone, the sole living human in the remnants of the Milky Way. Somewhere, somewhere outside the galaxy, he knew there was life.
But his own galaxy was large. Small by galactic standards, but nearly too enormous to comprehend for a man. Furthermore, it lay on the end of an outflung spiral arm, an isolate galaxy in a sparse area of space.
The odds were not in favor of Cale.
Still, he searched for life. For a cousin of humanity. For a long lost colony of humans. For any form of complementary life. He knew his ship's computer would be able to find a method of communication with almost any form of non-human, baryonic life.
So, he was alone.
No, not entirely alone. The dark matter beasts hunted him still. Non-baryonic life, they plunged into stars and burned them out, remaking the galaxy, the universe into a realm of cold stagnation. Creating a universe the support their own kind. Destroying the universe as humans knew it. Sol itself had long ago burned out and cooled down, one of the earliest dark matter victories in a long, and ultimately, futile war.
And the lone mariner sailed on through the cosmos, the last human descendant of Adam in search of another soul.
The last human. And the last A.I.
-*-
"Ada?" Cale addressed his ship's A.I.
"I am here, Cale?" The voice was feminine and pleasant. The speakers set into the walls of his quarters projected her voice with only the barest, tantalizing hint of artificiality.
"Have we got any of those cheeseburgers left? The ones we picked up from that city a couple days back?"
"Yes, Cale. There are three left. Do you wish me to prepare them and have them ready for you in the mess hall?"
"Yes, please do, Ada. That'd be fantastic." Cale responded, lifting himself out of his desk chair. He closed the book he was reading, a journal that he'd picked up at the same colony. "You know, I really thought that we'd find someone, anything, alive down there. I really did. But, it was just the same as always. No people. No animals. Nothing. Just their store of food and water. But, hey, frozen, vaccum-preserved food is better than ship gruel." He palmed the pressure switch, activating the door into the hall corridor. The man, aged thirty, was of an originally dark complexion, although the years in space had lightened his skin. He would be considered good looking if there had been anyone left to judge. He moved with the litheness of a former athlete, and he did spend time in the ships gym, combating the atrophic effects of prolonged space travel.
"Without their supplies, sir, you would not be able to survive." Ada said, her voice echoing in the corridor.
"I know. I just wish that I had someone, anyone, to share those supplies with," he answered. He arrived at the lift-tube. Ada opened the doors for him, and he entered. Inside, her voice sounded tinnier.
"You have me," Ada said, a hint of sadness in her tone. Cale canted his head. Strange, he'd never heard that before.
"Well, yeah. But, you don't really eat, do you? You don't drink, either."
There was an extended moment of silence. Cale patted the wall fondly. "Hey, you know I'd go mad without you. Come on, Ada. You know this. Heck, I would have flown into a sun if I was
completely
alone."
"You would not even be able to maintain this ship without me."
Cale smiled. "That's right, I couldn't. I need you. I need you probably more than any one human has ever needed someone before." The doors swished open, revealing the mess hall and an extruded table, upon which was place a steaming cheeseburger and a pile of synthetic fries. It smelled marvelous. "Oh, Ada. You're fantastic!"
"Thank you, sir. I exist to serve you. Your pleasure is my highest priority."
He laughed. "Come on, Ada! Quit foolin' around!" He fairly bounded to the table, driven to salivation by the smell. He immediately fell upon the burger and fries, devouring them with gusto. "My god, Ada! You're an even better cook than my own Mama," he gushed.
Elsewhere, far away from him, the ship's interior began to glow and warm, with a small amount of condensation gathering upon the walls.
-*-
Later that evening, Cale had Ada scan all the incoming radio signals. Nothing of note was received, save a few films.
"Ada, I'm bored to tears, and I haven't seen a movie in so long. Download and play one. Pick it at random."
