A crew consisting of an AI/human hybrid ship with three humans land on a distant planet to salvage remains of a failed colonialisation, but discover alien life on the planet. The alien is actually an extremely advanced AI system. Most of the novel is narrated by Amber Rose, the AI overseer of the ship, who was once a human but has been digitised.
“I’ve been around. Seen a few of your type. Is it worth it?”
IS WHAT WORTH WHAT?
She gestures at my body. “The whole immortality gig, you know. Life as a machine. Artificial intelligence.”
I think about it. IT’S NOT BAD.
“Do you miss your old body?”
I’VE GOTTEN USED TO IT, I say. IT HELPS IF YOU DON’T THINK OF IT AS DYING.
“Rebirth?”
YEAH.
“I applied, you know,” she says. “Turns out they only take Buddhists for the job now. They’ve already conditioned themselves with this rebirth crap.”
I USED TO BE A BUDDHIST. STILL AM.
Silence for a bit. This is awkward.
Wijeratne, Yudhanjaya. The Salvage Crew (pp. 17-19). Aethon Books. Kindle Edition.Â
