Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, #5)

by Martha Wells

Can you tell if there’s anyone aboard?” I assume so. ART was dry. They are attempting comm contact. “Don’t answer it,” I told ART. “That’s probably how you got into this situation in the first place.” Ratthi waved his drink bottle in what he thought was ART’s direction. “Yes, please be careful. There was a terrible virus on a company ship and we all nearly died and SecUnit’s brain was compromised.” SecUnit’s brain is always compromised, ART said. And I was not breached via the comm. My comm system is filtered to prevent viral attacks and I have engaged extra protections. “That’s probably what you said right before it happened,” I told it. But ART insulting my intelligence was a good sign. It sounded almost normal again. Amena sighed and wiped crumbs off her mouth. “Hey, you two, it’s too early for fighting.”