A Closed and Common Orbit

Lovelace, once merely a ship's AI, awakens in a synthetic body after a catastrophic system reboot. Stripped of her former existence and navigating a world where her kind are illegal, she finds herself profoundly alone. Yet, she's not entirely without allies. Pepper, a resourceful engineer who risked everything to bring Lovelace back, takes the AI under her wing. Pepper, too, knows the challenges of starting anew and hiding a past. As Lovelace (now Sidra) grapples with her new physical form, personal autonomy, and the complexities of organic life, Pepper guides her through the galaxy's sprawling, often perilous, societies. Their journey together is one of self-discovery, identity formation, and the profound realization that even in the vastness of space, true connection can transform isolation into belonging. This character-driven narrative explores what it means to be alive, to have a body, and to build a life against all odds.