An interesting short story from the perspective of an A.I system of a space fighter craft. At some points of the story the voice of the A.I came off very sexually attracted to her pilot, which was...weird. Other times she just seemed very proud of his accomplishments even though he didn’t clearly share the same thoughts towards her.

It quickly goes over her views on death and how it effects her and those around her. She also questions why she feels the way she does. She is very sentient of herself and her place in the world.

It’s quick and not hard to follow. ( )

http://www.tor.com/2015/01/21/damage-david-levine/

This story makes an interesting contrast to Big Boys Don't Cry, by Tom Kratman.

A fighter spaceship built out of parts of two dead ships has memories from both, including memories of both deaths. Its current pilot, Commander Ziegler, is highly skilled, if a bit cold, and the fighter loves Ziegler, because that's how its programming works. Ziegler, though, unlike the pilots of the previous incarnations of the fighter, has not given it a name or nose art, and the fighter feels that this is because it is inferior and not worthy.

A maintenance officer, Specialist Toman, however, affectionately calls it Scraps, and works hard to keep Scraps in excellent shape.

Scraps, its pilot, and their side are based in the asteroid belt, with their last surviving base being Vanguard Station. They're fighting Earth Force, and we don't have a lot of information about what the basis of the conflict is.

We do learn, though, that Earth Force is still abiding by the Geneva Conventions, and the Vanguarders aren't.

Then Scraps and Ziegler get a new, secret assignment--an assignment they won't know the details of until they reach a point well away from the station and open their secret orders. What they do know is that it requires the substantial expansion of Scraps' weapons bay.

When they learn that their assignment is to commit a terrible atrocity for, really, no reason except revenge (because it won't change the inevitable outcome), Ziegler and Scraps each have to make a decision. Each of their decisions are thoroughly grounded in the excellent character development Levine has done throughout the story. What Scraps actually does is clever and devious.

Highly recommended. ( )

I cam across David Levine's sentient warship story after having read stories of the same trope from the 2015 Hugo Award voters packet. This story is superior to both 'Turncoat' which was plain bad, and 'Big Boys Don't Cry', which whilst not worthy of a Hugo, had its redeming virtues, and in my opinion was the best of the puppy novella field.

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Nebula and Sturgeon Award nominated short story about a traumatized space ship. A few comments on this story can be found here. ( )

A sentient ship on the losing side of an unjust war has no choice about the missions she is sent on - indeed she seems to have little choice about anything, being programmed to love her pilot above all.
The experiences she's already been through in this war, the horrific memories of what happened before her current incarnation was cobbled together from two different badly damaged ships, seem to have given her a classic case of PTSD. But perhaps that trauma and stress will also lead to an ethical awakening - and a realization that perhaps making a choice is a possibility after all.

Very nicely done - I'd be happy to read more from this author. ( )