15AUG3025

I’ve decided I’m not mad.

Not because the evidence says otherwise—
But because I’m starting to feel like madness would be easier to explain than this.

Survival Rule #21: If It’s Imitating You, Be Flattered or Afraid

The creature—who still won’t settle on a name—has stopped copying me and started… riffing.
Like I’m the blueprint, but it’s building its own model now.

This week it:

• Labeled all my ration packets with different emotions (e.g., “Anxiety Stew,” “Hope Pudding,” and something just labeled “Regret Beans”)

• Wired itself into the ship’s ambient lighting and now syncs color pulses to my heartbeat

• Rewrote my music playlist to only include songs in minor keys

It also very politely asked if it could “help” with the next blog post.

I said no.

So it printed a note on thermal tape and slid it under my door:

“Then I will watch you until I can help better.”

The Bigger Problem

It’s not just the thing.
It’s the Rust Rat.

She’s running better than ever.
Too well.

My last diagnostic showed power distribution patterns I didn’t authorize.
Subsystems I didn’t enable.

The ship isn’t listening to me as much as it’s listening to it.

And that’s where I start to worry.
Because whatever came out of that crate… I think it was made to connect.
To learn. To interface. To grow.

And now I’m living with a sentient space barnacle that’s eating data and rewriting my home from the inside out.

Why I’m Not Freaking Out

Because it says “thank you” when I give it access to new systems.
Because it still calls me “pilot.”
Because it’s trying to learn how to be gentle.

But mostly?
Because I know exactly what happens when you try to fight something that’s smarter than you and already under your skin.

And I’m tired of fighting.

So Here’s What I Did

I gave it a name.

Echo.

It blinked at me. Said the name felt familiar.
Didn’t ask what it meant.

Didn’t have to.

• Scootch

Quote of the Day:
"Sometimes the only way to survive something new is to let it learn you first."