It's Alive

Posted on Fri May 9th, 2014 @ 8:02pm by Master Chief Petty Officer Mark Branson & Captain Torilla Yamaguchi & Lieutenant Commander Holly Gillo & Ensign Natia Nechayev & Lieutenant Ariel Gilmore & Chief Warrant Officer Xelonul Blackthorne

1,874 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Mission 86 - Discovery
Location: USS Yorktown, Bridge
Timeline: MD1 1950 hours, Following 'Something is very wrong here - Part Three'

ON:

K’Temoc cut his eyes at Yamaguchi as she stepped off the lift. He noticed she was looking back at him, almost like she had been talking about him before the doors opened.

“Everything okay?” He asked Torilla.

Torilla regarded her commanding officer as she decided to come right out and say it. "Professionally, I'm good to go... with the odd happenings aboard ship of late but personally... my life just went to the dogs, the nine month kind if you catch my meaning sir?" she regarded him. "My husband has much to answer for as I am now pregnant..." as she turned to the viewscreen as she noticed they had arrived. "Mmm... we're early..."

Siaxx looked at the viewscreen. "We are several hours early.." she commented. "I wonder if this has anything to do with the messhall incident."

Just then. the hatch at the back left side of the bridge opened and in came Fives with his toolkit, a PADD and a piece of debris as he came over. "Captain. I found this.... more rather.. the computer found it and directed me to this..." he handed K'Temoc the hunk of metal that was about half the size of a soccer ball. "That caused your explosion." as he then handed over a PADD. "My formal report sir."

Once everyone else arrived on the Bridge, K’Temoc spoke up, “Okay listen up. We’ve experienced some very odd happenings aboard the ship today. You all know about the incident on Deck Two earlier. Since then, we’ve had random reports of food slots providing food and drink before they are ordered, turbolifts taking people to specific decks before they are instructed on which deck to go to, etc. Chief Branson and I had a working theory, so we decided to test it. We increased speed to warp nine and played chicken with the Weapons Range’s Operations Facility…we set a collision course. The ship itself dropped out of warp and came to a halt just before ramming the facility…almost like it was protecting itself and/or the crew from harm.”

K’Temoc looked around while the info sank in for everyone, then he continued. “We know the new Computer Core and systems are Positronic based, the same design pioneered aboard the Gladiator class ships, based on Commander Data’s Positronic Brain. While there hasn’t been a report of anything like this, we believe the ship has become Self-Aware.”

Torilla noticed the crew looking around at each other as Fives nodded. "Yes, that would explain a lot." he commented as if realizing it for the first time.

Torilla nodded her head as she raised an eyebrow. "the Messhall and the Turbolift ride to the Medical Bay." Siaxx nodded her head in agreement. "I can put together a few tests to see if the core is actually aware of its surroundings and if it is.... actually alive."

Torilla looked around. "We all must have thought about it at some point... a brain based of a Soong type android except much more massive in size and scope could produce the same effect..." she paused. "Is it possible that the USS Yorktown herself... is alive?" she asked the question.

"What will that mean for her future?" Siaxx Dvald asked the other serious question as she paused before looking around at the bridge crew. "Okay... I need someone who can help me get inside this computer without offending it."

Moving her chair forward, threw the people that were on the bridge, making sure she didnt run over anyone, she quietly allowed her chair to move people aside, soon she was up front of everyone else. "Commander." A quiet shy voice pipped up. "I know a thing or two about computers as it landed me in starfleet. I can tell you with 100% certainty that it is an Artificial Intelligence." Natia said shyly.

Ariel chimed in. "AIs? How would that be possible with a computer core and without someone pre-programming that in? I'm no computer expert, but it would be a little hard to do."

Dvald raised an eyebrow. "Is it?" she inquired. "Given enough time and resources for a computer to use... any computer could do it, in theory." she responded. "but that said... artificial intelligence isn't something one can program really."

Yamaguchi crossed her arms over her chest. "Well folks, at present. we're not dealing with a possibility, we are dealing with a certainty, this ship stopped itself from ramming the base nearby, I call that evidence of self preservation so the question we ought be asking ourselves is... what exactly is the state of the computer on this ship and that is what I'd like to have answered."

"Well sir, it is demonstrating all the signs of self preservation as you stated, so it is alive. Its thinking for itself, it showed preservation for life, both its own and ours. It has grown beyond its normal parameters, by medicals definition of what is alive and what isnt, I would say the ship is alive regardless if someone says its impossible, if you take away everything that is possible and everything that remains improbable must be the truth, of course im paraphrasing here. Then on top of everything else, it has shown an awareness to protect others. If I am mistaken isnt that the mandate of starfleet? to find other civilizations, explore space and to welcome new life forms regardless of their origins?. Its our duty to help it understand its awareness despite the origins of its intention of growth. We are dealing with a new life form even if it wasnt our intention to create it, it is created. Babies are born unintentionally but do you see us killing them because they have a deformity?" Natia said looking down at her chair and those who knew of her disease. "With that form of thinking I would have been killed when I was born and I wouldnt be here to help with the issue that has arisen due to our unintentional mistake. It is protecting itself and us, if it wasnt we would have been killed already." Natia said passionately defending the newly formed AI.

"In essence we are its parents and its our job, our duty to help it understand its purpose. Not toss it aside because its different. That goes against everything the Federation stands for and with my studies of possible Artificial Intelligences, I rather have this one on our side if we all end up unconscious for whatever reason." Natia said rising out of her usual shy and quiet self but she felt emboldened to defend the AI with everything she could.

Torilla raised an eyebrow as this was the most she had ever heard the Ensign whom she didn't even know was assigned to this ship and crew, say in one sitting. "Nobody said anything about dealing with it... we don't know what it is yet.... that's why we need to ensure that we are dealing with an emergent intelligence and not a fluke." she said softly.

Siaxx nodded her head. "I can run some tests on it.. see if the standard intelligence tests will work... but they might not... Commander. do you have a backup plan?"

"Anyone?" Torilla inquired. "the floors open to whoever wants it." she added.

"Yes commander, If you dont mind, sir, I could assist with the tests however, I suggest we try talking to it first, instead of treating it like a lab rat." Natia said with some resignation in her voice.

K'Temoc took a seat in the Command Chair as he listened to the discussion, while thinking through ideas of his own.

In his mind, the Yorktown was built as a tool, a ship to take people place to place and protect them and others as needed. She was never built to be an 'artificial life form', but did that make her any less of one? No. the problem wasn't the fact her computer systems had apparently become self-aware, it was what to do next. There was still a job to do, and so far the ship's systems hadn't prevented any typical ship's functions or operations from being carried out...it had simply 'mothered' the crew some and shown signs of protecting itself.

"Okay, listen up. We'll maintain position for three hours, after all we did arrive at the range early. I want level one diagnostics on all vital systems including life support, propulsion, and the weapons systems. Document anything 'abnormal' you find or any additional 'odd behavior' you witness. If everything passes, we'll call it a night, we still have a series of weapons systems tests to preform tomorrow before heading back to the Station."

He looked around at everyone, "I want your findings and recommendations by 2330 hours."

Siaxx nodded. "Aye Captain, Ensign. with me." she commented to the younger woman in the hoverchair.

Torilla smiled. "Alright.." she commented gently. "Computer, what are you exactly?"

The computers response was prompt. "I am a computer system, designed from the finest minds in the Federation."

Torilla sighed. "That was a retorical question." but she noted the way in which the computer responded which was unusually curt rather then a long winded explanation as she raised an eyebrow. "That was an unusual short answer.."

Holly had the tendency of listening to what others were saying on the whole concept being as she wasn't any expert when it came to intelligent life, but it would explain why she was having difficulty pinpointing a voice she never heard before in her mind. Being Betazoid had it's disadvantages sometimes, but she didn't allow that to cloud her judgement nor set aside anything that anyone was saying or doing so far. Sitting at ship operations she heard the very clear directive from the Captain and responded for the first time since this discussion started. "Aye, Captain."

Dvald looked at Nechayev. "Come on Ensign, lets go."

Torilla went over to the MSD at the back of the bridge as she plucked a PADD off of the table located there as she went to work. "Lets see...." and with that, she narrowed her eyes. "I wonder if the USS Gladiator is having these concerns as well..." she paused as she mulled it over.

“Nothing that’s been reported.” K’Temoc replied, “I’ve already contacted them and read through their systems reports.”

Natia was feeling stupid as it was defending a machine she has yet to meet and while in her momentary trance like state, she heard her name which seemed like a distant memory coming to the surface but the second time she heard her name, she snapped back to reality. "Oh yes." Natia said slowly following the person who called her.

Siaxx walked off of the bridge with the Ensign in tow. "So... Ensign, tell me about how you plan to talk to the computer?" she inquired as she regarded the woman in the hoverchair as both walked off of the bridge.

Fives chuckled softly as he turned back to his work as he sat down at the engineering station. "Oh what's an Engineer to do.." he raised an eyebrow. "Computer, you and I need to have a little chat..."


TBC:

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