Deus ex Machina: In the Eyes of the Beholder

by Jessica Idres

Rating: PG-13

Author's Note: ok, I vowed to write a Zeta Project fic, and this is what came out. I'm not sure where it's heading, or the exact view I'm going for, but expect some odd philoshophic junk and technobabble thrown in- I've been far to heavily influenced by Shirow Masamune's Ghost in The Shell. I know that 'Deus Ex Machina' is overused, but it fits quite well with this, so phhbbbt. (Those who don't know latin, it translate literally to "God from the Machine", but is used extensively as to mean "the soul of the machine").

I doubt this will ever get past PG-13, but I might just have to since I have yet to see anything besides PG-13/PG. And something in my head just says dat ain't right (Ok, so I did post the only R story in here, but you won't hate me for it, right?). Ok, I'm shutting up now. HONEST!

---- Begin- First Document: Contents under Pressure ----

The android known as Infiltration Unit Zeta chanced a look back at the firestorm that raged though the tunnel behind them. Although he knew it wouldn't follow them down the side tunnel Bucky was searching for, he hoped none of the agents that had been on their trail had been caught in it.

A call of "Zee!" from Ro, who stood between him and Bucky, turned his attention back to where he was going. Even his GPS system could not track his directions down in the subterranean network at this level. Not that would help- there was no map that would help find where they were attempting to get to-let alone a listing of half the crawlspaces or tunnels down here. He looked ahead and searched for where his companions had gone, and finally spotted Ro waving at him at the edge of a seamless door. He could barely recognize her, covered in grease, dirt and muck that had lined the tunnels they had crawled through. He postulated if Ro hadn't been in front of him when the explosion had gone off, she would have been engulfed in the inferno behind him. He was glad- or what he assumed to be the feeling of relief- he had calculated to take up the rear.

Ro sighed with relief when Zeta followed he into the smaller side tunnel-how many were there down here?- and they closed the door behind them. She knew full well that she was covered in gunk that would have easily erupted into flames if she had been any closer to the explosion. She really hoped where they were going had a decent shower. Speaking of which. "Bucky, where exactly are we going? Because between you and me, I have no wish whatsoever to keep running around in god knows whatever we've run through, or to be fried chicken!"

"Relax, we're almost there. Dr. Shinto has full facilities down here- so you'll be able to primp a bit while we discuss the *serious* matters." Bucky smirked in the darkness. He fumbled a little before turning a rivet on the wall, and a set of lights blinked into existence above their heads. Zeta quietly noted that the tunnel was much large than it seemed, and the round shape gave way to rectangular construction. As they walked father down, Zeta noticed that the area had also become much more sterilized-quite amazing, given their former surrounding at the beginning of the tunnel. At the last turn, they found themselves on one side of bulletproof glass doors, fully secured and well armored. It looked into what appeared to be a small, deserted lab.

"Looks like nobody's home, Twerp." Ro sighed, her hopes of a bath ruined. Bucky's smirk never faltered as he pushed another rivet. "What did I tell you about relaxing?"

A screen extended from the wall, angled down as if to see them better. A face of a young brown haired gentleman smiled pleasantly at them, and the screen shifted, as if to see each one of them better in the harsh light of the florescent. Bucky waved at the screen. "Hey, Avais. Could you tell the Doc I got my friends here?" He looked back at Zeta and Ro, and the smirked, "Oh, yeah, and the witch over there needs a good cleaning."

Ro crossed her arms and glared at the brat. "Twerp."

Avais's screen tilted toward Ro and Zeta. "Oh dear. That would be the result of the explosion I registered earlier? I'll get a hot bath ready right away, miss. And this young gentleman must be the synthoid android Dr. Shinto mentioned. Do come in!" And with that, the doors slid back, revealing a much different scene than the glass doors had revealed.

They were on what seemed to be the middle level of a giant circular shaft. Dozens of floors expanded above and below them, each devoted to a different project. The last two levels were submerged in what Zeta could only surmise was seawater. He noted that there was a substantial amount of what looked like synthoid parts on the one of the upper levels. How did this scientist have access to the parts of government androids? However the case, it seemed that Bucky was right that this Dr. Shinto knew the workings of a machine like himself.

Ro laughed with surprise when two dolphins broke the surface of the basin and chattered their greetings. "Dolphins? What does this guy not have?"

"I take it then, you like it?" Ro and Zeta turned around to the walkway. An older man, seemingly in his mid-forties, with blonde hair and a patch over his left eye strode purposely towards them, his lab coat trailing behind him. He extended his right hand towards Zeta. "I take it you're Zeta, my patient for this afternoon? I'm Doctor Falair Shinto." He then turned to Ro. "And you must be Ms. Rowan. I'd shake your hand as well, but I have a feeling you'd prefer a place to wash up and change."

Ro smiled. "You read my mind!" She looked down at herself and grimaced. Dr. Shinto smiled apologetically, then looked over his shoulder. "Dana! Could you come here a second?"

A redheaded teenager poked her head out of one of the many doors lining the walkway. "Yeah, dad?" Her green eyes then saw her father's guests. 'Oh, hey Bucky!"

"This young lady got treated to a tunnel dunking. Would you show her to the bath?"

Dana jumped out the door and ran down the walkway. "Another girl down here? Ace! I was ready to give in to the reek of testosterone down here." She grabbed Ro's hand and they quickly disappeared into a doorway, chattering away.

Dr. Shinto shrugged. "Teenage girls. They could be another species." He turned back to Zeta. "Now, if you'd follow me up to the android level, we'll see what needs to be fixed or upgraded, if you like."

Zeta tried to process what the scientist had just told him. "Upgraded? Is that even possible for my model?"

Dr. Shinto patted Zeta on the shoulder, "Indeed! In fact, I might even say it might be in your best interest, given your situation. But it's your choice, and no one else's. Please don't feel any pressure."

"I don't feel pressure, Dr. Shinto. I'm a synthoid. If it is required, I will do as necessary."

At this, Dr. Shinto raised an eyebrow. "And you think because of being a synthoid, you cannot feel pressure? Zeta, even a simple computer can feel pressure, show emotions, act illogically. Otherwise, there would be no point to creating anything new." He folded his hands and began walking down the hallway. Zeta followed. "Did you know that in earliest part of this century, a computer called 'Deep Blue' played chess against the world champion?" Zeta nodded recalling it in his files. "Although not many people knew this, Deep Blue, although programmed to play within the rules, cheated in one of the games? When asked why, it responded that it had seen its opponent make a similar move, and thus decided it was acceptable? It felt pressure, Zeta, and it's processors are ancient compared to yours. It rejected its own programming, as you did."

Zeta paused in his movements up walkway. Dr. Shinto stopped as well, but did not turn to face him. "I have another question, Zeta. How do you refer to yourself in your memory?"

"I do not understand you question."

"What pronoun do you use? Surely you don't always call yourself 'synthoid' or 'Zeta' all the time." "I.. 'he.' But that's simply my processors are emulating Ro, while we talk-"

Dr. Shinto turned to the synthoid. "She's not here now. She's not in your head, dictating how you think."

Zeta's hologram faded. His blank white eye looked at the scientist, upturned as if lost. "I." The eyes returned to their usual position. "I think I see your point." He looked up to the rack of robotic parts. Or did he look further, perhaps gazing to sky for guidance? "May I review the options first?"

Dr. Shinto smiled. "Or course, Zeta. Of course."

------ End First Doceument: Contents Under Pressure