Dr. Burnes strode up to the large tin door that led into the long-forgotten warehouse and opened it up, allowing fresh sunlight to spill into the abandoned area. The fresh air swept into the dusty place. The doctor took a deep breath and pulled a clipboard off of the nearby wall. His tired old eyes scanned the sheet there. Something peculiar caught his gaze and his eyebrows shot up.
"Quite an unexpected meeting!" The middle-aged man remarked. "Someone of such high authority to come and look at these poor old things…my! My! They must be in for something big this time!"
The man hung the clipboard back on its proper place and looked up at the sky.
"Amazing the things that one can be lucky to have…"
Hours later, the guest Dr. Burnes had been expecting arrived. The doctor shuffled outside as the guest stepped out of his vehicle.
"It's an honor to have you, sir," Dr. Burnes offered, staring admiringly at the man before him. The visitor chuckled and held his hand out to the doctor.
"No need for formality. Just call me Captain Kirk."
Burnes took the Captain's hand and shook it briefly. "Right, then. So you came to see the scraps, did you not?"
"What's one man's trash is another man's treasure," Kirk replied with a grin. Dr. Burnes nodded and led the man inside.
"I apologize for the mess, but I haven't been here in a year or two."
"It's no problem."
Burnes made his way to the back of the warehouse, to a set of stairs that went into a lower berth of the place. The doctor went down bravely, with Kirk following after.
"We have only a few models that had managed to survive the transition," Burnes added as he flipped on a light. The berth came to life with the energy, and suddenly Kirk could see everything clearly. Several androids were laid out on stretchers nearby with bits and wires sticking out of them. Kirk narrowed his eyes at them.
Burnes pressed a button on the wall that automatically lifted the stretchers so that they were right side up.
"The three we have," the doctor began, "Are models 0178, 1469, and 0024. Each are not typical androids – due to some research, I've found that they are versions of androids that were designed to fight."
"And in what ways were they 'defective' doctor?" Kirk asked, his hands behind his back.
"W-well…" The middle-aged man nervously pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Their settings were designed differently... so that's not an easy question to answer."
Kirk rubbed his chin and looked at the three androids. Despite the metallic skin, he might have mistaken them for humans.
"What's this one's background?" Kirk asked, pointing to the female android.
"That one is number 0024. She was equipped with the ability to transform herself into a virtually indestructible weapon for battle when she is programmed to do so. However, her programming is awfully hard to understand and she looses power dramatically when in that form. To make matters worse, she loses all control over herself when she goes into such a state so that she can't stop until all of her power is gone."
The Captain observed the girl.
"So she's in constant danger," he concluded.
"Only when provoked," the doctor replied. "You see, she cannot activate this mode unless someone tells her to."
Kirk chuckled and approached the human-like robot. "That's handy, then…"
Burnes raised an eyebrow at the remark. "What do you mean, sir…?"
Ignoring the question, the Captain looked back at Burnes. "Do you happen to have a blueprint?"
The doctor nodded and picked up a navy-colored paper from a table nearby. He strode up to Kirk and handed it to him.
"One last thing about this one."
"And that is…?"
The Captain folded up the blueprints for the robot and shoved it into his pocket. "Would you mind activating her and allowing me to take her to Starfleet?"
The doctor openly gasps and his eyes widen. "Starfleet, sir? I don't know if she's ready for that sort of thing!"
"So a week, then, is the amount of time you'll have to bring her to me," Kirk said nonchalantly. "That's how long I'm going to be here before heading off with my crew. I want to see that she gets setup there correctly and plan to do so myself."
"But sir, and android doesn't belong in Starfleet!" Burnes exclaimed. "I-I mean, with such danger on the line, who knows what might—"
"Will she take orders?"
The doctor bit his lip and carefully stood straight, fixing his glasses. "Well… yes."
Kirk grinned. "Then there's no problem. Now, tell me about these other two."
--
A week passed. Burnes wasn't very sure of how well he had put together 0024, especially with the time limit he had been given, but she was hopefully good enough. Burnes got the android into his car – deactivated – and was headed to the address that the Captain had given him the week before.
It was a generally quiet place, and had very little people around. And those that were had on Starfleet uniforms. Burnes parked his vehicle in the street, cut the engine, and stepped out. The Captain emerged from the small group of people and approached the doctor.
"Burnes, nice to see you again."
He nodded. "I brought her, sir. She's in the back…"
Jim grinned. Another man came up behind him, looking somewhat older. The Captain glanced over his shoulder and nudged the man forward. "This is the ship's doctor, McCoy. If you don't mind, would you explain some of the girl's basic programming to him, in case something happens?"
Burnes nodded and looked at McCoy, introducing himself and proceeding with the explanation.
Meanwhile, Kirk meandered over to the back of the vehicle and peeked in the window. Sure enough, there was the android sitting in the seat, buckled in, with her eyes closed and her head hanging limply. The Captain had a feeling that she would like it at Starfleet. From what Burnes had said, she sounded smart, and despite the possibility of going insane at anytime, nice to be around. Jim could only hope that the Academy wouldn't ruin her before she could reach him. But he wanted the chance to see something so unique in action – something not of this time.
McCoy and Burnes came over, then, breaking the Captain from his train of thought. He stepped out of the way and allowed Burnes to open the door to the vehicle and manage the deactivated android out so that she was on her feet. He straightened her head, and began to his different buttons, keys, and controls on her chest and body. Kirk and McCoy watched diligently as the cold piece of wired metal slowly came to life.
Her eyes opened, and she blinked several times before beginning to look around.
"Sabre," Burnes said. The android's attention snapped to the doctor beside her. "These two are going to be your new commanders. Treat them well, as I've taught you."
The girl looked over at Kirk and McCoy.
She was rather stunning, if not a bit strange. She had a boyish hairstyle that was colored light purple, and eyes that were turquoise. Her skin shone in the sunlight, and the many wirings etched onto it gleamed blue. Also strange, she had a little pin on one side of her head and a belt that seemed firmly in place on her hip. Her lips turned into a smile.
"Hello," she said, pleasantly.
Kirk looked her up and down. She surely didn't 'seem' like a danger. Still, he couldn't be sure, considering some of the surprises he'd encountered before.
"Hello. My name is Captain Kirk, and this is Dr. McCoy," he said, gesturing to the man standing beside him. Then, Jim held out a hand politely for her to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
She looked at his hand, tilted her head a bit, and then looked back at his face. "By now, is it customary for me to respond with my own name and hand?"
Kirk chuckled and McCoy raised an eyebrow. Ah… so she's one of 'those'…
"Yes," Burnes murmured to her.
She smiled and held out her hand, as well, but didn't take Jim's – probably because she didn't know what to do with it. "My name is 0024SABRE."
Kirk laughed again and took her metallic hand in his – which strangely, though it looked like it would be cold and hard, was soft and felt like a human hand - shaking it firmly once. "We'll call you Sabre, then, if you don't mind." He promptly released her and allowed McCoy to introduce himself, as well. Sabre seemed very gleeful to learn their names and shake their hands.
"How exciting!" she exclaimed. Then, Sabre looked to Burnes beside her. "Will you… be leaving me?"
Burnes nodded once. "But these men are to be very kind to you. They're going to teach you things you would have never imagined."
At this, Sabre smiled widely, though almost sadly.
Kirk found it interesting the way he was speaking to her, and the way she was reacting. It was like he was saying goodbye to a young girl…and she was 'acting' like one, too, with every little emotion equipped. Kirk didn't know much about androids, but he knew that they typically didn't show emotion. And: Kirk wasn't good with kids. He could only hope that she would get over this childish personality at the Academy…
Sabre hugged Burnes briefly and then stepped towards the two. "So…Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy," she said, trying out their names, "What is it that you should like me to do?"
McCoy and Kirk exchanged glances. A silent agreement was quickly made and McCoy politely stepped forward.
"Let's introduce you to the rest of the bridge," he said, reaching out to take her hand.
Sabre tilted her head. "Haven't we already met each other, Dr. McCoy? Is there some reason you extend your hand to me again?"
Burnes chuckled to himself from behind her.
McCoy briefly explained that he was going to lead her by taking her hand. Sabre understood, it seemed, in an instant and took his hand, allowing him to take her to the others nearby.
Meanwhile, Kirk stepped over to Burnes.
"She doesn't know much about life outside the science lab, does she?"
Burnes shook his head. "She's never 'left' the science lab."
Kirk looked over his shoulder as McCoy led the android to Spock and Uhura and Checkov and Sulu, pointing to each one as he said their names so that she could understand.
"She seems willing to learn, though."
"That's how she's designed, Captain. She may not know, but she wants to." Burnes suddenly seemed to remember something. "Oh! And… if you could, please be cautious about speaking to her about being defective and all. She's sensitive about it."
Kirk chuckled and put a hand on the doctor's shoulder. "I can tell you really care about her. Don't worry. I'll be sure that everyone treats her correctly."
Burnes nodded. "Thank you very much…" with that, he sighed and looked over Kirk's shoulder at Sabre. "I might as well go, now. I have some appointments I need to attend to."
With some brief good-byes, Burnes drove off in his vehicle. Jim watched as he disappeared down the road.
Sabre, meanwhile, was gratefully speaking to the members of the bridge – receiving some observing looks from some, and inviting looks from others. People like Spock were raising eyebrows as she spoke and seemed quite confused, while people like Checkov were eagerly giving her diligent answers and asking their own questions. Kirk wandered over to them and listened in.
Checkov was explaining some of Starfleet to Sabre – and more namely the Academy. Sabre listened intently to him.
"You vill learn many things there," he said, chipper.
"Like what?"
"Vell… like places beyond this uniwerse and the Enterprise."
In response to this, Sabre asked what 'Enterprise' and the 'universe' was. Uhura took over the explanation from there.
"She seems to know so little," Spock muttered to Jim, leaning over to speak with him. "Where did you manage to find her? Her build-up is beyond my comprehension."
Jim couldn't help but chuckle internally. "You'd be surprised what you can find when you stop to look."
Spock raised an eyebrow at this. "Fascinating…"
Sabre's conversation with the crew continued until Jim finally decided to break the girl from them and get her ready to go to the Academy. Sabre eagerly followed Jim into the building behind them, glad to have learned so much in so little time.
"What is it that I shall be doing next, Captain?"
Jim closed the door to his cabin and looked back at her. "Just wait for a moment. I'll be back."
He went past her, down the hall to his room. Sabre waited, looking around the house. As Jim came back with a bundle in his arms, she looked very intrigued by a picture on the wall.
"Sabre."
Her head snapped around, quickly. "Yes?"
"Put this on."
Jim handed her the bundle of clothing. The android curiously poked through the pile.
"What might this be?"
"They're called clothes. You slip them over your body."
Sabre pursed her lips and managed to put the dress over herself and get her arms through the sleeves. When finished, she observed her arms. "Amazing!" she breathed.
She'll get used to it… Jim reassuringly told himself. "Oh, these go on your feet," he mentioned, nudging a pair of boots towards her.
Eventually, she figured out how to put these on as well. Finally, Jim pulled a gold pin out of his pocket and stepped towards her.
"And this," he explained, "Is a pin. It proves that you're a part of Starfleet."
He finished clipping it onto her, and Sabre looked down at the golden arrowhead admiringly. "A pin, just like mine!" she said, putting a hand to the blue, fan-like pin on her head.
Jim stepped back with his arms behind him, looking at her. "Now you're ready for Starfleet."
Sabre looked amazed at this. "Captain, I do not know if I am ready for such a thing… I'm a mere throwaway battledroid! All these great things I've heard…it's…I don't know if I have the capabilities!"
"Nonsense!" Jim countered. "Of course you're capable. And Starfleet's gonna show you how."
Sabre's eyes became hopeful and a smile was present on her face.
--
Author comments:
Well, here we go with my first story on this account. To start off, YES it's centered around my OC, and YES she's pretty sue-ish… at the moment anyway. Things'll hopefully improve for the next chapter so you all have a better understanding of her. And also, I apologize for my poor McCoy writing skills. I really don't know quite enough about him in order to write him for a scene like this. If you have any suggestions, please tell me! Thank you.
~KK