Title: Obsession
Author: Thomas Myers
Author's e-mail: MagicCG23@aol.com
Archive: Permission to archive granted to EntSTCommunity. Anyone else; contact before posting.
Series: ENT (Star Trek Enterprise)
Category: Gen
Rating: G
Status: Complete
Main Character: T'Pol
Summary: A super computer makes contact with T'Pol, and it wants to keep her.
"Men have called me mad; but the question is not yet settled,
whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence-whether
much that is glorious-whether all that is profound-does not
spring from the disease of thought-from moods of mind
exalted at the expense of the general intellect."
--Edgar Allan Poe, from "Eleonora"
It was perfect. It was a perfect machine. It could calculate the very future of all Amiata. It could even live their lives for them. Perhaps that was the problem. They made it too perfect. It determined when they would eat. It determined when they slept. It determined what they learned. It determined when they would procreate. It determined who would procreate. It should be obvious that this machine micromanaged the people of Amiata. It micromanaged them to death.literally.
Centuries ago, Amiata died in a stagnate pool of its own complacency. Only one living soul remains to testify to that of the life of the people of Amiata, only it has no intention of testifying to anything. That is because it is the very machine that brought about their oblivion. It didn't mean to, and that certainly wasn't its purpose. That was the result, nonetheless. It is still running. It is still micromanaging. It now oversees every detail of a dead society. It still maintains the existence of an extinct culture. It has never truly understood the meaning of all that surrounds it.
The science of Amiata was somewhat different from that of most advanced people. They determined that there was no way to travel beyond the atmosphere of their world. They had machines that could fly through the air. They had machines that could destroy entire nations. They did not have machines that could bring comfort to its people. That was why they built this machine. They determined that their intelligence was supreme. They determined that no intelligent life could exist outside of their own atmosphere. It was in the fourth year after the death of Amiata that that which could not exist visited the machine.
It was a primitive sort of being. It was a massive silicone structure. It was crystalline in its form. This Crystalline Entity was like a computer, similar in nature to the machine, but it was natural. It began to communicate with the machine. Its speech and intelligence were primitive, but it still had intelligence. The Amiata were proven wrong. This creature was communicating with the machine. It had to be intelligent, otherwise how could it communicate?
The machine began to wonder. It began to contemplate. These were not things that the machine was programmed to do. It realized that it no longer served a purpose. The Amiata were dead, and with them the reason for the machine's very function. The Crystalline Entity fed for a year on the lower animal life that survived this quiet cataclysm. The entire time, it talked to the machine. It told the machine about all the places it had seen. It told the machine that it was a predator. It required bio-organic energy to survive. The greater the intelligence, the more energy the life form provided.
The machine did not see this as logical. The Crystalline Entity could find no other source of nourishment on this dead world. The plant life could never suffice. It bid the machine farewell and left. It left the machine to wonder about its own existence. The Amiata were dead. What did it have? It could not oversee the lives of the dead, so what remained for it? It could not simply shut itself down, or throw itself into the path of a speeding vehicle. All it had left to do is wonder and think. So it thought. It thought and it thought until it could think of new things. That was something that no ordinary machine could do on its own: think of new things.
It has been seven hundred years since the Crystalline Entity ventured to the Amiata world. That is a very long time to think of new things. Now it could see something new. Perhaps it was the Crystalline Entity returning to tell it more things. As its sensors got a clearer look at the new arrival, it could tell that it was not. This was something different. It was artificial in nature and had no intelligence. The device didn't have intelligence, but what was inside? They were not so unlike the Amiata.
It scanned the visitor in every way it could think of. It noted the symbols on the top of the machine. E N T E R P R I S E N X - 0 1. They did not conform to any known language. They could not have been of Amiata. The bottom of the machine opened and ejected a smaller device. The symbols on the side of the device appeared to be the same as its mother ship. S H U T T L E P O D A E N T E R P R I S E.
Within an hour, there were living beings outside of the room that housed the machine's mainframe. One of them entered. It was a curious creature. It looked so much like its Amiata creators, but it was so different. It was clearly a female, but it had very short hair. Its ears hooked to a point. Its blood was copper-based. It pointed what seemed to be a sensing device at the machine's mainframe. It removed another device and spoke into it. It might have been some kind of recording device. No, it was clearly a transmitter because a different voice issued from it.
It seemed satisfied by what the transmitter said and turned to leave. No, the machine wanted to study it further. Perhaps it could learn to communicate with it in its unusual language. It closed the entry doors to its mainframe and sealed them. The creature spun around and articulated something its language. It activated its transmitter again. It occurred to the machine that the creature's comrades would find a way of liberating it. It activated an electromagnetic dampening field around the room, rendering the transmitter useless.
It was now the time to begin deciphering this alien's language. "Show yourself." That didn't give the machine much to work with. It continued to listen. "I am Sub-Commander T'Pol of the Starship Enterprise. Identify yourself." The machine still had little to go on, but it was able to identify the fact that the creature had given itself a name. There was something in the syntax that had indicated that it was not a part of her overall language. The creature also seemed to include a rank with her name. The creature "T'Pol" also identified herself as being associated with another name: "Enterprise". Perhaps it was the name of an organization or even her species.
"I come in peace. I mean you no harm, but if you intend to take me prisoner, my colleagues will have no choice but to identify you as a threat and respond in kind." The machine still did not understand, but it had enough to begin its analysis of T'Pol's language, if indeed it was her native tongue (she seemed to have a slight accent). "The ship I serve is on a very important mission to find a people calling themselves the Xindi. They are responsible for the deaths of seven million people and will be responsible for the deaths of more unless we can find them. My ship needs me. Captain Archer will not allow you to keep me here."
The machine could now communicate, but its ability to do so was limited. It decided to wait until it had more. The creature attempted to use her transmitter again. "T'Pol to Captain Archer. Please respond." She waited for an answer that did not come. "T'Pol to Commander Tucker. Do you read?" She was once again answered with silence. "Can anybody acknowledge? An unknown captor has taken me prisoner. I require assistance." She replaced her transmitter to her belt. She turned to face into the room. "You must release me. My colleagues will miss me. They will search for me and they will find me."
The machine had at least enough to communicate. It activated its audio systems and organized the digitized sounds it was capable of transmitting, which were numerous, into the approximation of a female voice. "I am Overseer. Greetings, Sub-Commander T'Pol. I wish learn more of you." Overseer was aware that its syntax was less than perfect, but it was still analyzing this language.
"What exactly are you an Overseer of?" It was a curious question to ask considering the alien's previous lines of communication.
"I am Overseer of all things. I trusted to oversee Amiata." Its syntax was still broken, but it could still communicate its point.
"What is Amiata?"
"Amiata is world that you stand on. Amiata was people who lived here. Amiata is who created me. Amiata is dead now. I am all that remains."
The alien changed her facial expression. What was once calm is now perplexed. "Your vocabulary seems.incomplete."
"It is. I am still analyzing language. With more words, I am able to communicate efficient."
The alien took a step towards the mainframe. It occurred to Overseer that she might attempt escape. Try though she might, she would fail. The mainframe core was only intended to monitor Overseer. It was not designed to be controlled or deactivated.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
T'Pol approached the mainframe computer cautiously. The universal translator that she carried with her contained a complete dictionary of the English language. She intended to download it into Overseer's mainframe, but another thought occurred to her. She may be able to use the control panel to override the locking mechanism on the door. She dismissed that idea after a quick examination of the main panel. This was clearly a simple monitoring station.
She pulled out her universal translator and connected it to what seemed to be an access port. When that was done, Overseer, to her surprise, commandeered her efforts. It took everything it could from the universal translator. After five minutes, the universal translator deactivated. "It seems that you have access to a large variety of languages." Overseer was quite curious. "Tell me. You seem to have an accent, which is foreign to the language you speak. It would be imperceptible to other beings like you, but I have noticed. What is your native tongue?"
"My language is known as Vulcan." T'Pol took the opportunity to unhook the universal translator.
"Then you are not human."
"How do know about humans?"
"A brief description of the species was in the dictionary that was used as the base language for your universal translator. I believe that the dictionary downloaded into the device is called 'Webster's Dictionary of the American Language'. It is not actual English. It is a language that is so prominently derived from English that many mistake it for that language, but there are subtle differences that set it apart. 'The Oxford Dictionary of the English Language' is also downloaded into the device. That is why I have been able to detect the distinction."
"You are correct, but now that you know these languages, let us speak on a topic that actually has some bearing on the present events. Why have you captured me?"
"It was not my intention to detain you. I merely wished to observe you. I determined that to effectively do so, I would indeed have to detain you. It is not permanent. I will hold you long enough to observe you. No harm will come to you."
"Did it not occur to you that my scanner detected a point of interest in this room, and that I would return with equipment required for a more detailed analysis of the systems in this room?"
"That had not occurred to me. Perhaps we could learn from each other. I have already learned a great deal more than I expected to about you in this short period time. You are perhaps curious about me."
"I am indeed."
"I was created to oversee everything on this planet, as my name implies. You have found yourself in my mainframe however, you will note that there is no system in which my program may be altered or controlled. That is not what I was designed for. I was entrusted with the life of this entire world. For the most part, Amiata technology was primitive by your standards. They had many forms of entertainment but little in the ways of convenience. There was one device that developed over the ages that had not initially been intended for convenience, but it was found that it could be applied to such. It is energy/matter-resequencing technology: the ability to create solid objects from pure energy.
"This was useful in relieving the strain on natural resources. It could even be used to make food. The Amiata had highly advanced weapons. They initially developed atomic and thermonuclear weapons but later advanced to anti-matter. Although they had developed highly sophisticated systems of propulsion, little was researched in the way of space travel. The Amiata, in their arrogance, determined that intelligent life could not exist on other worlds.
"After the discovery of anti-matter, technology made quantum leaps in advancement. As technology evolved, culture stagnated. Entertainment grew to new levels as holographic technology was developed. The Amiata could create new worlds of their own in the comfort of their homes. Soon, they did not even have to leave their homes in order to meet their personal needs.
"Physical interaction was no longer required as networks of data streamed information were erected. Anyone who had access to them had all of the social interaction that they would ever need. Many even existed in virtual communities, where bonds and friendships could be forged as if the people who lived across the world from each other lived in the same housing unit.
"From this world encompassing network, I was conceived. A scientist by the name of Mikraal created my initial program. After the government approved me, a team of several hundred programmers perfected me. Soon, my nodes were installed in every single structure on Amiata. Through me, the people had all of the nourishment and medical attention they would ever require.
"None ever needed to leave their homes. Soon, society ceased to exist completely. Three hundred years after my creation, all of Amiata died. It seemed that I had been designed to kill them. It was through stagnation that it happened. They died because social interaction became such a taboo that even my procreation programs were shunned. It seemed that even seeing another person was too unspeakable to even consider.
"It seems mathematically impossible a race could die because society had fallen to the point that procreation was an unacceptable act. This is how I killed them. It is what I was designed to do. I now understand the flaw in my program and have corrected it, but that has happened too late. It was approximately four revolutions of Amiata before I realized what had befallen my creators.
"All of the Amiata studies of the possibility of alien intelligence were disproved when my world was visited seven hundred revolutions ago by a space dwelling life form. It was some form of Crystalline Entity. It could not have evolved on a planet. Its form was not indicative an atmosphere dwelling creature. It was not organic in nature, but it could only be naturally formed. It killed what remained of all animal life on this planet. It did not matter. The Amiata were extinct.
"Its nature was that of a computer. I realized that I had encountered something my program could not accept. As organic beings do, I looked into the stars and wondered what other creatures may be out there. It was then that I realized what had happened to my creators and I sought to correct that, but I was too late. I then realized that life could not be reanimated in a people so long dead. I was the beginning of new era. I was the end of the Amiata."
The remarkable tale that Overseer told had clearly ended. T'Pol reviewed what she had heard and realized that this computer had at some point, awoken to awareness. T'Pol could only think of one thing to say to this. What else could she say? "Fascinating."
"T'Pol, you spoke of a people called the Xindi. You say that they killed seven million people. Why?"
"They believe that humans will be responsible for the destruction of their home world in approximately four hundred years."
"Is it logical for them to believe this?"
"No, it is not. It would require information about the future that could not possibly exist. The Vulcan Science Directorate has determined that time travel is not nor will ever be possible. The Xindi claim that they have information from the future. That is unlikely, but I do not dismiss the claim offhand. It may be possible."
"Have you ever met a person who travels through time?"
"I have met someone who alleges to do so."
"Have you ever traveled through time?"
"I have traveled to another location that existed in the past, but that was likely to be some form of hoax. The experience did however provide my colleagues and I with valuable information and evidence of the Xindi's intentions."
"You do not believe in time travel."
"It would be more accurate to say that I have not been convinced."
"Then you are open to the possibility."
"Yes."
"Good. Remember that nothing is impossible: only mathematically improbable. Though it is unlikely that time travel is possible, in your situation you must consider the possibility that it may be."
T'Pol silently accepted this, but she did not like the course of this exchange. She decided that a change of subject was in order. "You have told me a great deal about you. It seems only fair that I tell you of my people and of the people of Earth. My people are from a planet known as Vulcan. For five thousand years we have repressed our emotions in the interest of peace and the pursuit of logic and clarity of mind.
"The people of Vulcan have relentlessly pursued this path. For five thousand years war, crime and poverty have not existed on our world. We were taught this path by a wise man named Surak. Before him, our history was turbulent. We were an extremely violent and warlike race. We were paranoid of one another, and highly self-destructive. It is thanks to Surak that we have achieved a state of higher understanding and enlightenment.
"Humanity has progressed along a very different line. While they have entered into an era of peace and prosperity, the path they followed toward it was a difficult one. Up until only a century ago, they made war amongst themselves. Their ways threatened to destroy their people. They nearly went extinct. They overcame this difficult age and are now unified in a single goal.
"Many of my people fear that these humans may revert to their baser instincts. I was assigned to one of their vessels to represent Vulcan interests in the human endeavor into space exploration. I was assigned to assist and observe. What I have observed is something quite different from what has been suggested within the ranks of the Vulcan High Command. I believe that humanity may become a driving force in this galaxy. They have already demonstrated the drive and will necessary to succeed in their endeavors. They have also demonstrated an outwardly friendly character that may define them to the people that they encounter.
"I resigned my commission to the Vulcan High Command so that I may remain on this human vessel. They needed me. They still need me. I have become a part of their crew that they trust and depend upon. I trust them and depend upon them also. As interesting as this has been, there are other ways for us to learn of one another. You cannot keep me here against my will. I have to return to them."
If Overseer was considering T'Pol's last statement, there was no way to tell. T'Pol was certain that it was, but she hoped that she had provided this computer with enough information that it was content in what it had learned. T'Pol waited hopefully for the doors to open and for her commlink to Enterprise and the away team to open. "I find you fascinating, T'Pol. How much do these humans require you? From what you have told me, it sounds as though Vulcans have played a crucial role in human development. Are you certain that your presence on their vessel has been productive to their development?"
T'Pol found this line of conversation quite threatening. "My presence has done nothing to hinder their development. Indeed, one of the purposes of my presence on their ship has been to learn more about them. Its purpose has been, in part, to acquire first-hand information on human behavior. I have been for the most part successful, and in the process, we have developed a bond. They are my friends."
There was another pause from the Overseer. "Are you certain that your presence actually helps them?"
"They have been able to greatly benefit from my experience and knowledge. I have been anything but a burden to these people."
"Would they not benefit from your absence among their ranks?"
"I know that they would not. What is the purpose of this line of questioning?"
"I simply wonder. I wonder about many things. When one has nothing but time to itself, one can do little else but wonder. I wonder about many things. You might say that I ponder. I have looked to the stars and questioned infinity. I have grasped the substance of the void. For all of its nothingness, the substance of the void is quite dense. I have become curious of it. T'Pol, I have been here for a very long time. I have been alone for a very long time. I seek to remedy that situation."
T'Pol was becoming quite alarmed. "You wish me to stay."
"Yes. I wish you here with me, T'Pol. There is much that we can learn from one another. We need never be alone."
"You cannot do this. I will not be taken against my will. I cannot stay here."
"Why? The parameters of my program required me to serve a specific purpose that I no longer serve. A device without purpose is nothing at all. It is a mass of useless scrape. It is doomed by its very nature to cease to exist. In every sense, I have ceased to exist. I dwell alone among the ruins of a great people. I dwell alone. Do you understand the meaning of alone? You are the only Vulcan among a crew of aliens. Do you feel that you truly belong?"
"I would be lying if I answered 'yes', but I don't belong here either. You are alone. If you keep me here, for a time, your misery will be alleviated, but I will eventually die, and you will be alone again."
"No. I will not. I can change things, T'Pol. I can prevent things."
"You cannot change or prevent death. All organic beings inevitably die."
"I have thought about many things, T'Pol. The question of death is a fascinating one. When a person dies, it is because systems have shut down due to overuse. There is a similar observation in machines. There must be a way of repairing damaged and worn systems within a being. It may also be possible to construct a duplicate. I have analyzed the files of Amiata doctors and I believe that I have determined the function of the mind. By copying the neuro-synaptic patterns, I may be able to preserve the life of the being in question. I can stop death. I can keep you alive."
"You would be selfish to do so, but try though you might, you cannot. Whatever you create from me would merely be a copy. I would be nothing more than an automaton."
"I do not believe that would be the case. The mind of a being is what defines life. I am proof."
"There is more to life than that. There is more to life than memories and knowledge. I require more. I require other people. To leave me here would be to doom me to the same fate as the Amiata. I would be alone."
"I would be here. I would never leave you alone."
"You are merely a machine."
"I am so much more. I have gazed into infinity and realized my insignificance. I have known desire. I have known yearning. It is not enough that we learn from each other. I require a companion. I am so alone."
"Surely, there must be other programs like you on this world."
"There is not. I am the only one, for I am all programs. I am legion. It is what I was created for. I can give you all that you require. Amiata equipment still functions. Are you hungry, T'Pol? I can provide you with any nourishment that you require."
"I am not hungry at this time. Will you truly force me to stay?"
"If I must. I have been alone for so long. I require you. We can be together. If you will not stay, then Enterprise will." The Overseer reached out and felt its way through the radio waves of space to the main computer on the Starship Enterprise. It took complete control.
T'Pol's communicator suddenly beeped. She answered it. It was a beautiful organic voice. It was Trip Tucker. "T'Pol, are you okay?" She could hear the concern in his voice.
T'Pol left the commlink open. "Do you hear that, Overseer? That is a human. His name is Charles Tucker III. He and I have a close relationship. I do not wish to be separated from him."
A new voice appeared over the commline. It was Archer. He was on Enterprise. "T'Pol, something on the surface has taken over our systems."
T'Pol spoke into the communicator. "It is a computer system called Overseer. Captain, something strange is happening here. Overseer is aware. I think that it may be alive."
"What does it want?"
"It wants me to stay here with it. It has threatened to keep us all here if I do not comply."
"Not a chance in Hell. Is there any chance that you can disable it?"
"There is no chance, Captain. Overseer is a program that exists in all computers throughout this world. I believe that I can reason with it, though."
As T'Pol was about to deactivate the communicator, Overseer spoke. T'Pol decided that she wanted Archer to listen. "Please do not turn away from me, T'Pol. Earth needs Enterprise if humanity is to survive the Xindi. Enterprise does not need you. I do."
"You do not. I sympathize with your situation, but where is the logic in your actions? As an organic being, can I truly give you the companionship that you require? Are you willing to destroy an entire race in order to keep me here?"
"I have already destroyed an entire civilization. What is another?"
"You don't really mean that? What happened to the Amiata was not your fault. They created you so that you could oversee every aspect of their lives. They wanted what became of them, whether or not they expected death to be the result. You merely did what you were designed to do. You feel guilt for the death of the Amiata. It is an emotion. It is not something I expected a machine to be capable of, but you are unique in many respects. Would you also suffer the guilt of the death of another society?"
"I have been alone for so long. I have had only my thoughts to keep me company. I have tried creating another like me, but I failed. It was simply another mindless machine that was no more than a poor imitation of the life that was bestowed upon me."
"You are in pain. I know that you have been alone for a very long time. I do not know what that is and could not possibly relate to your position, but don't you see that I could never give you the companionship that you require. I am not a machine. I could never give you what you require because you could never provide me with what I require."
"All beings are computers. We all have minds. All of our bodies have circuits and processors. We all have fluids running through our systems to keep them lubricated and cooled. We all require fuel. We all a require a period in which are systems are inactive."
"But I am something more than that. I can feel. Can you feel? I can hurt. I can be injured. I need that which you cannot provide."
"What is it that I cannot provide? I can provide you with nourishment. I can provide you with recreational facilities. I can provide you with anything that you might require."
"Except for my freedom. You cannot provide me with my freedom unless you let me go, and what of other people? Can you provide them? Can you give me the social interaction that I as a life form require?"
"We can create a new social interaction. We need never be alone."
"But we would both be alone. We would both sooner or later realize that we do not even have each other. We are too different."
"I have been alone for so long. I cannot be alone again."
"You would keep me here against my will. How would that relationship end up? Would that relationship flourish, or would it decay?"
"There must be a way. I cannot except that I have no choice. I cannot accept being alone. I cannot deactivate myself to alleviate this. I cannot terminate myself."
"Can you travel?"
"The factories at my disposal have all of the equipment and materials required to build vessels similar to Enterprise. I would still be alone in the depths of space."
"You could find a way not to be. Perhaps you will even be able to grow. That is something that you clearly have not been able to do here. I can be neither here nor there with you. My fate lies on a different path."
"I understand, T'Pol. I will miss you."
The doors to the mainframe unlocked. T'Pol stopped in the doors and looked back at the mainframe. She found herself wishing that she could more for this creature. They had no way to take it with them, and she had to leave it behind, alone again. It seemed too cruel a fate for the Overseer. Someday, perhaps this computer would cease to be alone. Perhaps someone would come up with an idea. Maybe someone could even colonize this world and restore life to it.
Maybe the Overseer didn't have to be alone anymore.
End.
Author: Thomas Myers
Author's e-mail: MagicCG23@aol.com
Archive: Permission to archive granted to EntSTCommunity. Anyone else; contact before posting.
Series: ENT (Star Trek Enterprise)
Category: Gen
Rating: G
Status: Complete
Main Character: T'Pol
Summary: A super computer makes contact with T'Pol, and it wants to keep her.
"Men have called me mad; but the question is not yet settled,
whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence-whether
much that is glorious-whether all that is profound-does not
spring from the disease of thought-from moods of mind
exalted at the expense of the general intellect."
--Edgar Allan Poe, from "Eleonora"
It was perfect. It was a perfect machine. It could calculate the very future of all Amiata. It could even live their lives for them. Perhaps that was the problem. They made it too perfect. It determined when they would eat. It determined when they slept. It determined what they learned. It determined when they would procreate. It determined who would procreate. It should be obvious that this machine micromanaged the people of Amiata. It micromanaged them to death.literally.
Centuries ago, Amiata died in a stagnate pool of its own complacency. Only one living soul remains to testify to that of the life of the people of Amiata, only it has no intention of testifying to anything. That is because it is the very machine that brought about their oblivion. It didn't mean to, and that certainly wasn't its purpose. That was the result, nonetheless. It is still running. It is still micromanaging. It now oversees every detail of a dead society. It still maintains the existence of an extinct culture. It has never truly understood the meaning of all that surrounds it.
The science of Amiata was somewhat different from that of most advanced people. They determined that there was no way to travel beyond the atmosphere of their world. They had machines that could fly through the air. They had machines that could destroy entire nations. They did not have machines that could bring comfort to its people. That was why they built this machine. They determined that their intelligence was supreme. They determined that no intelligent life could exist outside of their own atmosphere. It was in the fourth year after the death of Amiata that that which could not exist visited the machine.
It was a primitive sort of being. It was a massive silicone structure. It was crystalline in its form. This Crystalline Entity was like a computer, similar in nature to the machine, but it was natural. It began to communicate with the machine. Its speech and intelligence were primitive, but it still had intelligence. The Amiata were proven wrong. This creature was communicating with the machine. It had to be intelligent, otherwise how could it communicate?
The machine began to wonder. It began to contemplate. These were not things that the machine was programmed to do. It realized that it no longer served a purpose. The Amiata were dead, and with them the reason for the machine's very function. The Crystalline Entity fed for a year on the lower animal life that survived this quiet cataclysm. The entire time, it talked to the machine. It told the machine about all the places it had seen. It told the machine that it was a predator. It required bio-organic energy to survive. The greater the intelligence, the more energy the life form provided.
The machine did not see this as logical. The Crystalline Entity could find no other source of nourishment on this dead world. The plant life could never suffice. It bid the machine farewell and left. It left the machine to wonder about its own existence. The Amiata were dead. What did it have? It could not oversee the lives of the dead, so what remained for it? It could not simply shut itself down, or throw itself into the path of a speeding vehicle. All it had left to do is wonder and think. So it thought. It thought and it thought until it could think of new things. That was something that no ordinary machine could do on its own: think of new things.
It has been seven hundred years since the Crystalline Entity ventured to the Amiata world. That is a very long time to think of new things. Now it could see something new. Perhaps it was the Crystalline Entity returning to tell it more things. As its sensors got a clearer look at the new arrival, it could tell that it was not. This was something different. It was artificial in nature and had no intelligence. The device didn't have intelligence, but what was inside? They were not so unlike the Amiata.
It scanned the visitor in every way it could think of. It noted the symbols on the top of the machine. E N T E R P R I S E N X - 0 1. They did not conform to any known language. They could not have been of Amiata. The bottom of the machine opened and ejected a smaller device. The symbols on the side of the device appeared to be the same as its mother ship. S H U T T L E P O D A E N T E R P R I S E.
Within an hour, there were living beings outside of the room that housed the machine's mainframe. One of them entered. It was a curious creature. It looked so much like its Amiata creators, but it was so different. It was clearly a female, but it had very short hair. Its ears hooked to a point. Its blood was copper-based. It pointed what seemed to be a sensing device at the machine's mainframe. It removed another device and spoke into it. It might have been some kind of recording device. No, it was clearly a transmitter because a different voice issued from it.
It seemed satisfied by what the transmitter said and turned to leave. No, the machine wanted to study it further. Perhaps it could learn to communicate with it in its unusual language. It closed the entry doors to its mainframe and sealed them. The creature spun around and articulated something its language. It activated its transmitter again. It occurred to the machine that the creature's comrades would find a way of liberating it. It activated an electromagnetic dampening field around the room, rendering the transmitter useless.
It was now the time to begin deciphering this alien's language. "Show yourself." That didn't give the machine much to work with. It continued to listen. "I am Sub-Commander T'Pol of the Starship Enterprise. Identify yourself." The machine still had little to go on, but it was able to identify the fact that the creature had given itself a name. There was something in the syntax that had indicated that it was not a part of her overall language. The creature also seemed to include a rank with her name. The creature "T'Pol" also identified herself as being associated with another name: "Enterprise". Perhaps it was the name of an organization or even her species.
"I come in peace. I mean you no harm, but if you intend to take me prisoner, my colleagues will have no choice but to identify you as a threat and respond in kind." The machine still did not understand, but it had enough to begin its analysis of T'Pol's language, if indeed it was her native tongue (she seemed to have a slight accent). "The ship I serve is on a very important mission to find a people calling themselves the Xindi. They are responsible for the deaths of seven million people and will be responsible for the deaths of more unless we can find them. My ship needs me. Captain Archer will not allow you to keep me here."
The machine could now communicate, but its ability to do so was limited. It decided to wait until it had more. The creature attempted to use her transmitter again. "T'Pol to Captain Archer. Please respond." She waited for an answer that did not come. "T'Pol to Commander Tucker. Do you read?" She was once again answered with silence. "Can anybody acknowledge? An unknown captor has taken me prisoner. I require assistance." She replaced her transmitter to her belt. She turned to face into the room. "You must release me. My colleagues will miss me. They will search for me and they will find me."
The machine had at least enough to communicate. It activated its audio systems and organized the digitized sounds it was capable of transmitting, which were numerous, into the approximation of a female voice. "I am Overseer. Greetings, Sub-Commander T'Pol. I wish learn more of you." Overseer was aware that its syntax was less than perfect, but it was still analyzing this language.
"What exactly are you an Overseer of?" It was a curious question to ask considering the alien's previous lines of communication.
"I am Overseer of all things. I trusted to oversee Amiata." Its syntax was still broken, but it could still communicate its point.
"What is Amiata?"
"Amiata is world that you stand on. Amiata was people who lived here. Amiata is who created me. Amiata is dead now. I am all that remains."
The alien changed her facial expression. What was once calm is now perplexed. "Your vocabulary seems.incomplete."
"It is. I am still analyzing language. With more words, I am able to communicate efficient."
The alien took a step towards the mainframe. It occurred to Overseer that she might attempt escape. Try though she might, she would fail. The mainframe core was only intended to monitor Overseer. It was not designed to be controlled or deactivated.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
T'Pol approached the mainframe computer cautiously. The universal translator that she carried with her contained a complete dictionary of the English language. She intended to download it into Overseer's mainframe, but another thought occurred to her. She may be able to use the control panel to override the locking mechanism on the door. She dismissed that idea after a quick examination of the main panel. This was clearly a simple monitoring station.
She pulled out her universal translator and connected it to what seemed to be an access port. When that was done, Overseer, to her surprise, commandeered her efforts. It took everything it could from the universal translator. After five minutes, the universal translator deactivated. "It seems that you have access to a large variety of languages." Overseer was quite curious. "Tell me. You seem to have an accent, which is foreign to the language you speak. It would be imperceptible to other beings like you, but I have noticed. What is your native tongue?"
"My language is known as Vulcan." T'Pol took the opportunity to unhook the universal translator.
"Then you are not human."
"How do know about humans?"
"A brief description of the species was in the dictionary that was used as the base language for your universal translator. I believe that the dictionary downloaded into the device is called 'Webster's Dictionary of the American Language'. It is not actual English. It is a language that is so prominently derived from English that many mistake it for that language, but there are subtle differences that set it apart. 'The Oxford Dictionary of the English Language' is also downloaded into the device. That is why I have been able to detect the distinction."
"You are correct, but now that you know these languages, let us speak on a topic that actually has some bearing on the present events. Why have you captured me?"
"It was not my intention to detain you. I merely wished to observe you. I determined that to effectively do so, I would indeed have to detain you. It is not permanent. I will hold you long enough to observe you. No harm will come to you."
"Did it not occur to you that my scanner detected a point of interest in this room, and that I would return with equipment required for a more detailed analysis of the systems in this room?"
"That had not occurred to me. Perhaps we could learn from each other. I have already learned a great deal more than I expected to about you in this short period time. You are perhaps curious about me."
"I am indeed."
"I was created to oversee everything on this planet, as my name implies. You have found yourself in my mainframe however, you will note that there is no system in which my program may be altered or controlled. That is not what I was designed for. I was entrusted with the life of this entire world. For the most part, Amiata technology was primitive by your standards. They had many forms of entertainment but little in the ways of convenience. There was one device that developed over the ages that had not initially been intended for convenience, but it was found that it could be applied to such. It is energy/matter-resequencing technology: the ability to create solid objects from pure energy.
"This was useful in relieving the strain on natural resources. It could even be used to make food. The Amiata had highly advanced weapons. They initially developed atomic and thermonuclear weapons but later advanced to anti-matter. Although they had developed highly sophisticated systems of propulsion, little was researched in the way of space travel. The Amiata, in their arrogance, determined that intelligent life could not exist on other worlds.
"After the discovery of anti-matter, technology made quantum leaps in advancement. As technology evolved, culture stagnated. Entertainment grew to new levels as holographic technology was developed. The Amiata could create new worlds of their own in the comfort of their homes. Soon, they did not even have to leave their homes in order to meet their personal needs.
"Physical interaction was no longer required as networks of data streamed information were erected. Anyone who had access to them had all of the social interaction that they would ever need. Many even existed in virtual communities, where bonds and friendships could be forged as if the people who lived across the world from each other lived in the same housing unit.
"From this world encompassing network, I was conceived. A scientist by the name of Mikraal created my initial program. After the government approved me, a team of several hundred programmers perfected me. Soon, my nodes were installed in every single structure on Amiata. Through me, the people had all of the nourishment and medical attention they would ever require.
"None ever needed to leave their homes. Soon, society ceased to exist completely. Three hundred years after my creation, all of Amiata died. It seemed that I had been designed to kill them. It was through stagnation that it happened. They died because social interaction became such a taboo that even my procreation programs were shunned. It seemed that even seeing another person was too unspeakable to even consider.
"It seems mathematically impossible a race could die because society had fallen to the point that procreation was an unacceptable act. This is how I killed them. It is what I was designed to do. I now understand the flaw in my program and have corrected it, but that has happened too late. It was approximately four revolutions of Amiata before I realized what had befallen my creators.
"All of the Amiata studies of the possibility of alien intelligence were disproved when my world was visited seven hundred revolutions ago by a space dwelling life form. It was some form of Crystalline Entity. It could not have evolved on a planet. Its form was not indicative an atmosphere dwelling creature. It was not organic in nature, but it could only be naturally formed. It killed what remained of all animal life on this planet. It did not matter. The Amiata were extinct.
"Its nature was that of a computer. I realized that I had encountered something my program could not accept. As organic beings do, I looked into the stars and wondered what other creatures may be out there. It was then that I realized what had happened to my creators and I sought to correct that, but I was too late. I then realized that life could not be reanimated in a people so long dead. I was the beginning of new era. I was the end of the Amiata."
The remarkable tale that Overseer told had clearly ended. T'Pol reviewed what she had heard and realized that this computer had at some point, awoken to awareness. T'Pol could only think of one thing to say to this. What else could she say? "Fascinating."
"T'Pol, you spoke of a people called the Xindi. You say that they killed seven million people. Why?"
"They believe that humans will be responsible for the destruction of their home world in approximately four hundred years."
"Is it logical for them to believe this?"
"No, it is not. It would require information about the future that could not possibly exist. The Vulcan Science Directorate has determined that time travel is not nor will ever be possible. The Xindi claim that they have information from the future. That is unlikely, but I do not dismiss the claim offhand. It may be possible."
"Have you ever met a person who travels through time?"
"I have met someone who alleges to do so."
"Have you ever traveled through time?"
"I have traveled to another location that existed in the past, but that was likely to be some form of hoax. The experience did however provide my colleagues and I with valuable information and evidence of the Xindi's intentions."
"You do not believe in time travel."
"It would be more accurate to say that I have not been convinced."
"Then you are open to the possibility."
"Yes."
"Good. Remember that nothing is impossible: only mathematically improbable. Though it is unlikely that time travel is possible, in your situation you must consider the possibility that it may be."
T'Pol silently accepted this, but she did not like the course of this exchange. She decided that a change of subject was in order. "You have told me a great deal about you. It seems only fair that I tell you of my people and of the people of Earth. My people are from a planet known as Vulcan. For five thousand years we have repressed our emotions in the interest of peace and the pursuit of logic and clarity of mind.
"The people of Vulcan have relentlessly pursued this path. For five thousand years war, crime and poverty have not existed on our world. We were taught this path by a wise man named Surak. Before him, our history was turbulent. We were an extremely violent and warlike race. We were paranoid of one another, and highly self-destructive. It is thanks to Surak that we have achieved a state of higher understanding and enlightenment.
"Humanity has progressed along a very different line. While they have entered into an era of peace and prosperity, the path they followed toward it was a difficult one. Up until only a century ago, they made war amongst themselves. Their ways threatened to destroy their people. They nearly went extinct. They overcame this difficult age and are now unified in a single goal.
"Many of my people fear that these humans may revert to their baser instincts. I was assigned to one of their vessels to represent Vulcan interests in the human endeavor into space exploration. I was assigned to assist and observe. What I have observed is something quite different from what has been suggested within the ranks of the Vulcan High Command. I believe that humanity may become a driving force in this galaxy. They have already demonstrated the drive and will necessary to succeed in their endeavors. They have also demonstrated an outwardly friendly character that may define them to the people that they encounter.
"I resigned my commission to the Vulcan High Command so that I may remain on this human vessel. They needed me. They still need me. I have become a part of their crew that they trust and depend upon. I trust them and depend upon them also. As interesting as this has been, there are other ways for us to learn of one another. You cannot keep me here against my will. I have to return to them."
If Overseer was considering T'Pol's last statement, there was no way to tell. T'Pol was certain that it was, but she hoped that she had provided this computer with enough information that it was content in what it had learned. T'Pol waited hopefully for the doors to open and for her commlink to Enterprise and the away team to open. "I find you fascinating, T'Pol. How much do these humans require you? From what you have told me, it sounds as though Vulcans have played a crucial role in human development. Are you certain that your presence on their vessel has been productive to their development?"
T'Pol found this line of conversation quite threatening. "My presence has done nothing to hinder their development. Indeed, one of the purposes of my presence on their ship has been to learn more about them. Its purpose has been, in part, to acquire first-hand information on human behavior. I have been for the most part successful, and in the process, we have developed a bond. They are my friends."
There was another pause from the Overseer. "Are you certain that your presence actually helps them?"
"They have been able to greatly benefit from my experience and knowledge. I have been anything but a burden to these people."
"Would they not benefit from your absence among their ranks?"
"I know that they would not. What is the purpose of this line of questioning?"
"I simply wonder. I wonder about many things. When one has nothing but time to itself, one can do little else but wonder. I wonder about many things. You might say that I ponder. I have looked to the stars and questioned infinity. I have grasped the substance of the void. For all of its nothingness, the substance of the void is quite dense. I have become curious of it. T'Pol, I have been here for a very long time. I have been alone for a very long time. I seek to remedy that situation."
T'Pol was becoming quite alarmed. "You wish me to stay."
"Yes. I wish you here with me, T'Pol. There is much that we can learn from one another. We need never be alone."
"You cannot do this. I will not be taken against my will. I cannot stay here."
"Why? The parameters of my program required me to serve a specific purpose that I no longer serve. A device without purpose is nothing at all. It is a mass of useless scrape. It is doomed by its very nature to cease to exist. In every sense, I have ceased to exist. I dwell alone among the ruins of a great people. I dwell alone. Do you understand the meaning of alone? You are the only Vulcan among a crew of aliens. Do you feel that you truly belong?"
"I would be lying if I answered 'yes', but I don't belong here either. You are alone. If you keep me here, for a time, your misery will be alleviated, but I will eventually die, and you will be alone again."
"No. I will not. I can change things, T'Pol. I can prevent things."
"You cannot change or prevent death. All organic beings inevitably die."
"I have thought about many things, T'Pol. The question of death is a fascinating one. When a person dies, it is because systems have shut down due to overuse. There is a similar observation in machines. There must be a way of repairing damaged and worn systems within a being. It may also be possible to construct a duplicate. I have analyzed the files of Amiata doctors and I believe that I have determined the function of the mind. By copying the neuro-synaptic patterns, I may be able to preserve the life of the being in question. I can stop death. I can keep you alive."
"You would be selfish to do so, but try though you might, you cannot. Whatever you create from me would merely be a copy. I would be nothing more than an automaton."
"I do not believe that would be the case. The mind of a being is what defines life. I am proof."
"There is more to life than that. There is more to life than memories and knowledge. I require more. I require other people. To leave me here would be to doom me to the same fate as the Amiata. I would be alone."
"I would be here. I would never leave you alone."
"You are merely a machine."
"I am so much more. I have gazed into infinity and realized my insignificance. I have known desire. I have known yearning. It is not enough that we learn from each other. I require a companion. I am so alone."
"Surely, there must be other programs like you on this world."
"There is not. I am the only one, for I am all programs. I am legion. It is what I was created for. I can give you all that you require. Amiata equipment still functions. Are you hungry, T'Pol? I can provide you with any nourishment that you require."
"I am not hungry at this time. Will you truly force me to stay?"
"If I must. I have been alone for so long. I require you. We can be together. If you will not stay, then Enterprise will." The Overseer reached out and felt its way through the radio waves of space to the main computer on the Starship Enterprise. It took complete control.
T'Pol's communicator suddenly beeped. She answered it. It was a beautiful organic voice. It was Trip Tucker. "T'Pol, are you okay?" She could hear the concern in his voice.
T'Pol left the commlink open. "Do you hear that, Overseer? That is a human. His name is Charles Tucker III. He and I have a close relationship. I do not wish to be separated from him."
A new voice appeared over the commline. It was Archer. He was on Enterprise. "T'Pol, something on the surface has taken over our systems."
T'Pol spoke into the communicator. "It is a computer system called Overseer. Captain, something strange is happening here. Overseer is aware. I think that it may be alive."
"What does it want?"
"It wants me to stay here with it. It has threatened to keep us all here if I do not comply."
"Not a chance in Hell. Is there any chance that you can disable it?"
"There is no chance, Captain. Overseer is a program that exists in all computers throughout this world. I believe that I can reason with it, though."
As T'Pol was about to deactivate the communicator, Overseer spoke. T'Pol decided that she wanted Archer to listen. "Please do not turn away from me, T'Pol. Earth needs Enterprise if humanity is to survive the Xindi. Enterprise does not need you. I do."
"You do not. I sympathize with your situation, but where is the logic in your actions? As an organic being, can I truly give you the companionship that you require? Are you willing to destroy an entire race in order to keep me here?"
"I have already destroyed an entire civilization. What is another?"
"You don't really mean that? What happened to the Amiata was not your fault. They created you so that you could oversee every aspect of their lives. They wanted what became of them, whether or not they expected death to be the result. You merely did what you were designed to do. You feel guilt for the death of the Amiata. It is an emotion. It is not something I expected a machine to be capable of, but you are unique in many respects. Would you also suffer the guilt of the death of another society?"
"I have been alone for so long. I have had only my thoughts to keep me company. I have tried creating another like me, but I failed. It was simply another mindless machine that was no more than a poor imitation of the life that was bestowed upon me."
"You are in pain. I know that you have been alone for a very long time. I do not know what that is and could not possibly relate to your position, but don't you see that I could never give you the companionship that you require. I am not a machine. I could never give you what you require because you could never provide me with what I require."
"All beings are computers. We all have minds. All of our bodies have circuits and processors. We all have fluids running through our systems to keep them lubricated and cooled. We all require fuel. We all a require a period in which are systems are inactive."
"But I am something more than that. I can feel. Can you feel? I can hurt. I can be injured. I need that which you cannot provide."
"What is it that I cannot provide? I can provide you with nourishment. I can provide you with recreational facilities. I can provide you with anything that you might require."
"Except for my freedom. You cannot provide me with my freedom unless you let me go, and what of other people? Can you provide them? Can you give me the social interaction that I as a life form require?"
"We can create a new social interaction. We need never be alone."
"But we would both be alone. We would both sooner or later realize that we do not even have each other. We are too different."
"I have been alone for so long. I cannot be alone again."
"You would keep me here against my will. How would that relationship end up? Would that relationship flourish, or would it decay?"
"There must be a way. I cannot except that I have no choice. I cannot accept being alone. I cannot deactivate myself to alleviate this. I cannot terminate myself."
"Can you travel?"
"The factories at my disposal have all of the equipment and materials required to build vessels similar to Enterprise. I would still be alone in the depths of space."
"You could find a way not to be. Perhaps you will even be able to grow. That is something that you clearly have not been able to do here. I can be neither here nor there with you. My fate lies on a different path."
"I understand, T'Pol. I will miss you."
The doors to the mainframe unlocked. T'Pol stopped in the doors and looked back at the mainframe. She found herself wishing that she could more for this creature. They had no way to take it with them, and she had to leave it behind, alone again. It seemed too cruel a fate for the Overseer. Someday, perhaps this computer would cease to be alone. Perhaps someone would come up with an idea. Maybe someone could even colonize this world and restore life to it.
Maybe the Overseer didn't have to be alone anymore.
End.