Change of plans pt 1

Rommie was on the command deck of the Andromeda Ascendant suppressing the urge to scream. The Castalian ambassador was berating her again.

"Why aren't my bags ready?" he shouted. "I distinctly remember telling you that I expected you to have my bags ready whenwe arrived at Scheherezade Drift. We've been in docking orbit for five minutes now and my luggage is not in the hanger bay."

The Andromeda had been tasked to transport the Castalian ambassador to the Scheherezade Drift to attend a conference being hosted by the Free Trade Alliance. Within minutes of his arrival it had become apparent that the ambassador disliked artificial intelligences and had a particular dislike for her. He had only been onboard for two days now but it had felt like two years.

"Mr. Ambassador at present all crewmembers are at docking stations are and far too busy to carry your luggage down to the hanger deck. When we have completed docking maneuvers and are safely in orbit I will see to it that your bags are transported."

"And what about your bots?" sneered the ambassador. "Are you going to tell me that they are too busy also?"

"Actually ambassador they are. If the Commonwealth had agreed to give us the extra crewmembers Captain Hunt had requested they would be available for you, but at present they are manning stations that would normally be manned by crewmembers." Undiplomatically she added, "If I remember correctly you were among those who voted against the extra crewmembers."

Her logic only increased the ambassador's anger. "You are a machine. Machines exist to serve living beings. I command you to have my bags taken to the hanger deck immediately."

Dylan had heard enough. "That's enough Mr. Ambassador. I will personally see to it that your luggage is taken to the hanger deck but for the moment I must ask you to leave the command deck. We are entering a critical phase of the docking maneuver and I can't afford to have my officers distracted." The last was a bold faced lie but he wanted to get the ambassador away form Rommie. She was livid with rage, her hands clinched and held tightly at her sides.

After the ambassador was gone, Dylan put his hands on Rommie's shoulders. "Don't let that jackass get to you Rommie. Some people are just stupidly prejudiced against AIs."

If she hadn't been so angry, Rommie would never have said what she said next, but anger had control of her at the moment. "You are not exactly free of prejudice yourself Captain"

"I don't understand Rommie. When have I ever showed any prejudice against you?"

"Not towards me. Towards other AIs. Do you remember Maggie, Jill, of the Pax Magellenica?"

"That was different Rommie. She had disobeyed a direct order from her captain to destroy herself rather than risk letting her fall into enemy hands. And then she attacked us."

"Only after you decided to erase her personality; to kill her. She was acting in self defense."

"The oath that Maggie, err Jill, took and regulations state that.."

"I know what the regulations are, and the oath too. I took the same oath remember?" Some of the anger was fading. She wanted him to understand, not get into an argument. "Dylan do you know that only AI's are required to swear not to be taken by the enemy? Yet there weapon experts and scientists who if they were taken prisoner by an enemy could reveal knowledge that would be at least as dangerous to the Commonwealth as a captured warship. Yet they do not have to swear not to be taken alive. And the regulations that give a commanding officer the right to summarily erase the personality of an AI who disobeys orders. Should an organic disobey an order or commit a crime regulations guarantee it a hearing and the opportunity to speak in its own defense yet AI's have no such rights." She took his hand between hers and held it for a moment. "Dylan I know that you and every member of the crew would die for me, as I would for them, but you have to admit that there is something wrong with the Commonwealth when not all of it's citizens have the same rights."

Their conversation was interrupted when Andromeda appeared in the main viewscreen. "Captain, we have a priority one communication from Scheherezade Drift."

"Put it on Andromeda"

Andromeda was replaced by the image of a Lancer major. She was clearly agitated. "Captain Hunt, a Guard courier ship has just arrived. Twelve standard days ago the mining site on Arzawa III was attacked by what was reported to be mechanical insects. These insects were apparently under control of one or more humans." The Major paused for a moment apparently to get her emotions under control then continued. "According to the courier we do not expect there were any survivors of the attack. I am downloading details of the attack including images of the insects and their controllers to your AI now."

The image on the screen changed again, to show what appeared to be a mechanical spider and two humans, a man and a woman. The man was a complete stranger to Dylan and Rommie but the woman was another matter. The woman in the image was an old friend of theirs, Major Samantha Carter of Stargate Command.