yay last of the 7 ^_^
dont own star trek ^_^ i really should try to get that phaser and shirt for my spock bear before they run out though ^_^
Episode 2-8 I, Mudd
Dr. McCoy, Spock and Saya were walking down the hall together when they passed the new crewmen Norman. After a greeting McCoy stopped and stared after him. Spock asked if something was wrong and Saya narrowed her eyes at Spock. 'Probably the same thing I think is wrong.' she told him mentally as McCoy answered "Yes. There's something odd about that man, and I can't quite pinpoint it."
"I can. He is not human no matter how human he appears." Saya stated flatly.
Spock looked at both of them before replying "Perhaps you both are making a rather hasty judgment. Mister Norman has only been aboard seventy two hours." Saya sighed and McCoy stated that something about Norman didn't strike him as right. "Specifics, Doctor. Labels do not make arguments."
McCoy answered irritably "All right. There's something wrong about a man who never smiles, whose conversation never varies from the routine of the job, and who won't talk about his background." Saya burst out laughing, relieving the tension she felt every time she was near Norman. "Spock, I mean that it's odd for a non-Vulcan. The ears make all the difference."
Saya laughed harder as Spock pointed out "I find your argument strewn with gaping defects in logic." She also heard Spock mentally telling her that he did not understand her amusement.
"Maybe, but you can't evaluate a man by logic alone. Besides, he has avoided two appointments that I've made for his physical exam without reason." McCoy replied adamantly.
"That's not at all surprising, Doctor. He's probably terrified of your beads and rattles." Spock answered in his usual flat tone. Saya could feel the almost humor in Spock at the jab but she turned serious quite quickly thinking about Norman avoiding medical exams. 'I am aware you do not believe he is human.' Spock started to let her know.
'I know, without proof nothing can be done. He just doesn't smell human or feel human and I don't mean skin. I mean the way I can't feel it when he is watching me like I can with everyone else.' She replied as they continued on their way. Spock observed her and worked at the puzzle same as her as they continued on their way.
They were called to the bridge, well Spock was and Saya was as ever his shadow. "Mr. Spock, we seem to be taking an unscheduled ride." Kirk informed him as soon as they stepped off the turbolift. Saya quietly listened as they had more and more issue trying to regain control of the ship. She heard Scotty say that the the intruder was in his area before they again lost contact with engineering.
They picked up speed and Kirk went to check on engineering only to have Norman grab his arm and say "It will not be necessary, Captain." Saya looked over at Spock who notified her 'I am aware that your distrust of Norman, though illogical, was correct.' she shot him a smile as he started working on what to do.
Kirk informed security that the bridge found the intruder before demanding what it was all about. "I am in total control of your ship. I have connected the matter-antimatter pods to the main navigational bank. A trigger relay is now in operation. Any attempts to alter course will result in immediate destruction of this vessel." Norman informed Kirk.
Kirk asked for confirmation from Spock who provided it "Confirmed, Captain. He's taken out all the override controls. If we tamper without knowing where the trigger relay is, we could extinguish ourselves."
While Kirk and Norman talked Saya got lost in figuring out what Norman was. 'He's like Mr. Spock but much more… cold? ... Emotionless? … Binary!' She looked up at Spock and mentally asked if androids were possible. At that moment Norman lifted his tunic and showed a panel in his abdomen containing circuits and wires.
Saya smiled 'that's why he didn't feel human and seemed … binary. He isn't living, he is a machine.' Spock confirmed and commented to Kirk about Norman being most sophisticated. "I control the trigger relay, sir. I cannot be overcome by physical means, and if you attempt to use your phasers, the trigger relay will be activated. We shall continue on our present course for approximately four solar days, at which time we shall arrive at our destination." Norman informed them.
Kirk asked who sent him and Norman said he was not programmed to respond in that area. Spock attempted to lightly meld with Norman only to report "He simply appears to have turned himself off, Captain. And since we cannot repair the damage he has done without destroying the ship..."
Kirk finished Spock's sentence "It seems we're going to take a little trip." Saya could feel Spock thinking about the complexities of the ship and trying to up with an answer. She remained fairly quiet as he worked so she wouldn't distract him in noise or mental chatter.
McCoy of course had to say he told Spock so but Saya let him know that she had said it first. That caused McCoy to ask her how she could stand Spock's insufferable logic all the time. Grinning Saya answered "Why, they very same way you do Dr. McCoy." before following Spock to his next task.
4 days passed with minimal difference in patterns, excluding of course everyone on the bridge having to walk around a powered down Norman. Norman powered up once they were in orbit of an uncharted planet. "Captain Kirk. The following individuals will be transported down to our planet. Yourself, science officer, medical officer, communications officer and navigator." Norman informed them. Kirk started to say that all meetings or discussions would be held aboard the Enterprise but Norman cut him off threatening "If you do not come with me, your engines will be destroyed and you will remain in orbit here forever."
Kirk stated dryly that it was a gracious invitation and Norman added "There is a word. Among us there is no corresponding meaning, but it seems to mean something to you humans." Kirk asked what the word was and Norman answered "Please." to everyone's mild surprise. 'But androids would not need manners. It would be an obvious thing to follow directions so niceties would be a waste of energy.' Saya thought to Spock.
'Vulcans are much the same way, however we have adapted to aid in inter species interactions.' Spock answered her. Though she had not been directly requested she, as always, followed Spock and Norman did not stop her. They materialized in an area that was a beautiful mix between cave wall and geometric structures. "Our planet's surface is what you classify as K-type, adaptable for humans by use of pressure domes and life-support systems." Norman informed Kirk before telling one of 2 identical women that he had brought them.
They followed the ladies to a throne room containing more of the same ladies and Mudd sitting on the throne. Saya bristled as soon as she saw him. Spock and McCoy closed ranks in front of her, mostly blocking her from view. Kirk commented "I don't believe it." Saya took a calming breath and pushed away the urge to knock Mudd out, in doing so she missed a bit of the conversation and looked up to see one of the ladies crush Kirk's communicator.
"Now, now, now, now, Jamie boy, let's have no unauthorized communications." Mudd said. Saya started to mentally thank Spock who simply told her 'we are aware of your strong detest for Mudd. I am aware of why. it is a simple thing to aid you.' Chekov asked if Kirk knew Mudd in a somewhat disbelieving voice.
"Oh, do I know him. Harcourt Fenton Mudd, thief Swindler and con man Liar and rogue." Kirk agitatedly responded as Mudd tried to protest. Mudd asked if he left them with that impression and Kirk answered "He belongs in jail, which is where I thought I left you, Mudd."
Saya started observing the droids around them instead of listening to the conversation, knowing that Spock would be able to give her a play by play if needed. She noticed the strange necklaces all of the androids wore. The 2 next to mud wore '66' and '99' on their pendant. Mudd showed off the droids by having more of the same type come over and stand in a line next to him. Saya heard Spock comment "Five hundred of the same model? That seems rather redundant." in her mind but she was focused on reading the numbers for each. There were 2 male androids by the door, also identical and she noticed a few others moving about. They always had matching ones… all except Norman and she was itching to wander around and see if he had duplicates since she hadn't seen any.
She again heard Spock's comment in her head as he said "He did not pay royalties." Saya started paying attention again as Mudd told them that he sold the Denebians all the rights to a Vulcan fuel synthesizer Kirk said "And the Denebians contacted the Vulcans." Mudd asked how he knew and Kirk answered "That's what I would have done."
Mudd complained "It's typical police mentality. They've got no sense of humor They arrested me." McCoy sarcastically said he found it shocking and Mudd continued "Worse than that. Do know what the penalty for fraud is on Deneb Five?"
"The guilty party has his choice. Death by electrocution, death by gas, death by phaser, death by hanging." Spock answered in his measured way.
"The key word in your entire peroration, Mr. Spock, was, death. Barbarians. Well, of course, I left." Mudd continued and Kirk added that he broke jail. "I borrowed transportation." Mudd said and Kirk added that he stole a spaceship. "The patrol reacted in a hostile manner." Mudd continued and Kirk informed them that they fired at him.
Mudd got agitated as he kept going "They've no respect for private property. They damaged the bloody spaceship. Well, I got away, but I couldn't navigate, so I wandered out through unmapped space, and here I found Mudd."
Spock was as always calculating and stated "You went to substantial risk and effort to bring a starship here. Logically, you must have a compelling motive." as a way of asking for the reason.
"Spock, you're going to love it here. They all talk just the way you do." Mudd said with an air of diversion. Kirk demanded the answer and Mudd continued "Yes, well, right, laddy buck. So here I am in a planet with over two hundred thousand hard-working, happy androids, all of whom exist merely to serve my every whim. It's absolute paradise."
"Then I'm unable to discern your problem." Spock said as Saya thought 'there is no challenge. Humans need challenge.' She could feel Spock noting her comment but he did not reply. She smiled at how nice it was to have this connection with him. She was drawn back to what was going on by Mudd suddenly getting up. Saya hid more fully behind Spock trying to stay out of the eyes of Mudd.
"They won't let me go. They want to study me. They want to learn more about human beings." Mudd complained. Kirk commented that they had picked a fine representative to which Mudd said "Watch your tongue, lad. You're talking about Mudd the First. Well, anyway, I ran out of ideas. I simply ran out of things for them to do, and they insisted that I bring them more human beings. They need human beings to serve, to study. So I had to promise them a prime sample. A starship captain. Bright, loyal, fearless and imaginative. Any captain would have done. I was lucky to get you. So you are going to take over for me here, and I can get off this rock and back to civilization"
Kirk flatly said it wouldn't happen and Mudd putting a hand on Kirk's shoulder said "You misunderstand me, lad. I'm not asking you. I'm telling you. You've no choice. Show them to their quarters." As they started to move McCoy noticed a curtained alcove and asked about it. "Ah. That, gentlemen, is a shrine to the memory of my beloved Stella." Mudd answered and when Kirk asked who Mudd clarified "Stella, my wife."
McCoy asked if she was dead and Mudd answered "Oh, no, no, no. Merely deserted. You see, gentlemen, behind every great man there is a woman urging him on. And so it was with my Stella. She urged me on into outer space. Not that she meant to, but with her continual, eternal, confounded nagging. Well, I think of her constantly, and every time I do, I go further out into space." Saya lost interest again and looked around watching all the androids. They started walking again and Saya continued to not really pay attention until Kirk asked what who created them. Saya sat next to Uhura and listened.
"The makers designed us. They came from the galaxy of Andromeda." Norman answered. McCoy asked if they were humanoid and Norman informed him "They were, as you say, quite humanoid, but, unlike your civilization, robots were common. We performed the necessary service functions and freed our makers to evolve a perfect social order."
Saya was minimally intrigued as Kirk asked what became of the makers. "Our home planet's sun became a nova. Only a few exploratory outposts survived. This unit, myself, was part of one such outpost in your galaxy. They died over the stretch of time." Spock asked who they served and all the droids responded that they served Harry Mudd.
The Alice droids said "He has given us purpose again." and "It is necessary to have purpose." and Norman added "We lacked it for a long time." Alice 1 spoke again "We have a very extensive library section for your amusement." and Alice 2 added "Our research laboratories and workshops are extremely well equipped." before both told them that they were free to visit them.
Kirk asked them to leave and both Alices asked why they should leave. "Because we don't like you. Now." and shooed them away. Once they finally left Kirk asked for opinions. Chekov said he thought they were in a lot of trouble and Kirk replied irritated "That's a great help, Mister Chekov. Bones?" McCoy answered that he thought Mr. Chekov was right and they were in a lot of trouble. "Spock. And if you say we're in a lot of trouble." Kirk asked exasperated.
"We are, and we must direct our attack to the heart of the matter. Obviously this many androids cannot operate independently. There must be a central control system which guides the entire android population." Spock stated.
"Try and find it. The rest of you, look around, learn everything you can. I'll see what else I can find out from Mister Mudd. Let's go." Kirk instructed and everyone took off. Saya of course followed Spock and watched the androids as they walked. Spock inquired to the device Norman was behind when they entered what seemed to be a control room and Saya observed the other droids present.
Saya looked up as Norman's necklace started lighting up and beeping right before he said "I am not programmed to respond in that area." Saya continued to watch and wondered if it was relaying information or sounding an alarm. They returned and Spock reported to Kirk. They were interrupted by Mudd and McCoy entering and talking about the research facilities. Spock stood up and Saya worked to stay out of Mudd's direct line of sight.
Scotty was then dragged in by an Alice and thrown into the group. Mudd welcomed him to the planet and Scotty replied "Harry Mudd! Oh, you bogus frat, you. You're the cause of all this, are you?" Kirk demanded why Scotty was there as he was ordered to stay aboard and Scotty replied "Aye, sir. And I stayed until that female gargantuan threw me into the transporter beams."
Kirk demanded explanation and Mudd obliged "Didn't I tell you, Kirk? I beamed a few dozen androids up to your ship. They've been sending your crew to the surface for the past couple of hours. They're all down now."
Kirk grabbed Mudd by the throat and pushed him against a wall saying "Are you out of your mind? You can't beam down an entire crew of a spaceship. Somebody has to be on board." Mudd answered that there was an entire crew of androids and that Kirk could do nothing about it. Saya was thinking about the androids that seemed so intent on obeying yet would not let Mudd go by his own admission. She couldn't figure out how the 2 could truly mesh.
She looked up as Spock said "He could successfully accomplish it, Captain. I've questioned a number of the androids, and they're totally loyal to Mudd. Perhaps of more concern is the fact that this android population can literally provide anything a human being could ask for in unlimited quantity."
Kirk replied "Yes, I know. That's what worries me. How will my crew react in a world where they can have everything they want simply by asking for it."
Saya looked at the group in confusion "Don't you have to work really hard to get into starfleet? Don't you have many chances to not work a job that is all consuming and dangerous to boot? Don't you have choices to find lives that allow you luxury and leisure? Yet everyone on the Enterprise, even me, choose to be there. They choose challenge, risk, danger, excitement and exploration rather than luxury and leisure. Why would that change just because we are trapped?"
The others looked at her in confusion and surprise. "I'm not saying that we all won't be tempted in our own ways. But we made the choices we did because we don't like to sit and do nothing." Kirk thought about it and grinned as he got an idea. He sent her to check on Uhura as they talked about what to do.
Saya put up her side of the block and Spock did the same. Both knew that she was excluded by the captain for a reason but the last thing she did get from him was Spock acknowledging a comment about her being quite the watcher. She met up with Uhura as she was being shown the possibility of an ageless body. Saya looked at her and the droids like they were ludicrous at the mere thought of living forever as an android.
They returned and Saya wondered what the droids would offer her as everyone else gave off an air of being lured. She perked up at Kirk snapping "All right. We're getting back to the ship, and don't you forget it. Straighten up! This may be a gilded cage filled with everything you always wanted, but it's still a cage. We don't belong here. We belong on that ship up there."
Alice 471 came in and asked if they wanted anything. Kirk repeatedly asked for their ship back and Alice repeatedly stated that she could not provide that. Finally Kirk said they were unhappy there and Alice asked them to explain Unhappy. "Unhappiness is the state which occurs in the human when wants and desires are not fulfilled." Spock obliged.
Alice asked what wants and desires they were not having fulfilled and Kirk said they wanted the Enterprise. Alice's necklace started beeping and flashing before she said it was not a want or desire but a mechanical device. Kirk responded that it was a beautiful lady and they loved her. Alice's necklace flat lined as she said "Illogical. Illogical. All units relate. All units. Norman, coordinate. Unhappiness does not relate. We must study this." then left.
Kirk asked if Bones had managed to do a psychological reading on the androids and McCoy answered "I did. And you can forget it. They're perfect, flawless, mentally and physically. No weaknesses, perfectly disciplined. No vices, no fears, no faults. Just a sense of purpose. Believe me, there's nothing tougher to overcome, even among humans."
Spock and Kirk left with the Alice to see Mudd and Saya sat thinking about the strange responses from the androids. They returned and Saya half listened to the talk. It was about the androids taking over the galaxy. Spock stated that they would be able to leave orbit once they install some cybernetic devices aboard the Enterprise and McCoy asked how he knew. He replied simply that he asked. "Why shouldn't they answer our questions? They don't think we can do anything to stop them." Kirk jumped in.
Saya finally spoke up "They can be confused. We saw that with Alice whats-her-number earlier. What if we were to confuse them enough then go after the head of the snake so to speak?"
Kirk asked what Spock thought directed them and he answered "There are a large number of Alice's and Trudies, Maisies, Annabels, and according to my research, a Herman series, an Oscar series, a whole plethora of series in fact. But only one Norman."
Saya got lost with some of the technical stuff being said until Kirk finished "Yes, logical. That's what it is. And that in turn gives us a weapon that we can use against them. We must use wild, insane, irrational illogic aimed right at Norman!"
Mudd demanded what it was about and Spock said it was possibly their only opportunity. "Opportunity? Now, listen, Spock, you may be a wonderful science officer, but believe me, you couldn't sell fake patents to your mother." Mudd stated. Spock said he failed to understand why he should induce his mother to purchase falsified patents and Mudd gave up.
Before they could get much further an android Herman entered and requested Saya to follow. Puzzled she stuck near Spock until he mentally and Kirk verbally instructed her to go with Herman. She followed him to a room filled with art supplies of every imaginable form. She was awestruck and wondrously walked around the room looking at everything as Herman offered to provide anything she wished.
'They are trying to bribe me. It would have a better chance of working except they lack the ability to offer me one thing I value far more than everything in this room.' she shot to Spock. At his inquisitiveness she smiled to herself and told him 'you. All the art supplies, all the luxury and leisure in the world would be boring and lonely without you.'
Spock notified her that they had come up with a plan to confuse the androids and gave her instructions to confuse any she could find. She grinned as she requested Herman to provide more androids to assist her and he brought in another 2 Hermans. Picking up a few buckets of red paint she splashed each one then in confusion asked them "Why are you blue? I don't like blue, I like red!" the necklaces started beeping and she watched then splashed more red paint on them demanding "Why are you yellow now! I said I like red!" They proceed to shut down in confusion and she went to find further ones to attempt to confuse at the request of Spock. She wasn't sure how many the others had managed to shut down but she and Spock were confusing quite a few.
She heard Spock say "Logic is a little tweeting bird chirping in a meadow. Logic is a wreath of pretty flowers which smell bad. Are you sure your circuits are registering correctly? Your ears are green." and burst out laughing at the strangeness of it which confused the Oscars she was walking with. From there she told them that she was laughing at something Spock said and they shut down.
"Didn't expect the truth to actually confuse them but that worked well." she commented to herself with a chuckle. Spock had Saya help check that all the droids were immobilized and Saya shot him an idea to deal with Mudd since they would now be able to escape. Once he checked it with Kirk, he instructed her to carry it out so she did.
She returned to the group, finished with her task, to hear Bones say "Well, we found a whole world of minds that work just like yours. Logical, unemotional, completely pragmatic. And we poor, irrational humans whipped them in a fair fight. Now you'll find yourself back among us illogical humans again."
She looked around at the various beautiful outfits on the androids as she listened to Spock reply with a grin. "Which I find eminently satisfactory, Doctor, for nowhere am I so desperately needed as among a shipload of illogical humans." Mudd entered and this time Saya didn't hide behind a crewman but her grin did widen
Mudd demanded to know why he had to stay and Kirk answered that he had been paroled to the android population of the planet. "The androids are being reprogrammed. Their original purpose was to adapt this planet for productive use. They'll begin that work again."
Mudd whined about what he should do saying he was no scientist. "No, you're an irritant. You'll stay here and provide a first-class example to the androids of a human failure. They'll learn by close observation how to avoid ones like you in the future." Kirk replied. Mudd asked how long and Kirk answered "As long as you continue to be an irritant, Harry. It's up to you."
Mudd looked around lecherously at the androids and said "I suppose that taking everything into consideration, as it were, and noting all the different possibilities, I could manage. And as detention sentences go, this one isn't too uncomfortable. And I'm back in the galaxy again!"
"Yes, you are. Oh, there's one more thing, Harry. We've programmed a special android attendant to take care of your every need. She'll help you find an incentive to work with the androids and not exploit them." Kirk added.
Mudd said it was unexpectedly civil of him and Kirk smirked as Stella 1 came into the room hollering "Harcourt! Harcourt Fenton Mudd, what have you been up to? Have you been drinking again? You answer me!" Stella 2 came out of another hallway shouting "Harcourt! Harcourt Fenton Mudd, you've been overeating again and drinking."
Mudd simpered "Kirk, you can't do this. It's inhuman." But before he could say anything else Stella 500 came from behind them and said his name. "No. Number five hundred? No, no, no." Soon the androids were surrounding him and the last thing their group heard was Mudd whimpering "Kirk. It's inhuman. Mercy." before they were beamed up.
As they returned to the bridge Uhura asked what Saya had been bribed with. Saya smiled at Spock's back a moment then looked at Uhura "they tried art supplies but the thing is, they didn't have the one thing I really wanted so they had no chance to bribe me." Uhura grinned at her then at Spock as they entered the turbolift.
"I am not sure if I should worry or be glad for your devotion Ms. Saya I am impressed with your forethought on providing special android attendants for Harry Mudd." Kirk commented with a chuckle as he took the captain's chair and they headed off for their next adventure.
*END*