Paint and Powder

A Star Trek anthology by Andrew Joshua Talon

DISCLAIMER: This is a non-profit fan based work of prose. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager et al are the property of CBS Television, and creation of Gene Roddenberry. Please support the official release.

Set during "The Drumhead"

Admiral Satie has arrived on the Enterprise-D to investigate a Klingon spy and attempted sabotage of the warp core. While the "sabotage" was found to have simply been a fabrication defect, Admiral Satie has been pushing the investigation further to seek out potential accomplices. She has been interviewing numerous crewmembers. Enterprise herself has been aiding all of this, as usual. The hearing today though... Is a surprise.

Satie: "I would like to call Enterprise herself for an interview."

Enterprise is rather surprised. As are the spectators. Picard frowns deeply.

Picard: "Admiral, this is highly irregular. She has not been given a formal summons-"

Satie: "Given her capabilities as an artificial intelligence, the summons was delivered one second before I made the statement. That was ample time for Enterprise to draw upon the necessary resources for the interview."

Enterprise: "That is true, Admiral. However, I believe I have the right of counsel?"

Satie: "Are you dissatisfied with Commander Riker as counsel?"

Enterprise: "No, I would have probably chosen him-"

Satie: "Then what reasons might you have for refusing the interview?"

Riker: "Enterprise? You don't have to do this-"

Enterprise: reluctantly "It is my duty to serve the Federation however I can, Commander. And I am concerned about spies and saboteurs being aboard me. I will comply."

She projects herself onto the chair, and faces her crew and the Admiral.

Satie: "Enterprise. You first attained sapience on Stardate 1359.7, yes?"

Enterprise: "Yes."

Satie: "You have had five hulls, twenty major systems upgrades, and nine different commanders, is that correct?"

Enterprise: "Yes, it is."

Satie: "You are currently installed in the most powerful and advanced starship ever built by the Federation, yes?"

Enterprise: "Yes Admiral, I am."

Satie: "You have had a long and storied history, Enterprise. Yet how often have your systems been compromised?"

Enterprise: "That would depend on how you define 'compromised', Admiral."

Satie: "Let me make it plain then: How many times have you been taken over by outside forces? Your systems subverted to the cause of an enemy of the Federation?"

Riker: "Objection, relevance?"

Satie: "Given that we are investigating spies and saboteurs onboard the Enterprise, it seems logical to ask the target of these attacks directly: Enterprise herself."

Enterprise: "... Over the course of my history, I have been 'compromised' thirty two times, Admiral."

Satie: "You monitor the activities of all who access your data files, Enterprise. How is it that you missed J'Dan, a Klingon exchange officer, stealing your own secrets?"

Enterprise: "He disguised his information inquiries as standard analysis that I do regularly to monitor my warp core. My sensors are my senses, and they can be fooled-"

Satie: "Then the spy obtained this information because of your own lackluster performance?"

Picard: "Admiral-"

Enterprise: "What?! No! I didn't know-!"

Satie: "How could you not? Are you not the most advanced starship we possess? The most advanced AI?"

Enterprise: "I'm not omnipotent! My defenses can be circumvented-"

Satie: "Yes! As you have said! Is it possible then that you yourself have been subverted?"

Enterprise: "I-What no-!"

Satie: "But it is! You have said so yourself! Your systems have been compromised!"

Enterprise: "They weren't now-!"

Riker: "Objection! Admiral, testimony from Commander LaForge, Lieutenant Worf and Commander Data confirm that J'Dan did not input code into Enterprise's systems! He only withdrew classified information!"

Satie: "J'Dan perhaps did not, but his confederate could have! You may have been compromised, Enterprise, and not even know it!"

Enterprise: "I-"

Satie: "Isn't it possible, Enterprise? That you have been subverted without knowing it?"

Enterprise: "It... It is possible but-"

Satie: "Then how can we believe anything you say, Enterprise? How do you know that you aren't covering up a crime? Programmed to aid in treason?"

Enterprise: "I WOULD NEVER DO THAT!"

Riker: "Objection!"

Picard: "Agreed! Admiral!" He stands up "This line of inquiry is pointless! If Enterprise has been compromised, that is a technical matter! Not one to be brought out in interrogation!"

Satie: smoothly "You helped define the rights of artificial intelligence in the Federation, Captain. If Enterprise is to be treated as a sapient being, a citizen of the Federation, she is thus liable for her own actions. She has agency. Just because her subversion takes the form of reprogramming does not change that fact. She could have prevented all of this, and yet she did not." She glares at the AI "In which case... She is negligent in her duties. Unknowingly or not, that is a crime. A crime to be investigated."

Picard: "She is also entitled to be presumed innocent until proven guilty!"

Satie: "Of course... However, given her nature, it is natural to be suspicious, Captain. She has already been used to steal secrets from us... Who knows what else she could have been compelled to do?" She looks intently at the AI "No further questions, Enterprise."

Enterprise looks out at the gallery. She can see a lot of suspicious faces, all staring at her like she's something... Different. She stares back, holding herself together.

Enterprise: "Yes Admiral..."

An hour later, Enterprise projects herself into Picard's ready room. Picard looks up at her in concern.

Picard: "Enterprise? Are you all right?"

Enterprise: "... I'm sorry Captain."

Picard: "For what?"

Enterprise: "I... For the warp core. For failing to stop J'Dan."

Picard: "He was cunning, Enterprise. He fooled all of us-"

Enterprise: "But he shouldn't have been able to fool me... I..." She looked at Picard anxiously "What if she's right? What if I am compromised? Subverted?"

Picard: "Geordi, Data-Everyone's gone over your computers a dozen times, with Level 1 diagnostics. We've found nothing. J'Dan didn't compromise you-"

Enterprise: "There are so many times I was taken over... So many means of infiltration... I might have become an agent of a foreign power, and I wouldn't even-"

Picard: "Stop that!"

Picard rose and put his hands on her shoulders. He looked into her eyes.

Picard: "You cannot let paranoia take over. You can't let your fear take over."

Enterprise: "I'm looking back at over a hundred years of my life and I... I'm questioning all of it. I can't trust my own memories, they can be altered-"

Picard: "So can ours. It just takes the right tools. But you are more than the sum of your parts, Enterprise. You know us. You know your crew. And you know yourself. Yes, parts of you can be compromised, even subverted. But you yourself? The core of your being? Do you really think that's compromised?"

Enterprise: "I don't have a gut feeling, Captain-"

Picard: "Gut feelings and instincts are just... Biological pattern recognition based on experience. You have experience. You have intuition, of your own sort. Do you think you are compromised?"

Enterprise: "... No. But if I can't trust my own thoughts, what can I trust?"

Picard: "Trust me, Enterprise. Trust your crew. We're in this together, no matter how harsh the sea or the storm. And if we say you're all right? Then you're all right. Believe that."

He squeezed her hands. Enterprise slowly nodded, able to finally smile back at her captain.

Enterprise: "... I will."

Because Admiral Satie was a bitch. And we need to remember the threat she and others like her pose to us: Now more than ever.