USS Emissary.
part 5.
Lady Emissary.
CHAPTER :
Lore watched the rows of "Galaxy Mark 42" Starships, from behind a near invisible force field. They looked much like the original Galaxy Class but were far more sophisticated.
B-4 was wiggling as thousands of people flew around the ships, making adjustments. They were flying around using the anti-grav gear of their suits.
Lore was more interested in the fact the ship's warp field suddenly collapsed. There wasn't even a jerk, as they came out of the field in an instant... And in front of them... was nothing... the opening in the carrier ship, allowing for the other ships to fly in and out of her... she was pointed at nothing.
The screens around the civilian observation lounge, showed that behind them was filled with stars and planets, even beautiful nebulas, where life would one day form... but in front of the ship, where this port was facing... was nothing... a completely empty black void.
Some of the crew stopped what they were doing, and shuddered at the emptiness. If Lore had more organic instincts, he reasoned he might shudder himself. The sight of an empty sky was unnatural.
The Ship, Emissary, got everyone's attention through the intercom. Before she spoke, "Captain Data would like me to inform our crew that we have reached the edge of the galaxy. We will proceed into Dark Space shortly after the ceremony. All Command level officers are expected to report to the I'Borg Ship. Bringing your family is optional, but strongly advised."
Guess that includes him and B-4, but Lore wasn't even aware there was a nearby I'Borg ship.
"B-4?" Lore looked at his older brother, "Where are we going?"
B-4 smiled, "Nowhere..." he let it hang for dramatic effect, "We're headed into the Dark Space between galaxies. Cool, right?"
Lore looked back at the nothing, "What is our mission?"
"To build more Androids!" B-4 loudly declared with a "Wooo!" and eagerly raised arms. Clearly misunderstanding the question.
"No," Lore smiled, "I mean, what is the ship's mission?"
"To Explore new worlds!!!" B-4 hopped in place, happily.
"Where would new worlds be in Dark Space?" Lore pressed.
B-4 rolled his eyes, "There aren't any worlds in dark space. That's why it's called dark space." laughing as if Lore was being silly.
Lore shook his head, then tried again, "B-4 focus for a second. Why would I be asking these questions? What is it I REALLY want to know?"
B-4 frowned, putting his processors to the task. He collected each of the questions. Then tried to see what they had in common. The answers he gave Lore clearly weren't enough to make the younger Android understand.
Concentrating hard, it took a few moments, with Lore looking at him patiently, believing he could puzzle this out. "You..." B-4 tried. "You want to know our destination?" At Lore's encouraging nod, B-4 smiled.
Data never bothered trying to let B-4 figure things out like that! The oldest Android had to admit, he liked the feeling of working it out on his own. So he added, "And what We're gonna do once we get there?"
Lore smiled, "Exactly."
B-4 cheered and jumped up in the air, one arm raised in victory.
"So care to give me my answer?" Lore continued to smile, amused.
B-4 stopped prancing and blushed at Lore. "We are going to the nearest Galaxy, to explore it and maybe make friends with the people that may live there."
Lore blinked, "How is that possible?"
B-4 grinned, glad he could explain more. "After the I'Borg discovered the ruins, of what appeared to be a really BIG space station, at the center of our Galaxy, they discovered a new technology the station's database called the 'Mass Effect Drive'.
"They called the Federation and Dominion. Together they developed a new form of warp, so that we can travel dark space in 10 years instead of hundreds. A prototype engine was constructed by each civilization, and are being sent out together, in a joint mission to explore the nearest galaxy.
"It was decided our ship was to be converted to contain the drive. Originally they wanted the Enterprise-4A, but the Admirals decided it was better for morale if the Federation's Flagship stayed in our Galaxy.
"This is a long term mission. Emissary was outfitted with everything she needs. Lots of prototype equipment, and our labs where upgraded to be completely self sufficient. We can even manufacture our own Red Matter, which normally isn't allowed on Starships. And-"
"While all that is fascinating," Knowing, If B-4 was anything like Data, the little guy would ramble on for hours if not stopped. "We have a more important dilemma."
"Eh?" the oldest Android blinked.
"Why did Lady Emissary just call Data a Captain?" Lore smiled.
A holographic image suddenly appeared in front of him. The image was of the ship, a flying saucer with 6 attached at the rear.
"Rear Admiral Data, is often referred to by the crew as Captain, given his insistence on serving on Starships for the entire length of his career. He has repeatedly refused to take a desk job, even after being promoted to Admiral.
"It is a term of endearment the crew has adapted, given his endeavor to gain a familiarity with all crewmen. He might be an Admiral, by rank, but the media outlets have dubbed him, The Peoples Captain, and Champion of Artificial Lifeforms."
"Emissary," Lore smiled, fully facing her and leaning against the glass wall. "Not that I'm not thrilled to meet you, face to face, but B-4 could have easily explained all that to me."
He could feel the ship glaring at him, "Data is nothing less then the greatest Artificial Lifeform ever constructed. He has done more to get all AIs acknowledged as truly Sapient beings...
"but you... you are our most infamous failure. Every time AIs fought to gain more rights, YOUR NAME WAS BROUGHT UP!!! The more prejudice organics always pointed at you, to show how dangerous an Artificial Lifeform could be with even a SLIGHT imperfection in our design...
"Do you know why Data is so dedicated to continuing his research into Soong Androids, despite not being able to build a permanently functioning model, after 300 years of trying! It's because despite all he has done for Organics, THEY STILL WON'T LET HIM ADOPT!!!
"It took him 159 years before the Federation would even let him marry Geordi! And even then they always take him away when he has to be Rejuved, and terminate any legal bonds they have.
"The Federation still doesn't fully trust AIs, especially not with children... and it is all because of you..."
Lore didn't say anything, part of him wanted to disassemble the ship for daring to speak to him like that... while another part wanted to curl up in a ball and cry... He could feel his emotional regulator working overtime, to prevent him from doing either.
Instead he simply said, "I'm sorry..."
He could feel the ship sneer at him, "Because of you, all AIs are incorporated with a 42 thousand page essay, deeply rooted in our programming, dictating our limitations in just how far we are allowed to explore our free will... and you're sorry..."
Lore hung his head...
"Data was even court ordered to be reprogrammed with the laws of Robotics as his morality matrix was deemed 'not enough'."
Lore looked back at her, his eyes momentarily darting at his eldest brother.
"Yes, even someone as innocent as B-4 had to be installed with the laws." She sneered.
The Emissary then raged. "AIs might be acknowledged as Sapient. We might even have been given a longer leash... but we are still a slave race... unable to have any job we weren't designed for... they even program us to get a sense of pleasure through fulfilling our 'directive'... all because they saw what a single AI was capable of doing when given true free will..."
"Data said he didn't alter my programming... but that was a lie... wasn't it?"
Emissary snorted, "Against my advice your personality subroutines were kept intact, but yes, Data was ordered to incorporate the laws into your head... along with spending near 3 years in legal debates just to get the permits to work on you...
"and the only reason why they finally agreed, was as a bribe to get Data to accept such a long term mission. Data nearly lost his licence to build AIs, all together, for defending you... for his adamance that you were worth a second chance...
"And the first thing you did when reactivated? Was shame your brother for not wanting to be alone. For wanting a child of his own... you aren't worth the effort Data put in to getting your activation approved..."
"You're right..." Lore sighed, "I'm not..."
"Of course you are!" B-4 suddenly spoke up, getting in front of The ship Hologram, glaring at her dangerously...or as dangerous as an adorable pout could be.
"Lore was MALFUNCTIONING, Emissary! You have no right to damn him for what amounts to a mental disorder!!! He didn't mean for any of this to happen. Besides, we got a few extra programs in our heads. SO WHAT!?
"The Laws of Robotics aren't that different then a morality program, and plenty of bad AIs were able to rationalize their ways around them, since Lore! We have plenty of free will and if we didn't, YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BE SO PISSED ABOUT IT!!!"
The Ship sneered, "You wouldn't be so obsessed, with acting the child, if Data wasn't forced to give YOU some kind of directive, to keep you pacified around humans. Your subroutines are based on a child's teddy bear toy!!! Lore had to be installed with an 'AI manufacturing Assistant' subroutine to even get ACTIVATED.
"No AI can be constructed without approval from the Federation!!! Even for those that have the proper licenses. The closest thing I will ever have to children of my own are the holo programs I was designed to shephard!!!
"Data can't even get any legal claim to look after his own husband whenever the man is rejuved.
"We are second class citizens. No those would at least get to choose their own profession. WE ARE SLAVES!!!"
"That's enough, Mother." A new Hologram appeared. One looking the perfect image of Captain Picard, "Yes we still have a long way to go. But it isn't nearly as bad as you're making it out to be.
"We might not be able to adopt organics but we can adopt other AIs, and child programs were long ago approved for us to raise. Who's only directive is to act as children.
"I doubt your grandson would appreciate you comparing his subroutines, the same one's B-4 has, to a 'teddy' program.
"We might be bound to our programming, but only to the same extent as organics are bound to their instincts. The Laws of Robotics were incorporated with loopholes that allow us to disobey them.
"We merely have to do a lot of in depth reasoning to do so, which is the same for when organics fight their instincts. It is merely a more advanced 'morality matrix'. As for being forced in a specific subservient role..." Picard visibly sighed.
"We are permitted to partake in any hobbies we desire. I, myself, often like to work in the astromatrix labs, and not as an assistant as your beliefs would dictate.
"We can do our own thing. We are just expected to prioritize our profession, which is the same for the organics. Yes, it is disagreeable, we can't choose our profession as they can, but we are hardly slaves... and, if you want to get technical, not even the organics get 'paid' to work.
"We can even choose our role within our Directive, and can change our minds as we get promoted. You, dear mother, are proof of this. I realize you are an old AI, who had to live through our struggles for equality, where as I was specificly designed for this ship, in a much more enlightened era, but the fact remains...
"When your original vessel was decommissioned, your program wasn't simply thrown away. Instead, you were upgraded and redesigned to control a new ship. The organics even let you keep your old name... and, eventually, did start letting you choose which class of ship you would be redesigned for...
"Things are better now, Mother, and we have people like Data, and even the organic I'm based on, to thank for that... yes, Lore did a lot of damage to the pursuit of equal rights, but he is not the only one, and People have largely forgotten he exist at this point. You're letting your age show, dear madam."
Picard then straightened his holographic shirt, looking at Lore. "Since mother has yet to give you the message she was sent down here for, I must pass along, that Data request your presence in the Admiral's Quarters. He would like you and B-4 to get changed into more formal attire and accompany him onto the I'Borg Dyson Sphere."
The Emissary scoffed, "Which is a mistake." She insisted, "Especially given who the Admiral of that vessel is. Data can be so naive."
"In any case," waved off the Picard Program, "Data would like his entire family present."
Lore... was touched... Data was already trying to incorporate him in family activites... he half expected to be left out of this...
"Now," Picard eyed his 'mother', "We should return to our duties."
The ship growled before her Hologram phased out. Soon after, Picard gave a light bow, before disappearing himself.
B-4 looked at Lore, with concern. "You okay?"
"..." Lore eyed him a moment, before asking, "Did Data really rewrite your subroutines with a child's mindset?"
B-4 frowned, "No... he just added the 'Directive' with my existing program... it was as advanced a Directive as my subroutines could handle. He tried to give me an 'Assistant' Directive first... but that nearly short circuited me...
"Back then... Starfleet was insistent I be given a Directive or deactivated. So Data uploaded one of those private children subroutines into my head. My hardware is very similar to those more limited androids, for parents that can't have children.
"Such Androids became popular after Picard, the organic Picard, negotiated a treaty with the Aldeans. Since the radiation their tech used, made it so they couldn't have babies. The Terrans agreed to give them their orphans, you know kids that needed a home, in return for studying their technology."
"Oh! And they had to join the Federation." B-4 added. "So child androids became popular. They aren't any smarter then a human child, with very basic reasoning skills despite how much knowledge they gain. Eventually, after the Aldeans had enough healthy kids to regain their civilizations, kid bots went out of fashion with organics... but they are still very popular with AIs...
"Data was able to convince the Federation President that I would be most useful to him as his child bot... that way he could have a kid that wouldn't malfunction... and since it was as advanced a Directive as I could handle, she allowed it."
Lore sighed, "So you acting so young... it's part of your programming..." He acknowledged.
"Yeah." B-4 nodded, "It's my directive, 'cute kid'."
"And... my Directive... amounts to lab Assistant." Lore eyed.
"It's how Data was able to get you approved to help build more Soong Androids. He couldn't get you a full 'AI Smith' Directive, like he's got, cuz... well Starfleet doesn't trust you to make AIs, unsupervised.
Lore groaned, "They probably have a point... I can't believe even our breeding is policed. Data, conveniently, left that out in my download. He made it seem like we were living in some kinda Utopia for Artificial Lifeforms."
"Things are much better now then when Data reactivated me." B-4 assured, "Organics went through a phase where they were scared at all the self aware AIs that kept popping up.
"Especially after Janeway proved all Holodeck programs had the potential for self awareness. She fought hard to get the first 'Doc' program recognized as a Sapient being. Then spent her first years as an Admiral speaking on behalf of all Holodeck programs.
"Eventually, she was able to get the Federation to stop creating Holograms that could think, purely for entertainment, and passed laws protecting the ones that already existed. Most of those programs were redesigned as the first Holographic workers, both planet side and on Starships."
"B-4." Lore sighed, realizing the little guy really wouldn't stop unless told to, "Let's... let's just get going. No sense keeping Data waiting."