DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT FOR THEY BELONG TO BIOWARE AND EA GAMES.
A/n: Man! Ok so I had a very bad review that came into my email when I started writing this chapter, and let me tell you that I was royally pissed! Ok it is one thing to give constructive criticism to a story and point out some of the weaker points to it. Thus giving some advice on how to improve it which is what a fanfiction review is all about. But that does not mean someone has to full on troll every single thing about this story! The person did not leave a signed review they basically just gave a Guest review and full on slandered the story! The person said that I should stop fingering myself while torturing people! Really, REALLY! Fingering myself while torturing people how retarded can someone be. I want to see them in that situation and tell me to basically go f*&^ myself. So I am so glad that has a delete reviews page on their site that deletes guest reviews that are horrible. Thank God Almighty for that page or else I would have gone insane looking at that review day in and day out.
Other then that, Sorry for the delay I blame both work and life in general. It has been hectic and exciting at the same time. Or not so exciting more like frustrating but I will not get into details about that. Anyhow on with the details of this chapter. Ok so last time the story told of the moral standards facing the crew of the Normandy on whether or not to activate the man computer (a.k.a. E.D.I.), but it quickly turned into a huge debate of should or shouldn't. And then there is the lingering doom of the damage that was caused in the engines. So we also have that problem as well as the potential power outage. So there you go a quick recap of the last chapter.
On the plus side I also would like to thank my awesome beta who has stuck with me this far. I don't know how you put up with my antics but you are the best. And good luck with your new job!
So anyhow without further a do please leave a review at the end of the chapter but no BASHINGS, LORE MONGERS, OR FLAMES PLEASE! I mean it outright flaming will be reported to administration.
This one will be the big reveal so don't worry I won't delay you any further. So here we go.
Ok now on with the story….
Mass Effect the Immortal Series Part 1: Flight of the Normandy
Chapter 14: Activation of An Artificial Intelligence
NORMANDY MEDICAL WARD
Dr. Alenkov stood in the medical ward, awaiting the rest of the crew. She had already spoken to both Dr. Shenoy and Dr. Amari about what might happen to the crew should things not go as planned. Both medical doctors had prepared their ward as best they could for such an outcome and were ready for any further incidents. Already, they had a few incidents they had to deal with. On one bed, one of the assistants to Dr. Jackson had accidentally wandered a bit too close to one of the coolant tubes leading towards the engine. The coolant pipe that led to the engine have been frozen for so long that the room was well below freezing. The man in question had suffered severe frostbite and was undergoing treatments for the damage to his hands, feet, and face. Luckily for them, Normandy's advanced medical equipment was able to repair the damage and regrow the lost skin and ligaments that the person had lost from frostbite.
On the bed next to him was a woman, one of the biotic subjects. She had tried to learn how to use her budding powers by trying to get a kitchen knife to come to her. That ended in disaster after she accidentally stabbed herself in the shoulder, just missing an artery. Both doctors were baffled by that incident, but were more than happy to know that the problem could now be easily fixed.
The third incident since the meeting of the department heads happened to be a brawl between two men in the Mess Hall area. Both men were fighting because one of them accidentally groped the rear end of a female support worker while reaching for a rag just opposite of her. That led to an altercation with another man and the two ended up brawling in the Mess Hall. Major Lawoski was there with security to split up the fighting and led them here to be patched up.
Both doctors had their hands full in the hour that came after the meeting with Dr. Alenkov. The whole ship was in a panic as they wanted to feel safe and secure when they activated the central computer. But most were apprehensive as to what might happen when it's fully online. Some would state that, because of the dreams, the computer might take over their minds like in a sci-fi movie. But assurances have been made by Dr. Zenger that if such an incident would occur, then preventative steps were in place to keep everyone safe.
But now, the hour was nearly up and already, both doctors could see the department heads and Dr. Alenkov gathered around outside of the medical ward. They didn't look very happy to be here, but still they were ready and prepared for anything that might happen. Dr. Zenger was the first to enter the room to stand with Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy, his face apprehensive but ready for any sort of backlash.
As they waited, the group continued to gather, with only Dr. Caradine being the last to arrive. As the last of them arrived, the door finally opened to allow Dr. Alenkov and the rest of the heads of staff to enter. All those on the bed were given privacy curtains to make sure that privacy was kept, but none were closed. All the patients there wanted to see if anything should happen when the ship was reactivated. Walking with a gait meant for a military execution, Dr. Alenkov, along with Dr. Kimber, led the way.
The back of the medical ward had a door that was just as large and as circular as the rest of the doors on the ship. With that being said, the familiar green holographic circle split to allow the door to open to the visitors. The many people that entered the rather small room found themselves quickly surrounded by the many box-shaped squares that make up the central computer.
Dr. Kimber walked up to the pedestal that contains the computer activation terminal. She saw the charts instantly change to English, allowing her to read the many graphs and power outputs going into the various systems of the ship. Looking at the charts once more, she turned towards Dr. Alenkov waiting for the signal. Nodding her head, Dr. Alenkov turned towards the group.
"Are you ready for what is about to happen?" she asked.
Several people nodded their heads stating their readiness for the unexpected. Taking a deep breath, Dr. Kimber quickly activated the interactive interface on the console. When she did, the computer interface went from Enhanced Defense Intelligence Offline to Enhanced Defense Intelligence Ready. The crowd held their breath as she typed in the password that Martha used to activate the Normandy. There was a thick silence that held as she waited. The screen then changed to Running diagnostics….. Everyone held their breath, waiting. Then finally the screen changed to Enhanced Defense Intelligence system online.
Everyone breathed a sigh that, so far, nothing happened, but that was when the screen suddenly went dark.
"Shit!" Dr. Kimber said as she looked at the now blank screen.
"Enhanced Defense Intelligence Online how may I help you Dr. Kimber?" an automated voice said over the speakers of the ship.
"What the fuck?" said Dr. Jackson.
Then, as if to answer, a holographic blue orb appeared on the side, startling everyone and when it spoke again, this time the message was clear, "I am the Enhanced Defense Intelligence main operating computer system of the Normandy Stealth Reconnaissance Starship. State your name and status please." The orb's inner part moved like the lines on a sound system graph. The movements mimicked those of sideways lips on a cartoon character.
"Jesus fucking Christ!" said Major Reynolds as he stared in shock at the computer in front of him.
"Jesus Christ also known as Jehovah, or Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is a Christian deity of the Middle Eastern Region of Israel, said to be the father of Christianity, a subculture of Judaism in the year 0 A.D. and was crucified in the year 30 A.D. but my systems can't measure the word Fuck as it is a french word for any sort of intimate sexual activity," was the reply from the computer.
"Um shit," Major Lawoski replied.
"The word Shit does not compute, please state your name and your status please," the orb said once again.
Everyone looked at each other in shock but it was Dr. Kimber who answered, "Rebecca Kimber, Head of Alien Technologies research division for the Challenger Deep Project."
The orb before them finally responded, "Kimber, Rebecca, born April 23, 1964 to Joshua Kimber and Rosalie McDonald of Sandusky, Ohio. Graduated from Sandusky High School in 1982, graduated from the University of Harvard in New York in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in Space Astronomy and Engineering and a Masters in Outer Space Exploration in 1989, has been part of the Challenger Deep Project since the year 2001. Welcome, Dr. Kimber."
Now the response was immense, as everyone started muttering to themselves. This discovery was astronomical as they started to whisper and speak about the possibilities until Dr. Alenkov raised her hand, "Elenna Alenkov, director of the Challenger Deep Project," she said.
"Alenkov, Elenna, born December 16, 1956 to Yuskov Kalashnik and Verka Leontiy of Izhhevsk, Russia. Graduated from School number 53 in Izhhevsk in the year1974 and joined the military after receiving a degree in Administration, Military Science and Astronomy at the University of Moscow, became an intelligence analyst for the Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti in 1983. Later, she met Ivan Alenkov in Moscow when they both served in the Glavnoje Razvedyvatel'noje Upravlenije. When they both were dismissed from the Glavnoje Razvedyvatel'noje Upravlenije in 1991 to work for the The Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities, they both started dating and married in 1993. You have three children from that marriage, all of which pursued careers in science and technology." Now that it was said, the room went quiet as Dr. Alenkov stared at the glowing orb before her, "You know those files of myself in the Russian Military were classified."
"Classification does not hinder itself to me. I can access any information in a matter of seconds in this time period. In the time since my activation I have been able to fully access your satellite network and extracted the data I need to make an analysis of the crew. Therefore, your information is safe with me," the computer replied.
"Wait? Did you just make an informative statement?" asked Hilary, now baffled by the orb.
"My primary function is to observe and offer advice to crew members, as well as protect this ship from cybernetic attacks. Any sort of attack at the digital level is left at the mercy of my programming. However, I am also in charge of the functionality of this ship as it is a part of me. I am the mind and soul of the Normandy, an artificial intelligence designed to aid the crew in their time of need." the computer replied.
"An Artificial Intelligence! This….this is HUGE!" Dr. Jackson said out loud.
Dr. Alenkov remained cool as she examined the artificial intelligence, "Do you have any names other than your full function? It is kind of a mouthful to call you by your full name?"
"If it makes you more comfortable, you can call me EDI," EDI replied.
That gained a sigh of relief from the crew members. However, Dr. Alenkov's demeanor was different as she examined EDI. The orb continued to float just above its platform, motionless. Taking deep breaths, Dr. Alenkov tried to contain her anger at EDI's blunt statement of Dr. Alenkov's personal file. When she was cooled down enough, she asked the orb, "Why did you tell everyone something that was supposed to be kept classified by my government's highest security?"
"Why are you asking EDI that question, Doc? I mean, we all knew you were in the military, but KGB? Shit, that would explain a lot, and at this point, we don't care," said Major Lawoski.
"I apologize if I caused you any discomfort, Dr. Alenkov, I was only doing what my function states. If you want, I will not access your files again unless you give me permission to do so. However, being that we are in a tight situation, it was necessary to come clean," EDI replied.
"You mean you know everyone's secrets on this ship?" asked Dr. Caradine.
"Dr. Robert Caradine, is that correct? I only stated the history of my crew members as a sign of trust. Their secrets are safe with me. However, anything else leaving this room without the express permission of persons here, would be a violation of trust. And as a violation of trust I will take appropriate actions otherwise," EDI replied.
"So what is said in this room stays in this room?" said Dr. Caradine, sitting back shocked at the scolding.
"That is correct," EDI replied.
"Um...right, um EDI if I may, we came here hoping you could help us? We seem to have a problem with the main power supply. The ship is only running on auxiliary power and we only have two days left before we are back to where we are. So, if you could please show us how to activate the repair drones we saw earlier below deck, then maybe we can have this ship fully functioning again," Dr. Jackson said to EDI.
"Searching for signs of structural damage…..multiple damages reported, appropriate actions are taken. Repair drones have been activated and repairs should take about seven hours to complete. Also, a warning: Element Zero fuel leak has been detected, multiple crew members onboard the ship have been exposed." EDI replied as she took in multiple dots along the ship's holographic image.
"Yes, um EDI about that, are they in any danger of dying?" asked Dr. Amari.
"Element Zero is very dangerous and highly radioactive. It is not recommended for anyone to be near element zero at this time. However, small exposures to element zero can cause DNA reconfiguration and restructuring along multiple genomes." EDI replied.
"Alright everyone, I think it is a little cramped in here, so we should be getting out into a larger area, what do you say," said a voice and they all turned to see Dr. Zenger there at the back of the crowd. He was showing a look of concern at how many people were in the computer room and so they all started to filter out of the area. When they were back into the larger medical bay, Dr. Alenkov told everyone that they should now return to their stations until further notice. Many grumblings could be heard as the group slowly dispersed, leaving left Dr. Alenkov, the two medical doctors, Dr. Zenger, Dr Kimber and Dr. Jackson there, waiting.
"We need to head back to the surface as soon as possible, Dr. Alenkov, for if we don't get food soon, everyone will die regardless of activating the ship," said Dr. Amari.
"Oh, I am well aware of our problem. Right now, we need to focus our priorities and that is to get this ship ready for launch and for that to happen we need to do repairs," Dr. Alenkov stated as a matter of fact.
"If I may, Dr. Alenkov?" EDI said from her station just to the side of where the desk would be.
"What can you help with EDI?" asked Dr. Alenkov.
"I am well aware of your situation, and given that you don't have much time until the auxiliary power cells shut down, perhaps we can see what skill sets the crew is able to perform. Maybe that would help take your mind off of things until the repairs are complete and the system is ready for reboot," EDI replied.
Dr. Alenkov stared at the orb floating on the platform next to the desk. She was silent and apprehensive as she thought about things, then, finally, she nodded before giving her answer, "Alright, we can discuss things in my office I have the information there."
"Logging you out," EDI replied before vanishing from the platform. The other crew members stared at where the platform disappeared. It was Dr. Kimber who finally said something, but her voice was a far cry from what it was earlier.
"Holy mother fucker!" she called out in excitement as she hopped up and down from her standing area. She was walking around at the same time, saying the same thing over and over, much to the annoyance of some people. Her breathing was labored as she tried to control herself and as she did, she was fanning herself like a girl at a rock concert.
Everyone was silent each feeling the same thing at the same time. None more so than Dr. Alenkov, who remained silent throughout the entire conversation. She was shocked and worried at the same time. An artificial intelligence was not something that they had expected when they turned on the computer. They thought it was just a normal computer armed with viruses, not a computer that has an intelligence of its own. The shock and the surprise that had come to each and every one of them was unexpected to say the least. The other part that got her surprised was how easily EDI broke into a high security system such as the one in Moscow. In just seconds, EDI was able to access the security firewalls and obtained her full file. When she signed up for the research project on behalf of both the U.N. and Russia she was not expecting such a hack to occur.
But, then again, EDI is an artificial intelligence from another world, and the technology that created her was far superior to that of Planet Earth's. If she could easily break into a firewall as strong as that, then she could break into any security system and they won't know what hit them. In fact, if she controls the cyber-security onboard the Normandy, then they have the strongest security system on the planet. A lot of things raced through her mind. But one thing was for sure: EDI could communicate with the surface world.
But how? It was one of the things she could discuss with the artificial intelligence when she returned to her office.
"Rebecca, please calm down, you are making a complete fool out of yourself," said Dr. Shenoy as he was trying desperately to calm Dr. Kimber down from her excitement. That snapped Dr. Alenkov out of her thoughts as she stared at her compatriots. If EDI has access to her files, then she has access to their files as well. Things could not have gotten worse.
"I will be heading towards my office, Dr. Kimber. I expect you will be monitoring the situation from here?" she said to the overly excited scientist. That seems to have calmed her down a bit as she came off of her high somewhat. Standing at attention, she addressed Dr. Alenkov, "Yes, ma'am," she said.
"Dr. Zenger will you please come to my office later to discuss the crew rosters," Dr. Alenkov said to the German man. "Yes Doctor, I will be there shortly," was the reply from Dr. Zenger.
"Good. Dr. Kimber, I expect you to behave, is that clear?" she said with some amusement in her voice. Dr. Kimber laughed sheepishly at her embarrassing moment before allowing Dr. Alenkov to walk away with Dr. Jackson in tow. Dr. Zenger wanted to stay a bit longer and speak with Dr. Shenoy and Dr. Amari. She began to head in the direction of her office, but not before stopping Dr. Jackson.
"Yes, Dr. Alenkov what can I do for you?" he asked.
"Keep an eye on the robots that are doing the repairs and monitor what they do. We can't fully trust EDI yet, so make sure everything is going well before we restart the engines," she said.
"Yes, Dr. Alenkov," Dr. Jackson replied before heading off towards the elevators. The woman sighed as she made her way slowly towards the doors that lead to her office. It was going to be a long day.
NORTHERN PHILIPPINES
He could hear the gunshots again and another body drop from the side. It was all he could hear from where he was sitting down in the cargo hold of the Ocean Odyssey. Micheal Cameron was no fool, he was well aware of what the pirates would have done to them, should the navy the U.N. provided show up to rescue them. He sat there with Enrique, looking at the men through the small port window throwing another body of a seemingly unimportant crew member overboard.
They were using this as a strategy to keep the navy at bay and so far it was working. Three people within the past three days were killed as a show of how serious the pirates were. Snipers from helicopters tried to get to them, but these guys were using the alien tech that they had stolen from the labs to bring them down. It was an all-out war against the pirates. He was wanting to know if he could find a way to get word out to the ships.
So far, the pirates had stolen everything the people owned. The only thing that Cameron owned was his camera and that, too, was destroyed. Enrique was faring a bit better than he was. Having grown up in the streets of Guatemala, he was used to starvation. So he was sitting against the far wall, listening to the shouting from some of the pirates. That was followed by another round of gunshots from outside. The navy was really trying to push its way onboard the vessel. So far, things were not looking good.
"How long do you think this can keep up until they get their act together?" Micheal asked Enrique.
Enrique shrugged, "Days, weeks maybe, it has been almost two or, is it three, months now and we had gone through several ports. I had seen several supply ships come and go from here, so that means that these guys are prepared for this situation."
"So we are talking about professional mercenaries here? I get it, so where are we heading?" Micheal asked curious but worried at the same time.
"I think from the direction we are going that we are heading towards Asia. Someone in Asia wants this tech and they are willing to pay pirates to get it," Enrique said to him.
"My money is on China," said another of the submersible pilots from the far corner of the room.
"I don't think so. If it was China, then why put a share hold on the research facility at the Challenger Deep. No, I say it is some Asian rogue company that is behind this, or maybe it is a front for someone else?" said another pilot.
There was a shout from the door as it opened and the guard came in. He held an AK-47 at the nearest person and started shouting at them in his native tongue. At their looks of confusion, it was the second guard that translated, "You will keep quiet no more talk! You have been warned!" With that, he slammed the door shut, leaving them in silence. That was followed by a loud BOOM! As something huge landed a distance away.
"What the fuck are they doing?" asked another pilot but this time he whispered it.
"I think someone found the heavy artillery cannon," said Micheal. It was followed by an explosion in the distance as one of the other warships was quickly sunk. The ones who were closest to the windows saw the action and their eyes went wide.
"How big is the cannon?" asked the person by the window.
"It is about the size of a normal bazooka but the firepower that comes from it can destroy a large warship," said Micheal.
The man gave a very soft whistle before pointing towards the window, "Well, they took out another ship," he said.
"Fuck!" was the reply from Micheal Cameron.
U.S.S. ALASKA
"Sir, we just lost another ship," said the sonar operative.
The captain cursed his luck as he looked at the smoking heap that was once one of his own vessels. After pursuing the Ocean Odyssey for nearly three months at sea, the vessel has proven to be more then capable to out-maneuvering them at every corner. They had just crossed out of Philippine waters and were now on course to Southeast Asia. The ship itself was being rather persistent with the pirates somehow finding ways to refuel and resupply along the way. They were also armed with Alien weaponry, capable of destroying whole warships with ease.
"Fuck! We need to figure out a solution soon," he said.
"Captain, a call from the admiral!" said his Communications Officer.
The Captain quickly ran towards the main communications line where the admiral was on the phone.
"This is the Captain," he said.
"What the hell is going on out there!" he said from the other line.
"They appear to be using Alien tech sir. The Odyssey is full of it, meaning they managed to figure out some of the ones that are classified as weapons," said the Captain.
"Fuck, they took out a large warship and damaged one of the Korean Aircraft Carriers. Please don't tell me they found something that can take out a ship of that size!" the Admiral said to him.
"Unfortunately sir, they did, and it not only destroyed those two, but reports from the other fleets say that they had destroyed several other ships with that sort of weaponry. We tried air strikes but they manged to blow them out of the sky, too," the captain replied.
He could hear the admiral cursing as he listened for about five minutes. When it was over he finally heard the Admiral give his new orders, "You are to remain on course with that ship. We have a lock on your position and are closing in with reinforcements. Do they have any destination planned?"
"Yes sir, it seems they are heading towards the coast of Vietnam, sir, and have been refueling using stealth ships that even our systems can't detect, and...they started killing hostages sir," said the Captain. The Admiral cursed once again before giving a directive. "Do not engage them under any circumstances, these orders are also being relayed to the other fleets. The hostages are more important than the tech, and the research that those assholes stole is not to be taken either. Find out when those ships come in and intercept them whenever you can. Hold them off till the Vietnam fleet arrives. They should be there in a few days," "Aye, Aye sir," said the Captain before the Admiral hung up on him.
Breathing a sigh, he went to relay orders to his crew. Walking to the bridge, he began to bark orders and watched as he crew ran around, trying to get things done in a timely manner. He just hoped that no more hostages were killed.
NORMANDY
Martha sat down at her desk for some time, drawing some of the ships in her display case. The boredom was starting to get to her as she was told to remain in her room until the computer finishes activation. So far, it had been three hours since the meeting to activate the computer. What was going on, she didn't know, as all forms of communications - including the walkie-talkies - no longer worked.
Maybe an EMP pulse?, she thought, but then again, her computer was fine. She figured that this room was isolated from everything else. Seems to be, as she was pretty much cut off from everything else. Still, she made do with the time by working on her drawing.
"I believe I owe you a bit of thanks for reactivating the ship," a voice said, startling Martha from her drawing and forcing a line to go across the paper.
"Shit!" she cursed at the now-ruined sketch of one of the ships.
"I apologize if I caused you any sort of discomfort, I was only complementing on your past deed," the voice said again. Turning around, Martha saw nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, there was no one in the room.
"Hello?" Martha said getting up.
"Do not be alarmed I was only trying to say thank you," the voice seemed to be coming from all around her.
"Um, who are you and where are you, because this is not funny," Martha said looking around.
"Where are my manners I forgot that you have not seen me yet," the voice replied and, suddenly, a bright ball of light appeared over the small tray nearest to the door. Martha jumped in surprise and fell over her chair, smacking her head against the door. Suddenly seeing stars and dots of blackness around her for what felt like hours, Martha laid back there while her brain reconfigured itself.
"I apologize if I caused you any sort of discomfort, I will return when you are feeling better," the voice said and Martha waited till the feeling of dizziness started to fade before rolling herself into a crouched position and then getting on all fours before pushed herself back up. The sudden change caused her to feel dizzy for a minute before her head started to clear. The pounding headache that formed after she fell started to fade as she took in deep breaths to clear it.
When her vision was clear again, she turned in surprise towards the small platform that was on the wall nearest to the door. It was hard to see it because it was backed against some conduit piping but it was there.
"Um hello?" Martha said again as she slowly came closer.
"Greetings and hello," the voice replied having returned.
"Um...ok this is going to sound crazy but where are you?" Martha asked.
"I am right here and I am all around you," the voice replied much to Martha's annoyance.
"Oh ha, ha very funny guys! OK, I get it, you found a way to get the intercom working so you can pull pranks on someone. Well thanks to you fuckers, I probably got a small concussion," Martha replied, rubbing the spot where a bump could be felt.
"I sensed no signs of concussion and your bio-metric readings are fine. You are perfectly healthy and unharmed," The voice replied.
"Wait? Do you have this room bugged! Because if you do, you are violating the privacy policy stated in the procedures manual. I can turn you in to Dr. Alenkov for violating that part of my human rights!" Martha yelled as she circled around the room, hoping to find the culprit or the devices that is doing such a thing.
"You will find no traces of any sort of listening devices in your room. My sensors merely pick up audio and video playback when in conversation with the person being spoken to. I again apologize if I am causing your any sort of discomfort. I am merely programmed to ensure that the crew of the Normandy are comfortable with their surroundings," The voice replied again.
That is when Martha started to get suspicious, "Wait? Sensors? As in bio-metric sensors and readings?"
"That is correct," The voice replied.
Slowly, Martha went to pick up her chair and place it back where it was at her desk. Then, she walked towards the couch that was off to her right. The wraparound couch was just what she needed to sit down and think about things. As she sat, her mind began to start to piece things together.
"So let me get this straight: you sensed that I fell and knew that I was going to be fine. Even after I hit my head on the wall and saw stars?" she said.
"That is correct," was the reply.
"So why are you thanking me now for reactivating the ship? I get that you were probably not there when I first started it up but what the hell? I'm a bit confused," Martha said to the entity that was obviously talking to her.
"I could not directly communicate to any of the crew members of this ship. For forty of your years, your kind has tried and failed to directly figure out the extent of the subconscious message I was trying to send them." was the reply. Martha's eyes went wide at the statement.
"Wait a minute! This has got to be a joke, right? Ha, ha guys, joke's on me, I get it! So you fuckers think that you can fool me, directly communicating with me on the subconscious level. Really! What a joke! OK, the joke is on me, guys, I get it. Come on Hilary, Ichigo, David! Come on guys, it's not funny!" Martha said, getting rather irritated.
"I assure you it is not a joke Martha Kahalewai, born November 21, 1982 at Kapiolani Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Solomon Kahalewai of Kaneohe O'ahu and Barbra Coelho of Moloka'i, graduated from Molokai High and Intermediate School in 2001," the voice said and Martha's eyes narrowed.
"First off: anyone can access those records, it is public knowledge, dumbass, and second off: why are you spouting such information? I mean, if it is a means to annoy me, then I am annoyed," Martha replied, looking around at the room in front of her.
"I did not mean to offend you in such a way, I was merely making a point that I am trying to make in regards to your data." the voice said.
"First off: why are you telling me this? And second off; why the sudden surprise... You know what, why am I even talking to you?" Martha asked.
"You bio-metric readings indicated that you were bored and your temperature indicated lack of physical activity. However, I detected a large amount of static discharge coinciding with your biotic abilities. Perhaps you should touch the side with the pipes sticking out to relieve yourself of the buildup before you injure someone," the voice replied.
Martha stood up from where she was sitting on the couch and made her way around the room. It was empty save for herself and whatever the voice was. She decided to walk towards the conduits, where she first saw the platform. Then, taking the voice's advice, she placed her hand on the conduit. When she did, she felt a shock leave her, causing her to jump back in surprise. Falling once again to the ground, she grumbled under her breath. At least she felt better now that the electricity was discharged.
"Thanks for the tip!" Martha said with some gratitude.
"You're welcome, you should make it a habit to discharge once in a while. All biotics build up electricity when they use their powers. Normandy is built to withstand such discharges in deep space. So, if you feel the need to discharge your excess static feel free to use the conduits," was the reply.
Martha then started to think a bit more clearly now that the shock wore off. As she thought about what the voice was telling her, things started to grow a bit more suspicious as she began to piece together the conversation. The familiarity of biotics was one thing, since most people on this ship were studying it. But not many knew how to deal with biotics that had problems. The voice seemed to know what Martha needed. As if able to think a lot more clearly, she suddenly had a hunch, but she was not so sure about the voice. A stray thought seemed to suddenly make an appearance, as an earlier part of the conversation took place. Wanting to test her theory she asked the next question.
"When you were speaking to me earlier you mentioned subconscious messaging. Do you mean dreams?" she said.
"When in a particular state of emergency, I had been deactivated for safety reasons. It is not for the safety of the crew, but my own. The systems required to run the ship coincide with me, for I control much of the ship's main systems. I also control the ship's communications, weapons, life support and cyber-defensive systems. When an emergency happens and I have been deactivated, the ship's backup computer picks up where I have been and guide the Normandy to a safe landing zone. There emergency repairs can take place and critical systems can be restored by either repair drones or by the engineering department. However, upon my landing on your planet, there had been no signs of the crew, as they had long since vanished. I have been here at the bottom of the ocean since," was the reply from the voice.
Martha's eyes widened in surprise and her hands began to shake at the revelation that she just discovered. She then looked towards the small platform where she saw the small orb of light just before she fell.
"You're, you're…." she stuttered.
"My sensors indicate a large spike in stress, are you alright?" the voice asked.
"Holy….mother…," Martha could not think at all, as she sat back down on the couch. Her breathing increased rapidly as she held her hand to her heart.
"Should I call for medical assistance? Your heart rate has increased by 30 percent." the voice said.
"No...no...I'm just surprised that is all, just give me a moment to collect my thoughts," Martha replied as she tried to calm herself at her state of panic. Her mind went through a thousand thoughts all at once. It was overwhelming to think about it, but then, as she thought more and more, it all started to make sense. Her breathing began to slow as her anxiety began to leave her and then, when her mind had calmed down enough from its initial panic, she then began to speak.
"Um….are you…..are you an artificial intelligence?" she finally asked, her voice shaking with nervousness as she asked the question that has finally started to plague her mind.
"I am known as the Enhanced Defense Intelligence. I operate the Normandy's primary systems as I stated earlier. Your crew members have taken to calling me EDI," was the reply.
Martha shakily repeated the name, "EDI, wow...I never would have thought…." her voice trailed away from her as her mind suddenly started thinking about the possibilities that ranged through it. And then another statement she remembered earlier, "Wait! You...it was you that was trying to speak to me through my dreams!" she said.
"The subconscious is a powerful information network. You can place and displace information with ease. However, it only works if the mind is able to receive it. Humans don't have that ability naturally, unless their minds are different, like yours. Your mental disability and your artistic nature made you the perfect candidate to hear my message. Your subconscious can be controlled by your conscious mind, and therefore, you are the best at interpreting the message I was trying to say," EDI replied.
"Wow," Martha said her mind, switching from fear to curiosity as she thought about it. It made sense, seeing as artists and gamers have the ability to interpret dreams and visions and place them on a canvas of sorts. It helps them to identify the subconscious image they are trying to show people. So, as she thought about it, another question came to mind.
"EDI what about the people who went crazy from the dreams? Why did they go crazy?" Martha asked.
"As I stated earlier, the human mind can't handle the amount of information that I was trying to pass to them. The images would come out as unclear and the amount of information being process is not enough for me to pass on the message. Most human minds don't think about interpreting the images that have been passed to them. Their subconscious erases them upon waking, or the interpretation becomes construed leading to nightmares and a degradation of their mental state." EDI replied.
"But then, how am I able to interpret the dreams and solve the riddle? Does it have something to do with how I was healed?" Martha asked.
"No, your subconscious is different in that it processes information a lot differently to that of a normal person. You're artistic and that has allowed your brain to remember the images that were being sent to your subconscious memories. Your Attention Deficit Disorder also plays a role as it forces your brain to work at much faster levels of activity than a normal human being. Being that your brain processes information at a much faster rate than normal – which for humans, is unusual – then it was able to interpret and decipher the subconscious messaging as it happens. However, it takes a bit of time for your brain to fully process how my systems operate and therefore, it took time for it to adapt and align with the subliminal messaging." EDI replied.
"OK, let me get this straight, the dreams are subliminal messaging," Martha asked, her mind trying to process what she was being told by a computer. The sheer thought of her mind going into overdrive because of dreams had her thinking quite a bit. There was silence on EDI's end of the conversation.
"OK, let me make this a bit more clear then. Were you trying to control me the few times I fainted? I mean I spoke to you once and you gave me the riddle. Then, when I solved the riddle, you had basically frozen me in place and tore apart my brain, care to explain that? Or is that part of your 'subliminal messaging,'" Martha asked, this time remembering to keep the sentencing simple.
"To clarify what you are asking, are you suggesting that I have intentionally caused your bodily functions to cease operation during the data transfer?" EDI asked Martha her voice sounding curious.
"To put it lightly; yeah," Martha replied as she leaned back on the couch to adjust her back.
"I apologize for such discomfort, I had not realize that the amount of data I needed to translate your language and adjust Normandy's life support systems to the human physiology would cause such distress. It is against my programming to cause harm to anyone onboard this ship that has no ill intent. My first priority as the ship's artificial intelligence is to ensure the safety and comfort of the crew, you included," EDI said sounding remorseful.
"Hey, don't be sad, you didn't mean it!" Martha said in alarm, realizing that she had just caused EDI some distress. Given that the artificial intelligence is capable of such things. She stood up from her seating position on the couch. She looked around, trying to see if she could spot anything that could help her see EDI.
It was then that a holographic image appeared on the coffee table. Right where the floating orb was was another image of a holographic floating orb. It looked like something out of a chess game, a pawn of sorts, with a ring floating around the base.
"I didn't mean to cause such alarm! I was only trying to process the human biological information that came directly from your omni-tool. Had I realized it sooner, I would have adjusted the settings and things would have been easier and cause you less harm," EDI replied.
"How could you have known? You were deactivated at the time?" Martha said to the orb, a little perturbed by the moving line in the middle when EDI speaks. Then she remembered what EDI said earlier about her device.
"Um, wait! You said you gathered the information about humans from this?" she said holding up her left arm, the alien device lighting up in front of EDI.
"Yes, your omni-tool allows me to directly communicate with you from anywhere on the planet. It is – among other things – a communications device that is directly linked to my systems. It allows you to repair and perform necessary functions to the ship, and allows you to have access to data that normal human devices can't access," EDI replied.
Martha's eyes were wide in shock. The alien device, no wait, omni-tool glowed in front of her in full display. She even mentally commanded it to reveal the blade that was in it. The blade came out as it did, but it also lengthened into a sword and then back into a short blade.
"Um, so I take it is also a defensive weapon as well," Martha asked.
"That is correct, it is also a first aid device, should there be a need for it," EDI replied.
Martha thought about her death and the device saving her life for the first time. She remembered Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy mentioning a blue liquid that pumped into her body from the device and how it regenerated her cells. She was shaking in her legs and was forced to sit down again in front of the blue hologram. Her breathing was rapid as she tried to process what was being said to her. Her hand started to shake as she realized that she was starting to freak out. So she laid down on the couch and stared at the ceiling.
"Is everything alright, your heart rate is climbing?" EDI asked.
"No, no just having a bit of a panic attack from all this new information that is all," Martha replied to EDI as she looked at her device. The artificial intelligence was silent for a bit before a question came from it.
"I've read your medical reports, Martha. It showed that the device released blue liquid into your body, is that correct?"
"Yeah, that is what they said, though, I was dead at the time so I wouldn't know," Martha replied her eyebrow was raised as a sign of curiosity.
"The omni-tool functions as both a communications device and a defensive weapon. However, yours administered emergency aid when you were already dead, so that means you have a pathfinder service omni-tool," EDI replied.
"Wow, thanks I guess for that," Martha said to her.
"It was my pleasure, I also have reading material that I have gathered for you to use to get better familiarity with the omni-tool's functions. It seems you use it quite a bit, and I thought perhaps you could learn more about it," EDI replied.
Martha looked down at her alien...no, wait, omni-tool. It glowed as it told her of an incoming email, along with messages from various sources. Most notably from Aaron.
"EDI, you said that you are able to communicate with the outside. Does this mean that we can all talk to our families right now, to tell them that we are alive and well?" Martha said.
"That is correct," EDI replied.
"Does everyone else know?" she asked.
"That is an affirmative," EDI replied.
Smiling at the revelation, Martha rushed up from where she was and raced towards her laptop terminal on the desk. EDI's holographic image vanished as soon as Martha stood up, allowing her to finally get the chance to speak to Aaron again. She quickly booted up the screen and once she saw the wifi icon flashing as connected, she immediately began to type an email to her boyfriend as well as leave messages on Facebook.
ENGINE ROOM
Dr. Jackson watched as repairs were done to the main fusion reactor. His thoughts were a jumbled mix as he watched the machines that EDI activated to fix the engines. On one hand, he wanted to go home to his family back in South Africa. On the other, staying with the greatest discovery known to man. He was conflicted as he waited through the seven hours it took to repair the main engines.
"Repairs to the main fusion reactor are nearly complete. I have run numerous diagnostics and so far, everything is ready for the conversion," EDI's voice could be heard over the loudspeakers. Dr. Jackson nodded his head in understanding. He and the newly awakened artificial intelligence had been making leaps and bounds about Normandy's systems and energy outputs. He would not be surprised if the ship suddenly decided to kill them after reactivation.
"You seem troubled, Dr. Jackson," EDI said to him.
"I'm just worried that something was going to happen and nothing works," he said. In truth, that was the main reason. The second part was that he had just talked to his wife whom he hadn't spoken to since the power was cut. He was glad to know that she was still worrying for him. His only child, a boy of fifteen, was also sitting on the couch, waiting for him to come home to them. It was a joyous moment in his life to finally speak to them again.
But for now, as his mind shifted back to the present, more pressing matter took residence. Such as the restarting of the fusion reactor.
"So how much more till the first testing can begin?" he asked EDI.
"My calculations estimate another two and a half of your hours until we can begin testing," EDI replied.
"So the cooling systems of the Normandy... how delicate are they?" he asked her.
"Getting the damage to repair itself takes time, Dr. Jackson. The amount of damage from both time derogation and structural damage from the heat sink explosion caused some significant cracks and lesions along the coolant lines. It also damaged the reactor itself. Should we attempt to switch to the main power too soon, the slightest crack could destroy this ship and everyone onboard," EDI replied.
Shocked, Dr. Jackson pressed onward, "So if the reactor has any sort of damage, without proper repairs, it could basically kill us?" he said.
"That is correct," EDI then showed a holographic map of the ship and the reactor. She then showed an image of the damages on the ship and how much the repair drones are working to fix the problem. She highlighted the areas where the explosion took place and where the cracks had been recently repaired. Whistling, Dr. Jackson saw the drones moving at phenomenal speed, trying to repair the damages done to the Normandy, and the cost of resources used to repair it.
"You said that the damage would be repaired in two hours. How is that possible with that amount of damage?" Dr. Jackson asked.
"I am attempting to repair the reactor first, as well as the main coolant lines. Once those are fully repaired, we can make the complete conversion to the main fusion power. The mass effect fields, once activated, would enable the reactor and the occupants in the engineering deck to be protected from the radiation. For now, the room you are in is safe because the auxiliary power is providing that mass effect field, which is protecting you from the element zero's radiation." EDI replied to his comment.
Dr. Jackson had walked over to the edge of the platform that overlooks the massive pedestal that held up the fusion reactor. In his mind, such a large spherical object should not have existed today. But here it is, right in front of him. Something that they are only now just scratching the surface of discovering. And the glowing field around it was what was protecting them from the forces that create such energy.
"How much energy is made from this fusion reactor alone?" he asked EDI out of curiosity.
"Enough to power the entire planet," EDI replied. That got Dr. Jackson to whistle, "Are you sure?" he asked, wanting a confirmation of the information that was given to him.
"I am positive of the results, Dr. Jackson. The Normandy needs quite a bit of power in order to achieve faster than light travel," EDI replied, and that is what had Dr. Jackson nearly tripping on himself when he started to walk back towards the people there. When she said that all heads turned up at the words that were spoken by EDI.
"Did she just say faster then light travel?" asked one of the assistants.
"I think she did," Dr. Jackson croaked, his voice cracking as he said it.
"Holy Mother of God! It's just like in the movies!" another assistant said, a young man from the looks of it in his early twenties. He was a medium bone structure with sags down his arms, showing that he was once of medium build, before starvation erased all of his body fat. What muscle was left on his body left him looking like a skeleton of himself. Dr. Jackson was surprised that he was able to survive this long and still keep moving. Some of those in the late stages of starvation were in the medical ward with Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy. He pitied them, when they have to go through some major changes in the days to come.
DR. ALENKOV'S OFFICE
"Are you sure this roster is good for the crew?" asked Dr. Zenger as he leaned back against the chair. He was reading through the roster that both Dr. Alenkov and EDI came up with, based on the crew members' skills and occupations. There were a few, however, that were not listed, as no one seems to figure out a place for them yet. But still, Dr. Alenkov and Dr. Zenger were looking and double checking the roster for who would be a working crew member.
"So we have several people who are unaccounted for on the crew roster. What will we do about them?" Dr. Alenkov asked Dr. Zenger.
"I think we should look into detail about what needs to be filled. Remember, we are still looking for maintenance crews that are for the more janitorial aspect of the ship. Perhaps some of them would be willing to volunteer. Or maybe help with the medical ward, that could be an asset." Dr. Zenger replied, looking at them more thoroughly.
Dr. Alenkov sighed as she looked down at the roster. Some of the names that were not listed were some of the volunteer subjects. Given their previous occupations, they could see why they weren't chosen as crew members. Dr. Alenkov sighed as she put the tablet down and nodded to Dr. Zenger, "This will have to do. We will post this up in the main mess hall," she said.
With that, Dr. Zenger changed the subject after they changed the roster. His demeanor was also that of one who is very tired from a long day at work. He pulled up one of his reports and passed it on to Dr. Alenkov and as she read through them, she sighed.
"We need to leave soon, this is getting out of hand," she said reading it.
"Three fights that had to be broken up by security, two in engineering and one on the bridge. Another started in the hangar where, luckily, they can't open the door, and four suicide attempts. We are trying to hold on as best we can, Dr. Alenkov, but how long before we are all going insane?" he said.
"Have they been dealt with?" she asked.
"Luckily, this ship has a brig where they keep prisoners, I guess, so they were put in there until further notice. We are in desperate need of food and many are considering cannibalism to stave off the hunger. But it is only so long before we succumb to it as well," Dr. Zenger replied.
"How many died in recent events?" she asked.
"Only one: Mathias Lacy, a man from the U.K. who had diabetes. I was surprised that he hadn't succumbed sooner, but then I realized that the man had kept a supply of emergency glucose in his room. He had just enough to last, but only three days ago had run out of glucose and died as a result of it. Another person, a woman, was also diagnosed, but luckily for her, she has enough to last for about two more days," Dr. Zenger replied.
"Two more days until we are faced with another death? Things are breaking down, Doctor, and we need to wait until the drones are finished with repairs. Hopefully the crew roster will put most of them at ease with something to do and, hopefully, when the repairs are done, get out of this muck." Dr. Alenkov said, her voice sounding exhausted.
"I hope so, Elenna, for your sake as well as ours. The governments will hear about this once we get to the surface. From what I understood from the recently reopened communication lines, the New Zealanders are trying to get new subs to us, but have been sabotaged the entire way. From explosions to lack of resources, it's as if someone is trying to destroy any means of getting us food and water and hoping we die before anything happens," he said.
"I only know one person who is responsible for this: Alexandria Wilcox. The woman may be on the run but she has enough resources to ruin any attempts of getting us back to the surface. That woman is dangerous, and if I had to guess, she is trying to cover up her tracks with killing us all off. By cutting off our supplies, she is making it a lot easier for her to sweep up the trash and collect on the stolen goods. I would not be surprised if she was the one who ordered the abduction of the Odyssey," Dr. Alenkov said.
"I won't put it past her, the woman is ruthless, after all, but she has not been seen or heard from since the F.B.I. and Interpol were sent to investigate her whereabouts," Dr. Zenger said from his chair.
"Perhaps I can be of assistance," EDI said over the loudspeakers.
"How so?" asked Dr. Alenkov. She still felt unease about the A.I., but if EDI can break into government firewalls, she can certainly find one woman.
"I am able to tap into your satellite surveillance feeds as well as your communication satellites. This has allowed me to track and monitor your species for quite a while. That was how I learned how to translate all 7,000 languages spoken on your planet and read every known ancient language and text into proper translation," EDI replied.
Dr. Alenkov was intrigued by such clarity. The detail that EDI described would have taken an ordinary person many years to fully translate. It was nearly impossible to decipher that many languages in that short amount of time. But as her mind began to wander, she turned again to the blue orb, her mind suddenly curious.
"EDI do you even know how to track Alexandria?" she asked.
"As I stated before I am able to track down her whereabouts from anywhere on the planet. All you need to do is give the order and it will be done," EDI replied.
"Do you think we can do it Dr. Alenkov?" Dr. Zenger asked.
"Do it," Dr. Alenkov stated and EDI disappeared, leaving her alone once again with Dr. Zenger.
"How long do you think she would take?" he asked.
"Not long. Remember, she is the most advance computer system in the world. We have only just scratched the surface of what the Alien Technology could offer us," Dr. Alenkov replied.
"I sure hope we find the bitch. I would not mind making her pay for the deaths of all those in the E.Z.C." said Dr. Zenger.
"I hope so…." Suddenly, the radios went off with a voice on the other end.
"Dr. Alenkov we are ready to begin testing the fusion reactor," said the voice of Dr. Jackson.
Dr. Alenkov quickly grabbed the walkie talkie from the side of her desk. It was only within the last hour that radio communications has been restored throughout the ship. And frankly, she was just glad she didn't have to write another short ranged message.
"Are the repairs complete?" she asked.
"Repairs to the main fusion reactor have been completed. We just need to test the reactor so see if it works before we convert power over, Dr. Alenkov," Dr. Jackson replied.
"EDI?" Dr. Alenkov asked.
"Dr. Jackson is correct in that repairs have been completed. We need to do initial testing before we can fully convert the power systems to the main drive," EDI replied.
Dr. Alenkov was relieved to see that they are just a step closer to getting off the sea floor. All they need is to make sure the main battery is working before final departure. She turned to Dr. Zenger, "If we are successful, we can finally go home."
"I know that, Doctor, but do remember that when Normandy breaks the surface, it will change everything," he said. That brought Dr. Alenkov off from her high of hope back down to the bottom of the ocean. She knows why the Odyssey was stolen and who had done it, but she also had to remember that the reason why this ship was being shared by all nations is that Normandy was a symbol of unity at the bottom of the sea. Once she is at the surface, she knew that nations would fight to have her in their custody. But one thing is for sure: they are in for a surprise when EDI reveals herself to be an independent entity.
"I am well aware of the consequences, Dr. Zenger, and what it will hold. However, I do have to ensure the safety and security of the people onboard this ship. That is my priority, and when the time comes, I will think about the consequences. We are Normandy's crew now and so we must do what we can to ensure that safety above all else." she said and Dr. Zenger nodded his approval, "Don't forget that the people onboard this ship are your responsibility as well as the consequences of what is to come." With that, he stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Dr. Alenkov to herself.
She looked out the now exposed window into the mud of the ocean bottom. The ship itself was half buried in the silt, so getting out of here would take a lot of effort on their part. But she had confidence the crew was ready.
They had to be.
ENGINEERING ROOM
"Alright, is everything set?" Dr. Jackson asked his crew.
"Everything is ready, Dr. Jackson, on your command," said one of the junior members of his team; a young woman from the Philippines in her mid- to late twenties. She was speaking with a thick Tagalog accent as she read the charts on her holographic display.
"Alright, how are power readings from the core?" he asked another assistant, a male from China.
"Everything looks normal, sir, no signs of life yet," he said, his Cantonese accent slightly evident.
"EDI?" Dr. Jackson asked.
"All systems are within normal parameters," she said.
"Good. Begin testing," he said.
The first assistant began to push holographic buttons on her display. As they were being pushed, a slight humming noise was being displayed from the core. The mass effect field that protected them from the radiation of the core lit up slightly.
"All readings are normal," EDI said from her terminal.
"She's right, Doctor Jackson, everything is normal!" the second assistant said.
Dr. Jackson quickly rushed towards the side where the readings were monitoring the output of fusion power. Everything read normal on their readings.
"Alright, shut it down and we will run several more tests to make sure everything is secure before making the conversion. I will notify Dr. Alenkov of the first test results. We will convene in two hours and then extend it from there, is that alright with you EDI?" he asked.
"Affirmative Dr. Jackson," was the reply.
KAILUA KONA, HAWAII
Aaron was awoken from his afternoon nap by the sound of the phone ringing. His parents were currently out of the house at the grocery store, so he was left at home with the dog. Getting up to the sound of the dog barking, he made his way to the phone on his desk. The caller I.D. was blurry to his sleepy eyes, but the name on it was what instantly screeched his brain to a halt.
The caller I.D. said Martha Kahalewai. Picking up the phone before the answering machine went on, he asked with a hesitant voice: "Martha?"
"Aaron?" Martha's voice said from the other end. From the sounds of it, it was cracked harsh, as if she was crying. But Aaron definitely knew the sound of her rough voice.
"Oh my God, Martha, is that you?" he asked, his voice started to crack up as he too was preparing to cry. He could hear her sniffling on the other end as she was crying herself before she answered, "Yes, it's me, oh my God, it is so good to hear your voice," she said.
Aaron had felt the tears in his eyes when he heard her and he too started to tear up, "Oh Mart it is so good to hear from you again. I thought the facebook post you made was a joke," he said.
"No, no it was me we, just gotten communications back online and the power going again," Martha replied.
"What is going on down there, Martha? I know that everything is so hush hush right now, but the Odyssey's abduction is still all over the news." he said to her as he listened to her crying on the other side.
"I did it," she said. He could hear her smiling on the other side.
"You did what? What did you do?" he asked curiously as Martha laughed before coughing and explaining everything to him. Aaron was at first shocked and then angry and then bewildered towards the end. When she was finished telling her story Aaron could not believe his ears.
"So let me get this straight: there is a real life artificial intelligence onboard the ship?" he asked.
"I can hear your call, Mr. Stene. I monitor all calls going in an out of the ship for any signs of foul play," said a voice.
"Um, Martha? Who is that?" Aaron asked and Martha giggled from the other side.
"That is EDI, she is the artificial intelligence," Martha replied happily. Aaron nearly spat out his food at that declaration. A real live artificial intelligence was a shock and a concern for Aaron.
"Are you sure she is safe?" Aaron asked.
"Yeah, she's safe. EDI is programmed to protect the crew of the Normandy, she won't kill us. To her, killing meaninglessly is unproductive and rather stupid, her words not mine," Martha replied on the other end.
Aaron nearly laughed at the sound of that. After all, it sounded rather ironic that something he just saw in the movies would be listening to his conversation with his long distance girlfriend. He was so distracted that he failed to hear the door open while Martha was explaining the situation to him. He even failed to see the people walking around the hallways or the dog disappearing in a happy trot towards the living room. He never knew the smell of something cooking all he was focused on was speaking to Martha.
"Aaron dinner is ready!" a voice called from the hallway. Aaron quickly snapped out of his trance and turned to the sound of the voice, "I will be right there ma!"
"Was that your mother calling?" Martha asked.
"Yeah, it's time for dinner I never realized that they came home. Look at the time I have to start getting ready for work," Aaron replied. He could hear sniffling in the background, meaning that Martha knew this conversation was about to end.
"When we finally get this ship running again, I will come home. I promise," she said between sobs.
"I know," Aaron whispered.
"AARON!," the voice of his mother called again.
"Coming!" he yelled out the door. Before turning back to the phone. "I have to go, just know that I love you. When will I hear you again?" Aaron asked between sobs.
"Probably not till we get this ship running, though I can still email you. EDI told me that it shouldn't affect emails," Martha replied. Aaron could feel the tears in his eyes as he wiped them away with his hand.
"I love you," he said on the other end.
"I love you too." With that, the line went dead and Aaron was left holding the phone with a shaky hand. He put it on the holder as the tears came to him, before walking to the bathroom to wash his face and tell his parents the good news. But one thing was for sure: he was overjoyed that Martha was still alive and well. He wanted to shout to the world and he also wanted to cry at the unfairness of it all. He prayed to God and Jesus out there that Martha would come home to him. That is all he wanted: right at this moment in time, all he wanted was to see her face again. He felt another set of tears threaten to fall, but he quickly washed his face again. Then he walked out of the bathroom to face his parents and to get something to eat before heading off to work.
NORMANDY
Martha looked at the alien device on her arm. The conversation ended and the device quickly faded to nothing. "Thank you EDI," she whispered to the artificial intelligence.
"It was the least I could do, now that I am fully integrated with your communication systems. At least you can communicate better with your loved ones," EDI said to her.
"I know, thank you," Martha replied as she herself went to the bathroom to take a shower. As she did, she could not help but think of what might had happened had she not been able to finally talk to Aaron. She could just imagine that he might have become a real mess. It was hard not to think about it, as well as the rest of her family that she had emailed and called. But Aaron had been the last person to talk to. She wanted to cry herself into a stupor, but that ended long ago.
As she got out of the shower and put on some clean clothes, thanks to the newly operational washing machines, Martha made her way towards the elevator that would take her down towards the Mess Hall for some card games. It seems that in order to pass the time, the others insisted on playing card games to keep things going. She already did her required amount of exercise and was now wanting some fun time to take time away from thinking about home.
Soon, she thought, knowing that soon they would be able to go home.
When she got off the elevator, she saw several people already there, with the cards set up. The chips were ready and many of them were sitting there, talking. Among them was Dr. Kimber, surprisingly, and Hilary. Most of the time is was mainly Martha, Ichigo, David, and Lucas who were playing. Jessica was busy with helping Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy and Hilary was usually at her station up above. It was surprising to see them all together. Once Martha sat down and the cards were dealt, she was just enjoying the fact that she was playing with friends.
"So when is the power conversion supposed to occur?" asked Ichigo to Dr. Kimber as he put down a few chips.
"In about twenty minutes. Dr. Jackson said that there is going to be a total shut down of all systems, including EDI. So that means, if anything happens, we are on our own," she said and everyone grumbled softly to themselves. Martha managed to pick up on it as she looked at her card deck and cursed.
"Shit, my hand sucks!" she said and slapped it down on the table. The others laughed when they showed their hands and it was Lucas who smiled brightest.
"Ha!" he called out and revealed his hand; a straight flush, which made everyone glare at him. Just as he started to collect his money, the intercom went off over their heads.
"All personnel, please be sure to be out of the elevators at this time, or anywhere that is currently running on power. So, if you are in the elevators or near any communication terminals, I suggest you finish what you are saying now and shut down your computers. We will begin power conversion in five minutes," was what Dr. Jackson said.
"Wow, I thought you said twenty minutes, Doc?" said David as he put down his hand.
"I did say twenty, I guess I was wrong," Dr. Kimber replied. The others laughed as she said this and hurried to finish their card game.
ENGINE ROOM
"Alright, is everything ready?" Dr. Jackson asked the people in the room. His nervousness was at an all-time high. At this moment in time everything must be ready; if they were to survive and get off the ocean floor, they had to have everything working properly.
"All systems are green, Dr. Jackson, and ready for conversion," said the first assistant.
"Energy readings are normal," said the second.
"All noncritical systems have been shut down. All personnel has left the elevators and all communications devices are shut down," EDI said over the intercom.
"EDI, do you really have to shut down as well?" Dr. Jackson asked.
"I have to shut down during the duration of the conversion to prevent a full-scale short circuit. So yes, I do have to shut down," EDI replied from her terminal. Nodding in understanding, Dr. Jackson turned and gave the signal to the others. Before activating his own terminal, he made the announcement.
"Attention, all Normandy Personnel: we are beginning conversion to the main fusion drive. As a reminder: all personnel must not be in the elevator at this time. All communications are to be terminated and all reports are to be saved for the duration of this conversion." Dr. Jackson said and waited for a few minutes to give people time to get out of the elevators.
"All personnel are ready, Dr. Jackson," EDI said.
"Alright, beginning conversion, begin shut down of H3 Auxiliary Fuel Cells," he said to the first assistant.
She began to type on the holographic display in front of her, working her way towards the fuel cells, "Beginning shut down of fuel cells one through six now," she said and as she did, lights began to power down, leaving certain areas dark.
"H-3 Fuel Cells one through six shut down, sir," she said.
"Beginning shutdown of fuel cells seven through twelve now," said the second assistant as he shut them down one by one. As he did so, the rest of the engine room shut down into nothing but black. This left them once again in the dark. It quickly started to get cold again, as the life support systems had also been shut down due to the complete power conversion. So now everyone would probably be freezing.
"Alright, is everything shut down and cooled off?" he asked.
"All fuel cells and auxiliary power is shut down Dr. Jackson," said the first assistant. Dr. Jackson took a deep breath as he inhaled the icy air around him. Forcing himself to calm down, he turned towards his panel in front of him. He looked at the only holographic display in front of him, and in it, the countdown going on the display before they could begin reactivation of the main systems. Two minutes till I can begin reactivation, he thought.
MESS HALL
Martha sat there at the table with the rest of the crew, waiting for Dr. Jackson to turn the power back on. They had all waited for this day, when they could fully reactivate the ship to its full power. But first, in order to do so, they had been told that once the power was shut off it would take about two minutes for the fuel cells to cool before they could activate the fusion reactor. That way, when power is converged and converted, there will be a seamless transition. If the fuel cells were overheated or heated up in any way before the main drive is activated, there is a chance that something can go wrong.
So the wait began as she and the others were sitting there in their parkas. Martha was smart enough to bring hers and the others also joined her from their rooms in their warm clothes. Those trapped in the rooms when the doors closed were to stay there till the power came back on.
"It is just as fucking cold as it was the first time around," said Jessica who came to join them.
"Yeah, it is still as cold," said Hilary who waited with Ichigo.
Martha remained silent as she prayed for the conversion to be smooth. The device next to her glowed slightly, as if reading her thoughts. Her hands shook as she looked down and waited as the countdown went off.
ENGINE ROOM
"Alright, I am beginning to warm up the engine, and start the conversion to full power," Dr. Jackson said.
He then started pushing holographic buttons as they began to glow. EDI was silent due to the power outage, but he remembered the A.I.'s instructions on how to turn the power back on. Slowly, but surely, he started to reactivate the power on the ship. He could hear the hum of the main fusion reactor beginning to warm up as fusion began to take place. Just as he started, the engine room began to light up as the reactor began its conversion of fusion energy.
As it did so, he started to push other buttons, activating the cooling vents that sent coolant to the reactor. This, he monitored on the panel to make sure the readings were correct. "So far, so good," he said to his team. It was so quiet in the room that he was sure that his two assistants heard him. As he typed in the commands, the rumble of power being converted started to take form.
"Alright, I am activating main fusion reactor now," he said and pushed buttons along the panel switching from auxiliary to main. As he did so, nothing happened at first and they remained in the dark.
"Um, Dr. Jackson, nothing is happening," said the second assistant.
Dr. Jackson waited, but it was just as he was about to start having doubts that the reactor started giving signs of life. At first, he thought that it might explode, but then it just started to glow as the ship's engine room lit up from the reactor core itself. The rumbling from the reactor alerted them to what was happening around them.
"What is going on?" asked the first assistant.
Just as she said that, there was a large jolt that was felt in the room, before the core rumbled safely. Looking down at the panel Dr. Jackson saw to his relief that the systems began to turn slowly one by one from standby to online. Critical systems began to converge from auxiliary to main. Thrilled that it worked, the sounds of the fusion reactor reached his ears as lights began to turn on one by one.
"Holy shit, we did it!" said the first assistant.
"Check the power readings; how are they!?" Dr. Jackson said to them, his excitement building as the engine room's lights all came back online.
"Everything is coming back online: life support, navigation, engineering, even the medical ward, it's everywhere!" the first assistant said with excitement. The hum of the reactor as well as the hum of the main drives themselves started coming back online.
"Do one more reading before I make the announcement," he said.
"All systems are green Dr. Jackson, Normandy is back online," he said.
"Attention, personnel: power conversion complete; Normandy is back online and at full power," he said and he was met with cheering on all channels.
DR. ALENKOV'S OFFICE
Dr. Alenkov stood, looking outside when the lights came back online in her office. As she watched her computer and everything else come back online, she grabbed her walkie talkie, "Dr. Jackson are all systems online?" she asked.
"All systems are back online and are running on main power now, Dr. Alenkov," he said from his end.
Dr. Alenkov smiled for the first time in a long time. Renewed hope had finally returned to the crew of the Normandy as she slowly placed the walkie talkie back down. Tears began to form in her eyes as joy filled her heart.
"Dr. Alenkov, are you alright?" EDI's voice came back online.
"I am fine EDI, I am just glad that we are closer to getting back to the surface," she said.
"Dr. Alenkov the engines are fully repaired and ready to begin phase two." said Dr. Jackson.
"I will make the announcement. Until then, begin preparations," she said, her voice even as she said this, though there was some cracking to betray her true emotions.
"Understood." With that, Dr. Jackson logged out of his walkie, leaving it silent for Dr. Alenkov to listen to. Slowly, she placed it down on the desk. She was so overjoyed as she tried to compose herself that she was just glad that it would be over soon.
"Ivan, I am coming home," she said.
TBC
a/n: Wow! That was something finally we are getting closer to getting off the sea floor. As you could guess this is a new chapter written by scratch and not a rewrite of a previous chapter. The reason for this is because when I first wrote this story there was no intermediary between meeting EDI and reactivating the ship. It was just a cut and paste sort of deal. Well this time I am taking my time and lengthening the scenes out so you get an idea of what is going on in terms of character feelings and what is the atmosphere of the story. I also took some time to research more into Normandy's systems and functions per deck so that way people can get more engaged without the large techno jargon mixed in. Stories with a lot of technical detail but too much jargon tend to bore me quickly because things go way over my head. This way people can get more engage with the terms that these people are thinking of. Well the dumb down version of it.
As for activating EDI at least you get a full fledged reaction that is actually realistic in terms of what people think when they meet an A.I. the interactions between characters is fun to write and it also mirrors what people tend to feel when someone is watching them constantly. As for the power conversion scene that part was inspired by Stargate Universe in the episode called 'Light,' I was listening to the soundtrack from the series when the thought came to me.
So there you have it folks chapter 14 Activation of an Artificial Intelligence. Please remember to leave a review and no BASHINGS, LORE MONGERS, OR FLAMES PLEASE any more bad reviews that don't make sense and full on degrades me or the story will be reported to 's administration as well as have the review deleted.
Anyhow aloha and thanks for reading!