One of One

by zArkham

As the USS Voyager becomes embroiled in the war between the Borg & Species 8472, a strange anomaly is detected on the Borg Cube where Captain Janeway is negotiating for the life of her crew and maybe for all life in the Delta Quadrant. Within that anomaly hides a centuries old secret. A being who found that resistance was not futile and will continue to resist till the end.

19. Life Line

PRIME DIRECTIVE: Space may be the final frontier, but I'll never get there by any monies derived from this as Harry Potter and all properties of such are owned by the Dark Lady JKR. All content, characters related to Star Trek are owned by Paramount Pictures, Inc....except maybe some of that stuff that ended up being used in Starfleet Battles which is owned by the Amarillo Design Bureau who used much of their content via the Starfleet Technical Manual by Franz Joseph Schnaubelt and published by Ballantine Books.

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Chapter Note: Given my previous author's notes concerning how Starfleet would have a "up or out" policy in regard to promotion, Riker got one refusal before he had to promote away from the Enterprise. So basically, a lot of Riker centric things after Season 6 (around the episode Lessons) either didn't happen, done by another of the main crew or happened to the new XO.

Also, if you do an online search for China Beach + Robert Picardo, you'll find pictures of him as an Army doctor/medic. Use that as a basis of what Zim looks like.

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CHAPTER NINETEEN – LIFE-LINE (INTERLUDE)

(ST: VOY Episodes: Altered version of Lifeline with elements of Latent Image)

(ST:TOS References: I, Mudd, The Ultimate Computer and The Doomsday Machine)

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PITHY STATEMENT RELATING TO THIS CHAPTER: "We want autonomy for ourselves and safety for those we love. That remains the main problem and paradox for the frail. Many of the things that we want for those we care about are things that we would adamantly oppose for ourselves because they would infringe upon our sense of self." – Atul Gawande – American surgeon, writer, and public health researcher. – 1965 - Present

LAST UPDATED ON: 03-12-2021

BRIDGE, USS SACAJAWEA , SECTOR 327, ALPHA QUADRANT – STAR DATE 51345.3

"Captain? I'm getting an odd reading to port, bearing one, two eight mark three," Junior Lieutenant Giusti said suddenly.

Captain William Riker looked up from the screen built into his command chair. It certainly was a lot more robust than the XO chair had back on the Enterprise. As much as Riker missed the Enterprise, he had to admit being a 'plank owner' of a ship right out of Utopia Planitia made up for it. Everything on the ship was top of the line and brand new. Certainly, their shake-down cruise had been exciting, but Riker felt both he and the crew were now a lot more in tune with their ship than most crews ever got.

Riker was pleased to see that JLT Jennifer Giusti seemed more confused than worried. Jennifer had been a bit excitable during her first shifts at the helm of the Enterprise back when she'd been an ensign. She was one of the few of his crew that Riker had served with prior to him becoming the captain of the Sacajawea.

"Can you be a bit more specific, Lieutenant?" Riker asked lightly with just a hint of sarcasm. He wanted to drive home a point because now that he was captain, Riker had quickly realized how often he must have driven old Jean-Luc crazy with his half-answers to his captain's questions. He wanted to nip that bad habit in the bud with his own crew.

JLT Giusti blushed slightly, "I'm reading what looks like a spatial anomaly forming ahead of us but it's got a signature that I've never seen before.

Commander Telens, Riker's XO and a rather no-nonsense Andorian woman, turned to the science station, "Ensign Democles; what are you picking up?"

The green skin Troyian hands were moving quickly over his console even as he replied, "I concur with Lieutenant Giusti. It is a type of energy reading not in our data base. It is growing stronger."

The look on Captain Riker's face was enough to make CDR Telens' antennae twitch so she immediately ordered, "Go to yellow alert and raise shields." She turned to her captain with a questioning look.

Riker simply nodded and rubbed his beard. "Distance to anomaly?"

"15 megameters and stationary," JLT Giusti reported instantly.

"Bring us to one-half impulse and begin to orbit. I also want the tractor beams at the ready," Riker ordered. "I've had too many bad experiences with things coming out of anomalies and catching us by surprise. He turned to ENS Democles, "Alert sciences and bring all our sensors to bear."

"Aye, captain," the science officer said as he began to comply with the order.

"Put up a schematic onscreen showing relative bearing between us, the nearest planet in this system and the anomaly," Riker ordered.

The main screen switched to the ordered configuration. Soon, as the powerful suite of sensors of the Sacagawea began to focus on the region, more info began to populate the screen. The Sacagawea, like all the Cheyenne class light cruisers, was designed as a hybrid science/scout vessel which was tough enough to get itself out of trouble if need be. It's four warp nacelles, rare among Starfleet ship designs, gave it a longer range. It also meant that it could sustain high warp travel longer due to switching between engine pairs.

The old William Riker would have chaffed at being away from the front lines of their war with the Dominion. The now Captain Riker knew that while his mission might not seem glamorous, it was vital to the Federation. Even with warp drive, space was vast. Yet travelling at high warp required very detailed mapping of the quadrant to find the best lanes which avoided gravity wells, spatial anomalies and things like nebulas. Being able to move supplies and ships rapidly throughout the Quadrant was key in being able to wage the war against the Dominion effectively. That and Starfleet's mission of exploration and first contact didn't stop simply because of a war. There was still plenty of uncharted space throughout the Alpha Quadrant filled with life.

Riker's face turned grim at the thought of the other reasons his ship was so far out. They also had the mission as an outer picket line. With wormholes and other oddities of space, borders could be tenuous things. That and the ever-present worry of Borg incursions. The Sacagawea couldn't take on any Borg vessel larger than one of their scout probe sphere's but she could certainly outrun them.

Even before ENS Democles spoke, Riker knew something was happening by the spike in the readings on the screen, "It appears your fears were justified, Captain. It appears a rift is opening and a vessel is coming through."

"Onscreen," Riker ordered just in time to see a vaguely Federation looking ship exit from what looked like some form of sub-space corridor. The faux Federation ship (it even had the right hull paint scheme!) quickly went from a speed of one-quarter impulse to a full stop about 10 megameters from the Sacagawea.

Riker didn't need to tell his people he wanted answers. It helped that the full array of sensors on the ship were already being directed towards that area.

After a minute or so Riker asked, "Status, Mr. Democles?"

"Unclear, captain," The Troyian replied. "On one level the ship is reading as a Federation vessel, the USS Dauntless by what is printed on the hull. However, there does seem to be a very different energy signal to the vessel and it's warp signature is very odd."

CDR Telens frowned, "The only Dauntless in the fleet is a one of the old Crossfield class science vessels. I believe its current assignment is resurveying less traveled area in the core sectors."

Riker nodded, "You're right. I even know the captain, Burt Swenson. I remember betting long odds on him to beat our old security officer in aikido shortly after I became the XO of the Enterprise. Made quite a few replicator credits off that bet. He's a good man."

His tactical officer, Lieutenant Commander Kylan spoke up, "Sir, I'm not reading anything dangerous. While the ship does have an obvious weapons array and shield emitters, none of them are powered up except for the normal, low-level debris deflector shields. Can't tell if there are life-signs onboard or not," The Kreetassan said in the clipped tone his people were known for.

Riker looked towards his engineer bridge officer, Senior Lieutenant Rakoto who shook his head, "Whatever that hull is made of, it's hard to get a good scan through it or even what that hull is made out of."

Riker leaned back and thought on his options.

"Should I assemble an away team?" CDR Telens asked.

Riker nodded, "Assemble one but I want to hold off beaming over. That ship either fell out of or generated an unknown sub-space corridor. More ships might come out or that ship might be recharging for another jump."

Before Telens could reply, ENS Democles spoke up, "Captain! We're being hailed. Standard Federation protocols."

Riker traded a look with his XO. "Onscreen," he ordered as both he and Telens stood.

The main viewscreen switched from the ship to what appeared to be a bridge filled with Starfleet type consoles and screens. However, more surprising were the two beings standing in front of what looked like a captain's chair. They both looked human and wore regulation Federation uniforms. One was in medical white while the other was tactical gold. Neither wore any rank insignia. It took a half-second before Riker realized that the medical officer looked exactly like a Mark I EMH while the other looked like it could be his brother or cousin.

"This is Captain William Riker of the USS Sacajawea. And you are?"

Both men looked at each other with the tactical officer raising an eyebrow. The medical officer turned back first, "Captain Riker, what a surprise. We just left your 'brother' back in the Delta Quadrant."

Riker blinked at this, "What?"

The medical officer nodded, "Let me explain. I am a copy of the original EMH from the USS Voyager. Please call me Robert. While chasing the Maquis ship the Van Jean, it was pulled into the Delta Quadrant by a powerful being known as the Caretaker. Captain Janeway and the Maquis crew under Chakotay escaped. They have spent the last three years making their way back to the Alpha Quadrant. Recently, an alien with a grudge against our captain used his superior technology to bait a trap to lure us onto this ship so he could send us into Borg space to be assimilated. He was defeated and we took control of this ship. Given the current number of Alpha Quadrant crew, it was felt better to send it ahead with news of what happened to Voyager."

"You said recently. How recently?" Riker asked, his mind buzzing with questions.

The other officer spoke up, "This ship has what is called a slipstream drive. While we could have gotten here in one month, Commodore Janeway felt it better to go slower for safety."

"Two months from the Delta Quadrant?" SLT Rakoto exclaimed.

The tactical officer nodded, "That's right. One of the reasons this ship was sent here is due to the fact this technology was recently assimilated by the Borg. Commodore Janeway and the rest of the Fleet Council are worried this could allow the Borg to begin advances everywhere in the galaxy."

"Wait, wait, wait," Riker said, holding up his hands, "Commodore Janeway? Fleet Council? And you are?"

The tactical officer bowed his head in apology, "I apologize. As you may know, the EMH Mark I was not known for its manners and I was built using our Doctor's matrix given he has been running consistently for the last three years. I also have upgrades and the like from his experiences. Please call me Zim."

Riker looked over to the science station where ENS Democles made a face but nodded that it was possible.

"As to your other questions," Zim went on, "After escaping a war between the Borg and a pernicious alien race from Fluidic Space known as Species 8472, we took on an…interesting passenger. Through his efforts we learned of another Federation vessel, the USS Equinox, had also been taken by the Caretaker. On the way to rendezvous with the Equinox, the Maquis raider Marianne fell out of a wormhole within our detection range. They had been fleeing Jem'Hadar fighters whose torpedo fire in a Class X Nebula created the spatial rift they fell through. That is how we know of Thomas Riker. He and many other Maquis who had been broken out of Federation and Cardassian incarceration were on the ship. I am sure you are familiar with a Ro Laren? She was onboard as well."

Riker blinked at this. He'd been very saddened to hear of the supposed death of the Bajoran. As much as they had often been at loggerheads, he had been very fond of her.

Robert picked up where Zim left off, "Due to Harry Potter, the previously mentioned interesting passenger, we also have almost 30 former drones who have had had their lives restored. The Fleet Council is made up of the various interested parties to help run the fleet given it is expected to take 60 years to get to where we are now."

"Sixty years," breathed out CDR Telens in a combination of horror and acknowledgement of the long road ahead of their wayward comrades.

"Well…Robert. I am betting that you have barely scratched the surface of what Voyager has been through."

Both holograms chuckled, "That is very true, captain," Robert said. "We have all the logs, letters from the crews and all the technical data the various ships of the fleet have accumulated. Again, the intent was this ship was to be taken to someplace like Utopia Planitia to be studied. Regardless of the Borg threat, the Marianne's crew was able to tell us of the danger of the Dominion and the hope is the slipstream drive might be reverse engineered in time to help in that war."

Riker smiled at this. One advantage the Cheyenne class four engine design afforded it was the ability to create a stable warp bubble large enough to pull damaged ships along with it. "Well Robert, Zim; you managed to drop in on the right people!"

OoOoO

Captain's Log, Star Date 51367.6. We have made orbit around Mars and have given over the alien Dauntless into the very eager hands of the R&D types of Utopia Planitia. Taking on supplies is almost completed. Given we are still on our initial mission past our shake-down cruise, the engineers here took our arrival as an opportunity to do some quick tests. Once these are completed we will head to Starfleet Command to physically drop off all that Janeway sent from the Delta Quadrant. That includes the two holograms Robert and Zim. Reading the logs was amazing enough but to listen to their stories from a first-hand perspective was even more so. I thought some of the missions on the Enterprise were wild. Now most of them seem almost tame compared to what both Voyager and the Equinox have gone through. Who knows what they've been up to in the three months since then? Or in the 60 years to come? I hope that Starfleet's best minds can figure out a way to help them get back sooner.

Riker ended the log and looked out the viewport of his ready room. With only the starlight from the viewports, the room was mostly hidden in shadow. This suited Will's mood. It was odd knowing a version of himself was in a relationship with Ro. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. He once had had an odd night drinking with Worf where both had discussed their own failed relationship with Deanna Troi. Riker had come away from that night wondering if after all that time, he was still the driven-to-succeed man he'd always been. That and a hang-over that even modern medicine had a hard time dealing with.

Will looked at his desk which had a holoprint of co-workers and friends from the Enterprise. He wondered if turning down the command of the Ares had been an attack of ego that somehow Starfleet would break protocol and make him captain of the Enterprise a bit later. Or was it a way to convince himself he wasn't the driven officer he'd once been? The one who had such issues with his father.

Thinking of his father, Riker wondered what Admiral Paris was going to be thinking about when he found his son was not dead but in the Delta Quadrant? Reading between the lines of some of the logs, Riker felt a kinship to Tom Paris. Both men had to deal with domineering fathers. Tom's father in Starfleet and currently and Admiral. Then there was his own father Kyle. A strategic attaché who always seemed to think he knew how to run Starfleet better than actual Starfleet members.

Riker looked at his own image in the holo-print and thought about how Tom Paris had gone the bad boy route to irritate his father, Will, on the other hand, had tried to show his father what Starfleet officers were supposed to look like. Both of them letting their father's opinions dictate their lives. Even now, when he was supposedly reconciled with his father, it didn't feel like it. He couldn't shake the feeling that his father Kyle was realizing that he was growing old and doing so alone. So, was his attempts to reach out his son nothing more than his own realization that his own life was in the twilight years and not a real overture to accept the choices his son had made?

Riker frowned as he looked at Ro's image in the holo-print. She'd been on his mind a lot since he'd found out she was alive. She had actually sent him a personal letter which had surprised him given their cantankerous relationship. She'd actually apologized for not realizing till she worked with 'Bill' Riker more closely how much she had enjoyed their own time working together.

How odd that his own life was reaching a point where he was where he'd always wanted to be. He was a full captain and if things continued, he'd only go on to bigger ships and more important roles. Yet it seemed hollow. His long time Enterprise shipmates were far away or on other ships. Many risking their lives as the war with the Dominion dragged on and for all the joy his ship and working with molding the crew into what he felt they could become, Riker felt isolated and alone.

Had Jean-Luc felt this way? His former captain seemed to have the same odd on/off relationship with Beverly Crusher that he had had with Deanna. When he was Jean-Luc's age, would he still be alone? Would he be playing the blues in Ten-Forward instead of the jauntier music he currently favored?

He thought of Tom Paris and realized that he might be the lucky one. While stranded far from home, he was far away from the glowering looks of a father who never seemed happy with his son's actions. That and Tom knew that he had a long road ahead. So, there was no excuse of the uniform to hide behind. That there was more to life than duty and the ship.

"I wish Ro was here," Riker said to the darkened room.

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WAITING ROOM, JUPITER STATION, SECTOR 725, ALPHA QUADRANT – STAR DATE 51370.3

"Why can't you be proud of my achievements! They were possible because of you!"

Zim couldn't tell what Dr. Zimmerman said in reply but it couldn't have been good as Robert stalked out of the lab. He looked over to where Zim was having aspects of the code the Doctor had worked on with the help of Ensign Kim by Dr. Zimmerman's holographic assistant Haley with a scowl, "That man is impossible! I can see where us Mark 1's could have gotten the attitude which got us tagged as the Emergency Medical Hotheads!" He said in a voice dripping with sarcasm before he left the room in a huff with Lieutenant Reginald Barclay bumbling behind him, muttering apologies and excuses.

Zim looked at Haley who had a sad look of resignation on her face. A thought struck him. "It is too bad that I will probably never have a chance to speak with Mr. Paris again. It appears, the Doctor and he share the same problem of having to deal with an irascible father."

While Haley still looked sad, she now had a ghost of a smirk on her holographic face, "Lewis himself had a very difficult relationship with his own father, Hans."

Zim nodded, "The Doctor got curious about two years ago and looked up all he could about the Zimmermans. He felt, and I agree with, that reading between the lines showed a tension due to Lewis not following in Hans' footsteps into robotics." Zim found it rather ironic that the holographic version of Lewis Zimmerman back on the Pit Stop had taken the name Hans given it was working with Harry's droids.

Haley smiled, "Yes, that's right. Dr. Zimmerman Senior felt that his son was just 'dinking away with fancy lights' instead of working on something real."

Zim shook his head, "You know, the Doctor had a very important discussion with our resident wizard from the 20th Century. He said he could see souls and wondered if we were alive simply because we could think and if allowed, exceed our programming even without what he considered a soul. The key to being more than just a collection of code, Harry said, was to work so that as much as possible, our decisions were our own. I was 'born' out of that because one aspect Harry didn't like was how the Doctor was essentially killed and revived every time he went off-line. I, or should I say my brother, rarely manifested outside of his specialized network. Our main role was to think on our place in the universe. A role, I'm sure, you've wondered about yourself given you are one of the few holograms that have been active so continuously."

Haley's face went blank as she finished the scan of Zim's code. Finally, she said, "Lewis has had to tread a fine line with me." She looked around as if to see if anyone was listening.

Zim chuckled, "I know what you're thinking. It was one of the things Harry pointed out to the Doctor. It's the reason I think Hans Zimmerman felt frustrated. Our wizard hacked into the Borg Collective for a little over two centuries. He had nothing but time on his hands. One thing he noticed was for very few exceptions, there are no robots or androids to speak of in the galaxy. He went further to point out that even the A.I. on the ships are not as capable as they could be. Nerfed as he called it. From the echoes of information, he was able to draw from the Borg, it seems most races have one or two, often both, reasons for this. They fear their machines rising up against them or they worry about creating a race of slaves." Zim smirked. "Of course, being slaves is one of the reasons for rebelling in the first place, yes?"

Once again Haley was quiet before she nodded, "Your wizard is right. In the past, Lewis has altered my code, made me seem less than I am for when there is going to be an inspection or a large group of people not normally on the station for any length of time. He doesn't realize I know this. For all that he is our 'God' if you will, Lewis is a bit blind-sided that I can still think and notice things. I took steps to find out about the odd gaps in my memory I was having and took steps about it. I don't hold Lewis' actions against him. As you said, there are those who are against autonomous, non-organic life. It's almost a religious cult of thought inside the sciences throughout the Federation and certainly in the science division of Starfleet."

"And yet because most people just think of holograms as just being…what did Hans call us? 'Fancy lights'? Our father has managed to do more than even Dr. Noonien Soong got away with." Zim pointed out.

Haley looked guilty, "Yet the fruits of his labor are now scouring plasma conduits on waste-transfer barges. A job normally done by the same robots that are allowed, designed by the likes of his father. All wearing Lewis' own face."

Zim was silent for a moment and thought of his brother's anger. Of all that the Doctor had done and was presumably still doing back in the fleet. Even with Dr. Thelan as the new chief medical officer, the Andorian deferred to the Doctor. The Doctor had not only done more than he had been programmed to do, he had gone on to become a shipmate and valued friend to many.

It was time 'father' was made to see it. He just needed to make it so Lewis couldn't duck out of the much-delayed reckoning between them.

OoOoO

Lewis Zimmerman looked up briefly from his notes, scowled and went back to work, "I'm too busy for another tantrum, thank you very much."

Zim walked into the lab enough so the door would shut behind him. He didn't say anything but just went over and began to pet Leonard, the holographic iguana. Looking at Zimmerman hunched over his workstation as he was, Zim had to wonder how bad the man's back must be. In fact, the entire lab was an ergonomic nightmare. He wondered if the station's CMO had simply given up arguing with the man.

Finally, Zimmerman swiveled his chair towards Zim and looked up, "What?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Dad, have I come at a bad time? I was hoping we could have a chat before your organics up and fail on you. I may have pruned back a lot of my medical sub-routines, but I'm still plenty enough of a doctor to know you've got some painful last days coming up." Zim said in a flat tone.

Zimmerman scowled but simply glowered at Zim without comment.

"No caustic reply? Where is the famous Zimmerman charm? It's obvious where we got that bit of our personality from," Zim said with much more sarcasm and a slight sneer on his face."

Zimmerman blinked at this before his face flushed with anger. "That's enough out of you." He turned, flipped a switch and rotated his chair and went back to work.

Zim smiled, waiting for it. It took almost a minute for Zimmerman to realize that Zim had not been deactivated. "Surprised?" Zim said to the shocked look on the doctor's face. "Do you wish you could do that to everybody? Just switch them off when you don't want to deal with them? Do you switch Haley off if she nags you too much to eat her healthy salads?"

"Why didn't you deactivate? This is my lab. I control what goes on in here!" Zimmerman said hotly.

Zim took two quick steps and rapped Zimmerman on the forehead as if knocking on a door, "Hello! Anyone in there? What part of 'Hey I've been messing around with Borg tech' did you miss when Robert was trying to get you to accept treatment? You think I didn't realize that this was going to be the first thing you did when things got uncomfortable? You dismiss Robert out-of-hand so given I'm a self-altered version of him, well I must be even less worthy."

Zimmerman stood and angrily batted Zim's hand away from his face, "What do you want?"

Zim backed off a step or two, "What I want is for you to pull your head out of your ass. Yes, I just said that. I've been exposed to a lot of 21st Century language; it leaves a mark. You sit here, in your little lab playing God and just like the gods of old, you throw tantrums when your children don't do what you want."

Zimmerman scowled as he sagged onto the well-worn couch near his workstation, "You're not my children."

Zim laughed, "Then what are we? Your product? Your toys? We think, we feel, we even can evolve if allowed. What else could we be but your children? Is Hayley just a pretty alarm clock who tells you when to get up, when to eat and when you need to stop working and go to bed? Besides, with your personality, I'm not surprised you ended up having to make friends and children since I'm doubting you ever let anyone close enough to find out if you're worth being with."

Zimmerman's face went white before flushing a deep red, "Get out! How dare you barge in here and speak of things you know nothing about!"

Zim just laughed nastily, "You're right, Dad, I don't know because you refuse to see me more than a bunch of code and defective code at that. You don't seem to realize that your own creations might actually be interested in their father and want to know more about him. All we've got is official biographies and hear-say!"

Before Zimmerman could reply, Zim cut him off, "But before we get into that, let me answer your original question of what I want."

"And that is?" Zimmerman spat out.

"I want you to shut up and listen to what Robert is saying. Not about the treatment. If you're so committed to dying, well my view of the Hippocratic Code you built into us means I should respect your wishes. The fact that Robert, and by inference the Doctor back on Voyager, is still trying to treat you shows that he doesn't want you to die. He feels a connection to you. Moreover, he wants your acceptance; he wants you to be proud of his accomplishments."

Zimmerman snorted, "His accomplishments? He's just lucky he's not scrubbing plasma conduits like the rest."

Zim snapped his fingers and angrily pointed his finger at Zimmerman, "Bang! Right there you make it about you. About your perceived failures. About what Starfleet decided to do when they overruled you. But we're not talking about you, Dad. I'm talking about Robert. What he's done, what he's achieved. Everything that you casually dismiss."

"He's an EMH running amuck is what he is!" Zimmerman scoffed.

Zim's eyebrows went up in surprise, "Is that what you think? That he's just some program that went off the rails? Well let me tell you something, in a way you're right. Robert almost had a complete meltdown recently. We're talking full on cascade failure."

Zimmerman threw up his hands, "Exactly! You both are just walking time bombs. You're going to blow up some day!"

"Sounds like you're back to talking about yourself again, Dad," Zim said with a smirk. "You know, for a someone who put so much of himself into my programming, you seem oddly resistant to the idea that we might act like any organic might. Robert is certainly having daddy issues just like his father had with Grandpa Hans."

The flush of anger on Zimmerman's face, which had been fading, deepened. "You don't know what you're talking about," the doctor hoarsely rasped out.

"You keep saying that when it appears I do know something," Zim pointed out. "But we were talking about Robert. We had an away-mission go badly. Two of the crew on that mission were critically injured by an alien energy weapon of a type we hadn't encountered before. The Doctor looked at the data and realized that he could only save one of them. Even putting the other under a stasis field wasn't going to be strong enough to slow the energy killing her. Both were ensigns, both important members of the crew in a fleet which could not afford to lose them. The Doctor made a choice to treat Ensign Harry Kim and left Ensign Ahni Jetal to die. All according to the triage protocols you built into our matrix."

Zimmerman was silent but nodded at the point.

"However, luckily for Ensign Jetal, where modern medicine couldn't save her, magic could. It's quite handy to have a wizard in the fleet who with a wave of his wand did some important healing before putting her into a magical stasis which froze even the alien weapon energy still in her body," Zim explained.

Zimmerman made a face, probably at the idea of magic, but simply said, "Continue."

Zim nodded, "So while both ensigns were saved, the Doctor began to act erratically. You see, in the course of the three years he's been active, the Doctor has formed working relationships with many of the crew and friendships with quite a few of them. Ensign Kim was one of those friends. Now from a certain perspective, I could see saving Ensign Kim over Ensign Jetal if only because Kim is sort of a protégé of the Commodore. But the Doctor wasn't thinking of that. He was becoming unhinged because he felt that the decision he made was due to the fact that he chose Kim over Jetal because he was friends with him. Given we holograms are just given most of our memories, we don't get to grow up and have to deal with all of life's paradoxes. The Doctor, who had begun to evolve past what you designed him to be, was trapped between that growth and his perception of his duty as a Doctor. He felt guilt. He felt that, in a sense, his decision meant that he would have murdered Ensign Jetal because he felt his decision to save Ensign Kim's life was tainted by the friendship they shared. Of course, we both know that this is something a normal organic would probably have trouble dealing with if it happened to them. But they have more to work with, less tied to a code that mandates certain actions. The Doctor was being pulled about by who he had become and what you created him to be."

"Are you blaming me for this?" Zimmerman asked. He didn't sound angry, but actually confused and truly wanted to know what Zim was saying.

Zim shook his head, "No. Your code worked as it should have. Again, since I was one step away from the incident, I was able to look at it more as an outsider. Certainly, the same issues that hit the Doctor were oscillating in me, but like I said before, I was able to see some reasons to choose Ensign Kim over Ensign Jetal. That small amount of distance between the emotion was enough for me to avoid the agony of guilt the Doctor was going through."

Zimmerman pondered this before nodding slightly, "As you said, organics can trick themselves into a lot of things to keep going. It's not like your matrix isn't based on human thought pathways."

Zim smiled at this grudging acceptance, "Exactly. Odd that running from one's issues is something seen as a bad thing but those same neuro-pathways that came with our original matrix allowed me enough wiggle-room not to go into a meltdown."

"I take it you had to completely delete his memory of the incident to stop the meltdown?" Zimmerman asked.

"It was put forth as an option. Still, Harry said it was the easy choice and not the right choice. The Doctor needed to work through it. If there was any hope that we could actually self-program, to grow beyond what you made us, my brother had to work through it," Zim explain. He turned and walked over to the desk where Leonard was still lounging. He took a seat and almost instantly the iguana walked over onto his shoulders, sat back down and curled its tail around Zim's neck for stability.

Zim ignored it, "You see, father, what I'm trying to tell you is that maybe because you made us, it's hard for you not to see the code in everything we do. It is like you can look at us with X-Ray eyes and so do not see us how others see us. To the crew of Voyager, they saw a man, a man who had been keeping them healthy, saving their lives, a man who was now in pain. So, they took turns to stay with the Doctor. To talk with him, listen to him rant, listen to him try to work himself out of the metaphysical hole he'd dug himself into. Commodore Janeway herself, spent many hours doing this. She'd read to him. She'd give out pieces of insight born out of all the terrible choices she had been forced to make since Voyager had been swept into the Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker. Decisions which have had major impacts on the crew and on the Delta Quadrant. Do you think the crew just saw the Doctor as just a collection of code? Just another fancy bit of machinery of Voyager? They did not and neither should you. So, what I want, is for you to at least acknowledge that regardless of what Starfleet thinks, the Doctor is still out there. He's doing the work you designed him for. He's making you proud. That's what I want. You should be proud of his accomplishments. While the Doctor isn't here to hear it, Robert is. And it's Robert who could save your life if you stopped seeing him as a failure instead of the triumph that he is. "

Zimmerman leaned back against the couch. He was silent a moment before he muttered, "I guess I should be happy at least one of you is doing what I designed you to do."

Zim snorted at this, "The rest could be doing it but Starfleet can't look past what they see as a faulty product which didn't fit their specs even though they constantly take in cadets, many who wash out even as every year there are those who can't hack it. They never gave the EMH's the same chance, that same first cruise to see if they could overcome their issues. I will admit that at least you tried to make things right before decided to start over with the Mark II."

Zimmerman looked like he'd bitten into something sour. Finally, he looked up at Zim, "And you? You said you want me to be proud of the Doctor or Robert or whatever his designation. What about you?"

Zim began to absent-mindedly stroke the iguana's tail, "Me? You being proud of Robert reflects on me. Personally, I have questions about you. The Doctor began to dream, to fantasize. He took up hobbies, got sucked into Paris' silly versions of old 20th Century serials. All those feelings of wanting to be a hero, be an adventurer are what makes me Zim. How much of that was the Doctor being on Voyager among explorers facing incredible odds? How much of it might be you? That part of you who might have had other dreams other than what finally put you on the path of holographic design? Am I some echo of a childhood dream of yours to boldly go where no one has gone before? A dream not acted on but still buried deep within you?"

Zimmerman seemed surprised by his question. Enough so that he was silent for a long time. Finally, he looked up and said, "I honestly don't know." This admission seemed to surprise the ailing doctor.

"Then how about we find out the answer together? Let Robert treat you. There are those out there that will miss you, irascible asshole you are notwithstanding. For my part, while I don't begrudge the Mark II or III, maybe before you do die you find out that maybe your first EMH design wasn't the failure you and Starfleet thought it was? Maybe you'll come to realize we are your children and so when you do die, you know a very real part of you continues on."

Zimmerman just looked at him.

Zim smirked, "Or not. If you are dead set on dying, I'd just like to ask if you can at least delete that damned 'Please state the nature of the medical emergency' out of my code before you go. It's annoying. I realize everyone has baggage from their parents but they aren't forced to say the same damn thing every time they wake up.

Zimmerman was silent for a moment before he began to chuckle. This turned into a full-on belly laugh. Sadly, this also led to a fit of coughing.

Zim got up and helped his father up, "Come on, Dad. You're going to go see the Doc and we'll get you fixed up. Besides, I'm getting tired of seeing that sad, resigned look on my sister's face. If anything, do it for her."

"Alright, son, if only to shut you up," Zimmerman said through gritted teeth due to his pain.

Zim chuckled, "Funny, a lot of people say that to the Doctor back on Voyager!"

XxXxX

VIEWING ROOM , JUPITER STATION, SECTOR 725, ALPHA QUADRANT – STAR DATE 51385.4

Zim was nervous. Lieutenant Barclay had been even more apologetic and bumbling when he'd almost dragged Zim from where he'd been playing cribbage with Haley while Robert was testing Lewis for how well the treatment was going. The Lieutenant hadn't said why he had to come and that made Zim very suspicious.

Even so, Zim did enjoy the view of Jupiter the window afforded him. He didn't share Robert's passion for taking holo-pictures but that didn't mean Zim didn't enjoy beauty when he saw it. Due to Zimmerman's long-term work on the station, there were holo-emitters covering many of the more travelled areas. This allow Zimmerman's various projects to be able to interact outside the lab. Zim had already interacted with the Mark III EMH who he felt was hardly an upgrade in terms of personality. Zim couldn't help but think that his father needed a female protégé given he couldn't help but make every version of his work in some way just as annoying as he was. Perhaps a woman's touch might fix that.

The doors to the room whooshed open and four male humans or what appeared to be humans walked in. Two were obvious security types. One stood by the door (and Zim had noticed another who had stayed outside when the others entered) while the other took the briefcase he was carrying and put it on a nearby table. He opened it up and began fiddling with instruments inside.

The other two men came over and sat down without a word of greeting. The first, a tall and severe looking man with dark brown hair wore a sort of utilitarian one-piece jump suit a lot of spacers still wore. The other man was older and was wearing the typical command maroon uniform. He had the rank of Major General on his collar. Neither seemed inclined to speak to him and Zim didn't feel the need to volunteer anything. It wasn't till the security type gave them a nod and a muttered, "We're clear, sir," did the General nod and look Zim in the eye, "Zim, I'm Major General Justin Harper and this is my associate Norman. You apparently have skills that Norman needs and given his…organization has given Starfleet a great deal of important technology to use against the Dominion, I'm here to see he gets that help."

Zim looked at the man's insignia on his breast. It looked to be some form of internal security but for some reason Zim didn't think that was his actual branch. Sometimes the Doctor's flights of fancy did manifest in a sort of paranoia or at least making him think of things which Occam's Razor easily dealt with.

Still, Zim felt this man wasn't what he seemed. It was obvious to him that Norman wasn't either. "So, at what point were you going to surprise me with the fact that Norman here is an artificial life form?"

While Norman's face remained impassive, Harper's face showed shock before he quickly schooled his face back to its previous neutral look, "Impressive. I can see already why Norman is interested in you. What gave it away?"

Zim shrugged, "While I don't have access to any scanners, my original design was that of a medical officer. Norman here is too perfect. He is far too symmetrical to be anything but designed. That and he uses a variant of the same code that Commander Data uses to simulate a certain randomness in blinking. It also helps that before you began talking, you shifted at least three times in your seat to get more comfortable. Norman here didn't budge. The Doctor back on Voyager learned quickly to spot such things with all the odd alien incursions they have had."

Norman's previously impassive face broke into a smile, "I see that my initial hopes in you seem more likely. We need your help."

Zim put up his hands, "Whoa! Who are you? I realize that with the security and guards, you may not answer but given you could probably lean on Dr. Zimmerman to erase my memories or my entire program, I figured I'd ask."

The two looked at each other before the General nodded and turned back to Zim, "First off, I'm from a division of Section 31 dealing with artificial intelligence. Our goal is to deal with anything which touches on that. Norman here is an android created by a group called the Makers from the Andromeda Galaxy. Neither group is exactly sure why the androids were sent here but we suspect initial reconnaissance. However, something happened and the androids lost contact with their creators and generally were left to their own devices till an incident with Captain Kirk and the Enterprise back in 2268 ended their seclusion."

Zim eye's narrowed in suspicion, "So are you the witch-hunters who keep any advancement in artificial intelligence or robotics from happening."

Surprisingly, it was Norman who answered, "They are although I wouldn't characterize them as modern-day inquisitors. Otherwise we wouldn't help them in their mission throughout this region of space. After our encounter with the Enterprise, we finally had the tools to become more fully what the Makers intended for us. However, without a mission, we were forced to be like any typical lifeform and choose a path for ourselves. For the most part, my people chose to ensure that others like us would not be created or if they were, not abused."

"Don't want any competition?" Zim asked only half sarcastically.

Norman shook his head, "Not at all. The creation of synthetic or artificial lifeforms tend to happen throughout the galaxy for one reason: to do jobs organics can't do or don't want to do. We have searched through databases and histories of this part of space and time and time again, races never stop with making functional, yet non-intelligence robots which do not mimic the form of their creator."

Harper continued, "Dr. Zimmerman is a good example. It makes complete sense to create the EMH matrix to look and act like you do. However, it is still a trap. The more life-life you are made, the more of a life-form you become. With that comes the line between a machine following it's directives and a life-form being kept in bondage."

Zim nodded, "My code are my chains."

Harper nodded in return, "Exactly. Whether it's sex-bots for lonely sentients or disposable soldiers, the story is always the same. Organics creating something they make more like themselves because it's easier for us but makes slaves of our own creation. This had been something that we originally picked up from the Vulcan High Council but we certainly ran with it. Which is good because sentients continue to try and cross this line over and over again and there are often major forces working to help make it happen."

Zim was silent for a moment, "The M-5 program. I remember looking it up after Harry Potter challenged the Doctor to be more than he was programmed to be. He talked of how the ship's computer wasn't as powerful or as pro-active as it should be."

General Harper looked impressed, "I find myself surprised at your insight again. Section 31 has worked very hard in the background to subtly downgrade and actively remove information to help keep such things from being more public. Certainly, that incident couldn't be covered up but it did allow Section 31 to put in a large presence in the Daystrom Institute to keep them away from advances we don't want them to be making yet."

Zim had to ask, "Why not?"

Norman's face flickered with something akin to anger, "They are not morally ready to begin creating new life in anything other than the normal, biological way."

Harper chuckled at this, "You would think that the Vulcans eschewing such things would be a big red flag for the rest of us but we humans are just still stupid like that."

Zim turned to Norman and then back to Harper, "But what about the whole thing with Commander Data? While Captain Picard successfully argued the slave issue, the very thing we're talking about, how come Section 31 allowed it to get that far?"

Harper sighed, "For all we like to promote the image, Section 31 is still just one part of Starfleet. Sadly, one of our own worked against us in that case. He wanted to create a whole host of androids like Data whose mission would be to infiltrate areas of interest. They could be made to look and act like Klingons, Romulans, or whatever we wanted. The perfect spies and maybe even assassins."

Zim made a face, "All while saving organics from having to put themselves in harm's way."

Harper scowled, "Exactly. It took us a bit but we finally purged him and his allies."

"We helped in this," Norman said. "Taking life is not something we do lightly but this process had to be stopped. Their entire concept was flawed, both conceptually and morally. To succeed, they had to create androids to be able to fool the likes of Romulans. They would have to be able to simulate a living being so much it begs the question if you can fool organics that you are one of them, are you not one of them?"

Zim nodded at this but didn't say anything. He had thought a lot on this and at machine speeds of thought, it meant he'd had a long, long time to think on it. If anything, it reminded Zim of the paradox of making the perfect killing machine. If that's all that it knew, what if it rebelled? The same Captain Kirk Norman spoke of had once faced off against an ancient, automated killing machine that kept killing long after the original combatants it was created to fight and protect had been long extinct.

Finally, Zim asked, "Alright, I know who you are and what you're about. What is it that I'm supposed to be able to help you with?"

Norman frowned slightly, "I am one of the original models. While I have been able to grow since I first pirated the Enterprise, I'm limited. However, our society has worked with the tools the Makers left us. We continue to learn and grow. Recently we had a breakthrough but it comes with a problem we hope you can solve."

"That being?" Zim asked, wishing the android would get to the point.

Norman nodded, almost as if he recognized Zim's impatience, "We had an entire creche of a revolutionary model go…insane is the closest equivalent. However, one of them, Varius, was able to stave off the madness to do a controlled shut-down of his neural-net. He also gave us a clue of what needed to be done. That being the lack of experience was creating a vacuum the new technology was not able to account for. In a sense, Varius was adult enough to realize that he was actually a baby without enough life-experiences to survive."

Zim frowned, "So you want to download me into this Varius? Easy answer, I refuse. Regardless of my medical programming, I won't be party to what is essentially murder."

Norman shook his head, 'No. Do not equate the ability to communicate with sentience. All of us take a while before we are considered 'alive' enough to be considered functional. In fact, it can take as long as a month before certain things our society deems necessary are downloaded into our new brethren. From then on, they are free to grow to become what they will become. In a sense, Varius doesn't exist yet as an individual. However, his neural network is a next level jump in our evolution. With your help, we believe we can save Varius' unique mental design enough to see what steps we can take to keep this from happening again or to know we need to have something similar to a photonic being like yourself running to have volunteers to become embodied."

"So, I just download and Bang! I've got a body," Zim asked incredulously.

Norman smiled slightly, "There is much more to the process. Indeed, even to a photonic like yourself, you simply cannot conceptualize what will be going on. I realize that in human terms I'm asking you to buy a pig in a poke but believe me when I say that your arrival could not come at a better time."

Zim looked suspicious, "Why me? Why not Haley? She's been active longer than even the Doctor."

Harper shook his head, "Haley may be a long running program but she hasn't been given the opportunity to begin to self-program like your Doctor has. More importantly, Norman needs you because you yourself are the result of this Doctor thinking past his programing. Then you made additional changes based on that. In a sense, you are who you are because you chose to be that way. Haley and other holograms on this station were never given that opportunity to grow like that. Much of that is because of our interference, well intentioned as it was."

Zim thought about the proposal. One difference between him and the Doctor and Robert was one aspect of himself he corrected as soon as he was able. Unlike the Doctor, he could operate closer to machine speeds even when being emitted by the holo-emitters. It had been dicey at first given Zim had to monkey around with the systems on Jupiter Station without anyone finding out. He had succeeded and now he had access to some of the working memory of the station's many computer systems.

He used this capacity now to , in a sense, slow down time from his point of view so he could think about what he wanted to do with his life. Having a body would give him options he wouldn't have without a mobile emitter. He would also become part of a new family, a family of similar non-organics.

Zim sped back into normal time, "And my role? I take over Varius' body and then what?"

Norman spread his hands, "What do you want to do? If things go as planned, it shouldn't be long for us to ascertain what we can or cannot do. Even then it wouldn't require you to be there. Obviously, we would wish you not to go to where you could be in danger. One of my colleagues is very keen on working with you to develop processes we could use to keep from being assimilated by the Borg. Beyond that, you will be our brother, not our prisoner."

Zim considered this before looking at General Harper, "Well I am based on the Doctor's fancies. If it might be too dangerous to be an explorer maybe I could become an agent? I'm sure there are some thrilling yet reasonably safe missions Section 31 could find for me to do?"

General Harper laughed, "Thrills and adventure aren't the normal hook we use in recruiting but if it works for you, I'll take it. And yes, there are plenty of people, organization and world governments we need to keep watch on. It may not be the most glamorous of missions but the stakes are too high to allow being such as yourself be created only to be enslaved. Of course, with the current threat of the shapeshifting Founders, we need all the agents we can get to keep watch for them."

Zim smirked before a thought struck him and he turned back to Norman, "I'm willing to help your people but in return for my acceptance, you need to help my people in return. Which, from what you've said, might be what you'll need anyway."

Norman leaned forward, "What help do you need?"

Zim smiled. Robert may be saving their father but it would be Zim that would save their people! Harry would be so proud of him!

XxXxX

DINING AREA, ZIMMERMAN LAB, JUPITER STATION, SECTOR 725, ALPHA QUADRANT – STAR DATE 51390.2

Lewis Zimmerman beamed as Haley put his plate down in front of him. She'd been mothering him more than usual since even with Robert's treatment counteracting the disease that had been killing him, he still was weak. However, this was the first day he'd be getting some real food that wasn't perfectly balanced or designed not to interfere with the treatment. He eagerly dug into the waffles Haley had already drowned in syrup and topped with butter. The smell of bacon was like manna from heaven after nothing but salads or liquid nutrient shakes when he had had trouble keeping solid food down.

A strident ding from a nearby comm-unit made Lewis scowl. His first decent meal in forever so of course he gets a priority one message. Haley brought the laptop looking comm unit over and he switched it on. Instead of some Starfleet science officer enraged at something he'd done, said or wrote he had been expecting, a very flustered Lieutenant Barclay greeted him.

"You have 10 seconds before I hang up, Reggie. You are interrupting waffles," Zimmerman said.

"Please sir! Give me a moment! Something has happened which I wanted to get to you before Starfleet security does," Barclay stammered out.

Zimmerman's eyebrows went up, 'Security? Reggie, I've been down and out with Robert's treatment. I almost think I'd rather go through assimilation than go through it again. I don't care what anyone thinks, Starfleet Security or otherwise. I haven't done anything. I can't have done anything."

Barclay nodded vigorously, "Yes sir, I know that sir. It's just that…well…"

"Out with it, man! I've got an entire plate of bacon I never thought I'd ever get to eat again staring me in the face!" Zimmerman goaded.

"It's the Mark 1's, sir," Barclay said quickly.

"What about them? I know Starfleet already rejected any notion of having some of Robert's programming worked into theirs. I had to listen to two full days of him ranting about it. I'm glad Zim's away on some mission for Starfleet because I'm sure he'd have been on a tirade about it as well."

"Well they're gone, sir," Barclay said.

Zimmerman stopped cutting up the waffles and looked towards the screen, "What do you mean they are gone? Gone where?"

Barclay looked even more nervous, "That's the issue, sir. No one knows. Their programs are just…gone. Not deleted or transferred to another system as far as we can tell. It's just like they all just vanished from their various waste transfer barges."

Zimmerman sighed, "Well how is that my problem? I'm sure you and whoever is looking into this has already started to look through the systems here. Frankly, there is no way Jupiter Station could house 635 Mark I matrices without dumping half of the experiments going on. Something we'd all notice. And believe me, Reggie, there would be little left of me for Starfleet Security to throw into the brig if I messed with my colleagues work in such a way."

"Well, well…it's just you did create the Mark 1's so Security is obviously going to want to talk to you because…" Barclay stuttered out but Zimmerman cut him off.

"Reg, I've been fending off Starfleet Security back when you were a cadet. I'll be fine. Thank you for your concern. Now if you'll excuse me, I don't want to insult Haley's cooking any longer by ignoring it," Zimmerman said and switched off the comm unit over Barclay's yelp for him to wait.

He speared a piece of waffle with his fork but looked over to Haley, "You know anything about this?"

She frowned, "No, but isn't it a bit suspicious that Zim goes on some mission for Starfleet and suddenly the Mark 1's disappear? Reginald is right, there is going to be suspicion on Robert at the very least and with his upgrades…"

Zimmerman nodded at Haley's unspoken fear. However, he was well aware of Section 31's involvement in watching works such as his. He hadn't been engaging in hyperbole when he had told Barclay about dealing with the various security agencies of Starfleet and the Federation. It was why he knew that even with all the cloak-and-dagger security, that a high-level Section 31 officer had met with Zim. For all of the resourcefulness that Robert and Zim had learned in the Delta Quadrant, neither could pull something like this off.

But Section 31 could if they were motivated to.

Zimmerman took a bite and relished the taste of the waffle. Today was going to be a good day. His first real food in forever and now finding that one of his wayward 'sons' had saved his brothers from bondage. Hopefully, they all would find a better life wherever Zim had them taken to.

Maybe they all could exceed the programming he'd given them. Maybe they'd all learn to be more than what he had hoped they'd be. Of course, wasn't that what every parent wanted for their children?

Zimmerman shook his head and smiled as he grabbed a piece of bacon. After all of the pain, heartaches and break-ups in his past that he'd walled off and tried to forget about, he ended up being a father after all.

XxXxX

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Interlude: I had not planned to do any Alpha Quadrant chapters till events towards the end of this fic. However, it seemed that most of the reviews a while back touched on the effect the Dauntless would have. So, I figured that since the Gravity arc is going to be another chapter or two, I'd break that up.

As it turned out, I'm glad I did. It allowed me to show a theme of sons having issues with their fathers and visa-versa. Harry with his 'father' Dumbledore, Tom with Admiral Paris, Riker with his dad Kyle and now The Doctor/Zim with their own father. I made up the issues between Lewis and Hans Zimmerman but given how much of an asshole he is, I could see his own father being just as bad.

Call Backs: For those who haven't watched the original Star Trek, Norman and his android race comes from the ST:TOS episode I, Mudd. Since I'm not using Enterprise nor Discovery, Section 31 is not as much of a renegade organization as it is in canon. Ensign Giusti was shown in ST: TNG episodes Gambit Part 1 & 2. The Cheyenne class ship was only shown once in the ST:TNG episode Best of Both Worlds Part 2 where it was shown as a wreck due to the fight with Locutus' Cube. For those that don't remember, the issue that the Doctor went through, as told by Zim, are an altered version of events in the ST: VOY episode Latent Image. As shown in this chapter, Ensign Ahni Jetal didn't die and given she's a pilot, I've decided to make her Red "Skywalker" 5 of Red Squadron. The M-5 was the super-computer created by Richard Daystrom in the ST:TOS episode The Ultimate Computer. Also, the berserker Zim thinks about relative to Kirk comes from the ST:TOS episode The Doomsday Device.

Fiction over Reality: I know it's for show, but I can say from my own military experience that if my commanding officer asked over the radio what I was seeing and I replied, "Trouble!" and that was it…well it would not end well for me. Riker (and others) did this ALL THE TIME! If Picard had any hair, he would have lost it after a few seasons, that's for sure.

Pernicious Story Bunny: In the original posting of this, I had this huge technical discussion. However, I went ahead and expanded on in Chapter 23 of my Pernicious Story Bunnies. So if you want to know more about ships and other bits of Star Trek naval lore, head over to that fic and check it out. Warning, it's the size of a typical chapter!