"Shields collapsing!"
"We have a hull breach in engineering!"
"Structural integrity is failing!"
Why was he seeing this?
The bridge was burning, crewmembers were injured, burning and bleeding.
"Life support down to ten percent. We can't-"
Then all was silent.
Everyone stopped screaming while the fires raged around them.
Then they all turned to him.
"This is all your fault." They said as one, pointing at him.
"Your fault."
"Your fault."
"Your fault."
"Your fault."
"Your fault."
Dr. Daystrom had to suppress the shudder he felt as the shuttle connected with the airlock of the Excalibur.
Never had he thought he would ever be stepping on this ship.
Did he deserve to come aboard?
Did the crew know about him?
The man who had been responsible for the death of the previous crew now stepping onto the very ship his machine had wrecked.
Daystrom wondered if this was a cosmic joke, a play from the dead to further haunt him beyond just his nightmares.
Why was the Excalibur going to the new galaxy?
Daystrom hadn't been paying attention to the briefings after he had learned what they were boarding. His body was seemingly on autopilot as he took his first step aboard.
In his dreams, the Excalibur had been a burning hulk, flames scorching the floors and walls before the vacuum of space extinguished the flames and all alive. And yet, it was clean, the fresh scent of a brand-new ship filling his nostrils with various crewmembers going about their various tasks, almost as if the disaster that had killed the previous crew had never happened.
"Dr. Daystrom."
Daystrom stopped, coming face to face with a woman with auburn hair in a low ponytail, wearing a commanding uniform. "Yes?"
"I am Captain Mikaela Allenby, commanding the Excalibur." The woman introduced herself professionally.
She had fair skin and dark eyes, but she carried an air of command Daystrom remembered seeing from Robert April even if he was no longer commanding a starship and James T. Kirk.
"Captain." Daystrom greeted, working to keep himself looking professional.
"I understand you personally asked Commodore April to go to the new galaxy." The woman gestured and followed Daystrom as they began walking through the corridor.
"Yes." Daystrom took a deep breath. "An advanced machine, possibly a living machine is fighting for its rights. Truth be told, I'm motivated by curiosity."
"As are many people in Starfleet. A lot are wondering how a machine can be declared sentient, especially when it looks nothing remotely human." Allenby followed after the scientist. "Before we left, I looked at your work in the new Columbia class design."
"Did you?" Daystrom paused and glanced at the captain. "I had no idea it become so widespread."
"The Council seems to have liked it too." Allenby said with a smile. "You must be very proud."
"I am…glad they are considering my ideas." Daystrom admitted. "I don't make any claims that my designs will make any revolutions but…I just hope it can be a start of good things to come from this new galaxy we are heading for."
They entered a turbo-lift.
"You seem a little startled, Dr. Daystrom." Allenby noted.
"I am…I am." Daystrom sighed, leaning against the wall as the turbo-lift doors. "Truth be told, I was under the impression I was boarding the Enterprise. I didn't expect…"
"The Excalibur." Allenby finished for the doctor. "I am well aware of the M-5 incident."
Daystrom took a moment to compose himself. "I suppose it would be surprising if no one knew about it."
"Rest assured, doctor no one plans to remind you." Allenby stated.
"I don't need anyone reminding me. I feel like God is playing a very cruel joke on me…One where I see the punchline and I can't bring myself to complain." Daystrom cleared his throat. "If you have no objection I would like to remain in my quarters for the duration of the trip, at least so I won't be in anyone's way."
"Of course." Allenby gestured as the doors opened. "I am well aware this must be…a lot to take in."
"I didn't even know the Excalibur had been salvaged, let alone refitted." Daystrom admitted as they resumed their walk. "I guess I have been out of the loop for far longer than I had believed."
Allenby remained silent until they arrived at the guest quarters. "We'll alert you when we are in the new galaxy. Please note, that we are ordered to rendezvous with the Enterprise before we get under way."
Daystrom nodded and entered the quarters. Allenby watched as the doors closed, staring in silence for a moment before turning around and heading back to the turbo-lift. In his guest quarters, Daystrom shuddered as he sat down on the bed, wondering if he would be able to rest before arriving in the new galaxy.
If he hadn't been allowed to rest back home, how could he hope to rest on the very ship he had almost destroyed?
Alpha Quadrant
M-11
Starbase 11
Orbit
USS Enterprise
"Mr. Cogley, I must remind that time is of the essence." Spock stated.
"And should I remind you, Mr. Spock, that under no circumstances will I leave a single book behind. You may be a man of science and machines, Mr. Spock but I carry these books as a reminder that from these books came the knowledge that founded our civilization." Samuel T. Cogley stated as several crewmembers behind them carried small piles of books to the guest quarters.
"I appreciate your zeal for retaining knowledge, Mr. Cogley but our time is short, and we must get underway." Spock reminded.
"Yes, defending a machine for its rights." Cogley recalled.
"Mr. R2 may have begun as a machine but it's more complicated than that." Spock said as they arrived at the guest quarters.
The crew members deposited the books inside and quickly left.
"Yes, I've read it over." Cogley sat down on the couch. "An entire galaxy operating an entire machine race."
"That's a rather simplistic view of the Skyriver Galaxy." Spock stated, preferring to remain standing with his hands behind his back.
"Where does the name Skyriver come from?" Cogley asked.
"I learned my mind meld with a man who came from there during the V'Ger incident, Jedi Master Qui-Gon. In his life, he journeyed across many worlds in his galaxy, not unlike that of a wandering monk or priest." Spock answered. "What I have learned is that though this is a new galaxy with a potential for new exploration, it is not relatively safe place in many places."
"Really?" Cogley made a small chuckle. "Sounds a bit like us."
"I would agree but the knowledge I gained suggests that the Skyriver Galaxy has been plagued by several galactic wars and in those place of those conflicts when they ended was still widespread corruption, signs of brutal inequality similar to what can be found in early Earth history, plagues, slavery and criminal empires. Unlike in our part of the galaxy, the Skyriver Galaxy seemingly mirrors much of life what was like in the dystopian eras of Earth and even Vulcan." Spock explained. "However, I find the most disturbing aspect and what is easily overlooked is the general attitude towards droids. Machines that were indeed only built with the intention of serving a programmed purpose but it is clear that droids like R2-D2 exhibit an advanced form of artificial intelligence that shows them to clearly be sentient beings, some even appearing to have more human personality despite their design."
"You've examined them closely?" Cogley questioned.
"I can even arrange to allow you to meet one." Spock turned to the intercom and pressed the switch. "OOM-6, please report to guest quarters 3."
"Yes sir."
A moment later, the door opened to reveal a B1 battle droid with yellow markings that stepped inside. "You asked to see me, sir?"
"OOM-9, allow me to introduce Samuel T. Cogley." Spock stated to Cogley who stood up and looked the droid over.
"Pleasure to meet you." The droid simply said.
"It…He's got a distinguished voice." Cogley said, not wanting to say that the droid's voice sounded silly.
"Thank you." OOM-9 nodded.
"OOM-9 was among a series of battle droids that the Naboo donated to us for study. Despite the control ship that was responsible for controlling his functions being destroyed, I managed to reactivate him but syncing him with the Enterprise computer once I deemed the action safe." Spock explained.
"If I may comment, I do feel to be operating better than previous peak efficiency." OOM-9 commented.
"In my time studying him, I find OOM-9 and possibly the rest of his kind to be as a self-aware and every bit as conscious as an organic." Spock continued.
"But he's not recognized as a sentient being in his galaxy." Cogley recalled.
"No, droids are treated as property both legally and in day-to-day. They are created as apparent slaves, often designed for specific and rather grueling tasks and when their usefulness is over, they are usually sold off or scrapped." Spock said. "It has been noted that most droids are incapable of true sentience, unless under the right conditions. Nevertheless, their lives are held to be without value and they have no legal rights, even in the Galactic Republic."
"We're even fitted with restraining bolts to override our higher functions and prevents us from disobeying commands or even moving beyond a certain area." OOM-9 added.
Cogley looked uncomfortable as he listened to what Spock and the droid were telling him. "Okay, I admit, this starting to sound a little disturbing and paints a little bit of a dim picture on this Republic. What was OOM-6's function as a battle droid?"
"I was a commander in the droid armies of the Trade Federation." OOM-9 answered. "Since the Trade Federation had given the command to occupy the planet, I was in charge of coordinating military operations in securing the planet. Before the control ship was destroyed, I was commanding the army against the Gungans."
"A machine commanding other machines?" Cogley sounded impressed now. "Well now, I've really seen everything."
"Evidently the Trade Federation considered it cheaper to commission a droid army than an army of volunteers." Spock stated. "They certainly gained an army's worth in quantity but aside OOM-9 and the command units, their AI was astoundingly primitive."
"Even I knew that before Mr. Spock reactivated me." OOM-9 commented. "We're pretty much the background of the Trade Federation and in many ways the whole galaxy."
"So, we're talking about a vast labor system of machines." Cogley looked at Spock. "Aren't we breaking the Prime Directive with this trial?"
"Normally yes, but R2 requested asylum after the V'Ger incident. The only reason his creators are demanding him back is because of the advancements he gained from his time with V'Ger." Spock answered.
"Right, the so-called most advanced machine in the universe." Cogley cleared his throat. "I have been trying to keep up as best as I can."
"Considering what I've heard, that astromech is pretty lucky. I wish I could have been upgraded like he was." OOM-9 said, almost sounding…depressed.
"Question though, is this the first time that a droid has ever tried to argue for its rights?" Cogley asked.
"Negative, in fact there are records of so-called droid rebellions along with certain groups arguing on the rights of droids, but the vast majority of the galaxy do not seem to care about the plight of droids and fewer even acknowledge it. They are even invisible until needed." Spock answered.
"So how can we convince them that this R2 is a genuine sentient being whose rights allow him to decide where he wants to go? Especially if droids themselves can't recognize their own enslavement." Cogley asked. "I'm a lawyer, Mr. Spock, not a miracle worker."
"At best, we can only convince them that it might not be safe for R2 to remain among them and that the best course of action is something he can decide based on his programming." Spock answered.
"Good luck with that." OOM-9 stated. "I would be surprised if anyone takes you guys seriously."
"Hence why we have one more place to stop at. Pardon me, though I am needed on the bridge." Spock said before heading to the door.
OOM-9 watched Spock leave before looking at Cogley. "Say…Can I try reading a book?"