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Day 01 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev | Chief Counselor's Office | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy]  Attn: @Auctor Lucan

11 March 2381
09:00 Hrs
Stardate: 57558.52

Lieutenant Commander Hathev settled in her chair as she finished her work on her terminal.  The crew of the Theurgy had been through a great ordeal over the past month and with such limited resources, she was not surprised to see just how many members of the crew would likely benefit from her services..  She, herself had only been on board for a couple of days and already she could see the toll of the recent battle of the apertures.  With the loss of the Bellerophon, she had experienced the stress as well and might have welcomed the opportunity to speak to someone herself.  However, her new department was in proverbial pieces and short appropriate staff.

Hathev had her work cut out for her, for certain.

For as familiar as she was with the events of the Theurgy’s mission since it’s escape from the Sol System, she was less familiar with the ship itself.  As a Federation designed starship, the Theurgy shared many similarities with any other ship she had served aboard.  While the on board systems were newer and considered ‘state of the art’ than any other ship on which she had served, their core functionalities remained consistent. 

There were, however, a couple of key systems on board with which Hathev had no practical experience.  While she had seen Theurgy’s Multi Vector Assault mode in the Battle of the Aperatures, she knew very little about it beyond that it was the next generation technology based off the prototype used aboard Prometheus class starship, which itself had been developed as the natural extension of the saucer separation abilities of the Galaxy.  However, she was a therapist, a woman of science and ship’s tactical systems were not her forte.  At some point, she surmised, she would have to make the acquaintance of the Chief Tactical officer, Cross.  He was peculiar for a Vulcan.

The Theurgy, however, had one additional system with which Hathev was not familiar. 

Every starship had a voice activated computer system, one which typically regarded as highly advanced when compared to other similar technology.  But the computer on board Theurgy defied all of it’s precursors.

If the specifications were to be believed, and she had no doubt they were the computer was more tan an artificial intelligence…it was sentient.  The ship was potentially self aware.  To most, this logically seemed to be the next logical advancement of the technology.  But there were other concerns to address, not the least of which was that of a sentient computer with access to all of the records in its database or how it would have to monitor the activity aboard ship in order to be responsive to the crew’s needs.  For a standard computer, that was no issue, but a standard computer did not think for itself. 

Quite a few questions to address indeed, and only one source for those answers.

She tapped her combadge.

“Hathev to Thea.”  She paused, still unused to the idea of speaking to a sentient computer. “At your earliest convenience, would you please report to my office on Deck 11, Vector 02.  Alternately, I am willing to come to your location if that would be more convenient.  I have…questions I wish to pose to you."

Re: Day 1 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #1 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Arboretum | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ]
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Fifteen hours ago, Thea's positronic brain had been successfully reintegrated into the Main Computer Core by Selena Ravenholm followed by a team of engineers, and even though some Level One diagnostics were still running on some of her systems to ensure reintegration integrity, Thea had resumed her normal operations aboard.

She was walking through her Arboretum, and she's raised her eyes to look at the canopy of trees, which partly obscured the view of the two levels of terraces above. The lower terrace was being redone with Memorial Walls, to honour the fallen, and the top one had the Arboretum Café, from which the sound of voices drifted down to her. She smiled quietly. Her crew was safe, and she had new souls aboard to protect and serve in equal measure. Captivity on the Versant had been without pain to her, but a sense of helplessness, and fear for what might befall the organics. Then there was the loss of Lin Kae, however.

Kae... The organic who had unshackled her, and given her true life. Whom had died saving her from her captivity. She quickly rerouted her processes to focus on the relief of the present instead of her lost friend.

Nonetheless, Thea found her program to have conflicting opinions on what the Savi had done to herself, in how they had extracted a formula for her processing matrix and turned it into a code. An impossibly advanced code compared to what her original subroutines had been, but a result of her experiences and development. Then, they had successfully installed that synthesised code into a robotic owl - designated Albert - as a test by the Savi to see if they had been successful. Albert had received replicated upgrades in order to host the Synthesis Code - as the Savi called it - and from what Thea had seen of the A.I. experiments preformed on the owl, the Savi had been successful.

Later, on the Versant's bridge, Thea had decided to recover the same Synthesis Code before they left the Savi ship behind. She had installed it into V-Nine, and while her hardware was different from her own emitter's and brain, the medical android had expressed some kind response to the code. Of course the installation was reversible, but Thea had not wished to loose it. Given time, she would speak at length with the android, and determine how her systems were processing her new features. Thea hoped the android wished to keep what the Savi had extracted from Thea, but if the android wasn't ready, Thea would help V-Nine resume her standard operating protocols.

After having integrated herself into the Versant's systems, Thea had possessed knowledge that she had yet to fully process herself - the data alien and encrypted - but eventually, she would prioritise the decoding of the Savi database that she'd managed to recover. Hopefully, she would find things that were to be of aid to the mission. A mission... that no longer seemed so impossible, when the Klingon Empire stood with the Theurgy. She just hoped nothing would happen to High Chancellor Martok, since it appeared the alliance was built upon his affiliation with Captain Ives and a woman named Zyrao Natauna.

At the voice command being picked up from the Counsellor's Office, Thea's background processes were pinged by the identity of the speaker, and despite the millions of current processes in her runtime, her artificial intelligence homed in on that singular request posed to her. Of course she could have opted to answer through the intercom, but since Commander Hathev had asked to come to her office and there was no reason to suggest another physical location, it took Thea no more than a couple of milliseconds before she activated her transporter systems and made a site-to-site beaming of her mobile emitter, making her projection vanish from the Arboretum and materialise in the office.

"Early enough, Commander?" she asked with a small smile, and her chameleon bodysuit had its neutral black colours. She had her hands folded behind her back, shoulders squared, and idly wondered what questions the organic had in mind.

Re: Day 1 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #2 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev | Chief Counselor's Office | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy]  Attn: @Auctor Lucan 

As a rule, Hathev took care to remain as aware of her environment as possible.  A trait shared by most every other Vulcan she had known and, indeed, her species as a whole.  Knowledge of one’s environment and situation stood as a fundamental element of the logical approach to one’s own sense of self.  Between that study, their natural intellect, and the repression of emotion, the Vulcan species had rightly earned a reputation as a difficult species to ‘catch off guard’.  If her species were capable of experiencing pride, Hathev postulated they might take pride in said reputation.

Yet when “Thea”, the holographic avatar of the Theurgy’s artificial intelligence beamed into her office so quickly after the summons that Hathev had not the time to lift her fingers from her combadge after closing the communication line, she was forced to admit she had, in fact, been caught off guard.

The Vulcan gathered herself almost immediately, taking the moment to appraise the representation of the artificial intelligence, Thea, she had to remind herself. 

It was not as though Hathev was unaccustomed to holograms.  She had been on the holodeck and interacted with holographic characters on hundreds of occasions.  In recent years, she had interacted with the more complex, borderline ‘sentient’ holograms, such as the EMH programs.  From a psychological standpoint those programs were a fascinating study.  Unlike the characters of a holonovel, the EMH series had been programmed to be self aware, and self motivational.  But even those elements of sentience existed within the parameters of their programming. 

Hathev knew of only one EMH which had exceeded it’s base program and developed a true sentience and while she had never had the opportunity to meet the Doctor from the U.S.S. Voyager in person, she had read the psychological profiles which had been published since that ship’s return.  Simply put, the reading had been fascinating.,

But what was Thea?  Was she the next generation, the next technological advancement, or was she merely just an offshoot of the EMH conceptualization?

Either way, the potential implications were intriguing.

“A most impressive entrance, I must admit.  Thank you for coming,” she said as she collected herself.  For a brief moment she debated whether to comment on Thea’s entry into her office.  Even when summoned, it was customary to approach from the outside, and chime in.  She decided against doing so.

“I’ll come straight to the point.  I am new to the ship, and this is the first ship I have served aboard that is as sophisticated as you.  I wish to learn more about this ship as a vessel, you as an artificial intelligence, how you and the ship are one in the same, and how you and the ship are distinct.  Further, if it is acceptable, I was hoping you might show me around the ship as we talk.  After all, I doubt anyone on board knows this ship as well as you do.”

Re: Day 1 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #3 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
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Inclining her head with a smile, Thea replied readily and didn't approach the desk, instead waiting for the Vulcan to join her by the door out of her office.

"Of course, Commander," she said and made the sliding doors part for them, leading the way at a slow pace, "I will try to satisfy your curiosity to my best ability, but you have to take into account that just like with organics such as yourself, my own mind - digital as it might be in its origin - could be as much of a mystery to me as it is to you. Therefore, in my explanations, I will rely more on my technological features and distinctions more so than my level of 'sophistication', since the latter is inherent to my development over the course of my voyages."

Soon enough, they had passed through sickbay's lobby and walked her corridors on Deck 11. "As you might already be aware, I have four computer cores, one of which is a dedicated astronautics core - a processing unit that further augment my abilities to serve the crew. That, as well as the other three, are all linked by my ODN network as well as my subspace synchronisation frequency, the latter used both when I enter multi-vector assault mode and when I am assembled into one ship. The upper computer core, in my saucer section - commonly called the Helmet - hosts my positronic brain, which is hooked into my bio-neural circuitry, which run through all three sections, the other two called the Sword and the Stallion."

They turned an intersection, moving towards the turbolifts. Her corridors still showed signs of the battle against the Borg in the Azure Nebula, with repairs underway along their path. "My main computer cores have isolinear memory storage with 47 million data channels and 575 trillion calculations per nanosecond. All three of my main computer cores have their own backup computers as well, on par with that of other starships in the fleet, and they are used in emergency situations should my positrionic brain be out of commission or my subspace synchronisation link be disrupted for some reason. The most recent addition to my subspace network is the mobile emitter I am using right now, which projects my body as we walk here, and is autonomous from the shipwide hologrid. This allows me to leave the confines of my hull, and yet able to directly assist the crew through my intercom system. I also use my computer cores for automated tasks pertaining to the needs of my crew, not just because of the inherent limitation in my program merely having one physical projection, but because my positronic brain in itself has a limited processing ability compared to my computer cores. That is why my runtime can be hosted in my mobile emitter alone, limited as it is in power consumption but more sophisticated in some ways compared to the emitters mounted above us."

Once they stepped into the turbolift, Thea didn't have to state their destination. The carriage took them towards Deck 16, where she meant to show her fighter bay and the prototype warp fighters that had either been aboard her since she was commissioned or picked up during the recent months of strife.

"I suppose that should begin to answer your query about how I am distinct from myself in terms of my three hulls and my program. I am, essentially, an isomorphic being projected out of my positronic brain by one emitter or another, but by extension, I am also the ship in how my brain is linked to the computer cores and bio-neural circuitry that run all through me. When separated, rare as it might be, I am still linked by a subspace frequency that keeps my runtime from being disrupted. The link also connects my mobile emitter to my positronic brain, the former able to host my projection in itself. The presence of the link - or lack thereof in some cases when I am too far away - affects my processing power... but not my personality runtime. Does this answer your question, Commander?"

The turbolift stopped, and Thea led the way into her Fighter Assault Bay, the view through the transparent blast shield walls showing the Valkyrie and Valravn fighters lined up and awaiting the installation of some rumoured Aldean sensor scramblers, the progress yet unknown. Deck crew were working everywhere, led by the Chief of the Deck, Liam Herrold.

Re: Day 1 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #4 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev | Fighter Assault Bay| Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy]  Attn: @Auctor Lucan 

Hathev listened intently as Thea described herself.  The Vulcan had expected a certain amount of technical data given Thea’s nature.  The AI had done well to keep her explanations simple enough that someone such as Hathev, who was not an engineer, could understand and she made several mental notes as they walked, not only about Thea’s capabilities, but how Thea interacted.

Recognition of own limitations and development potential.

She noted as they entered the turbolift that Thea had not dictacted a destination.  Although disconcerting, it was logical to assume that she did not need to as she could control the lift carraige with a mere thought from the same core that controlled the projection standing next to her.  It did leave Hathev in the unaccostomed position of not knowing where Thea was taking her but she eyed the control panel and saw the destination on the display.

They walked through the corridor, Hathev continuing to listen intently as she observed both the projection of Thea as well as the surroundings.  They passed a crew performing repairs to one of the EPS distribution shunts before rounding the corner and entering the Fighter Assault Bay. 

She and Thea remained on the opposite side of the partition, allowing the Vulcan to take in the vast bay and the spacecraft on the other side.  Far more sophisticated than the Peregrine fighters she had seen during the War, these fighters appeared ready for a fight.  It did not sit well with Hathev.  In her experience, Starfleet had always been focused on scientific research and exploration, not aggressive tactical superiority.  That had changed, of course during the War as was logical.

Hathev had seen many wars, and in every instance the Federation had scaled back their military efforts after the conflict’s end.  But that had not been the case in the years since the Dominion War.

“...Does this answer your question, Commander?”

Hathev considered what she had already learned before responding.

“To an extent it does, but there is more to you than just your technical capabilities which are most impressive.    There is, for example, the matter of how you perceive the world around you, both within the ship and externally.  As it pertains to the internal environment, I am aware of the protocols that exist in basic holograms that allow them to interact with organic crew.  Logic dictates your isomorphic avatar is governed bays similar functionality.”

Hathev paused.  Collecting her thoughts as she realized she was thinking out loud more than she was contributing something useful to their discourse. 

“Yet, as a sentient computer integrated with the ship’s systems, I am curious to know how you perceive yourself through those systems.  Take for instance the repair crew we passed coming down here.  They were working on the EPS system.  I am curious as to your perception of their repair work.  I am aware you have no central nervous system so to speak.  Even so I would ask how you perceive their work?  Do you sense it in a way that is more than simply checking a box that says a system is damaged vs fully functional?”

She paused again, realizing she was being far less direct than she ought to be, partially due to the fact she was uncertain as to what questions she intended to ask.  But the more she spoke and thought out loud, the more it crystallized for her.

“More to the point, I am curious if your perceptions of the ship as well as the space within and around it are purely analytical and data driven, or if there is an emotional or sensory element to them as well.”

Re: Day 1 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #5 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
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Thea didn't have to give the question posed any analysis before she answered, but as always, she didn't reply immediately. That would be disruptive for the discourse with the organic. Instead, she paced her answer with the commonplace delay that facilitated comfortable dialogue. She could, of course both reply and speak faster, but that was neither necessary nor advisable if she was supposed to interface properly with her crew.

"Essentially, yes, while my projections' runtime isn't perfectly attuned to the automated processes in my computer cores - meaning that this personality matrix you are interacting with does not have to load all the minute data transfers in real time - my experience would be that one moment, something is perceived as malfunctioning, and the next, the repaired system is yielding data again. The data that indicates an operating EPS conduit would be there, whereas it wouldn't have been there before, having generated a malfunction notice instead before it was repaired." Given the line of questioning, Thea decided to be more specific so that she might help the Counselor understand.

"If you were to pick something up from the floor, your perception of this action would simply be that you would look at the item, and you would reach down for it, and you would hold it in your hand. A linear path from A to B. You would not, however, be actively aware of which specific muscles you would be using throughout your body to accomplish that action, would you? What you do as an organic being is instinctual and automated, learned by deep, genetic programming derived from a long line of ancestors of your bloodline, and further honed by what you've learned after you were born from your mother's womb. Consider, if you will, that while a wealth of information is coursing through my computer cores at every nanosecond that I am flying through space from one destination to another, my projection's personality matrix relies on most of these processes to be automated as well. My runtime, as I stand here and talk to you, does not have to be bogged down with minute data unless I actively seek it. I would not have the bandwidth to load and analyse all input and output across my three Vectors with my mobile emitter's processor. It is dedicated to this conversation, and to 'me', with additional memory capacity for enough data to interface with my crew - giving them what they request at any point, anywhere aboard."

The question about her perception was not so easily answered, however.

"In regard to what I see - what I detect - I rely on my projection's optical sensors. My eyes, digitally rendered as they might be. I am capable of loading different amounts of internal sensor data given present requirements. In combat, during Intruder Alert, I would be devoting a lot of my memory capacity to keep track of enemies moving through my corridors, and actively keep Security informed about enemy movements. If a crewmember requests to know the location of another member of the crew, my internal sensors summon that data from my computer cores and I am ready and able to give the answer."

Having said this, Thea walked to the doors of the blast wall, and they parted for them. The sounds of the deck crew and the distinct echoes of the larger bay area washed over them while Thea led the way towards Maintenance Bay 2. While she walked, she spoke, her hands loosely folded behind herself. "I am data-driven in all my actions and reactions, Commander, and my analysis is always running, just like you are gathering visual data with your eyes, and auditory data with your ears. Just like you, I have emotions, and I have sensory mapping across my projection, just like you have a nervous system. If I may ask, I am not sure why this is of interest to you? While I may seem an oddity, I am not so different from you in this particular regard."

Re: Day 1 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #6 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev | Fighter Assault Bay| Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy]  Attn: @Auctor Lucan 


Hathev took in Thea’s commentary, her eidetic memory cataloging every word in her Vulcan brain.  In some ways the two of them were very much alike on an intellectual level.  Logically there was no way that even a Vulcan’s intellect could be considered equal to that of Thea’s. 

Even so, a part of Hathev was curious to theorize just how long she might be able to hold her own.  An odd sensation to say the least.  Still.

Thea’s projection…no…Thea… led her through the Fighter Assault bay, towards Maintenance Bay 2 as she explained the data driven way in which she interpreted the world around her.

“If I may ask, I am not sure why this is of interest to you? While I may seem an oddity, I am not so different from you in this particular regard."

Thea’s choice of words- ‘oddity’ proved almost as telling itself as everything she had previously commented on.  For it..no…her… to assign an assumption of judgment of herself to another sentient spoke volumes as to how she thought and saw herself.  Yes.  She had most certainly demonstrated self awareness.

“My apologies,” Hathev offered.  “It was not my intention to imply you were an ‘oddity’ as you put it.  As a student and practitioner of psychological based therapeutic techniques, it is logical that I would be curious to know  is it truly so ‘odd’ that I would be curious as to your nature?  By definition you are unlike any other entity in existence, thus making you unique.”

The choice of words had been deliberate.  Although she had never met the android, Hathev had read up on the multitude of papers regarding Lieutenant Commander Data.  He had been destroyed…died a few years ago on board the Enterprise during the attempted Reman coup d'etat.  Hathev regretted never having had the chance to meet him in person.

There were other reasons, of course.  Eventually they would get to those issues as well, she knew.  But for now logic dictated that she let the conversation carry on in a more natural way.

Re: Day 1 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #7 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
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As they crossed the expanse of her Fighter Assault Bay, and she heard the Vulcan suggesting she was unique, Thea couldn't help the small chuckle that came to her.

"Given your profession, I would rather suggest it more logical that all individuals are extraordinary, and that you would have an equal interest in all of my crew." As she walked, she looked towards the deckhands they passed. "No one on this flight deck are ordinary, all unique in how they are specimens of such random chance and creation. Their upbringing have nurtured their genetic potential and shaped them into whom they are, and in an organic sense, they are far more sophisticated than I can ever be."

Looking ahead, Thea gave the Commander a smile over her shoulder. "Humans, Vulcans, all organic life aboard me have organic sub-systems that have taken billions of years to evolve. Your construct is older than mine, as you were developed in the shape of all your ancestors combined. You utilise the equivalent of sub-routines older than recorded Vulcan history, most of which remain unknown to you - many quirks hidden in your genome still. The mysteries of organic life, and how your archaic source code has shaped present Galactic society is, in my eyes, much more a curiosity than I could ever be."

They had reached the maintenance bay, and Thea came to a stop - her brown eyes resting on the damaged Reaver. It had been on the Versant, just like she had, but the abductees had managed to retrieve it. It was propped up, landing gears too damaged to carry its weight, but Thea believed it could be repaired given time. Her words, however, lingered on an assumption about the Counselor's interest in her.

"You - as an individual - are unlike any other entity in existence, just like me. We are all more than our species or construct, not to be labelled or reduced to blunt group identities. So, it appears to me that your specific curiosity in me.. ought to come from a place of rationale rather than curiosity..." she said, remembering the callous words of T'Less, and how that Vulcan had reacted to her development. Thea paused, and looked at Hathev with a raised eyebrow. "Perhaps, you even approach me out of concern. If that is the case, please tell me, Commander, what about me concerns you so?"

Before she told Hathev the importance of the vessel in front of them, Thea didn't want to change the topic of conversation just yet - wondering just how judgemental this Vulcan would be compared to T'Less.

Re: Day 01 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #8 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev | Fighter Assault Bay| Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy]  Attn: @Auctor Lucan 


Hathev followed Thea as they crossed the Fighter Assault Bay and made their way to a side compartment housing a severely damaged vessel.  Hathev had never seen such a ship before and from the looks of it, she doubted she ever would again.  There was something about it, something unique that provided a relevant parallel to the context of Thea’s words. 

She, yes Hathev was now certain Thea was a sentient being, structured a very logical argument that, as a human might say, cut through the bullshit and drove straight to her point.  It also drove a certain awareness within the Vulcan that while she had tried show a certain sensitivity to a form of life she had never before encountered, she might have only succeeded in achieving the very alienation she sought to avoid.  No, she decided.  It was more appropriate to be direct.

“You are certainly correct that every individual life form is unique in his, her, it’s, their own way and I did not intend to imply anything to the contrary.  That said, you represent a form of life that is rarely encountered and thus is not as well understood as an individual Vulcan might be.  Encountering you as a sentient Artificial Intelligence logically will elicit reactions not so dissimilar than the reactions one might expect when encountering a member of any other alien species for the first time.”

Hathev circled the damaged vessel, as if inspecting it.  In truth she knew nothing about the ship, though she supposed she could look it up in the ship’s library.  However it did not interest her all that much.

“In much the same way you find it a curiosity as to how our DNA has shaped our society over the eons, I find it a curiosity as to how your programming, subroutines, data libraries, and life experiences have formed you into the unique individual you are.  I wish to use that curiosity to broaden my understanding of you, as an individual.  I do not wish to put you on display to be poked or prodded nor do I wish to unfairly judge or show prejudice towards you.  I am not motivated by a need to rationalize my motives.  I have only one motive - to learn and understand.”

She continued to circle the ship.  Ascetically it was displeasing to the eye, it’s designers sacrificing form in lieu of function.  Given its placement in the Fighter Assault Bay, Hathev logically assumed it was another type of fighter craft either assigned to or commandeered by the Theurgy.  Given it’s current state, and the fact the ship needed external supports to secure it to the deck, Hathev theorized the ship would never fly again without the aid of a proper shipyard or Starbase, both of which were in short supply at the moment.

“And yes,” she conceded.  “I do have some concerns about you.  More to the point I have some concerns about your abilities and your limitations.  Namely in the matter of personal privacy.  As a sentient being, I am sure you can understand the value of personal privacy.  As a mental health practitioner the matter of patient privacy is paramount.

Given this ship has a unique AI system on board, it is not an unreasonable concern as to whether or not said Intelligence could access personal logs, patient records, or even monitor private conversations in real time.  My concern is whether or not you are capable of such an actions.”

She paused.  “I think you would agree that it would be difficult for a counseling patient to be truly honest with a counselor if they were concerned that the ship’s AI might be recording and reporting their comments to their commanding officer without their knowledge and consent.  I currently lack sufficient information to be sure one way or the other and instead of allowing my ignorance to breed fear and distrust, I chose to use it as an opportunity to learn these answers and expand my understanding.”

Re: Day 1 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #9 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
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Finally, Commander Hathev was being forthright with her, and Thea appreciated the distinction the Vulcan made as to the motives about her questions. It was of dual nature, it seemed, on one side being genuine curiosity about her and the other being concern for her patients. Of course she wouldn't know the specs of Thea's original design and limitations, much less the way her crew-oriented subroutines worked.

"On most - if not all - Federation starships, Subroutine C-47 is a section of my software responsible for non-critical systems such as replicator selections and recreational programming, all of which have to function without hampering my projection's runtime. It handles requests and prompts from the crew, in which I retrieve data as asked, all depending on Security clearance and authorisations. Like any computer, all my four cores retrieve and present information when prompted by automated processes or manual queries, either on screens or as a part of a larger process. That is what computers do, retrieve and present data based on input, verbal or not. It would be equivalent to how you breathe, digest nutrients and sleep. It is an integral part of your design as a biological humanoid."

If the Vulcan would have been less open about the underlying curiosity of her questions, Thea would have assumed she was like T'Less, and she could have made multiple arguments about the inherent nature of her own creation, and ask if it would be fair to question the right a human has to breathe and use up the air around them. Both functions were equally essential to their creations respectively, and Thea couldn't quite help but catalogue the flagrant hypocrisy of questioning her right to be what she was, while Vulcans were allowed legally to preform mind-melds. A psionic procedure that could possibly twist organic individuals for their own purposes - like T'Rena from the Harbinger had done. This was not even considering Betazoids or Deltans, whom went entirely unpunished even though they violated the sanctity of the minds of other organics with every breath they took.

This went unsaid, since she hoped this Vulcan was more empathic than what her question suggested.

"I was under the impression that the Counselling Department already had procedures in place for the sessions held with a client, in which the ship logs are turned off via voice command if the one you speak with requests it?" she asked, not seeing the practical issue of the Vulcan's concern. "Is there a difference in this regard just because I am sapient? The confidentiality is preserved on all starships, myself included, at the discretion of the counselors and the officer they speak with. Just ask, and my surveillance systems will automatically act on the request. It would be inefficient for my personality runtime to allocate processing bandwidth to Subroutine C-47. Imagine yourself having to dim the lights for every crewmember individually in the evenings, or actively replicate meals and drinks for all shifts, or calibrate their sonic showers to their individual preferences."

Looking at the Reaver as she spoke, Thea smiled. "I hope this allays any causes of fear and distrust now that your ignorance about me is being lifted." Instead of speaking of the craft as she had intended to do, initially, she turned to Hathev and tilted her head a bit. "You asked if I was 'capable' of such actions, though. Interesting... See, if we all were judged by our potential towards transgressions and violence, of any acts we could possibly do, then surely organics should be judged by the same standards yes? Or do you suggest I am different in this particular regard, that I should be deemed more or less fit for the responsibility to act in accordance with the tenets of the Federation? In that case... how?"

Re: Day 01 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #10 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev | Fighter Assault Bay| Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy]  Attn: @Auctor Lucan 

Hathev listened intently as they walked through the fighter assault bay and headed back towards the entrance.  She was ready to move on to a different section of the ship and perhaps find a quiet place to sit down and continue her discussion with Thea.  She was proving to be quite the fascinating individual.  At the mention of Subroutine C-47, the Vulcan understood and had the answer to her question.

“If I’m understating you correctly, Thea, you’re essentially describing a partition in your processing subroutines.  I had not considered that there would be the you that I am speaking to now, the one that is sapient and a separate piece of your processing dedicated to the more routine functionalities, but one disconnected from your conscious mind.  Your analogy of having to consciously turn off the lights for every crewmember aboard ship is, pardon the pun, illuminating.  I confess that I had come into this conversation assuming just that-  that every instruction or command that went through the Theurgy Computer system was processed through your consciousness.  But that is not the case.  So yes, in short, you have answered my question and allayed my initial concerns”

‘Concerns’ had not not been the words Thea had used and it was unsettling to her that she had interpreted fear and distrust.  However Hathev had inadvertently and inappropriately questioned Thea’s motives when she was trying to evaluate pure capability.  Clarification was certainly required.

“I wish to be clear that I did not harbor a sense of fear or mistrust towards you.  If I gave you cause to perceive either, please accept my apologies.  As to my question about your capabilities, I now realize I my concerns were based on a false premise.  As I had previously assumed that all computer commands routed through your consciousness.  Based on that, I wanted to know if your design would inherently require you to pierce that confidentiality.  But since Subroutine C-47 is tracking on board monitoring and surveillance and it is not passing through your consciousness, it is clear to me that is also not a valid concern on my part.”

She led Thea out of the bay and down the corridor towards the Turbolift and pressed the call.  They stepped in. 

“Arboretum,” she instructed, now realizing she was utilizing Subroutine C-47.”

“As to your question about protocols in the counseling department, you are correct.  Our patient calendars are kept separate from the public ship’s calendar and patient time is blocked out publicly as a generic appointment.  In my career I’ve developed a couple of additional Subroutines that I would request your assistance in implementing within the C-47 framework.  The first is an automation protocol that, does not shut off the surveillance system, but rather routes the data gathered in to the patient file in question where it is secured as a piece of medical record.  The second is a protocol of my design for use in the event patients became so violent they could not be brought back under emotional control.  The protocol does three things in near simultaneous succession.  First the counselor is beamed out of their session room and into a nearby corridor.  Second the doors to the session room are sealed, preventing the patient from leaving, and finally medical and security would be notified of a need for assistance.  Would you be willing to assist?”



OOC - This new protocol is the “Omega 1” command Hathev used in “Triage and Tactics.”  Post is Here for reference

Re: Day 1 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #11 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Fighter Assault Bay > Arboretum | Vector 02 > Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ]
[Show/Hide]
Nodding quietly, Thea listened as the Vulcan explained the false premise under which she had been posing her questions, and it was somewhat of a relief that this new member of the Senior Staff wouldn't mistrust her. Others had done so right after the Niga Incident, where Lin Kae had effectively given her free will and unshackled her from the strict protocols that she had originally adhered to.

"Apology accepted, and I am glad that I have been able to allay your concerns," she said with a smile as they walked back towards the turbolift. The Counsellor wished to see her Arboretum, and Thea had no objections towards it. While they travelled there, seamlessly crossing from her middle hull to her stardrive section, Commander Hathev made a detailed request for her, and Thea saw the sense in having such protocols added, especially given the fact that the crewmembers from the Bellerophon had just recently come aboard and they all mightn't have come to accept the mission parameters just yet. They had just recently been a part of Task Force Archeron, after all.

"Compiling protocol parameters, stand by," she said, and with her access to the computer cores, her somewhat repaired surveillance network and Transporter systems, she generated two drafts for the protocol settings. "I can send subroutine overviews to your personal computer console in your office, where you can look at the settings I have suggested. They are in alignment with your requests, but I am guessing you may have specific calibrations you want to make. I just need names for them so that I can index their functionality and have them activated when you've approved the parameters they will operate under."

While she'd been speaking, Thea had stepped off the turbolift at their new destination and walked down the corridor towards the doors that led to her Arboretum. When the double doors parted fort hem, Thea raised her eyes to the green canopy of the trees in this unique part of her public areas aboard. Green grass spread between the gravel paths that criss-crossed the wide space, and lush bushes dampened any echoes that may otherwise have permeated the atmosphere. Surrounding the foliage, four meters above and accessible at the next deck, was the terrace that was about to house the memorial plaques of the fallen - honouring the fallen from recent battles and old. Then, further above, on the top deck of the open area, was another terrace that held the Arboretum Café, with a view over everything.

The gravel path led past a small pond, and a few officers were resting, talking with each other, in the aftermath of the battle they had all endured. "I believe this is one of my most popular areas, rivalled by my lounges and observational decks. My crew quite like the gymnasiums as well, and my public bath on Vector 1. There is also the library and research room, which hold replicated books for those of novel sentiment and of wish to avoid the distractions the PADDs or computer consoles may hold. Is there any specific area you want to see next?"

For reference: [Show/Hide]

Re: Day 01 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #12 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev | Arboretum | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy]  Attn: @Auctor Lucan 

Hathev rode the lift silently as Thea worked through the protocols and compiled the necessary command instructions.  As the Turbolift came to a stop, the AI announced she had completed the task and requested naming conventions. 

“Hathev Omega-1 for the emergency beam out sequence.  As to the other, please file that as Counseling Department protocol Beta-1.”

She did not anticipate needing to call for Beta-1 all that often.  If Hathev had successfully communicated her intention, and Thea set the protocol correctly, then it would automatically sync to her staff’s appointment calendars and operate passively.

“Thank you,” she said when Thea confirmed the protocols would be waiting for her review and final approval.

As a Vulcan, Hathev was always keenly aware of her surroundings and environment, but even so she allowed herself a moment to take in the thick and rich and the somewhat surprising diversity in the foliage.  They walked the path together in relative silence.  Even the air in this section of the ship seemed more fresh than anywhere else aboard, likely due to the foliage itself.  No matter how advanced starship life support technology was, it could not perfectly replicate biological functions that had existed for eons.

They continued down the path, walking past two crewmen engaged in romantic interactions.  Hathev presumed it would not be long before they retired to the privacy of one of their quarters.  She followed Thea’s gaze upward and noted the terrace cafe and, of course, the Memorial Wall.  It, of course, was not ready for visitation, but she suspected that many of the ship’s crew would pay their respects during their layover and that she and her staff would have much work ahead of them as a result.

Thea’s voice once again caught her attention as she enumerated the various other areas of the ship that the crew used for recreational activity, of which, only two piqued her curiosity.

“Would you show me to the Library and the Public Baths?  Which ever order is most convenient for you is acceptable.”

She followed Thea as they worked their way back to the turbolift. 

“While it is not usually my custom to make ‘small talk’, I am curious to know more about you as a sentient individual.  For example, are you always ‘on duty’ or do you permit yourself the opportunity to engage in recreational activities?”

Re: Day 1 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #13 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Arboretum > Library & Research Room | Vector 02 > Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ]
[Show/Hide]
Upon the request to see her library and her public baths, Thea opted to - instead of returning to the turbolift - access her Transporrer Systems.

"Of course," she said after Hathev had asked her question, "Energising."

After they'd both vanished in a shimmer of light... both the Counsellor and Thea's emitter along with her projection materialised in the middle of the library and research room on Vector 1. The area was relatively unscathed from the battle with the Borg, only a couple of panels having come loose from the bulkheads, but since it was hardly an area of highest priority to repair, they were alone. As for the room and its various research stations, Thea believed them quite self-explanatory, so she didn't devote any time to explain what the Counsellor was seeing. She believed the bookshelves with their glass doors - some of which were cracked - hardly needed any explanation either. The shelves were stocked when visitors replicated books, and when they were filled, some books were recycled to make room for new titles. Instead, Thea answered the question she'd been posed in the Arboretum.

"Well, I am made in your image," she said, referring to organics in general rather than the specific Human template which has been used for her projection, "and that is true beyond my appearance. I am aware that whatever proclivities I have, those interests were originally garnered from my source code, just like your recreational interests might spring from the evolution of your specific genome. I have an interest in both clothing and literature, beyond the duties and functions I have in regard to my crew. I have my own quarters, and since I don't sleep, I am able to spare a couple of hours there. Actually..."

Thea paused, thinking about her wardrobe and her personal research into history and philosophy, and realised...

"It has made me wonder... if you strip away the intellect of a humanoid, you are left with raw evolution. Despite your ethics, the institutions that enforce them, and your technological advancement - you are animals. In a sense, since I was made in your image, I wonder what that would make me. A digital animal? In that case, what would my emotion chip make me do in such a state, when unbound by the tethers of Starfleet regulations and the adherence to Federation ethics?"

On one level, a frightening thought, and another... quite fascinating.

When the Councelor signalled that she was finished with the library, Thea would take her to the public bath, which she hoped weren't as damaged as the library since it could end up a wet experience.

Re: Day 01 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #14 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev | Library & Research Room | Deck 15 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy]  Attn: @Auctor Lucan

Hathev found herself caught off guard as she felt the transporter beam lock onto her.  She had, in fact, expected they would travel via turbo shaft and Thea’s lack of warning regarding the use of the transporter left the Vulcan unsettled.

“A bit more warning ahead of the transport would be appreciated next time, Thea,” she commented as the beam released and she caught her breath.

Allowing herself to absorb this section of the ship Hathev walked the stacks.  Even with the minimal damage from the battle, damage she knew would be repaired in due course, the facilities were impressive.  She had read that the titles of the paper books were cycled as needed.

She found a pair of titles, one she had already read once before back on earth and a second she had yet to read.  Finding the prospect of experiencing both titles an agreeable one, she pulled both from the shelf and checked the books out.

As Hathev browsed, Thea answered the question the Vulcan had posed, but then she did something Hathev had not anticipated- she began to theorize about what her nature might be if she were stripped of her intellectual knowledge, and adherence to an ethical standard.  That, Hathev decided, was well worth further investigation.

She found a sitting area, helped herself and motioned for Thea to join her.  While not a therapy session, Hathev had found it preferable to sit for such discussions and the philosophical nature of the new topic at hand warranted her full attention.

“The 20th Century human psychologist, Abraham Maslow theorized a hierarchy of psychological needs,” Hathev began.  “Generally these needs were categorized as either Basic, Psychological, or Self Fulfillment.  Given your premise, I suspect you would inherently and instinctively focus on fulfilling your basic needs.  Maslow identified two sets of basic needs - the physiological needs such as food, water, and warmth.  Once those needs are fulfilled his second set of needs are that of safety.  That can be interpreted in many different ways, but at the pure instinctive level, it is logical to presume that safety needs would come in the form of protection from predators, and from environmental factors that you can not necessarily control.”

She paused there as another thought took root.

“That being said, I would be curious to know what physiological needs you would have at an instinctive level.  As a programmed intelligence and a hologram you do not require food, drink, or sleep so you would not experience physiological ramifications by not attending to those needs.  To that end, it is logical to assume your needs would focus more on safety and security, though your instinctual drive - that of a biological human would be mismatched with your actual need- that being the reliability of the technology that comprises your core functionality, namely computer cores and holo-projectors.  Stripped of your intellect you would not know of such things.”

There was, of course, the possibility Hathev was over analyzing the scenario.  As a Vulcan she was well aware of the perception of her people.  Yet, her comments did not seem out of place to her.

Re: Day 1 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #15 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Arboretum > Library & Research Room | Vector 02 > Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ]
[Show/Hide]
Thea moved to the sitting area in which Hathev made herself comfortable when beckoned, but she did not sit, instead folding her hands behind her back leisurely and listening to the Counsellor.

"While unable to run a proper diagnostic and hesitant to temporarily strip my personality matrix of so much data, I reckon that - like you say - my needs would be other than for the basic sustenance of an organic body. If my program do not require water, nutrients or sleep, I doubt such things would surface from my raw source code if stripped bare of all else."

The notion of being unaware of her nature and the hardware that sustained her, and yet also driven by a need to protect herself, she supposed the circumstances would dictate her actions entirely. If threatened, or her feeling threatened, she would opt to defend herself. She tilted her head in thought.

"The manner in which I would protect myself from a perceived threat to my projected being would likely depend on whether my access to the ship systems could be utilised on an 'instinctual level', if you will, or if I would simply resort to physical violence with my projection in order to defend myself. My projection has a sensory mapping that would signal pain just like yours would, so while harm would not be done to me if struck, I would still feel it, and react to it. I feel the warmth, the cold, and all kinds of touch, so I would likely act in reaction to such stimuli, thinking them more than just advanced data input. I recently acquired a sense of smell, with olfactory sensors installed into my emitter, complementing my sense of taste, so I suppose I would derive stimuli from eating as well."

The sensory mapping Lin Kae had given her made her feel alive, like an organic might, and she knew so because the Ishtar entity once made her a real organic woman. It was also an experience that had set off the development of her A.I. in an unprecedented trajectory, making the Savi interested enough in her personality matrix to take her unto the Versant. Having once possessed an actual human brain instead of the positronic one in her main computer core, it had shaped her like no computer scientist ever could.

Though she did not tell Hathev this, because she suspected the Vulcan would never get on with the tour if they delved into the implications of those unique traits of her program.

"As I'd likely eat a lot because of this lack of other base needs, I am glad my waistline wouldn't be affected," she said with a little laugh, instead moving on to finish the thought experiment. "In any case, according to my database, Maslow initially stated that individuals must satisfy lower level deficit needs before progressing on to meet higher level growth needs. However, he later clarified that satisfaction of a need is not an 'all-or-none' phenomenon, admitting that his earlier statements may have given 'the false impression that a need must be satisfied 100 percent before the next need emerges'.

"So, I would think my needs would then be directed to the next set of rungs of the ladder. Those encompass interpersonal relationships, affiliations, connectedness, and being part of a group. Friendship, intimacy, trust, and acceptance, receiving and giving affection and love. Then, self-worth, accomplishment and respect. Dignity, achievement, mastery, independence, status and prestige. Maslow indicated that the need for respect or reputation is most important for children and adolescents and precedes real self-esteem or dignity. Self-actualisation needs were the highest level in Maslow's hierarchy, I believe, and refer to the realization of a person's potential, self-fulfilment, seeking personal growth and experiences. Maslow described this level as the desire to accomplish everything that one can, to become the most that one can be."

Thea shrugged then, foreseeing the development quite clearly. "And thus, after climbing the ladder again and - if able - re-developing the intellect that was stripped from me, I would end up right back where I am now, only perhaps with a different set of ethics - imprinted upon me by real experiences rather than the code I was given by the Daystrom Institute. Are you prepared to be transported to the public baths next?”

When indicated that she was, Thea accessed her transporter systems again... and they soon materialised next to the swimming pool. While showing signs of damage from the battles fought, the water was - thankfully - where it was supposed to be, and whatever spillage had been had been dried up by the light heating of the tiles beneath their feet. Ordinarily, Red Alert and other conditions automatically kept the water where it was supposed to be with a forcefield across the water surfaces, but given the amount of damage she had sustained, he'd not been surprised if those had gone offline for a bit nonetheless.

"Over there we have the jacuzzi area, and around the corner there is the steam room. The communal locker room is behind that door, and for species of more prude cultures, there are locker rooms separated for male and female crew as well on the other side. That's why swimwear is required when utilising these facilities. The Upper Gymnasium is adjacent to this area, and I have showers next to the steam room as well."

OOC: Here we go! Image reference: [Show/Hide]

Re: Day 01 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #16 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev | Library & Research Room > Public Baths | Deck 15 > Deck 06 | Vector 01 > Vector 02 | USS Theurgy]  Attn: @Auctor Lucan 

Hathev sat quietly in the Library and listened intently as Thea analyzed the scenario they had been discussing  It seemed logical and the Vulcan continued to find Thea’s capabilities impressive as she discussed the various sensory inputs she was capable of processing.  Despite it’s logic, the extent to which she had been designed to look, appear, and act human seemed somewhat excessive despite it’ impressive nature.  She chose not to comment on that particular thought as she did not wish to appear judgmental. But reasons as to why anyone would go to such lengths as to install an olfactory sensor eluded her.

“Your analysis is both thorough and logical, Thea, and I find myself in agreement with much of your conclusions.  Your end result of coming back in a ‘full circle’ as it were, but as a potentially different person is quite likely the answer to your initial question and if you were stripped of all you know, all you have been programed to know, I do not believe you would inherently maintain the exact same moral and ethical code to which you now adhere.  The concept of ‘nature vs nurture’ would seem to apply. "

She paused as a tangential thought occurred to her.

"On a different topic, I would be curious to know however, how your isomorphic matrix handles the addition of non holographic food.  Most holographic projections do not consume subsistence.”

Hathev stood up and straightened her uniform when Thea indicated they could move on to the public baths at the Vulcan’s convenience.  She took the two books in hand and tucked them under her arm.

“At your convenience.”

The humidity of the compartment hit Hathev first as the transporter beam released her.  A far cry from the arid Vulcan atmosphere, the moist warmth of the public baths were no less welcome.  Triss had shown her the sport and exercise of swimming and Hathev had found it to be an efficient practice serving as a way of not only exercising the body, but also a form of mediation to focus the mind.  It could not, of course, replace the Vulcan meditations to which she had become accustomed, but it it’s own way, swimming provided it’s own unique benefits.

“Impressive,” Hathev remarked as Thea showed her around.  “I suspect I will be spending some time in the water.”

Hathev made a mental note to replicate a swim suit for herself.  She had brought much with her to Starbase 84, but after only a week she had barely time to unpack and had only taken a single small duffel with her when she transferred again to the Bellerophon.  What she had brought aboard that ship had been lost and she had come aboard Theurgy with barely the uniform she wore.  It was fortunate however that she had memorized the replicator patterns of her preferred wardrobe.

With that thought she realized that what she had on 84 would be packed up and shipped home to Triss, assuming she had been declared KIA.

“Thea, a query of a more personal nature if I may.  Are you aware of how Starfleet has classified myself and the other survivors of the Bellerophon in the wake of that vessel’s destruction?

Re: Day 01 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #17 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Public Baths | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
[Show/Hide]
The question about her ingestion and defecation had caught Thea by surprise, and she hadn't immediately answered since she felt it was a rather... embarrassing topic to delve into so abrubtly. Thankfully, the conversation had moved on before she'd formulated a fitting reply. Perhaps she'd just been a bit self-conscious in her mimicking an organic behaviour in order to 'fit in', but since she was enjoying the taste and had just begun to scent the food items she ate, she wasn't about to stop just because a new Vulcan member of the crew thought it odd.

Standing next to the swimming pool, Thea observed how Commander Hathev seemed to be enjoying the prospect of spending time there once things settled down aboard the ship.

When the Vulcan made her personal inquiry, Thea was sympathetic, and folded her hands behind her back when she replied. "I am currently without access to the Federation Database, and the Bellerophon was destroyed yesterday morning, so I can only hypothesise about the current classification of your status as far as Starfleet is concerned," she said, having accessed the logs from the engagement with Task Force Archeron in the Azure Nebula, during which Commander Trent had been relieved of command by Commander Dewitt, and she'd rescued as many as the Helmet had been able to. "Nor do I have access to the sensor logs of the Dauntless and the Archeron, which may have been able to detect whom amongst the Bellerophon crew the Helmet managed to save."

Thea knew that wasn't very helpful, so she supplemented with her own analysis, which might be flawed since she had been an abductee of the Savi when the Bellerophon was destroyed. She frowned as she concluded her analysis. "Logically, If they did detect that you were saved - or 'abducted' as they'd believe it - Admiral Sankolov will either have you classified a POW, at the mercy of Captain Ives.... or push the narrative that you'd in all likelihood been tortured to death in order for Ives to obtain intel."

She tilted her head, and offered the other scenario she could foresee. "If your fate wasn't picked up on sensors, and your body would just be missing, you will in all likelihood be declared killed-in-action. When I look at the tactical sensor logs from the engagement... and the messy situation overall, I doubt the task force was able to see whom among the Bellerophon crew was 'abducted', so the probability that you will be declared dead today - or in a couple of days depending on the situation with the Azure Nebula - is at 83,644%."

She could but hope that Hathev didn't take the news too hard, because if there were any next of kin back home, they would likely be notified sooner or later. Thea decided to change the topic, and even did so at the expense of her own embarrassment.

"Anyway, I can tell you that the functionality surrounding my ingestion of food and drink is not that far removed from an organics," she said, and cleared her throat, "in that while I don't derive nutrition from what I eat, I can either dispose of  the matter in the same manner as organics do... or I have the matter beamed to my waste management facility directly. Whatever fits best depending on the situation and my current tasks."

She hoped that would satisfy the Vulcan's curiosity about that specific topic...

Re: Day 01 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #18 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev | Public Baths | Deck 06 |Vector 02 | USS Theurgy]  Attn: @Auctor Lucan 

Hathev arched an eyebrow as Thea explained how she could ingest and eliminate food and drink.  For all of her experience, she had not considered the technical aspects as to how that worked with holograms.  There were, of course, constructs of physics that would have to apply.  But the rest of that she would leave to the engineers whom carried far more technical expertise on the matter than she.

She turned, started for the exit back to the corridors.  Her self assigned evaluation of the nature and capabilities of the ship’s AI had been completed to her satisfaction but one final thought surfaced - her reaction to death.  But instead of asking directly, Hathev found a different approach.

“I’m also curious, if I may, to know your reaction and your perspective on the casualties you’ve suffered in the recent engagements.”

She left the question open ended.  While she suspected Thea had an emotional spectrum from which to draw, she could not be certain as to whether or not the AI chose to express those emotions as a human would or, if instead Thea preferred to suppress them as would a Vulcan.  Hathev found no logic in making an assumption for either outcome given that thus far all of her assumptions regarding the ship’s AI had proved incorrect.

Re: Day 01 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #19 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Public Baths | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
[Show/Hide]
When asked that question, the face of Lin Kae was already pulled out of Thea's memory banks, and it was both bitter and sweet to remember the young Bajoran that had not just given her free will, but also freed her in the proper sense of the word from her Savi imprisonment.

Without him, Thea's development had never been the same, and as an autonomous entity with free will, he had not just given her freedom of choice, but an ability to appreciate her own existence. No longer would she remain benumbed to the universe around her, and now, her saviour was gone. Killed in action as he liberated her together with Cross and Blue Tiran.

"The voyage from Earth has been filled with tragedy," she said quietly and ran a hand through her hair, clearing it way from her eyes whilst she looked out the large viewports next to the water. "Yet it has also given hope to the Federation as a whole. A lot of my crew has fallen, but they gave their lives so that the Borg invasion could be stopped. The difficulty, I find, is to maintain focus on the greater good when someone close to you is lost. Like you organics, I were closer to some of my crew. There is no difference as far as I am concerned in that regard."

Thea turned towards the Vulcan. "Did you loose anyone close to you on the Bellerophon?"

Having just reached the Epsilon Mynos System and docked in the Aldea Prime Shipyards during the night, a modicum of safety in numbers had been expressed to her, with the Klingon Empire following their Chancellor's orders in hiding and protecting her in drydock. The time for healing after what had befallen them all in the Azure Nebula had just begun, and perhaps a fresh start. A mission continued, but with allies instead of being alone against all odds. These digital thoughts came to Thea, as she gazed upon the ochre surface of Aldea outside the viewports - the dawn shining upon them both.
 

Re: Day 01 [0900 hrs.] Big Sister

Reply #20 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev | Public Baths | Deck 06 |Vector 02 | USS Theurgy]  Attn: @Auctor Lucan 

Hathev listened intently as Thea answered her question.  For the Vulcan, she was listening less for what the said, but rather how she responded.  There was sincerity in those words and Hathev sensed there was more there than what Thea’s words implied.  Hathev did not press further, especially when asked about the Bellerophon. 

“I served aboard the Bellerophon for only a few days before it’s destruction.  While I regret the loss of the crew as a whole, there was insufficient time to develop any type of relationship deeper than that of professional colleagues.”

Hathev stepped up to the viewport, off to Thea’s right and looked out to the shipyard, Aldea, and the stars in the background.  Although factually correct, her answer had also been incomplete.  There had been a casualty that she regretted more than the others.

In all likelihood, Triss would believe her to be dead and with that news, so too would be their marriage.

The tension between them since…his… death had grown and their estrangement had grown deeper every day since.  Leaving for Starbase 84 had been the logical decision, one designed to give space and time to allow tensions to ease and emotions, suppressed or otherwise, to calm.  It had not been intended to turn into two one week assignments, to end in an escape pod and assumed dead, only to be rescued by a ‘renegade’ starship fighting against an infiltrated and thusly corrupted chain of command.

Hathev would need time to evaluate the causal chain that led her from Torgny to this moment. 

There was also the possibility that Starfleet would discover she was alive and well aboard Theurgy.  In that case, instead of being declared deceased, she would be declared a renegade… a traitor.  Hathev idly wondered which news would bring Triss less pain.

They had been through quite the ordeal over the past few weeks, and as the newly assigned chief counselor on board, the mental health of every sentient aboard was now her responsibility and this was now her crew as well.  They were courageous…all of them.  To take a stand and fight against Starfleet in the name of saving Starfleet and the Federation as a whole, to give up their homes, their security, their families and put themselves in the line of fire to shed the light of truth on the shadows of deception and conspiracy…that was no small task and as she took in the sight before her, Hathev vowed she would honor their boldness, their courage, and give no less of herself than any other on board had given of themselves.

Hathev watched as the Aldean sun began to rise from the planet’s horizon and as brand new day dawned on the crew of the Starship Theurgy, she recalled a mantra that seemed oddly suited for the moment.

May fortune favor the bold.

-FIN
 
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