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Day 08 [0700 hrs.] Different Equals

"DIFFERENT EQUALS"

STARDATE: 57576.02
MARCH 18
0700 HRS.

[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Personal Quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Jesaya 
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Alpha shift was yet to start, and Thea had opted to beam back to her quarters - her access to the transporter systems seamless during her runtime. Once there, still lamenting how barren her projection's accommodations were but not having settled on appropriate items to replicate, Thea walked to her wardrobe and opened it. There, at least, were some of the items she had replicated, and she bent down to retrieve what she'd come for.

A bikini, for she had decided to visit the public baths for a swim, knowing that alpha shift might require that her projection was present in person upon request. She had an hour until then, and she wanted to make use of the time - exploring a common hobby of the organics aboard her. Her black chameleon body suit faded away, leaving her projection's delicate latticework of forcefields and photons bare to the eye. Then, she put the black bikini on, and turned to look at herself in the mirror. It fit her just as well as the day when she'd first replicated it, and she smiled a little in contentment... before she vanished in a shimmer.

[ Public Baths | Deck 06 | Vector 02 ]

She appeared at the end of the swimming pool, and outside the tall viewports, the golden light of Aldea's planetary surface was merely disturbed by the dark angles of the shipyards that encompassed her Vector 02 hull - shadows from shuttles and worker bees lazily crossing the view. There were very little organics present, her internal sensors picking out their names and ranks seamlessly as she looked around with a smile. There was one surprise, however, and it was the female figure swimming down the pool.

It was Lieutenant Vanya, and knowing what she was, Thea was surprised that she dared enjoy the activity of swimming.

Curious, she stepped around the side of the pool and spoke up when the science officer passed her by. "Lieutenant Vanya," she said in greeting, and tilted her head a little. "I am surprised. Your specifications suggest that water might be a hazard to your systems. Are you sure this is wise?"

Re: Day 08 [0700 hrs.] Different Equals

Reply #1 –
Lieutenant Vanya | Public Baths | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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Vanya didn't really know what had possessed her to go for a swim this early in the morning, perhaps it was the fact she had spent the last few days on the Allegiant and wanted some space and to blow off some steam, as the Human's put it. Even for an artificial being, even she got the odd bit of cabin fever every now and then, or at least she was programmed too anyway. Of course it could also have simply been the fact that she liked to swim and had wanted too. Admittedly after the few months they had all been through, both on the Cayuga and now on the Theurgy the Android had to admit that she was enjoying the relaxation that came from swimming.

She had swam for a little bit before opting to just float for a while, thankful that her "mother" had designed her chassis to be lightweight so she could actually float and not sink the second she was in any body of water deeper than her height. Although thinking about it, she supposed it wouldn't be logical for an infiltration unit to do that, it would most certainly give the game away very quickly if that were to happen.

Eventually she had returned to swimming a few more laps before she would have to leave and get ready for her shift. The advantage of doing so at this hour was that it was rare that anybody really used the pool this early in the morning, the odd few people every now and then but for the most part the pool was one thing she had mostly to herself. That being said however, she usually swam on the holodeck, but having only recently arrived on the Theurgy she didn't have any holodeck time to use so the real pool it would have to be.

Hearing the voice address her, Vanya stopped swimming and turned around to face the source, seeing Thea standing near the side of the pool, looking at her with her head tiled a little and smiled at her question, although the Android did wonder why the AI had asked if it was wise for her to be doing so, surely if it wasn't she wouldn't be do such a thing barring an error in her programming and she was relatively certain that wasn't the case.

"Hello Thea." the scientist greeted the AI "The risk is small as I was designed to be able to be submerged in water, however water can cause minor malfunctions if it gets into my secondary systems but over the years I've learned to...waterproof myself a little better." she added with a grin. "Sediments and other contaminants of course can of course prove equally as troublesome as the water, however you provide us with clean, uncontaminated water so that at least isn't an issue, one of which I am grateful for." the Android added.

Pausing and kicking her feet a little to keep herself in place when she started to drift a little she smiled at the AI "As a hologram it must be nice to not have to worry about such things whenever you fancy taking a dip." she said with a smirk Speaking of which, if you're more than welcome to join me, the water is lovely." 

Re: Day 08 [0700 hrs.] Different Equals

Reply #2 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Personal Quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Jesaya 
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It was reassuring to hear that the Romulan android was well aware of the limitations of her dutoronium chassis and bioflesh compound coating, and had taken measures to ensure that she could enjoy this kind of activity. Thea smiled and chuckled a little at the invitation, knowing just how lovely the water ought to be since it was a part of Vector 2 hull recreational features.

"Oh, I intend to," she said and she moved to the edge of the pool. "I do have a mobile emitter myself that I protect from water damage with the forcefields of my projection's anatomy. I believe it's already water proof, but since it's a unique, custom unit, I rather not take any chances. I already lost one emitter at Starbase 84."

Lin Kae's emitter, the thing he'd finished for her before Doctor Maya had made him mad, all of it orchestrated by Doctor Nicander. At least he'd become himself before he died on the Versant. He'd come to save her, to set her free from her captivity in the Savi machine intelligence lab. He'd fought for her freedom, before that Scion had run him through with its chitin limb. He'd already been dead when she reached him. Her saviour, who hadn't just unshackled her from her Starfleet safety protocols - giving her free will - but also let her leave her own hull with her mobile emitter. He'd always stood up for her, and done everything he could to have the crew recognise that she was more than a mere Starfleet computer. He'd made them see that she was so much more than what an EHM might be, and he'd been on her side when she tried to restore her daughter - Cala - instead of destroying her.

He'd been more than just a saviour, and he'd forever be in her memory banks.

Thoughts of Lin Kae saddened Thea, so she pushed the digital memories from her current runtime so that she might actually enjoy the hour she got. Doing so ended the feed from her emotion chip, and she leapt into the pool - diving deep into the water before coming up next to Vanya. Her projection being wet made her brown hair slick and dark down her back, water beading her skin.

"You came aboard while I was away, and I realise we've never had the opportunity to talk - the two of us having a great deal in common," she said to the Lieutenant, knowing her story from her personnel file and the reports from the time in the Azure Nebula. Evidently, Vanya had served under Captain Ziegler on the Cayuga, Anya Ziegler being the first Executive Officer of Ives, before Commander Nerina had taken over the role at their Chameloid Commanding Officer's side. "How do you like life aboard me so far?"

Re: Day 08 [0700 hrs.] Different Equals

Reply #3 –
Lieutenant Vanya | Public Baths | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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Vanya smiled and nodded in understanding at Thea's desire to protect her mobile emitter from water damage "Better to be safe than sorry, to coin a Human expression." Vanya replied before arching an eyebrow and looking up around the room "Although I would have assumed that there would be holo-emitters in here that would allow you to swim without needing your mobile emitter." she added after a moment.

Watching as the hologram dived into the pool the science officer had to admit that given her own original design purpose a hologram would be far better suited for infiltration than she was, assuming one had a mobile emitter, especially given how lifelike they appeared. Of course Vanya herself was very lifelike. Everything from her personality, emotional reactions, the feel of her skin and artificial blood to her sexual parts were all designed to be indistinguishable from the real thing for interacting with organics. The only thing somewhat abnormal about her design was the length of her frame. Standing at 6'2 she was "rather tall for a woman" as she had heard from many men and some women over her current span, it certainly made her stand out in a crowd, something that really wasn't what you wanted form an infiltration unit. The idea was surely to blend into a crowd, not stand out in one and in that regard a hologram such as Thea would be more suited then Vanya herself was.

The Android watched as several droplets of water trickled down Thea's projection as she emerged from beneath the water next to her and nodded at the AI's statement. She had indeed come aboard the ship at a time when the ship's AI was not around during the events in the Azure Nebula, although she had heard talk of the AI before from members of the Theurgy crew at the time.  When asked about how she was liking life aboard so far, Vanya smirked "Well you certainly are a comfortable ship, I'll give you that." she joked.

Looking down at the AI's projection, as she had to do with most people Vanya smiled "The early days were somewhat...awkward for most of my fellow Cayuga shipmates. First with the original deception of your crew when we first encountered them inside the Azura Nebula and then having to process the truth about you and the lies being told about you by those in Command, Getting thrown in at the deep end however was...quite the experience, even for me."

Pausing a moment as a thought went through her memory banks Vanya couldn't help but smile again "It was however a nice surprise to find my best friend from the Academy aboard, I had not been expecting to see Natalie here of all places.  Despite the situation we find ourselves in, life is....good aboard you so far." she answered. Suspecting that Thea would already know that her Chief Operations Officer had attended the Academy at the same time Vanya had, although if there was anything in their personnel files about their association and if Thea knew about it or not, the Android had no way to know.

"How about you?" Vanya asked "How do you find life aboard yourself. Being both the ship and an AI finding yourself in the middle of this whole mess I imagine you have a rather unique perspective on everything in comparison to everybody else around here."

Re: Day 08 [0700 hrs.] Different Equals

Reply #4 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Public Baths | Adjacent to the Upper Gymnasium | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Jesaya 
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It wasn't difficult for Thea to deduce which 'Natalie' it was that Lieutenant Vanya spoke of, smiling as she lazily swam in the pool. She also had access to the reports about the means in which the same Natalie used in order to approach the Cayuga - Stark having been in command of the Stallion at the time. It appeared that Vanya must have forgiven Stark for all of that, though, judging by how fondly the Romulan android spoke of the Chief of Operations.

When the question about how her own life aboard herself - in the capacity of being the A.I. - came to her, Thea chuckled a bit and swam to the edge of the pool. She pushed herself out of the water, and as her projection dripped with wetness, she answered with one arm draped over a knee. As she spoke, she glanced out her own viewports on the golden surface of Aldea, lounging there on the edge of the pool.

"The short answer is that even though I am unshackled and have my own free will, and despite how I was predetermined to follow Starfleet protocol and the laws of the Federation in my coding... I have found that regardless what I was meant to be from the start - this advanced program that was simultaneously intelligent and yet perfectly obedient - I hold no resentment towards the flawed morale of my creation. Just as I have learned to exist and expand beyond my initial programming, so have this crew come to accept my liberties. Of course, there were some that expressed fear over my development... but they were few, and the Captain have acknowledged and supported my independence as an individual. I might be the soul of the ship, and as a computer the crew depends on me to function, but beyond that... the projection you see is my own."

Thea looked back at the android in the water with a small smile. "Perhaps you could consider it a separation of duty and integrity, if you will. Avoiding a lengthy philosophical debate, I'd say that as the A.I., I hold a duty towards Starfleet and this crew, to uphold the tenets of the Federation and adhere to the orders of the Commanding Officer... even when this mission of ours demands a lot from us all. Yet even as I preform my duties, in the unique way that I am since there is no replacement officer to stand in for me except an auxiliary Starfleet computer interface... I am also a person. I have my own rights and integrity as a person, just like you've earned those rights when you came to the Federation."

Turning her head again, she looked outside once more. The water dripped from her hair, beading her digital skin where she sat. "I am merely a new entity, different from you merely in how I was developed in the Soong Legacy project. Lieutenant Commander Bruce Maddox, whom you are familiar with, was one of those aiding in my development. So, just because I have an inherent duty because of what kind of vessel I am installed into, a duty I an proud of, I... still have personal priorities, when the mission allows them."

She chuckled a little, feeling how she was being very long-winded about a simple question. "Life aboard me is... fraught with danger, setbacks, and tragedy. Yet at the same time, I feel hope. I feel gratification. I feel love from my crew, and I love you back. Just like you will protect me as best as you might... I will protect you as well. So..."

Thea guessed all that she could say could be summarised in a single word. So she looked at Vanya and shrugged in a carefree way, feeling like her answer wasn't just adequate, but complete. "Symbiosis."

- FIN
 
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