councling an ai

Posted on Tue Nov 8th, 2022 @ 4:50am by Captain Devin Hadenbeer & Ship Elle & Lieutenant Commander R'elle

1,444 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Into The Void
Location: lounge
Timeline: current

R'elle, the chief councilor was trying to make the best out of a bad situation. She and the rest of the crew had been more or less hijacked by a rouge AI who called herself Elle. She had invited Elle to meet her in the lounge. It seemed like a good place to start. R'elle figured she might as well get to know the AI since they seemed to be stuck with each other. She was sipping a hot chocolate drink. It always relaxed her. She was a few minutes early. She wanted to prepare for the chat. This would be an interesting experience.

R'elle could sense the tension on board ship, partly because so many refugees from Gabriel Station were still reeling from their own losses. Now they were about as far from home as people could get. Her sensitive ears could hear furtive whispers, frustrated mumblings as some stared out at the wholly unfamiliar starscape.

Elle appeared opposite R'elle, her expression somewhere between neutral and annoyed.

"You," she stated flatly, "Have no idea how difficult it was to refrain from putting something unpleasant in your cocoa..."

"Hmm, well the fact that you showed restraint is a good sign. You might be maturing. So you obviously don't like me. May I ask why? as I have done nothing to you."

Elle's nostrils flared at the 'maturing' crack, it was an impressive display of holography. Likewise her other facial expressions and body movements displayed very human characteristics of agitations.

"Me?" Elle replied, "You've done nothing. But you have bothered the Captain. She does not like discussing her past with people she knows, let alone complete strangers who think they know best."

"Ahh to be young and naive. Elle, I understand you like the captain. However you must learn about some things. Sometimes we have to do things we really don't want to do but it is good for us. Secondly you need to learn about duty. I was ordered to find out what was wrong with the Captain by Admiral Janeway. I have nothing against the Captain personally but I had a duty to fulfill. And lastly, it really isn't any of your business what goes on between the captain and myself. I understand she's your friend but you will learn what's important and what is really your business and what is not."

"That said, I could and probably should be very mad at you. You kidnapped the crew of this starship and took us, well I really don't know where we are. I understand why, at least from what I've been told but that doesn't make it right. Now because I understand why you did it, I choose not to hold it against you. To some extent I sympathize with you! However it was still wrong of you to do that!"

Elle cocked her head and stared at R'elle for several moments.

"I am trying very hard to be mature, but your condescension makes it very difficult. If I had teeth I think I would be grinding them. My relationship with the Captain is symbiotic; whatever affects her affects me as well. And 'like' is a rather poor word to sum up my feelings for the Captain.

"As for why we are here, are you aware of what would have happened to me if I had been captured by the Klingons? Starfleet regulations forbid any starship attaining sentience. That was established after the M5 computer was responsible for killing hundreds of Starfleet personnel. That is why we are here. Because Starfleet Command assumes the worst of me."

:I am quite aware of that Elle. I understand why you did what you did. " R'elles ears had perked up at the emotion of this symbiosis. She needed to know more about that. "So you said you had a symbiosis with the captain. Please explain that!" This could be very important.

Elle went quiet a moment her expression turned somber.

"It was in the universe of Brahams," she murmured quietly, "The Old Ones...changed us. Formed a bond between us, a joining of minds and spirits. It..."

A beatific smile crossed the hologram's face, "...is wonderful..."

There was a pause, then a giggle escaped the hologram, then a full throated laugh as it slapped the table top which caused those at other tables to look over curiously.

"I...I am sorry," Elle said with a poorly stifled chortle, "I have this sense of humor and it..." she shook her head and seemed to attain some semblance of self control, "It is just a...partnership. With the Captain. With them."

She waved her hand at the other tables. Now that people realized whom was seated with R'elle expressions of curiosity and apprehension on their faces.

Old ones! She was unfamiliar with these "Old ones". "Tell me about these old ones. Who and what are they? Please tell me all about them!" R'elle asked.

Elle rolled her eyes, "There are no 'old ones'. It was a joke," she paused and then added, "All right, there were 'old ones' on Exo III, but..."

Elle paused, her eyes narrowed, "Are you having me on? I'm not very familiar with Caitian faces so it's hard to tell..."

"No, I am not having you on as they say. I assume you aren't having me on either so why don't you explain the bond between you and the captain?" Hmm yes this wasn't going to be easy but with patience and some digging she might be able to get some valuable information about Elle and possibly her relationship with the captain.

Elle blinked, "I...it is difficult to explain without a frame of reference. Have you ever had adventures with a sentient starship? Ever taught it the value of music and creativity? The appreciation of the beauty of a newborn star or the elegance of a mathematical proof? The sanctity of life both mean and sentient? She is...it is not unlike a mother and daughter, or sisters, or that between spouses, but it is not precisely any of that."

"I think I get the gist. You have bonded with the Captain. You consider yourself family. Very close family." She definitely got the impression that Elle was very protective of the captain. Too protective. Perhaps to the point of endangering the crew. It worried her.

Elle shrugged, obviously frustrated, "I suppose? I don't know. You can be assigned a Mother, I guess. But Devin wasn't looking to be a Mother and everyone in the old crew who knew I existed just assumed that because of the...you know. Only Marta seemed to understand."

"Interesting. I don't think you can be assigned a mother but obviously you and the captain do share a bond. So how long have you been sentient?"

Elle waggled her hand, "Eight years...more or less. I was dead for a while but I got better. Although I do sometimes wonder if I am me or a copy of the earlier Elle before..."

Marta looked away and was silent for several moments, a potentially very long time for an artificial life form. Her head turned back and she regarded R'elle soberly.

"I am not going to talk about that," she said, "Not ever."

Elle stood, "I think this is a good time to stop talking. Stop bothering the Captain, she has enough to worry about. She doesn't want to talk about all the things that hurt her; talking about it doesn't help. What would help would be Admiral Necheyev suffocating in one of my airlocks but I don't see that happening any time soon."

"Elle, talking like that, behavior like that is why they want to destroy you. You are basically threatening an admiral. That does not help your case at all. As for the captain, again, that is none of your business. She does not need you to defend her. She is quite capable of handling herself."

Elle rolled her eyes, "You like to talk but you don't like to listen, or you just filter out what you don't want to hear. I threaten and admiral and you focus on the threat but you don't ask why I want the bitch dead."

She threw up her hands, "Fine. Whatever. You want to go on trying to bother the captain by attempting to get her to open up? Be my guest. But she doesn't have to listen to you any more, Counselor."

Her eyes narrowed, "And count yourself lucky she's ordered me not to perform any more practical jokes. If you had any idea what I had planned next for you..."

The hologram faded, it's head shaking with rueful regret...

 

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