I am Kat

Posted on 28 Feb 2020 @ 7:47pm by Ensign Kat Walker & Captain Mallory Thorne

2,356 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Changing Faces
Location: Cargo Bay Two, Deck 27
Timeline: MD01, A few hours after 'weird shit'

The cargo bay was a lot more clear. Most of the debris had been cleared, leaving only a few pieces - those that engineering had deemed interesting and worth studying. Then there was the matter of the alien AI, the piece of wreckage that had activated upon being brought aboard. Sleek, curved, yet extensively damaged. It lay there, limbs splayed out, unable to stand because of systems malfunctions, seized hydraulics and bearings, artificial muscle fibers torn, fluids missing and outer plating damaged by centuries of micro-debris impacts.

Two security officers were present, standing by with Type III compression rifles held at the low ready. And one engineer, interacting with the alien AI, represented by a holographic avatar of a young human woman with sandy blond hair and steel blue eyes.

"So you've learned our language?" the engineer asked, incredulously. "Already?"

The AI hologram gave a nod and a soft smile. "Yes. Your computer is - quite helpful. I learned, your language while she, learned mine." There was an accent to her pronunciation and some hesitation between certain words and parts of phrases. She wasn't quite confident in Federation Standard yet and her pronunciation was off at times, but those were minor issues that time would solve.

The engineering ensign smiled. "That's excellent. Now, are you able to answer questions?"

"To the best of my ability." the AI replied.

"Alright. I'll call the captain. I think she'll want to meet you." spoke the engineer, tapping his comm badge. "Ensign Castle to Captain Thorne. The AI in the cargo bay can communicate in Federation Standard and is ready to answer questions."

Somehow, Mallory wasn't surprised.

In truth, less and less was surprising the Captain of the USS Odin. "Weird" was becoming "normal," and she suspected that if too much normalcy happened now, she wouldn't know how to react. "On my way," she replied, heading off the bridge--which she left in the hands of Petrova--as she headed down to the cargo bay.

A few minutes later, she walked in and nodded at the security officers. She approached the scene before her, taking in everything as she came close. She nodded at the ensign, then said to her "guest", "Hello. I'm Captain Thorne."

The AI had been watching Mallory the entire time, patiently waiting to be addressed, upon which she offered a pleasant smile. "Hello Captain Thorne. I am Kat Walker, the onboard AI for the Model 2501 walker." as she motioned to the damaged machine behind her. Her voice was warm and kind, obviously by design. "I understand you have some question for me, Captain?"

"Of course," Mal said wryly. "Your presence here is a bit of a surprise to us, and we're unfamiliar with your technology." She gestured behind the avatar. AIs were not, of course. But the mechanics behind her... "What can you tell me about yourself?"

"Not too much, I am afraid." Kat furrowed her brows, before holding up her hand, palm up, and showing another holoprojection - the machine, but in full repair and standing upright. "This is the model 2501, Kinetic Ambulatory Trooper type walker. I am the onboard AI, evo 3 crystalline type, serial number 629, with personality module. My systems are extensively damaged. Partially from weapons fire - " red marks flashed on the hologram, mostly in the rear quarter " - and partially from what I suspect is prolonged exposure to micro debris in space. " Orange marks flashed on the hologram, spread out far more evenly. "Fuel reserves are low, twelve percent remaining."

"I'm not of your people, this much is clear. Language, technology and design aesthetic are different, and my holographic avatar's default appearance is very different from how you and your people look." She held up her other hand, palm up, manifesting another hologram. This time of a slender reptilian humanoid, with relatively slightly longer limbs than a human. "I suspect this is what the people who built me look like. I have extrapolated my current avatar from the general appearance of your people, to facilitate more comfortable interaction. Will this design suffice?"

"Unfortunately my volatile memory is blank, which fits with the state of my physical form. I couldn't tell you who built me, when or where, or how long I have been adrift in space." there were slight visual glitches in her projection from time to time as well as in her voice, owing to the damage she had sustained.

At this, the engineer chimed in. "Well, your..." He hesitated, frowning. "Body? The metal part behind you shows signs of being in space for a long time. Some of the damage is from that."

Mallory was digesting everything. She wondered if one of their onboard Union friends might know more about this creation...but she didn't really want to tell them about her, let alone ask. Not that they didn't know something was afoot, but she didn't want to suffer that yet. "Your design suffices," Mal said thoughtfully. "Though it will make it very difficult to get you home if we don't know where your home is."

Kat gave a nod to the engineer as she lowered her hands again, the movements slowly becoming more realistic and fluid as she had time to study reference material - the humans right in front of her. "Might there be a way to estimate how long I have been adrift from the damage?" she asked the engineer. After that she turned back to Mallory but seemed almost hesitant to speak. "What will happen to me until then, Captain? Will I be deactivated and studied? Or stored until more information is discovered?"

"We can," the engineer said. "Will take a little time." He nodded and turned away.

"I suppose we need to figure that out," Mal said thoughtfully, crossing her arms over her chest. "We need to know more about you and the vehicle you're attached to, your capabilities, if you pose any threat to the ship--whether by choice or without your knowledge."

"My weapons are damaged and non functional." She displayed the holo-image of the walker again, highlighting three weapons - a machine gun in each arm and a particle cannon mounted atop the main body. "I am unable to stand or move. I don't have access to your computer other than vocal interaction and my holographic avatar is incapable of doing harm. If there is anything I can do to help, please feel free to ask."

Mal had so many thoughts right now. She tried to parse down to the most important. "What is your range?" she asked, then realized that needing more explanation. "That is to say, your avatar here. This ship is limited in where holographic projectors are set up. Will you be constrained to wherever your vehicle is?"

A brief moment's hesitation before the holographic avatar held her hand in front of her, parallel to the ground. "Computer, how far above the floor is my hand, in the most common Federation standard unit of distance?"

"Hand is one-point-one-two meters above the floor."

"Using my remote projector, my avatar has a roaming area of three hundred and seventy six meters from the main AI core, Captain." Kat motioned to the immobile, damaged chassis behind her.

Positioned correctly, that could cover practically the entire ship, Mal thought. Her brows rose slightly with surprise. "Impressive," she commented. "I would like my engineers to continue to study your mechanical components. Is that a problem?"

"If I agree to share my technical blueprints and assist in teaching your engineers to better understand my physical systems, would that improve my chances of being allowed to live, and possibly eventually receiving repairs and fuel?" Kat asked, her tone soft.

"Yes," Mal said simply, feeling a surge of empathy for that simple request. "I have a duty to protect my ship and my crew, but I also have a duty to help other life. It's why you ended up here in the first place." She paused to consider. "Your craft seems heavily armed. The...walker," as she recalled the name, "is a battle-craft?"

A nod from Kat. "The 2501 type walker is an urban pacification and patrol unit." as she showed a simple hologram of a portion of a city with nondescript gray buildings, and a highly simplified mini of the machine walking around from street corner to street corner, firing its weapons every now and then. "If my walker's weapons cause concerns, it is very possible to remove them or leave them in an inoperable state. Do not think of the walker as my body. It is simply the craft I was built in to." The hologram changed once again, it seemed that a simplified, schematic representation of what she was talking about was her preferred method of trying to explain a point.

The holographic AI avatar stood in the cargo bay with a hand held before her, palm up, displaying a small, crystalline cube, with various pathways lighting up blue in rhythm as she spoke. "This is a model Evo 3 crystalline AI core. My actual brain. The Evo 3 model crystalline AI core can be used to operate any small craft, from combat walkers to fighters, light and heavy shuttles, up to small starships." The holographic display now also showed the walker chassis, and a representation of her chosen avatar, with arrows going from the crystalline cube to both, as if the emphasize the hierarchy of the systems at work.

"Fascinating," Mal said thoughtfully, looking at the image. "I appreciate your cooperation, and we look forward to learning more about you." A thought occurred to her. "Perhaps you would like to speak with this ship's counselor, and help us along that process of knowing you better."

"Of course, Captain. I'd be happy to." Kat replied. At least this meant that she would be allowed to function, which was better to her than the alternative. "Although I do not know what a counselor is, or where to find this ship's one." she admitted.

Mal laughed a little sheepishly at that, rubbing the back of her neck. "The ship's counselor is a woman named Quinle Rahl, and you'll find her office on deck twelve. She is the officer on this vessel who is responsible for making sure everyone's emotional health is maintained."

Kat tilted her head slightly remaining silent for a brief moment as she processed. "That is fascinating." she offered with a soft smile. "You believe that me talking with her would help you understand me better?"

"I think it's worth a try," Mal said easily. "I don't know how it'll turn out, but she's a good person to talk to either way."

"Then, I look forward to meeting her." Kat gave a nod. "Though, is it alright if I have questions for you as well, Captain Thorne?"

"Of course," Mal agreed. "I would be happy to answer whatever questions I can."

"As I understand you are the highest ranking officer onboard this ship, called Odin. This ship and her crew are part of something called a 'Federation'." Kat started. "What can you tell me about the ship? And the Federation? What is the main purpose of the Federation? You have crew with high end energy weapons, that act in a trained and organized military manner. Is the Odin a warship?"

The captain hadn't exactly expected them all at once, but she took it in stride. She thought carefully about how to explain succinctly but accurately. "The Federation... The United Federation of Planets is a sort of grouping of various planets and their governments until one organizational government, although still operating with some autonomy. It is something that exists in... Well, a different timeline. The one the ship is in now is not like how we once knew it. Here, there is the Alliance of Worlds where we once knew the UFP."

Mallory smiled sadly as she went on. "As such, we are the only representation of the Federation and of Starfleet anywhere here." She paused. "The Odin itself is a tactical vessel, but not a warship. We were originally tasked with patrolling the borders of Federation space to keep it safe from anyone who would do us harm."

"I see. Odin is a patrol vessel, a reactionary force. And you are alone, displaced from your own people." The parallels with Kat's situation were apparent. "You said earlier that I also have a duty to help other life - " she mimicked Mallory's voice perfectly " - and that that is why I ended up here in the first place. How did you find me? Am I, in your or the Federation's opinion, life?"

"The question of life is a complicated one, even in the Federation," Mal replied carefully. "But there have been cases of...manmade creations gaining sentience and being life, yes." She paused, wondering if she should request that the AI never do that mimic thing again. "You were adrift in a collection of debris that contained another vessel with another lifeform. One of yours ships gave off a signal that seemed like a distress call. We did not read your capacity, however. We read the life signs of the other individual, but took up all the debris in the area. Which brought you here."

"The other individual, is he of the people who created me?" Kat asked without missing a beat. She held up her hand once more displaying a holographic image floating above it. This time of the default avatar in her files, a reptilian humanoid of slender build.

Mallory shook her head. "I have not yet met him myself, but from what I've heard, his race and yours--" She gestured to the image. "--are quite different. Given how little we know of you at the moment, however, I don't know what we can rule out yet with certainty."

"I understand." Kat spoke, remaining silent for a brief moment. "I have no more questions at this moment, Captain."

"Thank you for talking with me," Mal said, inclining her head. "I will speak to the counselor and then you two can meet, and we'll go from there."

"Thank you, Captain. I will be here." Kat acknowledged.

 

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