Malfunction [Mira/Kristen]

Mira wrote:

The humourless smile stayed in place as Mira leaned back in her chair.  "The number of artificial life forms in Starfleet that could be counted as sentient can be counted on the fingers of one human hand," she pointed out.  "My colleagues aren't all that sure that security is the right place for one of them."

"You seem dedicated." Kristen took a drink. "That is really all one can ask for. Hopefully they will come around. Sentient lifeforms are sentient lifeforms. You should be treated with the respect you deserve. Don't accept anything less from them. On a mission when I was teenager I got to meet Commander Data. Fascinating man! And he showed me just how committed an artificial officer could be. He did his duty just as any other member of the crew."

Kristen Young wrote:

"You seem dedicated." Kristen took a drink. "That is really all one can ask for. Hopefully they will come around. Sentient lifeforms are sentient lifeforms. You should be treated with the respect you deserve. Don't accept anything less from them. On a mission when I was teenager I got to meet Commander Data. Fascinating man! And he showed me just how committed an artificial officer could be. He did his duty just as any other member of the crew."

Mira's shoulder rose and fell in a shrug. "Whether or not they come round is irrelevant. If my work here is beneficial to the station, Jupiter Station will start working on copying my program across ships and varying it so that you're not confronted with a lot of identical holograms. If it's not, then I get scrapped. Simple as that."

The mention of Commander Data was one of interest to the hologram. "I would have liked to meet him. I did meet the Doctor though. He was around when my program was being finalised."

Mira wrote:

Mira's shoulder rose and fell in a shrug.  "Whether or not they come round is irrelevant.  If my work here is beneficial to the station, Jupiter Station will start working on copying my program across ships and varying it so that you're not confronted with a lot of identical holograms.  If it's not, then I get scrapped.  Simple as that."

The mention of Commander Data was one of interest to the hologram.  "I would have liked to meet him.  I did meet the Doctor though.  He was around when my program was being finalised."

Kristen's eyes widened and she set her drink down and moved in closer to Mira. "You got to meet the Doctor? I must admit. I'm jealous. What was he like? He's always been somewhat of a hero to me."

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen's eyes widened and she set her drink down and moved in closer to Mira. "You got to meet the Doctor? I must admit. I'm jealous. What was he like? He's always been somewhat of a hero to me."

Mira took a moment to think back to the encounter she had had with the well-known hologram. It had been brief, he had mainly been there because of the fact that Mira's program was the closest he was going to get to having children of his own, having another hologram based off his matrix.

"Arrogant," she said after that moment's thought. "He seemed to enjoy the sound of his own voice quite a bit. Doctor Zimmerman, the one who created our programs, actually disabled his vocal subroutines for a while!"

Mira wrote:

Mira took a moment to think back to the encounter she had had with the well-known hologram.  It had been brief, he had mainly been there because of the fact that Mira's program was the closest he was going to get to having children of his own, having another hologram based off his matrix.

"Arrogant," she said after that moment's thought.  "He seemed to enjoy the sound of his own voice quite a bit.  Doctor Zimmerman, the one who created our programs, actually disabled his vocal subroutines for a while!"

Kristen laughed. "He disabled the doctors vocal subroutines? That must of been quite a humorous sight to see. I would of loved to have been there." Kristen was amazed by Mira's program. She found it to be lightyears beyond anything she had ever seen before. "Well he seems to have done an excellent job on your program." She let out another laugh. "I promise not to disengage your vocal subroutines anytime soon."

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen laughed. "He disabled the doctors vocal subroutines? That must of been quite a humorous sight to see. I would of loved to have been there." Kristen was amazed by Mira's program. She found it to be lightyears beyond anything she had ever seen before. "Well he seems to have done an excellent job on your program." She let out another laugh. "I promise not to disengage your vocal subroutines anytime soon."

"The sign language was certainly descriptive," Mira giggled before going quiet again as Kristen praised her programmer's talent with subroutines. "Yes, my creator certainly knew what he was doing. Unfortunately, no one's created a crash course in how to be human yet."

Mira wrote:

"The sign language was certainly descriptive," Mira giggled before going quiet again as Kristen praised her programmer's talent with subroutines.  "Yes, my creator certainly knew what he was doing.  Unfortunately, no one's created a crash course in how to be human yet."

Kristen giggled right along with her companion. "Now that's where your wrong Mira. There is a crash course on how to be human." Kristen extended her hand as laughter began to flow again. "Kristen Young operations officer and self-appointed teacher of all things human. Ive been on more planets in my short years then most people will visit in a lifetime. And nothing makes you a better human than meeting aliens. What do ya say friend? Human 101?" Kristen quickly felt a bond forming with Mira. It had only been a few moments but she saw a bond beginning to form. She had made her first friend on Athena. And Kristen couldn't be happier.

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen giggled right along with her companion. "Now that's where your wrong Mira. There is a crash course on how to be human." Kristen extended her hand as laughter began to flow again. "Kristen Young operations officer and self-appointed teacher of all things human. Ive been on more planets in my short years then most people will visit in a lifetime. And nothing makes you a better human than meeting aliens. What do ya say friend? Human 101?" Kristen quickly felt a bond forming with Mira. It had only been a few moments but she saw a bond beginning to form. She had made her first friend on Athena. And Kristen couldn't be happier.

A wide smile crossed the hologram's face as she listened to her new friend. Someone who could teach her about being human? That was pretty much exactly what she needed. The fact that that person was also an operations officer who could help her adjust the subroutines necessary to bring her behaviour closer to that of humans was just a bonus.

"'Human 101' sounds just about right," she replied, still grinning. "I hope you already have a lesson plan sorted out!"

Mira wrote:

A wide smile crossed the hologram's face as she listened to her new friend.  Someone who could teach her about being human?  That was pretty much exactly what she needed.  The fact that that person was also an operations officer who could help her adjust the subroutines necessary to bring her behaviour closer to that of humans was just a bonus.

"'Human 101' sounds just about right," she replied, still grinning.  "I hope you already have a lesson plan sorted out!"

"Well I must admit. I don't have a lesson plan prepared." A smile beamed from Kristen's face. "Well at least the plans aren't prepared yet." She took a bite of her lunch. "Maybe the first lesson should be asserting you independence from those other security officer. You should stop them from referring to you as it. That is rude and they know it."

Kristen Young wrote:

"Well I must admit. I don't have a lesson plan prepared." A smile beamed from Kristen's face. "Well at least the plans aren't prepared yet." She took a bite of her lunch. "Maybe the first lesson should be asserting you independence from those other security officer. You should stop them from referring to you as it. That is rude and they know it."

The grin faded into an expression of faint confusion as Mira processed what had just been said. "But... Technically, they're right. Just because I've been made to resemble a female human doesn't mean that I am one. I'm just a collection of photons and forcefields. 'It' seems pretty... well, normal, to be honest. It certainly doesn't seem rude to me."

Mira wrote:

The grin faded into an expression of faint confusion as Mira processed what had just been said.  "But... Technically, they're right.  Just because I've been made to resemble a female human doesn't mean that I am one.  I'm just a collection of photons and forcefields.  'It' seems pretty... well, normal, to be honest.  It certainly doesn't seem rude to me."

Her smile quickly faded as the tone of their conversation changed. "I witnessed it. They are being rude. They don't view you as their equal. You have to stand up to them. You have to help them see you as an individual. Try to become friends with them. Maybe you should try to socialize off duty."

Kristen Young wrote:

Her smile quickly faded as the tone of their conversation changed. "I witnessed it. They are being rude. They don't view you as their equal. You have to stand up to them. You have to help them see you as an individual. Try to become friends with them. Maybe you should try to socialize off duty."

Mira raised one shoulder and let it drop in a half shrug, looking down at the glossy surface of the table beneath her hands. "Off duty? I'm supposed to be offline when I'm off duty," she replied before going on to state. "They won't view me as their equal. Even the Doctor doesn't think so. He was accepted because he had to become a member of the crew on Voyager. There was no officer rotation out there. It's not the same here."

Mira wrote:

Mira raised one shoulder and let it drop in a half shrug, looking down at the glossy surface of the table beneath her hands.  "Off duty?  I'm supposed to be offline when I'm off duty," she replied before going on to state.  "They won't view me as their equal.  Even the Doctor doesn't think so.  He was accepted because he had to become a member of the crew on Voyager.  There was no officer rotation out there.  It's not the same here."

"There is no reason you can't be a member of the crew here. I heard you saved that Ferengi when he found himself in a .... situation. Your already a member of the crew. You have already made a difference. I think you should start staying online when you are off duty. At least spend some time socializing. Go to the bar and hang out. Have dinner with a group of people..."

Kristen Young wrote:

"There is no reason you can't be a member of the crew here. I heard you saved that Ferengi when he found himself in a .... situation. Your already a member of the crew. You have already made a difference. I think you should start staying online when you are off duty. At least spend some time socializing. Go to the bar and hang out. Have dinner with a group of people..."

"But... I'm not supposed to stay online. My matrix was never built for that. I'm just an emergency hologram," Mira replied quietly. "The only reason I've been online more at the moment for patrols and the like is because I'm still under testing. The programming team back on Jupiter Station need to see how well organics can work with me."

Mira wrote:

"But... I'm not supposed to stay online.  My matrix was never built for that.  I'm just an emergency hologram," Mira replied quietly.  "The only reason I've been online more at the moment for patrols and the like is because I'm still under testing.  The programming team back on Jupiter Station need to see how well organics can work with me."

Kristen leaned in and lowered the tone of her voice. "Don't worry about your matrix. I can help you with that. All you have to do is request to be left online. I doubt that they will object. Especially since you are showing signs of sentience."

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen leaned in and lowered the tone of her voice. "Don't worry about your matrix. I can help you with that. All you have to do is request to be left online. I doubt that they will object. Especially since you are showing signs of sentience."

"Spend more time online?" Mira snorted derisively. "There's no point in me spending more time online. I'm not designed for it and never will be. I'm not even supposed to be online at all unless it's an emergency. A test subject, a lab rat, that's all I'm intended to be."

Mira wrote:

"Spend more time online?" Mira snorted derisively.  "There's no point in me spending more time online.  I'm not designed for it and never will be.  I'm not even supposed to be online at all unless it's an emergency.  A test subject, a lab rat, that's all I'm intended to be."

"You are more than that Mira. Can't you see that. Look at everything that you have already accomplished. Hell, look at this conversation your having. Sarcasm; I bet you weren't programmed for that."

Kristen Young wrote:

"You are more than that Mira. Can't you see that. Look at everything that you have already accomplished. Hell, look at this conversation your having. Sarcasm; I bet you weren't programmed for that."

"Surprisingly enough, the Doctor said that subroutines for understanding and replicating sarcasm were important elements in order to understand humans," Mira grumbled. She then sighed, sitting back in her chair and folding her arms. "You're attaching human elements to my program, maybe even growing attached to the idea of friendship. You have to remember that I'm not real."

Mira wrote:

"Surprisingly enough, the Doctor said that subroutines for understanding and replicating sarcasm were important elements in order to understand humans," Mira grumbled.  She then sighed, sitting back in her chair and folding her arms.  "You're attaching human elements to my program, maybe even growing attached to the idea of friendship.  You have to remember that I'm not real."

Kristen took a moment to ponder Mira's assertion. "You know what. You're right. I am viewing you through a human colored filter. You laugh when I tell a joke. You have shown a genuine interest in my life." Kristen sat back in her chair and folded her arms, mirroring Mira. "Seems awfully human to me. I make a choice to see you as more then subroutines and a mobile emitter. Are you the product of a brilliant man... absolutely. But that doesn't make you less of a person in my human eyes."

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen took a moment to ponder Mira's assertion. "You know what. You're right. I am viewing you through a human colored filter. You laugh when I tell a joke. You have shown a genuine interest in my life." Kristen sat back in her chair and folded her arms, mirroring Mira. "Seems awfully human to me. I make a choice to see you as more then subroutines and a mobile emitter. Are you the product of a brilliant man... absolutely. But that doesn't make you less of a person in my human eyes."

"How very human of you," Mira sighed quietly. She knew that the assurances that Kristen was making, as much as they touched Mira right down to her core subroutines, they were a very human view of the world. They did the same personification of pets and computers, sometimes even inanimate objects. It was a curious habit, one that they seemed to do without even thinking about it.

Deciding that they really needed to change the subject, the hologram asked: "So, how did you end up in Starfleet?"

Mira wrote:

"How very human of you," Mira sighed quietly.  She knew that the assurances that Kristen was making, as much as they touched Mira right down to her core subroutines, they were a very human view of the world.  They did the same personification of pets and computers, sometimes even inanimate objects.  It was a curious habit, one that they seemed to do without even thinking about it.

Deciding that they really needed to change the subject, the hologram asked:  "So, how did you end up in Starfleet?"

She caught that the hologram had changed the subject. Kristen thought it was for the best. She was hopeful that her comments would marinate with Mira. She would wait until later to re-visit the issue.

"Honestly, it was always probably inevitable. I'm a good old fashioned Starfleet brat. I grew up on Starships with my parents. Of course that was before the war. Back in the days when exploration was still a priority. I had the opportunity to travel the galaxy and explore hundreds of worlds before I was even a teenager. We lived on the frontier. It seemed like everyday brought a new first contact. It was quite the place to grow up."

Kristen Young wrote:

She caught that the hologram had changed the subject. Kristen thought it was for the best. She was hopeful that her comments would marinate with Mira. She would wait until later to re-visit the issue.

"Honestly, it was always probably inevitable. I'm a good old fashioned Starfleet brat. I grew up on Starships with my parents. Of course that was before the war. Back in the days when exploration was still a priority. I had the opportunity to travel the galaxy and explore hundreds of worlds before I was even a teenager. We lived on the frontier. It seemed like everyday brought a new first contact. It was quite the place to grow up."

"Sounds like you had a lot of fun as a kid," Mira remarked, offering the woman a smile. It was a curious element to human lives, one that had been around for a long time, the idea of following the parents into professions. Starfleet was no different, perhaps even more prone to that element given that the children of officers were often raised on starships. "I think Starfleet is starting to post families back on ships again since the end of the war."

Mira wrote:

"Sounds like you had a lot of fun as a kid," Mira remarked, offering the woman a smile.  It was a curious element to human lives, one that had been around for a long time, the idea of following the parents into professions.  Starfleet was no different, perhaps even more prone to that element given that the children of officers were often raised on starships.  "I think Starfleet is starting to post families back on ships again since the end of the war."

"They are starting to post families again. During the war many of the families were relocated to starbases while their parents were on the lines." Kristen took a moment to reflect on her childhood. "It truly was an amazing way to grow up. While kids on Earth are learning about Cocherns warp flight, I got to go down to engineering to see how the engines worked. While some kids were learning about cultures from around the galaxy I was on Ferenginar learning how to play tango at the age of 13."

Kristen Young wrote:

"They are starting to post families again. During the war many of the families were relocated to starbases while their parents were on the lines." Kristen took a moment to reflect on her childhood. "It truly was an amazing way to grow up. While kids on Earth are learning about Cocherns warp flight, I got to go down to engineering to see how the engines worked. While some kids were learning about cultures from around the galaxy I was on Ferenginar learning how to play tango at the age of 13."

Holographic eyebrows were raised at the mention of learning to gamble. "You were learning to play tongo at the age of 13?" Mira repeated. "I'm pretty sure that's not supposed to be allowed, but never mind." She glanced around at the people in the replimat and those passing by on the Promenade. There were families mixed in with uniformed personnel and traders, children weaving their way through the crowds as they played. "Many people seem divided on whether or not children should be allowed on any space-faring installations, whether they're starships or bases. Some think it's good for them whereas others think it's too dangerous."

Mira wrote:

Holographic eyebrows were raised at the mention of learning to gamble.  "You were learning to play tongo at the age of 13?" Mira repeated.  "I'm pretty sure that's not supposed to be allowed, but never mind."  She glanced around at the people in the replimat and those passing by on the Promenade.  There were families mixed in with uniformed personnel and traders, children weaving their way through the crowds as they played.  "Many people seem divided on whether or not children should be allowed on any space-faring installations, whether they're starships or bases.  Some think it's good for them whereas others think it's too dangerous."

Kristen shrugged. "Its just a game. I don't see anything wrong with it. My parents wouldn't let me play with real money." She pondered the debate about families aboard Starfleet installations. "I never felt that families had a negative impact. In fact I think being able to be together was a strength for my parents. It allowed us to be a family regardless of the circumstances. An the education was amazing."