Malfunction [Mira/Kristen]

[Security Office]

"Security to Operations, we need an ops officer up here please!"

The young security officer who had put the call through to the operations division took a step back as his colleague continued to flicker in front of his eyes. Mira, their prototype emergency security officer seemed to be shorting out right there in the middle of the security office.

Mira looked almost... afraid. Most people didn't think that holograms could experience such things, but any sentient (or near sentient) being faced with the void that was the end of their existence couldn't deny that fear. It was a natural part of being alive. She stared at her hands as she flickered again, then looked back up at the blank, non-comprehending expressions of her colleagues.

"Help me!"

Mira wrote:

[Security Office]

"Security to Operations, we need an ops officer up here please!"

The young security officer who had put the call through to the operations division took a step back as his colleague continued to flicker in front of his eyes.  Mira, their prototype emergency security officer seemed to be shorting out right there in the middle of the security office.  

Mira looked almost... afraid.  Most people didn't think that holograms could experience such things, but any sentient (or near sentient) being faced with the void that was the end of their existence couldn't deny that fear.  It was a natural part of being alive.  She stared at her hands as she flickered again, then looked back up at the blank, non-comprehending expressions of her colleagues.

"Help me!"

[Operations Center]

=/\=Acknowledged. I'm on my way.=/\=

Kristen grabbed a repair kit and made her way to the turbo lift.

[Security Office]

Kristen made her way quickly through the promenade and into the security office. She walked in and saw the security officer flickering. She seemed to be fading in and out. A level of panic was covering the officers face. Kristen could see it in her eyes. She started to diagnose the problem and probed Mira for information.

"Mira, when did this start?"

Kristen Young wrote:

[Operations Center]

=/\=Acknowledged. I'm on my way.=/\=

Kristen grabbed a repair kit and made her way to the turbo lift.

[Security Office]

Kristen made her way quickly through the promenade and into the security office. She walked in and saw the security officer flickering. She seemed to be fading in and out. A level of panic was covering the officers face. Kristen could see it in her eyes. She started to diagnose the problem and probed Mira for information.

"Mira, when did this start?"

There was a definite sense of relief in the hologram's expression as a gold-shirted young woman carrying a toolbox stepped into the security office and made a beeline for the console that controlled her matrix.

Before she could answer the question, however, one of the other security officers jumped in. "It came back from patrol about ten minutes ago. It only started flickering when we transferred its program out of the mobile emitter back to the standard emitters."

Mira wrote:

There was a definite sense of relief in the hologram's expression as a gold-shirted young woman carrying a toolbox stepped into the security office and made a beeline for the console that controlled her matrix.

Before she could answer the question, however, one of the other security officers jumped in.  "It came back from patrol about ten minutes ago.  It only started flickering when we transferred its program out of the mobile emitter back to the standard emitters."

Kristen looked at the security officer who had briefed her on the situation. "Let me take a look at her program." Kristen was not pleased with the reference of this artificial lifeform as it. As a teenager Kristen had met Commander Data and that chance encounter completely changed her view of the issue. "Let me see if I can get her back into the mobile emitter." The program began to destabilize further with Kristen's attempt. "Or not." Kristen quickly ceased her attempt."

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen looked at the security officer who had briefed her on the situation. "Let me take a look at her program." Kristen was not pleased with the reference of this artificial lifeform as it. As a teenager Kristen had met Commander Data and that chance encounter completely changed her view of the issue. "Let me see if I can get her back into the mobile emitter." The program began to destabilize further with Kristen's attempt. "Or not." Kristen quickly ceased her attempt."

As her program started to flicker even more, Mira gave a sharp cry of panic. Permanent oblivion of the sort she went into when she was offline was looking like a more and more likely fate for her and that thought was a terrifying one.

The officer who had been speaking, on the other hand, didn't look all that pleased to have been corrected. The expression of 'I've just bitten a lemon' on his face was evidence enough of that. However, he looked back at the scared, flickering program.

"Do you think you can save the program?"

Mira wrote:

As her program started to flicker even more, Mira gave a sharp cry of panic.  Permanent oblivion of the sort she went into when she was offline was looking like a more and more likely fate for her and that thought was a terrifying one.

The officer who had been speaking, on the other hand, didn't look all that pleased to have been corrected.  The expression of 'I've just bitten a lemon' on his face was evidence enough of that.  However, he looked back at the scared, flickering program.

"Do you think you can save the program?"

[Security Office]

"I hope so." Kristen analyzed the readings Mira's program was putting out. "It looks like she has exceeded her memory storage capacity. Her social algorithms are taking up a lot of space. They designed her program to be extremely life like." She thought back to the Doctor on the USS Voyager. "Her matrix is based off the same matrix from the hologram that served on Voyager. This happened to him too. There might be a clue in the ships engineers logs." Kristen accessed the information and Lieutenant Torres' logs flashed onto her screen. She narrowed it down to entries regarding the EMH. "Look here." Kristen pointed to the screen. "They added memory to the program.... I'm going to have to reinitialize her. There's no time to create backup files. She's destabilizing too quickly."

Kristen turned to Mira. "I'm going to do everything I can but this only has a 50/50 chance of working. Try not to worry. I'll do everything I can to save you..."

Kristen Young wrote:

"I hope so." Kristen analyzed the readings Mira's program was putting out. "It looks like she has exceeded her memory storage capacity. Her social algorithms are taking up a lot of space. They designed her program to be extremely life like." She thought back to the Doctor on the USS Voyager. "Her matrix is based off the same matrix from the hologram that served on Voyager. This happened to him too. There might be a clue in the ships engineers logs." Kristen accessed the information and Lieutenant Torres' logs flashed onto her screen. She narrowed it down to entries regarding the EMH. "Look here." Kristen pointed to the screen. "They added memory to the program.... I'm going to have to reinitialize her. There's no time to create backup files. She's destabilizing too quickly."

Kristen turned to Mira. "I'm going to do everything I can but this only has a 50/50 chance of working. Try not to worry. I'll do everything I can to save you..."

Mira's simulated breathing was racing at a pant as she fought to control the emotions that her creators had deemed fit to give her. Why did panic exist? It didn't seem to serve any purpose! A waste of resources!

She listened to the diagnosis on her program, remembering how her ancestor, the EMH Mark I that had served aboard Voyager, had struggled once his program had exceeded its original parametres. Her program had been loaded onto the same basic matrix, so why hadn't they realised that she would collapse?

The fear in her eyes was evident as she looked at the operations officer standing at the console, only a little reassured by her words, but she nodded slightly as she gave another series of flickers. "Please, help me!"

Mira wrote:

Mira's simulated breathing was racing at a pant as she fought to control the emotions that her creators had deemed fit to give her.  Why did panic exist?  It didn't seem to serve any purpose!  A waste of resources!

She listened to the diagnosis on her program, remembering how her ancestor, the EMH Mark I that had served aboard Voyager, had struggled once his program had exceeded its original parametres.  Her program had been loaded onto the same basic matrix, so why hadn't they realised that she would collapse?

The fear in her eyes was evident as she looked at the operations officer standing at the console, only a little reassured by her words, but she nodded slightly as she gave another series of flickers.  "Please, help me!"

The fear in Mira's eyes. The panic that trembled from her voice. Kristen was perplexed that anyone could doubt this person could be a sentient being. "I'll try. I promise. Your program is degrading at an alarming rate. I'm going to try to infuse the new circuits and re-initiate your program." Kristen fingers moved across the console. "I'm terminating your program now. Hopefully it will reinitialize in working order." Mira flickered as her rpgram ends. "Okay now I'm installing the additional subroutines and preparing to re-initialize the program. I'm bringing her back online now..." She pressed a few buttons and Mira began to re-appear.

Kristen Young wrote:

The fear in Mira's eyes. The panic that trembled from her voice. Kristen was perplexed that anyone could doubt this person could be a sentient being. "I'll try. I promise. Your program is degrading at an alarming rate. I'm going to try to infuse the new circuits and re-initiate your program." Kristen fingers moved across the console. "I'm terminating your program now. Hopefully it will reinitialize in working order." Mira flickered as her rpgram ends. "Okay now I'm installing the additional subroutines and preparing to re-initialize the program. I'm bringing her back online now..." She pressed a few buttons and Mira began to re-appear.

The hologram disappeared for a moment as the program was terminated before reappearing a moment later, standing to attention with a neutral expression on her face.

"Please state the nature of the emergency," she said before blinking, taking in her surroundings. She looked down at her hands, making sure that they weren't flickering again before looking up at the operations officer standing at the console. "Did it work? Am I fixed?"

Mira wrote:

The hologram disappeared for a moment as the program was terminated before reappearing a moment later, standing to attention with a neutral expression on her face.

"Please state the nature of the emergency," she said before blinking, taking in her surroundings.  She looked down at her hands, making sure that they weren't flickering again before looking up at the operations officer standing at the console.  "Did it work?  Am I fixed?"

Kristen glanced at the control panel and realized that her plan had worked. She flashed a smile to Mira. "I don't know Mira, you tell me. How's your memory? Do you know where you are? Can you remember your..." She looked at the other security officer. "companions name?" Kristen knew form the readings that everything had worked. But she wanted to ensure that that was indeed the case.

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen glanced at the control panel and realized that her plan had worked. She flashed a smile to Mira. "I don't know Mira, you tell me. How's your memory? Do you know where you are? Can you remember your..." She looked at the other security officer. "companions name?" Kristen knew form the readings that everything had worked. But she wanted to ensure that that was indeed the case.

Looking around the security office, Mira scanned through her memory banks, making sure that everything was intact. "I'm in the security office on Starbase Athena, and my colleague's name is Lieutenant McTaggart," she stated, looking back to Kristen. "I think my memory files are still whole." She paused for a moment, her gaze dropping to the deck plates. "Thank you, for trying to save my memory files and not just reinitialising my program from its original program."

Mira wrote:

Looking around the security office, Mira scanned through her memory banks, making sure that everything was intact.  "I'm in the security office on Starbase Athena, and my colleague's name is Lieutenant McTaggart," she stated, looking back to Kristen.  "I think my memory files are still whole."  She paused for a moment, her gaze dropping to the deck plates.  "Thank you, for trying to save my memory files and not just reinitialising my program from its original program."

Kristen smiled at the security officer. The emotions overcame her. This is how doctors must feel. She thought. She walked up to Mira and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You are welcome. And congratulations on being my first patient." She chuckled. Breaking the tension that had built during the stressful ordeal. "Now, as your doctor, I have a prescription for you." She paused and removed her arm from Mira's shoulder. "Weekly checkups. I have your program held together with proverbial duct tape. I want to keep an eye on your program and monitor the changes I made today. Hopefully if we keep tabs on you progress we can avoid future incidents."

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen smiled at the security officer. The emotions overcame her. This is how doctors must feel. She thought. She walked up to Mira and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You are welcome. And congratulations on being my first patient." She chuckled. Breaking the tension that had built during the stressful ordeal. "Now, as your doctor, I have a prescription for you." She paused and removed her arm from Mira's shoulder. "Weekly checkups. I have your program held together with proverbial duct tape. I want to keep an eye on your program and monitor the changes I made today. Hopefully if we keep tabs on you progress we can avoid future incidents."

Mira's program calculated the pressure and location of the hand on her shoulder in order to provide her with an approximation of a feeling. The hologram looked down at it, then up at the human initiating the gesture. It was curious, in a sense, that this operations officer was treating her just as any other flesh-and-blood officer, despite the fact that Mira was just a hologram, and a prototype at that.

"Weekly? Do you really think that's necessary?" she asked. "I don't generally have much time actually online."

Mira wrote:

Mira's program calculated the pressure and location of the hand on her shoulder in order to provide her with an approximation of a feeling.  The hologram looked down at it, then up at the human initiating the gesture.  It was curious, in a sense, that this operations officer was treating her just as any other flesh-and-blood officer, despite the fact that Mira was just a hologram, and a prototype at that.

"Weekly?  Do you really think that's necessary?" she asked.  "I don't generally have much time actually online."

Kristen considered the holograms query. "Well, it sounds like your going to be online more and more. If you enjoy avoiding a holographic abyss I would like to meet with you weekly. If the holographic abyss is your goal then we can meet on a more suitable time table." Kristen had heard the plans to bring the program into a more continuous use and wanted to make certain that Mira was set up for success. "I'm sure you will be online more than you are offline soon enough. If we keep your program in good working order it will only aid you in allowing grow and develop."

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen considered the holograms query. "Well, it sounds like your going to be online more and more. If you enjoy avoiding a holographic abyss I would like to meet with you weekly. If the holographic abyss is your goal then we can meet on a more suitable time table." Kristen had heard the plans to bring the program into a more continuous use and wanted to make certain that Mira was set up for success. "I'm sure you will be online more than you are offline soon enough. If we keep your program in good working order it will only aid you in allowing grow and develop."

The hologram had to admit that the operations officer had a point. Whether or not the plan was to have her program take on a more active role in the everyday security of the base, then she was going to have to submit to her program being scanned and tweaked a lot more in order to make sure that she was able to handle whatever it was that would be thrown at her. That didn't mean that she was particularly comfortable with someone getting in to her subroutines and messing around in there, though. They could do a lot of damage, change who she was fundamentally. Quite a disconcerting thought for any sentient being.

"Understood," she replied reluctantly. Then, realising that she still didn't know the name of the officer who had just saved her program, added: "I'm Mira, by the way."

Mira wrote:

The hologram had to admit that the operations officer had a point.  Whether or not the plan was to have her program take on a more active role in the everyday security of the base, then she was going to have to submit to her program being scanned and tweaked a lot more in order to make sure that she was able to handle whatever it was that would be thrown at her.  That didn't mean that she was particularly comfortable with someone getting in to her subroutines and messing around in there, though.  They could do a lot of damage, change who she was fundamentally.  Quite a disconcerting thought for any sentient being.

"Understood," she replied reluctantly.  Then, realising that she still didn't know the name of the officer who had just saved her program, added:  "I'm Mira, by the way."

Kristen smiled as Mira came to an understanding of requiring routine maintenance. "It's okay. I don't like going to the doctor either. Just view it as a necessary evil." She laughed as she tried to find common ground with her colleague. Following Mira's introduction, Kristen extended her hand. "Young, Kristen Young. I was just posted to this base as an Operations oofficer."

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen smiled as Mira came to an understanding of requiring routine maintenance. "It's okay. I don't like going to the doctor either. Just view it as a necessary evil." She laughed as she tried to find common ground with her colleague. Following Mira's introduction, Kristen extended her hand. "Young, Kristen Young. I was just posted to this base as an Operations oofficer."

Mira reached out with her own hand and shook the operations officer's, offering the other woman a slight smile. "Good to know that I'm in good hands," she replied. "I'm pretty new here as well. My program was only brought online a week or two ago. I think there are still quite a few kinks that need to be ironed out before copies can be put on other bases and starships for actual use."

Mira wrote:

Mira reached out with her own hand and shook the operations officer's, offering the other woman a slight smile.  "Good to know that I'm in good hands," she replied.  "I'm pretty new here as well.  My program was only brought online a week or two ago.  I think there are still quite a few kinks that need to be ironed out before copies can be put on other bases and starships for actual use."

Kristen laughed at the comment. "Kinks. It would appear so." She packed her tools back into the container and closed the lid. "I was about to head to the replimat for a bite to eat. Care to join me?" She thought about the question she had just posed. "Well... you can keep me company while I eat?"

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen laughed at the comment. "Kinks. It would appear so." She packed her tools back into the container and closed the lid. "I was about to head to the replimat for a bite to eat. Care to join me?" She thought about the question she had just posed. "Well... you can keep me company while I eat?"

Despite the fact that she was supposed to be in control of her own actions aboard the station, Mira still glanced at the other security officers in the office for their approval. One of them waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, the small group that had gathered to watch the newest addition to their ranks fail in a dramatic manner starting to disperse back to their duties. Mira turned back to Kirsten and smiled.

"Well, I think that means I can go off duty," she replied, moving around the console and tapping a few commands into it. "I could do with getting out of the office." With a very brief flicker, she then picked up her mobile emitter from the top of the console and slipped it into her boot. "Let's go!"

Mira wrote:

Despite the fact that she was supposed to be in control of her own actions aboard the station, Mira still glanced at the other security officers in the office for their approval.  One of them waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, the small group that had gathered to watch the newest addition to their ranks fail in a dramatic manner starting to disperse back to their duties.  Mira turned back to Kirsten and smiled.

"Well, I think that means I can go off duty," she replied, moving around the console and tapping a few commands into it.  "I could do with getting out of the office."  With a very brief flicker, she then picked up her mobile emitter from the top of the console and slipped it into her boot.  "Let's go!"

The security office doors opened and the pair stepped onto the promenade. Kristen motioned to the mobile emitter. "That's a fancy device. Is it based off the one from the Voyager EMH?" Kristen had always had a passing interest in holographic programming and was very interested in learning more about the nature of her program.

Kristen Young wrote:

The security office doors opened and the pair stepped onto the promenade. Kristen motioned to the mobile emitter. "That's a fancy device. Is it based off the one from the Voyager EMH?" Kristen had always had a passing interest in holographic programming and was very interested in learning more about the nature of her program.

Mira offered the woman a slight smile as she asked about the mobile emitter. "Yes, it is, just like my program. When Voyager got back to Earth, the holographic team at Jupiter Station were really interested in everything the Doctor had achieved with his program and were determined to try to duplicate it into other holograms to serve on starships and bases, which is why I now exist."

Mira wrote:

Mira offered the woman a slight smile as she asked about the mobile emitter.  "Yes, it is, just like my program.  When Voyager got back to Earth, the holographic team at Jupiter Station were really interested in everything the Doctor had achieved with his program and were determined to try to duplicate it into other holograms to serve on starships and bases, which is why I now exist."

"Fascinating." The pair approached the replimat and Kristen ordered scones and jam. She instinctively turned to Mira. "Would you like... Oh never mind." Kristen smiled. She was slightly embarrassed by her mistake. "I'm sorry. Its habit." She located a table and gestured to Mira to take a seat across from her. "So how do you like you posting thus far?" Kristen asked.

Kristen Young wrote:

"Fascinating." The pair approached the replimat and Kristen ordered scones and jam. She instinctively turned to Mira. "Would you like... Oh never mind." Kristen smiled. She was slightly embarrassed by her mistake. "I'm sorry. Its habit." She located a table and gestured to Mira to take a seat across from her. "So how do you like you posting thus far?" Kristen asked.

The hologram gave a slight, humourless smile at the aborted offer of something to eat. It was a common thing now that she was associating with humanoids who required sustenance in order to survive. Brushing it off, she took a seat at the table and shrugged.

"The posting itself is alright," she remarked. "I think it's taking everyone else some time to get used to the while 'having a hologram in the ranks' thing."

Mira wrote:

The hologram gave a slight, humourless smile at the aborted offer of something to eat.  It was a common thing now that she was associating with humanoids who required sustenance in order to survive.  Brushing it off, she took a seat at the table and shrugged.

"The posting itself is alright," she remarked.  "I think it's taking everyone else some time to get used to the while 'having a hologram in the ranks' thing."

Kristen was surprised by her comments. "We've had artificial lifeforms in Starfleet before. Are your colleagues in security finding the adjustment difficult?" Kristen was worried for her new found friend. She was worried that prejudices had seeped their way into the base.

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen was surprised by her comments. "We've had artificial lifeforms in Starfleet before. Are your colleagues in security finding the adjustment difficult?" Kristen was worried for her new found friend. She was worried that prejudices had seeped their way into the base.

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."